The Acadiana Advocate 07-05-2026

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High court recalls Murrill’s arrest warrant Second emergency ruling

by La. Supreme Court comes late Friday night

BY ANDREA GALLO Staff writer STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

A fireworks show is held during the Red, White & Boom youngsville Independence Day celebration at the youngsville Amphitheater on Friday.

‘A great night’

Acadiana celebrates the Fourth of July with fire hoses, fais do-dos and fireworks

BY JOEL THOMPSON

Staff writer

From fais do-dos in New Iberia to traditional fireworks displays in Youngsville, Acadiana always knows how to bring its own unique cultural flair to Independence Day. None of its communities show out quite like the town of Erath, however.

The celebration actually starts several days before July Fourth, with a carnival and a fais do-do.

In the morning hours of the departments.

The rules are simple: Each departFourth, likely before any fireworks go off or any barbecue pits are flared ment gets to select five members up, the fire hoses are soakto represent its team and is given large fire hoses to ing Broadway Street aim as a group in an atin what has become AMERICA an intense sporting tempt to soak the other event for both particiteam.

Each matchup takes pants and spectators. the form of a three-game Every year, Erath, some 10 miles from the Gulf of Mexico series with teams facing each other between Abbeville and New Ibe- in a single elimination bracket. Each ria, hosts a water fighting compeä See FOURTH, page 6A tition between several area fire

Spectators watch volunteer firefighters from area fire departments battle it out during the Fourth of July Water Fights on South Broadway Street in Erath.

STAFF PHOTO

By BRAD KEMP

The Louisiana Supreme Court agreed to recall an arrest warrant for Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill in an emergency order late Friday night, the high court’s second major intervention to pause Murrill’s prosecution after her indictment by an Orleans Parish grand jury.

The grand jury indicted Murrill on Thursday, charging her with 16 felony counts of malfeasance in office and intimidation. Orleans Criminal District Court Judge Leon Roche issued an alias capias arrest warrant and set Murrill’s bail at $400,000.

The indictment, which happened behind closed doors, set off a flurry of filings to Louisiana’s high court.

The attorney general quickly asked late Thursday night for the state Supreme Court to intervene, and the court responded with an order Friday morn- Murrill ing that stayed the indictment.

The court issued the stay order on a 5-2 vote, critiquing the lack of transparency, alleged conflicts of interest and other deficiencies in the case.

The Supreme Court ruled that Murill was “likely to succeed on the merits of a motion to quash this indictment on either a legal basis or due to apparent procedural irregularities.”

They remanded the case back to district court for Murrill to file motions in her defense.

But by late Friday, Murrill returned to the high court and alleged the special prosecutor appointed to her case, former New Orleans Judge Laurie White, had refused to recall the alias capias arrest warrant despite the stay.

“I object to the removal of the capias (warrant), as the accused should not get any more preferential treatment than any other criminally charged defendant,” White allegedly told Murrill’s legal team, according to their second emergency filing to the Supreme Court.

The Louisiana Supreme Court issued another order shortly before midnight on Friday, saying it was “in order to add clarity and specificity where none should have been required.” The order recalled Murrill’s arrest warrant, ordered the warrant removed from law enforcement databases, and ordered White and law enforcement to “take all necessary actions to comply.”

“This Court’s July 3, 2026 Stay obviously prevents the state from pursuing the Attorney

ä See MURRILL, page 5A

Ragin’ Cajuns’ go-to guy embraces uncertain future Troy Wingerter has served UL football in some way since 1987

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

For nearly four decades, Troy Wingerter had somewhere to be every August.

On Tuesday, for the first time since Ronald Reagan was president, he walked away from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette football program with no practice schedule, no recruiting calendar and no idea what comes next.

Despite the many unanswered questions

WEATHER HIGH 90 LOW 76 PAGE 12A

facing the New Orleans O l native ti t who has served the t Ragin’ Cajuns in multiple ways, w Wingerter realized he e was more prepared for the e uncharted days ahead than he h ever imagined.

“I always joke e that they’d ed have to drag me out of here kicking and sc crreaming,” Wingerter laugh h hed.

“As it turned out, Go od d had prepared me fo orr it more than I eve e er imagined.”

His journey began in 1987 from the Catholic League;

his pla hi h laying la days ended in 1991.

He e returned in 1996 and performed every role from runner to cameraman to assistant coach.

“I’m about to have nothing to do in the mon nth of August for the first n tim me since like 1982,” the m 57-y year-old Wingerter said. y

Troy W Wingerter served as an assiiistant coach under several coooaches during his three ddecades at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

“That’s a strange, strange thought.”

The past year has been trying, Wingerter said, but certainly wasn’t the first crossroads of his career at UL. He was on multiple staffs that were fired, from Jerry Baldwin to Mark Hudspeth.

“I kept expecting a stay of execution, but clearly that’s not happening,” he said.

Somehow, he said, it feels different this time.

Wingerter learned May 11 that he would not return for the 2026 season after a state audit found violations involving falsified documentation for recruiting expenses tied to a LaCarte state credit card.

“During all of those situations, I really always had faith I was going to be able to stay,”

PROVIDED PHOTO

Business ......................1E Deaths .........................4B Nation-World................2A Classified ..................10A Living............................1D Opinion ........................2B Commentary ................3B Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C

ä See WINGERTER, page 4A

102ND yEAR, NO. 5

2A ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Ukrainian drones hit oil terminal in St. Petersburg

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Paul Pelosi accused of hit and run in Napa County

LOS ANGELES — The husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was involved in a hit-and-run in California that left a parked car with “major” damage authorities said Saturday, and he could face misdemeanor charges.

Paul Pelosi was driving his brown convertible Friday in Yountville, a town in the heart of wine country, when he struck a legally parked car on the side of the road, briefly stopped and then drove away, the Napa County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. No injuries were reported.

A witness saw the collision and called 911. Shortly after, sheriff’s deputies found Pelosi with severe damage to the front of his car on a nearby road roughly one-quarter of a mile away. The octogenarian told officers that he knew he hit something but wasn’t sure when or what caused the damage to his car.

Pelosi didn’t have any alcohol in his system at the time of the crash, according to the statement.

3 children dead after boat capsizes in Wisconsin LAKE GENEVA, Wis. — Three children who died when a boat capsized in Geneva Lake during a Wisconsin storm were wearing life vests, authorities said as the nation assessed damage from storms and a heat wave that marred the July Fourth holiday, leaving hundreds of thousands of utility customers without power.

As the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Geneva Lake Law Enforcement Agency investigated the Geneva Lake tragedy, the city’s police department issued a statement blaming it on a “sudden and severe storm” that rapidly produced hazards for boats.

It said a privately owned recreational motorboat carrying 10 occupants, including four children, tried to race to safety before it was overwhelmed by severe wind and waves. As it took on water, it eventually capsized and sank, the release said.

Six adults and a child were rescued from the water, but three children recovered from the lake after an intensive search were unresponsive, police said.

Boat sinks in Congo, killing at least 20, authorities say KINSHASA, Congo — A wooden boat transporting students back from state exams sank in central Congo, killing at least 20 people, authorities said. The vessel was traveling in Kasai province when it sank while entering the confluence of the Sankuru and Kasai rivers, according to witnesses.

“There were 80 survivors and 20 bodies,” said Francois Kabula, administrator of the Ilebo territory in Kasai province, where the sinking happened Friday.

However, Tshikudi Jean, who witnessed the crash, told The Associated Press that the boat was carrying over 200 people.

“The shipowners of the DRC are only after money and don’t care about human lives,” said François Malepo, president of the Ilebo civil society organization.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

People swim in the Seine River in Paris on Saturday.

3 spots opened for swimming along Seine

PARIS — Swimming in the Seine River is settling into a new Paris summer ritual as the city on Saturday opened three supervised bathing sites for the second year in a row.

The free swimming areas near City Hall, the Eiffel Tower and in eastern Paris will remain open through the summer, depending on water quality and weather conditions. They are placed under strict lifeguards’ watch and authorities conduct daily water quality testing.

Visitors described swimming in the heart of the French capital as an unforgettable experience.

“It’s amazing to be swimming in the Seine while looking at the Eiffel Tower,” said Stewart Talbot, a tourist from Melbourne, Australia.

By The Associated Press ASSOCIATE PRESS PHOTO By SETH WENIG

Military planes perform a flyover of the Hudson River, above the the Manhattan skyline, Saturday.

Storms force evacuation ahead of Trump’s speech

break in the shade of an over- France, the French Air Force’s Other cities apass near the National Mall to acrobatic teams, flew over New Harbor with their red, plot their next stop. continue Fourth “Just to be a part of the 250 York white and blue trails, evoking years (anniversary) is an amaz- images of the American flag.

“We got up early and just rode ing thing,” said David Koshko, a of July festivities commercial driver and veteran our bikes about a mile down

BY STEVEN SLOAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s plans to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary of independence with a rally on the National Mall were complicated on Saturday by severe storms that gathered near Washington, forcing event organizers to order an evacuation.

“Freedom 250 will share updates on programming and doors reopening,” Freedom 250 spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement that encouraged participants to seek shelter at museums and federal buildings near the National Mall.

Washington’s metro system also said several of its underground stations were available for shelter.

Signs at the Great American State Fair posted an alert shortly after 7 p.m. encouraging participants to leave the area.

Crowds were building in the area several hours before Trump’s speech.

David Koshko, 42, and his wife, Jennifer Koskho, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, came to Washington for a baseball game but planned to stay for the city’s fireworks show. After baking in the heat for hours during the Pittsburgh Pirates’ win over the Washington Nationals, they took

of the Marine Corps reserves.

In Philadelphia, fireworks began to crack as early as midday in the birthplace of the nation near the site where the Declaration of Independence was adopted by delegates to the Second Continental Congress. Hundreds of visitors were gathering at Independence Hall in the sweltering heat to await the celebrations coinciding with the France-Paraguay World Cup knockout game at Philadelphia Stadium, which began with commemorations of the holiday.

“It’s one big party in here,” Carlos Alban, who traveled to Philadelphia from Chicago to watch the match, said as he arrived at the stadium, adding that he spotted a fan in the parking lot dressed as one of the Founding Fathers.

About 45 minutes before another World Cup match in Houston, a message from astronauts aboard the International Space Station noting the holiday was beamed into the stadium.

In New York, tall ships, with their masts, rigging and white sails outlined against a blue sky, made a procession around the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson River.

The 43 ships were followed by a display of aerial might with a stealth bomber and the Navy’s Blue Angels. Patrouille de

here to come see the scene,” said Oona Moore, a Jersey City, New Jersey, resident who took in the New York festivities. “We saw the tall ships and we saw the planes, you know, all different manner of military aircraft. I’ve never seen it so close and in the sky at the same time.”

On Coney Island, crowds gathered in the sweltering heat to celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday by watching famed competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut defend his world hot dog eating championship in Coney Island, where he downed 66 hot dogs in just 10 minutes. Miki Sudo defended her title as well in the women’s division.

“It’s a dream, it’s electric, there’s no place better on Earth,” Chestnut said breathlessly in an interview immediately after the showdown.

Celebrations unfolded against the backdrop of a deep divide this election year that has been expanding for years, visible in everything from political expression to cultural norms to age-old questions over race, class and immigration.

At Mount Rushmore on Friday, Trump spoke of communism as a “mortal threat to American liberty” with the Republican president saying it was more dangerous than either World War or 9/11.

Egypt uncovers lost city from Byzantine era in western desert

BY SAMY MAGDY Asscociated Press

CAIRO — A well-preserved Byzantine-era residential city in the western desert is one of two major archaeological finds announced by Egypt on Saturday.

The recent discoveries at the Dakhla Oasis and at the Marina el-Alamein archaeological site, near Alexandria, are the latest findings which the Egyptian government hopes will boost the country’s vital tourism sector, partially driven by antiquities sightseeing.

Along with the strategic Suez Canal, tourism is a major source of foreign currency in the cashstrapped country.

The Tourism and Antiquities Ministry said that the first discovery reveals details of daily life, urban development and economic activities in the Dakhla Oasis in the fourth century, when Egypt was part of the Byzantine empire.

The unearthed quarters included north-south thoroughfares intersected by east-west streets, forming open squares and public spaces, said Hisham el-Leithy, secretary general of the supreme council of antiquities.

PROVIDED PHOTO

A recently discovered artifact is displayed in the Marina el-Alamein archaeological site, west of the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, Egypt.

A basilica church dating back to the mid-fourth century stands at the settlement’s head, overlooking its main streets, along with remains of two watchtowers to safeguard the outskirts, said Mahmoud Massoud, who chairs the archaeological mission.

The oasis, located in Egypt’s western province of New Valley in the western desert, is on UNESCO‘s Tentative List, a step away from being added to the agency’s World Heritage List.

A heavily fortified structure with thick de-

fensive walls, and many houses consisting of reception halls and vaulted roofs were found in the area, Massoud said.

Among them were the house of Tisous, identified as a church deacon and dating to the second half of the fourth century, which archaeologists believe served as a house church before the construction of the city’s basilica.

Archaeologists also uncovered bread ovens, kitchens and stone grinding tools that had been apparently used to produce food. Also found were well-preserved bronze coins bearing portraits of Byzantine emperors, Latin inscriptions and Christian symbols, alongside a group of gold coins dating to the reign of Roman emperor Constantius II, who ruled between 337 and 361, the ministry statement said.

Diaa Zahran, head of the Islamic, Coptic and Jewish Antiquities department, said they found a collection of about 200 pottery fragments which would have been used as writing material. The fragments, known as octraca, have inscriptions detailing commercial transactions, correspondence and other details of daily life, Zahran said.

A Ukrainian drone attack struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg on Saturday, Russian officials said, as Kyiv presses on with bombardment of Russia’s oil infrastructure.

Almost daily long-range attacks on Russian oil facilities have created a fuel crisis and heaped political pressure on the Kremlin as its all-out invasion of Ukraine stretches into its fifth year.

Gov. Alexander Beglov said the city’s Kirovsky district on the Baltic Sea was hit. He also said that air defenses shot down 72 Ukrainian drones across Russia’s second-largest city and the surrounding region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as part of Ukraine’s “long-range sanctions” against Russia. He said that Ukrainian forces also hit a military target on the island of Kronstadt, just off the coast of St. Petersburg.

“The Ukrainian defense forces hit the port oil infrastructure, which earns money for the Russian war, and there were also hits on Kronstadt — an important military target,” he said in a post on Telegram.

St. Petersburg’s Kirovsky district was previously hit in June, ahead of Russia’s flagship St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

The Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, has suffered particularly from heavy strikes, causing local authorities to suspend gasoline sales to civilians. A Ukrainian attack on Saturday killed one person and injured two more, including a 10-yearold child, the Moscow-installed Gov. Sergei Aksyonov said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has shrugged off Ukraine’s strikes on Russia’s energy facilities as “not critical,” and insisted the war will continue until his goals are met.

He 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.

On Friday, Putin visited the Russian military headquarters directing the war in Ukraine and received a report on the capture of the city of Kostyantynivka, after weeks of intense street battles.

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Supreme Court ends term with high-profile rulings

BY MATT BROWN

liberal minority saw the situation. “The references — of filth, disease, and primitiveness — are shot through with racial stereotypes and tropes.

It is hard to imagine the statements being made today of any White community,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote in her dissent.

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court wrapped up a term that yielded significant rulings in cases involving race and discrimination that could have lasting effects on U.S. politics and society.

Justices were at times bitterly divided — and critical of one another — in rulings that winnowed key provisions of a landmark voting rights law, allowed the government to revoke protections for some immigrants and even challenged the historic understanding of birthright citizenship for the children of immigrants.

The decisions come at a moment when long-standing debates over race and identity have turned toward immigration, increasing racial diversity and the fairness of policies meant to prevent and redress discrimination.

Temporary protected status The court allowed the government to end deportation protections for Haitians and Syrians in the U.S. who have fled violence and natural disaster. President Donald Trump’s administration revoked the temporary pro-

Birthright citizenship ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Activists celebrate the Supreme Court’s birthright citizenship ruling outside the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. tected status last year.

With the president’s more than decadelong track record of denigrating developing nations and immigrants who come to the U.S. from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, attorneys for some affected migrants contended that the government could not cancel the designations, in part because Trump’s comments about immigrants were racist.

“The true reason for the termination is the president’s racial animus towards nonwhite immigrants and bare dislike of Haitians in particular,” Geoffrey Pipoly, an attorney for the Haitian nationals

in the case, said during April oral arguments in the case, Mullin v. Doe. The attorneys noted that, during his second presidential campaign, Trump claimed immigrants “are poisoning the blood of our country” and suggested in another instance that migrants have “bad genes.”

In writing for the 6-3 conservative majority, Justice Samuel Alito said none of the cited statements was “overtly racial,” reasoning that any of Trump’s actions could have been taken without racial animus and attributing his anti-immigrant comments to “political discourse.”

That’s not how the court’s

In one of the highest-profile cases of the term, the court reaffirmed that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution means all people born in the U.S. are citizens.

On his first day in office last year, Trump signed an executive order seeking to restrict birthright citizenship to the children of U.S. citizens, a move that civil rights groups challenged as unconstitutional and racist.

In his majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts traced the arc of birthright citizenship — a principle that all people born on U.S. soil are citizens — from its origins in English common law to its codification in the 14th Amendment.

Roberts noted that race and citizenship had been fiercely debated in courts, speeches, Congress and battlefields be-

cause of Black Americans’ fight for freedom.

Freed Black Americans did not receive citizenship as a “reward,” Roberts wrote, but because “the Amendment recognized their rightful claim to birthright citizenship simply and solely by virtue of their having been born on American soil.”

The 6-3 ruling was a blow to the Trump administration, which has made restricting immigration its central goal.

“The clause does not extend citizenship to the children of temporary visa holders or illegal aliens,” U.S. Solicitor General John Sauer argued before the court in April.

Justice Clarence Thomas agreed and wrote in his dissent that African descendants of enslaved people in the U.S. are a unique case separate from the children of tourists or people in the country illegally.

“Blacks were entitled to citizenship because they were Americans. They had no other homeland, owed no allegiance to any foreign power, and were subject to no other authority,” Thomas wrote.

In a stark move, liberal Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor directly

criticized Thomas’ claim in a joint opinion.

Voting rights The Supreme Court handed down a decision in April that gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act meant to remedy efforts to disenfranchise minority voters.

Among the methods the law permitted to stop voting discrimination in states was the creation of majority-minority congressional districts.

In the majority opinion, Alito found that because race and partisan voting behavior were so intertwined, it was unfair to conclude that a partisan gerrymander of a state’s congressional districts could be racist, given there may be other reasons for the map’s results.

Alito reasoned that “in a state where both parties have substantial support and where race is often correlated with party preference,” partisan actors can “easily exploit” laws meant to protect minority political participation for disingenuous reasons.

The liberal justices balked at the logic and criticized the conservative majority for harming minority representation in politics and culture.

Pope prays at Lampedusa cemetery for migrant victims

BY NICOLE WINFIELD and ANDREA ROSA Associated Press

LAMPEDUSA, Sicily — Pope Leo XIV, who has sparred with the Trump administration over its immigration crackdown, spent the Fourth of July on Saturday in the epicenter of Europe’s migration debate to honor the tens of thousands of people who have died trying to reach Europe to find freedom and prosperity.

While the United States marked the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with rallies, parties and fireworks, the U.S.-born pope traveled to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa to pray at a migrant cemetery and celebrate a solemn Mass

for the island’s residents and newest arrivals. Later on Saturday, he got into the July 4 spirit with a visit to the residence of the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch, a rarity for popes who usually don’t call on ambassadors. The U.S. Embassy said Burch gave Leo a commemorative baseball, an apple pie and a U.S. World Cup jersey.

Leo confirmed he was rooting for the U.S. team, the Embassy wrote on X, adding that the two discussed “American efforts to pursue peace, religious freedom and the need for moral clarity and courage around the world.”

A treeless strip of rock 5.6 miles long, Lampedusa is closer to Africa than the Italian mainland and is the

main port of entry into Europe for hundreds of thousands of migrants who crossed by boat from Libya or Tunisia, often smuggled by human traffickers.

Leo met with some migrants at the port and then walked alone onto the jagged jetty rocks, the wind whipping his cassock and blowing his zucchetto skullcap off as he looked out to the sea. He then blessed a plaque dedicating the dock to Pope Francis, who visited in 2013, before celebrating Mass on land.

“This is a place where gestures speak louder than words,” Leo said.

“But for gestures to be human, they need a heart.”

In making the visit on this particular Saturday, Leo was sending

a powerfully symbolic message to the United States and Europe of the Christian obligation to uphold the dignity of every human being, migrants and the most vulnerable especially, while reminding the United States that it was founded by immigrants.

In a letter sent to Americans on July 4, Leo insisted that protecting the unborn and all human life also means “welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants, whose hopes, sacrifices and contribution have formed part of the history of this country from its very beginning.”

“To receive them with compassion and generosity is not only an act of charity, but also a recognition of the dignity that belongs to every human person,” Leo wrote.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

By CIRO FUSCO

Pope Leo XIV pays tribute at a cemetery Saturday in Lampedusa, Sicily, southern Italy.

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WINGERTER

Continued from page 1A Wingerter said. “I think that’s why it’s so hard now. Normally, when a coach gets fired, he gets fired with a bunch of guys. This is different.”

In a statement, Wingerter said no one personally benefited from the questioned expenditures and attributed the issues to shortcomings in training, communication and oversight. While disputing aspects of the audit’s conclusions, he said he accepts responsibility as a senior administrator for the oversight that occurred.

Rather than dwell on the audit during his final weeks, Wingerter said he focused on preparing his successor, former UL defensive back Pat Mensah, for the role.

“I’ve probably worked as many or more hours in the last month and a half than I have all through April and May,” Wingerter said.

“I don’t want a grenade to go off and be catastrophic. I don’t want to make Pat look bad or Mike (Desormeaux) look bad or the team to suffer at all.

“It’s still me. It’s still my heart.”

Just get it done Ask Wingerter about his playing days and he’ll tell you less about awards than one block. He still remembers springing Brian Mitchell for a touchdown in 1989 by taking on Alabama All-American linebacker Keith McCants.

But those who know the program say Wingerter’s greatest legacy came after his playing days. Wingerter became the program’s go-to person for nearly three decades after returning to his alma mater.

“You can replace the position, but you can’t replace the person,” head coach Desormeaux said.

“That guy does so much for us. In my first year when I got the job after the conference championship, we had to go on the road recruiting on that Monday.

“We wouldn’t have even gotten off the ground, if it wasn’t for Troy.”

Over his years at UL, Wingerter had his specific duties, but he’s never been limited by his technical job description.

“He does everything every ops guy does, but he also plays a role in recruiting official visits and academics and if the fields needed to be lined ... just every single thing,” said Darren Walker, who Wingerter hired to replace him as football’s video coordinator 26 years ago.

“He was around so long that if something comes up that had nothing to do with his job, he knew who to get in touch with to take care of it — whether it’s in athletics, the university or in the community.”

Perhaps the biggest thing leaving with Wingerter is the link to the past.

“I’m the conduit for every single player that comes through here, whether I played with them or not,” he said. “If you look back the last 40 years, I’m pretty much coached or played with everybody that’s come through.”

Missed Cajuns too much Few people have witnessed Wingerter’s four-decade relationship with UL more closely than Gerald Broussard, who coached him as a player, coached alongside him and traveled with him as a color analyst.

“He gave up a money-paying job just to come and be present and be around us until we had a spot for him,” Broussard remembered.

After finishing up his eligibility, Wingerter left the state for a couple of years before moving back to

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Troy Wingerter, right, joins a group of former University of Louisiana at Lafayette players. Wingerter relished the Ragin’ Cajuns’ many bowl trips after never playing in a bowl game as a player.

“I trust the plan. I trust that God has a plan and I’m going to do something else.

Whether it’s bigger or not, it’s going to be better.”

TROy WINGERTER

Wingerter called former coach Nelson Stokley.

“The first time he didn’t answer,” Wingerter said. “The second time he answered Brandon’s phone.”

Stokley allowed Wingerter to return to the program and he never left ... until Tuesday.

“The biggest thing about Troy is he was tough and not just physically tough,” Broussard said. “You’re talking about a guy who took six years to get a general studies degree and then ended up getting a doctorate.

“He’s nationally known and respected in that (operations) industry,” he said. “This is just an opportunity for him to show that he’s way more than that position at UL. He offers a lot to somebody who will see that.”

Spiritual battles While friends have spent the past two months assuring him he’ll land on his feet, Wingerter believes God had been preparing him for the moment much earlier.

Last fall, while on leave as uniTroy Wingerter, pointing center, was part of the offensive line under versity officials weighed his future assistant coach Gerald Broussard, standing left, during his playing days. after the audit, Wingerter began attending daily Mass.

“I started going to Mass every day to try and get the voices out of my head ... the ones that show up at 3 a.m.,” he said. He described them as the kind of thoughts that can overwhelm a person with bitterness.

Even after he was initially told in March that he would keep his job with some conditions, Wingerter said it didn’t sit right with him.

He was advised to move on and leave the issue behind him, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still ahead. And he couldn’t understand why he still felt compelled to attend daily Mass.

“I was still scared of something,” Wingerter said. “I was praying for peace. I prayed so hard for peace so once I was told I get to keep my Wingerter was proud to coach former UL greats Dwight Bentley, left, and job, I’m like, ‘What are you worLadarius Green at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. ried about?’“ He believes he got his answer New Orleans, first to get a medical was making there.”

May 11, when he learned his time And yet, he was miserable. sales job that never happened and at UL was over.

One day, a friend grew tired of then managing nightclubs.

“Fortunately, God had prepared “I was making more money than hearing him talk about how much me for it,” he said.

I ever had,” Wingerter said. “It he missed football, slammed a took me 15 years in this business handful of quarters on the bar and Victory through trials before I made as much money as I told him to call somebody.

Wingerter said the experience

So what’s next?

Wingerter’s plans aren’t 100% clear just yet. But he’s got is a ton of options.

The first one is as a consultant to teach other less experienced operation directors his tested methods at programs across the country.

He’s already scheduled to consult with James Madison, where former Cajuns coach Billy Napier is now coach, sharing the systems he developed over three decades at UL. Other options include getting another operations job at another program, consulting with programs all over the country or just getting another job locally in a different field.

“I can’t really say what I’m going to miss the most,” Wingerter said.

“What I value the most is the intrinsic motivating factor of being an alum,” Wingerter said. “I was always doing this for my alma mater. I was always doing this for something that felt bigger than me.”

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.

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also reminded him of what his wife of 25 years, Cydra, endured after the 2023 election ended her tenure as chief administrative officer. During a conversation with a priest, he said he realized he had been holding onto bitterness over how that chapter ended.

“Who are you to allow your personal feelings to interrupt God’s edict?” Wingerter recalled the priest telling him. “He said to forgive. He said to let it go.”

That message stuck with him as his career hung in the balance.

“I was happy where she ended up — she’s got a great job,” Wingerter said. “But I was always bitter about how it happened and the visceral nature of the election and the issues I personally have with people and I kept holding on to that.

“It was almost like God said, ‘You didn’t learn your lesson. I’m going to have to show you again.’”

In Wingerter’s mind, that’s a new direction in his career.

“I trust the plan,” he said. “I trust that God has a plan and I’m going to do something else. Whether it’s bigger or not, it’s going to be better.”

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● 5A

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MURRILL

Continued from page 1A

him innocent of murder.

White also previously represented Duncan in his criminal case.

But before Duncan could take office, the Republicanled Legislature passed a new law to eliminate the criminal clerk of court position in New Orleans, combining the civil and criminal clerk roles into one role. As former Civil Clerk Chelsey Napoleon stepped into the combined job, Moreno and Williams argued that there should be another election to fill the role. Five City Council members voted to trigger an election.

Murrill sent letters in reSTAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD sponse, warning the local The Louisiana Supreme Court in an emergency order late Friday night agreed to recall an officials were putting their arrest warrant for Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. jobs at risk by “usurping” Napoleon’s authority. Moregle between the Republican prison when a judge found no at the time responded in recalling the warrant. attorney general and Demo‘Open court’ issue cratic local officials in the Roche also defended the Crescent City.

The grand jury “chose to grand jury process in his own filing to the Supreme Court investigate” Murrill at the end of its six-month term, on Friday.

Roche’s court appeared to White said in a news briefing have “violated express pro- shortly after the indictment. visions of state law requiring They combed through evithat grand jury returns oc- dence about whether Murrill cur in the public eye, ‘in open tried to intimidate local politcourt,’” the Supreme Court ical officials in New Orleans, said in its stay order. including Mayor Helena Roche closed his court- Moreno, District Attorney room to the public while the Jason Williams and several grand jury handed up Mur- City Council members.

Williams recused himself, rill’s indictment. Some reporters were handcuffed and leading to the White’s apothers were threatened with pointment as special prosarrest while they waited in ecutor. Murrill has alleged a the courthouse hallway for tangle of conflicts involving news of the grand jury re- White, including that the Atturn. torney General’s Office repHOME SHELLS CARPORTS Roche wrote that “open resents the former judge in court” does not mean “open an ongoing sexual harassROOFING BUILDINGS to the public.” ment lawsuit in state court.

“Rather, it means while The indictment specificalthe judge is present on the ly points to a series of letters COMMERCIAL bench,” Roche wrote. “This that Murrill sent in May to interpretation is well-estab- New Orleans officials over Metal Mart has the materials for your DIY project including a dispute about the city’s lished in Louisiana law.” bargains on seconds and thirds, drops, hardware and tools!

He asked the Supreme criminal clerk of court poCourt to clarify their inter- sition. New Orleans voters 4401 NW Evangeline Thrwy, Carencro, LA pretation of “open court.” If last fall elected former life it means “open to the pub- prisoner Calvin Duncan to lic,” Roche said the justices the job, who was freed from metalmart35@mcelroymetal.com should give guidance to lower courts about how to open their courtrooms while protecting anonymity and safety of grand jurors.

The Supreme Court has not issued any response to Roche’s filing.

General’s arrest or any other step in the prosecution,” wrote the Supreme Court in its second emergency ruling.

The high court also ruled that the prosecution could still respond to Murrill’s defensive pleadings in district court while the stay was in place.

The court’s vote on recalling the warrant was 4-3, with Justices Billy Burris, Cade Cole, Jefferson Hughes and Jay McCallum voting in the majority. Chief Justice John Weimer and Justices Piper Griffin and John Michael Guidry each dissented.

Weimer and Guidry had also dissented earlier Friday from the decision to stay Murrill’s indictment; Griffin had voted in favor of the stay, but against the warrant recall.

Weimer wrote in his Friday night dissent that Murrill’s team had requested “an extraordinary remedy” that went far beyond requesting enforcement of the stay order.

“In criminal cases procedural rules are indispensable to serve justice and ensure that all are treated equally,” Weimer wrote over recalling the warrant. “Yet, ironically, on the eve of this July 4th when our nation will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this court is once again called upon to provide exceptions to the normal process pursuant to another feigned emergency by one party.”

Griffin wrote in a dissent that recalling the warrant goes to the merits of the case. She’d written in a concurrence earlier Friday that the reason she agreed to stay the prosecution was because it did not reach the merits of the case.

Guidry wrote in his second dissent of the day that the majority had elevated “power and privilege over process.”

“This is yet another unprecedented preferential act by the majority bestowing a privilege that no other crimi- Escalation of AG’s dispute nally charged defendant Murrill’s indictment repcan reasonably expect to re- resents the latest flare-up in ceive,” Guidry wrote about a long-running power strug-

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a social media video, noting “there is also a criminal law that prohibits intimidating or threatening a public official in an effort to try to influence their decision or change their position.”

The law, which forbids “public intimidation, retaliation, retribution by the use of force and threat,” is now the backbone of eight counts in Murrill’s indictment. For the other eight malfeasance counts, grand jurors found she “intentionally refused or failed to perform any duty lawfully required of her,” the indictment states.

Convictions for public intimidation can lead to five years in prison and carry of fine of up to $1,000. Convictions for malfeasance can lead to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to $5,000.

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6A ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Attendees watch the fireworks show during the Red, White & Boom youngsville Independence Day celebration at the youngsville Amphitheater on Friday.

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

FOURTH

Continued from page 1A match is judged by a panel who determines which team was most effective in spraying the other side.

The winning department receives a trophy adorned with the names of past winners, and a boot with a fireman’s rod labeled with the cheeky slogan, “We Kick Ash!!”

The water fight this year pitted seven different departments in Vermilion, Iberia and Acadia parishes, including both of Erath’s two fire departments, Delcambre, Leblanc, Mire, Rynella, and Meaux/ Nunez.

In a final match between the previous year’s champion Mire and Erath #1, Erath #1 came out victorious, winning the first two matches in the series. Erath’s team did not lose a single match, sweeping each of its opponents on their way to winning the bracket.

The water fights are part of the town’s broader Fourth of July celebration that includes live music performances, a fireworks shows, as well as a 5K run held in the early morning hours. The celebration’s roots extend back many years.

This year marks the 90th such celebration the small Vermilion Parish community of around 2,000 residents has put on. The first event from 1936 was held as a fundraiser for Erath High School. The celebration has been run by the Erath 4th of July Association for the past 50 years, and according to the association’s website has helped fund the lighting projects in the community, educational technology for local elementary schools as well as safety features through donations received through the annual event.

For both spectators as well as members of the participating departments, the celebration, as well as the water fights, are highly anticipated as something that helps bond the nearby community together as well as draw in large crowds to the small town.

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

Families from across Acadiana gather at the youngsville Sports Complex for the city’s annual Red, White & Boom Independence Day celebration, where a fireworks show closed out the night.

“Erath is a really special community,” said one member of the winning Erath firefighting team. “We as a department love participating in these unique traditions. It’s really a way for us to stand out and share something with our kids that we can pass down.”

The night before the Erath water fights, families from across Acadiana gathered at the Youngsville Sports Complex for the city’s annual Red, White & Boom Independence Day celebration.

The free event featured live music, food trucks, face painting, fun jumps, a children’s zone and other family-friendly activities, with a fireworks show to close out the PHOTO By LEE BALL night.

This year’s celebration held speThe Fourth of July celebrations in Erath included fais do-dos and carnival cial significance as communities rides.

Volunteer firefighters from Mire fire departments battle it out against Erath #1 during the Fourth of July Water Fights on South Broadway Street in Erath.

across the country commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence.

“This year is particularly special because it’s America’s 250th birthday,” Youngsville Mayor Ken Ritter said.

The celebration has become an annual tradition for many families.

“It’s just such a great night for our city to celebrate community and celebrate with all of our neighbors,” Ritter said. “It’s the middle of summer, so just very proud to be an American and excited to welcome everybody here.”

Fireworks were also offered in downtown Lafayette on Saturday night. Lafayette Stars & Stripes took place in Parc International, featuring a lineup of food trucks, live music and a fireworks finale.

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● 7A

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EDUCATION Trump Accounts aim to boost financial independence for kids Children born during president’s second term get $1,000

the current Trump administration.

To qualify for the $1,000 seed money, a baby must be a U.S. citizen, have a Social Security number and be born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028. Any parent can open an account for a qualifying child, regardless of the parent’s immigration status.

It’s important to note the child won’t be able to access the money until they turn 18, except in rare circumstances. So the money can’t help with immediate expenses.

And disbursements from the accounts will be subject to taxes.

BY MORIAH BALINGIT AP education writer

WASHINGTON — On Saturday, President Donald Trump’s administration was expected to launch Trump Accounts, tying the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence to an effort to boost financial independence for American kids.

Under the program, parents can open investment accounts for any child born during Trump’s second term and automatically receive $1,000 from the government. Accounts can be opened on behalf of older children — as long as they don’t turn 18 before the end of the calendar year — but they will not receive the $1,000.

That money — and anything else deposited by employers, philanthropies and relatives — is invested in the stock market by private firms. Children can’t access the money until they turn 18, and then only for specific purposes, like paying for a home or school.

The accounts have already gotten a boost from billionaires beyond the $1,000 from the government. Michael Dell, the founder of Dell Technologies, and his wife, Susan, pledged to give $6.25 billion to the accounts of some kids who don’t qualify for the government’s $1,000. On Wednesday, Trump announced on Truth Social that Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO of Micron Technology, would give $250 million.

The donation “will help jumpstart the American Dream for these fabulous children as we celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary! This MASSIVE Investment will help MILLIONS of American children and families get a strong start in life, and give them REAL Financial Security,” wrote Trump, a Republican.

Can older kids get any bonuses?

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATT ROURKE

President Donald Trump arrives at the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library on the Freedom 250 train on Wednesday in Medora, N.D. Trump Accounts launch amid widespread affordability concerns. The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge rose to a new three-year high in May as gas prices peaked during the war with Iran. Food prices have risen since Trump’s inauguration, too.

Meanwhile, many Americans are bracing for changes to social safety net programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which were cut under the same legislation that created Trump Accounts.

newborns. Private banks and brokerages will manage the money, which must be invested in U.S. equity index funds that track the stock market and charge the accounts no more than 0.10% in annual fees.

Parents can contribute up to $2,500 annually in pretax income, much like they do for retirement accounts. Parents’ employers, relatives, friends, local governments and philanthropic groups can also pitch in. Yearly contributions are capped at $5,000, but contributions from governments and charities What is a Trump Account? don’t count toward that total.

“We’re doing something much It’s a new savings tool in which money is invested in the stock better than giving the next genmarket on a child’s behalf. The eration a handout,” Trump said. child can’t access the money until “We’re giving them ownership of they turn 18 and can use it only for America’s future.” specific purposes, such as paying tuition, starting a business or mak- Who gets $1,000? ing a down payment on a home.

As part of the initiative’s launch, Families can already sign up at parents of older children also are trumpaccounts.gov. encouraged to open accounts, but After a parent or guardian opens they won’t get the $1,000 bonus. an account, the U.S. Treasury De- That money is reserved for babies partment will contribute $1,000 for born during the calendar years of

N O R T H A M ER I CA’S

Some can, thanks to contributions from some of the country’s wealthiest entrepreneurs.

The Dells’ $6.25 billion donation will allow some children who are age 10 or under to receive $250 in seed money if their parents open an account. That money is reserved for kids who live in ZIP codes with a median family income of $150,000 or less who are too old to get the $1,000 seed money from the Treasury.

Hedge fund founder Ray Dalio and his wife, Barbara, pledged $75 million for kids under age 10 in Connecticut, where Dalio lives.

That would amount to $250 for 300,000 children in qualifying ZIP codes.

Trump announced in January that investor Brad Gerstner would donate $250 to Trump Accounts for every child under age 5 in Indiana.

Several major companies also plan to add Trump Account contributions to their benefits packages, including Uber, Intel, IBM, Nvidia and Steak ‘n Shake. The administration has encouraged such donations through what U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calls the “50 State Challenge.”

capitalism when openly socialist candidates are growing more popular.

“The answer to more socialism is more capitalism,” Gerstner said in January at a White House event.

“This makes every child in America a capitalist from birth.”

About 58% of U.S. households held stocks or bonds in 2022, according to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, though the wealthiest 1% owned almost half the value of stocks in that year.

Before Trump created the accounts, California, Connecticut and the District of Columbia were piloting baby bonds programs, which are similar to Trump Accounts in some ways. Several other states, including Maryland, are weighing programs.

But those programs are targeted to youths growing up in poverty or foster care, plus children who lost a parent to COVID-19. Wealthier children don’t benefit from them.

They’re also managed by the state, not private investment firms.

What do critics say?

Critics point out the accounts do little to help children in their early years, when they’re most vulnerable and most likely to be in poverty. The accounts, they say, also fail to offset cuts the Trump administration and congressional Republicans have made to other programs that benefit young people and the adults in their lives, including food assistance and Medicaid. Republicans created the accounts in the Trump tax and spending cuts bill that reduced spending for some of those programs.

And even with the contribution from the government, critics say the Trump Accounts will widen the wealth gap. Affluent families that can afford to make the maximum pretax contribution to the accounts What’s behind the accounts? will realize the greatest benefits.

Backers of the accounts say Poor families that can’t afford to they want to introduce more peo- set aside money for the accounts ple to the stock market and give will benefit the least. Assuming even children born into poverty a a 7% annual return, the $1,000 in chance to benefit from it. Support- seed money would grow to roughly ers also say the accounts bolster $3,570 over 18 years.

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LOUISIANA POLITICS Johnson, Scalise leverage Mamdani’s wins to go after Dems WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise likened recent democratic socialist primary victories to the revolution that founded the Soviet Union in 1917.

“You could call it the Bolshevik Revolution of 2026, but the Mamdani takeover of the Democrat Party is official now,” said Scalise, R-Jefferson, referring to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose endorsed candidates knocked off incumbents in closed New York party primaries.

They’ll now represent Democrats in Mark the Nov. 3 midterm Ballard elections that will decide which party will control the U.S. House starting in January.

Democratic Party candidates openly rallying around the democratic socialist banner — no party of that name is certified for elections — advanced to general elections for a variety of posts in New York, Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington — all decidedly blue cities. They beat incumbent Democratic officials.

“We are not done working and delivering for the American people while the Democrats are fighting to see how far left to the socialist left they can go,” Scalise added.

Johnson, R-Benton, picked up on the theme.

“It’s common sense versus communism, because that’s what’s happening in the Democrat Party.

The insurgent left is taking it over — the insurgent left that hates America, hates our founding principles. They hate the idea of borders and prisons,” he told reporters.

Prior to ascending the speakership in October 2023, Johnson was in charge of messaging and making sure Republicans were saying the same things.

tax breaks, they see as mostly benefiting the wealthy, he added.

Gaines’ read is shared somewhat by Steve Bannon, the rightwing podcaster who helped get Trump elected president twice.

Bannon told Politico last week that the democratic socialists’ prescription isn’t crazy, it’s resonating. Voters seem open to a widespread affordability appeal coupled with ousting mainstream incumbents.

“They campaign as anti-establishment,” which the GOP hasn’t fully grasped, said Bannon. “If you just sit there and demonize, that’s certainly not enough.”

Structurally, Republicans are in better shape to maintain their majority in the House. Trump insisted that GOP-run states draw more seats to favor GOP House candidates.

Democrats responded in kind, but Republicans have been more successful.

The House currently has 218 Republicans, 212 Democrats, an independent who usually votes with the GOP, and four vacancies.

For the midterm elections, ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTOS 205 seats favor Democrats, 212 House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, left, and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Benton, districts back Republicans and arrive for a closed-door conference with fellow Republicans at the Capitol in Washington last week.

18 races rated as “Toss Ups,” according to The Cook Report with contrast between people who love ing a raise for the troops, requirAmy Walter, a respected electoral the country and its founding prin- ing Johnson to send Congress handicapper based in Washington.

Democrats need to win 13 of the home early for the nation’s 250th ciples, and those who have open 18 toss-up contests to reach the birthday. disdain and hatred for them.”

218 representatives necessary to “That’s the usual tactic of the President Donald Trump also retake the majority in the House, Republican Party when they’re likened Democrats to commuStill, Trump is unpopular with losing,” Gaines said. “And typinists who need to be stopped.

“They use the word ‘social dem- cally, those sound bites are incor- 60% to 75% of the voters as are many of the administration’s ocrat’ because it sounds so nice, rect, wrong, and misleading, and policies, according to a series of but it’s really communism you’re dishonest.” recent surveys conducted by polltalking about,” he told reporters Republican leaders want to tie in the Oval Office. images of gulags to all Democrat- sters from both parties.

New york Mayor Zohran Mamdani Louisiana Democratic Party Despite Johnson’s optimistic ic candidates, Gaines said. speaks during a rally.

Chair Randal Gaines, of LaPlace, rhetoric, Republicans seem worWhile perhaps more extreme says this is falderal, an attempt in their rhetoric and conclusions, ried about losing their majorities “We’re no longer in a battle just to divert MAGA voters’ attention democratic socialists are adoptin the House when the ballots away from the Republican major- ing the general positions of more between Republicans and Demofrom the Nov. 3 midterm are moderate Democratic candidates counted. crats arguing over marginal tax ity’s inability to govern. Over the who also chafe at the GOP whitrates or the size of regulation this past few weeks, GOP factions election and this year,” Johnson in the House have failed to rally Email Mark Ballard at tling down Medicaid and the Afcontinued. “Right now, we have a enough to pass legislation, includ- fordable Care Act while passing mballard@theadvocate.com.

Trump approves disaster request for Arthur

Athlete agent registration system goes online

President Donald Trump this week approved Louisiana’s request for $8.6 million in federal aid for the damage caused by Tropical Storm Arthur last month.

The storm dumped record rainfall on Avoyelles Parish and the surrounding areas, causing widespread flooding. It also generated numerous Trump tornadoes across southeast Louisiana.

In a post on Truth Social announcing he had approved Gov. Jeff Landry’s request for federal funding, Trump praised Louisiana’s Republican leaders.

“Louisiana is truly a special place, with Governor Jeff Landry, Senator John Kennedy, soon to be Senator Julia Letlow, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and Congressman Clay Higgins,” he said.

Louisiana’s new system for registering agents who represent Louisiana athletes is now online, Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office announced Wednesday.

The system is part of a new law the Louisiana Legislature passed this year seeking to more closely regulate how athletes — particularly high school and college students — navigate a new era in which they can be Capitol paid for their name, image and likeness.

Buzz Coaches and parSTAFF ents have raised REPORTS concerns that, without some protections, agents could take advantage of young athletes.

Agents are now required to complete an application that includes a background check and must undergo mandatory training, among other requirements. Those applications are reviewed by the Attorney General’s Public Protection Division.

Agents can submit an application online at nil. ag.louisiana.gov.

“Louisiana’s student athletes deserve advocates who operate with Murrill integrity, transparency, and their best interests at heart,” said Attorney General Liz Murrill.

John Oliver mocks Louisiana redistricting As the redistricting battles that Louisiana helped launch continue to reverberate across the country in the lead-up to midterm elections this fall, comedian John Oliver took shots at Louisiana and Gov. Jeff Landry for eliminating one of the state’s two majorityBlack congressional districts.

On an episode of the HBO program “Last Week Tonight” that aired last Sunday, Oliver criticized President Donald Trump’s push for states to draw new voting maps favoring Republicans, which was supercharged by an April U.S. Supreme Court ruling

Actually, there is a fountain of youth.

in the case Louisiana v. Callais.

Oliver taunted the White Louisiana plaintiffs who originally brought the case challenging the constitutionality of a majorityBlack voting district, saying their reasoning amounted to, “This map hurt my feelings, and now I want to talk to your manager.”

The comedian mocked an in- Oliver terview Landry did with “60 Minutes” in which Landry defended the state’s redistricting effort, arguing that he understood the lived experience of African Americans because he grew up in a predominantly Black community, he should not be judged for being White, and the racism of the past has already been rectified.

“He shouldn’t be judged just because he is White,” Oliver said.

“He should be judged because one, he just had to have the concept of racism explained to him on TV; two, he’s for some reason dressed like 30 Rock’s Leap Day

William; and three, he sounds like Elmer Fudd if he exclusively went to schools named after Robert E. Lee,” he said.

A spokesperson for Landry did not respond to a request for comment.

Landry has said Louisiana was required to draw a new congressional map after the Supreme Court ruled the state’s previous one was unconstitutional.

The watershed Supreme Court decision released in April weakened a key provision of the federal Voting Rights Act, which for decades had required some states with a history of racial discrimination to draw majority-Black districts as a remedy for the racist voting practices.

The justices ruled that using race to draw district lines is unconstitutional in virtually all circumstances.

In the wake of that decision, Louisiana and a number of other southern states drew new voting maps eliminating majority-Black districts that favor Democratic candidates in an effort to win more GOP seats in Congress in the November midterm elections.

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● 9A

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THE GULF COAST Miss. man contracts flesh-eating bacteria while fishing Condition is day-by-day as he fights to save leg

BY KASEY BUBNASH

Staff writer

It started with a horsefly bite. Or, at least, that’s what doctors think.

Steve Wilson didn’t have a cut when he cast his first line in the Gulf off the coast of Mississippi last Saturday, but Amanda Wilson remembers her husband pausing to apply bug spray.

Lifelong Mississippi residents and avid fishers, the Wilsons have heard all the horror stories about vibrio vulnificus, a dangerous flesh-eating bacteria found in warm, brackish coastal waters and raw or undercooked seafood.

It’s rare to contract it at all, but 1 in 5 people who develop severe infection die, sometimes within 48 hours.

Amanda Wilson, a 47-year-old nurse, said she’s exceedingly careful when it comes to vibrio. The Wilsons never swim in the Gulf and stay on Cat Island’s south side while fishing, where the open waters are thought to be less prone to bacteria propagation. Before they hit the water, they always check for cuts and other open wounds, gateways through which vibrio can enter the body and trigger necrotizing skin infections, bloodstream infections or gastrointestinal illness.

Later on Saturday afternoon, when they launched their boat into Jourdan River from McLeod Park, the Wilsons made sure to head farther upriver away from the Gulf before getting in the water.

“It’s crazy because it was just a typical day,” Amanda Wilson said.

Despite all the precautions, 50-year-old Steve Wilson awoke early the next morning to searing pain near his right ankle, pain so severe he couldn’t walk. His ankle was swollen and hot, Amanda Wilson said, and she noticed what looked like a small bruise at the center of the swelling.

Roughly 10 hours after exposure to vibrio, Steve Wilson’s leg began to swell and was painful. His wife rushed him to Slidell Memorial Hospital.

PROVIDED PHOTOS By AMANDA WILSON

Steve Wilson spent June 27 fishing south of Cat Island in the Gulf.

Vibrio was her first thought.

She rushed her husband to Slidell Memorial Hospital, and by the end of the 45-minute drive from Necaise Crossing, he’d developed a fever of 103.6 degrees and was septic. Doctors there confirmed the worst: he’d contracted vibrio vulnificus and the infection was eating away at the flesh of his foot and leg.

After surgery and a cocktail of antibiotics, Steve Wilson’s leg had finally shown some improvement

by Tuesday. But he was still in the ICU, and doctors warned his wife that infections like these can take dramatic turns practically overnight.

“We have to take it day by day,” she said. “It’s a day-by-day issue.”

across the Gulf Coast last year, prompting Louisiana public health officials to issue warnings about a sharp increase in hospitalizations and deaths related to the bacterium last fall.

Most Gulf states are seeing fewer cases so far in 2026, though health officials say infections peak between May and October, when Gulf waters are warmest and residents are most likely to swim and fish.

Rising summer temperatures and runoff from storms can also help vibrio flourish.

In Mississippi, where a total of 58 vibrio cases were reported in 2025, seven cases have been reported so far this year, none of which have proven fatal, according to data collected by the Mississippi State Last year’s spike in cases Department of Health. The rarer, Cases of vibrio vulnificus spiked flesh-eating species vibrio vulni-

ficus has been behind just one of those cases.

Twelve vibrio infections have been reported to the Alabama Department of Public Health so far this year, and three of those cases involved vibrio vulnificus specifically, according to ADPH spokesperson Ryan Easterling. One case proved deadly.

A total of 19 vibrio cases were reported in Alabama last year, Easterling said.

Louisiana’s numbers were not immediately available, but by September of last year, vibrio vulnificus had led to 26 hospitalizations and five deaths, compared to annual average of about 10 cases and one death over the previous decade.

Preventing infection

With much of vibrio peak season left to go and an upcoming warm holiday weekend, Amanda Wilson worries cases along the Gulf Coast could spike.

She and doctors aren’t sure where exactly Steve Wilson contracted the infection. Could it have been when he poured a cup of Gulf water onto his boat to wash away Email Kasey Bubnash at kasey. a little blood from a caught fish, bubnash@theadvocate.com.

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using his foot to splash the water around? Was it his dunk in the Jourdan River, shortly after the area saw massive flooding from Tropical Storm Arthur?

“The thing I want people to know is to think outside the box,” Amanda Wilson said.

It’s easier than you might think to become infected, she said. It could be cutting yourself on something that’s been in the water recently, eating a bad oyster or going for a swim in the Gulf with a fresh tattoo.

Public health officials advise those with chronic health conditions to avoid eating raw oysters or undercooked shellfish, keep wounds covered when in brackish water and wear protective gloves when handling seafood.

Wash any cuts exposed to seawater or raw seafood with soap and clean water, and seek medical care immediately if a wound shows signs of redness, swelling or blistering.

“It takes just as little as a bug bite that we were not even aware of,” Amanda Wilson said.

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10A ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

Employment FARMING Eric Kent Brown, seeks farm worker for work in Jennings, LA. During peak sea‐ son, job duties include crawfishing, in‐ cluding manually cutting/preparing crawfish bait, bait and check traps; grade and wash crawfish for shipment, general farm labor including, farm maintenance, manual shovel work, hoeing of weeds, field preparation, water maintenance, fertilizing; and planting rice at the end of crawfish sea‐ son. During non-peak season, job du‐ ties include cutting and harvesting rice; assisting in the flooding of fields in anticipation of upcoming crawfish sea‐ son; prepare worksite for upcoming peak season, including assisting in or‐ ganization of crawfish traps/equip‐ ment, placing/setting crawfish traps in fields for crawfish season; general up‐ keep and preparation of farm, fields, levees, and shop, including assisting in cleaning/placing/setting/maintaining farm equipment and crawfish boats for upcoming season; and general farm sanitation duties. 40 hours per week.

No minimum education requirement.

No training for the job opportunity re‐ quired. No employment experience re‐ quired. Local travel between worksites in Jefferson Davis Parish, LA required.

Must be able to lift 50lbs. Random drug screening upon hire (paid for by Em‐ ployer). To apply for position, contact employer at (337) 849-6640 or by apply‐ ing in person at 21026 Highway 102, Jen‐ nings, LA 70546. Rate of Pay $36,733.00.

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HOSPITALITY We are currently seeking experienced Chefs/Utility Hand/Housekeeping per‐ sonnel for offshore work rotating hitches of 14 days/12 hours per day then 14 days off. Must have the follow‐ ing: RIG PASS • SAFEGULF • HUET • BOSIET • MMC • TWIC • THREE YEARS OFFSHORE UTILITY EXPERIENCE. Appli‐ cants will also be required to pass a USCG Merchant Mariner Physical and a USCG DOT Drug Test. https://cardinal. bamboohr.com/jobs.

Pets

.theacadianaadvocate.com Public Notices

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Central Time on the 15th day of July, 2026 for the following: 138kV & 230kV VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS

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CATS RAGAMUFFIN & RAGDOLL KITTENS www.CatsByFrancy.com/kittens $1500up! Reg. Shots & Guaranty 337-230-3150

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List of jurors randomly drawn and to serve for the term beginning on July 13, 2026: ALBARADO, CHLOE RUTH ALEXANDER, RICHARD E ALFRED, CHELSEA KARIN ALHEZAMI, AHMED A N ALLANSON, DESTINEE DESHAWN ALLEN, CORNELIUS EUGENE ANDERS, AMANDA PAIGE ANDRE, LINDSAY PATRICIA ANDREPONT, CHELSA L ANGELLE, BRYAN JUDE ARCENEAUX, LANCE JUDE AVOL, HOLLY JOY BABIN, JARED MICHAEL BABINEAUX, ROSEMARY DEAN BACACERRATO, OLGA YAMALY BADEAUX, RICKY JAMES BADEAUX, RICHARD BARKER, JASON ALLEN BARRY, KAREN BRIGNAC BATISTE, LATOYA DECHON BATISTE, JEREMY LACOY BELTRAN, SIGIFREDO RODRIQUEZ BELTRAN, DEMESA GUILLORY BENOIT, CHRISTIAN JAY BENOIT, BLAINE J BERNARD, COREY JAMES BOLDEN, SYA RAIN BOUDOIN, JESSE LEE BOURG, BRYCE ANTHONY BOURQUE, CHRISTINE M BOUSTANY, BRIDGET EDWARDS BOX, LINDA S BRANTLEY, GREGORY TODD BREAUD, KATHY LYNN BREAUX, PHILIP K BREAUX, TANYA MARIE BREAUX, RONALD BREAUX, ROXANNE CECILE BREAUX, EMMY LADOUSA BRILEY, CHARLES R BROOKS, JOSHUA P BROUSSARD, CHRISTINA RAE BROUSSARD, PAMELA D BROUSSARD, SHEILA C BROUSSARD, DELILAH MOUTON BROUSSARD, CONNOR REID BROWN, MALIJAH MARIE BUCHANAN, AMANDA CHRIS BULLER, MARLENE G BUXTON, ELIZA LORRAINE BYRON, VICTORIA MARIE CAIN, AQUARIUS SANDERS CAIN, JOSHUA VAUGHN CAIN, ANNA MARIA CAPELL, BRIAN WESLEY CASTILLE, ERIN CLEMENT CATROU, ANNE R PREJEAN CEDOTAL, LEA MARIE CELESTAIN, ANGELA F CELESTINE, MONA F CELESTINE, VITTORIO M CETNAR, KATRINA F CHAFIN, ROBERT JERREL CHAISSON, AALIYAH RASHYNE CHARLES, MAIYA TERESA CHARLES, LAMONT KEITH CHIASSON, SHEILA C CLAYTON, THOMAS ANDREW COHEN, STEVEN D COLEMAN, THOMAS CHARLES COLVIN, KAYE MELANIE COMEAUX, ALYSSA BROOKE RICHE CORMIER, RICKEY L CORMIER, EDGAR JAHIR CORMIER, JOHN K COROLLA, THEODORE JOSEPH CORSEY, QUINTEZ M CROCKETT, JASON DOUGLAS CROUCH, SUELLYN BARRAS CROWLEY, KATHALINE J CRUM, BRENDA ANN CURTIS, DOREEN HARVEY DAVIDSON, HOLANE ABLES DAVIS, MICHAEL LAWRENCE DAVIS, CHAD MARCUS DAVIS, GINGER R DAWES, JOSIE LAINE DEBARBIERIS, SEAN MICHAEL DEEL, STEVEN DEES, AMANDA JEAN DELK, MATTHEW ROBERT DENIS, LEAH ANNE DESORMEAUX, SHELIA DEVILLE, SYLVIA DOERLE, MALINDA B DOMINGUE, NICOLAS JAMES DOMINGUE, DUSTIN WAYNE DOMINGUE, NICKI ANN DORE, PAMELA S DOUCET, TATE J DUCK, CASSANDRA RAE DUFRENE, CHRISTIAN JOSEPH DUGAS, ALYSSA RENEE DUHON, ADAM E DUHON, KELLY ALEXANDER DUHON, MARY CATHERINE DUHON, CHARLES MANNING DUHON, DANNI DUCK DUHON, ROGER JOSEPH WILLIE DUHON, LENA F DUPUIS, JACOB ADAM DUPUY, SARAH SIMPSON DURIO, ANDREIA LOUISE EBOKA, JACQUES EBOKA EDISON, JOSHUA TREMANE ELKINS, DONOVON SCOTT ELLINGTON, WILLIAM K EVANS, MARISSA ALLISON FARRIS, AMANDA MICHELLE FERRY, MARJORIE F FINLEY, JAMES M FITCH, MARCIA MARIE FITZGERALD, TRISTIN BROUSSARD FLORESDELGADO, ITZEL IVONNE FONTENOT, JIMMIE P FONTENOT, LANDON JUDE FOSS, STEVEN VINCENT FOX, STEPHANIE BROOKE FRANCIS, LINTORY LASHAWN FRANK, CLARENETTA DANETTA FREDERICK, GABRIELLE PAGE FRIEND, AMY DAIGLE

NOTICE TO BIDDERS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Consolidated Govern‐ ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, Louisiana, until 11:00 am

and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in a room lo‐ cated at 705 West Univer‐ sity Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above specified time for opening shall not be considered and shall be returned unopened to the sender. Bidders may attend the bid opening in person, but are highly encouraged to virtually join the bid openings via Zoom using the following https://us02web. link: zoom.us/j/87231695830? pwd=5OfJhf2bfhASXHW b f b

FROST, PATRICIA HOFFPAUIR FRUGE, TROY GLENN FRUGE, CORY FULBRIGHT, TIFFANY NICOLE HEAD FUSELIER, JOSEPH DONALD FUSELIER, LEE J GALLAGHER, DONALD R GALLAGHER, KENNETH W GALLIEN, TIFFANY NICOLE GARZOTTO, PAULINE B GAUTREAUX, PHYLLIS BALL GILCREASE, MILBURN D GILL, CHRISTOPHER BRETT GIROUARD, PAMELA MARIE GLAUDE, KEENAN ANTHONY GLEASON, SUSAN W GOODMAN, PETER J GOTCH, BARBARA JEAN GRANGER, ELIJAH DWAYNE GRANT, ELIZABETH DUERSON GRAVOUILLA, MACI MARIE GRIFFIN, LAMARKUS QUINTAZS GRIMES, ELI LEE GUIDRY, ROLAND GUIDRY, DAVID W GUIDRY, LEVIE MARIE GUIDRY, ANNETTE T GUIDRY, BRAD JOSEPH GUILBEAU, LESLIE J GUILLOT, RONALD L HABBIT, BLAKE SAMUEL HAIK, MICHELLE GRAVOIS HAMILTON, BELVA B HANKS, BRYAN PATRICK HANSON, JARED MICHAEL HARGETT, COURTNEY MICHELLE HARMON, RONSHEKA MICHELLE HARRINGTON, MITCHELL WADE HEBERT, ROMONA D HEBERT, STACY LATOUR HEBERT, PAUL J HEBERT, TIMOTHY J HEBERT, KAVIN JOSEPH HEBERT, ANGELA W HEBERT, TAMMY L HEBERT, BRAELYN CAMILE HEBERT, MELANIE BLANSETT HEBERT, GABRIELLE ALYSE HELAIRE, JAVION ADONNUS HELDENBRAND, TROY DANIEL HENDERSON, LORNA ANN HENRY, FRANK HESSE, JASON MATTHEW HICKS, DARRELL HILL, BARTON E HOPKINS, AMANDA VURNIQUE HOSS, NICHOLAS JAMES HOTARD, ANTOINETTE HOLLIER HUTCHINS, CHANDLER P IRBY, LATOSHIA NASHA IRONS, JAZMYN DESHAE JENKINS ISTRE, RAY ALLEN JACKSON, KRISTOPHER MICHAEL BARKER JAMES, GAYLE M JOHN, DAVID MONTGOMERY JOHNSON, DANA BORNETTE JOHNSON, ISAIAH AHMAD JONES, BRYSON WILLIAM JONES, KYLIE AMIRE ROSE JONES, KARLA MICHELLE JOSEPH, GABRIEL JOSHUA JOSEPH, ANGELA RENEE JOURNET, JEFFERY JOSEPH JUSTUS, PLEASANT D KATTAVIRAVONG, ANGELA CHRISTEEN KENNEDY, DEBBY E KENNEDY, JUDITH R KIDDY, JAMIE CAROLINE KIMBLE, CATHERINE ANGELLE KING, JOHNNY WAYNE KNOTT, JOLEEANN LABBE, LOGAN KANE LABIT, ARLENE BIRD LAGASSE, MANARD M LAGRANGE, LILLIAN NOEL LAIDLAW, LYNDSIE RAE ULLOA LALONDE, BAILEIGH ELIZABETH LAMKIN, DEBORAH LYNN LANCLOS, ETHAN JESSE LANCON, VICTORIA ANNE LANDRY, REBECCA CLAIRE LANDRY, JEROMY JOSEPH LANGLINAIS, PAULETTE M LAPOINT, CAROL LAWRENCE, TINA RAMB LAWRENCE, WILLIAM L LEAL, GUILLERMO V LEBLANC, SCOTT A LEBLANC, BRITTNEY NICOLE LEDEE, SAMANTHA BREE LEON-TORRES, MIRCA GUADALUPE LEONARDS, THOMAS WAYNE LESTER, SPENCER JOSEPH LEWIS, TANEISHA SHONTELL LIBERSAT, MICHELLE RIVET LONG, MELINDA L LOPEZ, JACIE RAE LOTIEF, MICHELLE JEANETTE LOWE, KAMRON CHANCE MACMURROUGH, WIWIK S MALLERY, KELTON JARRELL MARCEL, LACEY SCOTT MARINO, GABRIELLE ELIZABETH MARTIN, DANA LYNN MARTIN, MICHAEL ANTHONY MASTAN, JAMI HASSAN MATTHEWS, ROBERT CLARENCE MCCLELLAND, HATTIE JANE MCCORD, LEA BABINEAUX MCGOLDRICK, TRENT THOMAS MCKINLEY, SHANTA RENEE MCKINNEY, THERESA PORTALIS MCRAE, ANDREW DWON MEDRANO, ISMAEL MELANCON, CULLEN ANDEL MILLER, SAMANTHA DELOME MIRE, SARAH C MONTE, MARY M MOORE, BRIAN KEITH MORGAN, ALICE E MORRIS, DAWN LAUREN MORRISON, KAYLON L MOURAIN, TODD M MOUTON, WILTON MOUTON, FREDDIE J

Public Notices Bids/Proposals p u7y58IbxH2f8ybW.1 In accordance with Louisiana RS 38:2212. vendors may submit their bid electronically at the website listed above.

Bidders wishing to sub‐ mit their bid electroni‐ cally must first be regis‐ tered within LCG Vendor Access at the website listed above. The regis‐ tration process can take some time; therefore, LCG recommends regis‐ tering days in advance of the time that bids are due. It is the sole respon‐ sibility of the bidder to ensure their bid is deliv‐ ered (whether electroni‐ cally via Vendor Access, in person, or via mail) to the Purchasing Division i h h d l d

Public Notices Bids/Proposals g prior to the scheduled date and time of the bid opening. Vendors may request the bid package electronically from An‐ toni Hoyte-Small at ahs‐ mall@lafayettela.gov.

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

Bids must be signed in accordance with LRS

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

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

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

Copies of the bidding documents are available at the Purchasing Office located at 705 West Uni‐ versity Avenue, Lafayette, LA 70506. Tele‐ phone number (337) 2918263 (Attn: Antoni HoyteSmall). Bidding docu‐ ments shall be available until twenty-four (24) hours before the bid opening date.

MYERS, TAMMY VINCENT NAVY, ASHLEE CHERELLE NEUSETZER, HENRY AUGUST NEWELL, DOUGLAS RAY NIXON, HARVEY LYNN NOEL, RAYMOND NORMAN, DARIAN MICHAELA NORTON, CAITLYN DSHAY ONEILL, SHAWN P ORGERON, KATHRYN C OUBRE, GRANT R PADDIO, MARTHA ANN PARKER, MADELINE BEATRICE PATEL, KALAVETIBEN V PATIO, EVELYN PELLERIN, KALI RAE PEREZ, FRANCES ELIZABETH PICARD, SANDRA CORMIER PICARD, LUC PHILIPPE PIERCE, RHIANNON REBEKAH PINGLEY, MICAH RYAN PIPPEN, BRANDON J POCHE, JOSHUA MICHAEL POLK, EDNA M PREJEAN, RONTREAL JAVON PREJEAN, JARRAD K PREJEAN, INGRID TRINISE PREJEAN, KARAGAN ANN PRIMEAUX, ASHLEY MENARD PRIMEAUXLAZARUS, MICHELLE PRITCHETT, SHEILA D PROVOST, PAUL RAYMOND QUOYESER, AVERY BELLIS RABEAUX, GLENN AARON RAMOS, DELMY ELIZABETH RAMOS, MIGUEL A RAY, RHIANNON MICHELLE REAVES, JAMES BERNARD REIF, LINDA TURNLEY RICE, RICO LYNN RICHARD, HANNAH LORRAINE RICHARD, TOBY JOHN RICHARD, BRETT CHRISTOPHER RIGGS, VANEQUA LASHAWN RILEY, JOHN P ROBICHAUX, CARLEY MAE ROGER, BLAKE ANTHONY ROMERO, DWAYNE ROSSER, MACKENZIE SORENSEN RUNNELS, COCO OANH RYAN, DEBORAH A SALOPEK, STEPHEN ROBERT SALSMAN, WILLIAM ERIKSON SANCHEZ, ARMANDO M SANDERS, JERAE RENEE SANTIAGO, CHASITY NICOLE SAVELL, JESSIE QUANTRILLE SCHEXNAYDER, NICHOLAS PAUL SCHRIEFER, KASH BRADLEY SENEGAL, ROSELLA MARTIN SHERIFF, CHRISTOPHER STEPHEN SHICKEL, MICHAEL R SHIVERS, SAMUEL JOSEPH SIBILLE, SYLVIA SILLAVAN, SHEILA B SIMON, BYRON EDWARD SMITH, ROBERT NORRIS SOLOMON, CLEVELAND JOSEPH SONNIER, KELSEY MARIE SPELL, VIENNA D STACKS, JASON STARAJ, SERGIO STOGNER, GARRETT PAUL STPIERRE, EVAN ALEXANDER STRICKNEY, JOSH CONRAD STROTHER, HILARY NICOLE STROUD, LISA A STUTES, GREGORY W STUTES, KENNEDY RENEE SYLVESTER, HANNAH EMILY TAUZIN, LINDA MARGARET TAYLOR, FRANK TAYLOR, JESSICA ALEXANDER TEZENO, SANDRA NOEL THERIOT, JACKLYN MICHELLE THIBEAUX, PRECIOUS GWENDA THIBODEAUX, ELIZABETH ABSHIRE THIBODEAUX, ROSEMARY NUGENT THOMAS, DEMETRIA WILLIAMS THOMAS, AMANDA HENRY THOMAS, NADIA NOELLE THOMPSON, JONATHAN WILLIAM THOMPSON, MOSE ALEXANDER TIMBER, LATOYA SHARLOW TRAHAN, CAROL A TRAHAN, DONALD P TURNER, ELLA FRANCES TWEEDEL, MICHAEL DAVID UNDERWOOD, JAMES H UNDERWOOD, CECILI COLLYN VALENZUELA, MARIE VICTORIA ROMAN VALLOT, MORIAL BRICE VARNAM, BRANDON TYLER VERDIN, REED PETER VIATOR, BARRETT JAMES VIDRINE, COLBY JACOB VIGEE, GERALDINE V VILTZ, TRONVAN ROMELL VINCENT, ABBY MARIE VOORHIES, PAUL E WADE, BURNES J WALKER, PATRICK DEION WASHINGTON, ETHAN JAMES WATKINS, LANITA IRENE WHITE, JOHN PATRICK WHITE, DERRICK RODERICK WILLIAMS, EULA M WILLIAMS, KADEN ALEXANDER WILLIS, SEAN JOSEPH WILSON, DAVID KEITH WILSON, MICHELLE COURVILLE WISE, ROBERT J WRIGHT, PAUL M ZACHARY, JOHN B ZENO, CHALIN LAMAR ZENON, DATAVANIE M ZERBE, KYLE SAMUEL ZERINGUE, BECKI J

191364-659474-jul 5-1t $ 423.36

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● 11A

lll

party reelects Iran begins dayslong funeral Far-right leaders as German

BY NASSER KARIMI and JON GAMBRELL

protesters, police clash

TEHRAN, Iran — Hundreds of thousands of mourners began a dayslong funeral on Saturday for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, beating their chests in sorrow before the glass case containing his flag-draped coffin in Tehran and calling for revenge against Israel and the United States.

The funeral for Khamenei, who ruled Iran for decades before he was killed at age 86 in a Feb. 28 airstrike in the opening moments of the Iran war, could provide a boost for the country’s theocracy and its new supreme leader, his son Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

That is important as Iran tries to leverage its hold on the Strait of Hormuz in negotiations with the U.S. over a permanent end to the war and as concern lingers that Israel could attack again.

The funeral was delayed as the war raged, and talks appear to be on hold until it is over.

During the ceremony, Iran’s top negotiator warned France and the U.K. over their comments about potentially launching joint patrols in the waterway, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil and natural gas once passed in peacetime.

Mourners wept at the sight of Khamenei’s coffin alongside those of his family members also killed in the airstrike, with some chanting: “Our word is one! Revenge! Revenge!” Some carried banners and flags. Billboards across the city bore Khamenei’s image. Crowds of men rhythmically beat their chests in mourning, a common practice at Shiite

BY DAVID KEYTON, PIETRO DE CRISTOFARO and EBRAHIM NOROOZI

Associated Press

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

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

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

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

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

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

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

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 06-29-26; 07-05-26 DPR 1006200 192360-JUN 29-JUL 5-2T $101.26 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO BIDDERS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Govern‐ Consolidated ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ Lafayette, enue, Louisiana, until 3:00 pm Central Time on the 21st day of July, 2026 for the following: PARC INTERNATIONAL PORTABLE STAGING and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in City Hall lo‐ cated at 705 West Univer‐ sity Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above specified time for opening shall not be considered and shall be returned unopened to the sender. Bidders are encouraged to attend the bid opening virtually by using the following link https://us02web.zoom. us/j/85854096902? pwd=2Un3q8lKIsELo9f RqZCZbbPMJMuS44.1 Meeting ID: 858 5409 6902 Passcode: 507384 In accordance with Louisiana RS 38:2212. vendors may submit h i bid l i ll

Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALTAF QADRI

Mourners walk through the grounds of the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran, on Saturday during the funeral ceremonies for slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family. funerals.

“Imam Khamenei was our heart, our father, our everything,” mourner Masoumeh Mohammadi said. “I still can’t believe they martyred him. We will not rest until we avenge his death.”

An outdoor stage at the Grand Mosalla resembled the stage where Khamenei once gave his speeches at a husseiniyah, or congregation hall, at his compound in downtown Tehran. There was a chair like the one he once sat in while giving his sermons, complete with a microphone on a stand and a table next to it. Above it hung an image of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who died in 1989.

Khomeini’s funeral saw chaotic scenes as millions thronged his mourning ceremony and trip to the cemetery. Khamenei’s death was only the second time Iran has lost a supreme leader

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

y their bid electronically at the website listed above.

Bidders wishing to sub‐ mit their bid electroni‐ cally must first be regis‐ tered within LCG Vendor Access at the website listed above. The regis‐ tration process can take some time; therefore, LCG recommends regis‐ tering days in advance of the time that bids are due. It is the sole respon‐ sibility of the bidder to ensure their bid is deliv‐ ered (whether electroni‐ cally via Vendor Access, in person, or via mail) to the Purchasing Division prior to the scheduled date and time of the bid opening. Vendors may request the bid package from electronically Thomas Metrejean at tg‐ metrejean@lafayettela. gov.

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

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

Copies of the bidding documents are available at the Purchasing Office located at 705 West Uni‐ Avenue, versity Lafayette, LA 70506. Tele‐ phone number (337) 2917187 (Attn: Thomas Me‐ trejean). Bidding docu‐ ments shall be available until twenty-four (24) hours before the bid opening date.

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

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

Bids will be evaluated by the Purchaser based on the lowest responsible d i bid b

Public Notices Bids/Proposals p and responsive bid sub‐ mitted which is also in compliance with the bid The documents.

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

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

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

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 7/2/2026, 7/5/2026 DPR # 1003831 192891-JUL 2-5-2T $100.76

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Consolidated Govern‐ ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, Louisiana, until 10:00 AM Central Time on the 23rd day of July, 2026 for the following: Abatement of Noxious Weeds & Growth and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in a room at City Hall located at 705 West University Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Bids re‐ ceived after the above specified time for open‐ ing shall not be consid‐ ered and shall be re‐ turned unopened to the sender.

The bid opening will be available to attend via zoom. Attendance is not mandatory. The pass‐ code is 898464 and the in‐ vite link is https:// us02web.zoom.us/j/ 84922657445?pwd=jxZ L5JWspifgIObKE12iWjW hqG9ryl.1 The meeting will be at the time of the bid open‐ ing.

Scope of Services Lawn Services shall include the following: mowing of all grassy areas, edging of all sidewalks and curbs, weed eating along all buildings, fences, and poles, air blowing, raking and removing all clip‐ pings from parking lots, sidewalks, driveways, and street curbs. No clip‐ pings shall be blown or swept into the streets and/or parking areas at any time. Grass clip‐ pings, litter, cigarette butts, and debris shall not be blown into raindrains or permitted to re‐ main on hard surfaces to eventually wash into rain-drains. Contractors shall pickup all trash and litter around site before any cutting starts.

In accordance with Louisiana RS 38:2212., vendors may submit their bid electronically at the website listed above.

Bidding Documents are available to view only at the website. Bidders may request the electronic bid k f

since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

On Saturday, volunteers sprayed cooling water on crowds in the summer heat.

Men and women congregated separately inside the Grand Mosalla after being checked by metal detectors and body searches.

Police with assault rifles stood guard on surrounding streets. Many people stayed outside in the street, lounging under the shade of trees because the city had shut down.

The caskets of his dead family members sat beneath Khamenei’s, which had his black turban atop it, identifying him as a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. The dead included the wife of Mojtaba Khamenei, whose possible appearance at the funeral remained unclear. He reportedly was wounded in the attack that killed his father and has not

been seen publicly since the war began.

“We attended the funeral to show that we are all committed to defend our country and religion,” said one mourner, Ali Kazemi.

Khamenei’s body will be transported to cities in Iran and neighboring Iraq. Authorities have shut down streets, airspace and daily life for the mourning, which will end Thursday as he is buried at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, Khamenei’s place of birth.

Authorities offered no immediate attendance count for the event Saturday. Other cities across Iran also held mourning ceremonies.

On Sunday, a prayer for the dead is planned at the Grand Mosalla. On Monday, Khamenei’s body and those of his family will be taken through the streets of Tehran, which likely will draw large crowds.

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

q bid package from (Keirston St. Amant / kstamant@Lafayettela. gov)

q cute performance and labor and material pay‐ ment bonds in the full amount of the contract as more fully defined in the bid documents.

p y bles 1, 2, & 3 in the Speci‐ fications must be sent in a separate sealed enve‐ lope with the contrac‐ tor’s license number on the outside of the enve‐ lope. Proposals should be sent to 705 West Uni‐ Avenue, versity Lafayette, LA 70506, at‐ tention: Dabne Dover.

Bidders wishing to sub‐ mit their bid electroni‐ cally must first be regis‐ tered online with Lafayette Consolidated Government as a poten‐ tial supplier at the web‐ site listed above. Bidders submitting bids electron‐ ically are required to pro‐ vide the same docu‐ ments as bidders sub‐ mitting through the mail as soon as available.

Only a bid bond, certified check or cashier’s check shall be submitted as the bid security. Electronic copies of both the front and back of the check or bid bond shall be in‐ cluded with the elec‐ tronic bid.

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

Contractors are required to attend a mandatory pre-bid meeting which will be held at 11:00 AM on WEDNESDAY, July 8, 2026 at the CDP hearing Auditorium, located at 220 W. Willow St., Build‐ ing B., Lafayette, La 70501 Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the base bid plus additive al‐ ternates. If a bid bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list of approved bonding companies which is pub‐ lished annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled in‐ surance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana. The certi‐ fied check, cashier’s check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days.

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

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

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

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

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

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH 6/24/2026, 7/5/2026 DPR 1007326

DATES: 6/28/2026,

192159-JUN 24-28-JUL 5-3T $183 PUBLIC NOTICE --REQUEST FOR PROPOS‐ ALS Notice is hereby given that sealed proposals will be received in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at Lafayette Con‐ solidated Government’s building, located at 705 West University Avenue, Louisiana, Lafayette, until 2:00 p.m. Central Time on the 23rd day of July 2026 for the follow‐ ing: AS-NEEDED POWER ELECTRICAL PLANT EQUIPMENT TESTING AND MAINTENANCE and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and the NAMES ONLY read aloud in a room located at 705 West University Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Proposals received after the above specified time for open‐ ing shall not be consid‐ ered and shall be re‐ turned unopened to the sender. Sealed proposals may be hand carried or mailed to the address listed above.

Copies of the proposal specifications are avail‐ able to VIEW ONLY on the website at https://laf ayettecsdgovla.tylerpo rtico.com/va/vendoraccess/registration. Ven‐ dors may request an electronic copy of the RFP by email to Dabne Dover at dabnedover@ lafayettela.gov.

Proposals shall be either hand delivered or mailed in a sealed envelope to the address listed above.

Proposals received after the appointed time will be determined non-re‐ sponsive and will not be opened. Sealed propos‐ als must be submitted in one (1) marked ORIGI‐ NAL, three (3) exact copies marked COPY, one (1) electronic copy in PDF format on disc or USB drive. In the event the Proposer has included Proprietary or Confiden‐ tial information in the contractor proposal, shall submit one (1) redacted copy marked eliminating REDACTED, any confidential or pro‐ prietary information. Ta‐ bl i h i

Proposals will be evalu‐ ated by the Purchaser based on the evaluation criteria outlined in the Request for Proposers.

The Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government re‐ serves the right to reject any and all proposals or any portions thereof, to waive informalities and to select the material that best suits its needs.

LCG further reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the submitted. proposal Therefore, the proposal should be sub‐ mitted initially on the most favorable terms that the Contractor can offer. At its discretion, LCG reserves the right to request best and final offers from the RFP finalists. The Con‐ tractor should be pre‐ pared to accept this RFP for incorporation into a contract resulting from this RFP. The contract may incorporate some or all of the Contractor’s proposal. It is under‐ stood that the proposal will become a part of the official file on this matter without obligation to LCG. Copies of the RFP specifi‐ cations are available at the Purchasing Office lo‐ cated at 705 West Univer‐ sity Avenue, Lafayette, 70506.

Telephone LA (337) 291number 8262(Attn: Dabne Dover).

RFP specifications shall be available until twentyfour (24) hours before the proposal opening date.

No Contractor may with‐ draw his proposal for at least forty-five (45) days after the time scheduled for the opening of pro‐ posals. Each proposal shall follow the instruc‐ tions listed in the RFP re‐ submittal of garding their proposal Contractors shall be li‐ censed for the classifica‐ tion “COMMERCIAL ELEC‐ WORK TRICAL (STATEWIDE)”. Proposals which have not bid in ac‐ cordance with the re‐ quirements, shall be re‐ jected and shall not be read. Additional informa‐ tion relative to licensing may be obtained from the Louisiana State Li‐ censing Board for Con‐ tractors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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

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

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

PURCHASING DIVISION LAFAYETTE CONSOLI‐ DATED GOVERNMENT PUBLISH DATES: 6/22; 6/28; 7/5 DPR # 1006988 191720-JUN 22-28-JUL 5-3T $150

CLASSIFIEDS WORK

ERFURT, Germany — Delegates at the national convention of the far-right Alternative for Germany party on Saturday overwhelmingly reelected its leaders, including Alice Weidel, as tens of thousands of protesters aimed to disrupt the meeting and some clashed with police.

Alternative for Germany, or AfD, sought to show unity as it voted to extend the terms of Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, who have headed it for four years as co-leaders and ran unopposed Saturday. Weidel was reelected with 81% of the vote, while Chrupalla earned 70%. German parties elect their leaders every two years.

The demonstrations outside the convention in the eastern city of Erfurt reflected how AfD has divided Germany even while becoming the biggest opposition party nationally and the strongest political force in Germany’s formerly communist east.

Saturday’s event was able to start on time despite the protests, which party officials hailed their “fundamental, legally guaranteed right to hold party conventions.”

“There are no peaceful seated blockades. There are no democratic roadblocks. Nor are there any gangs of thugs who deserve the harmless label ‘civil society.’ These troublemakers are the last resort of our political rivals,” Chrupalla said.

Mali government reports rebel attacks

By The Associated Press BAMAKO, Mali — The Malian army said Saturday that several northern towns, including Gao and Sévaré, were targeted by rebels. The statement came as a rebel group announced a new offensive to capture a northern town.

Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), said in a Facebook post that the town of Anefis was being targeted by the separatists.

Mohamed Cissé, a resident of Gao, told The Associated Press that the army is going door to door searching for attackers who are still in the city.

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS Notice is hereby given that sealed submissions will be received in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Consolidated Govern‐ ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, Louisiana, until 4:00 p.m.

Central Time on the 7th day of August, 2026 for the following: CMAR RFQ NORTHEAST REGIONAL LIBRARY and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and the NAMES ONLY read aloud in the Office of Purchas‐ ing located at 705 West University Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Submis‐ sions received after the above specified time for opening shall not be con‐ sidered and shall be re‐ turned unopened to the sender. Sealed submis‐ sions may be hand car‐ ried or mailed to the ad‐ dress listed above.

This project will consist of the new construction of a one-story Public Li‐ brary. It is anticipated that the building will be approximately 21,275 square feet in size. The building will be con‐ structed on 6.50 acres of land leased by LCG near the corner of Louisiana Ave and Carmel Drive.

The 21,275 SF Branch Li‐ brary is expected to in‐ clude a large multipur‐ pose room, classroom, li‐ brary collection stacks, quiet reading room, study rooms, designated children’s and teen areas, along with staff work areas and offices.

The site will include parking, vehicular drop off, drainage, and out‐ door program space. (All of the foregoing is collec‐ tively referred to herein as the “Project”). The Owner further reserves the right to add or sub‐ tract work as deemed appropriate at the time of execution of the work.

The project schedule is attached.

All work to be completed

by December 15, 2027.

Submissions shall be ei‐ ther hand delivered or mailed in a sealed enve‐ lope to the address listed below. Submissions re‐ ceived after the ap‐ pointed time will be de‐ termined non-responsive and will not be opened.

Respondents must sub‐ mit the original signed qualifications state‐ ments, eight (8) copies and a single electronic copy in PDF format on a USB drive by the Submis‐ sion Deadline. Respon‐ dents must submit elec‐ tronic versions of the safety plan in PDF format on a separate USB drive by the Submission Dead‐ line. A hard copy of the safety plan is not needed.

Submissions should be sent to 705 West Univer‐ sity Avenue, Lafayette, LA 70506 attention Heather Kestler.

A mandatory project meeting will be held on July 9, 2026 at 10:00AM in the Large Conference Room of the Public Works Administration Building located at 1515 East University Avenue, Lafayette, Louisiana 70501. Interested firms are encouraged to attend the entirety of the pro‐ ject meeting to submit a Qualifications Statement to be considered respon‐ sive to this solicitation.

Copies of the RFQ speci‐ fications are available at the Purchasing Office lo‐ cated at 705 West Univer‐ sity Avenue, Lafayette, LA 70506.

Telephone number (337) 2918071(Attn: Heather Kestler) and online at https://lafayettecsdgov la.tylerportico.com/va/ d i

“For the moment, the calm has returned. But I learned that the attackers are still in a part of the city, so I stay inside the house with the family,” said Ousmane Maiga, another resident.

In a later statement, the Malian army claimed that “the situation is completely under control.” It added that in Sévaré, “20 terrorists on motorcycles and equipped vehicles were neutralized.”

But Rawani Ahmed Bouya, a member of the FLA and head of the National Office of the Azawad diaspora, told the AP that Anefis was under FLA control and that the fighting was almost over. His claim could not independently verified.

Public Notices Bids/Proposals y p vendor-access/registr ation. RFQ specifications shall be available until twenty-four (24) hours before the submission deadline.

No Vendor may withdraw his submission for at least ninety (90) days after the time scheduled for the opening of pro‐ posals. Each proposal shall follow the instruc‐ tions listed in the RFQ re‐ garding submittal of their proposal.

Qualifications State‐ ments that have not been received in the re‐ quired format and quan‐ tity by the aforemen‐ tioned deadline date and time will be rejected. Ad‐ ditionally, failure to sub‐ mit all of the information stipulated per Section VI of the RFQ, may result in the submission being considered non-respon‐ sive and may result in the Qualifications State‐ ment being rejected. Un‐ less otherwise stated or required by the instruc‐ tions, all attachments and/or embellishments other than those re‐ quired in the RFQ shall be excluded.

Respondents, their con‐ sultants, sub-consul‐ tants, or other parties representing the pro‐ posed team for this Pro‐ ject shall not attempt to directly contact and/or influence any member of the Selection Review Committee, Lafayette City-Parish Council mem‐ bers, Lafayette MayorPresident, or other senior management associated with this Project, with the exception of the RFQ Coordinator, after receipt of this RFQ, and prior to contract award. Doing so will be grounds for dis‐ qualification.

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

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

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

Contractors or contract‐ ing firms submitting qualifications to perform work in the amount of $50,000.00 or more shall certify that they are li‐ censed contractors under Chapter 24 of Title 37 of the Louisiana Re‐ vised Statutes of 1950 and show their license number on the front of the sealed envelope in which their bid is en‐ closed. Contractors shall be licensed for the clas‐ Building sification of Construction. Additional information relative to li‐ censing may be obtained from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Con‐ tractors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 7/1, 7/5 DPR # 1003830 191569 July 1, 15, 2t $111.98

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

PUBLIC NOTICE --Agenda City Zoning Commission Public Meeting Monday, July 20, 2026 5:30 P.M., or immediately following the conclusion of the Lafayette City Planning Commission, whichever occurs later Community Development and Planning Depart‐ ment 220 West Willow Street, Building C Town Hall Auditorium I. Call to Order II. Chair’s Opening Re‐ marks III. Approval of the Min‐ utes June 15, 2026 IV. New Business 1. Case No. 2026-15-REZ 200 Coussan Road (Tract 1-A) Annexation A request for a zoning classification of RS-1 (Residential Single-Fam‐ ily) for property pro‐ posed for annexation into the city of Lafayette located generally north of West Pont des Mouton Road, east of Veterinar‐ ian Road, and south of Coussan Road.

V. Other Business 1. Director’s Report and review of Lafayette City Council action on mat‐ ters previously consid‐ ered by the Zoning Com‐ mission.

VI. Adjournment 192866-JUL 5-15-19-3T $36.12

PUBLIC NOTICE --Agenda Lafayette Historic Preser‐ vation Commission (LHPC) 3:00 P.M. Thursday, July 16, 2026 Lafayette City-Parish Hall 2nd Floor 705 W. University Avenue Community Development and Planning Depart‐ ment Library I. Call to Order II. Visitor Introductions III. Approval of the Min‐ utes – Action Requested.

A. January 15, 2026 B. April 16, 2026 IV. Communication V. Consideration for Nomination None.

VI. Consideration Designation

for

None.

VII. New Business 1. September 21,2026: Midcentury Celebrate Acadiana - Presentations and Panel Discussion, 5:30–7:30 at ACA – An‐ nouncement.

2. Fatima Church Na‐ tional Register Nomina‐ tion – Presentation by Roxana Usner VIII. Old Business None.

IX. Other Business Commission Housekeep‐ ing.

X. Public Comment XI. Adjournment 192990-JUL 5-1T $26.61

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12A ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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TODAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Some sun with a t-storm; humid

Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm

Humid; an afternoon t-storm

Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm

Partly sunny and humid

Partly sunny and humid

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

90° 76°

LOW

HIGH

90° 76°

LOW

89° 77°

Beaumont 92/77 Port Arthur 92/78

Baton Rouge 91/75

Lake Charles 92/77

New Orleans 91/77 Houma 88/74

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

0s

Hattiesburg 92/74

Alexandria 89/74

Lafayette 90/76

10s

20s

30s

40s

50s

LOW

HIGH

LOW

92° 78°

YESTERDAY

TODAY

READING 39 MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

Lafayette through 5 p.m. Saturday

Jackson 90/73 Many 90/73

HIGH

91° 77°

TEMPERATURE

Longview 94/74

-0s

LOW

Monroe 93/75

Shreveport 92/75

-10s

HIGH

90° 76°

The heat will continue this holiday weekend, although it won’t be quite as hot as what we experienced yesterday. Expect a partly cloudy, hot and humid Sunday with scattered showers and storms.

Some thunderstorms today could be fairly intense. Temperatures this afternoon will be about where they should, rising to the low to the mid-90s. Humidity will remain high, so temperatures will feel like the triple digits. The UV index is at the very high level, so wear your hat, shades and sunscreen.

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

Austin Boston Dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami Nashville

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

92°/76° 91°/75° 91°/76° 100° in 1921 59° 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

11:04p 11:56a 9:21a 11:24a 12:27p 12:03p 1:35p

6:12 a.m.

8:13 p.m.

11:48 p.m.

11:17 a.m.

NEW

FIRST

JUL 14

Hi

98 77 99 71 87 105 90 91 92

TODAY Lo

75 66 77 52 75 83 72 79 73

FULL

JUL 21

W

pc c t sh r s t t t

JUL 29

Hi

97 70 97 76 87 106 86 93 89

GOOD

PRECIPITATION

MON. Lo

74 64 75 54 75 83 71 78 73

W

pc r t pc pc s t sh t

FT.

LOW

0.00” 0.68” 0.90” 35.09” 32.05”

FT.

HIGH

0.4 9:56a 0.0 1.0 2:30a 0.0 1.5 2:56p 1.0 1.5 3:33a 0.5 0.8 10:20p 0.3 1.0 9:06p 0.3 1.0 11:22p 0.4

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

FT.

--- --5:16p 1.0 6:46p 1.0 10:06p 1.1 --- ----- ----- ---

LOW

FT.

--- --2:30p 0.9 --- --6:05p 1.0 --- ----- ----- ---

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 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

City

New Orleans Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Raleigh St. Louis San Diego Tampa

4:08a 4:55a 5:41a 6:27a 7:15a 8:06a 9:00a

Hi

91 92 92 110 82 100 85 75 91

10:19a 11:06a 11:52a 12:15a 1:01a 1:51a 2:44a

TODAY Lo

77 76 72 88 69 77 71 65 80

GOOD

4:30p 10:40p 5:16p 11:27p 6:03p ---6:51p 12:39p 7:42p 1:28p 8:35p 2:20p 9:32p 3:16p

W

t t t pc t pc t s t

Hi

88 93 77 113 80 96 87 74 91

MON. Lo

77 75 69 89 67 76 68 66 79

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

W

t t t s t t t pc t

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

SAT. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

19.20 40.50 43.00 26.70 17.60 13.23 8.70

-0.50 +0.29 none -0.20 +0.10 +0.08 +0.07

40

32.46

-1.92

19

-1.33

-0.02

18 29 8

-0.61 11.42 1.99

-0.05 -0.08 -0.12

13 15

1.80 1.73

+0.07 -0.26

47 34 29 20 12 6

23.14 17.48 15.08 12.02 7.00 3.60

+0.10 +0.05 +0.13 +0.08 +0.20 -0.08

data as of 7 a.m. Saturday

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

Tribes hope Farm Bill can feed people, preserve culture

National Park staff ordered not to reveal deaths, report says

Associated Press

By The Los Angeles Times

BY JOSHUA A. BICKEL and JENNIFER MCDERMOTT

HOPKINTON, R.I. — At Ashawaug Farm in southwest Rhode Island, Dawn and Cassius Spears preserve their Indigenous knowledge of agriculture through the cultivation and keeping of three Narragansett heritage crops: white corn, succotash beans and crookneck squash.

They would like to expand their farm’s reach beyond their farm stand, but it’s challenging.

Like many small food producers, the Spears have sought financial assistance through federal programs. Some have been cut or significantly scaled back under the Trump Administration, including U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that helped tribal farmers.

Tribes relied on these programs to grow and distribute culturally-significant foods locally.

“When we go into these federal programs, we’re hoping that they’ll last long enough,” Cassius Spears said. “They usually start out with a good song and dance. And they’re going to last a long time. And then something happens where they get cut.”

The Biden administration started two programs during the pandemic to help states and tribes purchase local food from nearby farmers for food banks and schools: the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program and the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program. These programs offered farmers, including tribal farmers, reliable markets for their products. Tribal governments received assistance to purchase food from local producers to distribute to tribal members.

This allowed tribes to get federal dollars directly to smallscale producers, said Carly

Griffith Hotvedt, executive director of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative and a member of Cherokee Nation.

The Spears’ farm provided food for a tribal farm in nearby Connecticut that used LFPA funds, after an agreement was signed in August 2022.

In some instances, tribes used those dollars to source culturally-significant foods for tribal members such as bison meat, certain types of berries and wild rice that were included as part of a food box distribution.

For some low-income tribal members, it was the best way to access these types of foods, Hotvedt said.

“It wasn’t just commodity foods in that box. It was highly local, traditionally relevant, culturally relevant foods that were included,” Hotvedt said.

In March 2025, under the Trump administration, the Agriculture Department ended the two programs that provided more than $1 billion for schools and food banks, saying that they no longer aligned with the agency’s goals.

U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, and Sen. Jim Justice, a West Virginia Republican, introduced a bill they say takes the best from the two programs and creates a permanent grant program. It would allow state and tribal governments to buy local foods from local and regional producers to distribute to nearby hunger relief programs and schools.

Reed said he feared that when the USDA programs were cut, families across the country would have a more difficult time getting access to food. And, he said, the access wouldn’t be to nutritious, freshly grown produce.

Reed said he’s hoping to get the legislation passed as part of the Farm Bill, the massive, multi-year law that governs agricultural and food programs.

The House passed its version

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By JOSHUA A. BICKEL

Dawn Spears, left, and her grandson, Giizhig, 9, right, prepare tomatoes for planting in April at a farm in Hopkinton, R.I. of the bill in April, and a Senate committee released its draft in late June. The House version also includes a bipartisan proposal for a permanent program modeled after the Local Food Purchase Assistance program.

It would allow states, through the USDA, to establish cooperative agreements connecting local farmers and producers with local food distribution organizations.

Both proposals would set aside 10% of the program’s funding for tribes.

For a new program to succeed, Congress must include mandatory funding in order to help farmers better plan, purchase supplies and hire staff because they know they’re going to sell products through those programs, said Hannah Quigley, a policy specialist with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. The House version would require Congress to agree on funding annually, she added.

Reed said he’s advocating for mandatory funding in the Senate because without it very little is funded these days, and because farms are under so much pressure economically.

An optional program wouldn’t help them as much, he said.

“We really want to punch through the existing obstacles for small farmers and Native American farmers,” he said.

Dawn and Cassius Spears would like to see Indigenous producers prioritized when tribal entities purchase food.

And they said they think having dedicated programs that

Indigenous producers can access outside of their tribal government would help more Indigenous producers.

Under the canopy of one of her farm’s high tunnels at the start of this year’s planting season, Dawn Spears carefully organized her tomato crop, separating the tiny plants before moving them to a field outside.

The name of the 6-acre farm is an homage to the Narragansett name of the river that flows through town. It started as a small community garden and food sovereignty project.

One of her grandsons, 9-yearold Giizhig, walked in to ask if she needed help.

“Only if you want to,” Spears replied. “It’s always good to know how to do it, right?”

Teaching the next generation about where food comes from and how to grow responsibly is key for her. But her culture isn’t just about cultivating crops. It’s also about gathering foods they eat from the wild and being able to preserve and access land where those foods are.

She’s working to protect the land around their farm as development grows with the hope of introducing native plants into that area that can be foraged for food. Federal funding programs can also help with securing access to land, she said.

“If you take a person away from the land that they come from, then it’s like they’re not whole,” she said. “We have to eat the food that’s naturally from that space that we come from.”

The Trump administration is reportedly ordering staff not to confirm deaths or details about severe injuries at U.S. national parks — but officials are adamant the policy is not meant to conceal information from the public.

In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, an Interior Department spokesperson said the “narrative” that the agency is trying to obscure information “is false and reflects a significant mischaracterization of the Department’s guidance.”

An internal memo, circulated in December and first reported by The Washington Post, states that Department of the Interior employees, including National Park Service staff, are not permitted to confirm deaths that take place in federal park facilities. Only “appropriate authorities” can confirm a fatality after coordinating with the communications office and notifying the decedent’s next of kin, the Post reported, citing the memo.

The memo did not specify what agency would be tasked with confirming deaths, according to the Post.

The Department of Interior did not respond to a request from the Los Angeles Times asking to review the memo. But as reported by the Post, it states that the department “shall not confirm the severity of injuries” and “may state only that an individual was transported and the method of transport.”

Staff are permitted only to confirm that an incident happened, the general location where it occurred and that authorities are responding, according to the Post.

Last month, Park Service staff have offered only minimal details about two deaths at California national parks, including a fatality at Yosemite in which a young man perished after falling from a nearly 600-foot waterfall.

A Yosemite National Park spokesperson would only confirm the date of the incident, that it involved a 23-year-old man and that the agency is investigating.

“Emergency personnel responded to the incident, which remains under investigation.

No additional information is available at this time,” the spokesperson wrote.

In an email, an Interior Department spokesperson told The Times that “the guidance was developed to create a more consistent approach to incident communications across the Department and is not intended to conceal fatalities or delay information.”

METRO

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

|

S u n d ay, J u ly 5, 2026

1Bn

BIG BOOM

Gulf shark levels rebound But experts say swimmers have little to fear

BY MARTHA SANCHEZ Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

A fireworks show is held during the Red, White & Boom Youngsville Independence Day celebration on Friday at the Youngsville Amphitheater.

The growing crowds on Gulf Coast beaches are beginning to confront an uneasy truth: They are now sharing the water with more sharks than they have in decades.

After years of conservation work, the population of many shark species that live near the coastline and out at sea are returning to levels not seen since the 1970s.

Their return is helping restore nature’s delicate balance. It is also raising new safety questions as record numbers of visitors arrive to swim and fish across Alabama and Florida.

“People are just going to have to get used to seeing sharks,” said Dean Grubbs, an associate director of research at Florida State University, who has studied the animals for more than two decades.

“And they’re going to have to take precautions.”

Florida Panhandle residents were rattled earlier this summer when a shark attacked and severely injured a man swimming near a U.S. Navy Installation in Panama City. Days earlier, authorities near WaterColor, Florida, temporarily closed 5 miles of beachfront amid reports of a possible shark bite after a child emerged from kneedeep water with a leg wound.

The incidents made harrowing headlines for the first time since 2024, when sharks bit three tourists in one day at beaches along Florida’s Scenic Highway 30A. But researchers say beachgoers have little to fear. Sharks are already swimming in their midst, and the chances of being attacked are almost infinitesimal.

“If everybody knew how close they swam to sharks, they’d be terrified,” said Gavin Naylor, director of a shark research program at the Florida Museum of Natural History, which manages a database of shark attacks around the world.

“If the sharks really wanted to target people, we’d have about 5,000 shark bites a day,” he added.

“But the fact that we see so few of them means the sharks are doing their level best to avoid these people.”

It is difficult to track precisely how many sharks are living across the Gulf. But researchers know the population of many species

ä See SHARK, page 4B

Crowley women arrested KK’s Café to open second location in fraud crackdown Popular eatery will take over Duo accused of submitting false Medicaid documents

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR

Staff writer

Two Crowley women are among 21 people arrested on charges of Medicaid fraud or cruelty to those in need in a state Attorney General’s Office operation.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced the operation was conducted by a Medicaid Fraud Control Unit that has been elevated to a stand-alone division in the Louisiana Department of Justice.

Valerie Roy and Victoria Bertran Trahan, both listed as from Crowley, were among those arrested in the operation.

Roy was arrested June 19, charged with two counts of Med-

icaid fraud, according to Murrill’s office.

She was employed as a direct service worker for Golden Rule Care Provider in Breaux Bridge, supposedly providing services to a Medicaid recipient while simultaneously clocking in at a second job. Roy allegedly submitted false documents for services she did not perform.

Medicaid paid $6,199 for services not actually provided.

Trahan was arrested June 22, charged with two counts of Medicaid fraud, a felony.

She also allegedly filed false documents reporting she provided services to a Medicaid recipient but did not provide those services.

Trahan’s alleged false submissions resulted in $9,014 in Medicaid being paid for services not provided.

ä See FRAUD, page 4B

Pizza Amore space

BY ADAM DAIGLE

Acadiana business editor A Youngsville restaurant will open in the former Pizza Amore space just off Interstate 49 in Carencro.

KK’s Café owners Lee and Wendy Oubre signed a lease for the space at 3730 NE Evangeline Thruway, Suite F, after it became available earlier this month.

It will be the second location for the Oubres, who bought the restaurant at 905 Savoy Road, Suite 5, seven years ago.

They hope to complete work inside the building to open before Aug. 1.

“We’ve got a lot of customers who already come in from Carencro,” Lee Oubre said. “We feel it’s far enough from Youngsville to not cannibalize our sales here. That’s important. We’ve got to keep this baby running here.”

The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and specializes in homemade meals, according to its website. Its meals are made from scratch, and it also offers homemade cheesecake in 15 flavors.

It also offers barbecue meals on Sundays with an advisory of “when it’s gone, it’s gone.”

The Oubres bought the restaurant from siblings Kay Speer and Kirk Louviere and keep it familythemed, including not selling alcoholic beverages

PROVIDED PHOTO

KK’s Cafe’s signature homemade fruit tart

and playing Christian music. Now married for almost 40 years, the Oubres have three children, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

“We’re looking to grow the business and extend our legacy to our children,” Lee Oubre said. “We know Carencro is growing. We have a good product, and we’re more than sure we can make this work.

We’re ready for a second location.”

2B ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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

OUR VIEWS

ARTISTS’ VIEWS

AMERICA

What started 250 years ago continues today The founding of a nation is serious business.

And as they gathered in Philadelphia 250 years ago, the delegates of the Second Continental Congress knew this.

To break with all that they knew and to establish something the world had never before seen — a nation rooted in the right of the people to govern themselves — took a measure of courage that we can only marvel at today.

The Declaration of Independence opens with that famous triad of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” And it ends with another as the signatories stood on a precipice of history and proclaimed, “we mutually pledge our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor” to this cause.

These final words are worthy of reflection for us two and a half centuries later.

The founders had no guarantee of success. No model to follow. They surely had their individual differences and petty grievances. Yet they put these aside and joined together with faith in one another and in the future. And what they started succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

Could they imagine that 13 colonies would grow into a nation that leads the world in commerce, technology, innovation and so many other areas? That our land mass would span from sea to shining sea? That one day, their descendants would be called on in two world wars to save the lands they had left? That the United States of America they created in pen and ink would land a man on the moon?

That’s not to say that there have not been failures, challenges and upsets over the course of this history. There were the dark days when we turned on each other in civil war. We still wrestle with the fact that the framers’ version of freedom left so many people on the outside looking in. But we also must acknowledge that they gave us institutions to address these injustices.

How they found the strength to build the America we live in today is embedded in that last line of the Declaration — they mutually pledged. They stood together come what may.

They were ready to lose everything — except belief in one another and this great experiment they were about to embark upon. That’s the only way anyone could take such a risk.

So in this 250th year, we too must turn to one another and pledge again to uphold ideals of this nation come what may. For all our divisions and disagreements, when most Americans see their neighbor in need, they come to help. When we are called to serve, we answer. When there’s a job to do, we do it.

That’s the American way. It was true at our founding and it is true today. May this semiquincentennial year not only remind us of our history, but also of the continuing work of building a nation that began 250 years ago.

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

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Managing Editor/ Enterprise

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Managing Editor

Managing Editor, New Orleans

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Senior Editor Senior Editor

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Executive VP, Operations

Chief Revenue Office

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VP/ Consumer Sales

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● 3B

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COMMENTARY The Declaration of Independence was only the beginning. In order to form a working government, the founders drafted the Constitution, which laid a framework for our country. The Constitution was adopted on September 17, 1787. Shortly afterward, the framers appended 10 amendments known as The Bill of Rights to limit the powers of the government they had created. The Bill of Rights was ratified by the states on December 15, 1791.

The Preamble We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The Bill of Rights THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.

RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all, or any of which Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz.

ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed

by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.

Amendment I

Amendment VI

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Amendment II A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VII In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

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

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4B ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Community Coffee offers unique tastes Family-owned company works to entice next generation

BY LIZ SWAINE Staff writer

It is not unusual for Matt Saurage Sr. to strike up a conversation in the coffee aisle at the grocery store.

If someone looks confused about a roast or flavor, he said he has given some advice.

Saurage is part of the fourth generation to own and run Baton Rouge-based Community Coffee and is the current chair of the board. “We’re one of the few remaining regional companies, much less independent family-owned companies, in the United States,” he said.

Community Coffee is available worldwide through e-commerce, but in terms of grocery store penetration, Saurage says to think of the reach of Southeastern Conference football — from south Louisiana through Texas to southern Missouri across to the Carolinas and up the East Coast.

The company’s connection to the communities they serve matters. Saurage’s emails include his cellphone number, which he answers. He is also a regular at the grocery store, where he buys his own coffee and occasionally shares recommendations with other shoppers.

“I want to know what it feels like to buy it and pay for it and drink it. So when people are able to reach me and tell me a story, good or bad, it really connects me to the business,” he said.

“It connects my son and my daughter who work here. I share the emails with my mom. She responds to a lot of them because they may be stories of things that

happened in the past.”

Saurage’s day generally starts with a signature blend dark roast, hot, and usually black, one of his up to six cups of coffee per day. He might switch to one of the company’s cold brews before dinner.

He said he believes coffee is unique in that, as much as a beverage, it is an important social ritual.

“You know, there’s not many things you do during the day that you have to go through a process of preparation for yourself and to enjoy. So there’s a lot of therapy to it. I believe that’s why people say that coffee relaxes them and centers them, even though it has caffeine,” Saurage said.

Challenges aplenty The coffee industry, like others, has faced years of challenges and changes.

There was COVID-19, then supply chain issues, then weather, then tariffs.

“I’ve challenged the company, and we just kept doing what we can do, and as a family just accepted this is going to be a really tough year and we’re not gonna make money. But we’re not going to sacrifice the brand for short-term gain,” Saurage said.

Thankfully, things are looking better. While tariffs are unpredictable, agricultural conditions are “really good,” he said.

The grocery/retail part of the business is also changing. No longer is shelf space a determinant of the number of products that can be offered.

“In some ways, the shelf is getting larger, because of the Walmart dot com, the Amazon dot coms of the world have created a virtual shelf now,” Saurage said.

“You still have to perform, but it’s a little easier to have flavors in limited-time offers multiple times during the year by rotating them

PROVIDED PHOTO

Green coffee beans fall from a burlap bag in Community Coffee’s Port Allen production plant. through e-commerce.”

It’s not just about flavored coffees, although Community’s caramel cookie butter, French vanilla, hazelnut crème, Irish cream, pecan praline and vanilla waffle cone continue to duke it out with long-time favorite Mardi Gras king cake. It’s also about people wanting to buy whole beans to grind and brew at home.

“I see whole bean coffee and brewing at home to be an exciting area for our brand,” Saurage said.

Home preparation is changing as well, from a traditional drip pot to single-serve K-Cups and capsules. Younger customers are purchasing ready-todrink cold brews.

Community offers another unique regional appeal with its chicory-blend coffee, which incorporates endive root sourced from northeastern France. The carrot-shaped root, which is caffeine-free and sweet, is broken and roasted.

“It adds a lot of body and

color and mouth feel to the coffee, so it can be heavy.

To bring out the sweetness, though, you need to put just a touch of sugar, and it absolutely just brilliantly makes it kind of a sweet flavor to it,” Saurage said. “The hidden benefit to chicory is that it is a superfood.”

It is possible coffee flows through Saurage’s veins.

His mother first put a little coffee in milk and sugar for him when he was around 3 years old. “I remember distinctly when I was in elementary school, drinking coffee with milk and sugar with my grandparents.”

His business is planning now for the next generation of coffee drinkers.

“We want to have a real growing, energetic, healthy industry for my children, my grandchildren to inherit, and our employees to participate in over a very long time. We owe all of our success as a brand to the people who consume our product, you know, it’s as simple as that,” he said.

SHARK

Obituaries Clark Alford, Karron

Karron Angela Clark Alford of Baton Rouge, LA, was called home to her Heavenly Father on June 30, 2026, at the age of 48.

Karron's greatest joy and highest calling was being a mother. Her deep, unconditional love lives on through her two children, Zoe and Keaton, who were the absolute center of her world and her greatest blessings. Her gentle spirit and devotion will continue to guide them as they carry her legacy forward.

Some of their most cherished moments as a family were spent together right at home, baking with Zoe, tending to the garden with Keaton and acting as his number one fan, or enjoying their laughter and friendly competition on family game nights.

Her memory will also be lovingly kept alive by her sister Shannon and her husband George Veeder, along with their children Bailey and Ietta, and by her brother Jason and his wife Dulcie. Karron is now peacefully reunited in glory with her mother, Susan, and her father, Stan Clark.

A faithful servant with a quiet, humble heart, Karron poured her love into her home and community.

While she enjoyed her work with the State of Louisiana Tourism and loved helping others discover new places, her true dedication was always to the family God entrusted to her.

Her kindness, grace, and steady love will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew her.

To honor Karron's memory and walk in her spirit of generosity, the family welcomes acts of kindness or donations to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) at https://themmrf.org/.

A date for Karron's memorial service has not been decided at this time.

Guidry, Bette Atkins

Lafayette, LA, Carla Guidry, of Clearwater, FL, Joy Kennamer, of Oklahoma City, OK, and Jill Guidry (Jeff Barnard), of Santa Rosa, CA, and her son, Michael 'Brent' Guidry, of Lafayette, LA. She is survived by her eight grandchildren, Megan Letchworth (Herb), Sam Kennamer, Jeff Kennamer, Jill Bonar Gaspard (Jarod), Sara Bonar, Alyssa Kennamer, Jackson Barnard, and Simone Barnard, her great granddaughter Marren Lawrence, and 'adopted' son Grady Lynn; her brother, Jack Blank (Martha), and step grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Milton Francis Guidry, Sr.; her father, Robert Emmet Atkins; her mother, Helen Joy McCluskey Blank, her sister, Joy Atkins Nelson; her two sons, Milton Francis Guidry, Jr., and Greg Philip Guidry, and her son-in-law, Craig Roy Kennamer. Bette leaves a legacy of love, beauty, sass, charm, care, and laughter, and will be deeply missed by all who had the good fortune to have known her. Always in our hearts, her memory will be cherished forever. A Celebration of Life will be held on July 10, 2026, at Community Baptist Church, 800 Rue du Belier, Lafayette, LA 70506.

Visitation from 10:00am 12:00pm.

Service at 12:00pm. Special thanks are extended to Shanna of Acadiana WOW, Laura and Victoria of Unity Home Health for their compassionate care, and Johnny for his cheerful daily visits with Meals on Wheels. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bette's name to the Lafayette Council on Aging: Adopt a Senior for Meals on Wheels Program, 337-262-5990, www.laf-coa.org/supportus Online full-length obituary and guest book may be viewed at www.fountainm emorialfuneralhome.com.

Fountain Memorial Funeral Home and Cemetery, 1010 Pandora St., 337-981-7098, is in charge of arrangements.

How to place an Obituary Notice EMAIL:

obits@theadvocate.com OR CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION:

225-388-0289

Continued from page 1B dropped when the U.S. opened trade with China in the 1970s, which gave fishermen access to international shark fin markets.

Fisheries management plans that began in the 1990s started to help populations bounce back. Now, the resurgence is posing a complex new question for many fast-growing beach communities: Are humans ready to live with sharks?

Some governments are already responding. President Donald Trump last week signed legislation backed by Alabama Sen. Katie Britt creating a process for sending emergency cellphone alerts to beachgoers near any future shark attacks. The bill is known as “Lulu’s Law” in honor of Lulu Gribbin, an Alabama teenager who survived the 30A attack in 2024.

“The timing of this law couldn’t be better,” Britt said last week, “as countless Americans are enjoying our nation’s beaches this summer.”

Researchers say the return of sharks, which Gulf Coast visitors sometimes spot from condo balconies overlooking the water, can keep other species in check.

Scientists have documented the number of baby bull sharks in Mobile Bay, Alabama, has grown by fivefold over the past two decades as waters warm there.

Great white sharks are migrating thousands of miles from the northeast United States to the Gulf each winter, though most stay miles from shore.

FRAUD

Continued from page 1B A Lake Charles woman, Moriah Edwards, also was arrested as part of the operation. She was charged with cruelty to persons with infirmities.

Edwards, according

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.

Bette Jane Guidry, née Atkins, was born July 8, 1927, in New Orleans, LA. She passed away on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at her residence in Lafayette, LA. Bette is survived by her four daughters, Mona Izzo (Danny), of

TO PLACE A MEMORIAL AD GO TO:

obituaries.theacadianaadvocate.com, click submit an obituary and select create a memoriam.

PHOTO PROVIDED By WALTON COUNTy SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Medical personnel carry a shark attack victim from the beach in Walton County, Florida, on June 7, 2024.

The shift is also forcing fishermen to adapt. One angler was bit last month after he hooked a bull shark near Pensacola, Florida.

Congress is considering establishing a federal task force that would help anglers solve the pesky and growing problem of sharks snatching fish from their lines.

And scientists are confronting a surge of questions as they race to understand how climate change will impact sharks’ behavior in the future. Researchers believe some shark species are now swimming closer to Gulf Coast shores earlier in the year and staying there longer as water temperatures warm.

But they are still studying how shark habitats might change and what species will prove most resilient as climate change intensifies.

to Murrill’s office, was a direct service worker employed by Normal Life of Lake Charles/ ResCare to provide care to a Medicaid recipient with profound intellectual disabilities and Down syndrome.

The plan of care included 24-hour monitoring.

“It is a giant unknown,” shark in murky waters that Grubbs said. may have confused the victim with a sea turtle. The Rare attacks man was hospitalized and Twenty-three unprovoked remained in intensive care shark attacks have been last month.

“It’s a very sad situation,” reported over the past 25 years in the waters between Carlson told the news outlet. southeast Louisiana and the “It was a likely mistake.”

Many Gulf Coast beach Florida Panhandle, according to the Florida Museum cities already monitor of Natural History’s da- their waters for dangerous tabase. Just one has been marine life and fly purple fatal: A bull shark killed a flags at beaches to warn 14-year-old from Gonzales, visitors of animals, includwho was boogie boarding ing sharks, stingrays and about 100 yards offshore jellyfish. Scientists say from a beach near Destin precautionary steps — like in 2005. avoiding swimming near Researchers say such fishermen or in cloudy watragedies are often the re- ters — could become more sult of confusion. John Carl- important over the next deson, who researches sharks cade. for the National Oceanic “Everybody’s always sayand Atmospheric Admin- ing there’s so many sharks istration, told WJHG-TV around,” Naylor said. in Panama City Beach that “Their numbers are coming the recent attack there back to where they should probably involved a bull be.”

Edwards allegedly left the patient unattended in her vehicle for an extended period of time.

The recipient was found covered in sweat and was seated on top of what appeared to be a trash bag.

Contact Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate. com

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These Saints in position to break out

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

It would be an overexaggeration to say the New Orleans Saints’ chances next season start and end with Tyler Shough.

But not by much.

Yes, the same could be said about every starting quarterback and team in the NFL. The idea has become a cliche for a good reason. But at the risk of relying on tired tropes, the Saints are banking on Shough to carry them in 2026. And the second-year signal-caller has more than embraced the responsibility.

From organizing workouts with teammates in the off hours to taking on more of a leadership role, Shough understands the weight the job entails. For the Saints to snap a five-year playoff drought, the 26-year-old will have to build on his electric rookie campaign — and then some.

“I’ve been able to learn over time just to be yourself,” Shough said. “To be a good leader, you have to serve others and you have to develop those relationships.”

That said, Shough isn’t in this alone. He and the Saints would likely point out that results rarely come down to just one player.

And so, as much as the Saints are counting on their quarterback’s growth this coming fall, there are a handful of others who could also be on the verge of taking their game to another level.

These are the Saints’ breakout candidates of 2026, not including Shough.

|

S u n d ay, J u ly 5, 2026

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SEASON OF HOPE

CB Kool-Aid McKinstry McKinstry already has changed his jersey number more times (four) than he’s played seasons (two). But the Alabama product is back wearing No. 1, the same number when he became a bona fide star in college and erased an entire side of the field. Will this be the year he earns that reputation as a shutdown corner in the NFL? He has work to do for that to happen. According to Pro Football Focus, McKinstry allowed the seventh-most yards (676) among cornerbacks last season. But it wasn’t all bad. He allowed a passer rating of 101.1 on those plays, which ranks just 74th. He also

ä See SAINTS, page 3C

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough looks to make a pass during minicamp on June 16 at the team’s indoor practice facility in Metairie. STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Quarterback is first reason to believe Saints will break through in 2026 July is the season for optimism in the NFL. Every team is undefeated and magically has fixed whatever ailed it in the offseason. It’s the time for unbridled hope and optimism, and the New Orleans Saints are in that number.

The Saints are coming off a 6-11 campaign that marked their third losing season in the past four years. They missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive campaign.

But there are reasons to believe those streaks will end this season, and the Saints have become trendy picks by some league observers to go from worst to first in the NFC South.

Here are five reasons to believe the hype in New Orleans:

to be cautious, but he has all the tools and is doing everything right in his first offseason as the starting quarterback. On the field, he has looked noticeably more confident and comfortable in Kellen Moore’s offense.

Off it, he has embraced his role as one of the team leaders and galvanized the locker room behind him.

For the Saints, everything starts with Shough. He’s raised the expectations for everyone in the building and is the primary reason for optimism throughout the organization.

Jeff Duncan

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry runs drills during organized team activities on June 10 at the team’s practice facility in Metairie.

Tyler Shough In a quarterback-driven league, the Saints might have found a franchise talent with the No. 40 overall pick of the 2025 draft — a massive coup.

Shough has started only nine games, so there’s reason

More dynamic passing attack In a show of belief in Shough, the Saints front office spent the offseason building its offense around him and adding offensive weaponry to his arsenal. Veteran running back Travis Etienne is a multipurpose threat out of the backfield, a true every-down back.

ä See DUNCAN, page 3C

Orgeron works recruiting angles with No. 1 prospect for Cedar Hill High School (Texas) cades as a coach and defensive line guru Ed Orgeron Texas Tech pledge gives backs but also lines up at quarterback, running for that he could impart that wisdom to the STAFF FILE with frightening size and speed. nation’s top recruit. view into LSU coach’s pitch touchdowns PHOTO By “We all need to get better,” continued Brewster turned to his own camera to say,

BY JON BLAU Staff writer

How does a coach recruit an athlete who has everything?

Jalen Brewster, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound defensive tackle, is rated as the No. 1 prospect in the 2027 class. He’s committed to Texas Tech, one of the nation’s richest programs in the NIL era.

But this is also a day and age where “commitments” are one tantalizing pitch away from “flipping.” LSU’s title-winning coach, Ed Orgeron, who has returned to Lane Kiffin’s staff as an ace recruiter, tried his best to turn Brewster during a visit to Baton Rouge this summer.

“We all need something,” Orgeron told an athlete who not only pounces on quarter-

Orgeron, who told Brewster that he could make him even better. He pointed to a piece of advice Brewster heard moments earlier, which he otherwise never knew he needed.

“Because nobody ever told you that,” Orgeron said. “Think about that.”

Brewster, who posted a nearly 15-minute recap of his LSU visit to his personal YouTube channel on Friday, offered a glimpse of what Orgeron has brought back to LSU as a “special assistant to recruiting and defense.”

During the visit, the 64-year-old Cajun called Michael Irvin on FaceTime, presenting a Hall of Fame receiver to Brewster in the palm of his hand.

“Me and Mike are buddies,” Orgeron said.

“Been knowing Mike for a while.”

After the call ended, Orgeron added his pitch: He’s learned so much in four de-

“Getting coached by a legend, 1 of 1.”

It remains to be seen if Orgeron left a strong enough impression to pry Brewster away from Texas Tech, but the Tigers are certainly battling across the border.

LSU just flipped four-star defensive back Karnell James from the University of Texas, and James said shortly after his Thursday announcement that he’s working to persuade Easton Royal, a five-star receiver from New Orleans, to also flip from the Longhorns to the Tigers.

Lamar Brown, LSU’s top recruit in the 2026 class, posted to X on Friday, just before Brewster’s video release, writing: “Come be

ä See LSU, page 3C

HILARy SCHEINUK

2C ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Eala upsets 2025 champion Swiatek

BY KEN MAGUIRE

Serena’s knee injury forces Williams sisters to withdraw

Serena Williams withdrew from her doubles match with sister Venus at Wimbledon on Saturday due to a right knee injury.

The 44-year-old Serena was injured during her singles return earlier in the week in a three-set loss.

“I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles. Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside @venuswilliams once more meant the world to me. I did everything I could but unfortunately my knee just isn’t ready to compete,” Serena said in an Instagram post.

The post included images of four syringes that Serena said “shows the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match.”

The sisters are six-time champions as partners in women’s doubles at Wimbledon.

AP sportswriter

LONDON — Iga Swiatek’s title defense at Wimbledon ended Saturday in a 7-6 (9), 6-2 third-round loss to 21-year-old Alexandra Eala, who continues to make history for the Philippines.

Eala is the first Filipino player, male or female, to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam singles tournament on a day of upsets in the women’s draw.

The left-handed Eala dropped to her knees and rolled onto her back on Centre Court after hitting a forehand winner on her third match point.

“It’s incredible to have my countrymen cheering me on and knowing that we’re all in this together,” she said in an on-court interview as she looked around at the Philippines flags.

“This goes out to them, this goes out to my family, this goes out to all the little girls with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks. It means the world,” said the 29thseeded Eala, who saved two set points in the first-set tiebreaker.

The third-seeded Swiatek earned her first Wimbledon women’s title a year ago when she beat Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the final.

Eala, who has trained in Mallorca at the Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy, gained worldwide support last year on her breakthrough run to the Miami Open semifinals, which included an upset of Swiatek.

She next faces 13th-seeded Jasmine Paolini for a spot in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.

Shortly before Swiatek’s exit, 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina was upset in the

Astros send OF Meyers to Triple-A in slew of moves

The Houston Astros optioned struggling outfielder Jake Meyers to Triple-A Sugar Land in one of four roster moves made before Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Astros also optioned outfielder Joey Loperfido to Triple-A, recalled outfielder/infielder Zach Dezenzo from Triple-A and reinstated infielder/outfielder LaMonte Wade from the injured list.

Meyers, a Gold Glove finalist in 2024 and the Astros’ third-longest-tenured position player, went hitless in Friday’s 3-1 loss to the Rays, dropping his batting average to .206 for the season. He has posted a .167/.231/.250 line since June 2, and he started just three of the Astros’ previous 10 games.

Loperfido is batting .136 since returning from the injured list June 4.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MAJA SMIEJKOWSKA

Alexandra Eala of the Philippines celebrates after winning a third-round singles match against Iga Swiatek of Poland at Wimbledon in London on July 4. third round by Elise Mertens 7-6 (4), 6-1.

At No. 2, Rybakina is the highest seed on the women’s side to be eliminated. Her loss ensures that Aryna Sabalenka — who faces Naomi Osaka in the fourth round on Sunday — will keep her No. 1 ranking after the tournament.

Belgium’s Mertens is the No. 25 seed at Wimbledon, where she’s won two doubles titles. She will next face 21st-seeded Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic.

In another upset, Madison Keys rallied to oust the sixth-seeded Anisimova 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in an all-

American contest on the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.

The 26th-seeded Keys, the 2025 Australian Open champion, was asked how she’ll celebrate the U.S. holiday.

“I have no plans,” she told the Centre Court crowd after her victory. “When you’re not in the States, it’s just kind of another day.”

Keys will next play ninth-seeded Linda Noskova.

Ashlyn Krueger, another American, has come through qualifying to reach the fourth round. She beat Ukraine’s Daria

Snigur 6-3, 6-2 and will face another Ukrainian — 12th-seeded Marta Kostyuk — for a spot in the quarterfinals.

French Open champion Alexander Zverev, the No. 2 seed, got past American Marcos Giron 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-4 to set up a fourth-round match against 13th-seeded Jiri Lehecka.

Ninth-seeded Flavio Cobolli — the runner-up at Roland Garros — overcame a slow start against Karen Khachanov to win 0-6, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2 and will face No. 5 seed Alex de Minaur in the fourth round.

Williams’ coach: Nerves, closed roof were factors in loss

BY ANDREW DAMPF

on with a seven-time Wimbledon champion — a 23-time Grand Slam champion — wanting to play another time at Wimbledon? God let her.”

Associated Press

LONDON — Looking back, it seems perfectly understandable that it took Serena Williams some time to settle her nerves in her first singles match in nearly four years.

Rennae Stubbs, one of Williams’ coaches, pin-pointed a moment about an hour into the 44-year-old’s defeat to an opponent less than half her age earlier this week at Wimbledon.

“I noticed in the middle of the second set her take a big sort of deep breath and I actually turned around to Venus and said, ‘Oh I think she just relaxed,’ ” Stubbs said, referring to Serena’s older sister.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday, Stubbs also revealed that she first started coaching Williams again in March and immediately noticed that the 23-time Grand Slam champion could still play.

Williams was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 by 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia on Tuesday.

While the result on the court was a loss, the reaction in the locker room from other players and coaches was a resounding victory, according to Stubbs.

“They know what it would be like to be in that position of not playing a match for close to four years, going on Centre Court at Wimbledon, knowing there’s how many millions of people around the world watching this match,” Stubbs said.

“There’s 15,000 people in Centre Court. They expect good tennis.

They expect you to not embarrass yourself. So all the players know, to a small degree, what it must be like.”

The match set ratings records on ESPN and Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic are among the players who have publicly complimented Williams for her performance.

Williams injured her right knee

Closed roof

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MAJA SMIEJKOWSKA

Serena Williams of the United States waits for the service of Maya Joint of Australia during their first-round singles match at Wimbledon in London on Tuesday. toward the end of the first set against Joint and withdrew from her doubles match with Venus on Saturday.

An Instagram update from Serena included images of four syringes that she said “shows the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match.” An accompanying video showed her walking with strapping up and down her right leg and what appeared to be one of her daughters holding a cane for her.

“The good news is my knee shouldn’t swell or collect that much fluid again,” Serena said.

“The bad news is that, as hard as I tried, I just wasn’t able to get it ready for doubles.”

However, with the U.S. Open approaching, Serena indicated she could play again somewhere else soon.

“All I can say,” Serena said, “is stay tuned to a city near you.”

her on-court behavior during her comeback.

But Williams maintained her composure from start to finish.

“That was sort of like the one sort of thing that I asked, is that she try and — as hard as it was going to be — to control her emotions and her nerves and all that sort of stuff,” Stubbs said. “I don’t think people even remotely can quantify the amount of pressure that was on her to walk out there and do what she did.”

Negative reactions

Stubbs was disappointed, though, to see negative reactions to Williams’ return on social media. She was also criticized for skipping her post-match duties – since the injury was not announced until a day later.

Stubbs herself was also criticized on social media.

“I just don’t understand why people feel the need to tear somebody Right attitude down,” Stubbs said. “What she’s Serena became known for her doing out there is trying to play emotional outbursts and run-ins a sport she loves. That’s what it’s with chair umpires and linesjudges about. Show the kids, be out there, enjoy it and give the people another toward the end of her career.

So Stubbs was concerned about look at playing. … What is wrong

Because the match started late in the day and there were concerns about darkness, the roof over Centre Court was closed for the match.

“She was hitting the ball so well in practice and moving really well and the conditions were very different indoors,” Stubbs said. “They were heavy. Her ball wasn’t shooting through the court like it was outside.”

Despite being away for so long, Williams still hit serves beyond 120 mph and showed off her heavy groundstrokes that landed within inches of the baseline.

The only real issue was her movement.

“When you’re great, you’re great,” Stubbs said. “When you have great timing, you always have great timing. I saw that from the moment I stepped back on court with her. I was like, ‘Well, you never lost that.’

“And then it’s just getting the movement going and getting the body going and all that sort of stuff again and at a certain age you also have to monitor the workload. So what I saw out there didn’t surprise me at all, because I had been seeing it for months: The capacity to hit the ball as well as she’s always hit the ball.”

What’s next While Williams indicated in her injury post that she would play again, her team is still awaiting details.

“She’s not just going to do a one-off,” Stubbs said. “I think she would like to play more but that is 100% her decision. ... I’m sure she’ll re-evaluate and reassess how she wants go forward and then we’ll be there for her either way.”

Reese’s double-double not enough in Dream loss

Veronica Burton scored 21 points and Gabby Williams had 14 of her 19 points in the second half to help the Golden State Valkyries complete a season sweep of the Atlanta Dream with an 88-83 victory on Saturday.

Burton made 6 of 9 shots, with two 3-pointers and 7 of 8 free throws for Golden State (14-7) in its fourth straight victory. Williams sank 7 of 14 shots, including four 3-pointers, to help the Valkyries hand Atlanta (12-9) its fifth straight loss. Reserve Janelle Salaun had three 3s and scored 14 points.

Allisha Gray led the Dream with 22 points, and former LSU star Angel Reese had 17 points and 13 rebounds for her 14th double-double of the season.

Celtics extend contract of breakout center Queta

The Boston Celtics have signed center Neemias Queta to a fouryear extension, according to a person familiar with the agreement.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because the signing cannot be announced until Monday at the earliest. The extension is reportedly worth $56 million.

Retaining Queta seemed to be a priority for the Celtics, who traded perennial All-Star Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia on Wednesday for Paul George and draft picks.

Queta, who turns 27 on July 13, is coming off a breakout season with the Celtics. He averaged a careerbest 10.2 points, a career-best 8.4 rebounds and was a full-time starter for the first time. He averaged 11.2 points on 68% shooting after the All-Star break.

Cink, Harrington battling for U.S. Senior Open again

COLUMBUS, Ohio — It is shaping up as another duel between Stewart Cink and Padraig Harrington for the U.S. Senior Open championship.

Cink shot a 64 in Saturday’s third round at Scioto Country Club, tied for the tournament’s lowest round.

At 9-under 201, he leads reigning champion Harrington by one shot.

This is the second straight year Cink and Harrington will be in the final group. Harrington, Cink and Mark Hensby were tied after last year’s third round at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, before Harrington won his second Senior Open title by one shot.

Cink could become the fifth player to win the event after being runner-up the previous year. Fred Funk was the last to do so in 2009.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● 3C

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Chapman becomes strikeout king of relief

BY GREG BEACHAM AP sportswriter

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Aroldis Chapman became the Major League Baseball career leader in strikeouts as a reliever Friday night, toppling a record that had stood for more than half a century.

The 38-year-old left-hander for the Boston Red Sox didn’t do it with one of the triple-digit fastballs that have made him one of the most imposing pitchers of his generation and one of the most accomplished relievers in baseball history. Instead, his high pitch to the Denzer Guzman of the Angels was clocked at a mere 98.6 mph — and Guzman still couldn’t get around in time.

“I feel very happy, very proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish,” Chapman said through an interpreter. “I just feel very satisfied right now.”

The strikeout was the 1,364th in Chapman’s 17-year career. It broke the record long held by Hoyt Wilhelm, the Hall of Famer whose 21year career ended back in 1972, just five days shy of his 50th birthday.

Chapman paused and soaked in the moment only briefly after fanning Guzman, aware of the significance of the strikeout while also knowing he still had to get two more outs. He promptly gave up two hits, but he escaped the jam with a double-play grounder to

secure Boston’s 5-2 win over Los Angeles and his 383rd career save.

The Red Sox celebrated Chapman’s achievement in their Angel Stadium clubhouse, showing a video retrospective of Chapman’s career to his younger teammates — everything from his debut with Cincinnati in 2010 to his two World Series championships with the Cubs and Rangers.

“It’s cool. We’ve been waiting for that one,” Boston interim manager Chad Tracy said. “What a career he’s had. The cool thing is watching the video, and you’re seeing him at a young age throwing 102, and he’s still doing it. It’s just incredible.”

In his 889th major-league appearance — all of them in relief — Chapman saved a deserved victory for Red Sox rookie Jake Bennett, who was making his seventh appearance.

“It’s incredible,” said Bennett, who tired in the eighth. “It’s incredible to even just be a part of a team that it happens on.”

Chapman hadn’t pitched since he tied the strikeout record last Sunday while blowing a save against the Yankees, with whom he spent parts of seven seasons before an acrimonious split four years ago.

He has pitched for seven teams since he defected from Cuba in 2009, earning eight All-Star selections and moving up to 10th on the majors’ career saves list.

This record spanned across a

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By WILLIAM LIANG

Boston Red Sox pitcher Aroldis Chapman delivers a pitch during the ninth inning of a game against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday in Anaheim, Calif. half-century of baseball history and a fundamental change in the way pitchers are used.

Among the 14 pitchers in majorleague history who have recorded 1,000 strikeouts as a reliever, only Lindy McDaniel was a contemporary of Wilhelm, a World War II veteran and a pioneer in relief pitching. The crafty knuckleballer

was among the first pitchers to be used regularly as what’s now known as a high-leverage reliever, coming into close games and tight situations regardless of whether the starter was tired or not.

Chapman has spent his entire career in those tight spots, and he usually has excelled when healthy, often with a fastball that has

LSU

DUNCAN

apart (sic) of something that will be the most dominant group in the country for the next 3-4 years brudda.”

Nothing is ever over in recruiting, especially when NIL and revenue-sharing negotiations are invariably part of the process for five-star prospects. LSU is showing it has the resources, brand name and coaching cache to be in the mix for top recruits.

If the Tigers flip Brewster, it would supercharge a defensive line room that brought in five-stars Brown and Richard Anderson, and upper-tier four-star Deuce Geralds in 2026. It als currently has top-50 edge rushers KJ Green and Chris Whitehead committed in 2027.

Brewster may be a Texas Tech commitment, but he’s not so devoted to the Red Raiders that he wouldn’t publicize his positive thoughts about LSU. “As far as the people, it’s different,” Brewster said in his YouTube video.

At LSU, he shot jumpers on a basketball hoop brought into the Tigers’ team meeting room. He played pickleball on LSU’s courts.

He met with Kiffin.

He also toured the Tigers’ locker room and was impressed with their custom helmets and cleats that can change color.

“That helmet was hard,” Brewster said. “I ain’t gonna lie.”

Dialing up the former Miami Hurricanes legend wasn’t a new trick for Orgeron because Irvin recently joked on Instagram about another time Orgeron, who led the Hurricanes defensive line from 1988-92, brought him into an LSU

Veteran free agent Noah Fant and rookie Oscar Delp should team with Juwan Johnson to give the offense a capable trio of tight ends. And rookie receivers Jordyn Tyson, Bryce Lance and Barion Brown add speed and playmaking ability to the perimeter group.

Further, veteran left guard David Edwards was a priority signing in free agency. He should shore up a lingering hole on the left side of the line and improve the pass protection on Shough’s blind side.

The result has been noticeable this offseason. The offense is more versatile, dynamic and wide open in Year 2 under Moore.

Continued from page 1C

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C recorded three interceptions and 12 pass breakups, making him disruptive at times.

This is a pivotal season for McKinstry. With Alontae Taylor leaving in free agency, McKinstry is unquestionably the No. 1 corner. And in the third year of a four-year contract, McKinstry’s performance next season could go a long way in determining his value if extension talks commence after the year.

OT Kelvin Banks If not for an ankle injury early in the Saints’ season finale, Banks likely would have led all rookies in snaps last season. Heck, he still finished third with 1,066 snaps. No player on the Saints arguably benefited more from his playing time.

Banks demonstrated tremendous growth as his rookie season progressed, as the first-round tackle went from allowing 28 pressures in his first eight games to 18 in his final nine. Banks increasingly found ways to use his size (6-foot5, 315 pounds) and athleticism to dominate his matchup. The next natural step for the 22-year-old would be to generate more consistency, so he can be viewed among the best at his position.

“Rookies that play early like

Continued from page 1C

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

Former LSU coach Ed Orgeron watches his players before kickoff against Texas A&M on Nov. 27, 2021, at Tiger Stadium. Orgeron returned to LSU as a special assistant to recruiting and defense. recruiting visit virtually.

“I couldn’t say anything to Coach O because that’s my guy,” said Irvin, who burst out laughing when he recalled that recruit ultimately pledged to Miami.

He could be referring to fivestar edge rusher Jaiden Bryant, who flipped from the Tigers to the Hurricans on June 3.

“He got my subliminal (messages),” Irvin said.

At least with Brewster, Orgeron didn’t let Irvin have the last word.

He led Brewster down a hallway to where previous LSU greats are depicted. Orgeron pointed to defensive tackle Rashard Lawrence, who could recall Orgeron telling him he’d be the captain of a national title team during a recruiting visit.

“Speak and it’ll become,” Orgeron said.

Next in line was Joe Burrow.

“Ohio State didn’t want him,” he said of the Heisman winner.

Then Orgeron tapped on safety Grant Delpit, adding “Texas boy, Houston,” before he ended with offensive lineman Lloyd Cushenberry, who was judged as too small and committed to South Carolina before LSU swiped him late.

Cushenberry is now in the NFL. “How about that, guys? It’s gonna happen,” Orgeron said to Brewster’s family. “I’m gonna put a ring on y’all so darn big you’re gonna have to have three fingers to wear that thing.”

Brewster’s takeaway: “LSU and Louisiana coaching, way different.

Life after ball, development and getting to the League — that’s the main goal for me.”

Email Jon Blau at jon.blau@theadvocate.com.

Improved kicking game There’s no sugar-coating how bad the Saints were here a year ago. The addition of free agent punter Ryan Wright and kicker Tanner Brown has bolstered two of the shakiest spots on the roster.

Wright should provide an immediate upgrade to the punter position and will give the Saints their first top-10 punter since Thomas Morstead’s run from 2009-20.

Few noticed when the Saints added Brown to the roster after a strong tryout last month, but he could be the surprise of the offseason. He was named the UFL Special Teams Player of the Year and became the first kicker in pro football history to make two field goals from 60 or more yards in a game this season.

topped 105 mph at times during his career.

He has even been in a renaissance since joining the Red Sox before last season. After earning AL Reliever of the Year honors in 2025 with a minuscule 1.17 ERA, he has 17 saves in 19 chances this season, still taking high-leverage assignments and usually succeeding.

Brown is not just the proverbial “camp leg,” brought in to ease the load on incumbent Charlie Smyth during camp. He has a strong chance to supplant Smyth and earn the starting spot on the final 53-man roster.

Full year (hopefully) of Young Chase Young is the most talented defender on the roster. He might be the most talented player on the team. When healthy and engaged, as he was in the second half of last season, he is a handful on the edge, where he racked up a career-high 10 sacks in only 12 games last season.

Young has blossomed in Brandon Staley’s 3-4 scheme and is poised for a breakout campaign if he can stay healthy. That’s a big “if.” Young has played a full season just once in his six-year NFL career.

Young looked terrific throughout the offseason and will be asked to play a key leadership role for the front line. He is poised for a breakout year.

Staff carryover After a foundational 2025 season, Moore managed to keep almost the entire coaching staff intact for 2026, a rarity in today’s NFL. The lone exception is Jahri Evans, the assistant offensive line coach, who departed for Pittsburgh.

Otherwise, the Saints managed to protect their key coordinators, including prized defensive coordinator Staley, and position coaches from being poached this offseason.

The continuity has shown in practices, where players are noticeably more comfortable and confident in Year 2 of the offensive and defensive systems.

and T.J. Watt are the only rushers in the last five years to hit that mark, and those two are seen as the two best pass rushers in today’s game. But 2025 was already a revelation for Young, and still only 27 years old, another breakout season could be in store.

S Jonas Sanker It might seem lazy to put a third member of last year’s draft class on this list, but hear us out: The Saints have big plans for Sanker in 2026. They’re trusting him to replace Taylor at the Star position, defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s version of an inside cornerback. Sanker earned the role after a surprising season in which he proved to be reliable after a season-ending injury to Julian Blackmon. Safeties coach Terry Joseph said Sanker displayed a “mental toughness” that will serve the 23-year-old as he adapts to a new position.

“I think it’s really hard to evaluASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATTHEW HINTON ate off of college film that this guy Saints safety Jonas Sanker runs a drill during organized team activities on June 17 in Metairie. can (play the) Star,” Joseph said.

“I think you got to get him in your that usually take a pretty big jump better.” after all, racked up 10 sacks in just organization, in your building, from Year 1 to Year 2,” offensive 12 games last year. That’s not quite and you gotta really get a feel for line coach Brendan Nugent said. DE Chase Young a 20-sack pace, but Young made his where that guy is mentally, how “And he’s on that path. Everypresence felt as a pass rusher in tough he is and how much can he Twenty sacks. thing I seen here from the offThat’s what Cam Jordan said he 2025. Notably, he started turning handle, because a lot’s on the plate season program, he’s figured out thought Young was capable of next his pressures into sacks — finally of the star.” what worked, what we needed to season. And, for the first time since reaching double digits as a pro. tweak and he’s worked on it. We’ve Young’s rookie season, the posAdmittedly, 20 sacks is a hard Email Matthew Paras at matt. worked on it. And he keeps getting sibility didn’t feel absurd. Young, threshold to reach. Myles Garrett paras@theadvocate.com

4C ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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WORLD CUP ROUNDUP

Morocco beats Canada, denounces ‘surprise’ label

BY KRISTIE RIEKEN

AP sportswriter

HOUSTON — Morocco is heading back to the quarterfinals and coach Mohamed Ouahbi believes his team has established itself among soccer’s elite.

Azzedine Ounahi scored twice to lead Morocco to a 3-0 win over Canada in the World Cup round of 16 Saturday to make the country the first African nation to reach the quarterfinals more than once.

“We are no longer a surprise,” Ouahbi said through a translator.

“Now when people talk about Morocco, we’re a major contender and it’s a great source of pride. I think it’s only the beginning, and I hope we continue to have runs like this.”

And despite already making history in this World Cup, Morocco has much higher goals.

“We want to keep going,” Ouahbi said. “We don’t want to stop.”

It’s Morocco’s second straight appearance in the round of eight after becoming the first African team to reach the semifinals in 2022.

“We are so proud to represent Africa because it’s a continent with a lot of talent and Africa deserves to be in the best level in football,” Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou said.

Neither team was able to break through until Ounahi took a free kick from Achraf Hakimi and made a right-footed shot through

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAVID J. PHILLIP

Morocco’s Azzedine Ounahi is thrown in the air by his teammates after the World Cup round of 16 soccer match against Canada on Saturday in Houston. traffic from outside the box to the bottom right corner to put Morocco on top 1-0 in the 50th minute.

Ounahi made it 2-0 on a rightfooted shot from the middle of the box off a pass from Brahim Díaz in the 82nd minute.

Soufiane Rahimi added a goal in the final minute of stoppage time.

The loss ends a historic run for World Cup co-host Canada, which won its first-ever knockout round match with a 1-0 victory over South Africa to reach Saturday’s match. The country was playing in the World Cup for just the third time and the run enchanted a nation that is normally far more in-

terested in hockey than the pitch.

Canada coach Jesse Marsch shared his postgame message to the team.

“I told them that I was proud of them and I challenged them to understand that we can play like this all the time against the best teams in the world,” he said. “We can be better on the day. And then the challenge is, can we hold that standard for 90 minutes?”

Morocco, which is ranked sixth in the FIFA rankings, dispatched the Netherlands in a penalty shootout to reach the round of 16.

Though Marsch mistakenly said Morocco is ranked one spot lower

than it is, he lauded how his team performed against a squad of its caliber and of how Canada controlled the match for much of the day.

“The way we pushed, the way we were in the match, the quality we showed, the overall impact in the match, we were better,” he said.

“We were better than the No. 7 team in the world today.”

Ouahbi had a strong response when told of those comments.

“In terms of intensity, they were good,” he said. “They were good for 98 minutes. Were they better?

It’s hard to say. It takes some nerve to say that when you lose 3-nil.”

Canada had a couple of chances to score late. Jonathan David had a free kick from outside the box in the 78th minute, but his shot sailed over the crossbar.

Just after that Tajon Buchanan’s shot from about 30 yards was stopped with a diving save from Bounou. Bounou, who was born in Canada to Moroccan parents, had three saves to help Morocco to the win.

Canada reached the round of 16 despite missing star Alphonso Davies for the majority of the tournament because of a hamstring injury. The Bayern Munich player logged only 15 minutes as a substitute in the victory over South Africa but wasn’t available Saturday.

“His hamstring didn’t feel right,” Marsch said. “We were hoping that by the time he woke up this morning that he would feel better, but

he didn’t.”

FRANCE 1, PARAGUAY 0: In Philadelphia, Kylian Mbappé scored his 19th career World Cup goal, and France survived stifling heat to beat Paraguay, sending Les Bleus into the quarterfinals for the fourth straight time.

France advanced to play Morocco on Thursday in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

With an extreme heat warning in effect throughout the match as temperatures hovered around 100 degrees, Mbappé finally broke through against a physical, defensive-minded Paraguay side when he converted a penalty kick in the 70th minute.

Mbappé was awarded the penalty when Diego Gomez was called for tripping after a video review.

Then he stutter-stepped on his way to his 19th goal in 19 World Cup appearances, one behind career record holder Lionel Messi of Argentina. Mbappé and Messi have seven goals in this tournament to top the Golden Boot race.

Mbappé won that award four years ago in Qatar, but Messi and Argentina beat France in the final.

Mbappé botched a breakaway attempt in the second half, and Manu Koné had his top-corner shot knocked away by goalkeeper Orlando Gill after he was wiped out in the netting by Ousmane Dembélé only moments earlier.

Gill also stopped two strong attempts by Mbappé in second-half stoppage time.

SCOREBOARD Odds

1-3), 8:30 p.m.

Sports Betting Line MLB

East Division

National League

Sunday

American League FAVORITE LINE at N.Y YANKEES -170 at CLEVELAND OFF at HOUSTON OFF at TEXAS OFF at SEATTLE OFF at LA ANGELS OFF National League FAVORITE LINE at ATLANTA -174 at WASHINGTON OFF at CHI CUBS -162 San Francisco -139 Milwaukee -162 at LA DODGERS -265 Interleague FAVORITE LINE at CINCINNATI OFF Philadelphia -157 Miami -137

UNDERDOG Minnesota White Sox Tampa Bay Detroit Toronto Boston

LINE +140 OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF

UNDERDOG N.Y Mets Pittsburgh St. Louis at COLORADO at ARIZONA San Diego

LINE +143 OFF +134 +115 +133 +210

UNDERDOG LINE Baltimore OFF at KANSAS CITY+128 at ATHLETICS +114

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

W 13 11 12 10 9 6 4

L 8 8 9 9 10 14 16

Pct GB .619 — .579 1 .571 1 .526 2 .474 3 .300 6½ .200 8½

Minnesota Las Vegas Golden State Dallas Los Angeles Portland Phoenix Seattle

W 15 15 14 12 8 8 8 5

L 5 5 7 8 10 12 13 16

Pct GB .750 — .750 — .667 1½ .600 3 .444 6 .400 7 .381 7½ .238 10½

WESTERN CONFERENCE

W 51 49 47 46 36

Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York

Central Division Milwaukee Chicago St. Louis Pittsburgh Cincinnati

West Division

W 54 49 46 45 40

Los Angeles Arizona San Diego San Francisco Colorado

Friday’s Games

L 35 39 42 44 52

Pct .593 .557 .528 .511 .409

GB — 3 5½ 7 16

L 32 39 39 45 47

Pct .628 .557 .541 .500 .460

GB — 6 7½ 11 14½

W 58 43 43 36 36

L 31 44 44 51 53

Pct .652 .494 .494 .414 .404

GB — 14 14 21 22

St. Louis 17, Chicago Cubs 1 Baltimore 3, Cincinnati 0 Washington 9, Pittsburgh 5 Atlanta 5, N.Y. Mets 3 Colorado 15, San Francisco 3 L.A. Dodgers 4, San Diego 3 Miami 12, Athletics 5 Milwaukee 7, Arizona 4, 11 innings

Saturday’s Games

Pittsburgh 7, Washington 1 Baltimore at Cincinnati, n N.Y. Mets at Atlanta, n St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, n Philadelphia at Kansas City, n San Francisco at Colorado, n Miami at Athletics, n Milwaukee at Arizona, n San Diego at L.A. Dodgers, n

Sunday’s Games

Dallas at Toronto, 2 p.m.

Indiana at Las Vegas, 6 p.m.

N.Y. Mets (McLean 5-5) at Atlanta (Pérez 6-5), 11:30 a.m.

Pittsburgh (Chandler 3-8) at Washington (Mikolas 2-7), noon Baltimore (Bradish 5-8) at Cincinnati (Lodolo 2-2), 12:05 p.m.

St. Louis (Liberatore 4-5) at Chicago Cubs (Assad 6-1), 1:30 p.m.

Philadelphia (Nola 3-5) at Kansas City (Avila 3-3), 2 p.m.

Milwaukee (Sproat 3-4) at Arizona (Rodriguez 7-2), 3 p.m.

San Francisco (Mahle 1-8) at Colorado (Gordon 0-2), 3 p.m.

Miami (Pérez 4-6) at Athletics (Jump 3-2), 3:30 p.m.

San Diego (Sears 1-1) at L.A. Dodgers (Sheehan 4-5), 6:20 p.m.

Major League Baseball

Soccer

American League

ROUND OF 32

Friday’s Games

New York 99, Minnesota 86 Las Vegas 98, Chicago 90, OT

Saturday’s Games

Golden State 88, Atlanta 83 Portland at Seattle, n

Sunday’s Games

East Division

Sunday, June 28

Tampa Bay New York Toronto Baltimore Boston

W 52 49 42 41 38

L 33 38 46 48 48

Pct .612 .563 .477 .461 .442

GB — 4 11½ 13 14½

Cleveland Chicago Minnesota Detroit Kansas City

W 47 45 42 38 35

L 42 42 47 50 53

Pct .528 .517 .472 .432 .398

GB — 1 5 8½ 11½

Texas Seattle Houston Athletics Los Angeles

W 45 45 43 41 36

L 43 44 47 47 53

Pct .511 .506 .478 .466 .404

GB — ½ 3 4 9½

Central Division

West Division

Friday’s Games

Baltimore 3, Cincinnati 0 N.Y. Yankees 5, Minnesota 2 Cleveland 4, Chicago White Sox 3, 10 innings Tampa Bay 3, Houston 1 Boston 5, L.A. Angels 2 Toronto 2, Seattle 0 Miami 12, Athletics 5

Saturday’s Games

Minnesota 11, N.Y. Yankees 4 Detroit 3, Texas 0 Seattle 11, Toronto 0 Baltimore at Cincinnati, n Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, n Tampa Bay at Houston, n Philadelphia at Kansas City, n Boston at L.A. Angels, n Miami at Athletics, n

Sunday’s Games

Baltimore (Bradish 5-8) at Cincinnati (Lodolo 2-2), 12:05 p.m.

Minnesota (Ryan 5-5) at N.Y. Yankees (Weathers 3-6), 12:35 p.m.

Chicago White Sox (Fedde 3-6) at Cleveland (Bibee 2-9), 1 p.m.

Philadelphia (Nola 3-5) at Kansas City (Avila 3-3), 2 p.m.

Detroit (Mize 3-5) at Texas (Rocker 2-6), 2:30 p.m.

Tampa Bay (Jax 4-5) at Houston (Lambert 6-5), 2:30 p.m.

Miami (Pérez 4-6) at Athletics (Jump 3-2), 3:30 p.m.

Toronto (Yesavage 4-3) at Seattle (Kirby 7-7), 4 p.m.

Boston (Suarez 4-3) at L.A. Angels (Johnson

South Africa 0, Canada 1

Monday, June 29

Brazil 2, Japan 1 Germany 1, Paraguay 1, Paraguay advances 4-3 on penalty kicks Netherlands 1, Morocco 1, Morocco advances 3-2 on penalty kicks

Tuesday, June 30

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

Wednesday, July 1

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

Thursday, July 2

Spain 3, Austria 0 Portugal 2, Croatia 1 Switzerland 2, Algeria 0

Friday, July 3

Australia 1, Egypt 1, Egypt advances 4-2 on penalty kicks Argentina 3, Cape Verde 2, OT Colombia 1, Ghana 0

ROUND OF 16 Saturday, July 4

Morocco 3, Canada 0 France 1, Paraguay 0

Sunday, July 5

Brazil vs. Norway, 3 p.m.

Mexico vs. England, 7 p.m.

Monday, July 6

Portugal vs. Spain, 2 p.m.

United States vs. Belgium, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, July 7

Argentina vs. Egypt, 11 a.m.

Switzerland vs. Colombia, 3 p.m.

Tennis Wimbledon Results Saturday

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

Men’s Singles

Third Round Alex de Minaur (5), Australia, def. Zachary Svajda, United States, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4.

Flavio Cobolli (9), Italy, def. Karen Khachanov (19), Russia, 0-6, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2.

Alexander Zverev (2), Germany, def. Marcos Giron, United States, 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-4.

Jiri Lehecka (13), Czechia, def. Jaume Munar, Spain, 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Arthur Fery, Britain, def. Zizou Bergs, Belgium, 2-6, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5).

Taylor Fritz (6), United States, def. Lorenzo Sonego, Italy, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (5).

Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgaria, def. Matteo Berrettini, Italy, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3.

Women’s Singles

Third Round Marta Kostyuk (12), Ukraine, def. Emma Navarro (23), United States, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.

Ashlyn Krueger, United States, def. Daria Snigur, Ukraine, 6-3, 6-2.

Marie Bouzkova (21), Czechia, def. Liudmila Samsonova, Russia, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

Elise Mertens (25), Belgium, def. Elena Rybakina (2), Kazakhstan, 7-6 (4), 6-1.

Jasmine Paolini (13), Italy, def. Maria Sakkari, Greece, 6-1, 6-2.

Alexandra Eala (29), Philippines, def. Iga Swiatek (3), Poland, 7-6 (9), 6-2.

Linda Noskova (9), Czechia, def. Sorana Cirstea (17), Romania, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9).

Madison Keys (26), United States, def.

Amanda Anisimova (6), United States, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Men’s Doubles

Second Round Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori (4), Italy, def. Jesper De Jong, Netherlands, and Valentin Royer, France, 6-1, 6-4.

Thanasi Kokkinakis, Australia, and Aleksandar Kovacevic, United States, def. Robert Cash and James Tracy (12), United States, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Hendrik Jebens, Germany, and Ray Ho, Taiwan, def. Albano Olivetti and Theo Arribage (10), France, 7-5, 7-6 (4).

Sander Gille, Belgium, and Sem Verbeek, Netherlands, def. Marcel Granollers, Spain, and Horacio Zeballos (2), Argentina, 6-4, 7-6 (9).

Jean-Julien Rojer, Netherlands, and Theodore Winegar, United States, def. Edouard Roger-Vasselin, France, and Hugo Nys (9), Monaco, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6).

Guido Andreozzi, Argentina, and Manuel Guinard (8), France, def. Fernando Romboli, Brazil, and John-Patrick Smith, Australia, 6-4, 7-6 (2).

Fabien Reboul and Sadio Doumbia (13), France, def. Vit Kopriva, Czechia, and Filip Pieczonka, Poland, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Women’s Doubles

First Round Camila Osorio, Colombia, and Solana Sierra, Argentina, def. Samantha Murray Sharan, Britain, and Lanlana Tararudee, Thailand, 6-3, 6-4.

Women’s Doubles

Second Round Vera Zvonareva, Russia, and Laura Siegemund (7), Germany, def. Eudice Chong, Hong Kong, China, and Anastasia Tikhonova, Russia, 6-2, 6-2.

Kristina Mladenovic, France, and Hanyu Guo (10), China, def. Ekaterina Alexandrova, Russia, and Maya Joint, Australia, 6-2, 6-3.

Gabriela Dabrowski, Canada, and Luisa Stefani (2), Brazil, def. Caroline Dolehide and Alycia Parks, United States, 6-4, 6-2.

Xu Yifan and Xinyu Jiang, China, def.

Lyudmyla Kichenok, Ukraine, and Desirae Krawczyk (11), United States, 6-4, 7-5.

Storm Hunter, Australia, and Caty McNally (14), United States, def. Alexandra Panova, Russia, and Magali Kempen, Belgium, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.

Irina Khromacheva, Russia, and Anastasia Detiuc, Czechia, def. Jelena Ostapenko, Latvia, and Sofia Kenin (8), United States, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Elena-Gabriela Ruse, Romania, and Marta Kostyuk, Ukraine, def. Aldila Sutjiadi and Janice Tjen, Indonesia, 6-4, 7-6 (8).

Taylor Townsend, United States, and Katerina Siniakova (1), Czechia, def. Sara Sorribes Tormo, Spain, and Marie Bouzkova, Czechia, 6-2, 6-1.

Aleksandra Krunic, Serbia, and Anna Danilina (3), Kazakhstan, def. Anhelina Kalinina and Dayana Yastremska, Ukraine, 2-6, 6-4, 6-0.

Mixed Doubles

Second Round Zhang Shuai, China, and Christian Harrison (3), United States, def. Andre Goransson, Sweden, and Erin Routliffe, New Zealand, 6-4, 6-4.

Joe Salisbury, Britain, and Leylah Fernandez, Canada, def. Demi Schuurs, Netherlands, and Julian Cash (5), Britain, 7-6 (7), 6-4.

Maia Lumsden and Ben Jones, Britain, def.

Eden Silva and Joshua Paris, Britain, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori (1), Italy, def. Jodie Burrage and David Stevenson, Britain, 6-4, 6-1.

Storm Hunter and Marc Polmans, Australia, def. Nicole Melichar-Martinez, United States, and Theo Arribage, France, 6-3, 6-3.

Mate Pavic, Croatia, and Fanny Stollar, Hungary, def. Hugo Nys, Monaco, and Quinn Gleason, United States, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Neal Skupski, Britain, and Desirae Krawczyk (6), United States, def. Freya Christie and Billy Harris, Britain, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (5), 6-4.

Marcelo Arevalo, El Salvador, and Jelena Ostapenko (2), Latvia, def. Vera Zvonareva, Russia, and Albano Olivetti, France, 6-2, 6-7

(4), 7-6 (7).

Golf U.S. Senior Open Championship Saturday

At Scioto County Club Columbus, Ohio Purse: $4 million Yardage: 7,170; Par: 70 Third Round Stewart Cink Padraig Harrington George McNeill Miguel Angel Jimenez Darren Clarke Paul Stankowski Jamie Donaldson Tommy Gainey Simon Griffiths Ian Poulter Billy Andrade Alex Cejka Chris Devlin Ernie Els Retief Goosen John Rollins Michael Wright Jerry Kelly Pat Perez Henrik Stenson Charlie Wi Ryan Armour Fredrik Jacobson Brendan Jones Jeff Maggert Andrew Marshall Gene Sauers Haymes Snedeker Jason Caron Ben Crane Tim Petrovic Ken Tanigawa Y.E. Yang Stephen Ames Shane Bertsch Michael Block Richard Green Justin Hicks Soren Kjeldsen Timothy O’Neal Scott Hend Colin Montgomerie Vijay Singh Greg Chalmers K.J. Choi Matt Gogel Ricardo Gonzalez J.J. Henry Alan McLean David Mathis Cameron Percy Thammanoon Sriroj Mark Wilson Scott Parel Takashi Iwamoto Kirk Triplett Chad Campbell Thongchai Jaidee Hank Kim Omar Uresti

67-70-64—201 69-67-66—202 68-66-69—203 69-68-67—204 71-72-64—207 69-70-68—207 69-70-69—208 69-69-70—208 68-72-68—208 70-69-69—208 72-72-65—209 69-69-71—209 70-68-71—209 71-69-69—209 70-73-66—209 72-70-67—209 70-72-67—209 72-71-67—210 72-68-70—210 71-67-72—210 67-70-73—210 73-69-69—211 68-73-70—211 73-69-69—211 71-69-71—211 73-68-70—211 74-68-69—211 73-68-70—211 71-70-71—212 69-70-73—212 70-70-72—212 71-72-69—212 71-69-72—212 70-69-74—213 72-72-69—213 72-70-71—213 69-70-74—213 70-72-71—213 69-72-72—213 75-68-70—213 75-69-70—214 70-73-71—214 76-68-70—214 69-72-74—215 73-71-71—215 76-67-72—215 73-67-75—215 72-70-73—215 74-68-73—215 71-73-72—216 71-70-75—216 72-71-73—216 74-70-72—216 73-71-73—217 74-69-75—218 75-67-76—218 71-73-75—219 72-71-77—220 72-71-79—222 70-71-84—225

-9 -8 -7 -6 -3 -3 -2 -2 -2 -2 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 E E E E +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +6 +6 +6 +6 +7 +8 +8 +9 +10 +12 +15

At TPC Deere Run Silvis, Ill. Purse: $8.8 million Yardage: 7,327; Par: 71 Third Round Lucas Glover 63-65-69—197 Lee Hodges 64-66-67—197 Zac Blair 63-68-67—198 Ben Kohles 65-67-66—198 Jackson Suber 68-64-66—198 Doug Ghim 69-65-65—199 Zach Johnson 64-70-66—200 Ryo Hisatsune 67-65-69—201 Max Homa 67-66-68—201 Chandler Phillips 69-67-65—201 Preston Stout 66-69-66—201 Blades Brown 69-66-67—202 Rickie Fowler 70-69-63—202 Chris Gotterup 66-68-68—202 Troy Merritt 66-66-70—202 William Mouw 66-68-68—202 Andrew Putnam 67-68-67—202 Aaron Wise 66-69-67—202 Tyler Duncan 66-66-71—203 Emiliano Grillo 70-66-67—203 Beau Hossler 70-67-66—203 Matt Kuchar 72-66-65—203 David Lipsky 67-65-71—203 Mac Meissner 67-70-66—203 Pontus Nyholm 68-66-69—203 Erik Van Rooyen 70-69-64—203 Christiaan Bezuidenhout 68-68-68—204 Pierceson Coody 69-68-67—204 Zecheng Dou 67-69-68—204 Ben Griffin 69-65-70—204 Harry Higgs 67-68-69—204 Tom Hoge 73-64-67—204 Stephan Jaeger 64-72-68—204 67-68-69—204 Tom Kim Davis Thompson 69-69-66—204 Kevin Yu 66-72-66—204 Jacob Bridgeman 67-70-68—205 Davis Chatfield 69-66-70—205 68-69-68—205 Sungjae Im David Skinns 72-67-66—205 Austin Smotherman 66-69-70—205 Hayden Springer 66-68-71—205 Karl Vilips 72-65-68—205 Michael Brennan 66-68-72—206 Nick Dunlap 67-72-67—206 Tony Finau 70-68-68—206 Chan Kim 68-67-71—206

-16 -16 -15 -15 -15 -14 -13 -12 -12 -12 -12 -11 -11 -11 -11 -11 -11 -11 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -9 -9 -9 -9 -9 -9 -9 -9 -9 -9 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -7 -7 -7 -7

John Deere Classic Saturday

Peter Malnati Trace Crowe Austin Eckroat Patrick Fishburn Luke Gutschewski Mark Hubbard Keita Nakajima Keegan Bradley Joel Dahmen Lanto Griffin Max McGreevy Keith Mitchell J.T. Poston Davis Riley Jordan Spieth Matt Wallace Rafael Campos Eric Cole A.J. Ewart Steven Fisk Mackenzie Hughes A. Dumont De Chassart Will Gordon Gordon Sargent Ryan Voois Zachary Bauchou Jonathan Byrd Camilo Villegas Michael Feagles Nicholas Lindheim Ryan Brehm Fabian Gomez

71-66-69—206 69-69-69—207 71-67-69—207 65-71-71—207 67-68-72—207 72-67-68—207 70-69-68—207 70-69-69—208 66-71-71—208 67-72-69—208 71-68-69—208 73-66-69—208 68-69-71—208 65-72-71—208 70-69-69—208 67-71-70—208 66-71-72—209 76-63-70—209 67-72-70—209 68-68-73—209 72-67-70—209 72-67-71—210 70-69-71—210 67-69-74—210 68-70-72—210 69-70-72—211 69-70-72—211 71-67-73—211 69-70-74—213 69-68-76—213 68-69-77—214 72-67-75—214

BMW International Open

-7 -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -3 -3 -3 -3 -2 -2 -2 E E +1 +1

Saturday

At Golfclub Munchen Eichenried Munich Purse: $3 million Yardage: 7,354; Par: 72 Third Round M. Hollick, South Africa 66-68-69—203 -13 Bernd Wiesberger, Austria 68-68-67—203 -13 Carlos Ortiz, Mexico 67-67-70—204 -12 H. Du Plessis, South Africa 64-69-72—205 -11 T. Rosenmueller, Germany 69-71-65—205 -11 O. Guillamoundeguy, France 69-67-70—206 -10 Jack Senior, England 69-65-72—206 -10 Manuel Elvira, Spain 67-69-71—207 -9 Casey Jarvis, South Africa 71-67-69—207 -9 Jeong-Weon Ko, France 67-73-67—207 -9 Marco Penge, England 68-69-70—207 -9 K. Aphibarnrat, Thailand 70-68-70—208 -8 T. Clements, England 68-70-70—208 -8 Oliver Lindell, Finland 69-69-70—208 -8 Joaquin Niemann, Chile 68-70-70—208 -8 Freddy Schott, Germany 70-70-68—208 -8 Ashun Wu, China 70-66-72—208 -8 Davis Bryant, United States 66-74-69—209 -7 Alejandro Del Rey, Spain 68-71-70—209 -7 Nacho Elvira, Spain 67-71-71—209 -7 Finn Kolle, Germany 70-67-72—209 -7 Frederic Lacroix, France 69-66-74—209 -7 Renato Paratore, Italy 70-67-72—209 -7 Andy Sullivan, England 68-69-72—209 -7 Paul Waring, England 66-69-74—209 -7 Jeff Winther, Denmark 68-70-71—209 -7 Ugo Coussaud, France 69-69-72—210 -6 Brad Dalke, United States 69-66-75—210 -6 Ross Fisher, England 66-70-74—210 -6 Matti Schmid, Germany 69-67-74—210 -6 N. Von Dllngshsn, Germany 74-66-70—210 -6 Filippo Celli, Italy 69-70-72—211 -5 Joe Dean, England 66-69-76—211 -5 Quentin Debove, France 67-72-72—211 -5 Joel Girrbach, Switzerland 71-69-71—211 -5 Alexander Levy, France 70-67-74—211 -5 James Morrison, England 69-71-71—211 -5 R. Nrgrd-Petersen, Denmark 69-68-74—211 -5 JC Ritchie, South Africa 65-71-75—211 -5 M. Steinlechner, Austria 69-69-73—211 -5 Hugo Townsend, Sweden 70-66-75—211 -5 Sam Bairstow, England 69-70-73—212 -4 Scott Jamieson, Scotland 69-71-72—212 -4 Stefano Mazzoli, Italy 68-72-72—212 -4 Dylan Naidoo, South Africa 73-67-72—212 -4 Shaun Norris, South Africa 69-69-74—212 -4 Victor Perez, France 72-67-73—212 -4 J. Trey Schapr, South Africa 64-73-75—212 -4 Daniel Young, Scotland 66-71-75—212 -4 Fred Biondi, Brazil 71-69-73—213 -3 Matthew Jordan, England 68-70-75—213 -3 D. Van Tonder, South Africa 70-69-74—213 -3 A. Garcia-Heredia, Spain 68-72-74—214 -2 Calum Hill, Scotland 70-70-74—214 -2 Romain Langasque, France 67-72-75—214 -2 Sebastian Munoz, Colombia 68-72-74—214 -2 N. Norgaard Moller, Denmrk 68-71-75—214 -2 Abraham Ancer, Mexico 70-68-77—215 -1 D. Van Driel, Netherlands 72-68-75—215 -1 Matteo Manassero, Italy 70-70-76—216 E Adrian Meronk, Poland 67-69-80—216 E Marcus Armitage, England 70-69-78—217 +1 S. Garcia Rodriguez, Spain 68-68-81—217 +1 Benjamin Schmidt, England 68-71-78—217 +1 Quim Vidal, Spain 69-71-77—217 +1 Gregorio De Leo, Italy 69-70-83—222 +6

Transactions Major League Baseball

American League BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Sent C Dom Keegan outright to Chesapeake (EL).

BOSTON RED SOX — Sent LHP Patrick Sandoval on a rehab assignment to Portland (EL).

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS — Acquired RHP Ryan Degges from Philadelphia in exchange for cash considerations.

HOUSTON ASTROS — Reinstated 1B LaMonte Wade Jr. from the 10-day IL. Optioned OF Jake Meyers to Sugar Land (PCL). Recalled OF Zach Dezenzo from Sugar Land. Optioned OF Joey Looperfido to Sugar Land.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Recalled RHP Jose Cuas from Omaha (IL).

LIVING

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

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S u n d ay, J u ly 5, 2026

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Danny Heitman AT RANDOM

A summer New Year’s party taught me we can always restart I work at a nonprofit that orders its business by the fiscal year, a 12-month period that begins each July and concludes at the end of the following June. Every summer, though the calendar year is already at its halfway point, my fellow employees and I are turning a page and starting a new chapter in our work lives.

As our fiscal year ended last month and we prepared for another one, our staff decided to have a little fun with a workplace New Year’s party.

It was the first New Year’s celebration I’d ever attended in June, and maybe the best one.

To prepare for the gathering, I ordered New Year’s party hats and festive noise makers. In a nod to summer, we brought in gourmet ice cream and watermelon for the refreshment table.

With a knowing wink at our inside joke, we wished each other Happy New Year as we gathered in our conference room for summer treats.

While savoring sliced melon and frozen treats, we took a rare chance to catch up on each other’s lives. There was news of children, summer road trips and personal and professional challenges we’d navigated in recent months as a work family.

I was left with the thought that we should celebrate New Year’s every summer.

When the traditional New Year’s Day arrives each January, I’m grateful for the chance to mark another milestone with friends and family. But by the time New Year’s rolls around at the close of the winter holiday season, I’m often pretty tired.

When viewed through weary eyes, Jan. 1 can seem like just another box I’m checking before I finally put the holidays away.

Our June New Year’s party was much more relaxed, and it offered a welcome pause in the progress of the year.

Many of us remarked at how surprising it felt that half of 2026 is already gone. It’s an abiding truth that as we get older, time seems to move more quickly. That’s all the more reason to create small moments of reflection so that we can consider where we’ve been and where we’re going.

Those respites don’t have to be solemn affairs. They can even be as frivolous as a New Year’s party on a sweltering summer day.

What I liked best about our summer New Year’s party is that it gave us all a new beginning. The celebration reminded me that beyond New Year’s Day each January, each year is full of other beginnings. There’s the start of spring, summer, fall and winter, the beginning of a school year, personal birthdays and wedding anniversaries.

Each offers a chance to think about the turning of time, our place in the world, what kind of people we want to be.

Yes, the year might look a little shopworn right now. But as my summer New Year’s party reminded me, we always have the power to start again.

Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com.

Lisa Moore, head of research services at the Amistad Research Center, shows visitors a book from the archives at Tulane University in New Orleans.

STAFF PHOTOS By ENAN CHEDIAK

Stillsailing

Amistad Research Center celebrates 60 years preserving Black history

BY VIOLET BUCARO | Staff writer

The doors to the archive are locked when you arrive, opening only by appointment. Rare, historic collections are shelved on each wall, some locked glass cases, others curated by hand, sprawled open on tables.

It may look like an entrance to a library, but it is the world’s largest independent archive of

Kathe Hambrick, the executive director of the Amistad Research Center, holds a copy of the book ‘Bulbancha is Still a Place: Indigenous Culture of New Orleans’ at the archives.

Black history, tucked in Uptown New Orleans.

For 60 years now, scholars searching for overlooked histories of African Americans and other minorities have

Kathe Hambrick and Lisa Moore look through a collection of the Louisiana Weekly in the archives at the Amistad Research Center.

found their way to the Amistad Research Center.

The nonprofit, located in Tilton Hall at Tulane University, is home to an estimated 15 million pages, 1,000 fine artworks, 400 oral histories and 33,000 books.

Some notable materials include papers by John O’Neal’s records of the Federation of Southern Cooperative, Helen Keller’s handwritten inscription from her

ä See AMISTAD, page 4D

“I sincerely NEVER THOUGHT they would have this much or many materials I could use for the research. … IT’S BEEN A BLESSING. I will have to keep coming back every day.” TAIWO BELLO, Ph.D., a professor who teaches African history at Oklahoma State University said of the Amistad Research Center

A GARDENING FIRST

La. horticulturist wins national garden club award Mary Ellen Miller, of the Shady Oaks Garden Club, from left, stands with Joe Willis, holding the National Garden Club Award of Excellence, and his wife, Paula Barton-Willis.

PROVIDED PHOTO

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

LSU AgCenter horticulturist and Orleans Parish outreach agent Joe Willis has spent the last 10 years providing resources for gardeners so they can have success. This year, he became the first Louisianan to win the National Garden Club’s Award of Excellence, the organization’s highest honor.

Willis speaks at garden clubs, teaches Master Naturalist class-

es, and shares horticultural wisdom with individuals around New Orleans and beyond.

“When I got the notice from the National Club saying that I had won, and that I was one of three winners, I thought, ‘Oh man, that’s quite an honor.’ I was very humbled at the same time,” Willis said.

Willis won two Louisiana Garden Club Federation awards and a Louisiana County Agricultural

ä See AWARD, page 4D

2D ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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BOOKS

‘Darkology’

Princeton professor’s book delves into the roots of blackface in American society

BY RIEN FERTEL Contributing writer

“Darkology: Blackface and the American Way of Entertainment,” by Rhae Lynn Barnes, Liveright, 528 pages.

A century and a half ago, as centennial celebra-tions touched off across the country, much of White America was united by the crude caricature known as blackface. Once the dominion of professional minstrel performers, amateur blackface began to proliferate in the waning dayss of Reconstruction, permeating everyday American life.

From coast to coast, blackface became inescap-able.

Fraternal organizations used blackface to build d brotherhood. Publishing houses marketed blackface-themed books. Blackface helped Hollywood sell tickets. Students in elementary schools and colleges performed in public blackface showcases. The government supplied troops with blackface kits for DIY minstrel shows.

In 1872, a reporter for the New Orleans Republican newspaper estimated that threequarters of Mardi Gras maskers costumed in blackface.

The ugly persistence of blackface in American culture is the subject of Princeton University professor Rhae Lynn Barnes’s bombshell of a book, “Darkology,” a rangy history that should be required reading this Semiquincentennial.

Barnes begins with the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, a “burnt-cork brotherhood” founded by professional blackface minstrels in 1868 in New York City. The Elkss produced and disseminated how-to manuals to welcome new members to the fold, training them in what Barnes terms darkology, “the commodification, study, and dehumanization of Black life.”

Performing in blackface before their fellow brothers became a rite of passage for these respectable, patriotic-minded men, and later for the generation of Polish, Irish and Italian immigrants eager to enforce boundaries of race.

By the early 20th century, darkology had leapt from the cloaked confines of the Elks to Tin Pan Alley, where publishers churned out blackBarnes face-themed theatrical productions, joke books and sheet music that revived the career of minstrel maestro Stephen Foster — and paved the way for the preeminent blackface superstar of stage and screen, Al Jolson.

Destined for living rooms, church fellowship halls and schools, these publications were the blueprint for much of what White America called entertainment.

Following the twin crashes of the Great Depression and World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, an exalted Elk member, leaned on blackface to add some pep to America’s step.

The New Deal’s Federal Theatre Project distributed original blackface content to a nation hungry for amusement, including three versions of “The Story of Little Black Sambo.”

The War Department flooded troops with burnt cork makeup, black wigs and banjos, ensuring that every G.I. Joe could put on a show for their fellow soldiers abroad. Back home, convalescing service members were treated to minstrel shows at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

And the government provided Japanese-American concentration camp prisoners with the same racist accoutrement, an “unlikely cultural bridge,” Barnes writes, to Americanization.

In one of the book’s most damning sections, Barnes tells the story of the strange footnote to FDR’s embrace of blackface. On the day he died of a cerebral hemorrhage at his Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia, the president had planned to preside over a kids’ musical showcase he had cowritten titled “Polio Minstrels.”

His wife, Eleanor, insisted that the show go on, with young White polio patients in blackface.

At war’s end, riding the tide of Black respectability and Civil Rights legislation to end Jim Crow segregation, the NAACP ramped up a cross-country antiminstrel campaign. The widespread use of blackface showcases in public schools, and the psychological damage they inflicted on children, were an early target.

When a teacher asked a classroom what a “suitable punishment for Hitler” would be, a young Black girl

Book highlights La. activism during AIDS epidemic raised i dh her h hand: d “P “Paint i hi him bl black, k and db bring i hi him to America.”

In 1963, the NAACP pressured the University of Vermont to tweak a popular campus tradition known as the Kake Walk. A dance competition featuring blackfaced fraternity members, the Kake Walk harkened back to bondage, when enslavers forcibly conscripted Black bodies to parade for the rare promise of sweet treats.

For three years, greenface replaced blackface, before the overwhelmingly White student body restored the insidious custom.

UVM officially banned the Kake Walk in 1969, after the university’s six Black students intrepidly attended the event. The following year, the fraternities surreptitiously walked anyway. A handful of Black students showed up, including Charlie Titus of nearby Saint Michael’s College, who came armed with a baseball bat.

“Anybody who wants to do a Kake Walk,” he screamed after walloping the multi-tiered cake the gathering planned to eat, “Kake Walk over my dead body!”

(In another 1960s episode that Barnes does not mention, the NAACP also called out the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club for their continued use of black makeup, resulting in that organization banning the practice for several years.)

In a crowded field of blackface scholarship, one of the merits of Barnes’s book is her focus on individuals who pushed back against what she calls “the longest-running gag in American cultural history.”

One such true American patriot was Betty Reid Soskin, née Charbonnet, a New Orleanian who relocated to California after the 1927 flood (she later gained fame for being the oldest serving National Park Service ranger in the United States). In 1952, she was horrified to learn that her son’s integrated elementary school would host a minstrel show fundraiser, featuring the principal in blackface.

She showed up, sitting front and center, forcing the company to “perform that show in front of me.” California banned blackface in public schools soon after.

But blackface has never really disappeared.

Cyberscholars warn of “digital blackface,” the application of AI and other technologies by non-Black individuals to perform and perpetuate racist stereotypes.

In April, Georgia GOP State Representative Kasey Carpenter apologized for wearing blackface to a costume party over a decade ago. In Baltimore, Republican House of Delegates primary candidate Bobby Berger was forced to answer questions about his former career as a popular blackface entertainer.

Though he retired his act in 2015, after performing over 1,000 shows, his longtime nickname appeared on the ballots: Al Jolson.

Rien Fertel is the author of four books.

BY MOLLY TERRELL Staff Writer

In the ’80s and ’90s, much like the rest of the country, Shreveport was grappling with the peak of the AIDS crisis.

Much of the government indifference, medical neglect and religious hostility during the height of the epidemic prompted activists to form support organizations, like AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP).

David W. Hylan, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and longtime LGBTQ+ advocate, has spent years preserving the stories of those who lived through the epidemic in northwest Louisiana. Hylan, a Shreveport Hylan native, co-directed “Small Town Rage: Fighting Back in the Deep South” (2016) with Raydra Hall, examining the work and influence of ACT UP Shreveport.

He has now written a book with the same title, released in June, that explores the organization and the activists who confronted fear, silence, discrimination and political indifference during the AIDS crisis in northwest Louisiana, according to a news release from Hylan.

The organization was founded in New York City in 1987 as a political action group in response to the AIDS crisis and has since expanded with independent local chapters across the country.

According to Hylan, it was important to write this book because he felt like there were a lot of stories and people that were left out of the original documentary.

“I was reliving all those stories all over again — and people’s memories and the pain of the pandemic ... the loss of my own friends and the friends and family of those that we had filmed,” said Hylan, who served for more than three decades as executive director of the Betty and Leonard Phillips Deaf Action Center in Shreveport.

Today, Hylan is retired and living in Mexico. In researching for the book, he conducted about 75 interviews and collected over 400 clippings from newspapers and magazines. He noted that telling the stories over again in print assured him that the AIDS pandemic experience for Shreveport residents would not be forgotten and would be documented through interviews and materials.

He said the silence and the way Shreveport and the surrounding areas chose to handle the AIDS epidemic made it even more painful for those involved.

“In the South, we have a culture of silence and politeness, and people didn’t want to deal with it,” Hylan said. “I think Shreveport had an overwhelming feeling that this was happening somewhere else.”

Hylan said he believes a lot of patients weren’t given the services they needed in some places, and some were starved because nurses didn’t want to go in their rooms, leaving food trays outside.

According to Hylan, the book is more in-depth than the film.

“The book is not an expansion in the sense of telling the same story as the movie — as the film — but it gave a lot more detail about who those people were and what was going on in their lives and what motivated them to get involved,” Hylan said.

THIS WEEK’S BESTSELLERS FROM PUBLISHERS WEEKLY HARDCOVER FICTION

1. “Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke 2. “Whistler” by Ann Patchett 3. “The Calamity Club” by Kathryn Stockett 4. “Our Perfect Storm” by Carley Fortune 5. “Rocket’s Red Glare” by Patterson/Eversmann 6. “Choke Point” by Brad Thor 7. “Harvest Season” by Brynne Weaver 8. “A Parade of Horribles” by Matt Dinniman 9. “The Raven at the Ash Door” by K.A. Linde 10. “This Inevitable Ruin” by Matt Dinniman

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

1. “Communion” by JD Vance 2. “School Years Scrapbook” by Thunder Bay 3. “The Land and Its People” by David Sedaris 4. “Strangers” by Belle Burden 5. “Courage Can Save Us” by Rye Barcott 6. “Stripped Down” by Bunnie Xo 7. “The Crooked Places Made Straight”

by Raphael G. Warnock 8. “The King Is Coming” by John Bevere 9. “London Falling” by Patrick Radden Keefe 10. “The Freedom-Based Business Method” by Natalie Ellis

TRADE PAPERBACK

1. “Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi 2. “The Divorce” by Freida McFadden 3. “Dungeon Crawler Carl” by Matt Dinniman 4. “The Someday Garden” by Ashley Poston 5. “Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid 6. “Dolly All the Time” by Annabel Monaghan 7. “Rules For the Summer” by Meghan Quinn 8. “Credence (deluxe ed.)” by Penelope Douglas 9. “Want to Know a Secret?” by Freida McFadden 10. “To Flame a Wild Flower” by Sarah A. Parker. Avon

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● 3D

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TRAVEL

Summertime is when the open road calls Four trips to explore that are close enough to take by car

BY CHERÉ COEN Contributing writer

Travel doesn’t have to mean flights, rental cars and a packed itinerary.

Sometimes, a great adventure may be had by the road, pausing for roadside attractions and sampling indigenous cuisine in unexplored towns.

Here are a few road trips to consider this summer, all only a few hours from south Louisiana.

Highway 7, Arkansas One of the best ways to view Arkansas in all its diversity, from cotton fields to mountains, is to follow Route 7 from El Dorado at the Louisiana border to its finale at Missouri.

The highway was the state’s first state-designated scenic byway, and visitors can enjoy four geographical regions as they head straight up the center of the Natural State.

Scenic Byway 7 begins in the state’s coastal plains and continues through the Ouachita Mountains and Hot Springs, then up through the Ozarks, including passing through the Buffalo National River — perfect for hiking, camping and white water rafting.

Along the way are springs, historic towns and authentic Southern cuisine.

Length: 290 miles.

Stop: Indulge in hot mineral soaks and massages on Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park, one that is uniquely integrated into the downtown area.

Imbibe: Cliff House Inn and Restaurant in Jasper not only serves up Southern meals for the hungry traveler but offers amazing vistas of the “Grand Canyon of the Ozarks.” Most Arkansas establishments serve yummy Possum Pie, thankfully chocolaterich and not the mammal.

Stay: The 1920s Arlington Hotel Resort & Spa finished its massive renovations and continues to serve as a downtown Hot Springs icon.

What’s unique: You can hunt for diamonds — yes, diamonds — at Crater of Diamonds State Park or stop in Mt. Ida, where crystals are in abundance.

Highway 61, Mississippi Delta Although U.S. 61 begins in New Orleans and runs through Baton Rouge, the portion known as the Blues Highway starts around Vicksburg and moves north through the Delta to just shy of Memphis.

This stretch contains numerous blues landmarks and attractions, but the highway also marks the route many African Americans took heading north toward Chicago during the “Great Migration” during most of the 20th century.

Their movement brought the indelible sounds of the blues to the rest of the country and contributed to almost all of what Americans listen to today.

It’s the reason why the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area was formed, a partnership with the National Park Service,

PHOTOS By CHERÉ COEN

Dockery Farms, located in the Mississippi Delta, is widely regarded as the place where Delta blues music was born.

Most Arkansas establishments serve Possum Pie, thankfully chocolate rich and not the mammal.

One of three graves of bluesman Robert Johnson is located outside of Greenwood, Miss.

The 1920s Arlington Hotel Resort & Spa is located at 239 Central Ave., Hot Springs, Ark. Route 66 begins in Chicago and travels to the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica.

one of only 55 such designations in the country.

Length: 1,400 miles if you head from New Orleans all the way to

Minnesota.

For Delta road trip ideas, visit www.visitthedelta.com/deltablues-road-trip.

Stop: Just outside of Greenwood lies one of three graves of bluesman Robert Johnson. Dockery Farms near Cleveland is, arguably, the place where the blues were born.

Imbibe: The Crown Restaurant in Indianola — B.B. King’s hometown — focuses on Delta favorites such as catfish, hushpuppies and homemade pies.

Stay: Choose between the Alluvian Hotel in Greenwood, The Peabody Hotel in Memphis or the Shack Up Inn outside Clarksdale, where sharecropper cabins were relocated for unique accommodations.

What’s unique: Did you know that Mississippi has more Grammy Award winners per capita than any other state? The Grammy Museum in Cleveland, Mississippi, celebrates their achievements.

Route 66 Arguably the most famous American road trip begins in Chicago and travels more than

2,000 miles to the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica.

This year, Route 66 turns 100, so there will be lots of celebrations along the way.

Route 66 was established on Nov. 11, 1926, after the American Association of State Highways was formed to create solid surfaces now known as the nation’s highways. It was famous before Bobby Troup’s song, “Get Your Kicks on Route 66,” and everyone from tourists to celebrities traveled from Chicago to California, staying in “tourist homes” and motor courts built along the highway.

Length: 2,400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Stop: The Route 66 Museum in Lebanon, Missouri, explains not only the famous road but the chronology of America’s highways.

Imbibe: The halfway point of Route 66 is in Adrian, Texas, the perfect spot to stop and enjoy the Elvis Pie — among other diner favorites — at the Midpoint Café.

Stay: Imagine you’re traveling in time at the historic 1939 Boots Court in Carthage, Missouri, a motel that Clark Gable frequented. Or choose a more elegant stay at Hotel Vandivort, a boutique hotel in the former Masonic building in downtown Springfield.

What’s unique: Guy Mace has collected more than 70 classic sports and collector cars, and he displays them at his Route 66 Car Museum in Springfield. Look for a Batmobile, a 1963 Morgan owned by Desert Storm’s Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf and the truck used in the film “Grapes of Wrath” with Henry Fonda.

Old Spanish Trail U.S. 90, known as the Old Spanish Trail, is considered by some as the “Route 66 of the South.”

The OST runs along Southern states from Florida to California, and includes the width of south Louisiana, from Slidell to Texas crossing the Mississippi Huey P. Long Bridge from New Orleans and west-northwest toward the Acadiana towns of Lafayette, Rayne and Lake Charles.

Length: 2,750 miles.

Stop: Highway 90 follows the Mississippi coast from Alabama to Pass Christian, Mississippi, where it veers northward toward Kiln and then Slidell. Stop and enjoy the beaches, great restaurants and fun attractions of Coastal Mississippi.

Imbibe: In Houston, savor crawfish with an Asian flare at the Viet-Cajun Crawfish & Noodles.

Steaming and spiced boiled crawfish arrive with side dishes such as crawfish fried rice and shrimp spring rolls.

Stay: For history lovers, the magnificent Hotel del Coronado, which just finished a restoration of its red spires, lies at the end in San Diego. Closer to home is Mobile’s historic Battle House.

Coming up: South Louisiana community leaders, tourism professionals, municipal officials and economic development leaders will gather Sept. 25 for the OST Conference 2026, a regional summit focused on promoting the tourism and economic potential of the highway. The conference will be held at the Rayne Civic Center.

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By Christopher Elliott

River cruise refuses to cover costs for canceled Rhine trip My wife and I have been looking forward to our six-day Rhine River cruise with CroisiEurope. It was supposed to be a relaxing trip before we continued on to Dublin.What we got instead was a series of mechanical problems — and a lot of anxiety.

The trouble began almost immediately. On the first night, the ship stopped cruising early.

The next morning, scuba divers worked under the hull.We departed late and a scheduled excurChristopher sion to Heidelberg was canceled.

Elliott That night, around midnight, the ship hit something.The hull shook.At 1:30 a.m., all passengers were woken up and sent to the lounge.This lasted for an hour before we were allowed to go back to our staterooms.

The final announcement came the next morning: The cruise was canceled because

of a bad motor.

Our original disembarkation was Amsterdam, and we had nonrefundable travel booked from there to Dublin. My wife and I did not want to risk further delays.We immediately booked noncancelable train travel to Amsterdam, plus two nonrefundable nights at the Hotel des Arts. Later that afternoon, a CroisiEurope representative advised that some guests would continue by bus, but by then, we had already made firm commitments and could not join that alternative trip.

CroisiEurope refunded the original cruise fare of $4,792, but we have additional expenses of about $1,400. Can you help us get a refund? — Michael Cawley,West Chester, Pa. I think CroisiEurope should have reimbursed you for all of your expenses.

Mechanical failures, an inter-

rupted night’s sleep after the ship struck something — these are not minor inconveniences.

Under EU Regulation 1177/2010, a European consumer protection law, passengers on inland waterway journeys are entitled to reimbursement in cases of cancellation because of technical faults, which includes meals and, if an overnight stay becomes necessary, reasonable accommodations.

But the regulation for inland waterways is a little tricky. Once an event like yours happens, the operator must offer two options: either rerouting you to the final destination free of charge or providing a full refund of the ticket price.

CroisiEurope offered a bus reroute after you had already com-

mitted to the nonrefundable train and hotel to Amsterdam. This timing is important. You were forced to make arrangements because the company did not provide the necessary assistance immediately. The offer of a bus came too late.

What could you have done differently?

The moment the cruise was officially canceled, you should have contacted a manager at CroisiEurope and ask that it book and pay for your rerouting, which the regulation implies it should do.

Booking nonrefundable tickets on your own, especially without a clear paper trail confirming CroisiEurope’s refused assistance, makes recovering that money harder.

Since CroisiEurope has already

issued the full cruise refund, your dispute is over the out-of-pocket expenses. After we contacted the company, CroisiEurope offered you a $1,400 credit for a future cruise.

“Per our legal analysis, the Regulation (EU) No. 1177/2010 does not apply to Mr. Cawley’s case, as this law concerns a package travel contract and not merely a river transport service,” a representative told us.

That’s not the resolution you were hoping for — and frankly, it wasn’t for me, either.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site.

4D ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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California to institute Bruce Lee Day Martial arts icon will become the first Chinese American in state’s history with an annual namesake day

By The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — Martial arts icon Bruce Lee, who was born in San Francisco, will become the first Chinese American in California history with an annual namesake day.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law Tuesday afternoon officially designating May 17 as Bruce Lee Day, according to the office of state Assemblymember Matt Haney, who represents San Francisco.

An 18-year-old Lee re-

turned to San Francisco on May 17, 1959, after spending his childhood in Hong Kong.

Lee’s daughter, Shannon, who is CEO of the Bruce Lee Foundation, said the honor is a testament to her father’s enduring legacy as a bridge between cultures.

“From young people who found confidence and possibility in his philosophy, to families who finally saw themselves represented on screen, to athletes who still draw on his teachings of discipline and inner strength, his reach is profound,” Shan-

represented with strength and dignity,” he said in a statement.

The foundation and various Asian American organizations hope Lee will be celebrated every year with voluntary commemorative activities around the state such as cultural exhibits, public events and classroom lessons.

Born in 1940 to Chinese parents who were touring with an opera, Lee was allowed to have birthright citiASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By JEFF CHIU zenship. A few months later, A man walks past a mural showing Bruce Lee and a dragon the family returned to Hong Kong where Lee became in San Francisco in 2020. a child actor and began learning Chinese kung fu. non Lee said in a statement. Americans were too often He moved back to the U.S. Haney called Lee the epit- absent from or stereotyped in 1959 and enrolled in the ome of the best of California. on screen, Bruce Lee helped University of Washington “At a time when Asian generations see themselves in Seattle two years later.

He dropped out and threw himself into practicing and teaching martial arts.

In the 1960s, Lee found work in Hollywood, most notably as Kato in the TV series “The Green Hornet,” but studios wanted him to play racist stereotypes and paid him less than his White counterparts.

He pivoted back to Hong Kong and soon became a megastar of martial arts flicks, including “The Big Boss” and “Fist of Fury.”

Lee died in 1973 at 32 after an allergic reaction to pain medication.

Lee’s name and likeness remain popular. Fans gather on his birthday. A treatment for a proposed TV action series he wrote inspired the HBO Max show “Warrior.”

AMISTAD

Continued from page 1D book “The World I Live In,” George Herriman’s “Krazy Kat” newspaper comics and a recent acquisition of papers by American-Mexican artist Elizabeth Catlett.

“Without the Amistad Research Center, many documents from the African American experience would end up in landfills, and many stories would end up in cemeteries,” said Freddi Williams Evans, an independent scholar and New Orleans author.

Evans’ work led to New Orleans renaming Congo Square in 2011, and she’s also worked to get permanent markers at historic slave trade sites.

“When I first started looking at this history, I searched Louisiana and New Orleans history books, and I was very discouraged to find that many of them, I would say over 50%, did not even mention African American presence here in the city,” Evans said. “Sometimes if the African presence was mentioned, it was distorted and misrepresented.”

History makers The Amistad Research Center shares its records across the country, loaning documents, manuscripts, films and art to museums such as the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History. Collections include the Congress of Racial Equality and the American Committee on Africa, along with works by Jacob Lawrence, Chester Himes and Fannie Lou Hamer.

But it started in 1966 as a stack of the American Missionary Association’s papers at Fisk University.

Historian Clifton H. Johnson, a former professor at LeMoyne College in Memphis, founded the center with the conviction that African Americans’ stories had been systematically left out of documentation used for education.

“Traditionally, historians, especially White American historians, have chosen to exclude the positive contributions of African Americans and other ethnic minorities to our history and culture,” Johnson said in a 2005 lecture at Texas A&M University. “They have been treated not as actors in history, but as a part of the historical landscape upon which Whites were the

STAFF PHOTOS By ENAN CHEDIAK

Lisa Moore, head of research services at the Amistad Center, left, shows visitors a collection of letters from the archives at the Amistad Research Center at Tulane University in New Orleans on May 21. history makers.”

His vision for the center took shape while organizing Civil War and Reconstruction archives of the American Missionary Association, which supported education for Black Americans and racial equality.

It started as one collection, and grew with documents from Civil Rights leaders, educators, social justice organizations, ministers, pastors and artists, gathering thousands of papers over Johnson’s tenure.

Now, the staff can lay out handpicked archives for viewers based on appointment and specific interests. Restricted files and the art collection are caged for protection including original writings

by Lewis Tappan, who helped free slaves aboard the Amistad. The archive even has a halon fire sup-

A visitor points to some handwritten letters from the archives at the Amistad Research Center.

AWARD

Continued from page 1D Agents Association prize before accepting his National Garden Club honor at the annual convention in St. Louis, Missouri.

Mary Ellen Miller, a member of the Shady Oaks Garden Club in River Ridge since the 1980s, was instrumental in nominating Willis for the state award. Willis attends the Shady Oaks Garden Club meet-

ings and often helps the members with their gardens, as well as educating the general public on gardening and plants.

“Joe is a uniting force,” said Miller, who credits Willis for the Shady Oaks Garden Club’s flower show at the New Orleans Spring Garden Show in April.

But what really convinced Miller and other members to nominate Willis was his work to save one of the Shady Oaks Garden Club’s gardens.

When everything was dying in the garden, Willis came out, identified

pression system for security in the in 1987 to Tulane, where the center event of potential damage. has remained.

Tulane marked the kickoff to the Preserving stories Center’s 60th year in late May at Professor Taiwo Bello, Ph.D., President Mike Fitts’ house, where teaches African history at Oklaho- he quoted Henry Louis Gates Jr. in ma State University and recently remarks to attendees. “If you don’t visited the center for its historical tell your stories, other people will account of the American Commit- tell their stories about you,” Fitts tee of Africa. At the beginning of said. “It’s important that we nurhis archival dig, he had trouble ture and protect these memories.” finding any research on the topic.

One part of New Orleans history “Virtually every document that I preserved at Amistad is that of the found pointed me toward the Amis- Morial family. “It almost makes me tad Research Center as the hub for want to cry because not every famithis type of research, which then ly gets the opportunity to have their gave me a sense that, look, you’ve history preserved in this way,” not even started (research) at all Judge Monique Morial told WGNO until you take yourself there,” at the event. “And it’s an honor for Bello said. us to be able to share my father’s He said he could visit every day papers, own my mother’s papers, for 10 years and still not cover the with them and have it be available.” extent of materials available. His topic alone has 300 boxes of docu- Looking to the future ments.

Amistad also unveiled a new com“I sincerely never thought they memorative poster called “Head would have this much or many Start” for the 60th anniversary. It’s materials I could use for the re- by Ayo Scott, son of artist John T. search,” Bello said. “The staff Scott, whose work is included at the has been helping a lot; it’s been a center, and based on Norman Rockblessing. I will have to keep com- well’s painting of Ruby Bridges, but with a heavier burden atop her ing back every day.”

Here, researchers like Bello can head in the form of ships.

The art and posts double as a funreceive a personalized, “intimate experience with history” curated draiser for the center, which saw by appointment for each visitor, its federal funding slashed by 40% Executive Director Kathe Ham- after Trump administration changes last spring. Half of the staff was laid brick said.

Throughout the center’s history, off, and Hambrick said they looked finding a permanent residence for to local and private donors for supa growing collection proved com- port. In 200 days, they raised $1.8 plicated. After Fisk University, it million and staff was rehired.

She said the process has been moved to Dillard University in New Orleans, then the U.S. Mint in the hard, but they are meeting their French Quarter. But Hambrick said annual $1.3 million budget to run the Mint’s conditions were insuffi- the institution. The center has cient, prompting another relocation also received a $150,000 Wisner

Family Foundation grant for the virtual education program called “Amistad on the Go” for junior archivists.

As part of the launch, teachers and school leaders can learn more at the Summer Teacher Institute from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 18.

Hambrick said they hope to implement digital humanities into the school curricula and bring more accessibility to education on an international scale.

Hambrick has also introduced quarterly pop-up vinyl fundraisers, where community members bring personal records to spin on a chosen theme. The next one is at 5:30 p.m., July 18 at The Blue Crawfish Hotel & Bar with $25 entry.

Amistad hosts a variety of events and lectures. On May 21, the collective Who Owns Black Data discussed the protection of digitalized media with scholars and activists from around the world.

Other events, like book signings by local authors and researchers, are scheduled this summer. One is Conversations in Color by former Chief Justice Bernette Joshua and attorney and Amistad Board Chair Kim Boyl on July 15.

The plaque marking the anniversary, in the hands of Hambrick reads, “The ship is still sailing,” a nod to the Amistad Research Center’s ongoing effort to preserve truthful history.

“The Amistad ship was a freedom ship,” Hambrick said.

The Amistad will host its largest anniversary event on Nov. 12, with special guests including Mayor Helena Moreno.

For more information on the center, visit amistadresearchcenter.org.

a fungus and helped the club take everything out and replace the soil.

“We thought he would win at the state, because he’s so good, and he cares so much,” Miller said. “But he didn’t just win state — he won for the Deep South and then the national. He has definitely earned it and made all this education of horticulture really accessible to everybody.”

Willis said that when he found out he won, he reflected on all of his work as a part of his job, outside of his job and working with people and plants.

in public, and people approach him with questions about their gardens.

“Essentially, I want to make it easier for people to have success and fun in their gardens and in their landscapes and garden clubs,” Willis said.

His words of advice for anyone planning to start a garden are to “plant the right plant at the right place at the right time.”

“I remembered that when I started this position 10 years ago, Mary Ellen had contacted me and asked me to be part of a tour bus group through the gardens of New Orleans — to talk about the plants.

From the very beginning, I’d been working with the garden clubs, and it came full circle,” Willis said.

Popular in the New Orleans area for his regular appearances on Fox 8 WVUE-TV and WWL, the community calls Willis “Dr. Joe,” for his gardening diagnoses and solutions. He says he gets recognized

Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● 5D

DINING SCENE

New Orleans restaurants changed American dining Happy birthday, America. And on behalf of Louisiana and New Orleans, you’re welcome.

That’s for the debt of gratitude owed for many contributions to this great nation, including in the world of food and drink.

The food culture thriving in New Orleans has made an outsized impact on the spectrum Ian of American dinMcNulty tyy ing.

It’s a narrative WHAT’S that flows through COOKING a progression of influential local restaurants like a common thread.

It starts with the fact that New Orleans has its own food. As the country’s most successful fusion cooking, Creole cuisine is a polyglot tale of blended influences in the New World.

It survived America’s culinary dark ages, the era of homogenization, and it kept evolving. It made New Orleans a gastronomic destination long before the current craze for it.

STAFF FILE PHOTO

Chef Paul Prudhomme and Margaret Orr in 1985.

FILE PHOTO By J.N. PITTS

Oysters Rockefeller are served atop a bed of hot rock salt at Antoine’s Restaurant in 1979.

The grand Creole restaurant Consider Antoine’s Restaurant, founded in 1840, the oldest in the country in continuous operation.

It’s not just the restaurant’s longevity that makes it influential, nor even the canonical dishes created in its kitchen.

Instead, it’s Antoine’s role in establishing the idea of a restaurant destination serving a local cuisine distinctive to the city, an early “bucket list” to experience a place and its culture through dining. It set the template for the grand Creole restaurant that was in place when, nearly 80 years later, Arnaud’s Restaurant opened in 1918.

It was founder and namesake “Count” Arnaud Cazenave, a Frenchman and wine salesman with an assumed title of nobility, who issued a dare to French Quarter barkeep Owen Brennan. The count claimed an Irishman could never operate a proper fine dining restaurant.

Brennan, essentially saying “hold my Burgundy and watch,” proceeded to open Owen Brennan’s Vieux Carre across from Arnaud’s on Bourbon Street in 1946, and the Brennan family res-

STAFF FILE PHOTO

PROVIDED By BRENNAN’S RESTAURANT

Emeril Lagasse in his first restaurant, Emeril’s, in 1993.

taurant saga began.

That would lead to the nowlandmark Brennan’s on Royal Street in 1956, which today is the ongoing evolution of a historic Creole restaurant into a modern one.

took over and, through the 1970s, turned into a forerunner of the idea of modern American cuisine.

It was a Louisiana creation that elevated local ingredients and dishes at a time when regional cuisines from coast to coast were getting fresh recognition as worthy of pursuit.

Commander’s Palace was a pivotal example and helped embolden chefs all over the country to forge their own paths, rather than strive to fit European ideals.

But perhaps it was the late Commander’s Palace matriarch Ella Brennan’s eye for talent, and

Owen Edward Brennan Jr., Ella Brennan’s brother, stands outside the Vieux Carre Restaurant on Royal Street in 1943.

A new American cuisine From Brennan’s, we get to Commander’s Palace, which one branch of the Brennan family

ability to cultivate it, that would have the most wide-ranging influence nationally.

It was a break from the tradition of kitchens led by Frenchtrained chefs when she named a young Louisiana native from Cajun country to be head chef. That was Paul Prudhomme, of course, who went on to open K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen, which was its own engine of influence through the 1970s and 1980s.

In the beginning, K-Paul’s was small and casual, with communal tables and no reservations. That was a marked change from the traditional Creole restaurants of the day. It became a sensation for its robust Louisiana flavors, and Prudhomme became a superstar.

If it’s common now for casual, creative restaurants to win highprofile awards and draw throngs of eager diners, K-Paul’s blazed the path early.

Way before social media, Prudhomme’s blackened redfish “went viral,” igniting a national craze for the dish that prompted fishing restrictions on redfish. He even hosted the equivalent of pop-ups, setting up temporary traveling versions of K-Paul’s in other cities.

So much that feels new with modern restaurant trends had an earlier iteration flowing from New Orleans.

In the same era as Prudhomme, chef Austin Leslie rose to national prominence for his mastery of Black Creole cooking at his restaurant Chez Helene. It inspired the CBS television sitcom “Frank’s Place,” which in 1987 gave America a glimpse of New Orleans life through the lens of a homey, backstreet joint, with

STAFF FILE PHOTO

Chez Helene chef Austin Leslie at work in his Treme restaurant in its original location, at 1536 N. Robertson St., in 1988.

food as the entry point to bigger cultural issues.

Leslie’s way with fried chicken still lives on Jacques-Imo’s Café (where he cooked later in life) and the related Crabby Jack’s. Part of his lasting legacy was to give a high profile face and persona to the Black chefs who have long been vital to New Orleans food and too often went unrecognized.

The story continues Back at Commander’s Palace, the chef who succeeded Prudhomme was Emeril Lagasse, who was just 25 when he was tapped for the job. It was the launching pad to open his own Emeril’s Restaurant in 1990 and that, in turn, set his star trajectory in creating a new kind of celebrity chef, one more akin to a rock star.

From his cookbooks and TV shows, his influence on successive generations around the excitement of cuisine, and even the career path of a chef, can’t be understated.

One of those he influenced clearly was his own son, E.J. Lagasse, who now leads Emeril’s Restaurant in its new age as a two-Michelin-Star destination.

It too, is showing a new side of American dining, one that sets local cuisine on the highest global plane of refinement.

In New Orleans, history is around every corner. Sometimes on that corner is a restaurant where we can visit to experience the living laboratory of what American cuisine can be.

Email Ian McNulty at imcnulty@theadvocate.com.

Voice of Minions says he now understands his henchmen Coffin is the creator of Minionese, but it’s a dialect that’s taken time to hone

How to speak Minionese

BY JAKE COYLE AP film writer

NEW YORK — Filmmaker Pierre Coffin is the creator and chief practitioner of Minionese, but it’s a dialect — like most things Minions — that’s taken time to hone.

“I have this file on my phone of Indian dishes or weird words.”

Coffin says. “People come up to me and say, ‘You should say that!’ and I write it down.”

“The hardest thing,” adds Coffin, “is just to find the melody.”

I t ’s b e e n 1 6 years since Coffin co-directed Illumination’s “DespiCoffin cable Me.” He has made three more movies in the franchise, directing “Despicable Me 2,” “Despicable Me 3” and “Minions.”

But the Minions, like Coffin’s personal version of Frankenstein’s monster, have often remained a deviling, even mystifying force to him.

Coffin, a French Indonesian animator who lives in Paris, where Illumination productions are based, has struggled with both the dictates of Hollywood franchisebuilding and the strange narrative conundrums of movies based around a supervillain and gibberish-speaking henchmen.

“That’s why I kind of disappeared from the series,” Coffin said in a recent interview from Paris. “I mean, the first one was really good. A bad guy becoming a good guy after contact with three little girls, I could see it. The second one was a little bit more shady because it was like: That guy who’s no longer a bad guy falls in love and there’s a marriage at

PROVIDED PHOTO By ILLUMINATION/UNIVERSAL PICTURES

In ‘Minions & Monsters,’ the Minions turn filmmakers. Alongside Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, they try to make a monster movie in 1920s Hollywood. the end. That’s literally how Chris (Meledandri) pitched it to me.

My French sensibility threw up a little bit.”

If you can’t tell, Coffin — the still-mischievous 59-year-old son of a French diplomat and an Indonesian novelist — is unusually candid about the franchise he helped create.

Even movies that he directed, he’s highly critical of.

The previous “Minions” spinoff, 2022’s “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” Coffin won’t even talk about because, he says, “I don’t necessarily like it and it’s strange to me.” “Despicable Me 3,” the 2017 sequel, was the last movie Coffin directed, but he says he didn’t even want to make it.

Afterward, Coffin told Meledandri, the Illumination chief executive, that he was done.

“I told him: I got to move on. I did my trilogy, my prequel — I’m good. I can help with the voices, no problem. But I want to move on,” Coffin says. “I worked on separate things, but I always get pulled back by the Minions.”

The Minions have a way of ma-

nipulating their bosses, Coffin included. After walking away from them, he’s back for “Minions & Monsters,” the third standalone feature for the little guys.

“All the other ones I had doubts about. I was guided into a direction that I did not necessarily like or understand,” says Coffin of the previous sequels. “But the things were a huge success. I was humbled. OK, there has to be something I don’t understand.

“This one is horrible because I’m thinking I really like it,” Coffin says, laughing. “And I’m thinking, man, maybe I just killed the franchise.”

Making Minions main characters On the contrary, “Minions & Monsters,” which opened last week, may be the best “Minions” movie yet.

In it, the Minions turn filmmakers. Alongside Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, they try to make a monster movie in 1920s Hollywood.

The premise, suggested by Meledandri, was too enticing for Coffin to turn down. He even wanted

to write the script, which he did with co-writer Brian Lynch. “Minions & Monsters” makes the yellow troublemakers something more than chaos-inducing sidekicks.

They’re silent film stars who for the first time feel like actual protagonists.

“This movie has so much for people who were kids when they first encountered the Minions,” says Meledandri. “More than any previous Minion movie, it incorporates all of that wonderful silliness of the Minions but it’s also a terrific story.”

Even after seven films and more than $5 billion in box office, the Minions are still revealing themselves to Coffin.

They were, in the first place, a product of evolution. For “Despicable Me,” they were first designed like hulking thugs, then more like robots, then more like mole men.

Coffin, Chris Renaud and art director Eric Guillon kept refining.

Add in some goggles, overalls and names like Stuart and Kevin and, bingo: movie history.

Yet given that the Minions are impossible to understood, except for a word or two, they make for tricky protagonists. Hand them over to a new boss, and you risk making the Minions second bananas again.

At the same time, long sections of uninterrupted Minionese can grow tiresome without some human interpreter.

“If it’s too long and annoying to the ear, we just kill it,” Coffin says.

“All of these movies, we do until we find the little formula.”

Even just writing for the Minions isn’t a clear process. Coffin, who voices all the Minions, is accustomed to improvising their dialogue back and forth. (For the first “Minions” movie, he’d begin his mornings with two hours alone with a microphone before commuting to the studio.) Putting pen to paper came less naturally.

“Brian didn’t know how to write them,” Coffin says. “He tried writing gibberish. I told him, ‘Don’t write gibberish. I don’t understand what they’re saying. Let’s write them in English.’ It took us a while to establish that dumb thing.”

Coffin can sound almost parental about the Minions.

The characters he gave voice to aren’t just in the movies. They’re like mascots for Illumination, generated billions in merchandising.

Not every treatment nails their singular nature.

In writing “Minions & Monsters,” Coffin wanted to think about the origins of friendships.

He began surveying people about how they met their best friends.

Many of the replies inevitably went back to when someone was 8 or 10 years old.

“That made it very clear to us: The Minions are kids,” Coffins says.

“I discovered that on this movie.

It dawned on me. They’re irresponsible, they don’t listen, they make a mess, they don’t listen to authority. From that moment onward, it was very easy.”

6D ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press Today is Sunday, July 5, the 186th day of 2026. There are 179 days left in the year.

Today in History: On July 5, 1996, Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell by scientists at the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh, was born.

Also on this date: In 1687, Isaac Newton first published his Principia Mathematica, a three-volume work setting out his mathematical principles of natural philosophy.

In 1811, Venezuela became the first South American country to declare independence from Spain.

In 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered his speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York.

In 1865, the Secret Service Division of the U.S. Treasury Department was founded in Washington, D.C., with the mission of suppressing counterfeit currency.

In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act. In 1937, Hormel introduced a canned meat product called Spam; more than 9 billion cans have been sold since.

In 1940, during World War II, Britain and the Vichy government in France broke off diplomatic relations.

In 1943, the Battle of Kursk began during World War II; in the weeks that followed, the Soviets were able to repeatedly repel the Germans, who eventually withdrew in defeat.

In 1946, the modern bikini, designed by Frenchman Louis Reard, was first modeled in Paris.

In 1947, Larry Doby made his debut with the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first Black player in the American League three months after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the National League.

In 1954, Elvis Presley recorded his first single, “That’s All Right,” at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee.

In 1971, President Richard Nixon certified the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which lowered the minimum voting age from 21 to 18.

In 1975, Arthur Ashe became the first Black man to win a Wimbledon singles title, defeating Jimmy Connors.

In 1977, Pakistan’s army, led by General Mohammad Zia ulHaq, seized power from President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

In 1980, Bjorn Borg became the first male player to win five consecutive Wimbledon singles titles.

In 1994, Amazon was founded by Jeff Bezos as an online marketplace for books.

In 2011, a jury in Orlando, Florida, found Casey Anthony, 25, not guilty of murder, manslaughter and child abuse in the 2008 disappearance and death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee.

In 2013, Pope Francis cleared two of the 20th century’s most influential popes to become saints in the Roman Catholic Church, approving a miracle needed to canonize Pope John Paul II and waiving Vatican rules to honor Pope John XXIII. Today’s Birthdays: Julie Nixon Eisenhower is 78. Rock star Huey Lewis is 76. Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Rich “Goose” Gossage is 75. NFL Hall of Fame receiver James Lofton is 70. Cartoonist Bill Watterson (“Calvin and Hobbes”) is 68. Singer-songwriter Marc Cohn is 67. Actor Edie Falco is 63. Actor Kathryn Erbe is 61. Actor Michael Stuhlbarg is 58. Rapper RZA is 57. Author Gary Shteyngart is 54. R&B singer Joe is 53. Rapper Royce da 5’9” is 49. International Tennis Hall of Famer Amelie Mauresmo is 47. Actor Ryan Hansen is 45. Country musician Dave Haywood (Lady A) is 44. Actor Danay Garcia is 42. Retired soccer player Megan Rapinoe is 41. Actor Jason Dolley is 35. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani is 32.

Delete the emails, not the friendships if that is your test for good comDear Miss Manners: It is like a compulsion for many people to forward panionship, Miss Manners fears emails they’ve received, usually you will have a lonely life of cenfilled with jokes and such. To my soring everyone you know. surprise, many seem to enjoy those Because bad taste in humor (or emails. more accurately, taste that is someI stopped everybody from forthing other than your own) is not just confined to inboxes, but warding me those emails to all social situations, even by telling them the truth: (especially) familial ones.

If I want jokes, I will buy One would think it would be a book of jokes. I have TV easier just to humor the husets, radios, newspapers and all kinds of ways I can morless and quietly delete get the latest news from their emails, rather than Judith around the world. I also Martin obliterate the relationship have a computer that gives with their senders.

MISS me everything I want and Dear Miss Manners: My partMANNERS need, but when I want and ner, Derek, our lady friend, need it.

Jessica, and I dined at a Some of my friends were surhighly renowned restaurant in the prised at my decision. “Oh, but my big city. The waitstaff was young and attractive, the silverware was jokes are SO funny!” they tell me, clean, and the food was attractively but I never lost an interesting cordisplayed when we were served. respondent by telling them not to send me any forwarded messages. Derek and Jess each had a drink, I had water, and the bill came to I delete them right away. something just south of $200.

Gentle Reader: So you already have My companions are used to fine a solution. You just want to admondining, but I was shocked when the ish your humorless friends and food was delivered. It was like a boast about how dispensable they joke — the plate was nearly empty. are?

The “meal” was artfully prepared, Yes, the practice of forwarding probably with rare and desirable these emails can be annoying. But

ingredients, but after dinner, I went to a real restaurant and got a cheeseburger.

It’s not my inclination to make a scene when we’re out having a nice time, so I didn’t, but if we ever go “fine dining” again, what are my rights as a customer? Should I have sent the plate back to the kitchen and told them to put some real food on it?

Gentle Reader: You already know the answer to that.

“Fine dining” is often synonymous with pretentiousness and sadly, the joke is on us when the portions are laughably small — if no doubt artfully prepared and sustainably sourced.

Miss Manners suggests that next time a restaurant like this one is suggested, you look up the menu (and accompanying pictures) online beforehand. At least that way you can be prepared — either by suggesting somewhere else or by eating hearty appetizers beforehand.

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www. missmanners.com or to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com.

A new app can screen your phone calls Dear Heloise: I make calls for work concerning client requests, and some numbers now have an app that screens all calls.

This starts after waiting for the voicemail. You have to give a name, a reason for the call, or a phone number, Hints from then wait some Heloise more while a list is checked. Then, if you’re on the list, it goes to voicemail. None of this is efficient, as it wastes my time and also ties up your phone.

The person can see who’s calling, and they don’t have to answer. Not all calls are spam.

This isn’t respectful to people you’ve given your number to. — Ann, via email Ann, this may seem to be an annoyance to you, but the general public is tired of spam calls. I can tell you that when I’m sitting at my

Yo St ur ar M ts o He ve re

desk during working hours, it’s not uncommon to get between 10-11 spam calls in one day.

Thank heavens my phone alerts me to these spam calls, and I ignore them.

While I’m not thrilled by the system you’ve written about, I can certainly understand it. — Heloise

Disposing of shredded paper Dear Heloise: Regarding Anni’s letter, I called 311 (the city helpline) in Houston about recycling shredded paper. I was told to empty the shredded paper into a paper bag, staple it shut, then put it in the recycle bin. — Linda S., via email

Shampoo bars Dear Heloise: A bar of shampoo that is packaged in a cardboard box saves our planet from more plastic.

I found this product during COVID, and I’ll never buy a plastic bottle of shampoo again.

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Marking wine glasses Dear Heloise: We keep cute little flower suction cups to stick on our glasses to identify them during the day.

They’re in different colors, and my husband and I have a particular one that we use all the time and different ones to give company.

I also have cute little glass ornaments on metal rings that will fit around a wine glass stem so that when I have company, each person has their own wine glass.

They can refill it, leave it somewhere, and know which one it is.

This way, we only have to wash the glasses at the end of the day. — Emily M., in Kingwood,Texas Send a hint to heloise@heloise. com.

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TALKING BUSINESS Andy Kopplin: City’s best hope is biomedical corridor 3E

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT How a south La. print shop has survived 108 years 9E

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

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S u n d ay, J u ly 5, 2026

1En

MADE TO

EXPERIENCE

From roller rinks to laundromats, Bywater company builds memorable marketing installations at festivals, sporting events, more

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

IDEAS &

INNOVATION “We want to continue to push the boundary of what’s possible in the time that you’re given to build something. ... Over the last 20 years, we’ve seen some amazing advances in technology, and I want Raven to be the leader.”

CHRIS BERENDS, Raven co-founder

For the last two years, the half-million attendees of the Lollapalooza summer music festival in Chicago’s Grant Park have been treated to a new feature: a bright red Coca-Cola-branded pop-up roller skating rink, complete with a DJ booth, cubbies full of skates and plenty of frosty soda cans.

The marketing ploy was the brainchild of Coke and Live Nation Experiential, an in-house division of the global company that owns the festival. But the rink itself was built about a thousand miles south — in New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood — by Raven PMG, an under-the-radar Louisiana business that’s found success in the $130 billion and growing experiential marketing industry.

Operating out of a warehouse on Montegut Street, not far from where the train tracks cross St. Claude Avenue, Raven is a specialty fabrication company that designs, builds, ships and installs elaborate temporary structures used to promote products and brands at festivals, sporting events and conventions while giving attendees a shady place to sip a drink, use the bathroom or get a great view of whatever action is going on outside.

The private company, which was founded more than a decade ago but grew dramatically after the pandemic,

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

Raven PMG executive Josh Beck holds a 3D-printed hippo head at the New Orleans warehouse.

ä See EXPERIENCE, page 2E

TOP: Workers build a structure made out of shipping containers, steel and other materials at Raven.

LEFT: A walk-in disco ball is put in storage.

Air Products decision points to state’s energy challenges ahead

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

On the same day last week that Air Products announced it was scrapping plans for its $4.5 billion “clean” hydrogen plant in Ascension Parish, which would have captured carbon emissions and stored them underground, ExxonMobil canceled offshore leases in the Gulf it had acquired for potential carbon-capture projects.

Two weeks earlier, Houston-based SunGas Renewables dropped its plans for a $2.4 billion plant in central Louisiana that also had a carbon capture and sequestration component.

And in February, a Houston firm that had been planning a $9.2 billion clean energy project at the Port of Greater

Baton Rouge since 2020 was acquired panies to reduce their carbon footprint by a Silicon Valley company that has by capturing emissions and burying shelved the project — Grön Fuels — for them underground. the foreseeable future, if not altogether.

Those policies, under President DonTaken together, the projects totaled ald Trump, are changing, at a time when more than $15 billion in planned invest- Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration has paused permitting for new carments in the state and promised hundreds of permanent new bon injection wells amid growjobs, though Louisiana Ecoing environmental concerns from local communities. nomic Development Secretary “We thought the renaisSusan Bourgeois said none of them was among the $110 bilsance was going to be this enlion worth of new capital spendergy transformation,” said Tim Barfield, president and CEO of ing that Louisiana has secured Baton Rouge-based consulting since 2024.

Barfield firm CSRS, which was working Still, the recent decisions raise questions about the future of an with the developers of the Grön Fuels industrial boom in the state that was project. “Some of those projects have predicated, at least in part, on state and ä See ENERGY, page 2E federal policies that incentivized com-

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Air Products crew await a detonation on Lake Maurepas in Akers during a demonstration in 2022.

2E ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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BUSINESS BRIEFS

JCPenney building listed for sale

The Florida real estate company that bought the JCPenney store in Acadiana Mall in 2019 has put it up for sale.

Out of the Box Ventures has put the 122,512-square foot mall anchor space and adjacent parking up for sale and is asking for $1.4 million, according to the listing posted by Elifin Realty.

Out of the Box Ventures, a subsidy of Miami-based real estate investment firm Lionheart Capital, bought the building in 2019 from the JCPenney Corp. for $750,302 and leased it back to the retailer, court records show. The initial lease was for five years with two options to extend it another five years, records show.

The owner and JCPenney were subject to a lien filed in 2020 for failing to pay for $1,310 to a Texas company that performed HVAC work on the building, court records show. The lien was lifted in 2021.

The JCPenney location made a list of company store closures in 2020, but company officials reversed course on it and two others in Louisiana.

The retailer has closed five stores this year with another expected to follow suit, reports indicate.

AOC Community Media hires executive director

AOC Community Media has named Jamie Angelle as its executive director.

Angelle, who was deputy chief of staff under former Lafayette Parish Mayor-President Josh Guillory, will lead the 45-year-old organization that serves as Lafayette’s public access media.

The board selected Angelle for his experience in journalism, government and civic engagement, AOC President John Pastor said. Angelle has worked with TV stations KADN and KATC along with KPEL radio.

“We are confident that Jamie’s vision and experience will strengthen AOC’s role as a leader in digital media arts, community broadcasting, media education, and civic engagement throughout Acadiana,” Pastor said.

Angelle replaces Michael Messerly, who resigned last year.

“To every customer, employee, friend, and family member who supported us along the way — thank you,” owner Shane Vallot wrote in a Facebook post announcing the closure. “Your love and support meant more than you’ll ever know.”

The restaurant opened its first brick-and-mortar location in 2023 in a small space at 803 W. Pinhook Road before moving to its current space, which had previously housed Smitty’s Wings.

Vallot, a Comeaux High School graduate who walked on to the Cajuns football team as an offensive lineman, opened Shane’s Cheesy Mac Bar, 1043 Johnston St., last year. That restaurant closed recently after it was damaged by fire.

Vallot started in 2022 when he opened Big Thane’s food truck.

Pizza sales slump so far in 2026, report shows

Pizza restaurants have taken the biggest hits in the restaurant industry so far this year, one report shows.

The 2026 Mid-Year Market ReA Lafayette restaurant that port issued by Consumer Edge, a sprang from a food truck started by national consumer research firm, a former University of Louisiana at tabbed quick-serve pizza outlets Lafayette football player has shut as the biggest loser with year-overyear consumer spending down its doors.

Shane’s Famous Quesadilla Burg- about 6%.

The Lafayette area has followed ers, 3822 W. Congress St., closed that trend. At least seven pizza Friday.

Shane’s Famous Quesadilla Burgers closes

places have closed since last year, including the Pizza Amore location in Carencro last month.

The report blamed the prevalence of customers taking GLP-1 drugs and a growing awareness around calorie intake and portion control.

“Increasingly health-conscious diners are trading down to smaller pies or trading out to lighter, higher-perceived-healthy alternatives,” the report read.

Pizza Amore’s closure followed others, including two Pizza Hut locations in Lafayette, the Pizza Artista in Broussard and the Blaze Pizza in Lafayette near Costco.

Home Bank announces split in leadership roles Home Bancorp, the parent company of Lafayette-based Home Bank, named a president after splitting the position from CEO John Bordelon.

Bank officials announced the move to name Darren E. Guidry, previously the bank’s chief risk officer, as president while Bordelon will remain as CEO and board chair.

Bank officials said the move will enhance Home Bank’s leadership structure by allowing the CEO to remain focused on overall corporate strategy, capital planning and shareholder relations. The president will lead daily business opera-

tions and execution of its strategic priorities.

Guidry, who had been chief risk officer since October 2022, will work with the bank’s executive leadership team to drive performance across the organization while maintaining a strong discipline in credit quality, risk management and customer service.

“Darren Guidry is a highly respected leader with deep knowledge of our business, strong commitment to our customers, employees, shareholders and communities,” Bordelon said.

Catalyst Bank acquisition gets shareholder OK Opelousas-based Catalyst Bank has gained shareholder approval to move forward with its acquisition of a Sulphur-based bank.

Lakeside Bank’s shareholders approved the merger with Catalyst and all required regulatory approvals have been obtained for the deal, bank officials announced.

The merger is expected to close July 14.

Lakeside Bank has four locations in Calcasieu Parish and ended 2025 with $385.7 million in assets, $236.3 million in loans and $287.5 million in deposits. Once combined, the two banks are expected to have $627.3 million in assets, $399.9 million in loans and $470.0 million in deposits.

EXPERIENCE

ENERGY

oversees nearly 200 installations — or “experiences,” in industry parlance — annually for major events like Lollapalooza, the World Cup, Bonnaroo and Essence Festival of Culture. It works for roughly 100 brands or agencies, including Live Nation’s in-house team. It has about 70 full-time employees, and contractors swell that number to well over 100 during busy seasons.

Depending on the scale and complexity of the work involved, Raven will charge as little as $10,000 to more than $1 million for a project. The company declined to provide its annual revenues but says the number quadrupled over a three-year period after the pandemic.

It’s an impressive trajectory for a venture that began by providing sound systems for concerts at New Orleans bars. Raven co-founder Chris Berends said that success owes much to the company’s Louisiana roots, which have informed its ability to make massive events more fun.

“At the end of the day, we want to build something that when someone attends an event, they want more of it, whether it’s a tequila drink or a ticket to the next festival,” he said during an interview last week.

dropped down on the priority list because of broader, macroeconomic factors.”

“I do think it will come back,” he said. “Maybe not with the same kind of vigor and blind optimism we had at one time but eventually.”

Continued from page 1E

Continued from page 1E

Different priorities

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Raven PMG, which operates out of warehouse near the Mississippi River in New Orleans, is a specialty fabrication company that designs, builds, ships and installs elaborate temporary structures used to promote products and brands at festivals, sporting events and conventions nationwide.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Hacienda Patrón, constructed by New Orleans-based Raven PMG for Live Nation Experiential, is a temporary structure that has made appearances at several major festivals since debuting in 2025 at Lollapalooza. The ‘moveable mansion’ — built using a combination of specialized steel construction To the big time and scenic carpentry — has space for a DJ, a bar and views Larose native James Du- of the festivities outside.

frene founded Raven in 2009 primarily to provide audio production at New Orleans events. Three years later, he forged a professional bond with future business partners Berends and Mélinda Cohen while designing stages, lighting and sound systems on a shoestring budget for the fledgling BUKU Music + Art Project, an electronic music event that was active from 2012 to 2022.

In 2015, Berends and Cohen joined Raven full-time as the company pivoted to focus on fabrication. Early New Orleans successes for the trio included a project to promote a Disney video game at the Voodoo music festival and another marketing Mountain Dew during the 2017 NBA All-Star weekend.

The company continued to grow through the end of the decade, moving its headquarters several times along the way, graduating from what was essentially a storage space underneath the Eiffel Tower building on St. Charles Avenue to a series of warehouses in town before moving to its current location in 2019.

During the pandemic, which brought events-based marketing to a halt, Raven pivoted to using its fleet of 18-wheelers to haul loads for customers outside of the entertainment industry. Then, after the lockdown — when attendance at festivals, concerts, sports events and other gatherings skyrocketed

— Raven grew as well.

“People were clamoring for real experiences,” Berends said. “Audiences wanted to touch grass again and build relationships with brands in a more realistic way and not just get hammered by digital trash.”

Promoting brands Experiential marketing is nothing new. Think of the world’s fairs from the 19th century, when companies assembled pavilions to unveil innovations like electric lights and washing machines.

But the industry is operating at a different gear this decade, as marketers and brands look to build consumer trust by connecting with audiences at big events like Formula 1 races, the Super Bowl, the World Cup and scores of big music festivals. At those gatherings, companies compete to create memorable experiences, hoping for exposure at the event plus coverage on traditional media and social media during and after.

The Wall Street Journal reported last year that advertisers’ interest in experiential and live marketing surged after the pandemic, with spending in 2024 increasing 10.5% year-overyear to $128.35 billion globally, surpassing 2019’s pre-pandemic spending of $121.87 billion.

This marketing arms race has led to increasingly elab-

orate “activations,” to use the industry jargon.

In addition to the temporary roller-skating rink, Raven has created a pop-up laundromat promoting the South Korean electronics company LG. The activation debuted in 2018 at Bonnaroo, the Tennessee music festival. Last year, the company built a movable mansion for Live Nation Experiential to promote the Mexican tequila brand Patron. The structure, recently named “best festival activation” by an industry publication, debuted at Lollapalooza and has since made the rounds.

This summer, Raven workers are putting the finishing touches on a free airbrush station to promote a T-shirt brand. The company’s list of creative builds also includes a 35-foot-tall steel middle finger that shoots fire, dragons that spray water and a temporary tattoo parlor.

“The space has become more and more competitive and impressive,” Berends said.

Busy workspace

shipping them to events using a flat-packing system that’s like IKEA on steroids.

In an open area outside the factory, workers applied finishes to a twostory VIP lounge, secondfloor viewing platform and garden promoting a national bank that will be installed at the Minnesota Yacht Club music festival this July in St. Paul. Elsewhere, team members worked on projects for other clients, including a liquor company, several clothing manufacturers, a doughnut and coffee chain, and a mouthwash maker.

The scene looked like a combination of what you’d see at one of Louisiana’s Mardi Gras float-building studios and its many industrial manufacturing facilities. Berends said that’s because Raven’s strength is pulling talent from many of the state’s industries, including artists from Bywater, carpenters and electricians with backgrounds in film production, construction pros, transportation industry vets, and a healthy contingent from “down the bayou.”

“There’s a heavy Cajun component to our business,” Berends said. “The build methodology for our steel structures really reflects that identity, because all of these guys are coming from the shipping industry or the oil field.”

Berends said those skillsets help Raven provide turnkey service and keep up with competitors as the experiential marketing industry continues to chase innovation.

“We want to continue to push the boundary of what’s possible in the time that you’re given to build something,” he said. “In 2005, you would have a tent with a folding table and someone giving out shots. Over the last 20 years, we’ve seen some amazing advances in technology, and I want Raven to be the leader.”

Raven PMG’s Bywater manufacturing facility was bustling with activity recently as metal workers, carpenters and scenic artists finished building several structures using repurposed shipping containers and other materials. Employees assemble all projects com- Email Rich Collins pletely at the factory be- at rich.collins@ fore taking them apart and theadvocate.com.

Nearly two decades ago, as a growing body of research established the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change, the federal government began offering federal tax credits to companies that lowered their carbon footprint by capturing and storing carbon dioxide.

President Joe Biden’s administration expanded the program in an effort to boost projects that would limit the impacts of climate change.

That led to the proliferation of carbon capture and sequestration projects along the Gulf Coast.

Though Trump has not done away with the tax credits in his second term, he has questioned the effects of human activity on climate change and focused on increasing traditional fossil fuel production, shifting the focus away from low-carbon projects.

At the same time, the global market for lower carbon products like the so-called “blue” ammonia that Air Products planned to make in Ascension Parish has chilled somewhat, experts say, reducing the demand.

Closer to home, Landry has given credence to concerns about the impact carbon injection wells could have on aquifers and communities near where they’re located, imposing a moratorium on new well permits in 2025.

The combination of factors, experts say, is making some companies rethink decisions they made several years ago.

“It’s fair to say that that regulatory uncertainty has been one of the factors that contributed to some of these projects maybe not moving forward,” said Greg Upton, executive director of the LSU Energy Institute.

Instability, unpredictability

low carbon methanol facility planned for a former paper mill in central Louisiana, SunGas blamed several factors for its decision not to move forward. Among them: “slower-than-expected market adoption of low carbon methanol, uncertainty regarding the carbon capture and storage pathway for the project and clarity on the available regulatory support and financing conditions needed to support a project of this scale.”

Grön Fuels, a low-carbon project planned for the west bank of Baton Rouge that would have used soybean and canola oil, tallow and used cooking oil to produce renewable diesel fuel, was put on the back burner after the Houston firm behind the project, Fidelis Energy, was acquired by California-based Nscale.

Though Nscale did not say outright that it is canceling the project, a release announcing the Fidelis acquisition said the deal would enable Nscale to focus on artificial intelligence data center construction.

Barfield, who worked with Fidelis on the Grön project for more than five years, said the country’s energy industry is in a different place than it was in 2020, with different priorities and mandates.

“There is more geopolitical instability, there is more unpredictability, the world was moving in one direction and now it is swinging back the other way,” he said.

“Some of these projects that were good projects may have missed their window.”

Changing dynamics?

LED’s Bourgeois cautions against drawing too many parallels between recent company decisions and said the state’s energy policy is not based on carbon capture and sequestration.

“We have an all-of-the above energy strategy and carbon capture was never the driver of that,” she said.

“It was a valuable component but I do not think the dynamics are changing as much as people think they are.”

To that point, on the same day Air Products canceled its project, a $2 billion renewable diesel project planned for Caldwell Parish in north Louisiana received a permit from the state to inject captured carbon in several deep underground wells. The project was one of several to have applied for permits before Landry’s moratorium last year.

Bourgeois said while lowcarbon projects may be on the back burner at the moment, she doesn’t think they’re dead.

“I still think that is the longer play,” Bourgeois said.

“But when the Strait of Hormuz is closed, people quit worrying about sustainable jet fuel and just start worrying about jet fuel.”

While regulatory uncertainty impacted each of the recently canceled or shelved clean energy projects once planned for Louisiana, each project also faced unique circumstances.

As far back as last year, Air Products indicated to investors it was it was looking to sell off the ammonia and carbon-capture components of its project to focus on its core business of transporting and selling industrial gases.

Last week, its Norwegian partner in the deal announced that it would not acquire the ammonia component of Air Products’ Louisiana project, citing low projected financial returns.

Email Stephanie Riegel In the case of Beaver Lake, at stephanie.riegel@ the proposed wood fiber-to- theadvocate.com.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● 3E

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TALKING BUSINESS A S K T H E E X P E RT S

Biomedical corridor touted as best hope for city’s future Q&A WITH ANDy KOPPLIN

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

When Tulane University announced last month it had reached an agreement to take control of the long-stalled effort to redevelop the former CharKopplin ity Hospital downtown, Andy Kopplin was among those cheering the most.

Since 2016, Kopplin has served as president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, backer of the BioDistrict, which would bring together hospitals, research and teaching institutions to reinvigorate downtown and stimulate the economy.

A reimagined Charity Hospital is a key part of the plan.

Kopplin has decades of experience bridging the gap between government, business and nonprofits. He assumed the reins at GNOF after serving as former Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s chief administrative officer.

His CV also includes stints as a senior adviser to Teach for America, executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority and chief of staff for Govs. Kathleen Blanco and Mike Foster.

In this week’s Talking Business, Kopplin discusses the role GNOF has played in the creation of the BioDistrict, why it matters and what he sees as New Orleans’ biggest opportunities — and challenges.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity.

We’ve been talking about a biomedical corridor downtown for 30

PRESIDENT AND CEO OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS FOUNDATION Pittsburgh is one example.

It has done some really impressive things, transforming the old industrial district into a medical district, thanks to the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Of course, there’s Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which has spawned countless tech companies. And from a medical district standpoint, Birmingham (Alabama) is a good example of a city that has become a hub of worldclass medicine in just one generation. There is no reaSTAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER son we cannot do that here.

But, again, this requires a lot of Tulane University signs surround Charity Hospital in New Orleans on June 23. Tulane is cooperation among rival teaching taking control of the long-stalled effort to redevelop the downtown structure, which is key to institutions that have not really collaborated over the years. the city’s plans to develop a BioDistrict.

Thirty years ago, they did invested resources in getnot. During Mike Foster’s years, but there’s still not much to er Joe’s on Tulane Avenue administration, my job was show for it. What is the problem? ting the BioDistrict back up is in the district, and it has The BioDistrict was crebeen a significant generator to negotiate a détente beand secured funding from the city and the state. So, we of sales taxes, so that has tween LSU and TU. What is ated (by the state) in 2005 really feel that from 2018 to been a real boost. We actudifferent today is that the before Katrina but didn’t today, the biggest champion ally got our very first funds leadership of these instituhave any money. It got of the BioDistrict, hopefully at the end of 2025, about $1 some one-time funding in tions now recognize that anchored now by Charity, is million in all.

2008 but nothing after that. as a small region, we have GNOF. Then, in 2018, the GNOF What have y’all spent it on? to work together to punch How much money does the district board made a generational We spent some on an imabove our weight. Today, have now? What is it actually doing? mediate beautification efcommitment to get behind there is more collaboration Between now and 2040, the idea of a redeveloped than there has ever been, fort, landscaping the area. the district is eligible to Charity. So, we did a straWe also have been investing and I think the BioDistrict’s receive up to $40 million work has advanced that through the New Orleans tegic plan that talked about from the city through tax Bioinnovation Center (a non- because it includes Tulane, everything that could flow increment financing, and the profit business incubator on LSU, Delgado, Ochsner, from that — small-business development, entrepreneur- state will match up to $25 the edge of the BioDistrict), Xavier, LCMC and folks apmillion. So, we have the abil- helping researchers get pointed by the mayor. ship, increased research, Why is GNOF, a community foundareactivating that section of ity to earn up to that amount seed funding to develop new downtown. assuming there is incremen- companies based upon their tion, doing this kind of place-based research.

Part of the plan called for work? tal sales tax revenue generWhy does this have the power to creating an economic devel- ated in that area.

Because if you look at the biggest challenges facBut there’s not much around there be so transformative? opment entity — a publicWhen you look at other yet, so where does the revenue come private partnership — that ing this community, it is cities around the country, from? would lead the way. We economic development.

Not yet, but the new Trad- you can see how this works. We cannot address the disstarted working on that and

parities in our city without growing our economy. New Orleans, if it is going to be successful, has to grow, and we have to grow in a way that enables all our folks to benefit.

There seems to be an optimism in New Orleans around the new mayor.

How much of that is grounded in real, positive change that is actually happening?

There is a lot of reason to be optimistic. Tulane’s research investments are the biggest untold economic development story of the past decade. They are bringing in $100 million more a year to New Orleans than they were a decade ago — net new money to the region.

There is excitement around the BioDistrict.

And several big projects are finally moving forward.

The NSA apartments in Bywater is under construction. Lindy Boggs is being knocked down. The River District is activated, and the Shell Building is beautiful and creating a new neighborhood. The port’s deepwater terminal is not a done deal, but there is strong support for it.

Those are all good reasons to be optimistic.

What is the biggest challenge facing the community?

Economic growth, no question. We need to grow, and we do that by creating jobs. The more jobs we are able to create, the more we will be able to build a middle class.

Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@ theadvocate.com.

$2.8 billion in customer savings.

And that’s just the beginning.

Over the next 20 years, Entergy Louisiana customers will see $2.8 billion in bill savings from Entergy data center service agreements under our Fair Share Plus pledge.

Our Fair Share Plus pledge protects existing customers and ensures data centers pay their fair share for the power they use. Customers across the state will also see economic benefits, including millions in new community investments and tax revenues, new jobs, and stronger local infrastructure.

We’re committed to powering the families and businesses we serve – today and for future generations – while keeping energy affordable and reliable for all.

Learn more at Entergy.com/DataCenters/Louisiana.

A message from Entergy Louisiana, LLC © 2026 Entergy Services, LLC. All rights reserved. Not paid for at customer expense.

4E ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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ACROSS THE REGION

Meta may have a solution for La. workforce challenges

BY IANNE SALVOSA and STEPHANIE RIEGEL

short-term activity into longerterm economic gains.

The key is to transition from being a construction hub to part of a “broader AI ecosystem,” which could include partnerships with nearby colleges to support R&D, train skilled labor, and facilitate AI adoption among local companies, according to the report.

Leaders at Grow NELA, the northeast Louisiana economic development partnership, believe the Richland Parish data center already is helping to create a larger logistics hub in nearby Monroe that will serve not only the Meta data center but projects throughout the region.

They point to several companies that have relocated to the area signing long-term leases for warehouse space to provide mechanical and electrical supplies and equipment to data center projects.

“These are not three-year leases,” Grow NELA President and CEO Rob Cleveland said earlier this year. “These are companies making a 20-year commitment to the community.”

Staff writers

In early June, Meta identified Baton Rouge as the site of the first class of America’s Workforce Academy, a program training people how to build artificial intelligence infrastructure and data centers. As the tech giant invests billions of dollars in the AI boom, including a massive ongoing project in Richland Parish, the academy signals an intensifying need to fill worker gaps in the skilled trades.

Trainings will be hosted at the Associated “For years, Builders and we’ve talked Contractors about workforce Pelican Chaptraining shortages in the ter c e n t e r, o n construction H i g h l a n d industry, and Road in the southeast corI think this ner of East partnership Baton Rouge represents Parish, this exactly the kind fall. of innovative ABC Pelican collaboration Chapter Presithat we need.” dent and CEO David HalvesDAVID HALVESTON, ton said the Associated Builders academy has already reand Contractors ceived thouPelican Chapter sands of apCEO plicants. It’s free of charge to participants, who will receive a stipend and a guaranteed job with a Meta contractor following completion of the four- to five-week training program.

ABC Pelican has trained students on the craft trades since the early 1980s but has not seen a fully funded, large-scale partnership like this before, Halveston said.

The program, which is still under development, will be unique to ABC due to its short-term, accelerated format.

Though many industries in the state have struggled with recruit-

Construction fundamentals STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Leaders at Grow NELA, the northeast Louisiana economic development partnership, say the development of an artificial intelligence data center in Richland Parish is helping to create a larger logistics hub in nearby Monroe that will serve not only the Meta data center but projects throughout the region. around the country are beginning to push back against the rapid proliferation of AI data centers, which use massive amounts of electricity and water to power super computers and have driven up utility rates in many communities where they operate.

Even Louisiana, which courted Meta two years ago with a generous incentive package, recently imposed what Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration described as guardrails intended to shield ratepayers from being saddled with Backlash, opportunity higher costs because of Meta’s The announcement comes as power needs.

Critics have also pointed out that state and local governments ing and retaining employees, Halveston said the academy’s promise of employment will make the difference.

Demand for trades workers in the U.S. increased by double digits from 2022 to 2026, according to consulting firm Randstad.

“For years, we’ve talked about workforce shortages in the construction industry, and I think this partnership represents exactly the kind of innovative collaboration that we need,” Halveston said.

while AI data center construction can create an economic boom in a region, as it has in northeast Louisiana, fueling land deals, spawning new retail establishment and creating thousands of construction jobs, the effects are temporary.

Once the construction work is over, the community may be left with empty man camps, dollar stores and only a few hundred fulltime jobs.

A new study by Dutch-based financial consulting firm ING, which specifically mentions the Holly Ridge project, says as AI data centers grow ever larger, communities have an opportunity to turn

Working What’s

in Greater New Orleans business

Halveston believes the new Meta training program at the ABC training center is an important first step in preparing local workers for what economic development boosters hope will materialize in the months and years to come.

The curriculum will include fundamentals like safety and construction math and introductions to craft trades like electrical and plumbing work. The goal is to prepare students, who are not required to have construction experience, to enter a work site after the training and continue on with a construction career after their project with Meta.

Class size is to be determined, but Meta projects the academy to train thousands.

“This is just the first step of their career in construction,” Halveston said.

with Michael Hecht President & CEO GNO Inc.

Sunday Night Highlight “Double-Header” Crime Plummets / Charity Rises Good evening! A pair of important stories for this week’s highlight:

1) Violent crime in New Orleans has fallen to its lowest level since the 1960’s The New Orleans Police Department recorded 38 murders through June 25, representing one of the lowest year-to-date totals the city has seen in decades. If this pace holds, New Orleans will finish 2026 with about 78 murders, nearly matching the 76 recorded in 1969. Violent crime has fallen dramatically in all other categories, as well.

Four years ago this month, the NOLA Coalition was founded to combat a wave of deadly violence in New Orleans, and to invest in our children for a better future. Since that time, the murder rate has fallen 74%.

New Orleans’ improvement is about 60% better than the national average. Multiple factors are driving this remarkable improvement, including: courageous first responders, broad civic action, proactive and precision policing, cooperation between city, state, and federal agencies, and technology and analytics. The next step for safety will be the use of first-responder drones, which are now employed from New York City to Nashville to California; in Jefferson Parish, first-responder drones have reduced response times to 90 seconds.

June 2022 - June 2026 • Homicides - 74% decline • Shootings - 64% decline • Carjackings - 78% decline • Armed Robbery - 66% decline

You can read more here

“This is a significant step forward in what would be the largest and most consequential effort of its kind in the history of Tulane and perhaps in the history of New Orleans itself,” said Tulane President Michael Fitts.

Project Details • 650,000+ square feet devoted to Tulane education, health, research, and innovation, including new homes for the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and the Tulane University Innovation Institute • 700 researchers, innovators, and support staff concentrated in a single building, creating one of the largest health and biomedical research clusters in the Gulf South • Residential, retail, and community space occupying the remaining one-third of the one-million-square-foot structure • Construction starts before end of 2026, with completion expected in 2029 • The project is projected to generate a $1.2 billion one-time economic impact on Louisiana’s economy, create approximately 7,300 construction-phase jobs, and produce 2,400 permanent new jobs once complete

2) Tulane announces milestone in transformation of Charity Hospital

GNO, Inc. has long supported BioDistrict New Orleans and the broader innovation economy anchored in the medical corridor, including the Tulane University Innovation Institute. The redevelopment of Charity Hospital not only turbocharges the BioDistrict but moreover promises to revitalize an urban “blind spot” into a major economic and civic catalyst for the city and region.

After sitting vacant for two decades, Charity Hospital is coming back. Last week, Tulane University announced it has signed a purchase and sale agreement to become lead of the transformational redevelopment, taking a $500+ million bet on a building the city has been trying to resurrect since Hurricane Katrina.

Finally, a special tip of the hat to Chalmette, St. Bernard’s own Mitchell Robinson, who helped the New York Knicks win their first NBA championship since, well, there were actual knickerbockers in NYC. June 25 was Mitchell Robinson Day in Louisiana.

You can read the Metro Crime Commission stats here

You can read Tulane’s full announcement here

You can read the NOLA.com coverage here

A greater choice for business

gnoinc.org

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● 5E

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6E ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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NATION & WORLD

Gen Z shoppers energizing malls as they stroll, scroll

BY JUDITH KOHLER The Denver Post (TNS)

Teens to 20-somethings hanging out at the mall, maybe trying on clothes, meeting friends at the food court or a nearby restaurant, checking out the window displays.

The scene isn’t from an ’80s movie or a flashback moment shared by millennials or baby boomers.

Many of the young people strolling while also scrolling for the latest fashion trend are members of Generation Z, ages 14 to late 20s.

And Gen Z, which grew up with the internet and smart phones, is being credited with helping to energize shopping malls that have struggled through the Great Recession, the COVID-19 pandemic and the proliferation of e-commerce.

Flatiron Crossing in Broomfield, Colorado, is in the middle of a multimillion-dollar project outside the mall on the center’s grounds: a mixed-use development that will have housing, entertainment and new places to dine. Inside the mall, new stores are being added and existing stores are being transformed.

Several of the changes are geared toward Gen Z shoppers.

“We have a Gen Z group. We sit and focus and pay attention to what we think would attract Gen Z and continue that customer experiencing the mall,” said Kate Taggart, Flatiron’s general manager.

Employees at Flatiron and Macerich, which owns and operates the mall, use social media to track trends and new businesses that are opening, Taggart said.

“It’s not always just going to be pure retail,” she added. “It has to be all the other aspects that make it a little more holistic of an experience.”

For instance, Macerich is looking at incorporating businesses focused on wellness and fitness to the new development, called HiFi. “I think nationally, Gen Z represents about 19% of shoppers. Here at Flatiron, we’re seeing it be about

THE DENVER POST/TNS FILE PHOTO By TIMOTHy HURST

Shoppers walk past a soon-to-be-opened Gorjana Jewelry store at a mall in Broomfield, Colo.

30% of our shopper base,” Taggart said.

Macerich, which owns 36 malls across the country, told The Wall Street Journal that it is redesigning some of the centers’ common areas, making them photogenic for shoppers who want to take and post photos on social media.

Josh Weber, senior general manager of the Park Meadows mall in Lone Tree, Colorado, said it’s common to see younger shoppers in search of the right backdrop for a TikTok or Instagram post, whether in a retailer’s space or throughout the center. He said shopping centers used to discourage photography and video recordings.

“Today, social sharing is a natural part of the customer journey,” Weber said in an email. “Park Meadows’ distinctive lodge-inspired design creates an environment that

photographs well, and retailers have embraced that shift by creating visually engaging store experiences and they highlight products that are trending online.”

The shopping malls that have survived and even thrived are those that have transformed themselves to offer a mix of uses to appeal to customers looking for a different experience, said Ray Wimer, a professor of retail practice at Syracuse University.

High-end malls, considered Class A, are doing well, Wimer said. Others, especially ones that haven’t made updates, are struggling or closing, he said.

In 2016, there were roughly 1,220 of the traditional enclosed malls in the U.S. About 890 of them were left in 2025, Wimer said. E-commerce, overbuilding and lack of investment contributed to the de-

mise of shopping centers.

“Existing malls that are in decent metropolitan areas or near an urban population are trying to redevelop or recreate themselves,” Wimer said. “OK, there’s some shopping, but there’s dining, there’s entertainment, there’s condos, apartments. There’s office space.

“Instead of a retail mecca, it’s becoming a mixed-use development,” he added.

The evolution of shopping malls fits with what experts say is younger people’s craving for socializing.

About 58% of shoppers ages 1834 often or sometimes patronize malls, compared with 48% for ages 35-54 and 38% for those 55 and older, according to research

by Ipsos, a market research and public opinion polling firm.

Younger shoppers emphasized

socialization, convenience and physical interaction when talking about in-store experiences, Ipsos reported.

Nearly almost 50% of total Gen Z spending on general merchandise is done in stores, a 2025 report by Deloitte said. “With Gen Z’s spending power projected to reach $12 trillion by 2030, retailers should consider evolving to meet their expectations,” Deloitte advised.

“The thing with Gen Z is that they enjoy it. It’s the social experience,” Wimer said of shopping malls. “We talk about digital and how isolated people are becoming, but there’s a social dimension to shopping because you go with your friends or you go with your mom.”

And it’s instant gratification if people find what they want at the store, Wimer said.

Mattea Drake, 19, a University of Colorado-Boulder student, likes not having to wait for a purchase to arrive.

“Especially if you’re crunched on time or you see something, you’re just like, ‘Wait, I need it now. I can’t wait,’ ” Drake said. “That’s a really fun aspect about the mall. It’s so accessible. You can just go in, grab it, super, super easy.”

Drake often visits Flatiron Crossing, which is a short drive from Boulder. She said going to the mall is “a great way to kind of unplug and hang out with my friends.” She likes touching the fabrics and trying on the clothes.

“I find things in the store that I never would have searched for online,” Drake said. “Finding my new favorite outfit is way more fun than scrolling on my phone, like I do on a day-to-day basis.”

Going to the shopping mall is almost a fresh concept for younger shoppers, said Meghan Kaltenstein, vice president of leasing at Flatiron.

“They grew up in the digital era,” Kaltenstein said. “We grew up in the mall, and then we kind of got over it. We were excited about online. Now, it’s full cycle back to that.”

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NATION & WORLD

World Cup Panini packs sell out

Fans try to fill 980 sticker album slots

BY DAVE SKRETTA AP sports writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Adam Martin remembers taking boxes of Panini stickers and their accompanying World Cup albums to a Formula 1 race in May, shortly after his collectibles shop had received a shipment and long before the tournament was to begin.

The idea was to give them to friends with kids. But what happened next surprised him.

“When I walked in with this box of cards,” Martin recalled, “hundreds of people of all creeds and cultures said something: ‘Where did you get those? How can I get some?’ Those Panini stickers are just that iconic collectible that goes beyond sports collectors.”

The stickers depicting players and teams in the World Cup have been around since 1970, when four Italian brothers paid $1,000 to procure the rights to produce the images. More than 50 years later, the stickers are available in packs all over the world, and fans young and old not only purchase them but also swap among themselves, helping each other fill their keepsake albums.

This year’s book is the largest ever, partly due to an enlarged 48team tournament, with 980 distinct stickers. They’ve become such a hot commodity that many stores are sold out, and back orders may not ship until the tournament has crowned a champion.

“We’ve sold an unbelievable amount of the stickers,” said Martin, one of the owners of Dave and Adam’s Card World, which has shops in New York and Europe.

“We thought the order we placed months ago would be enough to tide us over,” Martin said. “We’ve

had to reorder twice.”

Panini had produced more than 2 billion packs — each containing seven stickers — by the start of the tournament, said Jason Howarth, the senior vice president of marketing and athlete relations for Panini America. That’s quite a feat considering the field wasn’t set until April 1.

Most stickers are not valuable by themselves, though older ones — such as the debuts of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo — can fetch hundreds of dollars. The value comes in trying to fill the World Cup album.

“In European and South American culture, completing the sticker album is something almost every child does at some point,” said Matt Blazey, of Milton Keynes, England, whose YouTube channel featuring cards and collectibles has more than 62,000 subscribers.

“Most rediscover it in adulthood,” Blazey said, “when they realize they have adult money, which brings back all of those memories of bringing stickers into school, showing them off to your mates and swapping them to complete the album.”

Indeed, part of the beauty of the Panini stickers is in their accessibility. Each pack only costs about $2 or 1.50 euros.

Beginning with the last World Cup in Qatar, though, Panini also began producing variations with special borders that are much more scarce. Suddenly, stickers with red, purple or orange edges became especially sought-after, and collectors have put huge bounties on ultrarare, black-bordered, 1-of-1s — as in, one in the world — depicting Messi, Ronaldo, Lamine Yamal and other big stars.

Some industry experts believe

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARCO UGARTE

youth exchange Panini World Cup stickers in Mexico City. The stickers depicting players and teams in the World Cup have been around since 1970 and are available in packs all over the world. Fans young and old not only purchase them but also swap among themselves, helping each other fill their keepsake albums. the black Messi sticker alone could command $200,000 at auction.

“We’re tracking and following through social media who pulls the black 1-of-1s,” Howarth said.

“Neymar, Leo, Ronaldo — this is probably their last World Cup. What do those stickers sell for?

That’s going to be a new high mark for the category.”

Sammi Kaewsawang had never participated in the World Cup album experience until this year, when the content creator from Long Beach, California, decided to see how long it would take to physically peel and stick all 980 examples into the album.

By the time Kaewsawang finished with Panama, the last of his 48 teams, he’d been at it for about 7 hours, 47 minutes.

“Now I’m on my second one, helping my fiancé’s nephew complete his,” Kaewsawang said.

“What made the experience so memorable was the people I met

along the way. Trading stickers brought me together with fans of all ages.”

That is undoubtedly part of the appeal: Even though Panini has a digital collection available, the sense of community that comes from swapping your doubles for a player you might need brings with it a quaint sense of nostalgia, not unlike the way American kids have collected and traded baseball cards for generations.

Many shops help by scheduling swap meets. Panini itself has a truck at Rockefeller Center in New York, where thousands have shown up in the evenings to trade.

Message boards allow fans to connect anywhere in the world, and about 8,000 collectors recently showed up at a stadium in Santiago, Chile, to swap.

“I’ve made genuine new friends though this hobby,” Kaewsawang said, “and that means more than completing the collection itself.”

Even though Panini stickers have never been hotter — a partnership with Coca-Cola means stickers can be found under labels of certain bottles — the company is facing the end of an era after the 2030 tournament in Morocco, Portugal and Spain.

The Fanatics brand Topps will take over the rights to produce World Cup cards, stickers and other FIFA collectibles, and it’s unclear whether the U.S.-based company will produce a similar product as its Italian rival.

“It is a real bittersweet moment,” Blazey said. “From my side, and for probably 90% of collectors at the moment — more so outside the U.S., where Panini is a household name — it’s a very sad moment for this to be the end. So many people grew up collecting them, and it’s synonymous with their childhood, so the loss of the license is very much seen as sacrilege.”

Saluting 250 years of american innovation.

For the past 250 years, the United States has flourished on a simple but powerful ideal: through hard work and determination, anyone can achieve the American dream. It is this grit and ingenuity — embodied by American entrepreneurs and the American people — that has driven our nation forward. Venture Global is proud to carry on this tradition, striving for excellence in the 250 years to come.

8E ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

ACADIANA INBOX The Louisiana man who is widely regarded as the owner of the first drive-thru daiquiri business was inducted into the Acadian Museum’s “Order of Living Legends.”

David Ervin, who opened the Daiquiri Factory along Johnston Street in 1981, was honored by the Erath-based museum recently for his efforts to shape and redefine Acadian culture.

Ervin, who is writing a memoir Ervin about his experiences running the business, is the first person inducted for revolutionizing the food and drink culture in Louisiana, said Warren Perrin, the museum’s co-founder.

Ervin’s story continues to gain attention locally and nationally. He was subject of a 2025 story by food online magazine Bon Appétit titled “An Oral History of Louisiana’s Drive-Thru Daiquiri Stands.”

The Tallulah native is now living in New Orleans.

He sold his remaining Daquiri Factory stores in 2021 and now works as an independent food scientist and retail frozen cocktail business consultant.

Previous inductees include four-time Gov. Edwin Edwards, Acadian Ambulance co-founder Richard Zuschlag, folklorist and poet Barry Ancelet and Grammy-nominated recording artist Jo-El Sonnier.

Fourteen local graduates from the National EMS Academy’s Lafayette campus earned their emergency medical technician certifications and are ready to answer the call in the Hub City region.

Graduates from Lafayette include Aleigh Ashby, Courtney Bayone, Benjamin Bordes, Asonti Johnson, Jasmine Mitchell, Isiah Robertson, Tyler Streets and Monique Breaux.

Other graduates include Ashton Dalton of Carencro, Jake Doucet of Arnaudville, Kimberly Living of Breaux Bridge, Zade Mitchell of Abbeville, Breanna Morgan of Scott and Samuel Robin of Arnaudville.

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Fool’s Take: E-commerce giant

MercadoLibre (Nasdaq: MELI) is an e-commerce giant in the fast-growing Latin American market that helps people acquire goods and pay for them, Motley too. It recently Fool operated in 18 countries and boasted 83 million monthly active users. During the past 12 months, its shares were down 36%. Despite some challenges, though, there are good reasons to consider buying and holding MercadoLibre.

For starters, it’s growing briskly. In the first quarter, MercadoLibre’s revenue grew by 49% year over year to $8.8 billion. That’s impressive, but its profit margins and profits declined meaningfully. Why? Well, it has been facing stiff competition and has chosen to sacrifice short-term margins and profits to extend initiatives that may pay off handsomely. For example, it lowered the threshold for free shipping in Brazil, which is resulting in greater sales volume. That may help MercadoLibre scale up its higher-profitmargin advertising business.

MercadoLibre is also home to a major financial technol-

ogy company, Mercado Pago, which is pursuing growth opportunities such as expanded credit card offerings. Many of the people in the markets it serves are underbanked, providing another major growth opportunity.

Shares of MercadoLibre appear fairly valued or undervalued at current levels and could deliver strong long-term returns to investors who buy today. (The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends MercadoLibre.)

Fool’s School: History lessons Former University of Pennsylvania professor Jeremy Siegel has collected and reviewed data on investment returns going back to 1802.

His book “Stocks for the Long Run: The Definitive Guide to Financial Market Returns & Long-Term Investment Strategies,” features seven “guides to successful investing.” Here’s a recap: n “Keep your expectations in line with history.” Siegel points out that, after accounting for inflation, stock market returns have been between about 6% and 7% historically, but might fall to 5%. n “Stocks are real assets and ... excellent long-term hedges against inflation.” A share of stock, after all, represents a

small ownership claim on a real asset-owning business. n “Stock returns are much more stable in the long run than in the short run.” He adds that people with longer investment horizons “should hold a greater proportion of their portfolio in (stocks) and a lower proportion in bonds.” n “Invest the largest percentage of your stock portfolio in low-cost stock index funds that span a global portfolio.”

Broad index funds, such as S&P 500 index funds, have performed well over long periods and are especially good for those of us who aren’t expert investors. n “Invest at least one-third of your (stock) portfolio in international stocks.” n “Tilt your portfolio toward value (stocks)” by favoring “those with lower prices relative to their fundamentals, such as earnings and dividends” — as they “have superior returns and lower risk than growth stocks.” n Have “firm rules to keep your portfolio on track.” He urges investors to keep emotions in check and not act out of anxiety or fear.

Ask the Fool: Valuation shortcuts Are there any quick and easy ways to figure out if a company is over- or undervalued? — P.M., Hickory, North

Carolina Even if you undertake many calculations, it’s hard, if not impossible, to determine for sure what a stock is really worth — and, therefore, whether it’s over- or undervalued. Even smart stock analysts will likely arrive at different numbers for any company they study because they all make different assumptions, such as the company’s growth rate.

Still, there are indeed some quick and easy ways to get a rough idea of valuation. One is the price-to-earnings ratio, dividing a company’s stock price by its annual earnings per share; it can sometimes be helpful to use the EPS expected over the coming year. A low P/E suggests a low valuation, though it’s smart to compare it with peers’ P/E ratios and its own five-year P/E range. The P/E shows how much you’d be paying for each dollar of earnings.

You might also check out the price-to-sales ratio, which divides the company’s market capitalization (its market value — the total value of all its shares outstanding) by its annual revenue (sales). This is especially handy when a company has posted losses rather than profits, making the P/E ratio moot. The P/S shows how much you’d be paying for each dollar of revenue.

BUILDING PERMITS Issued June 24-30

Commercial alterations

RESTAURANT: 3220 Johnston St., description, shell building for new location of Chipotle Mexican Grill; applicant, SPEC; contractor, Horizon Construction Co.; $1.2 million.

STORAGE: 605 Rue de Belier, description, commercial building for Rue Storage Group; applicant and contractor, Keith Brooks Agency; $40,000.

AEROSPACE: 2201 S.E. Evangeline Thruway, description, tenant improvements for FedEx at the Lafayette Regional Airport; applicant, Vortex Engineering; contractor, JC Construction; $325,000.

OFFICE: 412 W. University Ave., Suite 102; description, none listed; applicant, Tiffany

Tauzin; contractor, G4 Elite Construction; $78,000.

CHEER: 116 Nolan Road, Broussard; description, new home for Element 4 Athletics cheerleading and tumbling; applicant, Element 4 Athletics; contractor, Elite Construction; $15,000.

INDUSTRIAL: 131 Ida Road, Broussard; description, roof work; applicant, 4-K Properties; contractor, Bergeron’s Metal Buildings; $18,000.

New commercial

SCHOOL: 600 Foreman Drive, description, new baseball and softball fields for Lafayette High School; applicant, AQ Studios; contractor, K&J Development of Southwest Louisiana; $2.8 million.

MEDICAL: 8000 Ambassador

Caffery Parkway, Broussard; description, new offsite emergency room center for Ochsner Lafayette General; applicant, Stirling Medical Broussard; contractor, Kent Design Build; $9 million.

MEDICAL: 100 Avenue Des Freres, Broussard; description, new facility for Alliance Health Care; applicant, Alliance Rental Properties; contractor, Legendary Contractors; $871,000.

SCHOOL: 1800 Chemin Metairie Parkway, Youngsville; description, field house for Ascension Episcopal School; applicant, Chad Disher; contractor, Allstates Building Systems; $399,998.

New residential

616 GREYFORD DRIVE: Acadi-

ana Dream Home, $525,500.

414 KAREN DRIVE: Redemptive Construction, $593,750.

501 BRAQUET ROAD, CARENCRO: Andries Builders, $409,500.

105 DECOY DRIVE: Manuel Builders, $322,500.

624 GREYFORD DRIVE: selfcontracted, $0.

308 CLEVELAND ST.: Castle Row Construction, $214,375.

310 BELLEWOOD DRIVE: DR Horton, $302,500.

721 LAFITTES LANDING PASS: Manuel Builders, $299,500.

107 ASHVILLE LANE: McLain Homes, $259,000.

103 YORKTOWN COURT: DSLD, $191,125.

119 BEXLEY COURT: DSLD, $281,875.

200 CHARSKI COURT: DSLD, $274,250.

303 GUN RUNNER DRIVE, CARENCRO: Manuel Builders, $311,375.

120 KEELINGWOOD LANE: Level Construction & Development, $471,000.

113 HAMILTON PARC WAY: Manuel Builders, $334,875.

204 CROSSBILL DRIVE: LR Mitchell Construction & Development, $464,750.

205 CAMERONS COVE DRIVE, CARENCRO: Manuel Builders, $227,250.

105 BLUSHING GROOM DRIVE, CARENCRO: Manuel Builders, $265,625.

201 RUE DE LA ROCHELLE, BROUSSARD: Rajun Cajun Construction, $875,000.

113 SHADOW BEND DRIVE,

BROUSSARD: Manuel Builders, $258,484.

109 LANTANA COURT: Manuel Builders, $427,542.

404 BROYLES ST., YOUNGSVILLE: The Gen Group Construction, $500,000.

100 MASTERMIND BLVD., YOUNGSVILLE: DSLD, $101,340.

106 MAROON ST., YOUNGSVILLE: DSLD, $124,320.

117 BAYFIELD DRIVE, YOUNGSVILLE: Manuel Builders, $276,600.

200 TATUM LANE, YOUNGSVILLE: DSLD, $97,740.

121 SUMMIT HEIGHTS DRIVE, YOUNGSVILLE: Milton Hebert Home Builders, $600,000.

118 GREENHOUSE ROAD, YOUNGSVILLE: McLain Homes, $225,000.

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● 9E

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

108-year-old printer survived wars, recessions, e-commerce battles Note pads celebrating the 108-yearold Gem Printing Co.’s milestones were recently uncovered from storage.

BY GRACE MAYER

Staff writer

Not many retail businesses make it to 108.

Fewer still have survived the wars, economic downturns and disruptions of e-commerce over the past century without making major changes to their operations.

But Gem Printing has been selling custom party and wedding stationery in much the same way it always has — printing in-house and on-site — since it was founded in 1918 by the great-grandfather of its fourth-generation owners Tommy Cousans, 44, and Melissa Cousans Mortillaro, 45.

From an unassuming storefront in a Metairie strip mall, Cousans and Mortillaro have defied the odds — and the broader market forces of evites and Amazon — to keep their family business afloat by building on customer loyalty, diversifying into a broader array of party supplies and holding fast to a guaranteed 24-hour turnaround time that dates to the store’s founding.

“The one-day service is obviously a blessing,” Cousans said. “I silently curse my grandfather for that every once in a while, but it’s probably one of the biggest reasons that this business is still around.”

Today, Gem operates from a bridal-white brick storefront on Veterans Boulevard near Bonnabel Boulevard that has been its home since 1976, with eight fulltime employees.

Though Cousans and Mortillaro, who are brother and sister, declined to provide company revenues, they say Gem regularly sees year-over-year sales growth of 5%-10%.

Storied history

Customer service and loyalty

Photos on a store wall trace the company’s history back to 1918, including one of Cousans and Mortillaro’s great-grandfather, Sidney Cousans, wheeling around a wooden cart with a Gem Printing sign.

He sold business cards printed from a small hand press and offered to shine customers’ shoes.

Another picture shows the company’s brick-and-mortar storefront on St. Charles Avenue, opened by their grandfather Sidney Cousans Jr. sometime after he took over the business in the 1930s — when he was just 14 years old.

His grandchildren today credit him with carving out Gem’s niche in the wedding and party invitation category and also for coming up with the one-day service guarantee.

The siblings attribute their longevity and steady growth to several factors, chief among them being their quick turnaround time.

On the second floor of Gem’s otherwise unassuming 5,000-squarefoot storefront, the company has a printing studio that holds more than a dozen presses and modern digital printers, the key to fulfilling one-day orders.

While the store’s hours run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week, the team prints products overnight, often working on Sundays and Mondays — their typical days off.

The team prides themselves on fast — sometimes instant — service.

“We’ve had people pull up in limos and run out in bow ties, going,

STAFF PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER

Siblings Melissa Cousans Mortillaro and Tommy Cousans are fourthgeneration owners of Gem Printing Co. in Metairie.

‘I need a pillow right now,’ and they get to skip the line and grab a ring pillow and head to their church and get married,” Mortillaro said.

That customer service has helped fuel loyalty in a traditional market in the Deep South and a pervasive party culture.

Customers who designed wedding invitations with Gem come back for anniversaries, christenings, birthday parties, all the way up to condolence cards. The tradition is often passed down. Parents recommend Gem to their children, then grandchildren.

“I’m the fourth generation helping sometimes the fourth generation of a customer’s family,” Cousans said. “It’s kind of crazy that it’s a family tradition on both sides of the counter.”

Over time, Gem’s customer pool spread around the country, particularly after many New Orleans natives moved following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Those customers are “constantly ordering” quintessential New Orleans items, including second-line handkerchiefs, party cups and feather-trimmed umbrellas, Mortillaro said.

The company ships dozens of orders a week all over the country.

Gem also benefits from New Orleans being a party town, Cousans

Mortillaro sorts through metal type. said. The shop stays busy during August through February during holiday and festival season.

“I don’t know if printers in Jackson, Mississippi, get a Halloween rush, but we get a Halloween rush,” Cousans said.

The business has also diversified by growing its party supplies line over the years. Lately, that’s meant learning how to print matchbooks. Wedding cake toppers currently displayed in-store, popular in the ’80s, are also making a comeback among younger generations. The team also learned how to print onto tambourines, another wedding favor reclaimed in recent years.

Planning for the future

tillaro recalls making netted rice bags for weddings, which Gem used to sell for 10 cents. In high school, they both started working in the shop. By college, they realized they couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

The biggest challenge Gem faces today is navigating fluctuating material prices, Cousans said. He vigilantly checks prices to purchase materials at a low cost, but due to inflation, their team has had to eat higher prices to avoid raising costs for customers.

While Gem has largely leaned on word-of-mouth referrals, the company is also making a concerted effort to bolster its social media presence to attract younger consumers, Mortillaro said.

Cousans and Mortillaro hope to pass on the business to the fifth generation — possibly Mortillaro’s kids. Her 11-year-old daughter has already shown an early enthusiasm for the career: For a school career day, she wore business casual clothing and a name tag that read, “fifth-generation Gem Printing manager.”

“It’s definitely in our minds to keep this going. I want this to be a fifth-, sixth-generation business,” Mortillaro said. “When it comes to planning for the future, it’s honestly just watching the trends and making sure that you’re servicing the next generation.”

As a kid, Cousans remembers watching Mardi Gras parades Email Grace Mayer at grace. pass by the store windows. Mor- mayer@theadvocate.com.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, July 5, 2026 ■ 1R

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HHH CELEBRATING AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY HHH

250 years

And more than a century of powering the Gulf South ––SPONSORED by ––

1913

Harvey Couch, president of Arkansas Power Company, has the idea to bring safe, affordable, reliable power to the Middle South. He and H.H. Foster, president of Arkansas Land and Lumber, shake hands on a deal to use Foster’s sawdust as fuel to generate power, the beginning of what would eventually become Middle South Utilities.

1923

Mississippi Power and Light Company, or MP&L, is formed.

1927

Louisiana Power and Light Company, or LP&L, is created as part of Electric Power and Light Corporation.

1961

LP&L’s Little Gypsy Plant, near New Orleans, becomes the world’s first fully automated generating unit.

1922

New Orleans Public Service Inc., or NOPSI, is established as the sole provider of electricity, gas and transit service in New Orleans.

1925

Gulf States Utilities Company is incorporated in Texas.

1949

Originally headquartered in New York, Middle South Utilities Inc., is formed as a holding company for AP&L, LP&L, MP&L and NOPSI.

1974

AP&L’s Arkansas Nuclear One becomes the first nuclear power plant to operate in the Southeast.

1989

Middle South Utilities officially changes its name to Entergy Corporation – a composite of the words “enterprise,” “energy” and “synergy,” three qualities that described the company’s new approach.

2000

The Entergy Charitable Foundation is established to focus on low-income initiatives, education and literacy programs.

2005

Hurricane Katrina devastates the Gulf Coast, leaving 1.1 million Entergy customers without power. Twentysix days later, Hurricane Rita leaves 800,000 Entergy customers in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas in the dark. Thousands of our employees help the region recover, despite living in the hardest hit places.

2021

Entergy celebrates 20 consecutive years of recognition by Dow Jones as a leader in sustainability.

2025

United Way of Southeast Louisiana names Entergy as the leading company in its Top 10 Most Generous Workplaces for 20242025. This is the 11th year Entergy has been recognized in the top 10 list.

1993

Entergy merges with Gulf States Utilities Company, adding River Bend Station as its fourth nuclear site.

Entergy now serves more than 2.3 million customers.

2001

Entergy becomes the country’s first utility to pledge to hold greenhouse gas emissions to year 2000 levels.

2019

Entergy begins installing advanced meters for 3 million customers throughout its service area. The new technology allows for faster detection of outages and greater insight into energy usage.

2023 Entergy announced as the founding partner of the Super Bowl LIX Host Committee.

The Super Bowl ultimately generates $1.25 billion in total economic activity statewide.

2026

Entergy establishes its Fair Share Plus pledge, which ensures that data center customers moving into our region pay for the power they use, plus create additional savings or benefits for all of our customers. To date, a total of $7 billion in savings to our customers are expected over the next two decades.

2R ■ Sunday, July 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Building a stronger grid for the next 250 years Entergy is making the grid stronger to stand up against the effects of severe weather.

Across the state, we’re upgrading approximately 3,300 miles of power lines and reinforcing utility poles to withstand wind speeds up to 150 mph—efforts that will save customers an estimated $1.2 billion in avoided storm costs and means fewer and shorter outages when interruptions do occur.

Louisiana is our home, and we’re committed to powering our neighborhoods and communities today and for future generations.

A message from Entergy, LLC © 2026 Entergy Services, LLC. All rights reserved.

Sweat-smart sips to beat the heat PAGE 3

DISCOVERy | INNOVATION | LIVING WELL

HEALTH

LOUISIANA

N O L A.C O M & T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

|

S U N D AY, J U lY 5, 2026

Molly Kimball 1N

“The sun is dangerous. If you’ve got a sunscreen, it’s better to put it on than not put it on.”

DR. GUy GERMAN, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Binghamton University, State University of New york

A NEW WAY TO BLOCK THE

RAYS Bemotrizonal, a widely-used ingredient internationally, is coming soon to a sunscreen near you

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

In June, the Food and Drug Administration approved the active ingredient, bemotrizinol, for use in over-the-counter sunscreens — the first change to the active sunscreen ingredient list in 27 years.

But it’s not available on U.S. shelves just yet.

The European company, DSM Nutritional Products, has exclusive rights to produce and manufacture bemotrizinol sunscreens for 18 months. They expect to deliver products to American shelves, under the brand name Parsol Shield, as early as September.

Bemotrizinal, although new to U.S. markets, was authorized in European sunscreens in 1999 and has been widely used in international sunscreen brands from Asia, Europe and Australia.

Sunscreen protects the skin from two types of ultraviolet radiation. Ultraviolet

A rays penetrate the skin more deeply, causing skin aging, and ultraviolet B rays penetrate the surface layer of the skin, causing sunburns. Both types of UV can degrade the integrity of skin, damage its DNA structure and cause skin cancer.

“That’s why protecting your skin with sunscreen is so important,” said Dr. Guy German, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Binghamton University, State University of New York.

There are two forms of sunscreen: chemical and mineral.

Mineral sunscreens, with ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium oxide, coat the top layer of skin and physically block the sun’s UV rays from hitting the skin. These mineral sunscreens, approved by the FDA, often leave a chalky white cast.

“If you see lifeguards or cricketers, they usually have the white stripes on their

ä See RAYS, page 3X

GETTy IMAGES PHOTO

Tanning beds are trending, and they shouldn’t be Editor’s note: This is a column in a series from Dr. Olivia Ragusa, a primary care physician at Baton Rouge General, sharing insight on a variety of health topics for patients of all ages, including prevention, wellness tips and everyday strategies to help individuals and families stay healthy.

For years, public health efforts appeared to be working: tanning bed use was declining. But recently, I’ve become increasingly concerned by signs that indoor tanning may be making a comeback, particularly among younger women.

A recent survey from the American Academy of Dermatology found that about 20% of Gen Z respondents prioritize getting a tan over protecting their skin. Even more concerning,

one in four said they believe looking good now is worth potential health consequences later. As a physician, that mindset is troubling because we know the risks of tanning beds are not theoretical; they are well documented.

Dr. Olivia Just look at the sciRagusa ence. Tanning beds can emit up to 15 times DOCTOR SAyS more ultraviolet radiation than the sun. That exposure damages DNA in skin cells and increases the risk of mutations that can eventually lead to skin cancer. In fact, UV radiation is considered a carcinogen, in the same category as tobacco and asbestos.

Research continues to reinforce these dangers. People who use tanning beds are nearly three times more likely to develop melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Starting young raises the stakes even more: Using tanning beds before age 20 increases melanoma risk by nearly 50%.

Unfortunately, myths still persist.

Many young adults continue to believe a “base tan” offers meaningful protection against sunburn, despite evidence showing otherwise.

The desire for a tan may be understandable, but from a medical standpoint, the risks are clear. My hope is that better awareness helps people make choices that protect not just how their skin looks today, but their long-term health as well.

Expert cancer care close to home ochsner.org/CCA

Philippe E. Prouet, MD | Hematology Oncology

GETTy IMAGES PHOTO

Tanning beds can emit up to 15 times more ultraviolet radiation than the sun.

2X ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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HEALTH MAKER

‘I had to kick Mr. Cancer to the curb’ Zeeland Street owner says fresh food aided recovery

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

Zeeland Street owner Stephanie Phares was diagnosed with Stage 3 lung cancer in 2024, the same year The New York Times recognized her Baton Rouge restaurant in its “Restaurants List 2024.”

She started out hosting potluck dinners, which transitioned to a deli, which led to her opening the restaurant in 1992. During the pandemic, she prepared plate lunches for her elderly neighbors near the restaurant in exchange for fresh rosemary.

Phares completed treatment this year and received “encouraging news” from her doctors.

She credits much of her recovery to eating fresh, homemade food and maintaining a healthy routine.

“I thank my customers for the first 35 years,” she said. “Now we’re working toward 25 more.”

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Tell me about your lung cancer diagnosis.

At the time I was going through a lot. I had just received The New York Times nomination, I had a biopsy on my lung and was visiting my daughter for a wedding.

When I came back from my trip, they gave me my diagnosis.

They said I would be all right, but would have to do some radiation.

I was totally confused because I was the healthiest person.

When I was going through radiation and chemo, I told my doctor that I didn’t really want to hear any of his predictions. I was going to use mind over matter. I was going to stay positive.

I didn’t want to hear the possible symptoms. The more people plant stuff in your brain, it’s as if the body can manifest it.

They told me my lung cancer was an environmental cancer. I never smoked. The doctor said to quit using coated pans, no more styrofoam, use a filter for water, no more bottled waters — I did it all.

I just tried to stay positive and I ate real food.

Now, my oncologists told me my

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Owner Stephanie Phares chats with customers during lunch at Zeeland Street. blood test shows that I’m 50 years old, rather than 65.

Where did your love for real, whole foods begin?

I’m always honoring my grandmother, Miss Rachel, and all the ways she made real food. She never threw anything away.

I always thought of cooking food like feeding (God’s) sheep.

Would He be happy if I fed the sheep AstroTurf? No! Once you start cooking from scratch, it’s hard to go the other way. I also had a child who was allergic to a lot of things, but she didn’t come along until I was 40.

I did work at one or two fast food restaurants when I was a teenager. I saw, even back then in the ’70s and ’80s, how bad the food was.

My husband, we married when I was 24, loved fresh food. We always cooked. One day, we gave a potluck on the last Friday of the month. There were 75 people outside our door.

I fed them all.

He told me I needed to own a restaurant.

What kept you going with the restaurant, even during your cancer battle?

I’m not just in to make a profit.

This is our 36th year, and I get up every morning. I did it every day that I was going through radiation and chemo.

I got up every morning, I went into the restaurant and I made the biscuits. I cooked all day.

Then right before close, around 1 p.m., I’d come home, take a shower and go to the hospital for chemo.

It kept me with a routine. There was no time to feel fearful or scared.

I kind of treated cancer like it was a bad boyfriend I was breaking up with: We weren’t getting en-

gaged. We weren’t getting married.

He’s not coming home with me.

I had to kick Mr. Cancer to the curb.

I’m just grateful for the following that I’ve had for 35 years — most restaurants don’t make it that long. I’m feeding third or fourth generations.

I may not win all the awards, but I get so much love from my customers. I know I’m doing the right thing for my community.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

AI system treating Floridians with brain tumors

BY LAUREN PEACE

Tampa Bay Times (TNS) TAMPA, Fla. — Dr. Brian Collins was completing his medical residency at Georgetown University in the early 2000s when the institution invested in a new and groundbreaking technology that would shape the course of his career. The system was called CyberKnife.

Developed at Stanford University three decades ago, the CyberKnife System is one of the earliest adoptions of artificial intelligence in medicine, Collins said. It’s a specialized and effective way to treat challenging tumors — like those in the brain.

Today, Collins is a radiation oncologist and one of the world’s leading experts in CyberKnife treatments. That drew the attention of researchers at Tampa General Hospital and USF Health, who recruited Collins from D.C. to Florida’s Gulf Coast in 2022. He started the hospital’s CyberKnife program in 2024.

Why it matters When tumors form in the brain, surgeons face a daunting task in the operating room.

The growths are often entrapped in clusters of arteries and nerves that control a person’s ability to see, hear, move and breathe. Error can result in paralysis and death.

The operations are risky. But CyberKnife helps minimize the likelihood that something will go wrong. Using the machine, doctors like Collins can zap away bits of tumor using highly targeted radiation after surgery. That means surgeons can be more conservative when making cuts — they can leave remnants of tumors behind.

That was the case for Mallory McLean, who learned she had a brain tumor while pregnant last year. McLean, who underwent surgery a week after giving birth, had a tumor the size of a golf ball growing near her brain stem.

In an hours long operation, doctors were able to remove around 93% of the mass. But the remaining 7% lingered dangerously close to her body’s essential wirings.

That’s where CyberKnife comes in.

TAMPA BAy TIMES PHOTO By DIRK SHADD

Mallory McLean holds up the mask she wore during CyberKnife radiation treatment. She learned she had a brain tumor while pregnant with her second child. Doctors embarked on a treacherous waiting game — delaying surgery to protect her baby. Now, they’re both healthy.

possible to target fragments of abnormal cells while sparing healthy tissue.

First, doctors like Collins take images of a patient’s brain and plug them into a computer. Once they distinguish the healthy tissue from the unhealthy, telling the computer which areas to target, it forms a sophisticated plan.

Artificial intelligence is able to map the brain, or another part of the body, to find the best path to the tumor cells. When the tumor is hit from different, highly calculated angles, the unhealthy tissue is exposed over and over again, while healthy tissue avoids the repeated exposure.

And CyberKnife eliminates the higher risk of injury or error if a surgeon were to attempt it by hand.

“It does it independently, and it does it better How it works than any human can deliver radiation,” Collins Radiation can be used to treat cancerous and said.

Because of the degree of accuracy, this type of noncancerous tumors by exposing the abnormal cells to beams of high energy that kill them. The therapy can be used to treat a broader range of patients than those who were treated by radiation trouble is, radiation kills healthy cells, too.

Exposing areas of the brain to high doses of in the past. And, Collins said, the procedure is far radiation could come with its own negative side less invasive.

Previously, radiation oncologists would have effects. But the CyberKnife system has made it

to still patients using heavy frames that were screwed into their skulls to prevent movement.

Because the treatment is noninvasive, it can be administered over several sessions. That lessens the side effects and protects the brain stem and facial nerve from damage.

A robotic remedy Outside of brain tumors, the system can be used to treat lung tumors and those in the spine. More recently, researchers have studied CyberKnife and its effectiveness in treating neurologic conditions like tremors, and mental health conditions like depression and obsessive compulsive disorder.

But its primary use, Collins said, is treating brain tumors because of its precision.

For patients with small tumors, CyberKnife treatment can sometimes spare them from surgery altogether, clearing the growth on its own.

For others, like McLean, CyberKnife is the final step toward recovery. She underwent five sessions — each between 15 and 20 minutes — in the months after her surgery.

Now, her tumor is gone.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state. This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and reexamining tried and true methods on ways to live well.

Health editions will also profile people who are advancing health for the state of Louisiana.

Do you have a health story? We want to hear from you.

Email margaret. delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

CORRECTION A June 21 Health section story about colon cancer rates in Louisiana incorrectly reported Cherie Broome’s family background.

Although she is from Louisiana, she is not of Cajun descent.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● 3X

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Eat Fit Live Fit

Molly Kimball RD, CSSD

B R O U G H T TO YO U BY

Sweat-smart sips to beat the Louisiana heat

W

ater is always the foundation.

I want to start there because electrolyte powders, tablets and ready-to-drinks are everywhere.

While I love having those options, water is often the best option for many of us, most of the time.

If we’re inside in the A/C and moving through a normal day, water is usually enough. We also get electrolytes from food: sodium from salt and naturally salty foods; potassium from fruits, vegetables, beans and dairy; magnesium from nuts and greens; and calcium from dairy and fortified foods.

But Louisiana heat changes the math.

When we’re exercising, working outdoors or even just running errands in tripledigit “feels-like” temperatures, we’re losing more than fluid – we’re losing electrolytes, especially sodium. When sweat losses climb, plain water may not be enough to keep energy, focus and muscle function where we want them.

Low-level dehydration can show up as fatigue, headache, higher heart rate and cramping while more significant dehydration raises the risk of heat illness and heat stroke.

Electrolytes help to regulate our fluid balance, nerve signaling and muscle contractions. Sodium is the big one when it comes to sweat. Potassium matters too, especially for muscle contractions and fluid balance inside our cells, but we typically lose far less potassium than sodium in sweat. Magnesium and calcium also support muscle and nerve function, though they’re not usually the top priority for sweat replacement.

A practical rule of thumb for heavy sweating is to aim for about 300 to 600 mg sodium per hour of exercise or outdoor work. Some people may need more. Clues can include salt streaks

on clothes, gritty skin after workouts, frequent cramping or feeling wiped out despite drinking plenty of water.

I don’t recommend most traditional sports drinks as a daily go-to because they bring more added sugar and synthetic food dyes than I would want in an everyday hydration choice.

My Top Five Options

LMNT, pronounced “element,” is my highest-sodium pick: 1,000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium and 60 mg magnesium, with no sugar and stevia as the sweetener. It tastes salty, not syrupy, which is what many heavy sweaters need.

I like it for long runs, intense workouts, tennis, pickleball, long outdoor events or anyone who finishes with salt rings on their shirt.

Transparent Labs HYDRATE surprised me most this year. It has 500 mg sodium, 250 mg potassium, 50 mg magnesium, 84 mg calcium and 1 gram taurine, with 5 calories, 1 gram carbohydrate and no sugar.

It’s stevia-sweetened, with no artificial colors or artificial sweeteners. I appreciate the “transparent” part: the label gives amounts for even the smaller ingredients, and the company provides third-party testing and certificates of analysis. The package also notes banned-substance testing, helpful for competitive athletes.

Ultima Replenisher is a completely different type of product. It has only

55 mg sodium, with 250 mg potassium, 100 mg magnesium and 47 mg calcium, 0 calories, 0 sugar and stevia as the sweetener. This is not my pick for replacing large sodium losses after a sweaty workout, but it is a great option for those who need to limit their sodium intake and want to sip something flavorful with added minerals.

BodyArmor Lyte is my grab-and-go bottle option. It’s easy to find, which matters when we’re out and about. A 16-ounce bottle has about 20 calories, 2 grams sugar, no artificial dyes, roughly 30 to 40 mg sodium and about 680 to 700 mg potassium. Like Ultima, it’s centered on potassium, not sodium, so I generally

don’t recommend it as a heavy-sweat sodium replacer, but I do love it as a lower-sugar, easy-access sports drink swap.

The DIY option is the most affordable and customizable: add 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or table salt to about 20 ounces of water for roughly 600 mg sodium. You can add a pinch of potassium chloride (available online as a single ingredient, or in stores as salt substitutes like NoSalt or Nu-Salt). Then, flavor it with lemon or lime, fresh ginger juice, hibiscus tea, mint tea or naturally sweetened no-sugar lemonade. The function is the sodium and potassium; the flavor just makes it more interesting and palatable for those who prefer flavor.

The Bottom Line

Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD, is a registered dietitian with Ochsner Health and founder of Ochsner’s Eat Fit nonprofit initiative. For more wellness content, tune in to Molly’s podcast, FUELED Wellness + Nutrition, and follow @MollykimballRD and @EatFitOchsner on social media.

Email nutrition@ochsner.org to connect with Molly or schedule a consult with her team.

Water wins for everyday hydration.

When heat, humidity and sweat losses go up – add electrolytes. Match the product to the purpose with higher sodium for heavy sweat, lower sodium for everyday sipping and low sugar with no synthetic dyes whenever possible.

BY THE NUMBERS

LOUISIANA HAS THE LOWEST MARRIAGE RATE IN THE U.S.

In 2023, there were over 2 million marriages in the United States, at a rate of 6.1 marriages per 1,000 people.

Louisiana had the lowest marriage rate in the country when compared to other states at 3.7 marriages per 1,000 people, according to marriage rate data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Marriage rates, compiled by data from the National Center for Health Statistics, are calculated based on where, by state, a couple got married. Nevada, with Las Vegas in mind, has had the highest marriage rate in the U.S. for 36 years — although it has declined, from 99 marriages per 1,000 people in 1990 to 24.6 marriages in 2023.

Louisiana saw its lowest marriage rate in 2020 with 3.4 marriages per 1,000 people.The marriage rate for the state has been steadily declining since 1990: n 9.6 marriages per 1,000 people in 1990; n 9.3 marriages per 1,000 people in 1995; n 9.1 marriages per 1,000 people in 2000; n 8 marriages per 1,000 people in 2005; n 6.9 marriages per 1,000 people in 2010; n 6.8 marriages per 1,000 people in 2015; n 3.4 marriages per 1,000 people in 2020.

These states had the lowest marriage rates in 2023: n Louisiana with 3.7 marriages per 1,000 people; n Delaware and New Mexico with 4.7 marriages per 1,000 people; n Minnesota with 4.8 marriages per 1,000 people; n Michigan and Wisconsin with 5 marriages per 1,000 people; n Illinois, North Dakota and Ohio with 5.1 marriages per 1,000 people; n Iowa, Maryland and Massachusetts with 5.2 marriages per 1,000 people.

These states had the highest marriage rates in 2023: n Nevada with 24.6 marriages per 1,000 people; n Hawaii with 12.5 marriages per 1,000 people; n Utah with 11.2 marriages per 1,000 people; n Montana with 9.2 marriages per 1,000 people;

RAYS

Continued from page 1X faces, which is indicative of the physical sunscreen,” German said.

“It’s far more aesthetic to have an invisible layer.”

Chemical sunscreens are transparent and act “like a solar sponge,” German said, that absorb photons in a harmless chemical reaction.

Chemical sunscreens available in the U.S. combine ingredients that filter UVA rays with separate ingredients that filter UVB rays.

Those sunscreens, often called “broad-spectrum protection,” are only effective for a short time. “(Bemotrizinal) is very stable in sunlight, so it keeps working longer

than some older sunscreen ingredients,” said Dr. Therese Pacheco, a dermatology professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz.

Bemotrizinal, a chemical sunscreen, blocks both UVA and UVB rays and does not leave a white cast on the skin.

“The chemical sunscreens are becoming better and better,” German said.

On top of the aesthetic benefits, bemotrizinal stays on the surface of the skin with very little absorption or irritation to the skin.

Regardless of new sunscreen ingredients, it’s important to still apply it before hitting the beach or the tennis court this summer.

Choosing the right sunscreen can help reduce the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma, the

American marriages

Marriages per 1,000 people living in each state, in 2023 Less than 5

5 to 5.5

5.6 to 6

6.1 to 6.5

6.6 to 7

More than 7

National average: 6.1 WA S H .

WASH. MON T. MONT.

V T. VT.

N.D. N.D. MINN. MINN.

ORE .

ORE. I DA H O IDAHO W Y. WY.

U TAH UTAH

C O. CO.

CALIF. CALIF.

A RI Z .

ARIZ.

N.M. N.M.

N.Y. N.Y.

MICH. MICH. N E B. NEB.

NE V. NEV.

I O WA IOWA

PA .

PA. IL L .

ILL.

K A N. KAN.

OK L A .

OKLA.

M O. MO.

IND. IND.

OHIO OHIO W.V. W.V.

VA .

VA.

K Y. KY.

R .I. R.I. CONN. C ONN. N . J. N.J. DE L .

DEL. MD. MD.

N.C. N.C.

T ENN. TENN. A RK .

ARK.

S.C. S.C. MIS S. ALA. MISS. AL A .

TE X AS TEXAS

ME .

ME. M A S S. MASS.

W IS. WIS.

S.D. S.D.

N.H. N.H.

GA. GA.

L A. LA.

A L A SK A ALASKA

FL A. FLA. H AWA I I HAWAII

Louisiana: 3.7

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Staff graphic

n Arkansas and Colorado with 7.8 marriages per 1,000 people; n Tennessee with 7.3 marriages per 1,000 people; n Vermont with 7.2 marriages per 1,000 people; n Florida, Idaho, Maine and Wyoming with 7 marriages per 1,000 people.

passing or failing government deadliest form of skin cancer.

Here’s what to look out for on the standards.

Pick sunscreen rated at least shelves: SPF 30, considered the minimum Blocking both UV rays needed.

“The higher the SPF, the better,” Back in 2012, the FDA did a major update of sunscreen standards, German said.

Make sure the label says “broad including banning the inaccurate, misleading terms “sunblock” and spectrum” to ensure the ingredi“waterproof.” Now manufactur- ents block both UVA and UVB rays. ers can only label products “water resistant” and must state how soon Apply it properly they break down from swimming or Most people using sunscreen sweating, either 40 or 80 minutes. don’t realize they’re applying too In the meantime, use sunscreen little, too late and too infrequently, that protects against both harmful says Dr. Darrell Rigel of the Amertypes of ultraviolet rays, UVA and ican Academy of Dermatology’s UVB. sunscreen regulations task force.

The level of protection against An average-sized person should UVB rays is measured by SPF, or apply roughly an ounce, or about sun protection factor. For UVA two tablespoons, on all exposed rays, sunscreens are rated as skin. That’s about twice what most

people use.

Apply it 15 to 30 minutes before going outside, then reapply at least every two hours, more frequently if swimming or sweating a lot.

With spray-on sunscreen, apply two coats, then rub it in to ensure even coverage.

‘Anything is better than nothing’ “The sun is dangerous,” German said. “If you’ve got a sunscreen, it’s better to put it on than not put it on.”

While looking at the options on the shelf, if a greasy sunscreen feels better on the skin, or a scented one makes the summer day feel better, that’s fine, German said.

“The sunscreen that best suites you is the best sunscreen. Anything is better than nothing.”

4X ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Your health is our primary care

Ochsner Lafayette General provides compassionate, personalized care for every stage of life. From your child’s well visits and teen sports physicals to managing chronic conditions, our experienced primary care team is here to support your family’s health journey. With same-day and next-day appointments and more than 70 physicians and advanced practice providers from Lafayette to Lake Arthur, we make it easy to get the care you need when you need it.

Call 337-571-1111 to schedule your appointment today.

Q&A: Seeing a world without prisons

GOODNESS | HOPE | SOLUTIONS

INSPIRED

LOUISIANA

N O L A.C O M & T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

|

S U N D AY, J U lY 5, 2026

PAGE 2y

1N

Jan Risher LONG STORy SHORT

Taking a cold plunge out west

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Lance Nacio packages shrimp for shipment to another state recently at Anna Marie Shrimp in Montegut.

Aiding the industry Groups work to support and promote Louisiana’s fragile shrimp industry

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer

When Lance Nacio started out in the shrimping industry in the late 1990s, he had a bag phone. At the dock, he could get $4 a pound for shrimp, and he paid a lot less for diesel.

Today, he has Starlink satellite internet, navigation technology and

an iPhone on his shrimping boat, the Anna Marie. The generation that came before Nacio didn’t have access to these tools, but, compared to today, those shrimpers and business owners weren’t grappling with the negative effects of imported shrimp.

Statewide, organizations like Shrimp Aid are dedicated to supporting the industry and shrimpers like

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JOHN McCUSKER

At the second Louisiana Shrimp Festival/Shrimp Aid event in New Orleans in October 2025, visitors attended a presentation from SeaD Consulting on testing that determines if shrimp is local or imported.

Nacio, whose family made a living off the land and grew up in a trapping camp. The nonprofit promotes responsible harvesting practices and connects with policymakers to enact change within the industry.

“We have this natural resource, and my family’s made a living for several generations — living off the resource. Now we’re just having to do it a lot differently than they used to. They’ve all had their share of struggles, but they never had imported shrimp to compete against,” Nacio said as he waited out a short summer rain shower from the dock of his home in Montegut, where he operates Anna Marie Shrimp.

Louisiana leads the nation in the shrimp industry, ranking as the top harvester of shrimp in the Gulf and the United States, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. The state also has the largest commercial blue crab fishery and leads the way in oyster production and crawfish production.

“More than 70% of the seafood and other fisheries products landed in the Gulf each year comes through Louisiana, creating a total annual economic impact of nearly $2 billion,” LDWF states.

The shrimping industry is an anchor of the state’s seafood industry, but it’s at risk.

Shrimp Aid executive director and chef Dana Honn says that most of the seafood industry’s infrastructure was built around shrimping, in terms of the state’s waterfronts, processors, ice houses and docks.

“The whole thing would crumble if the shrimping industry collapsed,” said Honn, who owns Nikkei Izakaya and Tempero’s Kitchen in New Orleans. “There would be cataclysmic cultural effects throughout the region. I think it’s hard to quantify and qualify just how dire that would be for everybody.”

Through collaboration, education and advocacy, Shrimp Aid’s goal is to protect the livelihood of Louisiana’s shrimpers.

ä See SHRIMP, page 2Y

More than a thousand miles from Louisiana, I felt completely at home in the steam sauna at Iron Mountain Hot Springs in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The small room felt like a July afternoon in New Orleans after a rain.

Our daughter Piper lives in Denver. Two days after I arrived for a visit, she and I drove farther west to spend time in springs that run hot overlooking the Colorado River that runs cold.

We made the same trip at the same time last year — just weeks before our house fire in August.

Since then, my days have been filled with work and my nights with insurance adjusters, tile samples, paint colors, delayed sinks, doors that open out when they ought to open in and the wrong-sized windows.

Piper and I arrived early and loved sitting in the hot pools watching the mist rise and fall across the surrounding mountaintops. A full day in and out of mineral water was just what I needed.

Iron Mountain has 35 pools that range from 45 to 107 degrees, with minerals from potassium to sodium, calcium and more. This year it also has five new saunas — steam, salt, red light, aromatherapy and a traditional Finnish one.

I’ve been fascinated by saunas since studying the role they play in life in Finland. I was eager to try them all.

Finland has been named the world’s happiest country for nine years running — a ranking that measures life satisfaction rather than passing joy. Researchers sometimes credit sauna culture as one contributor.

For all those reasons, I started the day in the saunas.

I skipped the cold plunge pools.

I skipped them again after a while, and again after that. Last year, I tried a cold plunge once, got partway in, and decided it was not for me.

Drew Brees may swear by them, but I had made my peace.

In the early evening, a woman who lives in Glenwood Springs started talking with us as we relaxed in a magnesium pool. The lady makes almost daily use of her annual pass and spoke about the cold plunge the way some people talk about a miracle drug.

She explained how it had genuinely changed the way she felt.

Her confidence made me reconsider, and I mustered the courage to once again try the cold plunge.

I got one foot in, up to the calf.

“Let’s do the steam sauna,” she said, “then try again.”

So we sat in the heat that reminded me of home, and then we went back out. The second time I got in up to my waist.

I counted that as a victory and retreated to the steam where a talkative group had gathered.

They started discussing the cold plunge. One by one, they decided to try it.

One by one, they came back into the steam sauna. They had all gone in, all the way under.

Then this group of strangers began to encourage me to give it one more try.

When I stood up to try the cold plunge for a third time, people I had known for 20 minutes cheered me on.

I walked outside, walked right into the 45-degree water, lowered myself all the way in, even dunking my head.

I did not tarry.

When I walked to the steam

ä See RISHER, page 2Y

2Y ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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INSPIRED DISCUSSIONS A S K T H E E X P E RT S

Creative director helps others see a world without prisons Q&A WITH JACKIE SUMELL

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

In 2024, artist and activist Jackie Sumell established the nonprofit Freedom to Grow, an abolitionist-driven initiative of art, land-based healing justice, community empowerment and archival practices. The abolitionist movement works to end incarceration and create alternatives to punishment. Sumell serves as the creative director.

Freedom to Grow’s current projects include Herman’s House, Solitary Gardens, the Abolitionist’s Apothecary, the Abolitionist’s Sanctuary and an artists-in-residence program.

Originally from New York, Sumell moved to New Orleans in 2005 and says she’s lived there longer than she’s lived anywhere.

Sumell’s creative practice has been supported by residencies and fellowships, including the 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship, 2023 Christian A. Johnson Fellowship, 2022 Marguerite Casey Foundation Fellowship and Rockefeller Foundation. Her collaboration with Herman Wallace, one of the Angola 3 (Wallace, Albert Woodfox and Robert King — former Angola prison inmates who lived in solitary confinement for several decades), was featured in the Emmy Awardwinning documentary “Herman’s House.”

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

For those who may be unfamiliar with the term “abolitionist work,” how would you describe that?

It’s really important that we think about abolition as a practice that isn’t precisely defined. … I personally think of abolition as a practice where we respond to inevitable harm with the intention of not creating more.

ARTIST AND ACTIVIST

hope is that we inspire a world where we don’t rely on punishment to respond to harm.

We just started a capital campaign to be able to retrofit the John Thompson Legacy Center to be this museum.

How do the Freedom to Grow Solitary Gardens spread that abolitionist practice?

Solitary Gardens, in particular, is birthed out of Herman’s House — creating garden beds that are the same size and blueprint that solitary cells are. Then they’re grown in collaboration with folks who are currently incarcerated PROVIDED PHOTO and tended to by folks on the outside who are formerly incarFreedom to Grow Creative Director Jackie Sumell leads an Abolitionist’s cerated.

Tea Party, discussing how natural ingredients grown by incarcerated My elders often say those of us individuals can be used for connection and healing. who are closest to the problem are also closest to the solution.

What’s been so beautiful is that it What is the Freedom to Grow ArtistThere are many people who no longer is just Angola. It’s pris- in-Residency program and who are the speak much more eloquently to artists? this, but I think of abolition as ons across the country.

Artists are the vanguards of something that not only exists as I feel very deeply committed complicated and sometimes imthe desire to live outside of a pu- to this land and this place. I’m here for the long haul. possible conversations. Art is a nitive system, but as something How did Freedom to Grow evolve into critical vehicle, and so, how do that we do relationally every day the organization it is now? we engage artists in abolitionist with every thought, word and It’s an outgrowth of this work and revolutionary thinking? action. and the legacy of the Angola New Orleans icons Chandra How did you get involved in abolitionist Three.

McCormick and Keith Calhoun work in Louisiana?

Starting a nonprofit was not are our inaugural artists in resiI started off as a pen pal with something that I, as an artist, Herman Wallace and Albert dence. This was a relationship ever imagined, but it became Woodfox of the Angola 3. That that was like literally born out of necessary in a world in which evolved into moving here to be deep admiration for their work closer to them, and I began work it has become increasingly difand for their legacy, both inside on a project called “The House Angola and inside New Orleans. ficult to fundraise.

That Herman Built.”

We’re asking Keith and ChanDoing abolitionist-centered It really reorganized my life work and visiting folks in prison dra, who are very established and value system. The next 20 has been a labor of love for most photographers, to work outside years of this work has been a of this journey, but the larger of their medium and comfort way to say thank you to Herman the projects get, the more they zone — as an abolitionist pracand Albert and John Thompson. require sustenance. tice. It’s challenging them to be As a practice of gratitude to Freedom to Grow will continue an example of growth within the be closer to them, I have created long beyond my own life, and it realm of productive discomfort. family relationships with other allows us to create a means of An abolitionist future is not refolks who are still incarcerated. fundraising and sharing. The form, but it requires us to really

live and exist outside the world that we know. That’s terrifying.

We’re asking them to look at the legacy, not only of the horrors that have happened on the land now occupied by the Louisiana State Penitentiary, but to imagine, to feel and to think about the magic or the resistance or ways that people not only survived the impossible, but transmuted it. Ultimately, to look at the ways that people can take the impossible and alchemize it into a different outcome.

How can Freedom to Grow impact Louisiana?

I want people to know that the entire world is born from the tip of intention. If our intention is to be kinder, faster, we can build that world. If our intention is to be bigger and meaner, then we will build that world. So, what Freedom to Grow is hopefully doing is creating an alternative universe that is rooted not only in possibility but in lived experience.

Herman used to say to me, “Slow down, baby, this is a marathon.” What I’ve come to realize is that it’s actually a relay race, and Freedom to Grow is the baton.

I want people to know, to trust, and to believe that another world is possible. The first step is an act of faith. Our relationship to faith and to spirituality is actually a superpower, and we can think of abolition as a practice of faith. In some ways, I want Freedom to Grow to be a container for folks to feel safe in abolitionist thought and practice.

Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

SHRIMP

Continued from page 1y

STAFF PHOTO By JAN RISHER

Morning mist rises and falls near the mountaintops in Glenwood Springs, Colo., on June 25.

RISHER

Continued from page 1y sauna with my hair dripping, they cheered again.

That sounds small.

It was small.

It was also something I had been sure I would never do, and I did it because a roomful of strangers encouraged me.

I smiled despite myself and had to admit: I felt fantastic. Maybe the moment wasn’t as much about the cold water as being reminded how quickly strangers can become allies.

For the past few weeks, the World Cup has been everywhere, with North America hosting visitors arriving from all over the world. That story keeps surfacing in interviews and clips — guests amazed by how welcoming Americans have been, how warm, how generous with directions, seats, time and breakfast.

For the first time, I have been glued to the World Cup this summer, mostly for that strangers-turning-

allies feeling. (As a side benefit, I’ve even begun to understand offsides.)

Lately, I’ve felt as if our country is constantly being reminded of what separates us. The World Cup has shown that we can still be the people I grew up believing we are.

I don’t know exactly what a cold plunge in Colorado says about a country turning 250. Maybe nothing.

Maybe this: People who will never see one another again stood up and cheered for a stranger over something that did not matter at all and mattered completely.

We do not have to agree, but we can still be kind. We can still talk someone into the cold and cheer when she goes under — and welcome her back into the warmth.

A country turning 250 is a lot to hold in the mind at once. A roomful of strangers cheering someone in and out of cold water is not.

I will take this small thing — and be ready to celebrate the next one.

Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.

In 2024, Honn hosted the first Louisiana Shrimp Festival in New Orleans, which featured live music, food vendors, panel discussions and presentations from leaders in the industry. Last year, SeaD Consulting, a private thirdparty testing company that conducts genetic testing on shrimp dishes, was present to conduct testing. This year’s festival is scheduled for Oct. 18 at The Broadside (600 N. Broad St., New Orleans).

Honn also wants to start a “Shrimp Drops” initiative to bring Louisiana shrimpers, chefs, musicians and culture bearers to people beyond the South. His goal is to educate people on how their seafood choices can have an effect on Louisiana’s coastal communities.

“Ultimately, it is the consumer that has the power,” he said. “They wield a huge influence over the entire system.”

Nacio has also done his fair share of advocacy for the industry, working with the Louisiana Shrimp Task Force, making trips to Washington, D.C., to meet with lawmakers and encourage opposition to imported shrimp — which often poses health and environmental risks because of the use of banned antibiotics, habitat destruction to coastal communities and unsustainable farming practices.

Honn says these risks were introduced with imported shrimp, and awareness has increased over the past decade. Many imported shrimp include silicone that’s used make shrimp appear larger. Others include carcinogenic antibiotics, preservatives or biological toxins. Some processors use illegal and unethical labor practices.

Many European countries require shippers to prove they tested shrimp for contaminants. If it doesn’t pass, they destroy the packages. In the U.S.,

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Anna Marie Shrimp packages soft shell shrimp in Montegut on June 5. Statewide, organizations like Shrimp Aid are dedicated to supporting the industry and shrimpers.

Nacio said, we return it to the shipper if contaminants are found.

“So, there’s no risk sending to the U.S. The risk is sending to the European countries, so that’s why we became a dumping ground for shrimp,” he said.

In June, Louisiana passed several laws to support shrimpers, including one that expands the authority of the agriculture department to destroy seafood that fails to meet the state’s testing requirements.

Shrimp fraud is also another industry concern.

Louisiana law requires restaurants to explicitly state when they serve imported shrimp, but some establishments are getting caught for serving it without accurate labels. SeaD Consulting has conducted

research throughout the state to expose seafood fraud — efforts that also move the needle.

“I want to see people survive and thrive in the industry. And the only way is if we can combat the fraud and get people to be aware of what they’re eating,” Nacio said. “That’s the biggest problem: People aren’t aware of what they’re consuming.”

Nacio and Honn encourage consumers to always ask a retailer where their shrimp comes from. Honn even suggests going a little deeper and making a connection with a local shrimper or fisher, because “your life, and your table, will be much richer.”

Louisiana’s fisheries are shaped by a mix of ethnic groups that are deeply tied to the Gulf’s coastlines,

including Vietnamese Americans, Cajuns, Croatians, indigenous African Americans, Native Americans, Filipino communities and others.

When so much of the state’s culture is imbued in the spirit of gathering around food, what happens when those ties are severed? Honn, Nacio and other coalitions are championing the industry, in hopes that Louisianans don’t have to find out.

“We’re talking about an activity of harvesting wild seafood that is rarefied today, so we have to be in awe of and have respect for that,” Honn said. “We are stewards of that resource.”

Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@ theadvocate.com.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● 3Y

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Locals help address neighborhood’s housing needs

BY BRIANNA MEEKS Contributing writer

Damon Walker remembers a different Scotlandville. As a child in the 1980s, he rode his bike through the neighborhood on Baton Rouge’s north side, visited the local “candy lady” and watched residents support nearby businesses.

At the time, he said, local stores were woven into the neighborhood and children could walk to gathering spots without traveling far from home.

“It was a fun place growing up,” Walker, now 40, said. “Parents could trust you to go to the corner store.”

It’s different today.

Walker and his partner in life and business, Brittany Moss, 43, are working to bring new investments into the neighborhood they once explored as children.

They said they want to create opportunities for future generations while helping address housing needs.

“The idea was always there,” Walker said.

Earlier this year, they broke ground on the Cottages at Ravelle Homes, which they said will provide affordable housing for students at Southern University.

Investing in the community Moss and Walker both knew they wanted to invest in their community. For years, separately and now together, they worked toward that goal through entrepreneurship, real estate and property development.

“Everything acquired over time,” Moss said. “So it was just destiny.”

The couple met at a Louisiana Leadership meeting in 2022. At the time, Walker owned a car wash and detailing business. Soon, they started real estate ventures, including a property they bought together

across from Walker’s businesses near where the Cottages at Ravelle Homes are being built.

Walker oversees development projects while Moss handles the real estate side of the business. Sitting recently at French Truck Coffee on Government Street, Moss and Walker reflected on their childhoods.

Moss described herself as a talkative kid. Walker said he had a knack for building things from the ground up.

In addition to operating a windshield repair business with his cousin, Walker invested in property throughout Scotlandville.

One of his earliest development projects was the Compound, located across the street from where the future Cottages will stand.

Moss started working at Chase Bank at 18, thinking she’d transition to college at Southern University with the goal of becoming a social worker. She was a first-generation college student, but there was another motivation pushing her forward.

She became a mother at a young age.

Still, at 22, she purchased her first home. It was in that home, she said, where her daughter took her first steps. After becoming a mother, she wanted to create stability for her daughter.

So, in 2019, Moss made a vision board of what her life could be in the future.

She reimagined every piece she put on that board and couldn’t believe all that she’d already accomplished.

“You don’t realize you’ve done so much within a circle of time,” said Moss, who eventually changed her mind about pursuing a career in social work.

Moss said she has generated more than $15 million in sales as a real estate

PROVIDED PHOTO

Damon Walker, left, and Brittary Mossy speak at the March groundbreaking for the Cottages at Ravelle Homes, intended as housing for Southern University students. Walker and Moss co-own Ravelle Homes, which is building the houses. agent while helping over 50 families purchase homes in Baton Rouge. Years of vision, property acquisitions and community investment eventually led Moss and Walker to developing the Cottages at Ravelle Homes.

Breaking ground The Ravelle Homes LLC broke ground on new student housing near Southern at 566 68th Ave. on March 21.

The project aims to address blight in the Scotlandville area. With increased enrollment at Southern, dorms have reached maximum capacity, creating a need for more affordable options for students.

Moss and Walker worked with local officials, including East Baton Rouge Par-

ish Metro Council member Anthony Kenney, to move the project forward. Kenney said the development will provide students with an opportunity to live closer to campus and was thrilled to help rezone the area.

“Out of the 8,000 students at Southern, about 5,000 need housing,” he said.

The development will consist of eight small, standalone houses under 1,000 square feet, each including two bedrooms, one bathroom and accessibility features for individuals with disabilities. The homes will also include kitchens, porches and designated parking spaces, along with in-unit stackable washers and dryers.

Construction is expect-

ed to take six months to a year, Walker said, with occupancy starting for Southern’s spring 2027 semester.

Current on-campus housing at Southern University typically ranges from about $1,880 to $3,000 per academic year, depending on the housing style, said Nevaeh Paschall, who works as a resident assistant. Affordability remains a concern, Paschall said, noting that housing applications fill quickly due to limited availability.

“A lot of students are barely making it with the rates we currently have,” Paschall said.

Rental rates for the Cottages at Ravelle Homes are expected to range from about $1,100 to $1,300 per

unit, according to Moss.

Since this project is Moss and Walker’s first, they will also manage the properties and maintain safety measures, including 24-hour security cameras, they said.

In the future, the team hopes to create more opportunities for development in the Scotlandville area and improve the community while doing so.

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

Shell Norco Welcomes Alex Markos, VP Shell welcomes Alex Markos as the newly appointed Vice President of the Norco site. Markos has worked in several countries in a variety of roles. Most recently, his leadership at Shell Polymers Monaca in Pennsylvania and the Sarnia Manufacturing Centre in Canada prepared him for balancing the demands of large-scale operations with the importance of culture, trust, and visible leadership. At Norco, he steps into a workplace widely recognized within Shell for its strong culture. “There’s a real sense of pride here,” he says. “People care about the site, about each other, and about doing things the right way. You can feel that immediately.”

At the core of his leadership philosophy is this principle: safety comes first. “Nothing is more important than making sure every person who comes to work goes home safely,” he says. His focus also includes environmental performance, reliability, and developing the people who keep the site running. “You have to deliver today while preparing for tomorrow.”

Shell Norco is one of the most important

“I am honored and excited to take on this new role. Shell Norco is an important site with a long history and a reputation for having great people and a strong culture.”

Alex Markos, Shell Norco VP

shell.us/louisiana | #PoweringProgress

sites in Shell’s U.S. operations. The only Shell refinery in the country integrated with chemicals manufacturing, Norco plays a central role in the company’s operations and remains a strong economic engine for the Gulf Coast.

4Y ● Sunday, July 5, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

lll

A ‘dig of the century’ unearths 1,700 years of history Archaeologists are exploring beneath Notre Dame

deciphered.

Of everything she has cleaned from Notre Dame, Breloux said, these are the most “astonishing.”

Coins can help date the layers

BY THOMAS ADAMSON and JEFFREY SCHAEFFER Associated Press

PARIS — Wilting in the summer sun, a line of tourists waits to climb Notre Dame cathedral and meet its gargoyles.

13 feet beneath them, a team of archaeologists is digging the other way — straight down and back in time, to Roman Paris 2,000 years ago.

In 2019, fire brought Notre Dame’s spire crashing down as the world watched. The cathedral was rebuilt and reopened in late 2024, and now Paris wants to soften the hot, bare square in front of it with trees and shade.

But in a city this old, the soil cannot be turned until what lies beneath it is excavated, in case it is damaged during works.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS By NICOLAS GARRIGA So a slice of Notre Dame’s foreArchaeological workers wearing hard hats dig 13 feet underground during excavations outside Notre Dame court has become an excavation Cathedral in Paris. site — an open pit ringed by barriers and crossed by a wooden walkway, a few steps from the lineup. street.

Cities rise. Each age builds on A modern Da Vinci Code the rubble of the last, and the French media have dubbed it the ground climbs with it; in Rome, it has risen about 30 feet since the “dig of the century.”

“It’s a rare opportunity for us to empire fell in the fifth century work on something that’s tangi- AD. When Athens built its metro for bly going to make a difference to the history of Paris,” Lucie Alten- the 2004 Olympics, it set off the burg, a conservator with the Paris largest excavation in Greek hisarchaeology unit, told The Associ- tory and turned up tens of thousands of objects, now shown in ated Press.

Among the hundreds of objects the stations themselves. Paris is already found: a fourth-century no different.

It all comes from the island in coin stamped with the face of the Emperor Constantine, and shards the Seine, the Ile de la Cite, where of medieval pottery painted on the Paris began.

Centuries later, Notre Dame inside with marks no expert has yet deciphered — like a modern rose on the same ground.

At the cathedral’s birth in 1163, Archaeologist Valentine Breloux holds ceramic fragments discovered Da Vinci Code.

“It makes Notre Dame feel alive the entire square was packed with during excavations. again,” said Emily Carter, 34, a medieval houses, split by a single tourist from Manchester waiting street, said Camille Colonna, the — medieval Paris, Roman Paris, still intact — among the broken in line with her two children. “You archaeologist leading the dig. Dig- maybe even before that,” said plates and animal bones. come to see the cathedral, then ging down, her team has reached Yasmine Benali, 22, an archaeolIt’s “rare to find complete ceramrealize there’s another city under their cellars — and therefore also ogy student watching from behind ics,” said Valentine Breloux, an aryour feet. That’s almost more mov- the time in history they represent. the barriers. “It makes the city chaeologist with the unit.

Below them lie Merovingian feel less like a postcard and more Here the soft waste cushioned ing.”

The first traces appear 20 inches and Carolingian grain pits, from like something still being discov- them, and centuries later they midown; 13 feet lower, the team is the sixth to the 10th centuries; be- ered.” raculously came up whole. still pulling up the past. Some days low those, darker and deeper still, Then some other objects came they fill 15 crates — from ground a dense Roman quarter from the Coins, ceramics that confounded experts. As conthat has lain untouched for de- fourth and fifth centuries.

The richest finds here come servators cleaned what looked Twenty centuries are stacked from the foulest place: the deep like ordinary medieval pottery, cades. in 13 feet of earth — or about the pits beneath the medieval houses, they found faint reddish writing Archaeologists monitoring digs height of two-and-a-half Napoleon old latrines that doubled as rub- painted on the inside — the same This is the bargain in every old Bonapartes standing on top of one bish dumps. Out of them the team mysterious markings on shard afkeeps lifting whole jugs and cups ter shard. city: The past is not in a museum another.

“Here you can see the layers — thrown away centuries ago, yet down the street — it is under the What they mean has yet to be

The coins came up as black discs, eaten by rust. But under an X-ray, a face returned: it was Constantine, the Roman emperor who ruled in the early 300s AD. Such objects also “can be invaluable in giving us the date of the (underground) layer,” Altenburg said.

The Roman finds are the ones the archaeologists value most — the deepest, oldest and least understood. In Roman times, the town was called Lutetia, and its center lay across the river, on the Left Bank.

As the Roman empire collapsed, people pulled back to the Ile de la Cite, where Notre Dame would later rise, and fortified the island with walls of stone taken from earlier buildings.

Colonna’s team found some proof: a Roman doorstep found in the dig, taken from a much bigger building, carried over, turned upside down, and laid in a road as paving.

Paris houses thousands Every find leaves the pit and travels north, to the city’s archaeology center — what Colonna calls “a huge archaeological store,” a treasure house of Paris.

For archaeologists, the cathedral dig is a rare treat. In France, like elsewhere, they work only where building work is about to begin — a bit like how industrial quarry workers end up unearthing dinosaur remains.

“This only happens because the city of Paris decided it wanted to beautify the area,” Altenburg said.

The new square should be mostly finished by 2028: a kind of woodland clearing, with 160 new trees and a thin film of water sliding over the stone to cool it in summer — part of how Paris is bracing for ever hotter summers induced by global warming.

The tourists who now wait in the bare sun beneath the gargoyles will, in a few summers, line up in the shade. The old underground parking lot will reopen as a visitor center looking onto the Seine.

Until then, the Notre Dame team wants to go deeper still — past the Romans, toward whoever came before them, the Gauls who gave the city its first name.

“The hope is that we are able to go back in time even further than we’ve ever been before,” Altenburg said.

Young people search for new ways to stay ‘phone-free’

BY AUDREY PACHUTA Chicago Tribune (TNS)

CHICAGO — There’s something addictive about it. Sitting in bed late at night watching one 30-second clip after another. Bright, blue light illuminating the room.

Whipping out a camera the moment a restaurant server brings a meal or a favorite performer appears onstage. Succumbing to the urge to scroll Instagram the second conversation grows quiet or social awkwardness creeps in.

The alarm bells began to ring in recent Loyola University graduate Kamryn McPhaul’s head when she realized a third of her waking life was spent on her cellphone.

She, like so many others, craved the “cheap hits of dopamine,” the sense of mindless joy she received from watching a short video only to forget it moments later.

Earlier this year, she decided enough was enough.

Goodbye to Instagram and Snapchat; hello to sightseeing adventures, solo trips to the movies and hours spent at the Art Institute.

The moment McPhaul installed a “permanent black-and-white filter” on her screen and deleted all her social media apps, she felt something shift. She doesn’t plan on going back.

While McPhaul’s mission to curb her screen time has been an individual endeavor, others are increasingly seeking out social spaces to join like-minded people hoping to unplug. The number of phone-free experiences grew by 567% globally in 2024 and 2025, according to Eventbrite, a platform where organizers can advertise events.

In Chicago, this trend has taken various forms: everything from creative spaces relegating devices to cotton bags and locked boxes to phone-free raves moshing into the morning’s wee hours.

Some of these events are planned and attended by young adults, most of whom hardly remember a world before instantaneous digital communication. In many cases,

phone-free parties emerge in the form of novelty pop-ups, advertised as a chance to escape the pressures of an ever-demanding online universe.

“Some people want to let loose and be free and they don’t want to be filmed while they’re doing that,” said 29-year-old Samantha Boehlen, an event producer who helped plan multiple phone-free dance parties around the city.

‘How all of our parents hung out’ After acquiring her first iPhone at 13, Olivia Gork spent most of her young life wondering what a party free of digital disruption would look like.

She dreamed of dance floors packed with crowds who let music move through them. Bars where people entered as strangers and left as friends. But the more she went out, the more she realized phones inherently stood in the way of the experience she longed to have.

“I was ending the night just being like: Where were we?,” Gork said. “Were we just capturing the moments or were we living them?”

Unbeknownst to her, Gork’s vision was one she shared with event producer Chinaecherem Nwaubani, whom she met at North Coast Music Festival in 2024. Now business partners, the pair founded an agency, Saturnalia, to plan “otherworldly phone free(dom) gatherings.”

Back in December, they hosted their first and only party to date at Fulton Street Collective, a West Town art gallery and event space.

The event, with bright colorful fabrics draped from the ceiling, drew a crowd of more than 100 people, Nwaubani said.

Some came with friends and others came alone, but all followed the night’s one rule: Phones must be kept in a locked box by the entrance.

“We debated putting them in little pouches, but something for me is that I just hate being encumbered and I was just like, what is

a way that everyone can be as unencumbered as possible?” Gork, now 23, said. “I think the phone just needs to be completely locked up.”

The zero-tolerance phone policy brought people together in ways even Gork and Nwaubani couldn’t have predicted. They were particularly struck by a moment when a group gathered to play chess with a security guard, and the fact that one attendee got so caught up in being screen-free, she forgot her phone at the venue when she departed for the night.

“This is how all of our parents hung out,” Nwaubani said. “There was a time not that long ago where this was just normal.”

Boehlen, the 29-year-old event producer whose work ranges from creative collage clubs to nightlife, said she wishes she had been “more stringent” about phone usage when she helped plan a January dance party in Wicker Park.

Over the years, she has advertised many of her events as being “phone-free,” but unlike the owners of Saturnalia, she never enforced the rule as anything more than a friendly suggestion.

Recently, she said, she attended a few events that weren’t marketed as screen-free, but ended up operating that way once she arrived. She recalled a concert’s policy of storing phones in automatically sealed bags as something that could be a good idea for her future functions.

“I think people can use their phone as a crutch,” Boehlen said.

“It’s very easy to look down at your phone and just scroll or answer a text message, rather than sitting in that uncomfortability.”

Phone-free creative spaces For some, the notion of unplugging isn’t a new idea. With its eclectic collection of vinyl records and board games, Kibbitznest, a WiFi-free book bar in Lincoln Park, has been capturing the fancies of those seeking a digital detox for nearly a decade.

While phones are technically permitted inside, those visiting find themselves hard-pressed to spot anyone choosing to use them. Instead, groups gather on comfortable furniture and chat while sipping cocktails and dealing playing cards. The dark interior features walls covered with books of every genre, encouraging those who enter to keep their laptop tucked away for the sake of the written word.

One weeknight in May, around 30 people gathered for an event called “Skip the Small Talk” in Kibbitznest’s back room. As the name suggests, the night was centered around facilitating deep conversations between strangers, a task much easier when phone usage is kept to a minimum, event organizers said.

Over two hours, attendees shuffled from partner to partner, engaging in 10-minute conversations centered around cardprompted topics like “What are some of your biggest hopes for your personal future?” and “What are some things you loved about yourself as a child?”

Jessa Fuller, an event curator and co-founder of experiential marketing agency Little Council, sought to cultivate a similar sense of belonging when her team hosted a phone-free pop-up event on a Saturday morning in River North last month.

The event, called Fulfillment Center, was geared toward people of all ages who were encouraged to come, put their phone in a cotton bag and engage with one of the many activities centered around reading, writing, making and playing at a long, communal table.

“Right now, when you think of a fulfillment center, you think of a large, giant, warehouse-y building built to get us things we order online super fast,” Fuller said. “So we said: ‘What would it look like if … we took up space with one that was more focused on personal fulfillment?’ ” Fuller’s team hosted the pop-up over two days. For her, the most

striking part of the weekend was seeing people come to the Fulfillment Center alone and leave with plans to reconnect with the people they met at her event.

Students, teachers For some, the conversation around limiting screen time has extended beyond social circles and into professional or academic ones.

This spring, Olivia Stewart Lester, a Loyola professor who typically teaches classes on the New Testament and early Christianity, proposed and taught a new class that investigated the intersection of religion and technology.

Eighteen students joined her for her semester-long passion project, together exploring topics such as artificial intelligence and online religious communities, as well as participating in a monthlong digital fast coinciding with the start of Lent and Ramadan.

“They were surprisingly enthusiastic,” Stewart Lester said, adding she was unsure of how students would respond to a professor mandating a behavioral change.

In assigned reflection papers, students described how the fast gave them the chance to take up new hobbies, she said. Given the choice of how to implement the assignment in their lives, some students opted to eliminate certain apps like TikTok, while others chose not to use their devices on public transportation in order to be more aware of their surroundings. “(They found) once they got through the kind of rocky adjustment period of getting used to detaching from those devices, that their mental health improved,” she said. “That they were sleeping better and forming more connections with other people that felt more authentic to them.”

At the University of Illinois Chicago, 20-year-old engineering student Nawar Masood sometimes employs the help of an app called FocusFlight, which allows her to lock her phone for the typical duration of any flight.

SUNDAY, JUlY 5, 2026

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr.

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

ROSEBUDS / by Supr Dee

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE / by Stephan Pastis

wonderword

scrabble grams

word game

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus.

“Blanks” used as any letter have no point value.

All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

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.

For more information on tournaments and clubs, email NASPA – North American SCRABBLE Players Association: info@scrabbleplayers.org. Visit our website: www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com.

Hasbro and its logo SCRABBLE associated logo, the design of the distinctive SCRABBLE brand game card, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United States and Canada. ©2026 Hasbro. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

cryptoquote AxyDLBAAxR iS LONgFELLOW One letter stands for another. in this sample, A is used for the three L’s, x for the two O’s, etc. Single letters, apostrophes, the length and formation of the words are all hints. Each day the code letters are different.

AnsWers to ALL PuZZLes Are on inside BAcK PAGe

todAY's Word — LeoPArd: LEH-perd: A large, strong cat with black spots.

Average mark 47 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 66 or more words in LEOPARD?

Sudoku

ken ken instructions: 1 - Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.

2 - The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners.

3 - Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

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 Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

hidato directions: Complete the grid so that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

AnsWers to ALL PuZZLes Are on inside BAcK PAGe

Los angeLes Times sunday Crossword puzzLe — Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis “eXTraVeHiCuLar aCTiViTies” By sHeLdon poLonsKy aCross 1 Does some chiropractic work 8 Story links 14 Southeast Africa’s “Sunshine City” 20 __ suit 21 Move quietly 22 Takes a hand in Vegas, perhaps 23 Most popular member of a 1960s television family?

25 Keep time with rhythmically 26 Actor Guinness 27 Shields on some helmets 28 Clock sound 30 Pinch 31 “I won’t __ words ... “ 32 Reading with medium comprehension?

33 Pore strip brand 34 National park in Maine 38 “People walk all over me,” “No one appreciates my rugged good looks,” etc.?

41 Just a hint of flavor in some ice cream?

45 Read quickly 46 Antidiscrimination in the workplace inits.

47 Hold firmly 48 Party planners 49 Den fixture 51 Display an unfair lack of confidence in 54 Great pain 58 Cornstarch brand

62 Acceptable 63 Nebraska city 64 Less substantial 66 With 71-Across, terse rejection note?

71 See 66-Across 73 Expressway entrance 74 Smock stain 76 Grilled fruta on some tacos 77 “Get outta here!”

78 Panna __: Italian dessert 79 High-fiber cereal ingredient 84 Heath bar alternative 87 Cut 89 Anderson of “WKRP in Cincinnati” 90 BOLO kin 93 __ Games: Fortnite company 95 Part-time gig at a summer camp?

98 Perfect nursery gift for a future astronomer?

101 Brick-and-mortar workers 102 Apply (for) 103 Digital read 104 Bypasses 107 Pt. of YMCA 108 Spellbound 109 Naval fleet 111 Sticky stuff 115 Cesar who played the Joker 117 Sign of overwork for a bird of prey?

120 Summer months in Argentina 121 Ankle-related 122 Taken for granted 123 Focus group?

124 Register 125 Catch of the day choice

down 1 Italian auto, familiarly 2 “Agreed!”

3 “__ Talkin’”: 1975 Bee Gees hit 4 Games org. that added a “P” to its initials in 2019 5 California’s Big __ 6 Not even a little important 7 Took hold 8 Missouri city nickname 9 Subscription level 10 Bldg. units 11 Part of FWIW 12 Unearth 13 Spanish gentlemen 14 “Darn it all to __!”

15 Everyone 16 Band aide 17 Rubber-stamp 18 Pensioner 19 Anka song with a Spanish title 24 Key near F1 29 Like a good advertising jingle 31 Thou squared 32 Amount to 33 Inclination 34 Many sports nos.

35 Give a darn 36 Source of indigo 37 Tact-ical experts?

38 Purr former 39 Breakfast tea variety 40 Cushion 42 Nautical greetings 43 The Raptors, on schedules 44 Inexact fig.

50 Unknown qualities 52 __ milk 53 Locking device 55 Trot or canter 56 Omega, in

physics 57 Snooze 59 Barbecue bone 60 Take shape 61 Mine deposit 63 “Got this, boss” 64 Java’s home 65 Ain’t right?

66 Brillo rival 67 Mom’s bro 68 Bali garment 69 Big day for a co.

70 Protein bar grain

goren Bridge

72 News stands?

75 Sounding congested 78 Black Sea peninsula 79 “Wonder Woman” backdrop, briefly 80 Lady bird 81 Spanish red 82 Soon, quaintly 83 Pen tips 85 Eager 86 Take one’s pick 88 1860s prez

wuzzLes

105 “Funny Face” actress Thompson who wrote the “Eloise” books 106 Think tank output 108 Dress for Less discount store 109 To boot 110 “It’s been __!”

111 Vittles 112 Tibetan monk 113 Informal reversals

114 Winds down 116 Fish-to-be 118 “So frustrating!”

119 PreCheck org.

super Quiz Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

The elegant way

Today’s deal is from a pairs tournament in Turkey and overtricks were crucial. West won the opening diamond lead with his king. The lead was a certain singleton given the missing spot card, so East returned the five of diamonds. West ruffed and shifted to the three of clubs. South played the jack from dummy and overtook it with his ace when East played low. An obvious line for an overtrick, assuming West held the queen of clubs, was to cash the ace of trumps and lead a trump to dummy’s queen for a ruffing finesse in diamonds. That would require West to be out of trumps in two more rounds. South found a more elegant way. He led a heart to the queen and began to run his trumps. This was the position with one trump remaining: NORTH ♠6 ♥ Void ♦Q ♣ K 10 8 WEST EAST ♠ K 10 ♠QJ7 ♥ Void ♥ Void ♦ Void ♦A ♣Q54 ♣7 SOUTH ♠A84 ♥5 ♦ Void ♣9

90 Outfits 91 Guest’s guest 92 Some cricket players 94 Try for the title 95 Smoke, briefly 96 Deadlock 97 Some govt. lawyers 99 SF NFL team 100 Luzon peninsula on Manila Bay 104 Olfaction

SUBJECT: THE FIRST OF EVERYTHING (Example: The first powered flight. Answer: The Wright Brothers.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL 1. The first female prime minister of the U.K. Answer________ 2. The first president to live in the White House.

Answer________ 3. Who made the first telephone call?

Answer________ 4. The first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.

Answer________ 5. The first president of democratic South Africa.

Answer________

On the last heart, West had to keep all his clubs so he discarded a spade. Dummy then discarded a club and East a spade. A club to the 10 and the king of clubs forced East to discard another spade.

The ace and eight of spades took the last two tricks. Very nice!

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny. 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2026 Tribune Content Agency

GRADUATE LEVEL 6. The first person to journey into outer space.

Answer________ 7. The first person to reach the South Pole.

Answer________

8. The first leader of the Soviet Union.

Answer________ 9. The first person to run a sub-four-minute mile.

Answer________ 10. The first film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Answer________ PH.D. LEVEL 11. The first American state.

Answer________ 12. The first feature film with recorded dialogue. It starred Al Jolson.

Answer________ 13. The first African American Supreme Court Justice.

Answer________ 14. He led the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe.

Answer________ 15. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.

Answer________

ANSWERS TO ALL PUZZLES ARE ON NEXT PAGE

zodiaC CANCER (June 21-July 22) Let your mind wander and your creative imagination take you on a journey.

Remaining dedicated and loyal and staying one step ahead of the crowd will position you for success.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Take one step at a time. Don’t force matters that are unstable. Get everything in place, and go the extra mile to ensure your success. Spend more time and money preparing yourself and your talents to reach your desired goals.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Keep your eyes on money management. Look over documents that require attention. Make sure your finances and

legal matters are updated. Paying attention to detail will put your mind at ease.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) You’ll be drawn to unique individuals who offer both enrichment and a learning experience that will help you curb unnecessary habits. You are overdue for a change.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Indulge yourself in travel, social events or learning something new and exciting. A partnership will change how you view prospects and enhance your goals.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Change things up at home to help you explore

new possibilities. Use your imagination to elaborate on ideas and plans you want to pursue. Someone who interests you will warm up to the idea of collaboration.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Push for what you want. Dreaming won’t get you to the finish line. Take heed of what others do and say, but take control of your destiny. Don’t skirt issues or leave out important details.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Put your ideas and plans into motion. Turn your surroundings into a workspace dedicated to bringing in extra cash.

Invest more time and money in

yourself and what you enjoy doing most.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Fact-check your resources before following through with your plans. Networking events will encourage you to explore new possibilities. Share your feelings and intentions with someone of interest.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Distance yourself from trouble or those trying to talk you into something you don’t want to do. Volunteer work that addresses a cause touches you emotionally.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Don’t make unrealistic promises or ask for more

than others can offer. Pay more attention to detail, how you look and feel, and creating your lifestyle and personal happiness.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Focus on learning, preparing and perfecting what you want to pursue. Implement changes that require your time and energy and are not dependent on outside influences. Choose your words carefully.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

dustin / by Steve Kelley & Jeff Parker

Answers to puzzles super quiz 1. Margaret Thatcher. 2. John Adams.

3. Alexander Graham Bell. 4. Amelia Earhart.

5. Nelson Mandela. 6. Yuri Gagarin. 7. Roald Amundsen. 8. Vladimir Lenin. 9. Roger Bannister. 10. "Wings." 11. Delaware. 12. "The Jazz Singer." 13. Thurgood Marshall.

14. Ferdinand Magellan. 15. Marie Curie.

SCORING: 24 to 30 points — congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points — honors graduate; 13 to 17 points — you’re plenty smart, but no grind; 5 to 12 points — you really should hit the books harder; 1 point to 4 points — enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0 points — who reads the questions to you?

Cryptoquote Answer Saturday's Cryptoquote: America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. — Harry S. Truman

word GAme Answer lade lard lead leap load loader lode lope loper lord lore earl oared older opal opera oral

ordeal pale paler pare pareo parol parole peal pear pearl pedal plea plead pled plod polar pole

poler pore preload prod adore aero alder aloe aped aper rale read real reap redo reload repo

road rode role rope dale dare deal dear doer dole dope doper drape drole drop

sudoKu Answer jumble Answer

Crossword Answers

jeFF mACnelly’s shoe / by Gary Brookins & Susie MacNelly

sCrAbble Answers

FoXtrot / by Bill Amend

wuzzles Answers

Ken Ken Answers

hidAto Answers