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La. high court halts AG indictment Move pauses criminal prosecution of Murrill in New Orleans

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

The Louisiana Supreme Court issued a stay early Friday on Attorney General Liz Murrill’s indictment by a New Orleans grand jury, pausing the criminal prosecution of Louisiana’s top lawyer and excoriating what one justice termed a “quagmire” of irregularities

surrounding the case.

Murrill, a Republican, was charged Thursday with 16 felony counts of malfeasance in office and intimidation over letters she sent in May to several New Orleans officials, warning that they had put their positions in jeopardy by opposing a new state law consolidating the city’s criminal and district clerks of court.

Murrill filed an emergency motion Thursday evening asking the state Supreme Court to review the indictment, which was returned in a closed courtroom at New Orleans’ Criminal District Court earlier that afternoon. Her attorneys’ filing asked the state’s high court to either quash the indictment or stay the proceedings.

In a remarkable move that one

COME FOURTH

dissenting justice and legal observers said would hardly ever befall a typical defendant, the Supreme Court issued its stay Friday morning after weighing what the order described as a laundry list of issues with the indictment.

The three-page order points to alleged conflicts of interest in the

AG Liz Murrill was charged Thursday with 16 felony counts.

STAFF PHOTO

By JOHN BALLANCE

ä See MURRILL, page 8A

When America declared independence, Baton Rouge said no thanks Settlement decided to stick with England

BY JAN RISHER Staff writer

ABOVE: Several children wait patiently for the start of the Kenilworth Civic Association’s 54th Annual Independence Day Parade in Baton Rouge on Friday.

RIGHT: People reach for goodies as a float rolls by in the parade on Friday.

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

When the American Revolution happened, Baton Rouge sat on the other side.

While 13 colonies moved toward independence, the settlement on the bluff above the Mississippi River remained part of British West Florida, the 14th colony, which stayed loyal to the king.

They were invited to Philadelphia to sign the Declaration of Independence.

But they declined the invitation.

They decided to stick with England — to stay loyal to the crown.

Baton Rouge wasn’t really a town in 1776.

AMERICA About 300 people lived there, scattered among plantations overlooking the Mississippi. The river served as the settlement’s highway, carrying people, supplies and news.

The forest was nearly everywhere the river wasn’t. Indigo, not cotton, grew in the cleared fields.

English was heard more often than French, and most newcomers considered themselves British.

The settlers, along with the rest of British West Florida, had their reasons for siding with the redcoats.

British West Florida, which stretched from its westernmost point in Baton Rouge across the Gulf to Pensacola, was governed by the Proclamation of 1763.

It gave residents the rights of English law, including a representative assembly like Virginia’s House of Burgesses, and the right to appeal court decisions.

ä See NO THANKS, page 6A

WEATHER HIGH 93 LOW 76 PAGE 10A

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Colorado wildfire forces thousands to evacuate

PUEBLO, Colo. — A wildfire burning southwest of Denver has forced the evacuation of thousands of residents and destroyed more than 160 structures by Friday as erratic winds pushed the blaze across two Colorado counties.

The Aspen Acres fire is one of about 40 uncontained large blazes burning mostly in the West, fueled by months of dry weather and a record lack of snow this past winter in some places.

Fire personnel were scooping water from the Pueblo Reservoir to fight the Aspen Acres fire, which expanded overnight by 17 square miles which brought it up to nearly 105 square miles by Friday with zero containment.

All of Colorado City, an unincorporated community of about 2,200, was ordered evacuated as well as the towns of Beulah, Rye and San Isabel, according to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office.

About 50 National Guard soldiers were being sent in Friday to help with staffing checkpoints on roads in Custer and Pueblo counties.

Guard members would also help state park rangers as they bring on additional boats to keep boaters clear of water-scooping operations.

Fire crews on the western side of the Rocky Mountains had contained about 65% of the Snyder Fire on the Colorado/Utah border, where three members of a Helitack team were killed and two others injured last weekend when they were overcome by flames.

Pope urges U.S. to honor founding ideals

ROME — Pope Leo XIV prayed Friday for the United States to recommit itself to its founding ideals of protecting life and human dignity as he participated remotely in an event on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

History’s first U.S.-born pope recalled America’s tradition of welcoming migrants and promoting religious freedom during a live video appearance at the National Constitution Center, which provides a nonpartisan platform for constitutional education and debate.

The Philadelphia-based center gave Leo its annual Liberty Medal, which is awarded each year to someone “of courage and conviction” who promotes liberty around the world. The center honored Leo this year for his “lifelong work promoting religious liberty and freedom of conscience and expression around the world — ideals enshrined by America’s founders in the First Amendment.”

Wearing the medal around his neck, Leo spoke to the center from Rome on the eve of the anniversary. He planned to spend July 4 itself at a symbolically significant location, given the Trump administration’s crackdown on migrants: the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, the destination of hundreds of thousands of migrants fleeing conflict, hardship and poverty.

Trump and Leo have clashed over Leo’s insistence that migrants be treated with dignity, welcomed and accompanied, as called for by the Gospel mandate to “welcome the stranger.”

Police investigate mall shooting in Detroit

DEARBORN, Mich, — A shooting altercation between two groups of young people at a shopping mall in Dearborn, Michigan, left two people dead and a third injured Friday, police said.

The shooting at Fairlane Town Center sent mall patrons scrambling, including a person who was hit by a vehicle outside the mall while attempting to flee, Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin said.

People believed to be linked to the fight were being questioned at the police station, but no one was immediately taken into custody, he said.

Shahin said the altercation was not a random act: The two groups knew each other and after they came into contact at the mall a fight started that escalated into gunfire. Members of both groups had handguns, he said.

One of the victims died inside Fairlane Town Center and the other died at a nearby hospital.

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Heat bears down before July 4 holiday America 250 celebrations ramp up

BY STEVEN SLOAN and STEVE PEOPLES Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Festivities commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence ramped up across the United States on Friday as demonstrations of national pride — and hints of political polarization — were balanced with efforts to stay safe as much of the country baked under extreme heat.

President Donald Trump was on his way to South Dakota to deliver a speech and watch fireworks at Mount Rushmore. And in a novel twist, there will be a ball drop in New York City’s Times Square at midnight to usher in the July Fourth holiday with much the same revelry that is typically reserved for New Year’s Eve. The sound of fighter jets on military flyovers shook the nation’s capital. In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered his own address on the country’s 250th anniversary that cast America as a nation of contradictions “working each day towards the perfection in which it was conceived.”

By early afternoon in Washington, hundreds of people were roaming the grounds of the National Mall, home to The Great American State Fair. They snapped photos of the flyovers and tried to cool off inside tents that offered $9

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN

Military aircraft fly Friday over the National Mall near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex in Washington. lemonades and $23 turkey legs. Many were dressed in patriotic colors, their faces glistening with sweat.

Glenn Brooks, who was pardoned by Trump for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, said he was “thankful to be participating in this grand event.”

The activity culminates in the main event Saturday, when fireworks will erupt in communities across the U.S., along with backyard cookouts and block parties.

Trump will deliver another speech at the National Mall in Washington before what is being billed as a historically massive fireworks show.

But for all the celebrations, there are also serious safety considerations as potentially record heat grips

much of the Midwest and East Coast. Officials have warned those celebrating the holiday to stay hydrated and take air-conditioned breaks as needed.

Philadelphia canceled its Salute to Independence parade Friday. The Great American State Fair in Washington shut down in the early afternoon before reopening at 5 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning for much of the Midwest, midAtlantic and Northeast from eastern Kansas to southern Maine, including the cities of St. Louis, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. The weather service said peak heat indexes, which combine air temperature with humidity, of up to 115 are

possible.

As the rest of the country struggled under stifling heat, the Pacific Northwest enjoyed temperatures in the 60s with even a few light showers.

World Cup soccer fans in Seattle were staying cool Friday as they got psyched up for Monday’s big game between the U.S. and Belgium. In the nearby suburb of Issaquah, Megan Kurowski, 31, brought her two dogs to the dog park so they could get some exercise before she went to work.

Kurowski said she was feeling positive about America’s 250th anniversary and was planning a possible paddleboard to watch the fireworks.

“Everyone’s just, from what it seems, been pretty excited about celebrating

250 years,” she said.

The holiday is unfolding at a unique time in the U.S. The anniversary has served as an opportunity for the country to reflect on its history while also reminding it of the political polarization of the moment.

In New York, Mamdani, a Democrat, did not mention Trump by name, but parts of his speech appeared aimed at the president’s divisive rhetoric.

“For generation after generation, we have been told that when the world has sent its people to our shores, it has not sent its best,” Mamdani said in an apparent reference to an a common criticism from Trump. “Those ideals upon which our nation was built — they are strong enough to endure any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them.”

Freedom 250, an organization aligned with the White House, has come to rival America250, a bipartisan group founded by Congress a decade ago. Freedom 250 has organized much of the activity in Washington, including the Great American State Fair. America250 is behind the ball drops unfolding in many cities, including New York, and will host a concert in Los Angeles on Saturday.

About 4 in 10 U.S. adults feel “proud” about the country’s 250th anniversary, according to an April survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Roughly 3 in 10 said “excited” describes their emotions.

Iran prepares for slain supreme leader’s funeral

BY NASSER KARIMI and JON GAMBRELL

Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran prepared Friday for the dayslong funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with banners across Tehran urging the public to rise up in support of the Islamic Republic after the devastating war that killed the 86-yearold cleric.

The country’s theocracy expects to see millions flood the streets of the capital beginning Saturday in scenes reminiscent of the burial of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989.

That could provide a boost for Iran’s government, particularly as it tries to leverage its hold on the Strait of Hormuz in negotiations with the United States over a permanent end to the war, and as concern still lingers that Israel could attack yet again.

Despite that, a powerful general who leads Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard emerged publicly for the first time in

wife of Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the previous leader who remains in hiding after reportedly being wounded in the attack.

Religious leaders and foreign dignitaries walked up to Khamenei’s casket as a military band played or a man sang prayers. Iran’s Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, ForASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By VAHID SALEMI eign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud The coffins of slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, center on top, and members of his family Pezeshkian, key leaders in

are displayed Friday ahead of the dayslong funeral ceremonies at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran. months for the funeral.

Other top government officials will also likely will be on hand alongside foreign dignitaries in a show of strength by Iran.

“As long as these people, who are chosen (by God), are on the field, we will definitely continue the same ‘no to humiliation’ policy that was founded by the Islamic Republic,” said Mohammad Hossein Rezaei, a volunteer preparing for the funeral Friday.

“We will continue our

policy of pursuing independence, and decisions will be made inside the country, and the people will decide their own fate,” he said.

Khamenei’s flag-draped coffin sat at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla alongside family members killed in the Israeli airstrike that came in the first moments of the war on Feb. 28.

The dead being honored include a son-in-law, his eldest daughter, a 14-monthold granddaughter and the

Mission launches to save NASA telescope that’s falling to Earth

BY MARCIA DUNN AP aerospace writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A three-armed spacecraft rocketed into orbit Friday to rescue a NASA telescope that’s in danger of crashing back to Earth.

Northrop Grumman launched Katalyst Space Technologies’ Link spacecraft from the Marshall Islands in the Pacific. The Pegasus rocket blasted off from the belly of a modified airplane, putting Link on course to reach and capture NASA’s Swift Observatory in about a month.

Launched in 2004, Swift is sinking faster than ever because of recent solar

storms. NASA is paying $30 million for Katalyst to capture the telescope and boost its orbit so it can continue tracking some of the biggest explosions in the universe, like gamma ray bursts and exploding stars.

If all goes well, Swift could be back scanning the cosmos by September.

Observations are currently on hold to preserve the telescope’s orbit as long as possible.

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope could be a candidate for a similar salvage operation in a few years. It’s also slipping in altitude because of increased atmospheric drag caused by the sun’s out-

bursts.

The 1.6-ton Swift currently is circling 224 miles above Earth. Katalyst aims to raise the telescope’s altitude by 150 miles, back to where it all began. Link’s thrusters will fire to boost Swift slowly, so there’s no heavy jostling.

Katalyst threw the mission together in just nine months. NASA insisted on a rush job because the telescope will be too low to recover by the fall. Without a boost, it’s predicted to plunge to its demise in October.

Bad weather and technical issues caused a series of last-minute launch delays.

the country’s civilian government, all paid their respects.

Video published by Iranian state media showed an earlier mourning ceremony Thursday night for Khamenei. The black-clad mourners, whom state media identified as coming from families of those who lost loved ones in the 12-day war in 2025 and the recent Iran war, threw scarves and other items for attendants to brush against the coffin, a common practice in Iran seen as a blessing.

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Fallout from Venezuela’s earthquakes turns political Opposition leader Machado seeks return

BY REGINA GARCIA CANO and ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela — The fallout from Venezuela’s powerful twin quakes has evolved into a major test for acting President Delcy Rodríguez, sending her scrambling to prevent the humanitarian disaster from becoming a political one as her mandate as interim leader expires Friday.

A day after Rodríguez angrily defended the competence of her government’s relief effort at her first news conference since the June 24 disaster, her main rival, exiled Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, issued her own appeal.

Machado on Friday argued that the government’s quake

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ARIANA CUBILLOS

Part of the San Judas Tadeo school is collapsed Friday in Caracas, Venezuela, days after it was damaged in the earthquakes. response exposed its critical weaknesses and that she should return to Venezuela to help “the transition process, especially after the tragedy.”

“My presence stabilizes the situation; it is part of the organizing forces that the country needs at a time

when the total absence of the state has become evident,” Machado said, referring to widespread criticism of the government’s earthquake response as slow and disorganized. “The country needs figures it can trust.”

She spoke to reporters from

Panama.

The quakes have killed 2,645 people and injured over 12,500 others, according tallies released Friday by the government. Machado’s opposition movement has set up an online database to locate the missing — a list of

36,000 people as of Friday.

The party has mobilized volunteers to collect donations in Venezuela and solicited aid from the country’s vast diaspora.

Machado was barred from running in a 2024 presidential election in which President Nicolás Maduro claimed victory. Vote tallies that the opposition collected from voting machines used in the election showed that the candidate Machado endorsed, Edmundo González, beat Maduro by a more than 2-to-1 margin.

When the earthquakes hit, Machado saw an opening to return home for the first time after fleeing in December to accept a Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. Ever since the United States captured Maduro in a brazen military operation in January, Machado has been seeking a comeback and calling for a democratic transition.

But the Trump administration has thrown its support behind Rodríguez since

Maduro’s ouster, praising her business-friendly reforms of the country’s lucrative oil sector.

Two senior U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to disclose private diplomatic discussions, told The Associated Press that the Trump administration has grown frustrated with Machado and dissuaded her from returning to Venezuela in the aftermath of the earthquakes.

One official said that Machado had sought assistance from Washington for ferrying her to Venezuela from the Caribbean island of Curaçao and also from Panama.

The second official said the U.S. suspected she wanted to return to lead protests against Rodríguez and push for political change at a time when the focus should be on quake recovery. This official added that the Trump administration could not prevent Machado’s return but was not in a position to facilitate it.

Interpol names suspect Catholic group that defied pope defends itself in Monaco bombing

BY NICOLE WINFIELD

BY JOHN LEICESTER and SAMUEL PETREQUIN

Associated Press

PARIS — Interpol on Friday identified a 39-year-old woman from Ukraine as the main suspect in a bombing in Monaco that reportedly targeted a Ukrainian tycoon with links to Russia.

The police organization named Anastasiia Berezovska, who remains at large, in a Red Notice seeking her arrest on charges of attempted murder, placing an explosive device in a public place with criminal intent, and criminal conspiracy.

Monaco authorities haven’t identified any of the three people wounded in Monday’s explosion at an apartment building entrance but said they are a family and that they appear to have been specifically targeted.

Media reports named Ukrainian construction tycoon Vadym Yermolaiev as being among the wounded.

He has said he renounced his Ukrainian citizenship nearly a decade ago, and he was targeted by Ukrainian sanctions in 2023 for ties to Russia.

A woman and a child were

also hurt. One of the victims is still in a life-threatening condition, prosecutors said Friday, also mentioning two other “collateral victims” who were slightly injured in the attack.

Investigators are also seeking to establish whether the suspect had accomplices or acted on behalf of someone else.

“The relative sophistication of the explosive device and the modus operandi suggest that the person who planted the device did not act alone,” Monaco’s deputy prosecutor, Morgan Raymond told a news conference.

He said the bomb was detonated from a distance, using a remote control, and its remains are being analyzed in neighboring France.

The attack shocked Monaco, a coastal playground for the rich and famous known for its tax-friendly incentives, royal family and Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Its head of state, Prince Albert II, described the blast as “an odious act” and said all public services were mobilized to ensure security.

Prosecutors have not yet given a motive for the attack.

NATO commander says Europe filled most gaps from U.S. equipment cutbacks

BY LORNE COOK Associated Press

BRUSSELS — NATO’s top commander told The Associated Press on Friday that European allies have filled most of the holes created by a U.S. decision to cut back military contributions in times of crisis.

U.S. Gen. Alex Grynkewich urged Europeans to make more equipment available after the U.S. signaled on June 3 that it would no longer supply an aircraft carrier and support ships, aerial refueling planes and dozens of fighter jets, among other assets, to the continent.

He also began weighing backup plans in case of an attack against Europe.

The so-called NATO Force Model is the alliance’s Plan A for making forces from the 32 member nations available in times of peace, crisis or war. It sets out the military assets that commanders can call on in phases over the first six months of any conflict.

“In a matter of weeks, European Allies have largely filled the gaps left by U.S. reductions to the NATO Force Model,” Grynkewich said, days before President Donald Trump and his counterparts gather for a July 7-8 summit in Turkey, where force planning will be high on the agenda.

“And in those few areas

where they haven’t, where they do not currently have a like capability to replace, we are looking at alternate capabilities with matching effect,” Grynkewich said.

He provided no details.

In a decision that took many allies by surprise, the Pentagon informed its NATO allies that it would no longer provide as much as it focuses on potential threats elsewhere, notably from China in the Indo-Pacific region.

Associated Press

ROME — The traditionalist Catholics who defied Pope Leo XIV and caused a schism defended their actions Friday, insisting they were merely saving souls and were victim of an unjust sanction by the Holy See. The head of the Society of St. Pius X wrote to Leo a day after the Vatican excommunicated the group’s bishops and priests and warned its faithful they too could be excommunicated for participating in the schism, or rupture in church unity.

The society, known as SSPX, celebrates the ancient Latin Mass and opposes the modernizing reforms of the Catholic Church. On Wednesday, it consecrated four new bishops without papal consent during a massive ceremony at its seminary in Econe, Switzerland, committing one of the gravest crimes in church law.

Leo had begged the SSPX not go ahead with the ceremony, but the SSPX defied his will. Within 24 hours, the Vatican declared an exceptionally harsh punishment that surprised even the SSPX’s toughest critics.

In his letter to Leo, the SSPX superior, the Rev. Davide Pagliarani cast the SSPX as the defiant guardian of the church’s tradition and the victim of an unjust sanction by Rome.

“What the Society of Saint Pius X has done, and will continue to do, is nothing other than an extraordinary initiative for the salvation of souls, amidst the doctrinal and moral confusion into which the church is plunged,” he wrote.

Despite the “unjust and invalid” sanctions, the SSPX will love the church even more and “offers up the suffering caused by these new sanctions for the good of the universal church and of Your Holiness,” Pagliarani wrote.

French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre founded the SSPX in 1970 in opposition to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, which revo-

Notice is hereby given pursuant to Article 7, Section 23(C) of the Louisiana Constitution and R.S. 47:1705(B) that a public hearing of the City of Baker School District in East Baton Rouge Parish will be held at its regular meeting place, in the board room of the City of Baker School Board Office, located at 14750 Plank Road, Baker, LA on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. to consider levying additional or increased millage rates without further voter approval or adopting the adjusted millage rates after reassessment and rolling forward to rates not to exceed the prior year’s maximum.

The estimated amount of tax revenues to be collected in the next year from the increased millage is $3,079,092, and the amount of increase in taxes attributable to the millage increase is $455,922.

While now a fringe movement on the Catholic right, the SSPX has been a thorn in the Vatican’s side for five decades because it claims to be even more Catholic than the Holy See. The harshness of Vatican’s response suggested that after trying to negotiate with the SSPX over three pontificates, the Vatican under Pope Leo XIV had had enough.

The Rev. Robert Gahl, an ethics expert at The Catholic ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By BAZ RATNER University of America, said the speed and decisiveness Newly consecrated bishops, from left, Pascal Schreiber, with which the Vatican reMichael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry and Marc sponded to the consecrations Hanappier, pray at the end of their consecration ceremony was significant in clearly on Wednesday in a tent set up outside the Society of St. alerting the SSPX faithful Pius X seminary in Econe, Switzerland. that they were participating in a schism. Doing so, he lutionized the church’s rela- faiths and allowed Mass to be said, exposed how the SSPX tions with other Christians, celebrated in the vernacular falsely claims to be “more Catholic than the pope.”

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slaves and supplies so he could pay off the hire on his Continued from page 1A vessel. Then he would start a plantation.

Multiply that a few hun“It was a stark differ- dred times along the Misence from what they saw sissippi, the Amite, the around them,” said Samuel Natalbany and Thompson’s Hyde, history professor and Creek in the Felicianas, and director of the Center for British West Florida was taking shape.

Southeast “The Native peoples were Louisiana shocked by the arrival of Studies at all these settlers and were Southeasttrying to protect their huntern Louisiing grounds and the tradiana Univertional places where they sity. “They had dwelled,” Hyde said. saw Spanish “So it was a kind of chaotic and French Hyde cauldron of opportunity authority around them, which was and contempt.” very autocratic — and the people had no say in their Hyde fills in the timeline governance the way they did Britain had taken the disas British citizens.” trict in 1763, and it filled in fast.

‘Big river’ a defining factor Fort Bute went up in 1765 William Dunbar, one of at the mouth of Bayou Manthe district’s most promi- chac, built on a hope that nent planters, never even never panned out — that called the place Baton dredging the bayou would Rouge. He called it the open a shortcut to the Gulf, Mississippi Richmond Set- bypassing New Orleans.

Manchac stayed navigatlement, and each time he needed supplies, that was ble only about three months where he said he was head- of the year. The hope was enough anyway to draw ed, according to Hyde.

“They even had a couple settlers, and Peter Chester, of boats, large schooners who became governor in that were floating stores es- 1770, pushed an aggressive sentially, that had shelves campaign of land grants to and counters for people former soldiers that filled to come in and buy stuff,” the district out over the folHyde said. “They could lowing decade. move these boats up the As revolutionary unrest river and down the river spread through the Atlantic to the plantations selling colonies, it pushed people things.” toward Baton Rouge rathThe Native nations near- er than away from it. Loyby, known collectively as alists fleeing persecution the Petite Nations — the elsewhere found a haven in Tunica, the Houma and West Florida, and the dismore — often traded with trict grew more committed the British for iron pots. to the Crown with each new Settlers also were keenly arrival. aware that peace in the reIn 1778, James Willing gion could turn quickly; a tried to change that.

A failed Natchez busiNative American attack on Fort Bute nearly wiped the nessman, Willing came garrison out. down the Mississippi But the defining factor of aboard a boat called the the area was the big river. “Rattletrap” and urged the “(Hernando) De Soto district to join the Contisaid, ‘I encountered a river nental Congress as a 14th that was so wide, if I saw state. a man on the other side, I Baton Rouge refused. could not tell that he was a Willing went back to Philman,’ ” Hyde said. adelphia, told Congress the Corn and pumpkins fed settlement was hostile to the settlement and turned the American cause, and a profit, since shippers returned with authorizahauling lumber to timber- tion to raid it — looting starved Caribbean islands plantations up and down paid well for food along the river, stealing and sellwith the staves and shin- ing slaves, destroying what gles cut from the surround- he couldn’t carry.

The raid backfired and ing forest.

The people working that hardened British loyalty land mostly arrived the rather than weakening it, prompting London to same way, said Hyde.

“When you look at these send reinforcements from guys’ stories, they were Jamaica and Pensacola, bringing the garrison to very similar,” he said.

A lot of the land in the roughly 400 troops and Baton Rouge area was setting off construction of given to former British a stronger fort, Fort New soldiers who had served in Richmond, with an 18-foot the French and Indian War. moat, earthen walls and 13 The British couldn’t afford cannons.

Spain ended the British to pay them bounties for their service and every- chapter in September 1779.

Spanish governor Berthing else, so they rewardnardo de Gálvez, after deed them with land grants.

Hyde said a typical case claring war on Britain that was the land grant holder June, marched his army would come down the river, against Fort Bute and capget his land, then go to Ja- tured it, then turned tomaica, where he would hire ward Baton Rouge.

Rather than risk a frona vessel.

For about $500 — $20,000 tal assault on a fort better today — the settler bought armed than his own force, slaves and goods on credit, he staged a diversion, sendthen came to the Baton ing soldiers to a wooded Rouge area. Once there, grove on the far side of he would sell some of the the fort to chop trees,

STAFF PHOTO By JAN RISHER

A copy of a map from the 1770s, created by engineer Elias Durnford, is part of the LSU Libraries Collection. It shows a map of the Mississippi River and Baton Rouge, including indications of land ownership. The map is marked with a stamp that reads, ‘Her Majesty’s State Paper Office.’

THE 14th COLONY: A Baton Rouge timeline, 1763–1812 How the bluff on the Mississippi River passed from Britain to Spain to a 74-day republic and finally to the United States.

1763: The Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War. Spain ceded Florida to Britain, and Baton Rouge became part of the new colony of British West Florida — the 14th British colony within the modern United States of America. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 granted residents English legal rights, including a representative assembly.

1764: George Johnstone arrived at Pensacola as the first British governor of West Florida. A colonial assembly soon followed.

1765-66: The British built Fort Bute at the mouth of Bayou Manchac, the colony’s westernmost outpost.

Large land cessions from the region’s Native nations opened the Natchez and Mobile districts to British settlers.

1770: Peter Chester took over as governor and drove the aggressive settlement and land grants to former British soldiers that built out the Baton Rouge region.

April 1775: The Revolution began in the Atlantic colonies.

July 4, 1776: The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia. West Florida, the 14th colony, stayed loyal to Britain. Baton Rouge — roughly 300 people, plantations on British land grants, indigo and timber — sent no delegate and grew more pro-British.

1777: Bernardo de Gálvez became governor of Spanish Louisiana at New Orleans.

1778: James Willing’s raiding party came down the Mississippi aboard the Rattletrap, plundering pro-British plantations. The raid pushed the region further toward Britain, which reinforced Baton Rouge.

May 1779: Spain declared war on Britain under King George III. July 1779: Lt. Col. Alexander Dickson began building Fort New Richmond on the Baton Rouge bluff, pulling his troops back from the crumbling Fort Bute.

Sept. 7, 1779: Gálvez captured Fort Bute at Manchac, then marched the 10 miles to Baton Rouge.

Sept. 21, 1779: After creating a ruse and an attack through a wooded grove, Gálvez bombarded Fort New Richmond (Baton Rouge) and forced its surrender, which also delivered Fort Panmure at Natchez. The Spanish renamed the fort San Carlos and restored the name Baton Rouge.

March 1780: Gálvez took Mobile.

May 1781: Gálvez captured Pensacola, the West Florida capital, ending effective British control of the colony.

1783: The Peace of Paris formally ceded both East and West Florida to Spain. The Baton Rouge district was now Spanish.

1783-1800: Under Spanish rule, Anglo-American and loyalist families kept arriving on Spanish land grants, and the district stayed a Protestant, English-speaking pocket inside Latin Louisiana.

1800: By the secret Treaty of San Ildefonso, Spain handed Louisiana back to France. West Florida, Baton Rouge was not part of the deal and stayed Spanish.

1803: The Louisiana Purchase. The United States bought France’s Louisiana, but Baton Rouge was not in it — Spain still held West Florida. Washington claimed the district anyway, and Spain disputed it.

1804: The Kemper Rebellion. Reuben Kemper and his brothers crossed from the Mississippi Territory to attack the Spanish fort at Baton Rouge. The rising failed, and many residents rallied to Spain.

Sept. 23, 1810: Before dawn, rebels under Philemon Thomas stormed Fort San Carlos at Baton Rouge, took it in a brief firefight and raised a new flag: a single white star on a blue field.

Sept. 26, 1810: A convention at Baton Rouge declared the independent Republic of West Florida.

Oct. 27, 1810: President James Madison proclaimed the district U.S. property as part of the Louisiana Purchase, assigned it to the Territory of Orleans and sent Gov. William C.C. Claiborne to take possession.

Dec. 10, 1810: Claiborne arrived with troops and a naval flotilla. The Lone Star flag came down for the last time, ending the 74-day republic. Baton Rouge stood on U.S. soil.

April 30, 1812: Louisiana entered the Union as a state, without the Florida Parishes.

Aug. 4, 1812: The Louisiana Legislature attached the West Florida country west of the Pearl River, Baton Rouge among it, to the new state. Baton Rouge was at last part of Louisiana and the United States. build fires and make noise through the night, convincing the British the attack was coming from that direction.

When the sun rose,

Gálvez’s real force was aimed from the opposite side.

On Sept. 21, 1779, three hours of bombardment forced a surrender. For

which is about 60 miles farther west than St. Louis.

“Part of the reason for the confusion is the fort. The Spanish, once they capture Fort New Richmond, they change it to St. Ferdinand — and that was the name of the fort at St. Louis,” Hyde said. “Baton Rouge was the furthest Anglo outpost jutting into Latin Louisiana there.”

For the next 30 years, Baton Rouge was under Spanish rule.

In 1800, by the secret Treaty of San Ildefonso, Spain handed Louisiana back to France, but West Florida — Baton Rouge included — was not part of the deal and stayed Spanish.

However, before dawn on Sept. 23, 1810, United States representative Philemon Thomas led a group of rebels to storm Fort San Carlos at Baton Rouge, took it in a brief firefight, overthrowing the Spanish.

Then, they raised a new flag: a single white star on a blue field.

The flag flew over the independent republic for 74 days.

J a y Dardenne, former lieuDardenne tenant governor and creator and host of “Why Louisiana Ain’t Mississippi or Any Place Else,” a production of Louisiana Public Broadcasting, is amazed how few people know that the original lone star flag flew in Baton Rouge.

“For those 74 days, we claimed that flag before Texas did,” Dardenne said.

A convention at Baton Rouge declared the Republic of West Florida on Sept.

26, 1810. A month later, President James Madison proclaimed the district U.S. property under the Louisiana Purchase and sent Gov. William C.C. Claiborne to take possession. Claiborne arrived with troops and a naval flotilla on Dec. 10 — and the Lone Star flag came down for the last time.

Baton Rouge stood on U.S. soil.

Louisiana entered the Union on April 30, 1812, without the Florida Parishes. Three months later, the Legislature attached West Florida west of the Pearl River — Baton Rouge included — to the new state.

The fight for independence from England became the fight for independence from Spain.

“The fight in Baton Rouge was the beginning of hemispheric freedom from Spanish colonialism,” Hyde said.

Hyde traces the chain from there: Baton Rouge to Texas, Texas to California, California outward to the independence movements across Spanish South America.

It started with 74 days on a bluff above the Mississippi River, and a flag most people forget flew there first.

years, historians believed the farthest western battle of the American Revolution had been fought near St. Louis. The record belongs Email Jan Risher at jan. to Baton Rouge instead, risher@theadvocate.com.

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Appeals court approves Trump’s historical panels

BY GEOFF MULVIHILL

Associated Press

An appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration can reinstall interpretive panels that critics say whitewash the history of slavery at the site of President George Washington’s home in Philadelphia.

The signs would be in the same area where the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. A message seeking comment was left Friday with the National Park Service.

MURRILL

Continued from page 1A prosecution, claims of politically tinged grand jury tampering and a chaotic courthouse scene during the indictment’s return that the high court said raised serious transparency questions.

The justices also noted how the Supreme Court had recently upheld the law consolidating the city’s clerkships, which eliminated the position won by former life prisoner and criminal clerkelect Calvin Duncan. That law had spawned a back-andforth political brawl between Republican state officials and Democratic city leaders that culminated Thursday with Murrill’s criminal indictment.

“While the record before this Court is undeveloped, there is considerable support for the view that the Attorney General is likely to succeed on the merits of a motion to quash this indictment on either a legal basis or due to apparent procedural irregularities,” the justices wrote in an unsigned opinion on behalf of the court.

The Supreme Court issued the stay with a five-member majority, while Chief Justice John Weimer and Justice John Michael Guidry dissented. Justices in the majority noted that the stay did not reach the merits of the case.

The pause on Murrill’s criminal indictment represents a swift victory for the attorney general after what amounted to an extraordinary escalation in the monthslong feud between state and city leaders.

“This matter is not over,” Murrill said in a statement Friday morning. “I will still need to file the necessary motions to seek a dismissal, which will be forthcoming.

I want to thank the many friends and supporters who have expressed their support and encouragement.”

Calling the process a “political witch hunt,” Murrill slammed the special prosecutor, judge and grand jury in the case as “rogue, biased and vindictive.”

By Friday night, Murrill asked the Louisiana Supreme Court to weigh in again on the arrest warrant and $400,000 bond set in the case. She alleged that the case’s special prosecutor refused to recall the warrant despite the stay of the indictment.

In their dissents, Weimer

The new educational panels were designed to replace ones put up in 2010 that told the story of how nine slaves lived in the home along with George and Martha Washington in the 1790s, when Philadelphia was briefly the nation’s capital.

Their removal stemmed from Trump’s 2025 executive order calling for federally owned or controlled historic sites not to display information to “disparage Americans past or living” and to focus on the “greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people.”

Friday’s ruling from a three-judge panel of the U.S. 3rd Circuit of Appeals, which is based in a courthouse across an intersection from the President’s House site, was a technical one to allow implementation of a ruling made last month.

That ruling — by one judge Trump nominated, one nominated by former President George W. Bush and one chosen by former President Barack Obama — said a lower court was wrong to force the federal government to take down its new panels.

The government asked Thursday

and Guidry each expressed concern that court had skipped over the typical process to jump into a high-profile case involving a prominent state official.

“This is not supposed to be how the system works,” Guidry wrote. “Can our court truly say with a straight face after today’s ruling, on the eve of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence, that we truly believe that no one is above the law?”

‘Escalating quagmire’ After the indictment was returned, Murrill’s attorney, Laura Cannizzaro Rodrigue, alleged in a news conference and in emergency filings to the Supreme Court that the grand jury process was beset by leaks and political interference. She wrote to the Supreme Court that the grand jury had been “co-opted by political actors for political purposes.”

The Supreme Court’s order suggests the court accepted much of Rodrigue’s argument. While it is unusual for the high court to intervene this early in a case, the justices wrote that they have the authority to act “when the issues presented are extraordinary in nature.”

“This indictment appears to turn the law on its head and flows from what appear to be extraordinary procedural defects and improprieties,” the order states.

The justices in the majority criticized the appointment of a special prosecutor, retired judge Laurie White, who they wrote was conflicted in the proceeding because the Attorney General’s Office represents White in a sexual harassment claim dating to her tenure on the bench. White also previously represented Duncan, a former jailhouse lawyer freed from prison when a judge found him innocent, before his case was taken over by the Innocence Project.

Those conflicts of interest “should have been obvious,” the Supreme Court’s order states.

Writing in a concurrence, Justice Jay McCallum called the allegations in Murrill’s filings troubling.

“If they prove to be even partially accurate, then additional proceedings before the newly reconstituted Judiciary Commission and Office of Disciplinary Counsel will no doubt become necessary,” he said, referencing the offices that discipline

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Laura Cannizzaro Rodrigue, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s attorney, speaks outside the Orleans Criminal District Court building in New Orleans on Thursday. judges and attorneys.

Justice Piper Griffin wrote in a concurrence that she shared Guidry’s concerns about whether a true emergency existed, but that issuing a stay that does not reach the merits of the case “allows this Court to ultimately resolve this rapidly escalating quagmire.”

Roche responds The Supreme Court order lambasts Criminal District Court Judge Leon Roche for shuttering his courtroom as the grand jury returned its indictment, and court security officers of the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office for handcuffing and detaining news reporters who pointed to state law that calls for grand jury returns to occur “in open court.”

“By all public accounts the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court violated express provisions of state law requiring that grand jury returns occur in the public eye, ‘in open court,’ ” the order states, citing Article 383 of Louisiana’s Code of Criminal Procedure. “Numerous media outlets have stated that reporters were handcuffed and removed from these otherwise public proceedings.”

WWL-TV producer Danny Monteverde and a lawyer representing the news station, Elana Beiser, were handcuffed and briefly detained while reporters waited in the hallway to reenter Roche’s courtroom after the judge ordered it cleared.

Monteverde and other reporters had objected to the closed nature of the proceedings, and Beiser had arrived with a printed motion for Roche to reopen the courtroom.

In a filing of his own to

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the Supreme Court later on Friday, Roche argued that the stipulation saying returns must occur in “open court” means only that a judge must be present on the bench — not that the public or media should be allowed.

“If that were the case,” Roche wrote, “any number of criminal defendants, nefarious actors, or otherwise interested parties could pierce the veil of secrecy surrounding grand jury proceedings that is enshrined in Louisiana law.”

Roche called it a “longstanding practice” by trial court judges in Orleans Parish to clear the public from courtrooms before bringing in grand jurors to receive

returns.

Leading up to Murrill’s indictment, Roche’s filing states, news reporters “descended upon” the court. He accused reporters of standing in the parking lot, walking around the courthouse basement where the grand jurors were meeting and trying to communicate with the grand jurors.

Roche said he told deputies to clear the courtroom when grand jurors entered and said he “admonished” the media not to speak to them. No reporters were cuffed in his courtroom, he noted.

The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office issued a statement Friday saying deputies’ response came after Roche ordered them to secure the courtroom.

“It is our understanding that OPSO personnel acted in accordance with the directives they received and worked to ensure an orderly conclusion to the proceedings and safe passage for all persons involved,” spokesperson Calandra Corder said.

after saying Thursday that he would pardon Murrill if she were convicted.

“These type of abuses and misuse of public monies to carry out this illegal proceeding is an example of why New Orleans is in a budget crisis,” the governor wrote. “Instead of spending money to prosecute thugs, you spend money to prosecute the prosecutor. Ridiculous!”

Some legal observers shared Weimer and Guidry’s concern that, by going straight to the Supreme Court, Murrill received treatment inconsistent from that available to most other criminal defendants.

“The lower courts are not inferior courts meant only for those without means or title or prestige,” Weimer wrote in his dissent.

Rarely, if ever, does a “regular” defendant “get the Supreme Court reaching down to halt the case the day after indictment,” veteran defense lawyer Craig Mordock, who frequently practices in New Orleans criminal court, wrote on social media.

“However, the Court didn’t Wide-reaching impact invent these facts,” Mordock News of Murrill’s indict- said. “Orleans Parish handed ment, and of the Supreme them this clown show.”

Staff writer Justin Court’s ruling, reverberated across political circles and Mitchell contributed in the national media. to this report.

In a statement, Gov. Jeff Landry thanked the Su- Email James Finn at preme Court for its decision jfinn@theadvocate.com.

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would still have information on enslaved people who lived in the home, plus details on the abolitionist movement, how the Constitution treated slavery, the end of slavery in Pennsylvania and how Washington and his successor, John Adams, viewed and treated slavery, as well as information about the 20th-century Civil Rights movement. The replacement panels do not include some of detail in the earlier ones, such as a map of slave trade routes and a timeline on slavery. They also avoid critical headlines such as “The Dirty Business of Slavery.”

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Putin shrugs off fuel shortages, ramps up attacks Russian leader downplays Ukraine’s attacks on energy sector

By The Associated Press Despite severe fuel shortages across Russia, President Vladimir Putin appears unbothered by Ukraine’s increasing attacks on his country’s oil refineries.

He has shrugged off the setback for one of the world’s leading oil-producing nations as “not critical,” dismissed ceasefire proposals and insisted the war will continue until his goals are met.

Putin has described the attacks on Russian energy as an effort by Ukraine to distract attention from its losses on the battlefield, although analysts say the advance of Russian forces has been stymied in recent months. The Russian leader appears to believe his government can keep the fuel crisis from eroding his authority and support for the war he launched more than four years ago.

The Russian military un-

leashed a massive 11-hour barrage on the Ukrainian capital overnight into Thursday morning that killed at least 30 people. It was one of the deadliest attacks on Kyiv since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

There have been more than 50 reported Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries and other energy facilities in Russia and occupied Crimea since March — a barrage Ukrainian leaders have said is intended to pressure Moscow to end the war.

At the very least, the attacks have brought the war home even more poignantly for millions of Russians, shattering Putin’s narrative of the conflict as something that doesn’t affect the lives of ordinary people in his country.

An estimated one-third of Russia’s refining capacity has been cut off, according to Chris Weafer, CEO of the consultancy Macro-Advisory. The attacks have inflicted lasting damage that will be costly to fix.

Despite significant air defenses protecting Russia’s capital, a top refinery in Moscow has been hit twice.

The second strike on June 18 set it ablaze, damaging key

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DANyLO ANTONIUK

A woman looks at an apartment building burning on Thursday after a Russian missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. equipment that will reportedly take until the end of the year to repair.

With gasoline production in Russia reduced by roughly 17% to 850,000 barrels a day, according to government statistics, rationing has been introduced in many regions, and motorists have had to wait in line for hours to refuel.

In an effort to ease the fuel deficit, the government has

allowed production of lower quality gasoline with higher sulfur content through the year’s end.

Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, has faced the worst fuel shortages. Gasoline sales to individuals have been periodically halted there altogether.

Putin chaired a meeting of government officials last weekend to discuss the fuel

shortages.

In televised statements, he acknowledged the country was going through a “difficult period.” He pledged to accelerate repairs of energy facilities and said Russia would consider importing gasoline to help make up for what he described as “temporary” shortages. He also said Russia’s arms industry will boost production of air defense systems to fend off

future Ukrainian attacks.

Putin portrayed the Ukrainian strikes as an attempt to divide Russian society, halt Moscow’s offensive and try to force the Kremlin into negotiations on “terms advantageous to our adversary.”

“We will not give them that chance,” he said.

While Putin said Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian oil facilities “have absolutely no effect on the situation at the front,” Western military analysts say midrange strikes on the Russian army in recent months have hampered military logistics and slowed the tempo of its advance, leaving the battlefield in a stalemate.

On Friday, Putin visited the Russian military headquarters directing the action in Ukraine to receive a report on the capture of the city of Kostyantynivka after weeks of intense street battles. He hailed it as a key step toward capturing the nearby cities of Sloviansk and Karmatorsk, the key remaining strongholds in the so-called “forest belt” of heavily fortified cities in the Donetsk region that remain in Ukraine’s hands, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce marry at Madison Square Garden

BY KIMBERLEE KRUESI and ANDREW DALTON Associated Press

NEW YORK — Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce married Friday night at Madison Square Garden, where actor Adam Sandler was the surprising officiant at a star-packed ceremony. The secrecy that surrounded the buildup to the nuptials lifted when a marquee outside the Midtown Manhattan arena proclaimed “JUST&T MARRIED” once the deed was done.

The couple did not have bridesmaids or groomsmen, instead opting for Swift’s brother Austin Swift to serve as her man of honor and Kelce’s brother and podcast co-host Jason Kelce serving as his best man, Swift’s publicist Tree Paine said in an email.

end and the music megastar married as fans and spectators gathered outside in blistering heat, eager to be part of the occasion, even though the event was almost entirely hidden.

Singer Camila Cabello, actors Hugh Grant, Ethan Hawke and Jason Sudeikis, and model Karlie Kloss were among the guests.

Running back Kareem Hunt was among Kelce’s Chiefs teammates in attendance.

Seattle Seahawks receiver ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RyAN MURPHy and recent Super Bowl A ‘Just Married’ sign is displayed Friday on Madison Square champ Cooper Kupp, New Garden during a wedding between singer Taylor Swift and York Giants receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, NFL anNational Football League player Travis Kelce in New york.

The bride and groom’s outfits came from Christian Dior Haute Couture and its designer Jonathan Anderson with shoes custom-made by Christian Louboutin. She wore Cartier jewelry.

Associated Press

BRUSSELS — Dozens of diamonds spell out two giant letter “T”s next to the Stars and Stripes and “1776” and “2026.” Dozens more frame the numbers 45 and 47 in the shape of Superman’s logo.

A diamond-winged eagle carries a ruby shield and clutches an olive branch of emeralds, below a radiant “250” and atop the phrase “250 YEARS USA” etched in 18-karat gold.

All told, 321 diamonds, 56 sapphires, 13 emeralds and

six rubies encrust the watchsized gold ring presented this week to Bill White, the U.S. ambassador to Belgium, to give to President Donald Trump.

“A very special thank you to my friends from Antwerp for the magnificent Freedom 250 ring,” Trump said in a prerecorded video message during an event marking America’s 250th birthday in Brussels.

Isidore Mörsel, president of the Antwerp World Diamond Center, or AWDC, gifted the ring on behalf of the centuries-old diamond

camera outside the arena showed a long line of black SUVs dropping off weddinggoers in tuxedos and evening gowns, surrounded by New Yorkers in shorts and Swifties amassing for the occasion.

Celebrities, athletes and friends were posting on social media about getting ready or about to leave for a black-tie event, including Brandon Borders, producer of the New Heights podcast starring Kelce and his brother Jason Kelce; Beau Allen, retired defensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles; and Jessica Chastain.

The long anticipated union of sports and song brought hype to new heights at a venue made more for historic NBA games and bucket-list concerts. The Kansas City Chiefs’ superstar tight

Diamond group that won tariff relief gifted Trump encrusted ring

BY SAM McNEIL

nouncer Joe Buck and Jenny Han, author of the “The Summer I Turned Pretty” series, were also seen entering the arena.

In a culture obsessed with famous couplings it may be the apex celebrity wedding, with perhaps only royal unions getting more attention. Holding such a ceremony in a huge, iconic space that sits at the center of the U.S. media universe while keeping all the details secret made for a surreal scene, but it was a mix of hype and hush that is not out of character for Swift.

An Associated Press

community in the Belgian port city, a central node in the worldwide trade of the precious stones that found itself struggling last year under the weight of Trump’s sweeping trade war.

“May this ring serve as a lasting reminder that true partnership like the finest natural diamonds are formed under pressure, endure the test of time, and shine brightest when built on trust,” Mörsel said. The ring’s interior is engraved with the phrase “Crafted in Antwerp for Donald John Trump.”

OLD HOUSE DEMOLITION

AMERICA

250 1776-2026

Demolition of Houses, Barns & Out Buildings FREE ESTIMATES

225-485-3947 Locally Owned, Trusted For Generations 4665 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 Call / Text 225-927-4130 Store Hours: Open Monday - Friday 9:00am to 5:30pm Saturday by appointment, Closed Sunday Lacoursbr.com

10A ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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TODAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm

Variable clouds with a t-storm

A stray afternoon thunderstorm

An afternoon t-storm; humid

A couple of afternoon showers

A t-storm around in the a.m.

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

LOW

93° 76°

LOW

90° 76°

LOW

90° 75°

Beaumont 92/77 Port Arthur 92/78

Baton Rouge 93/76

Lake Charles 92/77

New Orleans 94/77 Houma 91/74

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

0s

Hattiesburg 94/73

Alexandria 91/75

Lafayette 91/76

10s

20s

30s

40s

50s

LOW

HIGH

93° 77°

LOW

94° 76°

TEMPERATURE Jackson 93/74

Many 91/73

HIGH

YESTERDAY

TODAY

READING 46 MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

Baton Rouge through 5 p.m. Friday

Longview 94/76

-0s

93° 77°

Monroe 94/77

Shreveport 93/76

-10s

LOW

Expect some pretty decent weather for Fourth of July. Expect a partly cloudy, hot and humid day. Temperatures this afternoon will be where they should be, in the mid-90s. Humidity will remain high, so temperatures will feel like the triple digits for most of us, possibly as high as 106, so make sure you stay hydrated. Rain chances will be right around 30 to 40%, so expect some scattered showers and maybe a few storms. The UV index is “very high,” so be sure to protect yourself.

60s

70s

80s

90s 100s 110s

High/low Normal high/low Last year’s high/low Record high Record low

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today LAST

JUL 7

City

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

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

PRECIPITATION

94°/74° 91°/73° 92°/74° 100° in 1921 62° in 1924

TODAY’S TIDES Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) Shell Beach South Point, Marsh Island Cypremort Point Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) Mississippi River (Southwest Pass) Wine Island

24-hour total Month to date Normal month to date year to date Normal year to date

HIGH

10:48p 5:06p 9:06a 11:27a 12:19p 11:47a 1:27p

6:07 a.m.

8:11 p.m.

11:17 p.m.

10:16 a.m.

NEW

FIRST

JUL 14

Hi

95 97 93 100 86 99 89 97 104

TODAY Lo

77 75 72 76 70 80 60 78 80

FULL

JUL 21

W

t pc t s t pc pc t pc

JUL 29

Hi

93 98 80 99 81 99 91 96 105

GOOD

SUN. Lo

76 76 67 76 66 80 61 77 83

W

t t c s t t t t s

FT.

LOW

0.01” 0.90” 0.58” 37.62” 32.58”

FT.

HIGH

0.6 9:51a 0.0 1.3 2:26a -0.1 1.6 11:26p 0.1 1.7 2:56a 0.3 1.0 10:48p 0.2 1.2 9:22p 0.1 1.3 11:50p 0.2

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

FT.

---------------

---------------

LOW

---------------

FT.

---------------

The solunar period schedule allows planning days so you will be fishing in good territory or hunting in good cover during those times. Major periods begin at the times shown and last for 1.5 to 2 hours. The minor periods are shorter.

MAJOR MINOR MAJOR MINOR

Today Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

City

3:16a 4:04a 4:51a 5:37a 6:23a 7:11a 8:02a

Hi

Los Angeles 81 Miami 92 Nashville 96 New york City 96 Philadelphia 101 Phoenix 106 St. Louis 93 San Francisco 70 Seattle 73

9:27a 10:15a 11:02a 11:48a 12:11a 12:57a 1:47a

TODAY Lo

63 79 76 74 76 87 74 56 54

3:38p 9:49p 4:26p 10:36p 5:12p 11:23p 5:59p ---6:47p 12:35p 7:38p 1:24p 8:31p 2:16p

W

pc t t t t pc t pc s

Hi

81 90 92 84 92 108 89 70 76

SUN. Lo

64 80 73 70 73 86 71 56 55

Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

r y ou da tY o ar T St ove M

Safety. Style.

Stress-Free Installation.

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Visit us today and take the first step toward finding your perfect address.

addressbatonrouge.com DRE#01901536 This website is a marketing and information program that sends all inquiries to state-licensed real estate professionals.

GOOD

W

s t t t t pc t pc pc

MISSISSIPPI Memphis Vidalia-Natchez Red River Landing Baton Rouge Donaldsonville Reserve New Orleans OHIO Cairo COMITE Near Olive AMITE Near Darlington Denham Springs Port Vincent TICKFAW Montpelier Holden ATCHAFALAYA Simmesport Melville Krotz Springs Butte La Rose Bayou Sorrel Morgan City

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

FRI. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

19.60 40.20 43.00 26.90 17.50 13.15 8.60

+0.25 +0.19 +3.00 +0.30 +0.10 +0.10 +0.13

40

34.38

-1.16

19

-1.31

+0.03

18 29 8

-0.56 11.50 2.11

+0.14 -0.42 +0.48

13 15

2.93 1.99

-0.22 -1.66

47 34 29 20 12 6

23.04 17.43 14.95 11.94 6.80 3.68

+0.14 +0.11 +0.05 +0.10 +0.20 +0.12

data as of 7 a.m. Friday

Forecasts and graphics, except for Damon’s Outlook, provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2026

SPECIAL OFFER

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Add’l terms apply. Offer subject to change and vary by dealer. Expires 12/27/26.

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S at u r d ay, J u ly 4, 2026

1BN

BR police are building training simulator

Facility will be used for teaching high-risk security scenarios

BY OLIVIA TEES

Staff writer

The Baton Rouge Police Department is building a training simulator in Zachary to prepare officers for active shooters, domestic violence calls, hostage cases and other high-stress scenarios.

The building, which will be more than 6,000 square feet, will have modular walls that can be structured to create hundreds of different configurations allowing for a variety of training situations.

The building can be set up as a living room to practice handling domestic disputes or configured as a

classroom to learn how to handle a school shooter effectively.

“It’s really up to your imagination. Use real live role players or paper targets and how many instructors you have to watch, it’s really just manpower-dependent,” said Police Chief T.J. Morse.

Morse said the training facility

will be large enough to conduct multiple simulations at the same time.

“You could have a full 30-man SWAT team doing up to three or four simulations at the same time.

They can hit this thing from multiple angles and practice different things from breaching doors and windows,” he said.

Morse said he hopes the new simulators will bring agencies

from across the state and the country to participate in training exercises. He said the department will try to recruit SWAT teams to bring their agents down for a weeklong training event.

“My big thing is being the capital city and having something where other people can come and do this extensive training is definitely

ä See BRPD, page 2B

PARTY FOR THE U.S.A.

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

ABOVE: Families and friends gather around the courtyard in Crescent Park during Donaldsonville’s annual Independence Day celebration on Friday. FAR LEFT: Rhona Leblanc dances to ‘Party in the U.S.A.’ while sitting down alongside Dan Magere at the Independence Day celebration. LEFT: Kacey Barton, 4, runs around the playground wearing his most patriotic shirt during Friday’s event.

City rapid bus system Rapper files Judge adopts kitten claim to open later this year inalibi after highway rescue drive-by Improvements to create a streamlined corridor

BY AVERY WHITE

Staff writer

A new streamlined bus corridor connecting north and south Baton Rouge is expected to open late this year after facing construction delays.

BRapid, a rapid-response transit system created through a collaboration between the Capital Area Transit System and traffic mitigation initiative MovEBR, aims to make transportation to the Central Business District faster by providing a straightforward route along Plank and Nicholson roads.

“We talk about ‘how do we take mass transit in the capital city and make it more efficient?,’ ” East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council member Darryl Hurst said. “Because we don’t have a railway, we don’t have park and rides or anything of that nature, HOV lanes, we have to think outside of the box.”

Construction was initially expected to finish in 2024 after years of development that began in 2021, but the existing infrastructure required ownership transfers, and the plan ultimately underwent a full redesign for key sections along the proposed route. Now, construction is expected to finish in October, with services slated to start in December.

RealBleeda, the Baton Rouge rapper accused of gunning down youth advocate Teressa Calligan in a 2024 drive-by shooting, has filed a claim in court saying he was at home during the time of the killing.

Attorneys for RealBleeda, whose legal name is David Catherine, 24, filed the alibi claim on June 22, indicating to the court

ä See BUS, page 2B

ä See ALIBI, page 2B

Witness says he was at home at time of shooting

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

up against the outer barrier wall Butterbean loses a leg near the College Drive overpass. but gets a new home “I just happened to look over

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

One of the hardest questions to answer after the loss of a beloved pet is: When do you adopt again?

That was the question Baton Rouge District Judge Beau Higginbotham and his family had been facing since the recent loss of their 16-year-old black Lab, T’Beau.

But Higginbotham’s answer came last week without notice, in the form of a kitten struggling on the stovetop heat of the highway.

While driving to the courthouse in morning traffic, Higginbotham saw a small shape pressed

and something catches my eye, and there’s just this little cat looking at me, and she’s all the way up against the concrete barrier wall,” Higginbotham said.

Higginbotham said he pulled over as fast as he could, dodging an 18-wheeler while getting near the scared kitty.

As soon as he grabbed her, the judge said he noticed she had a pretty severe injury to one of her back legs.

The injury looked old, he said, with dried blood and signs of early rot in the wound.

“So, I put her in the back of my truck and went to LSU,”

ä See KITTEN, page 2B

2B ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE

PHOTO PROVIDED By JUDGE HIGGINBOTHAM’S STAFF

Judge Beau Higginbotham, of the 19th Judicial District, sits at his desk in chambers with Butterbean resting on his desk on Tuesday.

KITTEN

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Continued from page 1B Higginbotham said, “and they gave me the options to amputate her leg, or they would have to euthanize her.”

As he brought her in, the veterinarians asked Higginbotham whether he intended to take ownership of the kitten or keep her a stray.

Not wanting to see her put down or put in a shelter, Higginbotham decided then and there that this soon-tobe-three-legged cat would be his family’s new pet.

But her odds didn’t look great: Vets said she’d likely been out in the heat for a long time and was fortunate not to have died of dehydration already.

As she was taken into surgery, the vets asked the judge what her name was.

“Well, hopefully it’s Lucky,” he told them.

With help from his sons, Higginbotham has since decided her permanent name will be Butterbean.

The name is apt, with the kitten looking a little more rounded Tuesday as she scampered about under tables and chairs in Higginbotham’s judge chambers.

Weighing only 2 pounds when she was found, the judge said Butterbean has likely gained a few ounces in the past few days “at the rate she’s been eating.”

Butterbean will be in stitches for a total of two

BUS

Continued from page 1B The $53 million route will have around 24 stops along Plank and Nicholson roads before ending near LSU’s campus on North Stadium Drive. To handle bus transit on Plank Road, the corridor had to be completely overhauled, repaving parts of the street, adding sidewalks, new stops and raising curbs to be level with the buses.

“We hadn’t had a problem with the contractor,” city transportation and drainage director Fred Raiford said. “He’s done a very good job, even with some things that we had to do changes with. They have done an exceptional job getting that done in a timely fashion.”

ALIBI

Continued from page 1B that they intend to argue that Catherine was never at the scene of the crime.

Calligan was fatally shot in her car on Sept. 15, 2024, at the intersection of Airline Highway and Greenwell Street. She was returning from an election fundraiser for a judicial candidate the afternoon of her death.

Lonnie Lawrence plays with his foster daughter Khri’Sean Bleu, 1, during Donaldsonville’s annual Independence Day celebration on Friday.

STAFF PHOTO By QUINN COFFMAN

Butterbean, Higginbotham’s 6-week-old kitten, explores his chambers on Tuesday.

Ascension Parish Sheriff’s officers mingle during Donaldsonville’s annual Independence Day celebration.

Butterbean recovers in her bed after having one of her back legs amputated in surgery.

Butterbean was rescued off of the shoulder of I-10.

weeks and will require both a cone and constant supervision, in case she injures herself attempting to climb.

Despite this, she moves with the same gusto as any kitten, almost unaware that she’s now one paw down.

Higginbotham was told by the vets that cats carry around 60% of their weight on their front legs, making it easier for her to adapt than if she’d lost a front leg.

It also helps that she’s only 6 weeks old.

“They didn’t give me a time frame; they basically just said that she will figure it out,” Higginbotham said.

PHOTO PROVIDED

By JUDGE HIGGINBOTHAM’S STAFF

Email Quinn Coffman at quinn.coffman@ theadvocate.com.

RENDERING PROVIDED By BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Baton Rouge Police Department is building a training simulator in Zachary to prepare officers for active shooters, domestic violence calls, hostage cases and other high-stress scenarios.

DOTD has finished the road work, and now just the bus stops need to be built, Raiford said.

The new stops will be elevated to reduce the time buses need to lower for passengers to board, bringing the 45-minute route time down to 30 minutes. The stops will be well-lit with real-time route boards, and the buses will have trafficsignal priority to further shorten transit time.

One setback the city is facing is bus stop vandalism, which causes workers to return to already finished sites before moving on to uncompleted areas, adding to delays and forcing the city to wait for replacement parts to arrive, Raiford said.

“Those things are very expensive; it takes a good bit of time to get some of

the material back in to accomplish getting it ready to open,” Raiford said.

The route starts at the newly built transit center on Airline Highway.

The North Transit center will be the hub for the new system, equipped with a park-and-ride lot, bathrooms, ticketing and bike racks among other things.

It is 97% to 98% complete, according to CATS CEO Theo Richards, with technology such as cameras still needing installation.

However, the transit site’s concrete must be redone due to cracks and safety concerns, project managers said at a CATS public meeting in June. CATS officials would not comment on pending litigation with the original contractor for the concrete.

Nine electric buses oper-

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

As Calligan waited at a traffic light, another vehicle pulled alongside her. Authorities believe it was occupied by Catherine, as well as two other suspects: Roger Parker, 21, and Robert Lewis, 21. All three are considered Bleedas gang members

by Baton Rouge police.

An occupant of that vehicle opened fire on Calligan’s car, striking her multiple times and killing her.

Her vehicle then rolled into the intersection, crashing into

a sheriff’s deputy’s cruiser.

The alibi filing claims Catherine was at a West Baton Rouge Parish residence the night of the shooting, with a witness willing to testify to that fact.

Defense attorney Ryan Thompson claims in the filing that Baton Rouge police failed to investigate the claim or interview the potential witness.

Shortly after the shooting, Casey Phillips, founder and executive director of The

Walls Project, where Calligan worked, said Calligan “had no beef with anybody.”

The Walls Project is a nonprofit that encourages safe and prosperous living through free classes and programs for the community. Calligan, who worked as a cybersecurity specialist for Entergy, started at the Walls Project in 2014 as a parent volunteer and worked her way up to instructor and eventually dean of the Futures Fund teen coding

ated by CATS are ready to run the route, Richards said.

Hurst believes a bus system like BRapid will better connect the city and further its economic development.

“Major cities that do extremely well have great public transportation systems, and so what we’re doing is starting to poke our head out and begin to reach out for potential in the area,” Hurst said. “I believe this is only the beginning.”

BRPD

Continued from page 1B going to get a lot of use,” he said.

In addition to helping law enforcement officers fine-tune their training, Morse hopes the facility can generate a small profit that will go back into their general budget. Because the facility can house a large number of officers at one time, the plan is to charge a flat-rate usage fee of a couple of hundred dollars per day.

The building is located on Irene Road in Zachary where the department has a joint firearm range with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. Currently, the land has several fire-

program in 2020, becoming known as “Dean T” among people in the community.

Calligan worked with more than 4,000 teens with The Walls Project, Phillips said.

“There are thousands of kids in the city of Baton Rouge that have come through the program that she dedicated her life to and her talents and helped lead, that have gone on to have computer science degrees,” Phillips said in 2024. “She’s

arm ranges and a couple of small training classrooms.

Morse said they have broken ground on the new building and expect it to be finished by the end of the year or early 2027.

The money to build the training facility came from leftover funds from the American Rescue Plan Act that gave the state more than $3 million in 2024. The money for the facility was originally approved two years ago but because of changes made to the design it was stalled.

The building permit issued by the city-parish puts value of the building at $750,000. The cost is about $100,000 less than the original plan because Morse said they had to eliminate one classroom building.

made a real impact.”

Email Quinn Coffman at quinn.coffman@ theadvocate.com.

LOTTERY

THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2026 PICK 3: 4-9-1 PICK 4: 4-3-9-2 PICK 5: 6-2-1-9-9

Unofficial notification, keep your tickets.

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Funerals Today James, Cornelius

Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, 8969 LA-18 in St. James, at 9 a.m.

Monk, Ruth

Greenwell Springs Baptist Church at 10 a.m.

Montalbano, James

Atchafalaya Basin Spillway at 11am.

Obituaries Cador, Roger

Roger Cador, 74, of Ventress, Louisiana, legendary former head baseball coach at Southern University, passed away on June 30, 2026. A Hall of Fame coach and one of the winningest coaches in collegiate baseball history, Cador led the Jaguars for 33 seasons, compiling 913 victories, 14 SWAC championships, two HBCU National Championships, and 11 NCAA Regional appearances. He was inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame, Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and National College Baseball Hall of Fame.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Expert and Eunice Cador, and a sister, Mary Jean Cador.

He is survived by his sons, Johnthan Cador of Zachary, Louisiana, Jeremy Cason of Montgomery, Alabama, and a bonus son, Tim Romero of Knoxville, Tennessee; his siblings, Betty Leonard and Henry Cador of New Roads, Louisiana; his aunt, Marie Joseph of New Roads, Louisiana; and numerous family members, former players, colleagues, and friends.

Public viewing will be held Monday, July 6, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the F.G. Clark Activity Center on the campus of Southern University and A&M College, followed by a memorial service at 6:00 p.m. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Hall Davis and Son Funeral Service.

Nolan, David Ray

and treasured memories.

He was a native of Port Arthur, TX and worked for Anco Insulation for over 35 years.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mathilda Samuel Nolan; one daughter, Christy Turner and her husband Duane Turner; two sons: David L. Nolan and wife Laura Nolan; William B. Nolan and wife Stephanie Nolan; sister-inlaw Barbara Nolan; eight grandchildren: Taylor Turner and wife Alana Turner, Mary Margaret David and husband Trey David, Gwin Marie Turner, Kathryn Nolan and fiancé Luke Oakley, Melissa Nolan, Matthew Nolan, Kaylin Cooper and Brinley Nolan. He is also survived by many dear friends who will forever cherish his memory.

He was preceded in death by his father, Doyle L. Nolan and mother Mae Nolan; brother Ronald L. Nolan Sr.; sister Doylene Wilson and husband Glenn Wilson; and nephew Ronnie L. Nolan Jr. Pallbearers will be Taylor Turner, Trey David, Matthew Nolan, Alex Bonds, Brent Wilson, and Luke Oakley. Honorary pallbearers will be Steven Wilson, Duncan Smith Sr., Fred Bennerscheidt, Fritz Bennerscheidt, Gus Bell Jr., Dr. William E. Weldon, and Bill Davis. Share sympathies, memories, and condolences at www.CharletF uneralHome.com.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ 3B

Louisiana needs in-depth, solutions-driven, public service journalism more than ever.

Travis, Georgia Torda

Georgia Torda Travis, loving mother of Jack A. Travis II, John Travis, Roussel Powell and grandmother, passed away at the age of 93 on May 12, 2026, in Birmingham, AL. These are the most basic details, but I could write a million words and they would never come close to expressing the magnitude of love we all have for you, or you had for us.

Everyone is born, lives a while, then dies. But those who have lived a good life never truly die. They live on in the stories and memories of those they leave.

And in that way, you will live forever. Rara Avis, a rare bird.

We love you Nana. There is no past tense to love.

You are loved now and always.

A celebration of life will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM on 2026-07-11 at Comite Baptist Church, 12250 Greenwell Springs Road.

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of David R. Nolan, a devoted husband, loving father, cherished grandfather, and loyal friend. He passed away peacefully on July 1, 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of love, laughter,

The Advocate The Times Picayune The Acadiana Advocate

Obituary Department 4th of July Holiday Hours Due to the 4th of July Holiday our offices will be closed Friday, July 3, 2026.

EARLY DEADLINES FOR OBITUARIES

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WEDNESDAY 7/1 @ 3 PM ................. THURSDAY 7/2 WEDNESDAY 7/1 @ 3 PM ........................ FRIDAY 7/3 THURSDAY 7/2 @ 3 PM .....................SATURDAY 7/4

Email obits@theadvocate.com or call 225-388-0289

How to place an Obituary Notice EMAIL:

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How to place a Memorial Ad An “In Memory Of” ad, is a way to pay tribute to your loved one. This remembrance is often printed on the anniversary of a loved one’s death. The deadline is two days prior to the day you want your ad to appear.

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

Please consider donating to local journalism in Louisiana. Your tax-deductible contribution goes solely to funding reporters in the field.

To donate and to see the work our team has done, visit

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4B ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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OPINION AMERICA 250

On this day, 250 years ago, the Second Continental Congress adopted what is considered one of the greatest documents in human history, establishing the foundations of our country and the freedoms we enjoy today.

Happy semiquincentennial, America!

A painting by John Trumbull from 1818 depicts the Committee of Five (Adams, Livingston, Sherman, Jefferson, and Franklin) presenting their draft of the Declaration of Independence.

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PARTY POOPER

1CN

Djokovic matches Federer for Wimbledon victories

BY KEN MAGUIRE AP sportswriter

LONDON — Novak Djokovic saw Arthur Rinderknech falling toward the Centre Court net after a volley and said to himself, “Please stay down.”

The Frenchman did, and the 39-year-old Djokovic dove to hit a backhand volley winner on match point for a 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4) record-equaling victory in the third round at Wimbledon on Friday.

Djokovic’s 105th match win at the All England Club ties Roger Federer on the men’s list for most singles match victories. Martina Navratilova won 120 singles matches at Wimbledon.

By next weekend, Djokovic would love to equal Federer’s men’s record of eight singles titles, but reaching the fourth round will have to suffice for now.

“Today, I was quite stressed out, more tension than usual,” Djokovic said in his oncourt interview. “I knew it was going to be a very challenging match for me.”

The 24-time Grand Slam champion overcame a blip — dropping the third set in 18 minutes — and held his nerve in the fourthset tiebreaker by hitting back-to-back aces before Rinderknech’s forehand went wide to set up match point.

ä See WIMBLEDON, page 5C

Saints players take part in drills during minicamp on June 17 at the team’s outdoor practice field in Metairie. STAFF FILE

PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Good vibes surround Saints, but these factors could dampen mood Everything is sunshine and rainbows these days on Airline Drive, but the optimism around the 2026 New Orleans Saints doesn’t mean there aren’t dark clouds looming on the horizon.

The Saints are still an unfinished product. Less than two years into the Kellen Moore era, the depth chart is bereft of blue-chip talent and dangerously thin at certain positions. Key aspects of the team remain a work in progress.

For what it’s worth, America remains skeptical. Vegas oddsmakers have installed the Saints’ over-under win total at a modest 7.5. Their odds to win the Super Bowl are 90-1. Only six teams are bigger long shots.

Here are five concerns I have for the Saints as they enter their 60th season:

a proven third option behind them.

Veteran Ike Yiadom lost his starting spot after struggling in coverage a year ago. Free agent Martin Emerson and rookie TJ Hall were added to the mix this offseason, but both are question marks. Emerson is coming off a season-ending Achilles tendon injury.

Hall is an unproven seventh-round pick out of Iowa.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Saints add a veteran corner to the mix before the start of the season, but their options are limited.

Jeff Duncan

Will a third CB step up?

The NFL is a passing league, and conventional wisdom says you need at least three quality cornerbacks to survive and thrive. Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley form a solid starting tandem, but the Saints lack

Does pass rush have enough juice?

You might look at the Saints’ 45 sacks and No. 5 ranking in sacks-per-attempt last season and think all is well, but the advanced pass-rush metrics tell a different story. The Saints’ 32.6% quarterback pressure rate ranked 21st in the league, according to Next Gen Stats, and their overall pas- rush rating of 66.7 ranked 23rd, per Pro Football Focus.

ä See DUNCAN, page 2C

COMING SUNDAY: Jeff Duncan looks at reasons to be optimistic about the Saints’ upcoming season

Saints tackle Broughton ready to put lessons to use

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO

By DAVID GRUNFELD

Back in late April, the New Orleans Saints fortified their defensive interior by using their first Day 2 NFL draft pick on Georgia defensive lineman Christen Miller. But, for all intents and purposes, the team will really have a pair of Day 2 picks making first impressions on their defensive line.

Vernon Broughton, the Saints’ 2025 third-round pick out of the University of Texas, played in only one game last season before he suffered a season-ending

hip injury against the San Francisco 49ers. As the rest of the rookie class thrived on the field, Broughton was forced to sit and watch.

Though he lost virtually his entire rookie season, Broughton said he made sure to use his time away from the field to set him up for success starting this season.

“Studying the playbook, coming up here and watching film with the guys and sitting through film study,” Broughton said. “I didn’t leave; I stayed here the whole time.

Throughout that process, I got better.”

ä See SAINTS, page 2C

AP PHOTO By KIN CHEUNG

Novak Djokovic of Serbia dances toward his family as he celebrates his victory against Arthur Rinderknech of France in a third-round singles match on Friday at the Wimbledon Championships in London.

World Cup travelers bringing an appetite

BY DEE-ANN DURBIN AP business writer

World Cup fans came from overseas for the cheering, but they’re also doing a lot of chewing while delighting their hosts with rave reviews of North American cuisine.

“It’s greasy, it’s disgusting, but it’s absolutely glorious,” Jack Goodwin, a soccer enthusiast from London, said about the American food he has tried in Dallas, Boston, New York and Atlanta. “I don’t want to say this because it’s a little bit harsh, but the portions are a little bit larger — a lot more tastier — so I can understand the, um, obesity here. I don’t want to be harsh, but yes, the food is fantastic here.”

Many fans are making a point to try regional specialties or chains they can’t find where they live, like In-N-Out Burger or Buc-ee’s convenience stores. Erling Haaland, a striker for Norway’s World Cup team, posted a photo on X of himself outside Katz’s Delicatessen in New York.

Harrison Murphy, who was traveling from London with his brother for the knockout rounds, had breakfast at a Chick-fil-A in Atlanta this week.

“Have you had Chick-fil-A? It was

ä See WORLD CUP, page 5C

2C ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV

3ICE HOCKEY 1 p.m.

World Cup: Round Robin NHLN MEN’S AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL 1:30 a.m. (Sun.) N. Melbourne at Port Adelaide FS2 AUTO RACING 8 a.m.

Indy NXT: Qualifying FS1 9 a.m.

NTT IndyCar: Practice FS1 10 a.m. F1: Qualifying Apple TV Noon Indy NXT: Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio FS1 1 p.m.

SuperMotocross World Champ. NBCSN 1:30 p.m. NTT IndyCar: Qualifying FS1 2 p.m.

NASCAR Cup: Qualifying TRUTV 4:30 p.m. O’Reilly: Race at Chicagoland CW BOXING 7 p.m.

The Fight: Main Card TNT COMPETITIVE EATING 11 a.m. Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest ESPN2 11:30 a.m. Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest ABC CYCLING 9 a.m.

UCI: Tour de France NBCSN

GOLF U.S. Senior Open Champ.

NBCSN PGA: John Deere Classic Golf U.S. Senior Open Championship NBC PGA: John Deere Classic CBS HORSE RACING 11:30 a.m.Saratoga Live FS2 3 p.m.

Saratoga Live FS1 6:30 p.m. America’s Day at the Races FS1 MLB 10:05 a.m.Pittsburgh at Washington MLBN 3:10 p.m. Toronto at Seattle MLBN 6:30 p.m. All-Star Game Selection Show Fox 7:08 p.m. N.y. Mets at Atlanta Fox 8:40 p.m. Milwaukee at Arizona MLBN NBA SUMMER LEAGUE 2 p.m.

Memphis vs. Oklahoma City ESPNU 4 p.m.

Atlanta at Utah ESPNU MEN’S RUGBY 10:55 p.m.Manly-Warringah at Parramatta FS2

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FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

WORLD CUP SOCCER Canada vs. Morocco Fox Paraguay vs. France Fox WOMEN’S SOCCER 5:30 p.m. Seattle at North Carolina ION 7:45 p.m. NJ/Ny Gotham FC at San Diego ION SOFTBALL 3:30 p.m. Volts at Bandits CBSSN 6 p.m.

Cascade at Spark ESPNU 8 p.m.

Blaze at Talons CBSSN TENNIS 5 p.m.

Wimbledon Tennis 5 a.m. (Sun.) Wimbledon ESPN TRACK AND FIELD 11 a.m. USATF: Prefontaine Classic NBCSN 4 p.m.

USATF: Prefontaine Classic NBC WNBA Noon Golden State at Atlanta CBS YOUTH BASEBALL 11 a.m. Ripken Nat’l: TBD, Semifinal CBSSN 6 p.m.

Ripken Nat’l: TBD, Final CBSSN Noon 4 p.m.

LSU adds productive outfielder from Oregon

LSU added a commitment from Oregon freshman outfielder Angel Laya out of the transfer portal, Laya announced on social media Friday.

Laya hit 14 home runs with a .296 batting average and a .934 onbase plus slugging percentage in 59 games this season. Against Big Ten competition, he hit .304 with a .966 OPS and seven home runs.

He played right field and didn’t commit an error. He struck out in 13.1% of his at-bats, but his walk rate was relatively low, hovering around 10%.

Out of high school, Laya was the No. 112 player in the 2025 class and the No. 24 outfielder, according to Perfect Game.

Laya is the eighth player LSU has added out of the portal and third outfielder.

McNeill takes 2-shot lead at U.S. Senior Open Lakers sending Ayton Reigning champ Harrington sits in second place

By The Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio — George McNeill’s goal was to make the cut in his first U.S. Senior Open.

McNeill not only safely guaranteed he would play the weekend at Scioto Country Club, he shot a 4-under 68 on Friday to open a two-stroke lead.

“Never really had a good feel for U.S. Opens. I don’t know if age is helping me. This Senior Open, obviously I’m doing OK so far,” McNeill said, “There’s a long way to go on the weekend, but to make it to the weekend was my first goal, first step, and then go from there, and we’ll see what

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C In Broughton and Miller, New Orleans hopes to get an injection of youthful playmaking along its defensive interior — and potentially its side-byside pairing of the future. Last year’s starters Nathan Shepherd and Davon Godchaux are both entering the final year of their respective contracts, and both are in their early 30s.

For Broughton, it means making good on the lessons learned from his year away from the field.

“We have a number of guys who took advantage of what would be viewed as an unfortunate situation,” coach Kellen Moore said. “Injuries, missing a season, they were able to turn it into working their tails off with (director of sports performance Ted Rath, director of sports med-

happens.”

McNeill was at 6-under 134 on the course Jack Nicklaus grew up playing.

Reigning champion Padraig Harrington was second after a 67.

“I seem to be a little bit tentative with my approach shots,” Harrington said. “Obviously I’m in a nice place, and maybe more of the same is what I want, but it feels like I could free up a little.”

First-round co-leaders Charlie Wi and Stewart Cink were three shots back after rounds of 70.

Miguel Angel Jimenez also was three strokes behind after a 68.

McNeill closed with a long birdie putt for the lowest round of the week.

“That was unexpected. I got a little right of the hole, but then it broke back just at the end. Happy to see it go in,” he said. “I made a long one on 9 yesterday. Again,

icine Ben Stollberg and head athletic trainer Shone Gipson) in the rehab process, and then they get better and stronger during that time.

“Then they’re also in the classroom, they’re also in the meetings, they understand the football aspect. You can see it from Vern.”

Broughton said this was his first major injury as a football player.

Thankfully, he said, the injury required time to heal and not a surgery.

He leaned on his faith and his family to get him through the recovery, with his wife playing an important role. Broughton was cleared to resume normal activities in March, about six months after the injury.

The native Texan stayed in New Orleans throughout his rehabilitation. While his body recovered, he honed the mental side of his game.

“I feel like now I’m far better than I was a year ago playbook wise,” Broughton said. “I’m more confident, for sure.”

bonus, I’ll take it, because I know there’s plenty of bad bounces or whatever you got that will happen. So I’ll take what I can get.”

The 50-year old McNeill is a PGA Tour Champions rookie after winning twice on the PGA Tour.

He has a pair of top-five finishes this year, including a tie for second at the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational.

McNeill is attempting to become the 13th player to win in his first U.S. Senior Open. The last to do it was Richard Bland in 2024.

Cink once again got off to a slow start before finishing strong. He was 3 over for the round after 14 holes before he birdied three of his last four.

“I salvaged the round today,” said Cink, who is trying to win his third senior major this year. “It’s hard to focus, and you just lose your concentration just a little

bit. It’s a tough track. It punishes you if you’re a little bit off. Dug myself a little hole, but the last four it was really good to salvage those.”

Wi had a double bogey on No. 2 and was 3 over through five before making birdies on four of the next 10 holes. He then bogeyed the par-4 16th.

“The conditions are getting firmer, so if they keep the greens firm — and there’s a lot of undulation on the greens, so you’ve got to make sure you miss on the correct side so you can get it up-anddown and have an easy two-putt,” Wi said.

Among those not making the cut, which was at 4 over, were former Senior Open champions David Toms (5 over) and Olin Browne (14 over) along with Justin Leonard (5 over) and Davis Love III (9 over).

Saints defensive lineman Vernon Broughton jogs across the field during minicamp on June 16 at the team’s indoor practice facility in Metairie.

STAFF FILE PHOTO

By SOPHIA GERMER

Broughton was expected to be a key cog in the defensive rotation a year ago, but that obviously did not materialize after his injury.

Without him, the Saints defense surprised in its first year under coordinator Brandon Staley.

New Orleans ranked in the NFL’s top 10 in total defense (ninth), pass defense (fourth) and rushing yards allowed per play (sixth). It also performed well in the advanced metrics, finishing

with the NFL’s third-best mark in expected points added per play against the run and just outside the top 10 in overall EPA per play.

And it is safe to say Broughton is excited to see how he fits into that unit as a healthy and wiser player.

“Hell yeah, I’m ready to add and get back to it, bro,” Broughton said. “Get this ... rocking.”

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

DUNCAN

Continued from page 1C Chase Young was the only Saints defender to rank among the top 100 in pass-rush win percentage by PFF last season and he ranked only No. 32 with a 15.2% win rate.

Free agent linebacker Kaden Elliss ranked No. 10 at 18.2%, so there’s hope he can bolster this area. The Saints wanted to add more help during the NFL draft, but things didn’t fall their way in the second and third rounds. As a result, they took a pair of flyers on veterans Tyree Wilson and Anfernee Jennings.

Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley is a master at manufacturing pressure with creative schemes, but this aspect of the defense remains a concern.

WASHINGTON — Deandre Ayton is being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Washington Wizards, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

The Lakers have agreed to send Ayton to Washington for Jaden Hardy and second-round draft picks in 2031 and 2032.

Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft, played for the Phoenix Suns for five seasons and the Portland Trail Blazers for two. He joined the Lakers for last season and averaged 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in 72 games.

The 7-foot Ayton adds another rim protector to a Washington team that has Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr. Ayton now gives the Wizards three No. 1 overall picks along with Davis and Dybantsa.

Glover builds two-shot lead in John Deere Classic

SILVIS, Ill. — Lucas Glover kept another clean card by holing a 12foot par putt on his final hole for a 6-under 65 to take a two-shot lead Friday in the John Deere Classic.

Glover started on No. 10 in the afternoon and did most of his damage on the back nine with five birdies, though equally important was going bogey-free through 36 holes.

He was at 14-under 128, two shots ahead of Lee Hodges (66) and another shot ahead of Zac Blair, who made a nifty par of his own on the closing hole at TPC Deere Run for a 68.

Glover got off to a blazing start through five holes, with each of his shots into the green 8 feet or closer. He converted three of them for birdie and hit his tee shot into the par-3 16th to 2 feet.

Braves sign McCutchen to minor league contract

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves signed former NL MVP outfielder Andrew McCutchen to a minor league contract on Friday in their ongoing search for a veteran who can provide offensive help.

The 39-year-old McCutchen was released by the Texas Rangers on May 27 after he hit .192 in 37 games as a designated hitter, pinch hitter and outfielder.

McCutchen played his first nine seasons in the majors with the Pirates and earned five straight AllStar berths from 2011-15 while becoming one of the team’s most popular players.

In 2025, McCutchen hit .239 with 13 homers and 57 RBIs in 135 games before becoming a free agent. He is a career .271 hitter with 333 homers, 1,157 RBIs and 220 stolen bases in 2,299 games.

Yankees place LHP Rodón on 15-day injured list

Can WRs stay healthy?

Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson are extremely talented. They’re also regularly injured.

Their extensive injury history could have Saints fans holding their breath every time one of them catches a pass this season.

Both players were limited because of varied health reasons during offseason workouts, raising concerns about their availability for the start of training camp.

The Saints improved the depth of their receiver position this offseason, but Devaughn Vele, Ja’Lynn Polk and Bryce Lance are better suited for supporting roles rather than starting spots.

The Saints need Olave and Ty-

to Wizards for Hardy, picks

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Saints wide receiver Chris Olave catches a pass during minicamp on June 17 at the team’s outdoor practice facility in Metairie. son to stay healthy.

Is running game good enough?

Travis Etienne should add some needed explosiveness to the rushing attack. He had seven runs of 20 or more yards last season.

The entire Saints team had only five such runs. Alvin Kamara had zero 20-plus-yard runs in 131 carries.

But is Etienne enough to bolster a rushing offense that ranked at the bottom of the league in yards per carry (3.69,

31st), explosive play rate (7.82%, 32nd) and EPA per rush (-0.116, 31st)? Time will tell.

Are higher expectations good?

The Saints have flown under the radar for the last few seasons. Now, thanks largely to the emergence of quarterback Tyler Shough, they are being touted by many league observers and analysts as a potential worst-to-first candidate in the NFC South.

Those predictions have spiked

expectations among the fan base. For the first time in years, the “p word” is being tossed around in New Orleans. It’s also raised their profile across the league. The days of the Saints sneaking up on opponents are over.

How will the Saints handle this new dynamic? Will the renewed sense of hope and optimism be a blessing or a curse?

One way or the other, it will be a stern test of the team’s new leadership core.

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees placed starting pitcher Carlos Rodón on the 15-day injured list due to left elbow inflammation, nearly two months into his return from offseason elbow surgery.

The Yankees made the move Friday, retroactive to Tuesday. On Sunday, Rodón allowed two runs and one hit in five innings in a 5-4, 10-inning loss at Boston.

The 33-year-old left-hander’s average velocity on his fastball, changeup, slider and sinker against the Red Sox were slightly down when he threw 55 of 96 pitches for strikes.

Rodón went for an MRI after feeling pain on Wednesday. The MRI showed inflammation. He will have a platelet-rich plasma injection and rest his arm for a few days.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ 3C

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NBA’s LeBron domino still waiting to fall

BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer

MIAMI — All eyes in the NBA are on LeBron James, even amid a huge cycle of changes around the league.

Giannis Antetokounmpo got traded to Miami for Tyler Herro.

Jaylen Brown got traded to Philadelphia for Paul George. Kawhi Leonard got traded back to Toronto; Ja Morant got traded to Portland; LaMelo Ball got traded to Minnesota; and Dusty May left NCAA champion Michigan to coach Dallas.

There have been some huge moves in the NBA in the past few days. But everybody, it seems, is waiting for James — again.

“He’s still the face of the league,” James’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul said.

If there was any question about whether the league’s oldest active player and NBA’s all-time points leader still moves the needle, that’s been answered.

Soccer’s World Cup is going on; the wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden — the home of the NBA champion New York Knicks — is commanding global attention; it’s a holiday weekend in the U.S.; and yet there’s still all sorts of intrigue surrounding where James will decide to play next season.

This much is certain: James, who turns 42 in December, will play a 24th season and it won’t be for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Officially, that’s the full list of what is known. Paul dropped some clues on the “Game Over” podcast that he shares with Max Kellerman — indicating by showing a whiteboard filled with scrawled-

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MARK J. TERRILL

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James takes a pass as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai GilgeousAlexander defends during the first half of Game 3 in a second-round playoff series on May 9 in Los Angeles. out possibilities that James is looking at a slew of teams, including and probably not limited to Philadelphia, Cleveland, Miami, Minnesota, Denver, Golden State, San Antonio, Dallas, Boston and New York.

“If the Knicks hadn’t have won, there would be no board,” Paul

said on the podcast. “He’d be going to the Knicks.”

The decision can come whenever James wants.

It can’t be announced or commented upon by a team before Monday at 11 a.m. — unless James signs for the minimum salary, which in his case would be about

$3.9 million.

Will he make his announcement Saturday, on the Fourth of July amid a celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday? Will he do it on July 8, the 16th anniversary of the famed “The Decision” broadcast?

Nobody knows. Nobody even knows if he knows. And nobody

knows whether James intends for 2026-27 to be his final season.

“No one said this is going to be his last year,” Paul said. “Nobody said that.”

That raises the possibility of a 25th season — a quarter-century of LeBron, when nobody else in league history made it past a 22nd season.

It’s pretty clear that money won’t be a huge factor here. James has earned nearly $600 million in gross salary on the court in his first 23 seasons, while his net worth is generally believed to exceed $1 billion.

Golf will matter. James is an avid golfer now, and Minnesota, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Denver, New York and Boston aren’t exactly places known for great golf offerings in January and February. That said, they all surely have great indoor facilities. It won’t be a deal-breaker.

He’ll want to play for a team that can contend for a title, not present quality-of-life issues, and appeals to his wife and daughter. Every spot on his list will be able to make a good case on all those fronts.

So, who is the front-runner?

The podcast had a ton of news and a ton of insight. Paul laid out how James would fit into the lineup of most of those teams, how acquisitions such as Philadelphia acquiring Brown changes dynamics, then talked about some of the reasons why James might be leaning toward — or away from — certain clubs.

But in the end, he didn’t provide any real hint.

“You can think whatever you think,” Paul said. “This is just my board. You decide what you want to think.”

Toronto embraces WNBA’s Clark condemns threats first international franchise WNBA players receiving

BY IAN HARRISON Associated Press

BY DOUG FEINBERG AP basketball writer

NEW YORK — Caitlin Clark has seen enough of the social media hatred that she, her Fever teammates, coaches and opposing WNBA players get.

“I’ve said up here and said before, the harassment, the hate, none of that is OK,” Clark said at practice Friday “That goes for the opposing team we play, that goes for my teammates, that goes for my coaches. There should never be question of character.

None of that is OK, and I don’t want anybody to ever experience that.”

The WNBA has gotten a lot more attention the past few seasons with the addition of Clark and Angel Reese among others to the league. A multibillion dollar media rights deal, million dollar salaries and higher attendance have been the positives. An increase of social media vitriol toward players and teams has been the negative.

Social media hatred is nothing new and isn’t just directed toward the WNBA and its players. It’s been going on for more than a decade toward the league and its players. However, it has gotten worse lately with players and coaches receiving threats for things that happen on the court.

Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said Tuesday that she received death threats and had been called racial slurs in the aftermath of her onegame suspension after she made contact with her fist to Clark’s throat in last week’s matchup against Indiana.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert issued a statement on Tuesday condemning “any and all forms of hate.”

The WNBA has been trying to do what it can to make the players feel more protected and combat its social media problem.

The league has made a major push with security over the past few seasons. Teams travel with more security on the road and there are enhanced protocols at arenas, hotels and when traveling. Franchises now take charter flights, which makes it easier on the teams.

The WNBA also has implemented initiatives that combat online hate and threats to players. Some of that includes artificial intelligence software to identify and respond more quickly to threats, harassment and hate directed at players and teams across social media platforms.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MICHAEL CONROy

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark drives on Atlanta Dream guard Te-Hina Paopao in the first half of a game on June 18 in Indianapolis.

Unfortunately, nothing is foolproof in stopping online hate spewed by anonymous people who hide behind their keyboards.

“I think for the league as a whole, there’s been so much more toxicity, racism, homophobia — straight-up hateful nonsense, and it is absolutely unacceptable,” Fever coach Stephanie White said during a two-minute opening statement at practice Wednesday.

“Most of it is coming from the online community. In my heart of hearts, I believe most of it is not coming from WNBA fans or Indiana Fever fans.”

White coached Thomas in Connecticut two years ago and saw the social media vitriol there, as well.

“AT is exactly right: We get to play a basketball game,” White said. “Yes, that’s going to come with criticism and yes, that’s going to come with fans and the love-hate relationship they have with players and teams. But it’s not hard to not be a jerk. And if you’re one of the people who’s online doing this, do not call yourself a WNBA fan.”

Clark said she’s been hurt by all of the narratives created online and in the media about her and her Fever teammates.

“It can be really frustrating to me at times and it’s difficult,”

Clark said. “A lot of people sometimes think I’m a robot. I’m not a robot. I have emotions, I have feelings. And it can be really difficult to go through a lot of that. I’m 24 years old, trying to navigate a lot ... there are times that it is hard, and there are times that, you know, it probably affects me a little bit more than I do put on.”

To try and help the players deal with the hate they receive, the league also has expanded access to confidential mental health resources and support.

The union sent a letter to its players last week that was obtained by The Associated Press that included points on social media vitriol.

“We know spirited debate and passionate fandom are part of sports. Threats, harassment, and especially death threats directed at any player or members of her family are not. It is completely unacceptable and must be unequivocally, publicly and immediately condemned,” the letter said. “If you experience any threatening or concerning communications, please remember that both your team and the WNBPA have security resources available to support you. Your safety and the safety of your loved ones remain our highest priority.”

TORONTO — The WNBA’s decision to make Toronto the home of its first international team is going well.

Tempo fans can be found across Canada. The expansion team could break the WNBA singlegame attendance record next week. Not in Toronto, however, but almost 350 miles east in Montreal.

On the opening leg of their Cross Canada Series, the Tempo are playing two games at Montreal’s Bell Centre, which holds 22,114 for basketball. A capacity crowd could top the WNBA playoff attendance record of 22,076.

In August, the series heads west for two games in Vancouver.

“We’ve put the work in and we’re continuing to get better every game, so I think the support is going to continue,” Tempo guard Marina Mabrey said. “It’s very inspiring to see this kind of hype and energy around it in Canada. It kind of motivates you to do better every single night.”

The Tempo have two home games before playing Dallas next Friday in Montreal. They have been giving fans much to be excited about. Toronto is one game under .500 with a 9-10 record thanks in part to the scoring of Mabrey, who is having an AllStar season averaging 21.2 points a game, third best in the WNBA. Mabrey made headlines when she matched the WNBA scoring record with a 53-point performance in a June 25 win over Los Angeles. With the trip to Quebec coming up, she’s looking forward to scoring more points and making fresh fans in a brand new city.

“I haven’t been to Montreal, so I’m excited to see who shows up for that and for us,” Mabrey said.

Guard Kia Nurse is the lone Canadian on the Toronto roster, and she expects a great turnout for the team that features players from eight different countries and is led by an Australian coach — two-time WNBA champion Sandy Brondello.

Nurse’s unofficial duties with the Tempo have included using her local knowledge to help her teammates adjust to their Canadian home.

“Early in the season, there were a lot of conversations around the most simple things,” Nurse said.

“I’ve tried to help them with anything that’s different, even from the beginning when we got here, they were looking for CVS. I’m like, you want Shoppers Drug Mart. What are the grocery stores? OK, this one is near your house.”

Now that the Tempo have the basics figured out, Nurse said she’s seen her teammates learning something else, too.

“I think what everybody’s really starting to understand is how unique it is to play in a Canadian city and be the only Canadian team in the entire country, the same way the Raptors and Blue Jays are,” Nurse said. “We’re not on national television all the time in the US, but we are on national television every single game here in Canada, and that makes a difference, being able to reach people and get more love and excitement about women’s basketball. When we go to Montreal and when we go to Vancouver, the fans will fill out arenas.”

Brondello, who was a WNBA All-Star as a player, said she has received messages of support from Canadian basketball fans far beyond Toronto.

“We are Canada’s team, and we actually do feel it,” Brondello said. “One of the reasons I took this job is because it was a new challenge in a whole new country, and we had this unique opportunity to grow the game even bigger here.

“The WNBA is a real movement at the moment, the last few years,” Brondello said. “I’ve been part of this for 27 of the 30 years, so I’ve seen the evolution from when I played in the early, early days to how it is now, and there’s a sense of pride to see that. Women’s sport is so much more talked about than just a decade ago, five years ago. It’s our time now, and Canada gets to see that.”

As much as Mabrey is inspired by the prospect of a record crowd in Montreal, she also sees a bigger picture for her sport.

“Honestly, this is for all of women’s basketball,” Mabrey said. ’There’s so many players who have sacrificed time, money, themselves for us to be in this position now. It’s only right that when we get a fan base like that, that they’ve been working so many years for, that we go and we do it right and we put on a show, both teams.”

SPORTS

24/7

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WORLD CUP 2026 W C A N A D A

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U N I T E D S T A T E S

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M E X I C O

TODAY’S GAMES CANADA VS. MOROCCO noon, Fox | PARAGUAY VS. FRANCE 4 p.m., Fox

France takes center stage in Philly heat

BY STEVE REED

Associated Press

The World Cup Round of 16 has arrived.

With it comes intensifying pressure — and in some places, stifling heat.

The second round of the knockout stage commences Saturday with Canada facing Morocco in the opener in Houston, while powerhouse France and KylSaturday ian Mbappé will lookahead meet Paraguay in the nightcap in Philadelphia.

There will be two games per day over the next four days to determine the eight quarterfinalists.

Mbappé has been one of the hottest players in the World Cup as he chases the career goals record currently held by Argentina’s Lionel Messi.

In Philadelphia, Mbappé, his teammates and Paraguay will play in sweltering conditions at Lincoln Financial Field.

The game coincides with a heat wave that’s expected to bring temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit. More than 68,000 fans are expected to endure those conditions, which could also drain the energy of players on the pitch.

Mbappé scored his 17th and 18th World Cup goals in France’s 3-0 rout of Sweden last weekend in East Rutherford, New Jersey,

GLANCE Scores, schedule ROUND OF 32 June 28

Canada 1, South Africa 0

June 29

Brazil 2, Japan 1 Paraguay 1 (4-3 PK), Germany 1 Morocco 1 (3-2 PK), Netherlands 1

June 30

Norway 2, Ivory Coast 1 France 3, Sweden 0 Mexico 2, Ecuador 0

July 1

England 2, Congo 1 Belgium 3, Senegal 2, OT United States 2, Bosnia-Herzegovina 0

July 2

when it was 90 degrees for the 5 p.m. kickoff.

“I’m looking forward to the changing room and the AC,” Mbappé said as he came off the field.

For Saturday’s game, misting fans will be available for fans approaching the stadium, and cooling tents will be available to fans within the stadium footprint at the fan experience. Fans are allowed to bring one disposable plastic water bottle into the stadium.

Canada looks to avenge loss Morocco and Canada will meet in a second straight World Cup, but this matchup will have much higher stakes.

Morocco beat Canada 2-1 in the group stage in 2022, when it went on to become the first African team to reach the semifinals.

Canada looks to continue to make history after notching its first-ever knockout win, a 1-0 triumph over South Africa on Sunday.

“We’re excited for the moment,” Canada coach Jesse Marsch said.

“We wanted to get to a point in the tournament where we were playing against some big opponents, and Morocco is exactly that.”

Morocco dispatched the Netherlands in a penalty shootout to reach the round of 16. With a win Saturday, the Atlas Lions would become the first African team to reach the quarterfinals more than once.

Austria 3, Spain 0 Portugal 2, Croatia 1 Switzerland vs. Algeria, n

Friday

Egypt 1 (4-2 PK), Australia 1 Argentina 3, Cape Verde 2, OT Colombia vs. Ghana, n

ROUND OF 16 Saturday

Canada vs. Morocco, noon Paraguay vs. France, 4 p.m.

Sunday

Brazil vs. Norway, 3 p.m.

Mexico vs. England, 7 p.m.

Monday

Spain vs. Portugal, 2 p.m.

United States vs. Belgium, 7 p.m.

Tuesday

Argentina vs. Egypt, 11 a.m.

Switzerland vs. TBD, 3 p.m.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV

Lionel Messi, center, scores Argentina’s first goal against Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, left, on Friday.

Messi, Argentina survive scare from Cape Verde

BY ALANIS THAMES Associated Press

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Lionel Messi wiped the sweat from his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief.

His Argentina teammates did the same.

A thrilling, unforgettable World Cup match with underdog Cape Verde was over — and the reigning champions survived after being pushed to the brink.

Cape Verde equalized in regulation and again in extra time, but the Blue Sharks could not respond to Argentina’s third goal, and La Albiceleste advanced to the Round of 16 with a 3-2 victory on Friday.

Even in defeat, the performance

by Cape Verde — a tiny island nation off the western coast of Africa — will stand as one of the most remarkable stories of this, or any, World Cup. The go-ahead score for Argentina was credited as an own-goal after Cristian Romero’s header deflected off Cape Verde’s Diney Borges in the 111th minute. Messi scored early in regulation, his record-extending 20th career World Cup goal. Lisandro Martinez scored in the 92nd to put Argentina ahead 2-1.

Sidny Lopes Cabral and Deroy Duarte scored for Cape Verde — both equalizers that stunned the

pro-Argentina crowd in South Florida. Cabral’s goal — a curling, right-footed strike past goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez in the 103rd minute — made an already wild game even more incredible, tying it at 2-all and raising the possibility of Messi facing standout Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha in a penalty shootout.

Argentina pushed back in front eight minutes later, held on from there and advanced to face Egypt — which beat Australia in a shootout earlier Friday — in Atlanta on Tuesday.“As this team has demonstrated many times, and as I’ve said many times, it competes,” Messi said in Spanish. “And we competed to the end.”

Cape Verde’s memorable World Cup debut had been a stunning run that few outside the country of 525,000 could have predicted. Behind the stellar play of the 40-yearold Vozinha, Cape Verde became the smallest country to reach the knockout round, securing draws against Spain and Uruguay and another against Saudi Arabia.

Vozinha had 10 saves against Argentina, including five against Messi.

“We dignify what our country is.

We drew twice against the world champions, we took it to extra time,” Cape Verde coach Bubista said. “More than anything, it’s be-

ing proud of our players who were dignified in the World Cup. We showed our identity.”

Messi added another brilliant goal to his resume, sneaking behind the Cape Verde defense on a well-timed run as Martinez lofted a pass toward him, taking a quick touch and hammering a finish into the roof of the net for a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute.

The Argentina captain has seven goals in this tournament — one more than France’s Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot race as the top scorer in this year’s World Cup — and extended his World cup record, moving two goals ahead of Mbappé on the career list. He has 12 goals during his record eightmatch scoring streak.

He had the game’s first chance when he sent it skidding across the goal mouth but outside of the right post in the 15th minute. After getting taken down, he had a 25-yard free kick three minutes later that was easily gobbled up

by Vozinha, who came up with a marvelous play nearly every time his team needed one.

“I have to give credit to our opponents,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “The truth is, when people say there’s no such thing as an easy opponent, today (Cape Verde) proved they’re a great team.”

Egypt defeats Australia on PKs

BY SCHUYLER DIXON Associated Press ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEFF CHIU

U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, right, fouls Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic, resulting in a red card for Balogun, on Wednesday in Santa Clara, Calif.

Balogun must sit out Monday’s match vs. Belgium for the illegal tackle.

Balogun: Yellow card would have been a more ‘fair’ call

BY ANDREW DESTIN Associated Press

SEATTLE — United States forward Folarin Balogun said Friday he respectfully disagrees with his red card in the Americans’ 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the World Cup. Balogun was sent off Wednesday for stepping on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemovic.

Before practice at Husky Soccer Stadium, Balogun said a yellow card for the illegal tackle would have been fairer.

“There’s nowhere else to put your leg. It’s going to be unavoidable,” Balogun said. “So, I’ve seen many different opinions and takes.

But, for me personally, I think a yellow card would have been fair.

It’s something that’s happened, so we have to move forward and I have to accept it.”

Balogun has to serve an automatic one-game suspension and will miss Monday’s round of 16 game against Belgium. There is

no appeal process for a red-card suspension unless FIFA assesses a penalty of more than one game, which was not the case with Balogun. He will be eligible to return for the quarterfinals should the Americans advance.

Balogun has three goals in the tournament, including one to give the U.S. the lead against Bosnia.

He has matched Landon Donovan in 2010 for the second-most goals by an American in a World Cup, behind only Bert Patenaude’s four in the initial tournament in 1930.

The 25-year-old striker said he has experienced a “roller coaster” of emotions as of late.

“Been upset, I’ve been happy.

It’s been surreal, to be honest,” Balogun said. “But for me, I think it was just important to stay calm.

I never want to react out of anger and out of emotion. There’s still lots of people who are inspiring little kids, boys and girls who are watching. We have to show them the correct way to handle things, even when you think it’s unjust.”

ARLINGTON, Texas — Hossam Abdelmaguid scored the deciding goal in a shootout, and Egypt won its debut in the World Cup knockout round by beating Australia 4-2 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw Friday.

Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan didn’t stop any of Egypt’s four shots after replacing starter Patrick Beach late in extra time.

The victory comes in Egypt’s fourth World Cup. Australia is now 0-3 in the knockout round.

Egypt will next face reigning champion Argentina in the round of 16 on Tuesday in Atlanta.

Harry Souttar opened the shootout by missing high for Australia, and 18-year-old Lucas Herrington hit the crossbar with the fourth attempt to set up Abdelmaguid’s clincher.

Egypt’s other penalty shootout scorers were Mahmoud Saber, Ramy Rabia and Mohamed Salah, the former Liverpool star who started despite a hamstring injury sustained in the team’s group finale.

Jackson Irvine and Awer Mabil scored in the shootout for Australia.

Emam Ashour gave Egypt the lead in regulation by scoring in the 13th minute with a header that beat Beach just inside the near post. Australia evened the match in the 55th when Egypt defender Mohamed Hany be-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TONy GUTIERREZ

Egypt players celebrate during a penalty shootout against Australia during a World Cup round of 32 match on Friday in Arlington, Texas. came the first player to score two own-goals in the same World Cup. The own-goal came when Aiden O’Neill took a free kick from left of the penalty area and Hany headed the ball past goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir for a spot in World Cup infamy. His other own-goal came in a 1-1 draw with Belgium in the group stage.

Less than 10 minutes earlier, Hany was down near the same spot after colliding with Connor Metcalfe on the Australia midfielder’s header attempt. Medical personnel tended to Hany

with a stretcher waiting nearby, but he was helped up and stayed on after what appeared to be a concussion check.

Australia’s only scoring in World Cup knockout rounds has been two own-goals. The Socceroos lost to Italy 1-0 in 2006 and lost to Argentina 2-1 four years ago in Qatar. The goal against Argentina was an owngoal.

Omar Marmoush had a great chance to give Egypt a two-goal lead in the opening seconds of the second half, but he sent a shot wide.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ 5C

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WIMBLEDON Continued from page 1C

“I saw him slip and kind of fall down. And I was just like ‘please stay down’ for that last shot,” said Djokovic, who had repeatedly punched his left thigh after losing the third set.

Joining Federer at 105 singles match wins is “a huge honor and privilege,” Djokovic added. “I propose a matchup for me and Roger for 106.”

Djokovic will face Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin in the fourth round. Safiullin, a Wimbledon quarterfinalist in 2023, beat Brazilian rising star João Fonseca 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner beat Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 on No. 1 Court to advance to the fourth round.

The Italian, hoping to put his French Open meltdown in the rearview mirror, finished off Brooksby in two-plus hours after his opening-round five-setter was followed by a second-round win over Nuno Borges in straight sets but with two tiebreakers.

“I’m trying to find my way in.

Felt better today, which was my main goal,” the four-time Grand Slam champion said. “Trying to move better. Return today was a little bit better. All things considered, was a small step forward.”

Sinner will next face Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki, who stunned 23rd-seeded Rafael

Jodar of Spain 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4 to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the first time.

Mochizuki, ranked No. 151, won the Wimbledon boys title in 2019.

Also, third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime beat American qualifier Michael Zheng 7-6 (1), 6-2, 6-1 in the Canadian’s Centre Court debut. Jan-Lennard Struff upended eighth-seeded Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 7-5.

On the women’s side, No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka will meet for a spot in the quarterfinals after both players won in straight sets.

Sabalenka beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court and declared herself ready for the 14th-seeded Osaka in what will be a battle of four-time Grand Slam champions.

“She’s (a) very aggressive player, serving well,” Sabalenka said.

“I watched a couple of her matches. ... I’m ready to go out there and to bring the fight and to do anything it takes to get through this difficult match.”

Osaka eliminated Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3 on No. 1 Court. Osaka is into the fourth round at the All England Club for the first time.

Coco Gauff got past fellow American Claire Liu 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2 after having three match points at 5-4 in the second set.

Gauff will next face 11th-seeded Belinda Bencic.

Other winners in the women’s draw included fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula, 10th-seeded Karolina Muchova, and 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KIN CHEUNG

Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz of Germany, top, face Roman Andres Burruchaga and Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina in their second-round doubles match on Friday at the Wimbledon Championships in London.

Doubles players fearful after prize-money cut plan

BY MATTIAS KARÉN Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KRISTIN M. HALL

Fans wearing Argentina national team jerseys look at a menu of drinks at Cafe Corazon on June 15 in Kansas City, Mo.

WORLD CUP

Continued from page 1C

fantastic and so cheap. The sauces are free. It was remarkable,” Murphy said. “I said, ‘This is my first time, what should I try?’ The woman said, ‘You’ve got to try the Chick-fil-A sauce.’ My God, was it fantastic.”

Gary Bishop had never heard of poutine — often considered Canada’s national dish — until he arrived in Toronto for the World Cup. But the Glasgow, Scotland, resident proclaimed it “absolutely delicious.”

“It was like chips with gravy, cheese. But it was a really thick gravy. Different from back home.

Vinegar, there was lots of vinegar through it,” said Bishop, who was sporting a Scotland jersey on a recent stroll through Toronto’s FIFA Fan Festival. “Really nice.”

Others are looking for a taste of home. Texas beer distributor Andrews Distributing welcomed a bus full of Dutch fans to its Dallas warehouse for Heinekens and dancing.

It’s a thrill for restaurant owners, from Cuban spots in Miami to barbecue joints in Kansas City and taco trucks in Mexico City.

“I have not seen anything like this ever in my life,” said Paul Barker, the principal and founder of Pauli’s, a Boston restaurant known for generously filled sandwiches and comfort foods. Fans from Scotland, Brazil, England and elsewhere have lined up for his famous lobster rolls and taken photos with staff members, Barker said.

“Food becomes a natural conversation starter,” he said. “It’s just been incredible for us to be part of this.”

Some chains are leaning into the World Cup. Waffle House, the all-day breakfast chain with 2,000 restaurants across the South, opened a pop-up shop in downtown Atlanta to sell branded soccer balls, jerseys and patriotic gear. In a statement, the chain said it was “honored by the enthusiasm and curiosity” shown by visiting fans.

For other restaurants, World Cup fever has been a delightful surprise. Whataburger, a Texasbased chain with 1,100 locations, found itself in the spotlight after fans from Japan and elsewhere posted on social media about

their visits.

“The attention has been completely organic and honestly pretty entertaining,” Whataburger president and CEO Debbie Stroud said. “We knew the World Cup would bring the world to Texas and our footprint across 17 states. We just didn’t realize so many visitors would leave talking about a patty melt.”

Terry Black’s Barbecue, a small Texas chain, figured authentic barbecue would be on many fans’ must-try lists. It started sourcing extra meat more than a month ago for its locations in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, which are each about 20 minutes from the stadium where World Cup matches are played.

It takes Terry Black’s four days to season and prepare its beef brisket and 12 hours to barbecue it. The chain also smokes turkey, pork and sausages on its pits, which run 24 hours a day.

The crush of World Cup fans has meant a lot of extra planning, said Darien Kapture, the chain’s senior vice president of food and beverage operations. But it’s also meant a lot of excitement, like the night Argentina supporters packed Terry Black’s Dallas location to celebrate the team’s victory over Austria, Kapture said.

“They were hooting and hollering and praising the brisket,” Kapture said. “It’s great to see that these folks are coming to America and getting to experience what we experience every day.”

Goodwin, the visitor from London who said he “blew his mortgage” on a U.S. World Cup tour with his dad, deemed Terry Black’s barbecue “the most gorgeous food ever.”

“The best food we’ve had here is in Dallas,” Goodwin said. “Texas barbecue. Unbelievable.”

Not every review has been positive. Some fans have complained about the high price of food in World Cup stadiums, for example. A British fan told the BBC that the breakfast tea he bought from Dunkin’ was “not great.”

But for the most part, there have been more thumbs up than thumbs down. So many World Cup visitors expressed love for ranch dressing, for example, that the Transportation Security Administration issued a lighthearted reminder that tourists should pack bottles of dressing in their checked bags.

LONDON — For tennis players such as Harri Heliovaara, playing doubles has provided a lasting career in the sport and even a chance to win Grand Slam titles, despite not having much success in singles.

Now Heliovaara, the No. 1 ranked doubles player in the world, is among those fearing for the future of the format.

Doubles players are up in arms after being told by the ATP Tour this week that prize money and tournament sizes will decrease significantly starting in 2028.

“There has been instances in the past where the future of doubles was very (uncertain),” Heliovaara, the 2024 Wimbledon doubles champion, said Friday. “This is one of the key moments again.”

Leading doubles players issued a statement Friday condemning the ATP’s plans, saying they are not “a carnival sideshow” and that it will be impossible for anyone outside the top 30 in the doubles rankings to make a living if the new proposals are adopted.

The statement came after doubles players met with ATP officials at Wimbledon this week to discuss the future of a format that is struggling to draw an audience.

“The ATP is proposing to slash doubles draws, gut doubles prize money, and hand Challenger entry to singles players ahead of specialists who have built their careers in this discipline,” the players’ statement said.

They said the proposal would give doubles players just 10% of the

prize money at ATP tournaments — down from 20% — while halving the size of the doubles fields.

At the premier Masters tournaments, that would cut the doubles draw to 16 teams, while at the smaller ATP 500 and 250 events it would consist of just eight teams.

“Do the math on what that means for anyone outside the top 30: it will be impossible to make a living,” the statement added. “This is not a minor adjustment. It is a plan to end doubles as a viable profession, dressed up as a cost-saving measure — and it is being pushed through with almost no transparency and almost no consultation with the players whose careers and livelihoods are on the line.”

Asked about the statement, the ATP said it was “assessing the doubles product, draw sizes and player compensation distribution with the aim of creating a more sustainable long-term model while maintaining doubles’ important role on the tour.”

It added that changing the doubles model could help increase early round singles prize money, “helping more players at the highest level to better meet the costs of competing on tour and build sustainable professional careers.”

The proposal does not affect Grand Slam tournaments. At Wimbledon, there are 64 doubles teams in both the men’s and women’s draw and winning pairs split about $1 million, compared to $4.8 million for the singles champions.

Doubles has always taken a back seat to singles tournaments when it comes to popularity and TV audiences, and the format has already

faced several changes in recent years. In 2023, Wimbledon joined the other Grand Slam tournaments in shortening matches from five to three sets.

The U.S. Open last year introduced a new mixed doubles format that was played before the singles tournament started, in order to draw top names like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka. That was criticized by traditional doubles players, however, as it largely excluded them in favor of attracting more famous singles specialists.

Heliovaara said one of the problems for doubles is that most of the well-known singles players have almost completely abandoned the format.

“We are losing the singles stars from the doubles game, and we have not been very good at making the doubles stars known to a global audience,” the Finnish player said.

The women’s doubles at Wimbledon received a boost when Serena and Venus Williams accepted a wild-card entry. They are set to play on Saturday after doubt caused by Serena tweaking her knee during her first-round singles match in her first appearance at the All England Club in four years.

Heliovaara did not take part in the meetings with the ATP this week, but has previously been part of a player council that tried to find solutions to the problems facing doubles.

“It was very difficult to find answers,” he acknowledged. “But I still believe someone might have them. But it’s a very money-driven world.”

Tulane earns highest finish in directors’ cup in 21 years

BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer

Tulane finished 2025-26 with its best ranking in the Learfield Directors’ Cup standings in 21 years, getting contributions from five sports in a measure of athletics success bases on NCAA championship results.

The Green Wave had a particularly strong fall season, garnering 137 points for the second-highest total in that period since the cup’s creation in 1993-94 and the secondbest performance for any Group of Six school. Football accounted for 56 points after reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time, losing at Ole Miss in the first round.

Men’s cross country was right behind, adding 53 points courtesy of a 21st-place finish at the NCAA meet after winning the South Central regional championship.

Bernard Cheruiyot placed 29th individually, becoming the school’s first male All-America selection in cross country.

Women’s cross country contributed 28 points, taking the American Conference championship for the second time in three years and placing third at the South Central regional.

Tulane added 67 points in the spring, getting 42 from outdoor track and field. Silas Kiptanui was the runner-up in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA champi-

STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Tulane athletic director David Harris poses for a photo on Nov. 27, 2023, in yulman Stadium. onships, becoming the first Wave track athlete to finish that high in any event. His time of 8:18.20 was less than a second behind the winner and more than two seconds ahead of the bronze medalist.

Kiptanui, Tulane’s lone competitor at the NCAA championships, earned the team eight points at the competition — good enough for a tie for 30th.

The beach volleyball team accounted for the other 25 cup points, reaching the NCAA championships for the first time after winning its initial league championship. The Wave lost in the first round of the 16-team tournament to eventual champion UCLA. The athletic programs’ total of 204

points was good enough for 97th nationally and was the highest among American Conference schools — well in front of No. 108 Rice, which accumulated 162.50 points.

“This past year has been a testament to the dedication and resilience of our student-athletes, coaches and staff,” Tulane athletic director David Harris said. “This ranking reflects the incredible progress we’re making as a program. We are proud of what we accomplished and excited about the future.”

Tulane tied for 160th with 100 points in 2024-25, was 142nd with 118.50 points in 2023-24, was 102nd with 173.80 points in 2022-23 and was 292nd with 22.50 points in 2021-22.

6C ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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SCOREBOARD Hole-in-one

Storm Hunter, Australia, and Caty McNally (14), United States, def. Magdalena Frech, Poland, and Anna Bondar, Hungary, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-3.

Tamara Korpatsch, Germany, and Nicole Fossa Huergo, Argentina, def. Iryna Shymanovich, Belarus, and Maria Kozyreva, Russia, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Kimberly Birrell and Talia Gibson, Australia, def. Eden Silva and Freya Christie, Britain, 7-6 (2), 6-3.

Ross Berthelot

Course: The University Club Hole: Hole 13 Yardage: 123 yards Club: Pitching wedge Witnesses: Brian Terhaar, Lindsey Spiller, Jim Moran, Mike Johnson

Odds

Mixed Doubles

Sports Betting Line MLB Saturday

American League FAVORITE LINE at N.Y YANKEES -160 Detroit -115 Toronto -132 Tampa Bay -113 at CLE -149 Boston -160 National League FAVORITE LINE Pittsburgh -168 at CHI CUBS -160 at ATLANTA -172 at COLORADO OFF Milwaukee -152 at LA DODGERS -278 Interleague FAVORITE LINE at CINCINNATI -129 Philadelphia -152 Miami -118

UNDERDOG Minnesota at TEXAS at SEATTLE at HOUSTON White Sox at LA ANGELS

LINE +135 -107 +108 -108 +124 +135

UNDERDOG LINE at WASHINGTON +138 St. Louis +130 N.Y Mets +140 San Francisco OFF at ARIZONA +123 San Diego +220 UNDERDOG LINE Baltimore +109 at KANSAS CITY +127 at ATHLETICS -102

Pro basketball

Golf

WNBA Glance EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlanta New York Indiana Washington Toronto Chicago Connecticut

W 12 12 11 10 9 6 4

L 8 8 8 9 10 13 16

Pct .600 .600 .579 .526 .474 .316 .200

GB — — ½ 1½ 2½ 5½ 8

Minnesota Las Vegas Golden State Dallas Los Angeles Portland Phoenix Seattle

W 15 14 13 12 8 8 8 5

L 4 5 7 8 10 12 13 16

Pct .789 .737 .650 .600 .444 .400 .381 .238

GB — 1 2½ 3½ 6½ 7½ 8 11

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Thursday’s Games

Washington 81, Atlanta 76 Dallas 86, Connecticut 83 Phoenix 90, Seattle 67

Friday’s Games

New York 99, Minnesota 86 Chicago at Las Vegas, n

Saturday’s Games

Golden State at Atlanta, noon Portland at Seattle, 8 p.m.

Sunday’s Games Dallas at Toronto, 2 p.m.

Indiana at Las Vegas, 6 p.m.

Tennis Wimbledon Results Friday

At All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club London Purse: £30,060,000 Surface: Grass Results Friday from the Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (seedings in parentheses):

Men’s Singles

Third Round Roman Safiullin, Russia, def. Joao Fonseca (24), Brazil, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Shintaro Mochizuki, Japan, def. Rafael Jodar (23), Spain, 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4.

Novak Djokovic (7), Serbia, def. Arthur Rinderknech (25), France, 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4).

Jannik Sinner (1), Italy, def. Jenson Brooksby, United States, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

Jan-Lennard Struff, Germany, def. Daniil Medvedev (8), Russia, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 7-5.

Hubert Hurkacz, Poland, def. Tommy Paul (21), United States, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5, 6-2.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (22), Spain, def.

Marton Fucsovics, Hungary, 7-6 (3), 6-2, 6-3.

Felix Auger-Aliassime (3), Canada, def. Michael Zheng, United States, 7-6 (1), 6-2, 6-1.

Women’s Singles

Third Round Belinda Bencic (11), Switzerland, def. Anna Kalinskaya (19), Russia, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (6).

Naomi Osaka (14), Japan, def. Daria Kasatkina, Russia, 6-1, 6-3.

Jessica Pegula (4), United States, def. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Spain, 6-1, 6-3.

Iva Jovic (16), United States, def. Ekaterina Alexandrova (18), Russia, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

Aryna Sabalenka (1), Belarus, def. Jelena Ostapenko, Latvia, 6-4, 6-4.

Barbora Krejcikova, Czechia, def. Nikola Bartunkova, Czechia, 6-3, 7-5.

Karolina Muchova (10), Czechia, def. Mananchaya Sawangkaew, Thailand, 6-2, 7-6 (1).

Coco Gauff (7), United States, def. Claire Liu, United States, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2.

Men’s Doubles

First Round Jesper De Jong, Netherlands, and Valentin Royer, France, def. Andrey Golubev and Aleksandr Nedovyesov, Kazakhstan, 6-3, 6-4.

Vit Kopriva, Czechia, and Filip Pieczonka, Poland, def. Jan-Lennard Struff and Yannick Hanfmann, Germany, walkover.

Men’s Doubles

Second Round Christian Harrison, United States, and Neal Skupski (5), Britain, def. Jakub Paul, Switzerland, and Ryan Seggerman, United States, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5).

Lucas Miedler, Austria, and Francisco Cabral (11), Portugal, def. Marco Trungelliti, Argentina, and Ignacio Buse, Peru, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash (3), Britain, def. Corentin Moutet and Arthur Reymond, France, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Mate Pavic, Croatia, and Marcelo Arevalo (6), El Salvador, def. Marcus Willis and David Stevenson, Britain, 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-4.

Harri Heliovaara, Finland, and Henry Patten (1), Britain, def. Mac Kiger and Patrik Trhac, United States, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 7-6 (7).

Kevin Krawietz and Tim Putz (7), Germany, def. Thiago Agustin Tirante and Roman Andres Burruchaga, Argentina, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Adam Pavlasek and Patrik Rikl, Czechia, def.

Marc Polmans and Rinky Hijikata, Australia, 6-3, 6-4.

Nikola Mektic, Croatia, and Austin Krajicek (14), United States, def. Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela, Mexico, and Ivan Liutarevich, Belarus, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4), 7-6 (10).

Petr Nouza, Czechia, and Neil Oberleitner, Austria, def. Botic Van de Zandschulp and Tallon Griekspoor, Netherlands, 6-1, 6-2.

Women’s Doubles

Second Round Anna Danilina, Kazakhstan, and James Tracy (8), United States, def. Luke Johnson and Emily Appleton, Britain, 7-5, 6-4.

Lloyd Glasspool, Britain, and Tereza Mihalikova (7), Slovakia, def. Venus Williams, United States, and Kevin Krawietz, Germany, 6-4, 6-4.

Evan King, United States, and Gabriela Dabrowski, Canada, def. Olivia Nicholls and Henry Patten (4), Britain, 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Guido Andreozzi, Argentina, and Aldila Sutjiadi, Indonesia, def. Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard, France, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Edouard Roger-Vasselin, France, and Laura Siegemund, Germany, def. John Peers, Australia, and Katie Swan, Britain, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (0).

Marcus Willis and Heather Watson, Britain, def. Hsieh Su-wei, Taiwan, and Jan Zielinski, Poland, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Darija Jurak Schreiber, Croatia, and Andres Molteni, Argentina, def. Lucas Miedler, Austria, and Hanyu Guo, China, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

Ellen Perez, Australia, and Francisco Cabral, Portugal, def. Lyudmyla Kichenok, Ukraine, and David Pel, Netherlands, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2.

First Round Gabriela Dabrowski, Canada, and Luisa Stefani (2), Brazil, def. Alicja Rosolska, Poland, and Alexa Guarachi, Chile, 6-2, 6-2.

Asia Muhammad, United States, and Fanny Stollar (16), Hungary, def. Nadiia Kichenok, Ukraine, and Makoto Ninomiya, Japan, 7-5, 6-2.

Irina Khromacheva, Russia, and Anastasia Detiuc, Czechia, def. McCartney Kessler, United States, and Diana Shnaider, Russia, 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-2.

Elena-Gabriela Ruse, Romania, and Marta Kostyuk, Ukraine, def. Nicole Melichar-Martinez, United States, and Erin Routliffe (5), New Zealand, 6-3, 6-4.

Zhang Shuai, China, and Elise Mertens (4), Belgium, def. Irina-Camelia Begu and Jaqueline Cristian, Romania, 6-1, 6-1.

Demi Schuurs, Netherlands, and Ellen Perez (9), Australia, def. Miyu (1994) Kato, Japan, and Kamilla Rakhimova, Russia, 7-5, 7-5.

Caroline Dolehide and Alycia Parks, United States, def. Qianhui Tang, China, and Elena Pridankina, Russia, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.

Rebecca Sramkova, Slovakia, and Linda Noskova, Czechia, def. Diane Parry and Elsa Jacquemot, France, 6-3, 7-5.

Anhelina Kalinina and Dayana Yastremska, Ukraine, def. Laura Pigossi, Brazil, and Simona Waltert, Switzerland, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

Xu Yifan and Xinyu Jiang, China, def.

Viktorija Golubic, Switzerland, and Tereza Valentova, Czechia, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7).

U.S. Senior Open Championship Friday

At Scioto County Club Columbus, Ohio Purse: $4 million Yardage: 7,170; Par: 70 Second Round George McNeill Padraig Harrington Stewart Cink Miguel Angel Jimenez Charlie Wi Alex Cejka Chris Devlin Tommy Gainey Henrik Stenson Stephen Ames Ben Crane Jamie Donaldson Richard Green Ian Poulter Paul Stankowski Ernie Els Ricardo Gonzalez Simon Griffiths Jeff Maggert Pat Perez Tim Petrovic Y.E. Yang Jason Caron Greg Chalmers Fredrik Jacobson Soren Kjeldsen Andrew Marshall Cameron Percy Haymes Snedeker Omar Uresti Ryan Armour Michael Block J.J. Henry Justin Hicks Brendan Jones Alan McLean John Rollins Gene Sauers Kirk Triplett Michael Wright Darren Clarke Matt Gogel Retief Goosen Takashi Iwamoto Thongchai Jaidee Jerry Kelly Hank Kim Colin Montgomerie Timothy O’Neal Thammanoon Sriroj Ken Tanigawa Billy Andrade Shane Bertsch Chad Campbell K.J. Choi Scott Hend David Mathis Scott Parel Vijay Singh Mark Wilson Boo Weekley Kevin Sutherland Missed Cut Steve Allan Michael Campbell Matt Daniel Joe Durant Darren Fichardt Justin Leonard Vanslow Phillips Dicky Pride Brett Quigley David Toms Steven Alker Stephen Dodd Steve Flesch Jay Haas Chris Kamin Tracy Phillips Chris Riley Patrik Sjoland Craig Bowden David Bransdon Paul Goydos Brian Guetz Joakim Haeggman Rob Labritz Brad Lardon Mikael Lundberg Tag Ridings Mike Weir Chris Dompier Mark Hensby Robert Karlsson James Kingston Shaun Micheel Heath Slocum Stuart Appleby Woody Austin Angel Cabrera Jeff Gove Keith Horne Davis Love III Katsumasa Miyamoto Greg Owen Michael Stamberger Jerod Turner Jeff Williams Peter Baker Notah Begay Scott Dunlap Brock Ehler Chad Fribley Doug Hanzel Hank Kuehne Jeff Martin Mike McCoy Michael Pearson Warren Pineo Andrew Sapp Burke Cromer Brian Gay Lee Janzen Cliff Kresge David Drysdale Thomas Goegele Brandt Jobe Ryan Malby Stephen Nichols Steve Sear Chris Eassy Paul Wackerly Olin Browne Jay Abraham Bradford Kuester Eric Meichtry John O’Leary Jason Schmuhl Bo Van Pelt John Kennedy Bob Royak Rik Cramer Caine Fitzgerald Ryan Gracey David Roesch Tracy Vest Bruce Nakamura Tucker Sampson Greg Sanders Tom Werkmeister Jonathan Clark Bob Rittberger David Noto Artie Fink

68-66—134 69-67—136 67-70—137 69-68—137 67-70—137 69-69—138 70-68—138 69-69—138 71-67—138 70-69—139 69-70—139 69-70—139 69-70—139 70-69—139 69-70—139 71-69—140 73-67—140 68-72—140 71-69—140 72-68—140 70-70—140 71-69—140 71-70—141 69-72—141 68-73—141 69-72—141 73-68—141 71-70—141 73-68—141 70-71—141 73-69—142 72-70—142 72-70—142 70-72—142 73-69—142 74-68—142 72-70—142 74-68—142 75-67—142 70-72—142 71-72—143 76-67—143 70-73—143 74-69—143 72-71—143 72-71—143 72-71—143 70-73—143 75-68—143 72-71—143 71-72—143 72-72—144 72-72—144 71-73—144 73-71—144 75-69—144 71-73—144 73-71—144 76-68—144 74-70—144 72-WD 73-WD

-6 -4 -3 -3 -3 -2 -2 -2 -2 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 E E E E E E E +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4

74-71—145 71-74—145 73-72—145 73-72—145 70-75—145 75-70—145 71-74—145 74-71—145 72-73—145 73-72—145 72-74—146 71-75—146 73-73—146 76-70—146 76-70—146 74-72—146 73-73—146 74-72—146 75-72—147 76-71—147 77-70—147 72-75—147 75-72—147 74-73—147 73-74—147 75-72—147 75-72—147 72-75—147 76-72—148 73-75—148 72-76—148 74-74—148 76-72—148 76-72—148 75-74—149 71-78—149 75-74—149 76-73—149 73-76—149 73-76—149 73-76—149 74-75—149 74-75—149 72-77—149 75-74—149 76-74—150 75-75—150 73-77—150 78-72—150 78-72—150 78-72—150 74-76—150 76-74—150 79-71—150 77-73—150 78-72—150 72-78—150 73-78—151 76-75—151 77-74—151 76-75—151 77-75—152 74-78—152 77-75—152 75-77—152 74-78—152 79-73—152 75-78—153 78-75—153 77-77—154 78-77—155 75-80—155 79-76—155 78-78—156 80-76—156 73-83—156 80-77—157 78-79—157 78-80—158 83-75—158 81-77—158 80-78—158 81-77—158 84-75—159 79-81—160 84-76—160 81-79—160 81-81—162 83-84—167 85-83—168 85-84—169

+5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +6 +6 +6 +6 +6 +6 +6 +6 +7 +7 +7 +7 +7 +7 +7 +7 +7 +7 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +9 +9 +9 +9 +9 +9 +9 +9 +9 +9 +9 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +11 +11 +11 +11 +12 +12 +12 +12 +12 +12 +13 +13 +14 +15 +15 +15 +16 +16 +16 +17 +17 +18 +18 +18 +18 +18 +19 +20 +20 +20 +22 +27 +28 +29

Jerry Springer

John Deere Classic

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL American League East Division 91-81—172

+32

Friday

At TPC Deere Run Silvis, Ill. Purse: $8.8 million Yardage: 7,327; Par: 71 Second Round Lucas Glover 63-65—128 Lee Hodges 64-66—130 Zac Blair 63-68—131 Tyler Duncan 66-66—132 Ryo Hisatsune 67-65—132 Ben Kohles 65-67—132 David Lipsky 67-65—132 Troy Merritt 66-66—132 Jackson Suber 68-64—132 Max Homa 67-66—133 Michael Brennan 66-68—134 Doug Ghim 69-65—134 Chris Gotterup 66-68—134 Ben Griffin 69-65—134 Zach Johnson 64-70—134 William Mouw 66-68—134 Pontus Nyholm 68-66—134 Hayden Springer 66-68—134 Blades Brown 69-66—135 Davis Chatfield 69-66—135 Luke Gutschewski 67-68—135 Harry Higgs 67-68—135 Chan Kim 68-67—135 Tom Kim 67-68—135 Andrew Putnam 67-68—135 Austin Smotherman 66-69—135 Preston Stout 66-69—135 Aaron Wise 66-69—135 Christiaan Bezuidenhout 68-68—136 Zecheng Dou 67-69—136 Patrick Fishburn 65-71—136 Steven Fisk 68-68—136 Emiliano Grillo 70-66—136 Stephan Jaeger 64-72—136 Chandler Phillips 69-67—136 Gordon Sargent 67-69—136 Ryan Brehm 68-69—137 Jacob Bridgeman 67-70—137 Rafael Campos 66-71—137 Pierceson Coody 69-68—137 Joel Dahmen 66-71—137 Tom Hoge 73-64—137 Beau Hossler 70-67—137 Sungjae Im 68-69—137 Nicholas Lindheim 69-68—137 Peter Malnati 71-66—137 Mac Meissner 67-70—137 J.T. Poston 68-69—137 Davis Riley 65-72—137 Karl Vilips 72-65—137 Trace Crowe 69-69—138 Austin Eckroat 71-67—138 Tony Finau 70-68—138 Matt Kuchar 72-66—138 Davis Thompson 69-69—138 Camilo Villegas 71-67—138 Ryan Voois 68-70—138 Matt Wallace 67-71—138 Kevin Yu 66-72—138 Zachary Bauchou 69-70—139 Keegan Bradley 70-69—139 Jonathan Byrd 69-70—139 Eric Cole 76-63—139 Adrien Dumont De Chassart 72-67—139 Nick Dunlap 67-72—139 A.J. Ewart 67-72—139 Michael Feagles 69-70—139 Rickie Fowler 70-69—139 Fabian Gomez 72-67—139 Will Gordon 70-69—139 Lanto Griffin 67-72—139 Mark Hubbard 72-67—139 Mackenzie Hughes 72-67—139 Max McGreevy 71-68—139 Keith Mitchell 73-66—139 Keita Nakajima 70-69—139 David Skinns 72-67—139 Jordan Spieth 70-69—139 Erik Van Rooyen 70-69—139 Seamus Power 77-WD Missed Cut Daniel Berger 68-72—140 Austin Cook 71-69—140 Max Greyserman 71-69—140 Nick Hardy 74-66—140 Rico Hoey 68-72—140 Takumi Kanaya 70-70—140 Jeffrey Kang 71-69—140 John Keefer 71-69—140 Neal Shipley 72-68—140 Webb Simpson 70-70—140 Jimmy Stanger 72-68—140 Kevin Streelman 70-70—140 Adam Svensson 70-70—140 Michael Thorbjornsen 68-72—140 Sudarshan Yellamaraju 70-70—140 Patrick Adler 70-71—141 Luke Clanton 69-72—141 Dylan Frittelli 70-71—141 Brice Garnett 72-69—141 Joe Highsmith 74-67—141 Kensei Hirata 68-73—141 Hank Lebioda 71-70—141 Hao-Tong Li 67-74—141 Taylor Moore 70-71—141 Paul Peterson 72-69—141 Brendon Todd 70-71—141 Dylan Wu 72-69—141 Brian Campbell 70-72—142 Garrick Higgo 71-71—142 Michael Kim 72-70—142 Martin Laird 72-70—142 Justin Lower 72-70—142 Ben Martin 72-70—142 Denny McCarthy 71-71—142 Matthieu Pavon 72-70—142 Aldrich Potgieter 74-68—142 Kevin Roy 69-73—142 Marcelo Rozo 72-70—142 Robert Streb 71-71—142 Vince Whaley 75-67—142 Carson Young 73-69—142 Noah Goodwin 68-75—143 Patton Kizzire 71-72—143 Jackson Koivun 73-70—143 Andrew Novak 72-71—143 Taylor Pendrith 68-75—143 Kris Ventura 69-74—143 Cameron Champ 72-72—144 Adam Hadwin 73-71—144 Luke List 74-70—144 Augusto Nunez 73-71—144 Adam Schenk 71-73—144 Ben Silverman 73-71—144 Alejandro Tosti 74-70—144 John VanDerLaan 74-70—144 Seung-Yul Noh 74-72—146 Thorbjorn Olesen 75-71—146 Chad Ramey 73-73—146 Chandler Blanchet 70-77—147 Mason Howell 72-75—147 Christo Lamprecht 77-72—149 Jeremy Paul 72-77—149 Danny Walker 81-72—153 Darin Fisher 78-78—156

Tampa Bay New York Toronto Baltimore Boston

W 51 48 41 40 37

L 33 38 46 48 48

Pct GB .607 — .558 4 .471 11½ .455 13 .435 14½

Cleveland Chicago Minnesota Detroit Kansas City

W 46 45 42 38 35

L 42 41 46 50 53

Pct .523 .523 .477 .432 .398

GB — — 4 8 11

Seattle Texas Houston Athletics Los Angeles

W 45 45 43 41 36

L 43 43 46 46 52

Pct .511 .511 .483 .471 .409

GB — — 2½ 3½ 9

Central Division

-14 -12 -11 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -9 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 E E E E E E E E E E E E E E +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +4 +4 +4 +5 +5 +7 +7 +11 +14

Transactions

National League

West Division

Thursday’s Games

Cleveland 6, Chicago White Sox 5 Tampa Bay 5, Kansas City 2 Texas 10, Detroit 4 Seattle 1, L.A. Angels 0

East Division Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York

W 50 49 46 45 36

L 35 39 42 43 51

Pct .588 .557 .523 .511 .414

Milwaukee Chicago St. Louis Pittsburgh Cincinnati

W 53 49 45 44 40

L 32 38 39 44 46

Pct GB .624 — .563 5 .536 7½ .500 10½ .465 13½

Los Angeles Arizona San Diego San Francisco Colorado

W 57 43 43 36 35

L 31 43 43 50 53

Pct .648 .500 .500 .419 .398

Central Division

West Division

Thursday’s Games

Friday’s Games

Pittsburgh 6, Philadelphia 1 Cincinnati 7, Milwaukee 2 Colorado 14, Miami 4 St. Louis 11, Atlanta 5 L.A. Dodgers 12, San Diego 7

Saturday’s Games

St. Louis 17, Chicago Cubs, 1 Washington 9, Pittsburgh 5 Baltimore at Cincinnati, n Atlanta 5, N.Y. Mets 3 San Francisco at Colorado, n Miami at Athletics, n Milwaukee at Arizona, n San Diego at L.A. Dodgers, n

Seattle 1, L.A. Angels 0 Minnesota at N.Y. Yankees, n Baltimore 3, Cincinnati 0 Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, n Tampa Bay at Houston, n Boston at L.A. Angels, n Miami at Athletics, n Toronto at Seattle, n Minnesota (Matthews 4-5) at N.Y. Yankees (Rodón 4-2), 12:35 p.m.

Detroit (Flaherty 1-8) at Texas (Quantrill 3-0), 3:05 p.m.

Toronto (Bieber 0-0) at Seattle (Gilbert 6-5), 3:10 p.m.

Baltimore (Young 6-2) at Cincinnati (Greene 0-0), 6:10 p.m.

Chicago White Sox (Burke 5-4) at Cleveland (Messick 7-5), 6:10 p.m.

Tampa Bay (Rasmussen 7-4) at Houston (Brown 1-0), 6:10 p.m.

Philadelphia (Luzardo 6-4) at Kansas City (Wacha 5-5), 7:10 p.m.

Boston (Gray 9-1) at L.A. Angels (Aldegheri 3-3), 8:38 p.m.

Miami (Alcantara 9-4) at Athletics (Civale 5-5), 8:40 p.m.

GB — 2½ 5½ 6½ 15

GB — 13 13 20 22

Friday’s Games

Saturday’s Games

Pittsburgh (Ashcraft 8-3) at Washington (Littell 7-6), 10:05 a.m.

Baltimore (Young 6-2) at Cincinnati (Greene 0-0), 6:10 p.m.

N.Y. Mets (Manaea 1-3) at Atlanta (Sale 8-6), 7:08 p.m.

St. Louis (Leahy 6-4) at Chicago Cubs (Imanaga 5-6), 7:08 p.m.

Philadelphia (Luzardo 6-4) at Kansas City (Wacha 5-5), 7:10 p.m.

San Francisco (Ray 7-6) at Colorado (Sugano 8-4), 7:10 p.m.

Miami (Alcantara 9-4) at Athletics, 8:40 p.m.

Milwaukee (Woodruff 2-1) at Arizona (Kelly 5-8), 8:40 p.m.

San Diego at L.A. Dodgers (Yamamoto 8-5), 9:10 p.m.

BOX SCORES St. Louis 17, Chicago Cubs 1

Baltimore 3, Cincinnati 0

St. Louis

Baltimore

Chicago

Cincinnati

ab r h bi ab r h bi Wthrhlt 2b 5 0 1 0 CArmstrng cf3 0 1 0 Herrera c 4 3 3 2 Dean cf 1 0 0 0 Crooks c 0 0 0 0 Bregman 3b 4 0 2 1 Walker rf 4 3 1 0 Busch 1b 4 0 1 0 Velázquez dh3 1 0 2 Suzuki rf 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 Burleson 1b 5 1 2 4 Happ lf Pagés 1b 1 0 0 0 Alcantara lf 1 0 0 0 Winn ss 4 2 2 4 Hoerner ss 4 0 1 0 Torres ph-lf 2 1 1 1 Conforto dh 4 0 0 0 Fermín lf-ss 5 1 2 1 Kelly c 4 0 1 0 Jordan 3b 5 3 3 0 Swanson ss2 0 0 0 Church cf 5 2 2 3 Ramirez 2b 2 1 1 0 Totals 43 17 17 17 Totals 35 1 7 1 St. Louis 033 532 100 — 17 Chicago 000 000 100 — 1 E_Burleson (6), Busch (2). LOB_St. Louis 7, Chicago 8. 2B_Fermín 2 (8), Walker (17), Crow-Armstrong (14), Hoerner (22), Bregman (12). 3B_Ramirez (1). HR_Church (8), Winn (4), Torres (4). SF_Velázquez (1).

IP H R ER BB SO St. Louis 0 1 2 Pallante W,10-5 5 2⁄3 5 0 1 0 3 Rajcic 2 1⁄3 2 1 Stanek 1 0 0 0 0 1 Chicago 3 3 Peterson L,4-7 3 2⁄3 9 10 10 7 1 4 Wilson 3 1⁄3 8 7 Hollowell 1 0 0 0 0 0 Pomeranz 1 0 0 0 0 0 HBP_Wilson 2 (Walker,Wetherholt), Hollowell (Crooks).

ABS Challenge_Pallante (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Pallante (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Bregman (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Wetherholt (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Winn (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Fermín (Strike-Overturned to Ball).

Umpires_Home, Dan Bellino; First, Mark Ripperger; Second, Brock Ballou; Third, Dan Merzel.

T_2:57. A_39,440 (41,363).

ab r h bi De La Cruz ss3 0 1 0 Stewart 3b 4 0 0 0 Steer 1b 3 0 1 0 E.Suárez dh 3 0 0 0 Marte rf 4 0 1 0 4 0 1 0 Bleday lf Stephenson c3 0 0 0 McLain cf 2 0 0 0 Friedl ph-cf 1 0 0 0 Arroyo 2b 4 0 0 0 Totals 28 3 4 2 Totals 31 0 4 0 Baltimore 102 000 000 — 3 Cincinnati 000 000 000 — 0 E_Stephenson (2). DP_Baltimore 0, Cincinnati 2. LOB_Baltimore 3, Cincinnati 10. 2B_Rutschman (16). HR_Basallo (13).

SB_De La Cruz 2 (12).

IP H R ER BB SO Baltimore Rogers W,6-7 5 2 0 0 5 4 R.Garcia H,12 2 1 0 0 1 2 Cano H,8 1 1 0 0 0 0 Wells S,1-1 1 0 0 0 0 1 Cincinnati Singer L,3-8 5 3 3 2 5 6 0 0 1 Ferguson 1 1⁄3 1 0 2 0 0 0 Petty 1 ⁄3 0 0 J.Garcia 1 0 0 0 0 0 ABS Challenge_Singer (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Beavers (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Alexander (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Ferguson (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Petty (Ball-Overturned to Strike).

Umpires_Home, Laz Diaz; First, Erich Bacchus; Second, Brian O’Nora; Third, Chris Segal.

T_2:29. A_22,157 (43,891).

Washington 9, Pittsburgh 5

Atlanta 5, N.Y. Mets 3

Pittsburgh

New York

Washington

ab r h bi ab r h bi K.Griffin ss 4 0 2 0 Wood rf 5 1 2 0 Lowe dh 4 1 1 1 García 1b 4 2 2 3 Reynolds lf 5 2 2 2 Tena dh 5 1 1 2 Valdez rf 5 1 3 1 Abrams ss 4 1 1 0 O’Hearn 1b 5 0 0 0 Crews cf 3 1 0 0 Gonzales 2b 5 0 1 1 Lile lf 4 2 3 4 Mangum cf 5 0 2 0 Ruiz c 4 0 0 0 Rodríguez c 3 0 0 0 Vivas 3b 3 0 1 0 Triolo 3b 4 1 2 0 Nuñez 2b 4 1 2 0 Totals 40 5 13 5 Totals 36 9 12 9 Pittsburgh 001 000 004 — 5 Washington 113 000 22x — 9 E_Abrams 2 (14). DP_Pittsburgh 0, Washington 1. LOB_Pittsburgh 11, Washington 6. 2B_Triolo 2 (10), Lowe (20), Reynolds (21), Valdez (5), Gonzales (12), Lile (20), Wood (22). 3B_Wood (1). HR_Reynolds (12), García 2 (18), Lile 2 (10), Tena (4).

SB_Mangum 2 (16), Abrams (14), Triolo (6), K.Griffin (17).

IP H R ER BB SO Pittsburgh Keller L,6-6 6 8 5 5 0 1 4 1 1 Mattson 1 1⁄3 3 4 2 Callihan ⁄3 1 0 0 2 0 Washington F.Griffin W,9-2 5 4 1 1 1 2 Ribalta 1 1 0 0 0 2 2 ⁄3 1 0 0 2 1 Lawrence 1 Beeter H,4 ⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 Kent 2 7 4 4 0 1 ABS Challenge_Abrams (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Lawrence (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Mattson (Ball-Confirmed); Kent (Ball-Overturned to Strike).

Umpires_Home, Nate Tomlinson; First, Bruce Dreckman; Second, Mark Wegner; Third, Carlos Torres.

T_2:54. A_30,331 (41,376).

ab r h bi Henderson ss2 1 0 0 Rutschmn dh4 1 1 0 Ward lf 3 0 1 0 Alonso 1b 4 0 1 0 Basallo c 3 1 1 2 Beavers rf 4 0 0 0 Cowser cf 3 0 0 0 Alexander 3b2 0 0 0 Holliday 2b 3 0 0 0

Atlanta

ab r h bi ab r h bi Ewing cf 3 1 0 0 Baldwin c 4 0 0 0 Taylor ph-cf 2 0 0 0 Albies 2b 4 1 1 1 Soto lf 4 1 2 2 Olson 1b 3 2 2 2 Bichette 3b 4 0 2 1 Dubón lf 2 1 0 0 Lindor ss 5 0 1 0 Harris cf 4 1 2 2 Benge rf 4 0 1 0 Smith dh 4 0 0 0 J.Young 1b 4 0 0 0 Riley 3b 2 0 0 0 Alvarez dh 4 0 2 0 Yastrzmski rf3 0 0 0 Baty 2b 4 0 1 0 Mateo ss 3 0 0 0 Torrens c 4 1 1 0 Totals 38 3 10 3 Totals 29 5 5 5 New York 002 000 001 — 3 Atlanta 021 010 01x — 5 E_Olson (6). LOB_New York 10, Atlanta 4.

2B_Baty (11). HR_Soto (18), Harris (15), Albies (14), Olson 2 (22).

IP H R ER BB SO New York Scott L,2-1 4 2 3 3 4 7 Minter 1 1 1 1 0 0 2 Senga 2 ⁄3 2 1 1 0 4 1 Gerber ⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 Atlanta Holmes W,5-4 5 5 2 1 1 2 Dodd H,3 1 1 0 0 0 1 2 D.Young H,1 ⁄3 0 0 0 1 0 Fuentes H,8 1 1⁄3 1 0 0 0 1 Iglesias S,17-17 1 3 1 1 0 1 ABS Challenge_Soto (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Bichette (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Senga (Ball-Confirmed); Iglesias (Ball-Confirmed).

Pitch timer violations_Soto (batter).

Umpires_Home, Malachi Moore; First, Alfonso Marquez; Second, Mike Estabrook; Third, Lance Barrett.

T_2:40. A_39,138 (41,149).

Major League Baseball

American League BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Designated C Chadwick Tromp for assignment. Placed RHP Ryan Helsley on the 15-day IL, retroactive to June 30. Recalled 2B Jeremiah Jackson and RHP Anthony Nunez from Norfolk (IL). Sent RHP Yaramil Hiraldo on a rehab assignment to Norfolk.

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS — Recalled RHP Franco Aleman from Columbus (IL). Optioned RHP Daniel Espino to Columbus.

HOUSTON ASTROS — Reinstated RHP Cristian Javier from the 60-day IL. Transferred LHP Bennett Sousa to the 60-day IL. MINNESOTA TWINS — Sent C Ryan Jeffers on a rehab assignment to St. Paul (IL).

NEW YORK YANKEES — Reinstated 3B Ryan McMahon and CF Trent Grisham from the 10-day IL. Placed LHP Carlos Rodón on the 15-day IL retroactive to June 30. Optioned 3B Oswaldo Cabrera to Scranton/WilkesBarre (IL).

TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Sent RHP Max Scherzer on a rehab assignment to Vancouver (NL).

National League ATLANTA BRAVES — Designated RHP Ian Hamilton for assignment. Reinstated LHP Danny Young from the 60-day IL. Recalled RHP Anthony Molina from Gwinnett (IL). Optioned RHP James Karinchak to Gwinnett.

CHICAGO CUBS — Selected the contract of LHP Drew Pomeranz from Iowa (IL).

Optioned LHP Jordan Wicks to Iowa (IL).

CINCINNATI REDS — Sent 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes on a rehab assignment to Dayton (ML).

MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Sent LHP Rob Zastryzny on a rehab assignment to ACL Brewers.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — Reinstated RHP Ryne Stanek from the paternity list. Optioned RHP Gordon Graceffo to Memphis (IL).

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association MIAMI HEAT — Signed Tre Donaldson to a two-way contract.

THIS DATE IN BASEBALL July 4

1905 — The Philadelphia Athletics scored two runs in the 20th inning, giving Rube Waddell a 4-2 victory over Cy Young of the Boston Red Sox. Both pitchers went the distance. Young did not allow a walk.

1908 — George Wiltse of the New York Giants pitched a 10-inning, 1-0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies.

1912 — George Mullin of the Detroit Tigers celebrated his 32nd birthday by pitching a no-hitter over the St. Louis Browns.

1925 — Two of the great left-handers of their time, Herb Pennock of the Yankees and Lefty Grove of the Athletics, hooked up in a pitcher’s duel that New York won 1-0 in 15 innings. Pennock gave up four hits and walked none.

1939 — Jim Tabor of the Boston Red Sox hit three home runs, including two grand slams, in an 18-12 triumph over the Philadelphia Athletics in the second game of a doubleheader.

1945 — Augie Bergamo drove in eight runs to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to 19-2 rout of the New York Giants in the second game of a doubleheader. Bergamo, batting leadoff, went 5 for 6 with two home runs and four runs scored.

1976 — The Phillies’ Tim McCarver lost a grand slam when he passed Garry Maddox on the base paths. The Phillies still beat the Pirates 10-5 at Pittsburgh.

1983 — Dave Righetti of the New York Yankees pitched a 4-0 no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.

1984 — Phil Niekro of the New York Yankees struck out five Texas Rangers to become the ninth pitcher with 3,000 strikeouts. No. 3,000 was Larry Parrish.

1985 — The New York Mets beat the Braves

16-13 in 19 innings at Atlanta. The game went until just before 4 a.m. on July 5, and was followed by a fireworks display for the 10,000 still left in the stands. Keith Hernandez of the Mets hit for the cycle in 10 atbats. The score was tied 8-8 after innings.

Both teams scored two runs apiece in the 13th. The Mets scored a run in the 18th to take an 11-10 lead, but Braves pitcher Rick Camp tied the score with a homer. Camp then gave up five runs in the top the 19th.

Ron Darling, the seventh Mets pitcher, closed the game giving up two runs.

2006 — Victor Martinez went 5-for-6 and Jhonny Peralta and Travis Hafner each hit two of Cleveland’s six home runs, powering the Indians to a 19-1 rout of New York. The win was Cleveland’s largest at home in more than 56 years, since a 21-2 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics on June 18, 1950.

2006 — Jose Contreras tossed 6 2-3 scoreless innings to win his 17th straight decision and lead the White Sox to a 13-0 victory over Baltimore.

2008 — The Cardinals drop a 2 — 1 decision to the Cubs but Albert Pujols socks his 300th career home run. At 28 years, 170 days old, he becomes the fifth youngest player to hit 300, one day ahead of Mel Ott. The younger players were Alex Rodriguez, Jimmie Foxx, Ken Griffey Jr. and Andruw Jones.

2008 — Colorado homered six times to rally from a nine-run deficit for the biggest comeback in franchise history and an 18-17 victory over Florida. Chris Iannetta singled home the winning run off Kevin Gregg in the ninth inning. The Rockies and Marlins combined for 35 runs on 43 hits, 21 of them for extra bases with eight home runs.

LIVING

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

Keep us posted

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S at u r d ay, J u ly 4 , 2 0 2 6

1dN

The largest American flag in Louisiana is framed by one of the 160 flags that stand along the 2-mile stretch of La. 15 through Winnsboro.

STAFF PHOTO BY ROBIN MILLER

One month in, the 2026 Postcard Project has 116 postcards from 35 states, 14 countries

BY JAN RISHER Staff writer

AMERICA

With a month under our belts on the 2026 Postcard Project, the cards continue to come in steadily — 116 individual postcards thus far representing 35 states and 14 countries.

Those totals don’t include the 25 postcards from kindergartners that kicked off our series this year or the bundles of postcards of yore, including one from retired journalist Vic Couvillion in Hammond.

He and several thoughtful readers have sent cards they collected through the years on their travels from the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Martha’s Vineyard, Beverly Hills, Heidelberg, Germany — and beyond.

In keeping with the encouragement to make-your-own postcards, a woman in Florida sent what she described as a “reject watercolor” after reading a story about the Postcard Project. The diminutive painting is a beautiful floral scene that hardly seems rejectable. She signed the card “from a LA girl now living in Florida.”

A Louisiana reader named Susan Seifert wrote that Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs is “the perfect place to see the wonders that God has created.” She recently visited for her grandson’s college graduation.

LONG MAY IT WAVE

STAFF PHOTO By JAN RISHER

This postcard from Minako yamaguchi in Japan is an example of simplicity and beauty in design.

Lewis Deaton wrote from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, that he took a boat from Wisconsin to Michigan while en route to start the PALM bike ride. I had to look that one up.

Turns out, PALM stands for Pedal Across Lower Michigan. PALM is a nonprofit group dedicated to encouraging family bicycling and promoting bicycling safety. Since 1982, the organization appears to have picked a different cycling route of seven stops across the state each year.

Dru Troescher, of Baton Rouge, has sent in many postcards in the last five years in her effort to visit every state capitol. She sent her latest entries from Michigan and Virginia, which was her 25th state capitol. She explained that it was designed by Thomas Jefferson and was the only building with columns in the United States when it was built.

I was curious when there weren’t any buildings with columns and learned that construction on

What started with one star-spangled banner led to the Stars and Stripes Capital of Louisiana

BY ROBIN MILLER | Staff writer

IN

the beginning, there was one flag.

It was the biggest in the state, perhaps the biggest in the country — or at least close to it.

And its 1997 installation in the center of Winnsboro led to an identity, something that previously evaded the small northeast Louisiana city. ä See BANNER, page 2D

PROVIDED PHOTO By BILLy HATHORN

Winnsboro’s welcome sign alerts travelers that they’re driving through ‘The Stars and Stripes Capital of Louisiana.’

ä See POSTCARDS, page 3D

President’s Resolute Desk has echoed through history

BY JACK AURESTO Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Franklin D. Roosevelt toiled over paperwork there during the World War II’s darkest days. George W. Bush sat behind it to address the nation on 9/11.

Beneath it, John F. Kennedy Jr. once crawled and peeked out from behind its front panel while his father worked above, an image so etched into American history that President Joe Biden recreated it

with his grandson.

The Resolute Desk is one of the most recognizable pieces of furniture in the White House — and probably in the entire nation. As the president’s desk, it’s been at the center of American history for nearly 150 years.

That famous front panel has its own story. Many accounts claim it was added during FDR’s presidency to conceal his wheelchair and leg braces, but some historians dispute that.

They argue Roosevelt used the desk in his private study, away from the public eye, and that the panel itself was not installed until after his death.

The desk’s origins extend far beyond the Oval Office. In fact, it’s not American; it’s British.

The desk is crafted of timbers from the HMS Resolute, a British naval vessel that set off for the Arctic in the early 1850s in search

ä See DESK, page 3D

President John F. Kennedy sits behind the Resolute Desk in 1961 as he talks with Mongi Slim, right, Tunisian ambassador to the U.S., and G. Mennen Williams, assistant secretary of state for African affairs.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

2D ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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TODAY IN HISTORY

BANNER

Continued from page 1D

By The Associated Press

Before that, Winnsboro simply was known as the governmental seat for the Louisiana parish named for American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. That fact, alone, is a patriotic mark of distinction.

But the center of the city’s focus transitioned from its courthouse status to everything red, white and blue when that mammoth star-spangled banner was hoisted up a 130-foot pole along La. 15. It measured 40 by 75 feet, weighed 120 pounds and stood at the center of Patriot Square, the small grassy park bordering Winnsboro’s downtown area.

More flags followed A collection of standardsize flags were installed along the 2-mile stretch of highway the following year, then more, finally adding up to 160. This prompted Gov. Buddy Roemer’s 1991 gubernatorial proclamation recognizing Winnsboro as the “Stars and Stripes Capital of Louisiana.”

The city’s star-spangled welcome signs say as much from either direction on La. 15, where its patriotic display now flies in full force in celebration of the country’s 250th. That is, without the original flag that jumpstarted what has become a tradition.

“Hurricane Laura ripped the original flag, and the VFW had to retire it,” said Susan Ellington, director of Winnsboro’s Old Post Office Museum.

The storm unleashed its wrath on Louisiana in August 2020. A quick internet search produces photos of the torn flag flapping in two separate pieces on the pole as if playing out its own defiant verse of the national anthem: “That our flag was still there.”

It flew until September 2020, when an identical flag was raised in its place. It’s the same flag that reigns over present-day Winnsboro.

Begins in mid-1990s But this story begins in the mid-1990s with the vision of former mayor Billy Cobb, combined with fundraising efforts by Marian Johnson, initiated what became the Oakley Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution’s “Salute to Old Glory Project.”

Johnson was the organization’s treasurer. She also chaired the project, which raised $25,000 through donations from local businesses, organizations and even school children collecting nickels and pennies in plastic jars.

According to the Franklin Sun’s September 2020 article recounting the flag’s history, the Dettra Flag Co. Inc., of Oaks, Pennsylvania, was commissioned to make the flag.

“Made of 200 denier nylon manufactured by DuPont under the trade name Solar Max Nylon, the flag, one of two commissioned for the project, required about four weeks of completion, involving approximately 25 hours of sewing alone,” the article states.

Matt Conway, Dettra’s

STAFF PHOTOS By ROBIN MILLER

One hundred and sixty flags line a 2-mile stretch of La. 15 in Winnsboro. The flags are raised during patriotic holidays and have earned the city’s moniker, ‘The Stars and Stripes Capital of Louisiana.’

Winnsboro’s Old Post Office Museum has installed a special American flag-themed exhibit, featuring works by local artists, for the American 250 celebration. director of sales, told the Sun that the flag was one of the biggest ever made by the company. It was placed in Patriot Square, where 250 tons of concrete were poured into a 25-foot-deep hole centered with the pipe to hold the flagpole in place.

“The pole was delivered in three sections and was welded together before being stood up in one piece by a 60-foot crane,” the Sun article continues.

A prayer brought a breeze “There was no wind blowing that day,” said Sandra Woods, Winnsboro’s Old Post Office Museum’s guide.

“So Marian Johnson said a prayer, and when she finished, a breeze started blowing, and the flag started waving.”

The Old Post Office Museum occupies the restored 1937 post office building on Prairie Street in downtown Winnsboro. It’s usually the starting point for visitors — the place where they can learn the area’s history through local exhibits highlighting stories of the city and its people.

For the America 250 celebration, the museum has

assembled a red, white and blue display of locally created, flag-themed artwork, featuring flags made of everything from oyster shells to wine corks to fishing bobbers.

Handcrafted quilts serve as backdrops for stars and stripes contributions by church groups, kindergartners and the Franklin Parish Merit program for youth and adults with developmental disabilities.

One of those quilts, the “Bicentennial Quilt” crafted by resident Majorie Elrod, includes embroidered signatures of noted American figures.

“All of our changing exhibits have been dedicated to America 250 this year,” Ellington said. “Even our Christmas exhibit had an America 250 theme.”

for Flag Day. Then comes the grand finale, Independence Day. They’ll go up again for Veterans Day. Still, the highway flags bear their own significance.

“The year after the big flag was dedicated, people were asked to bring the flags that were draped over the coffins of their loved ones who were veterans to the VFW,” Woods said.

“There were only six flags that first year. After that, a lot of people brought their loved ones’ flags.”

Which means Winnsboro’s veterans’ flags are among the 160. They’re maintained by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3165, who also displayed them on the Louisiana State Capitol grounds for the Jan. 11, 2016, inauguration of former Gov. John Bel Edwards.

And though the flags will come down after the 250th, the big American flag will keep waving in Patriot Square, reminding everyone that they’re passing through the Stars and Stripes Capital of Louisiana.

Email Robin Miller at romiller@theadvocate. com.

In 1987, Klaus Barbie, the former Gestapo chief known as the “Butcher of Today is Saturday, July Lyon,” was convicted by 4, the 185th day of 2026. a French court of crimes There are 180 days left in the year. This is U.S. Inde- against humanity and senpendence Day. tenced to life in prison (he Today in History: died in September 1991).

On July 4, 1776, the DecIn 1995, the space shuttle Atlantis and the Russian laration of Independence space station Mir parted was adopted by delegates after spending five days in to the Second Continental orbit docked together.

Congress in Philadelphia.

In 2012, scientists at the Also on this date: European Organization In 1802, the United for Nuclear Research in States Military Academy Geneva cheered the apparofficially opened at West Point, New York. ent end of a decades-long In 1817, construction of quest for a new subatomic the Erie Canal began in particle called the Higgs Rome, New York. boson, or “God particle.”

In 1826, 50 years to the In 2013, the Statue of day after the Declaration Liberty reopened on of Independence was adthe Fourth of July, eight months after Superstorm opted, former Presidents Sandy shuttered the naJohn Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died. tional symbol of freedom, In 1831, the fifth presidamaging its docks.

In 2022, a gunman dent of the United States, opened fire on an IndepenJames Monroe, died in New York City at age 73. dence Day parade in HighIn 1855, the first edition land Park, Illinois, killing of Walt Whitman’s “Leaves seven people and wounding of Grass” was published.

48 others in the Chicago In 1863, the Civil War suburb. Robert E. Crimo Siege of Vicksburg, MisIII was subsequently consissippi, ended as a Convicted in the mass shooting and sentenced to life in federate garrison surrenprison without the possibildered to Union forces.

In 1910, in what was ity of parole. billed as “The Fight of the In 2025, flash floods killed Century,” Black world more than 100 people in heavyweight boxing cham- Texas over the U.S. indepion Jack Johnson defeatpendence holiday weeked White former champ end, including 27 girls at a “Gentleman” Jim Jeffries summer camp whose cabin Reno, Nevada; race ins were engulfed by the riots across the country raging Guadalupe River following the fight killed before dawn. more than 20 people.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Eva In 1939, Lou Gehrig of Marie Saint is 102. Queen the New York Yankees Sonja of Norway is 89. Acdelivered his famous fare- tor Karolyn Grimes (“It’s a Wonderful Life”) is 86. well speech in which he Broadcast journalist Gercalled himself “the luckiest man on the face of the aldo Rivera is 83. Funk/jazz earth.” trombonist Fred Wesley is In 1946, the United States 83. Vietnam War veteran and the Philippines signed and peace activist Ron the Treaty of Manila.

Kovic is 80. Singer John In 1960, the current 50Waite is 74. International star version of the U.S. flag Tennis Hall of Famer Pam was adopted.

Shriver is 64. Christian In 1976, America celerock singer Michael Sweet brated its bicentennial with (Stryper) is 62. Actor-playdaylong festivities; Presiwright-screenwriter Tracy Letts is 61. Actor Becki dent Gerald R. Ford made Newton is 48. TV personalstops in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Indepenity Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino is 44. R&B dence Hall in Philadelphia and New York, where more singer Melanie Fiona is 43.

Rapper Post Malone is 31. than 200 ships paraded up Malia Obama is 28. Actor the Hudson River in OpSophie Fergi is 19. eration Sail.

YEARS

America - Made in Virginia: 250 Years Together

TONIGHT AT 7PM

A different schedule But the flags along the highway adhere to a different schedule.

“They’re brought out for different holidays,” Ellington said.

At this time of year, they’re installed at the beginning of summer for Memorial Day and remain up

TONIGHT AT 9PM

WLPB 27

www.lpb.org

r est /liv g r .o lpb w. w w

m ea

Places of Worship Directory Places of Worship Baha'i Faith Baton Rouge Baha'i Faith Public Informational Meeting 2nd Sunday of Each month @ 2:30-3:30 pm Goodwood Library Room B Visit bahai.org, bahai.us and bahai-br.us

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Wednesday Prayer meeting and Bible Study 5:30 pm www.fbcbr.com

Sunday School (for all ages) - 9:40 AM Services Broadcast Sunday 9:30 AM WBXH (Cox Channel 16, Digital Channel 39, Dish TV Ch. 39) 10:30 AM WAFB Channel 9 Radio Broadcast 5:30 AM- WYNK 101.5 FM 8:00 AM- THE RIVER 96.1 FM

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ 3D

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Must we invite doom-and-gloom neighbor?

Dear Miss Manners: We have a good friend who lives near us and is part of a circle of friends who attend each other’s gatherings. This friend has become a doomscroller and is very agitated with the political scene.

I have asked him Judith to please just try Martin to enjoy our time MISS together and keep MANNERS the mood light at the parties we host.

However, he can’t seem to avoid bringing up politics, and is intolerant of views that don’t align with his.

We feel like we must keep inviting him, as he lives nearby and would notice the cars in our drive-

way. Asking him nicely to respect our request hasn’t worked. What should we do?

Gentle reader: One cannot police the conversation, even at one’s own party. But one can check on your other guests if you find them uncomfortably trapped by your neighbor friend, saying, “Joland, we talked about this. You promised you wouldn’t depress everyone with political talk at our parties. Now, let’s go get dessert.

We made a lovely pavlova with strawberries from our garden …”

Miss Manners — and Joland — know perfectly well that he made no such promise. But saving your guests from him — and him from himself — will no doubt be appreciated.

Dear Miss Manners: Is it impolite

to send a handwritten note as an RSVP when directed on the wedding invitation to use a QR code instead?

Gentle reader: No, it is not impolite.

That it will also annoy the hosts is just butter on the bread.

Dear Miss Manners: Most seasons, I have dry skin and need to use lotion after I wash my hands. I prefer not to do this in a public restroom, but rather at the table upon my return. I do this discreetly, of course, often just under the table in restaurants.

I am more comfortable locating the lotion container in my purse when sitting down, rather than in the restroom, what with wet counters, etc. But my husband feels this is not proper. (He has eagle eyes and notices everything.)

What do you think?

Gentle reader: That Miss Manners has heard of worse offenses. And your rationalization sounds reasonable.

But the fact that it annoys your spouse nullifies both of our opinions. She suggests you pose the problem to him and see what he advises. The prospect of holding dry, cracked hands after dinner might persuade him that moisturizing under the table is the lesser offense.

Dear Miss Manners: A friend of ours is in a dire financial situation. She is presently in foreclosure of her home.

She sent us a $50 check as a gift for our new baby. I told her I would not deposit it, knowing her situation. She insists I do.

DESK

POSTCARDS

of Sir John Franklin, who disappeared while seeking the Northwest Passage.

During that mission, the Resolute became trapped in ice and was abandoned by its crew. Years later, it was discovered drifting through Arctic waters by an American whaling vessel.

The United States repaired it and returned it to Queen Victoria. The vessel resumed service for many years before eventually being retired.

Once decommissioned, Queen Victoria expressed her gratitiude to the United States by ordering the timbers of Resolute to be transformed into several pieces of furniture. One of them was a large desk that she presented to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880.

The desk spent much of its early White House history out of public view until 1961, when first lady Jacqueline Kennedy moved it

Virginia’s capitol building started in 1785 and the building took 13 years to complete.

I received an artful series of postcards from a woman named Minako Yamaguchi in Osaka, Japan — including one of my new favorites.

It’s a natural-colored paper printed only in red ink and features symbols of Japan — Mt. Fuji, an origami crane, sushi, rice bowl, sake, geta (the elevated flip-flop style footwear), chopsticks and more. Its simplicity makes its beauty a bit of a mystery to me.

Another fun card came from Christy Ricketts in Gonzales. Its front says, “Greetings from HOME: ‘The Perpetual State.’” What’s not to like about that kind of thinking?

LSU’s University Lab schoolteacher Kelly Kelly, who helped kick off this year’s Postcard Project with 25 perfect cards from kindergartners, is on a tour of America’s historic sites and sent a postcard from Valley Forge National Historical Park.

I also received a pack of seeds used as a postcard from Nanette Cosban, who was visiting Alaska. The seeds are for Iceland Poppies. Despite the seeds coming from Alas-

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

The private study of President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the second floor of the White House is shown on May 10, 1933. into the Oval Office.

Every president since Jimmy Carter has used the Resolute desk in the Oval Office, with the exception of President George H.W. Bush, who instead placed it in the Treaty Room. The desk has also become the place where recent presi-

dents leave a letter for their successor on Inauguration Day. The Resolute Desk stands not only as a symbol of the American presidency, but also as a reminder of the enduring friendship between the United States and Britain.

RELIGION BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS

WORSHIP WERK! will conduct a Christian hiphop class from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 23, at Baton Rouge Marriott, 5500 Hilton Ave. This high-energy class combines hip-hop dance with worship, offering participants a chance to move, sweat and praise God while building their dance skills.

“Whether you’re preparing for the stage or simply want to worship through movement, all experience levels are welcome,” according to a news release.

Tickets are $25 and are available through Eventbrite.com. The class will be filmed, and participants will

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www. missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Continued from page 1D

Continued from page 1D

Christian hip-hop class offered July 23

I am still holding on to it. What is the proper thing to do?

Gentle reader: Deposit it. She insisted; she is already embarrassed enough about her situation, and this is no time to confuse her about what she has left in the bank.

Miss Manners suggests you then come up with a tactful and similarly face-saving gesture to help her. Providing meals, groceries or some accounting assistance might be more useful to her than the $50.

receive the video following renewal,” a news release the event. For more infor- states. The public is welmation, text (747) 258-2036. come.

Nathaniel Baptist Church slates revival Nathaniel Baptist Church, 5032 Hwy. 33 S., Centreville, Mississippi, will present a revival on July 14-16, beginning at 7 p.m. each evening.

Guest speakers include the Rev. Gerald Robinson, of Baton Rouge, on Tuesday; the Rev. Jermanique Michell, of Grenada, Mississippi, on Wednesday; and the Rev. Ray Campbell, of Dallas, on Thursday. All are pastors.

“Come experience three nights of powerful preaching, worship and spiritual

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4D ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

lll

zodIAC CANCER (June 21-July 22) Choose the path that offers something unique or brings you face-to-face with choices that can point you in a new direction. Exploring pastimes and places that you feel passionate about will lead to learning something.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Keep your money and possessions in a safe place. Don't spend on gimmicks that promise the impossible. Include discipline and practicality in the decisions you make, and invest more in yourself and your future.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) It's how you treat others and what you do for them that will make a difference. Look for an outlet for items you no longer need or use. Avoid risks that can cause injury or illness.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Say yes to the invites you receive. Participation will lead to conversations that can bring about positive change and reinforcement. Reaching out to those trying to reach the same goals as you will give you hope.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Embrace educational or travel opportunities. Engage in talks that reveal unique ways to use your connections, experience and skills to excel. Home improvements will require a strict budget.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Money and emotions will collide. Refuse to let anyone take advantage of your generosity or kindness. Say no to those asking you to pay for their mistakes. Put your time, energy and cash into self-care.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Refuse to let anger set in when discipline and understanding are what's necessary to bring about positive change. Elaborate on how you feel, and be willing to compromise.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Choose a homeimprovement project that will put your mind at ease and encourage your safety, comfort and convenience. Getting together with someone from your past will be eye-opening.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Walk away from situations that create chaos or people who expect you to put your life on hold for them. Do your own thing. Plan a funfilled day that satisfies your soul.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Put your best foot forward and let your charm lead the way. Calculating your path to resolving issues and taking care of your responsibilities will give you leverage when dealing with institutions.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Keep your private life and thoughts to yourself. Avoid overindulgence, overspending and letting your emotions surface, putting you in a vulnerable position.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Your desire for something new and exciting will impact your life if you are questioning your relationships, job prospects or health.

Don't act in haste.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY CeLebrItY CIpher Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

TODAy'S CLUE: X EQUALS L

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ 5D

lll

CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

Sudoku InstructIons: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers.

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

6D ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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B.C.

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER Princess Diana said, “I don’t go by the rule book. I lead from the heart, not the head.”

She was taught bridge, but I doubt that she spent much time playing. However, some bridge players go by the rule book, but the better ones use their heads.

In today’s deal, what should West lead against four spades doubled?

Suppose West chooses the heart three.

East takes the trick with his queen, but what should he do next?

After East opened one heart, South was tempted to pre-empt in spades, keeping his diamond suit as a secret weapon.

However, wondering if his side might own the deal, he settled for one spade.

West had the values for a two-heart raise.

North then made a pre-emptive jump to three spades, showing four spades and a weak hand. (With game-invitational or stronger values, he would have cuebid three hearts.) East bid the game he expected to make. South continued to four spades, unsure who could make what, but confident this contract would not be expensive. East doubled for penalty.

It should be clear to West that South is sacrificing. When that is the case at a high level, it is (almost) always right to lead a trump.

If West does that, the contract will fail.

West will get back in with a diamond win-

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

ner and can lead another trump to hold declarer to two ruffs in the dummy and nine tricks in all (six spades, two ruffs and the diamond jack, which can be established).

Similarly, if West leads a heart, East should win the trick and shift to a trump. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

word game InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3.

Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

toDAY’s WoRD — InFERRED: in-FERD: Reached a conclusion based on facts or

Bizarro

marmaduKe

premises.

Average mark 32 words Time limit 50 minutes Can you find 44 or more words in INFERRED? YEstERDAY’s WoRD — GERMAnE game gamer gear gene genre germ gnar gram green eager earn

enema enrage rage ragmen ramen ranee rang range ream rename mane

mange manger mare meager mean meaner mega menage mere merge ager

agree amen anger name namer near

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.” Psalms 33:12

We will be blessed by God if we honor and revere Him. G.E. Dean

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ 7D

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q p LLC submitted to the De‐ partment of Environmen‐ tal Quality, Office of Envi‐ Services, ronmental Waste Permits Division, an application for a per‐ mit to operate a Type I Industrial Surface Im‐ poundment in St. James Parish, Range 3 East, Township 11 South, Sec‐ tion 7 and 10, which is lo‐ cated at Highway 44 and 70, Convent, St. James Parish

y g that Equilon Enterprises, LLC submitted to the De‐ partment of Environmen‐ tal Quality, Office of Envi‐ Services, ronmental Waste Permits Division, an application for a per‐ mit to operate a Type I Industrial Landfarm in St. James Parish, Range 3 East, Township 11 South, Section 7 and 10, which is located at Highway 44 and 70, Convent, St. James Parish.

y campground and related amenities. For more in‐ formation go to opportu‐ nitiesinlouisiana.com.

tained in filings available at the Clerk of Court for East Baton Rouge Parish.

192994-jul 2-aug 15-45t $207.90

190902-JUN 13-JUL 4-2T $50.72

Comments concerning the facility may be filed with the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality at the following address:

Comments concerning the facility may be filed with the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality at the following address: Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Services

Office of Environmental Services Waste Permits Division

Waste Permits Division

Post Office Box 4313

Post Office Box 4313

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821-4313

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821-4313 193175 July 4, 1t $160.68

OF SUBMITTAL OF PERMIT APPLICATION EQUILON ENTERPRISES, LLC

193178 July 4, 1t, $153.02 PUBLIC NOTICE --The Louisiana Office of State Parks is requesting proposals for a PublicPrivate Partnership pro‐ ject to design, construct, and operate a high-qual‐ ity recreational vehicle d d l d

Public Notices Successions

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CONVENT, ST. JAMES PARISH, LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given h il i

24/7

Pets / Pet Services Directory CATS RAGAMUFFIN & RAGDOLL KITTENS www.CatsByFrancy.com/kittens $1500up! Reg. Shots & Guaranty 337-230-3150

LEGAL NOTICE IS GIVEN that Justin Vaughn, Ex‐ ecutor of the Succession of CARL CHRISTOPHER VAUGHN, Probate No. # P-117008 DIV: 22, 19th JDC, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, has ap‐ plied for authority to sell at private sale the Dece‐ dent’s immovable prop‐ erty situated in East Baton Rouge Parish iden‐ tified as LOT NUMBER NINE (9) of BARKLEY SUBDIVISION, PLACE FIRST FILING for no less the sum of TWO HUN‐ DRED THREE THOUSAND AND 00/100 ($203,000.00) DOLLARS, less expenses, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the petition. Any opposi‐ tion to the proposed sale must be filed within seven (7) days from the date of the last publica‐ tion of this notice. Addi‐ tional details are con‐

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HHH CELEBRATING AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY HHH

250 years of healthcare history in Louisiana ––SPONSORED by ––

PRE 1700s

INDIGENOUS HEALING TRADITIONS Native American tribes across the region, including the Choctaw and Chitimacha, utilized extensive botanical knowledge to treat ailments. Medicine men employed indigenous plants, roots, and ceremonial practices long before European contact.

1727

THE URSULINE NUNS ARRIVE A group of Ursuline Nuns arrived from France to provide medical care to the struggling colony, establishing what was effectively the region’s first functioning nursing operation.

1769

SPANISH MEDICAL LICENSING Governor Alejandro O’Reilly implemented strict medical regulations across the colony. He established a medical board to examine and license physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries, bringing standardized medical practice to Louisiana.

1832

THE CHOLERA EPIDEMIC A devastating cholera epidemic swept through South Louisiana. The rapid spread forced cities to rethink sanitation and burial practices, leading to the massive expansion of the region’s famous above-ground cemeteries.

1853

THE GREAT YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC Louisiana suffered its deadliest Yellow Fever epidemic, claiming nearly 12,000 lives in a single summer before the medical community understood the disease was transmitted by mosquitoes.

1905

CONQUERING YELLOW FEVER The last major Yellow Fever epidemic in the United States was successfully halted in Louisiana by implementing aggressive, organized mosquito eradication campaigns.

1913

ST. FRANCIS SANITARIUM OPENS IN NORTHEAST LOUISIANA Continuing their growing mission, the Franciscan Sisters opened the St. Francis Sanitarium in downtown Monroe, establishing a vital cornerstone of care for the people of Northeast Louisiana.

1924

TRI-STATE SANITARIUM IN SHREVEPORT The Tri-State Sanitarium was established in Shreveport to serve the growing population of Northwest Louisiana. It would later evolve into the Willis-Knighton Health System, becoming a dominant medical and economic force in the region.

1942

THE OCHSNER CLINIC INTRODUCED Dr. Alton Ochsner and four colleagues introduced the collaborative, multi-specialty group practice model to the South, opening the original Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans.

1965

DESEGREGATION OF HOSPITALS Following the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Louisiana’s hospitals were federally mandated to integrate, bringing an end to the era of legally enforced racially segregated medical wards across the state.

1984

FORMATION OF FMOL HEALTH SYSTEM To unify and strengthen their statewide impact, the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System was officially organized as a nonprofit corporation.

2014

PROTECTING RURAL HEALTHCARE ON THE NORTHSHORE Recognizing the vital need to maintain care in rural communities, the FMOL health system assumed management of the LSU Bogalusa Medical Center, renaming it Our Lady of the Angels Hospital to serve the Northshore region.

2025

A UNIFIED FMOL HEALTH BRAND Representing a connected network defined by faith and excellence, the state’s leading healthcare provider unified under the FMOL Health brand. Legacy names like Our Lady of the Lake, Our Lady of Lourdes, and St. Francis were purposefully retained to honor generations of deep community trust across Baton Rouge, Acadiana, and Monroe.

1718

PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE SWAMPS Following the founding of New Orleans, early colonists drained cypress swamps in a rudimentary public health effort to combat the immediate threat of mosquito-borne illnesses in the humid climate.

1736

BIRTH OF CHARITY HOSPITAL Funded by a bequest from a French sailor, the Hospital of St. John was founded in New Orleans to care for the indigent. It would eventually become known as Charity Hospital, anchoring medical care for the state’s most vulnerable for centuries.

1820

A PIONEERING CESAREAN SECTION Operating in Donaldsonville, Dr. François Marie Provost performed one of the first surviving cesarean sections in the United States on an enslaved woman.

1834

FOUNDING OF THE MEDICAL COLLEGE OF LOUISIANA Established by three young physicians specifically to study and combat tropical diseases, this institution would eventually become the Tulane University School of Medicine.

1894

THE CARVILLE LEPROSARIUM The Louisiana Leper Home was established at an abandoned sugar plantation in Iberville Parish. It grew into the National Hansen’s Disease Center, serving for decades as the only hospital in the U.S. dedicated solely to treating leprosy.

1911

THE FRANCISCAN HEALING MINISTRY BEGINS Six Franciscan Sisters arrived to bring their healing ministry to Louisiana, planting the seeds for what would eventually grow into one of the state’s most expansive and critical healthcare networks.

1923

OUR LADY OF THE LAKE ARRIVES IN THE CAPITAL The Franciscan Sisters expanded their presence into the state capital, opening Our Lady of the Lake Sanitarium and the School of Nursing on the banks of Capitol Lake in downtown Baton Rouge.

1931

LSU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE FOUNDED Governor Huey P. Long established the Louisiana State University Medical Center to expand medical education and ensure healthcare access for the state’s rural and impoverished populations.

1949

BRINGING CARE TO ACADIANA Expanding their reach into the heart of Cajun Country, the Franciscan Sisters opened Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Lafayette to serve the rapidly growing needs of the Acadiana region.

1969

LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT EXPANDS MEDICAL EDUCATION Addressing a critical shortage of physicians in North Louisiana, the LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport was established, transforming medical education, research, and specialized care across the region’s northern parishes.

2005

HURRICANE KATRINA & MEDICAL HEROISM Hurricane Katrina catastrophically flooded the Gulf Coast. Medical staff across South Louisiana performed heroically, keeping patients alive in sweltering heat without power or running water.

2020

THE COVID-19 EPICENTER Louisiana rapidly mobilized field hospitals, pioneered early respiratory treatment protocols, and launched massive public testing initiatives during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2026

STATEWIDE INNOVATION & TELEHEALTH Today, Louisiana’s medical framework is a collaborative matrix of major health systems, expansive telehealth networks, and rural mobile clinics working in tandem to ensure specialized care access from Shreveport down to the coast.

2I ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Healthcare with us, FMOLHealth.org

LOCAL PRIDE, SYSTEM STRENGTH FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake is part of one of the leading health systems in the Gulf South. Our connected team is committed to delivering exceptional care, and we do it with great love. We believe that the best possible care is not just a job for us — it’s our calling.

FMOL HEALTH OUR LADY OF THE LAKE | FMOL HEALTH OUR LADY OF LOURDES | FMOL HEALTH ST. DOMINIC | FMOL HEALTH ST. FRANCIS

COLORING BOOK

2 ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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The Boston Tea Party took place on December 16th, 1773 During this pivotal political protest, American colonists (some disguised as Native Americans) boarded three British ships in Boston Harbor and dumped 342 chests of East India Company tea into the water to protest the Tea Act.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ 3

Phillis Wheatley was brought to America as an enslaved child, but after learning to read and write, she discovered a powerful talent for creating beautiful poetry.

In 1773, she made history by becoming the very first African American woman to ever publish her own book of poems! Using her brilliant mind and brave voice, Phillis showed the world the incredible abilities of Black people and continues to inspire young writers today.

4 ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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On a dark spring night in Boston, Paul Revere received a secret lantern signal and rode his horse into the countryside to warn his friends that British soldiers were marching their way. He galloped bravely from house to house, waking up the colonists so they could hide their supplies and get ready to defend their towns.

His famous midnight ride successfully helped the Patriots prepare for the very first battle of the American Revolution!

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ 5

In the summer of 1776, Thomas Jefferson and a small group of friends were given a very important job to write a special paper saying America should be its own free country. Thomas spent weeks carefully writing down all their ideas, while wise leaders like Benjamin Franklin and John Adams helped him make the words just right. After everyone read it together and made a few final changes, the leaders proudly accepted this famous Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July!

6 ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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During the American Revolution, a brave woman named Mary Ludwig Hays helped the army by caring for sick soldiers and washing their clothes. When a big battle broke out on a very hot day, she fearlessly ran back and forth across the battlefield carrying cool water to the thirsty troops, earning her the famous nickname “Molly Pitcher.” When her husband got hurt in the fighting, courageous Molly even stepped up to take his place on a cannon crew!

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ 7

On a freezing Christmas night, brave American soldiers crossed the icy Delaware River during a fierce winter storm. They marched through the dark to surprise the enemy troops at Trenton, New Jersey, and won a brilliant battle! This amazing victory gave the American soldiers the hope they needed to keep fighting for their freedom.

8 ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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When American soldiers were freezing and hungry at Valley Forge, a brave woman named Polly Cooper from the Oneida Nation and 500 warriors walked hundreds of miles to bring the soldiers baskets of corn. She kindly taught the starving troops how to properly cook the delicious food and worked hard to care for the sick soldiers without asking for anything in return.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ 9

During the Revolutionary War, a brave enslaved man named James Armistead volunteered to be a top-secret spy for the American army. He cleverly pretended to help the British generals so he could secretly listen to their plans, sending this important information back to America’s leaders to help them win the great Battle of Yorktown! After the war, his friend the Marquis de Lafayette helped James win his own well-deserved freedom, and James proudly added “Lafayette” to his name to celebrate their amazing friendship.

10 ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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The 1st Rhode Island Regiment was formed as the country’s very first Black military unit. Many courageous enslaved men joined this special group, proudly marching into danger because they were promised their own freedom in exchange for defending the colonies. These heroic soldiers fought fiercely in big battles to push back the enemy, proving their incredible bravery and helping America win its great fight for independence!

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ 11

After a long and difficult fight, the British army finally surrendered to the Americans and their French friends at the great Battle of Yorktown. The defeated British soldiers marched quietly past the proud Patriots and the French soldiers, proving that the brave colonists had won the war! When the King’s leaders back in England heard this shocking news, they knew it was time to make peace and let America become a brand-new, free country.

12 ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ 1R

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HHH CELEBRATING AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY HHH

250 years of ENERGY history in Louisiana ––SPONSORED by ––

1870

The first commercial natural gas field in Louisiana was discovered accidentally by a night watchman at a Shreveport ice factory when he struck a match near a newly drilled water well.

1905

The Caddo-Pines oil discovery brought the rapidly growing petroleum industry to northwestern Louisiana, making Oil City the first major “wildcat town” in the region.

1901

The birth of Louisiana’s commercial oil industry occurred on September 21 when the Heywood brothers brought in the state’s first major oil well near Jennings.

1908

The first natural gas pipeline in the state was successfully laid, bringing gas directly from the Caddo Field to Shreveport.

1909

Standard Oil, the predecessor to ExxonMobil, established its first major oil refinery in Baton Rouge, transforming the area into a high-tech center and marking the beginning of a generational investment in the state.

1910 (CIRCA)

Early over-water drilling in America was pioneered on Caddo Lake near Shreveport, showcasing early engineering ingenuity in marine environments.

1920s

Driven by constant innovation, ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge facility expanded to encompass approximately 1,600 acres, proudly standing as the largest oil refinery in the world during this decade.

1938

The Creole platform completed the first successful offshore well in the Gulf of Mexico by utilizing directional drilling from a man-made island off the coast of Cameron.

1943-1945

The Baton Rouge complex earned the historic title “Cradle of the Synthetic Rubber Industry” by supplying nearly a third of total U.S. butadiene production to replace lost natural rubber supplies during the war.

1949

The offshore industry expanded rapidly with the massive discovery of three major Gulf of Mexico fields in Eugene Island, Bay Marchand, and Vermillion.

1972

Standard Oil of New Jersey officially becomes Exxon Corporation.

1975

Gerald R. Ford became the first U.S. President to tour an offshore oil platform during a visit to Louisiana, highlighting the national importance of the state’s energy sector.

1988

Shell Offshore proudly launched Bullwinkle, a $500 million project that stood as the world’s tallest man-made offshore structure at the time.

1999

Exxon and Mobil finalized one of the largest corporate mergers in history to form ExxonMobil Corporation, permanently cementing the unified company’s massive industrial presence and vital employment footprint in Louisiana.

2010

ExxonMobil completed a $400 million project and commissioned new ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) units at its Baton Rouge refinery, significantly increasing the supply of cleaner diesel, enabling compliance with federal emissions standards, and reducing air pollution from transportation and industrial sources.

2024

ExxonMobil successfully completed a major $230 million modernization upgrade at the Baton Rouge refinery to expand crude flexibility and heavily increase production and export.

2026

Further solidifying Louisiana’s unique leadership in the energy transition, ExxonMobil began its second major commercial CCS operation by actively storing captured CO2 from the New Generation Gas Gathering (NG3) project.

1910

Construction was completed on Louisiana’s first long-distance oil pipeline, transporting crude efficiently from Caddo Parish to the rapidly expanding Baton Rouge refinery.

1911

The U.S. Supreme Court dissolved Standard Oil into separate companies, including Standard Oil of New Jersey and Standard Oil of New York.

1921

The highly prolific Haynesville Gas Field was discovered, initiating development in what would later become one of the nation’s most vital energy basins.

1942

The world’s first commercial fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) plant began operations at the Baton Rouge refinery, radically boosting the production of high-octane aviation fuel that was critical for the Allied victory in World War II.

1947

The birth of the modern offshore industry occurred on November 14 when Kerr-McGee brought in the first productive oil well “out of sight of land” about 45 miles south of Morgan City.

1969

Louisiana’s crude oil and condensate production reached a historic peak of over 728 million barrels, solidifying its status as a global energy powerhouse.

1973

The offshore industry unveiled Clean Gulf Associates to create a cooperative that stockpiled sophisticated oil spill containment and cleanup equipment to actively protect coastal waters.

1986

The Bay Marchand Field reached a major production milestone by bringing up its 500 millionth barrel of oil, cementing its legacy as one of the greatest producing fields in the United States.

1989

Conoco pioneered deepwater floating technology by installing the first tension leg platform in the Gulf of Mexico, placed in 1,760 feet of water in the Jolliet Field.

2008

Technological breakthroughs in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing unlocked massive natural gas reserves in the Haynesville Shale, creating tens of thousands of new jobs and injecting billions of dollars into the state economy.

2016

A new era in global energy export began on February 24 when the Sabine Pass LNG facility shipped its first cargo, marking the first liquefied natural gas export from the contiguous United States and fundamentally shifting the global energy market.

2025

ExxonMobil announced a $100+ million expansion of its Baton Rouge chemical plant to produce ultra-high-purity isopropyl alcohol used in semiconductor manufacturing, linking Louisiana energy infrastructure to the U.S. tech supply chain.

2R ■ Saturday, July 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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BUILDING A STRONGER LOUISIANA

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