BY OLIVIA TEES Staff writer
Homicides this year are tracking at the same pace as 2025 within the Baton Rouge city limits and parishwide, with numbers so far nearly identical.
Baton Rouge Police Chief
T.J. Morse said the city’s homicide rate for the first half of 2026 has remained steady when compared to last year with 42 homicides reported since January, the same number as at the midpoint of 2025.
BY ALYSE PFEIL and JON BLAU Staff writers
Gov Jeff Landry and LSU President Wade Rousse plan to host the top 40 donors to LSU sports at the Governor’s Mansion in Baton Rouge for a presentation on the financial future of the university’s athletics department, a university spokesperson said Thursday
The gathering will be held the first week of August, and the two leaders will unveil “a first look at an alternative revenue generating opportunity for LSU athletics that is first of its kind nationally and could quite possibly change the future of college sports in America,” according to the event invitation.
The meeting was first reported by LouisianaSports.net.
Tiger Athletic Foundation President and CEO Matt Borman sent the invitation to donors Thursday
“Overall, we would like our homicide numbers to be better, but we are about equal to what we were last year and last year was lower than the year before. So it’s not time to throw up a red flag yet,” Morse said. Even though the homicide number has stayed the same, Morse said more work remains, as overall gun violence is up 2% from last year
The Baton Rouge Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office do not include homicides that have been
The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office has recorded 11 homicides this year the same as last year at this time, bringing the parishwide total to 53 as of June 30. In 2025, there were also 53 homicides in the parish by the end of June.
State senator’s entry pushes field to four
BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
The campaign to replace U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow got a bit more crowded Thursday, when state Sen. Stewart Cathey, a Republican from Monroe, joined the race.
Letlow is giving up her seat representing the 5th Congressional District to run for the U.S Senate. Cathey is a seco nd-term senator with a solid conservative voting record who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture and Rural Development.
“I’m running for Congress for the same reason I ran for the state Senate: the people of the 5th Congressional District deserve a representative who shows up, tells the truth, and gets things done,” Cathey said in a news release. “I’ve spent my career serving this country in uniform and standing up for Louisiana families in Baton
Rouge, and now I’m ready to take that fight to Washington.” A consultant with his father on IT issues, Cathey, 45, served two tours in Afghanistan as a member of the Army Reserves. Two candidates — state Rep. Michael Echols and Board of Regents Chair Misti Cordell — have had a head start in raising money and winning over key endorsements in the 5th District because they’ve been
“College athletics is at financial crossroads, and we’re feeling it every day at LSU,” Borman wrote. “As someone who has contributed generously to our athletic programs to keep them operational, you know how unsustainable the budget of the athletic department looks and how hard TAF has worked with our donors to assist.”
U.S., Iran exchange more attacks
Back-and-forth fire bigger than in prior days
BY JON GAMBRELL Associated Press
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates The United States launched new airstrikes against Iran early Thursday, and Tehran responded by targeting U.S.-allied Mideast countries in an exchange of fire that threatened an interim deal intended to help end the war in the Middle East. Back-and-forth attacks, including a day earlier, have repeatedly threatened the ceasefire. But Thursday’s appeared bigger all around, with sirens sounding at least three times in Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters, and missiles targeting Kuwait and Qatar
World Santa Congress brings Christmas cheer
AALBORG, Denmark While Europe’s still in the throes of summer heat, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Danish city of Aalborg.
Dozens of Santas, Mrs Clauses and elves from around the world have descended on Denmark’s fourth-largest city for the Nordic nation’s annual World Santa Claus Congress. First staged at an amusement park near Copenhagen in 1957, the congress moved to Aalborg on Denmark’s Jutland peninsula two years ago
The event, which marks its 70th anniversary next year, was created to entertain children, but became a popular gathering for Santas who appear in stores and shopping malls during the Yuletide season.
Over the years, the annual fourday gathering has attracted Santas and Mrs. Clauses from as far away as Australia, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States.
Fire at Chinese shoe factory kills 28
BEIJING — A fire broke out at a shoe factory in the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian on Thursday, killing 28 people, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping demanded “an all-out search and rescue effort,” urging a swift investigation of the incident and “strictly hold those responsible accountable.”
The blaze started in a factory at Huiteng shoe company in the city of Jinjiang, the city’s fire department said in a statement. The cause of the fire was not immediately known Jinjiang is known as China’s shoe capital.
There were 237 factory workers and two visitors in the building when the fire broke out. Authorities pulled out 213 people, two of whom were pronounced dead after being taken to hospital Another 26 missing people were later confirmed dead, according to the state broadcaster CCTV.
Xinhua said the factory’s owner and others in charge have been taken into custody and the company’s accounts have been frozen
The fire started on the first level of a five-floor concretestructured building, where a workshop and a warehouse were located The burning materials included shoe components, which are highly flammable and helped the fire spread quickly, according to CCTV
A local fire department official said in an interview with the state broadcaster that sole material piled up in stairwells made it much harder for the firefighters to reach the flames and put them out.
8 men indicted in planned UFC attack
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Eight men were indicted on murder and terrorism conspiracy charges Thursday for their alleged roles in a thwarted drone and sniper attack on the UFC cage-fighting show staged at the White House in June.
The indictment, returned in Ohio, charges all eight in two separate conspiracies, one to provide material support to terrorists and a second to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official
According to the indictment, the plot began in May, when the group began amassing money, firearms, ammunition, body armor explosives, drones medical equipment, communications equipment and other items.
On June 10, law enforcement officials learned about a possible threat to President Donald Trump’s UFC cage-fighting show, four days before the mixed martial arts extravaganza.
The Justice Department announced federal charges against seven people last month from across the country, including from Ohio, Missouri, Washington, Nebraska and California. Officials said the group members harbored fringe conspiracy theories and hoped the attack would destabilize the government.
One of the defendants told investigators they planned to fly explosive-laden drones into the event and then shoot panicked crowd members as they fled, according to a federal affidavit
BY MARÍA VERZA Associated Press
MEXICO CITY Mexico will request criminal charges over 17 Mexicans who died in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody or during immigration enforcement operations by the Trump administration, officials said Thursday Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco’s announcement Thursday further escalated tensions with the United States, as Mexico’s government has sharply criticized the treatment of its citizens under U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to increase deportations
The request, which carries no legal weight, will be submitted to state prosecutors’ offices and the U.S. Department of Justice, asking them to consider criminal charges against
those responsible for the deaths. It will be accompanied by civil lawsuits against the companies that operate the detention centers in an effort to put an end to human rights violations in those facilities, Velasco said.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday that Mexico decided to “move beyond diplomatic channels” and escalate its complaints after an ICE agent killed Mexican citizen Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston this week. Sheinbaum said the killing “is not only sad and regrettable, but also appears to have been targeted.”
“We are going to do everything in our power, because we cannot stand silent” in the face of the deaths of Mexicans “whose only crime is working honestly in the United States,” Sheinbaum said.
Salgado Araujo had been living in the country for decades. He was transporting a work crew to a housing construction site when he was shot His family demanded a thorough investigation into what happened.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, agents were pursuing him because he was living in the country without legal authorization. Salgado Araujo, the department added, was shot after disregarding orders and attempting to ram an agent, who fired his weapon in self-defense.
According to the Mexican government, 14 Mexicans have died while in ICE custody and three during ICE operations. Until now, the Mexican government had supported the victims’
Military rescue teams retrieve trapped students, teachers
BY KEN MORITSUGU Associated Press
BEIJING Authorities in southern China
said Thursday that 39 people died in flooding after a tropical storm dumped heavy rainfall, as the country’s east coast and Taiwan prepared for a typhoon expected to make landfall in the coming days.
Most of the deaths were in Hengzhou, where the partial collapse of a reservoir dam sent torrents of water into the city and claimed 26 lives, said Ding Wei, the vice mayor of Nanning city, which has jurisdiction over the area. Nine people remained missing in the broader Guangxi region.
Tropical Storm Maysak brought record rainfall to Guangxi starting Saturday, breaching reservoirs and stranding people for days in homes and other buildings. The previously announced death toll on Tuesday was six people.
A second storm, Typhoon Bavi, was at sea on a northwest track that would take it over some remote Japanese islands and then just north of Taiwan before making landfall in China’s Fujian or Zhejiang province on Saturday Fishing boats could be seen tightly packed at ports in northern Taiwan on Thursday in anticipation of heavy rain hitting the island of 23 million people.
Bavi, which brought violent winds to
Saipan and other U.S. territories earlier this week, was downgraded Thursday from super-typhoon strength but still had maximum sustained winds of 114 miles per hour, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration Classes were suspended in several cities and towns in the Philippines and ships prohibited from leaving northern ports as the typhoon passed east of the northern island of Luzon.
In southern China, military rescue teams finished bringing out more than 10,000 trapped students and teachers from a cluster of schools in Guigang city, about 40 miles northeast of Hengzhou Video on state broadcaster CCTV showed the students, wearing bright orange life vests, clambering onto boats that took them away from the surreal scene of school buildings rising out of a lake of muddy water
Animals were also stranded or swept out by the floodwaters.
A zoo in Guigang said more than 100 animals were missing, including two zebras, four porcupines and dozens of tropical birds. In Hengzhou, encounters with snakes that reportedly escaped from a farm prompted authorities to stock up on antivenom and advise residents what to do if they were bitten.
Drones and some 5,700 boats have been used in a massive relief and rescue operation to deliver drinking water and other supplies and bring out trapped residents. About 130,000 people have been evacuated.
BY JUSTIN SPIKE Associated Press
BUDAPEST Hungary Opponents of the Hungarian government’s efforts to oust the country’s president gathered for a protest in the capital Budapest on Thursday after being called to action by the former autocratic prime minister, Viktor Orbán.
The protest drew several thousand people to the presidential offices at the opulent Sándor Palace in Budapest’s Castle District, where demonstrators spoke out in defense of President Tamás Sulyok, whom the new center-right government has vowed to remove from office with a constitutional amendment.
After defeating Orbán in a blowout election in April, bringing an end to his 16 years in power Hungary’s new proEuropean prime minister, Péter Magyar, has taken action to dismantle what he calls Orbán’s “mafia” by removing numerous political appointees and heads of institutions viewed as having facilitated Orbán’s autocratic regime.
The constitutional amendment, set to go to a vote next week, would end Sulyok’s term, as well as set term limits for members of parliament, implement reforms to the judiciary and create a new authority tasked with uncovering alleged financial abuses by Orbán’s government.
But Orbán and his far-right Fidesz party, long accused of dismantling Hungary’s democratic institutions while in power, have declared that the move to remove Sulyok is an assault on the rule of law and democratic norms, and the first steps toward a dictatorship.
One protester Krisztina Nemerkényi, said Thursday that the demonstration was not about the person of Sulyok, “but about the office.”
“The point is not whether Tamás Sulyok is popular or not but that this is simply unacceptable in a democracy,” she said.
Magyar has argued Sulyok failed to live up to his role as president by neglecting to stand in the way of antidemocratic steps by Orbán’s government.
families, sent diplomatic notes to Washington demanding investigations, and raised the issue with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Sheinbaum earlier this year ordered consulates to regularly check in with ICE detainees, and her government even lodged a complaint with the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. Mexico’s latest request adds to an already strained relationship with the Trump administration. Sheinbaum has cracked down more fiercely than her predecessors on organized crime in the wake of mounting threats by Trump to take military action against cartels. She has also sought to keep an amicable relationship with her U.S counterpart as the countries renegotiate the decades-old free trade agreement. At the same time, she’s taken a strong stance on immigration enforcement and the rights of Mexican citizens in U.S. custody
Airport code will change from PBI to DJT in August
By The Associated Press
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A South Florida airport officially changed its name on Thursday to the President Donald J. Trump International Airport.
Signs for the Palm Beach International Airport have been removed, while new signage goes up.
“Because an entire airport transformation doesn’t happen overnight, you’ll notice a combination of both our classic look and our new brand elements coexisting while traveling through the terminal over the next several weeks,” airport officials said in a Facebook post.
“Trump Force One,” a Boeing 757 owned by The Trump Organization, was the first plane to arrive at the airport under its new name, shortly after 5 a.m The president’s son, Eric
Trump, was one of the passengers. The Trump family regularly uses the West Palm Beach airport when they visit President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in nearby Palm Beach A stretch of road from the airport to Trump’s estate was renamed Donald J. Trump Boulevard earlier this year
“There is no person who has done more for Florida and our country, and no one more deserving of this incredible honor,” Eric Trump posted on X. “As a son, and someone who flies out of this airport nearly every day, I will forever be proud to see the initials ‘DJT’ on my boarding pass.”
While the name change took effect Thursday, the three-letter airport code will change from PBI to DJT on Aug. 18. Florida Gov Ron DeSantis signed legislation earlier this year that made the name change possible. Changing the airport’s name is expected to cost as much as $5.5 million for new signs, branding and other updates.
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Calabria’s governor refuses U.S. efforts to end initiative
BY PAOLO SANTALUCIA Associated Press
POLISTENA, Italy
Italy’s southern Calabria region is the rare place in Europe where Cuba sends medical professionals under a long-running program that the United States wants to stamp out.
Cuba’s doctors for decades have worked in developing nations such as Gambia and Venezuela, skilled in providing care with scarce resources. Over 200 now staff remote hospitals across Calabria, Italy’s poorest region in the tip of the country’s boot. A shortage of homegrown healthcare workers had forced some hospital departments to close.
“It was a disaster. I was keeping the emergency room open all by myself,” the chief physician of Polistena hospital, Francesco Moschella, told The Associated Press, recalling the days before the Cubans arrived in January 2023. Their presence triggered a visit this year from U.S. officials. The U.S. has long criticized the Cuban program and called it a moneymaker for the socialist government that the Trump administration has isolated, sanctioned and wants to see changed Facing U.S. pressure, some Caribbean and Central American countries have canceled Cuban missions. But Calabria’s governor has refused. Even if Cuba’s socialism doesn’t fit with his political views, he says the region depends on them.
Lines several hours long
Despite growing tourism and a strong farming economy, Calabria symbolizes southern Italy’s lack of development compared to the more wealthy and industrialized north. Wages are about 30% lower, and its unemployment rate is double the national average.
Calabria ranks last among Italy’s 20 regions in public healthcare access, according to the health ministry.
Until April, Calabria had
spent 17 years under special administration due to persistent budget deficits, which along with corruption scandals and Mafia infiltration affected health investments. Many newly graduated doctors built careers in the north instead.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba sent doctors to several areas of Italy Calabria continued employing Cubans after the pandemic ended Emergency medicine specialist Zoila Yakelin Arevalo Cruz left her young son in Cuba in mid-2023. The emergency room where she works in Polistena town sees 30,000 patients annually, and six Cuban doctors make up half its staff.
“For a first-world country, Europe, we had a completely different idea. We didn’t think that the shortage of doctors was so serious,” said Arevalo Cruz, 38. “In this hospital there were lines that lasted up to eight or 12 hours. Now, thanks to our work, in less than an hour a doctor visits you.”
During an AP visit last month, she conducted her work in now-fluent Italian. She says she even picked up some of the local dialect by chatting with grateful former patients who swing by to say hi.
Not all countries bow
U.S. Secretary of State
Marco Rubio has accused the Cuban missions of being a “form of human trafficking” — a reference to Cuba’s government keeping most of doctors’ salaries and allegedly confiscating some passports.
“Cuban medical brigades are a key source of hard cash for the failing regime,” the State Department told the AP in an emailed response to questions, adding it was sharing information with partner nations on “the sobering realities of Cuban medical brigades to which they might otherwise be unaware.”
In March, Jamaica ended its 50-year medical cooperation agreement with Cuba, affecting nearly 300 healthcare workers. Honduras expelled more than 150.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum in March, however, defended the program and said it provides vital care to underserviced people.
Officials in Cuba have said it has 22,000 medical personnel deployed to 55 countries in what they called a “mission of solidarity.” Neither they nor the State Department has specified which ones.
U.S. pressured governor Calabria’s Gov. Roberto Occhiuto is an unlikely booster of the Cuban program, as a high-ranking member of a political party strongly rooted in anti-Com-
BY KIM CHANDLER Associated Press
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit alleging U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville does not meet the residency requirement to run for governor of Alabama Montgomery County Circuit Judge Brooke Reid dismissed the case on jurisdiction grounds after finding that she did not have the au-
thority to decide the eligibility of a party’s nominee prior to the general election. Reid, a Democrat, wrote that she had “wrestled” with the decision but there is no legal precedent directly addressing the dispute.
Tuberville, who has represented Alabama in the Senate since 2021, is the Republican nominee for governor The lawsuit argued that Tuberville does not meet
the Alabama Constitution’s seven-year residency requirement to be governor of Alabama.
Joe Espy, an attorney representing Tuberville, praised the decision.
Jordan Doufexis, chairman of Tuberville’s campaign, called the residency allegation a “bogus lawsuit” pushed by allies of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Doug Jones.
BY MARK KENNEDY AP entertainment writer
Performer best known for ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bonnie Tyler the gravelly voiced, Grammy-nominated Welsh pop star whose 1983 chart-topping power ballad “Total Eclipse of the Heart” enchanted succeeding generations with its bombastic charms during solar and lunar eclipses, has died. She was 75.
munist sentiment.
Calabria’s deal to bring in Cuban doctors was praised in the newspaper of Cuba’s Communist Party
“Can you imagine, I got my photo in Granma?” Occhiuto said, smiling. It also drew U.S. attention. Its charge d’affaires to Cuba, Mike Hammer, flew to Calabria in February alongside the U.S. consul-general in Naples. Talks with Occhiuto were cordial, but Hammer made clear that alternative sources of international staff would be highly appreciated.
Tyler died unexpectedly in a hospital in Portugal where she was being treated for an illness, her family said Thursday in a statement on her website. She was hospitalized in May in Faro, where she had a home, for emergency intestinal surgery She had been placed in an induced coma for a period but was reportedly improving last month and expected to make a good recovery
“Bonnie’s family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for,” her family said.
Tyler earned three Grammy nods and in 2013 represented Britain at the Eurovision Song Contest, where she came in 19th. She was
honored as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2022 for her services to music by Queen Elizabeth II, thanks mainly to “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” which has had more than 1 billion streams, boosted by real eclipses in 2017 and 2024. The song spent four weeks at No. 1, and when Stereogum reevaluated it in 2020, the music outlet declared it an “extinctionlevel event rendered in musical form.” The song has never really gone away: it was covered by the English singer Nicki French in 1995, and the band Westlife in 2006. Cate Blanchett sang it while hitting Billy Bob Thornton with her car in 2001’s “Bandits,” it appeared in a wedding scene in 2003’s “Old School” and One Direction sang it in 2010 on a U.K. version of “The X Factor.”
Southern University Athletics ShiningGalatobring the community together to build thefutureofJaguarsports
By Amanda McElfresh,amcelfresh@theadvocate.com
This articleisbrought to youbySouthernJaguarAthletics
Afun-filled nightoflive music, celebrationand philanthropy returnsto downtown BatonRouge on Saturday,August22as Southern University hosts its4th Annual AthleticsGala, bringing together alumni,universityleaders andbusiness partnerstosupportJaguarstudent-athletes in allsports.
TheGalawilltakeplace at theRaising Cane’s RiverCenter. Proceeds willsupport scholarships,recruitingefforts,facility andtechnologyimprovements, andnew equipmentfor Southern Jaguar sports programs
The2026Galaisalreadygeneratingbuzz afterthe announcement that GrammywinningR&B superstarBobby Brown will headline theliveentertainment lineup.Other scheduledperformers are Tucka, akaThe King of Swing; Universal Language;and DJ NEFF
“Weare notshy abouthavingagood time.Weliketohaveagoodtimeand also give back.Thisisaperfect opportunity for us to do alot of both.It’satimefor sponsors,the communityand alumni to getbacktogetherand reallyhelpuspush ourathleticdepartment forward,”said ChristineGabriel,a Southernalumnawho is nowwithWalterGabriel Accident and Injury Lawyers, afirst-time Gala sponsor. Walter GabrielAccidentand Injury Lawyersisamong agrowing groupof businesses supporting thefundraiser, includinglongtimesponsorEFCUFinancial Federal Credit Union.
“Southerndoessomuchfor thegreater BatonRouge community, especially when it comestodevelopingleaders.It’s trulythe future.Itmadeperfect senseto have apartnership,”saidTom Kuslikis EFCU Presidentand CEO. “The level of excitement each year for theGalais amazing. Iloveseeingall thetrophiesthe variousathleticprogramshavebrought in andmeeting some of thecoaches and leadership.There’salwaysalot of energy whichItruly enjoy.
Sincethe formation of theSouthern JaguarAthleticDepartment,itsteamshave
wonmorethan240SWACChampionships in multiple sports, includingfootball, baseball,men’s andwomen’s basketball, crosscountry,golf, tennis,indoortrack andfieldand outdoortrack andfield; as well as bowling, soccer andvolleyball. Southern is also home to 55 National Championsacrossindoorand outdoor trackand field
ChristineGabriel said thegalaisan opportunityfor Southern Jaguar Athletics to buildonthatlegacyand position itself as aformidableopponentintoday’s college sports landscape.
“Whatweloveisthatthe Gala helpsto putour name on themap,” shesaid. “We want to be able to recruitaggressively across theworld.Wewanttobeableto competenot only within theSWAC, but on aworld stage. Everydollarinvested goes toward helping us achievethatgoal.” Gala sponsorshipopportunities,tables andindividualtickets arenow available at https://foundation.sus.edu/southernuniversity-athletics-gala/ or by calling 225-711-3342
Twotankers,
BY ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press
KYIV,Ukraine Ukrainian drones hit more Russian oil facilities andset twooil tankersablazeinthe Sea of Azov on Thursday,a day after U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to grant Kyiv alicense to manufacture the Patriot air defense systems to protect its cities.
Atop Ukrainian official, meanwhile, cautioned that it could take ayear or more for the country to produce Patriot interceptor missiles.
The Kremlin said the license deal reflected what it called Washington’s“ambivalence” but noted it appreciated Trump’sefforts to help broker apeace deal to end the war,which Russia launched over four years ago. Ukraine’s dronestrikes on oil refineries and other infrastructure across Russia have triggered awidespread fuel crisis with gasoline shortages and rationing in multiple regions and motorists waiting for hoursto fill their tanks. Moscow has responded by intensifying
its bombardment on Kyiv andother cities,exposing Ukraine’svulnerability to ballistic missile strikes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the latest strikes on Russia’sinfrastructure as part of Kyiv’scampaign of “long-rangesanctions” carried outinresponseto Moscow’srefusal to halt the fighting.
“Wehave long proposed that Russia end this war, and every day of delay should
bring thefeeling of warto where it all began —toRussia,”Zelenskyy said.
AUkrainian drone strike sparked afire at an oil depot in thewestern Russiancity of Tver,according to actingGov.Vitaly Korolyov. Oil reservoirs also were set ablazebydronesinVyazniki, in thesouthern Stavropol region, said Gov.Vladimir Vladimirov,forcing the evacuation of nearbyapartmentbuildings.
In the Sea of Azov, Ukraini-
Chronicillness, diseases surgein Venezuelan communities
BY REGINA GARCIA CANO
Associated Press
CATIA LA MAR, Venezuela Victims of the powerful twin earthquakesthat jolted Venezuela last month as well as people spared by the destruction on Thursday flooded reliefservices offered by nongovernmental organizations in the hardesthit areas. The demand for help comes as the UnitedNations launched an appeal for roughly $300 million to assist 1.3 million people in urgent need of aidinthe South American country where nongovernmental organizationsuntilrecently were targets of government repression. Mobile kitchens and clinics as well as field hospitals now dot public spaces in the northern state of La Guaira, where most of the devastation occurred “Itisclear at displacement sites that, particularly after two weeks, that people are turning up because they haven’tbeen able to get their other treatments,” U.N. relief chief TomFletcher told TheAssociated Pressduring his visit to Venezuela. “So, they’re not turning up with just the fractures now, they’re turning up with those longer-term health
needs. Andit’svital that we’re there for them.”
Doctors treatingpeople in that state’sCatiaLaMar community onThursday reported an increase in skin conditions and diarrheal diseases, as wellasofrequests for medications for the treatment of chronicillnesses, including diabetes and high blood pressure. The emerging diseases can be tied to crowded living spaces and poorwaterand sanitation conditions, which in many communities predate theearthquakes.
Irma Echarri showed up at amobile unit on asidewalk across the street froma church with theboxes of the eyedrops and painreliever she usually takes,hoping that doctors there could give her newones. She also wanted to be seen for the pain she developedinher nose after theJune 24earthquakes.
“It hurts alot,”Echarri, 67, saidwhile waiting to be seen. “It hurts because it hurts.”
Echarri’shome was not damaged, but many ofher neighborsare living in temporarysheltersoroutdoors after190 buildingscollapsed and 856 others were damaged, according to Venezuelan officials, in the back-tobackearthquakes that killed 3,889 people.
The government of acting President Delcy Rodríguez has estimated that the earthquakes left about 18,000 people withouta home. The displaced are nowliving in schools, sidewalks, parks,
plazas andother public spaces.
Fletcher,the head of the U.N. Office for the CoordinationofHumanitarian Affairs, told AP the United States has so far provided most of the earthquake-responseaid. Much of the assistance on the ground is beingdelivered by local groups thathave partnered with global humanitarian organizations. Amongthe displaced is Zulbey Reyes, whowentto the clinic ranbythe Venezuela-based organization Paluz in partnership with theglobal relief agencyInternational Rescue Committee. Reyes, who was also robbed by the earthquakesofher jobasa nanny,sought treatment for the onset of chestpain.
“I thought it was my heart that was sick,” Reyes, 41, said after being diagnosed andreceiving medication. “Butit’sanervethat became inflamed after the screams that day.”
Armando Denegri,representative in Venezuela of the Pan-American Health Organization told reportersThursday that “50% of the health professionals in La Guairawere directly affected” by theearthquakes.
“Somedisappeared,some died, otherswere severely affected by thecrisis, impacting theirfamilies, Denegri said without giving further details.
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has estimated direct physical damage to housing andinfrastructure around $37 billion.
Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire on Thursday following a Russian air attack in Kramatorsk, Donetsk
It wasthe latest in aseries of strikesonoil tankers in recent days,partofUkrainian efforts to cut fuel supplies to the Crimean Peninsula,which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.
In addition to the Stavropol andTverfacilities, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces hit fuelinfrastructure deep inside Russia, including one in Ufa, as well as an oil-loading terminal in the Rostov region closer to Ukraine
Russia’sDefense Ministry said its defenses downed 73 Ukrainian drones from late Wednesday into early Thursday
an dronesset two oil tankers on fire, according to Rostov Gov. Yuri Slusar,who said one of the ships was still burning and itscrew evacuated.
Ukraine’sair forcesaid Russia fired 94 long-range strike drones and two ballistic missiles. While 72 drones were jammed or intercepted, 19 drones andbothmissiles damaged 13 locations, it said. During Wednesday’smeeting withZelenskyy on the sidelinesofthe NATO sum-
mit in Turkey,Trump said the U.S. will meet alongstanding request from Ukraine and give it alicense to make the Patriot airdefense systems. He also praised Zelenskyy for doing “an amazing job” asharp change in tonefrom past criticismsofthe Ukrainian leader But setting up domestic productionofthe mobile, surface-to-air systems will take many months, saidSerhii Beskrestnov,anadviser to Ukraine’s defense minister Aproduction license would typically come with technical process documentation, training for specialists, supplier contacts and foreign consultants to help launchmanufacturing, Beskrestnov wrote on his Telegram channel. Th em ai no bstacl e would be time, rather than Ukraine’s technical or organizational capacity,he added.
Sirens sounded Thursday afternoon in Jordan as well, where the U.S. has stationed troops and aircraft.
An Iranian official accused the U.S. of launching an airstrike later Thursday targeting the area around Iran’s sole nuclear power plant, and other explosions were reported elsewhere in the country during the afternoon.
The strikes came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said recent Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz signaled the end of a fragile ceasefire and threatened to escalate the conflict if they didn’t stop. That raised concerns that the region could tip back into a war that would engulf several countries and could halt energy shipments through the strait that are crucial for the global economy
In Iran, the two days of American airstrikes have killed at least 14 people and wounded another 78, Iran’s Health Ministry said Thursday Most were reportedly members of the armed forces.
In Kuwait, the military said falling debris wounded one person as the nation shot down three ballistic missiles, a cruise missile and 10 drones. Bahrain said it shot down incoming fire, without elaborating, and Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad alMomani said all incoming fire from Iran had been intercepted. Iranian state TV said the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard fired missiles at a U.S. base in Jordan. There was no immediate word of damage in Qatar.
U.S. strikes more targets
The U.S. military’s Central Command said it hit 90 tar-
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A private event at the Governor’s Mansion hosted by Landry and Rousse will be held on either Aug. 3 or Aug 5 at 6 p.m. for “a conversation about the future of LSU Athletics.” Asked for additional details about the event and what will be discussed, LSU spokesperson Meg Casper Sunstrom declined to comment.
“Athletic budgets across the country are all experiencing the same unsustainable conditions as LSU,” Sunstrom said.
A financial arms race
The meeting comes as college sports programs engage in a fundraising arms race to attract top players through name, image and likeness deals and revenue sharing.
In the 2025 fiscal year, LSU athletics reported just over $223.4 million in expenses, which is a 36% increase from its 2020 budget. The athletic department did generate nearly the same
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his
a main avenue in Mashhad, Iran.
gets across Iran, releasing black-and-white footage of what appeared to be strikes on an airport runway and missile launchers. The U.S. said the strikes were intended to “further degrade” Iran’s ability “to threaten freedom of navigation” in the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas passed before the war began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Feb. 28. Traffic has picked up somewhat since a tentative deal last month included opening the waterway. Maritime data company Lloyd’s List Intelligence said Thursday that preliminary data showed at least 576 ships passed through the strait in June, compared with 233 in May More than 3,100 transited the strait in June 2025. Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations, including Bushehr, home to Iran’s nuclear power plant complex, and southern port cities. The state-run
amount of money in revenues, but the expense category will only rise in the coming years.
The amount of revenue athletic departments can directly share with athletes will increase from $20.5 million in the last academic year to $21.3 million in 202627. To remain competitive, schools have also worked to facilitate third-party NIL deals between businesses and athletes, which is a further strain on the athletics donor base.
There are ways to generate additional revenue through sponsorships, and LSU inked what is believed to be a multimillion-dollar deal with Woodside Energy to put a jersey patch on its uniforms for the 2026 season.
There has also been broad discussion in college athletics about private equity investment serving as a tool to boost cash flows. The Tiger Athletic Foundation’s letter doesn’t mention any specifics about what it means by an “alternative” revenue source.
Rousse has a background in the financial sector, serving as a policy research
IRNA news agency quoted Ehsan Jahanian, a local official in Bushehr, as accusing the U.S. of striking near the plant around noon, hours after Central Command said it had ended its latest round of strikes. Asked for comment on Bushehr, Central Command referred to a news release that detailed targets but made no mention of the nuclear power plant.
For the first time since April, U.S. strikes also appeared to target Iranian bridges. State media reported a strike on a railway bridge in Iran’s northeastern Golestan province, and the Revolutionary Guard said two bridges were attacked on the route to Mashhad, where tens of thousands of mourners thronged wide boulevards during a funeral procession for the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday
Another warning to Iran
After leaving a NATO summit in Turkey, Trump
specialist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and founding his own investment company
The governor’s involvement Landry has played a prominent role in LSU sports. He made national headlines for publicly criticizing the buyout for fired head football coach Brian Kelly and saying that he would not allow then-Athletic Director Scott Woodward to select Kelly’s replacement. Woodward was also fired soon after Kelly was owed the remaining $54 million dollars on his contract, though LSU’s obligation could be reduced if he earns a salary elsewhere.
After LSU hired Lane Kiffin as the new head coach, the Louisiana governor said the experience taught him that college athletics is “broken,” and he has warned other university sports are at risk over the financial strain caused by football programs and name, image and likeness deals.
A spokesperson for Landry declined to comment on the planned meeting with donors.
posted several videos on his social media site of what he said were explosions in Iran
and issued another warning to the Islamic Republic.
“This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran If it happens again, it will get much worse!” Trump wrote Wednesday, a day after three tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said the latest backand-forth fighting would not result in lengthy military action.
Trump also renewed his past threats to hit Iran’s civilian infrastructure, including electric and desalination plants, and to seize Kharg Island, through which some 90% of Iranian oil exports pass.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a key negotiator in talks seeking a permanent end to the war, was defiant in a post on X on Thursday morning: “America still hasn’t learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer costfree. Let me put it plainly: If you strike, you’ll get hit.” Iranian Foreign Minis-
ter Abbas Araghchi said in a post on Telegram that he spoke by phone with his Saudi, Turkish and Omani counterparts and with Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has been one of the main mediators in the war The outreach suggested efforts may be underway to reduce tensions.
Strikes raise fears Trump fueled concerns that the war could restart by saying Wednesday that the interim ceasefire agreement was “over.” He said he would allow negotiations to continue but thought negotiators were “wasting their time.”
Negotiations to reach a final deal were due to start after the dayslong funeral for Khamenei, who was killed in the war’s first moments. The talks are meant to focus on the toughest matters, including fully reopening the strait and rolling back Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.
Apublic hearing on the proposal will be held by the Planning Commission on July 20, 2026 at 5:00 P.M and the Metropolitan Council on August 19, 2026 at 4:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers at CityHall, 222 St.Louis Street,Room348.
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classified as justified, selfdefense, suicideornegligent homicide.
Morse said the killings this year have mostly stemmed fromdisputes between criminal groups or arguments that got outofhand.
“The vast majority of our homicides see thesuspect and thevictim hadsome kind of disagreement, argument or it was some kindof retaliation. Because I’m going to shoot at you because you shot at my friends, and now my friends are going to shoot at you. It’saretaliationbetween ourviolent groups,” Morsesaid
He said asmall percentage of the killings have been betweentwo strangers; it is much more likely that the suspect and victim knew eachother and that an escalatingargument— often through social media —led to ashooting.
Creating conflicts
Morse cited social media as an instigator of arguments that led to people confronting each otherin person —almostalways resulting in gun violence.
Ahigh-profilecaseinpoint was the Mall of Louisiana shootinginApril, which made national news after two groups got into an argument in the food court. Gunfire erupted in the crowd of people. Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said
continuedsupport fromthe public is avital tool that leads detectives to theright suspects. Such was the case with Markel Lee in the mall shooting.
Lee, 17, was arrestedand bookedonacount of first-degree murder in the death of Martha Odom, a17-year-old student at Ascension EpiscopalSchool inLafayette. Five other people were wounded, including 43-year-oldDonnie Guillory,who was seriously injured “The information and assistance provided byour citizens are often critical to our investigations. Solving violentcrime is trulya partnership betweenlaw enforcementand the public, andwecannotdothiswork alone,” Gautreauxsaid.
Thehomicide victims have ranged in age from 5-yearold Tyshawn Brumfield to 56-year-old Alex Wilson, with theaverage being27.
Juvenile suspects have been increasingly prevalent in homicides this year,although authorities have arrested fewer juveniles this yearthanin2025. So far, three juveniles have been arrested for homicide comparedto11last year.
Morse said thedepartment aims to focusits time and efforts on summer programs to support young people and keep them out of illegal activity.Hesaid the MayorPresident’sOffice has spent around$500,000 on summer programs
“A lot of systems have to fail for that 15-year-old to pickupagun and shoot
Baton Rouge Police Chief T.J. Morse talks to reporters at the crime scene at the Afton Oaks apartment complex after ashooting that left twodead on May27.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER
GALLEGOS
somebody from their community,”Morse said.
Morse said the department is still navigating a$12 million budgetcut from 2024, discussing waystoallocate moneytoplaceswhere it will do themost good.
“Welook at statistics and hot spotsand everything from property crime spikes to violent crime,and we take those resourcesthatwedo have, and we’re very intentional on where we place them and put them,” Morse said.
Thedepartmenthas used new technology to identify thesehot spots and track down suspects.
Earlierthis year,the department addeda 16-foot drone thatcan help locate fugitives using thermal imaging andcommunicate with suspects.
“Ourcrime center is really relying on the technology as aforce multiplier for where we don’thaveofficers; we can do all thefollow-up through technology,” Morse said.
Morse said that while the homicide rate for Baton Rouge is still fairly high, overall crime dropped 7% within the city limits in the first half of this year comparedtolast, with robbery down 25% andburglary down 7%.
“While we are encouraged by thattrend, the realityis that even one homicide is onetoo many.Every victim represents afamily anda community forever impacted by violence,” Gautreaux said.
BY HALLIE GOLDEN Associated Press
Afederal appeals courton Thursday upheld an Illinois ban on semiautomaticweapons,keepinginplace alaw passed largely in response to adeadly Independence Day parade shooting.
Theruling by theU.S. CourtofAppealsfor the Seventh Circuit overturns alowercourt decisionthat found the ban unconstitutional. The2-1 appellate decision found that the Illinois law does not violate the Second Amendment, and its restrictions are“consistent with the principles that underpinour Nation’s tradition of firearm regulation.”
“Whether to adoptthem
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running to succeed Letlow for months. Cordell is from Monroe.
State Rep.Gabe Firment, aRepublican from Pollock in Grant Parish,announced his candidacy aweek ago.
The four are now running in adistrict that was quickly redrawnbythe state LegislatureinMay after the Supreme Court ruled the state’s congressional map was unconstitutional. Thenew mapturnedthe 6thCongressional District, represented by Cleo Fields, aBlack Democrat from Baton Rouge, into amajoritWhitedistrict.
Thereshaped5th Congressional District includes all or parts of 24 parishes —stretching from Monroesouth to Avoyellesand Rapides parishes andeast to the Florida Parishes. It was designedtoelect aRepublican.
“The 5th District is farm country,timber country,
is thus adecision reposed in ourelected representatives,and we reverse,” the appeals court said.
The majorityopinionalso pushesback on claims made by the plaintiffs that semiautomatic weapons arenot at fault for mass shootings.
“The undisputed record evidenceundercuts that claim, showing that the presenceofassault weapons and large-capacity magazines is strongly correlated with the severity of the societal problem,”the opinion states.
Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said in apost on Xthat the decision is “a victory in the fight to endgun violence that helps keep our communities safe.”
and small-town Louisiana,” Cathey said. “These are the people I’ve worked for every day in the State Senate. They don’t want arepresentative who is alltalk. They want aseat at the table, lower costs, secure borders, strong support foragriculture, and agovernment that respects their values.”
Cathey hasraisedeyebrowsinthe State Capitol at times for controversial bills or behavior
During the 2026 legislative session, Catheysponsored aresolution that calledonCongress to support changing the constitutional provision that allows members to live outside of their congressional districts.
Cathey said he was targeting state Sen. Blake Miguez, R-Erath, who wasrunning for the5th Congressional District at the time but didn’t live in thedistrict.Cathey’s colleaguesprivatelysaidhis resolution was sophomoric. It didn’tadvance. In 2023, Cathey upbraided stateSen. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge,outside a
The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the firearms industry tradeassociation seeking to stop the ban, said that it is disappointedwith the decision andplans to askthe U.S. SupremeCourt to review the case. The gun trade group said it agrees with ChiefJudge Michael Brennan’sdissent in which he wrote that the country prohibits governmentsfrombanning “firearmscommonly owned for self-defense.”
“Because the people have overwhelmingly chosen the AR-15 rifle and its magazine as their weapon of choice, theyare protected by the Second Amendment,” the judge’sdissent states.
Senate committee room just after the twodueled over a bill. Cathey cussed herout andput his finger inches from her face. Barrow,who cussed him back, said no one hadever spoken that way to her previously during her 18 years in the Legislature.
Cathey apologized to Barrowprivately as soon as he saw her afterward and also apologizedtoher againin front of the entire Senate. He blamed his “passion” in trying to pass the bill.
Cathey’s entrance intothe 5th Congressional District race raises the question of whetherthe three candidates from Monroe will split up the vote to the benefit of Firment or another non-Monroe candidate who might get in. Candidates have to formally declare their entry into the race during the Aug. 5-7 qualifying period. The open primary is on Nov. 3, followed amonth later by the runoff for the top two candidates, assuming no one received at least 50% of the vote in the primary
Weapon test draws international criticism
BY HUIZHONG WU Associated Press
BANGKOK When China
launched a ballistic missile into the South Pacific Ocean on Monday, it was a rare test of a nuclear-capable weapons system that drew international rebuke Arriving two years after a similar missile launch in international waters in the Pacific, the test by the People’s Liberation Army caught the attention of small island nations whose leaders have increasingly urged bigger countries to stop using the vast oceanic region for power struggles. But Beijing’s message was largely for just one country, experts say: the United States.
“The most important message is the PLA is becoming a powerful military with a very strong strategic nuclear capability,” said Tong Zhao, a senior fellow with the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a think tank.
The test, launched from a nuclear-powered submarine, was a demonstration of the sea-based leg of China’s nuclear triad capability which refers to the ability to have land, sea, and air-based nuclear systems.
Further, it showed that China’s military has what is called a second-strike capability, said Dominic Meagher, a research fellow at the Crawford School of Public Policy in Australia. That means even if China was attacked first, it still has the ability to strike back, because the ability to fire could be anywhere, in the ocean or on land.
Beijing said the launch was part of annual exercises, suggesting that it may conduct similar launches in the future.
“I would see this as a sys-
BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON A former Olympic canoe racer pleaded not guilty on Thursday to deliberately damaging the recently renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a politically charged case that his defense attorneys and other Trump administration critics have derided as an abuse of prosecutorial power David Hearn, who competed in three Summer Olympics, entered the plea through one of his attorneys during his initial appearance in D.C. Superior Court. Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, was indicted last Thursday on a single felony count of
tematic move, not an isolated event,” said K Tristan Tang, nonresident fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research, in emailed comments.
The missile testing comes as China is also racing to build more nuclear-powered submarines. In the past five years, China has been building these types of submarines faster than the U.S., according to a report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a think tank.
Launch recalls grim history
However, the use of international waters, specifically treaty-protected waters where nuclear testing is prohibited, drew criticism from countries in the region. The waters of the South Pacific Ocean are contested because they’re strategically important and rich with fishers and minerals.
For Pacific nations, nuclear testing in particular recalls historical harm. The U.S., the UK and France have all detonated nuclear warheads in the Pacific, causing environmental contamination and health issues such as cancers and birth defects that some island nations say they are still recording generations later
“Those tests resulted in outrage and resulted in treaties to prevent future tests, and that includes the nuclear test ban treaty and the Treaty of Rarotonga,
said Meagher “These kinds of missile tests haven’t been conducted since.”
Monday’s missile landed in the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone, which was established by the 1986 Rarotonga accord, which prohibits nuclear weapons throughout the region. China ratified the protocols in 1987 that prohibit testing nuclear weapons within the zone or threatening to use them against signatories with territory in the region.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale, speaking to reporters in the Solomon capital Honiara Tuesday, said, “China is a good friend of Solomon Islands, but this is not something a friend does. This is not good in our region.”
While U.S. forces still conduct nuclear missile testing in the Pacific, they avoid the treaty area, Meagher said.
Short notice
Australia and New Zealand both said they were not given enough prior notice about the test, and other countries like Japan said it was done without transparency Canberra and Wellington are two of the South Pacific’s biggest powers and have grown anxious about Beijing’s attempts to vie for sway in the region.
Bilateral deals between China and the leaders of small Pacific nations have prompted Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Alba-
property destruction.
Before the country’s 250th independence celebrations, President Donald Trump launched a multimillion-dollar renovation project for the Reflecting Pool, which was plagued by problems, including damage to its new coating. Trump, without providing evidence, has alleged the damage was caused by vandals Hearn has said he reached inside the pool to examine the peeled sealant and let go of a chunk when he was told to by a park worker He is accused of causing more than $1,000 in damage.
“Every American should be alarmed about this prosecution,” defense attorney Norm Eisen said after the
hearing. “It is not a crime to touch the Reflecting Pool.”
At least three other people have been charged in the same court with misdemeanors for allegedly removing pieces of paint from the Reflecting Pool, according to online court records. All three pleaded not guilty during their initial court appearances Wednesday records show
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia, said vandalizing the nation’s monuments and public spaces is “an affront to our shared history.”
“The law applies equally to everyone, and when it is broken, there are consequences,” she said in a statement on Thursday
A long-range ballistic missile bursts out of the sea during a test launched from a Chinese nuclearpowered submarine in the South Pacific on Monday.
nese to embark on a charm offensive of his own. That has included defense and security pacts inked with Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea in the past year
On Tuesday Albanese decried the missile launch as “a provocative act by China which does destabilize the
region,” when he spoke to reporters in Honiara, where he was holding talks with officials. Australia and the Solomon Islands are in the process of negotiating a comprehensive treaty
“The fact that this test took place yesterday with very little notice is of real concern,” he added.
China has defended its actions and said it gave countries in the area appropriate notice “China informed the relevant countries in advance, which demonstrates the openness and transparency of the Chinese military,” according to a statement from its Defense Ministry issued Tuesday
Experts say that if there is a standard, it would be the Hague Code of Conduct which sets out regulations on ballistic missiles and their use It expects states to provide notice at least 24 hours beforehand, but the code is
not legally binding. Further Tang said, China is not a member of the Hague Code of Conduct. Much speculation remains around what was fired and when.
The People’s Liberation Army is known to make very little information public, but the secretary-general of Taiwan’s National Security Council said on Wednesday that this was a JL-2 missile launched from waters off Guangdong, a southern Chinese province. The JL-2 is an older ballistic missile for submarines.
Chinese state media, on the other hand, presented experts saying it was likely a JL-3, which has a longer range than the JL-2. “The JL3’s range can strike a target on the east side of the Pacific from the west side,” said Shao Yonglin, a military expert featured in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV
BY OLIVIA TEES Staff writer
Baton Rouge police will officially start searching the city landfill for the body of missing 15-yearold Ja’Derrius Minnieweather on Monday Police Chief T.J. Morse said investigators believe Minnieweath-
er’s body wound up in a collection truck and was transported to the East Baton Rouge Parish North Landfill in Zachary BRPD and other law enforcement agencies that will preside over the search have been in meetings every day this week discussing strategies and tactics for locating Minnieweather’s body
Police say they believe Minnieweather’s body lies somewhere in the 400 acres of garbage, but FBIlevel imaging technology will be required to determine the search radius.
On average, the North Landfill receives more than 1,600 tons of garbage from roughly 325 collection vehicles per day, Morse
said. Since Minnieweather was reported missing more than a month ago, the landfill has received over 35,000 tons of trash.
To safely search the area, agents from the FBI evidence response team and the technical hazards response team from Quantico, Virginia, will be deployed to assist authorities in searching, said Special Agent Charles Koger of the New Orleans FBI Office.
“While this operation is focused on the recovery of evidence, it is ultimately about something much more important. It is about ensuring that Ja’Derrius is treated with the dignity and respect that every child deserves, and doing everything within our power to help bring accountability to those responsible,” Koger said. Because the case is still an active homicide, police could not provide
People fish on the Mississippi River as the sun sets past the Interstate 10 bridge on Saturday in Baton Rouge.
Anny seeking legal reimbursement from lawsuits
BY ANNAKATE FREELAND Staff writer
A Sorrento council member is suing the town, seeking repayment for years of legal fees after criminal charges and a lawsuit against him both stemming from a sewer repair contract he authorized — were dropped.
Randy Anny, who has served as a Sorrento council member for over a decade, filed the lawsuit in January At a hearing Tuesday, he was ordered to post a $10,000 security bond before his lawsuit against the town can proceed. Judge Jason Verdigets ordered Anny to post the bond within 90 days. The bond serves as security for potential court costs should the town of Sorrento ultimately prevail in the lawsuit.
115-home Harvest Fields site moves forward
BY ANNAKATE FREELAND Staff writer
After more than three hours of public comment and deliberation, the Ascension Parish Planning Commission approved a controversial 115-home subdivision in Gonzales on Wednesday despite opposition from about 100 residents, reversing a unanimous denial issued six months ago. The commission voted 3-1 to approve the preliminary plat for Harvest Fields, a proposed 38acre subdivision along the west side of La. 44 south of Bertville Road.
“We’re not a rural community anymore,” said Commissioner Mark Villa, who was the lone vote against the development. “As a parish, we really need to look at that.”
The approval came with conditions requiring the developer to validate all environmental studies and obtain the necessary permits before construction can begin. The decision sparked immediate backlash from the audience,
Tom Easterly, who presented the plans on behalf of the developer, and engineer Jonathan Bradley listen to residents while the crowd applauds comments opposing the Harvest Fields subdivision at the Ascension Parish Courthouse in Gonzales on Wednesday.
with several residents shouting “cowards” at commissioners after the vote.
Tom Easterly, who presented the plans on behalf of developers Dantin Bruce, told the commission that it wouldn’t be right to deny a plan that meets all standards set by the parish, despite widespread opposition.
“The landowners’ rights have to be taken into consideration,” Easterly said.
The commission approved the
subdivision because it met standards, but it added certain conditions because retired environmental scientist Jeff Nolan said he sees what appears to be a reserve pit related to an abandoned oil well from the 1970s that could contain hazardous materials, including heavy metals and toxic gases.
Commissioner Michele Unitas amended the motion to require
court judges recused themselves
BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer
The Louisiana Supreme Court has appointed retired state appeals court Judge Robert Chaisson to preside over Attorney General Liz Murrill’s intimidation case, which the court has stayed Justice Piper Griffin signed the Supreme Court’s order, which came down Thursday morning, a day after all 12 criminal court judges in New Orleans recused themselves from the case and the
Cyclosporiasis can cause weeks of diarrhea
BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer
On Wednesday, the Louisiana Department of Health reported that 23 cases, including one hospitalization, are being investigated in connection to cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection that can cause weeks of watery diarrhea.
“Because many of these cases are still under investigation, this number is preliminary and subject to change,” a representative from the Health Department said. “For comparison, the state has averaged 20 reported cases over the same time period during the past five years.”
Louisiana is one of 29 states investigating outbreaks of the infection. No deaths have been reported, and the source of the cyclospora infections hasn’t been identified
Continued from page 1B
from an indictment handed up last week by an Orleans Parish grand jury
Chaisson, a Democrat from Destrehan, served 12 years on the Gretna-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeal before retiring at the end of 2023.
He inherits a volatile case that’s quickly turned up political tensions between state leaders and elected officials in New Orleans.
The appointment comes in the lead-up to a heated election season when all of New Orleans’ criminal court trial judges are up for reelection, thanks to a Republicanled Legislature backed by Gov Jeff Landry that shrank the city’s courts. Murrill has described the indictments as “corrupt retaliatory, meritless, and unconstitutional.” She has not entered a plea on account of the swift stay by the high court.
Sources said a New Orleans grand jury launched the investigation into Murrill’s actions on its
Continued from page 1B
The suit stems from a $77,500 payment Anny authorized for sewer repairs in 2012 while serving as mayor pro tempore. After the contractor allegedly
Continued from page 1B
any additional details.
The case so far
A nearly two-week search for Minnieweather started on June 4, when he was reported missing from a home on Bradley Street
On June 20, Maurice Parms, 51, was arrested on a count of first-degree murder after he allegedly beat the boy to death and went to great lengths to hide the evidence from the police. Based on their investigation, de-
Cases of cyclosporiasis typically spike in the summer months, with historically active outbreaks in Louisiana between June and August. In the U.S., the cyclosporiasis season is considered May 1 through Aug 31, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Over the past 20 years, between 1 and 101 cases have been reported annually in Louisiana, with 73 cases reported in 2023.
“Dying from cyclospora is extremely rare,” said Dr. Obinna Nnedu, an infectious disease physician at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. “Where people feel really bad is when they feel dehydrated.
Nationally, there have been record-breaking spikes in both Michigan and Ohio. Although Michigan state officials first announced the outbreak last week, they were only aware of 170 cases.
On Wednesday Michigan reported 992 cases, including 40 hospitalizations. Ohio reported over
own initiative, spurred by letters she’d sent in May to Mayor Helena Moreno, District Attorney Jason Williams and five members of the City Council who voted to call a special election for a single clerk of court.
State lawmakers merged the city’s civil and criminal clerk’s duties into one office and handed it to civil Clerk Chelsea Richard Napoleon, casting aside the popular criminal clerk-elect, former life prisoner Calvin Duncan.
The grand jury leveled the bombshell criminal charges July 2. District Judge Leon Roche closed his courtroom to the public when the indictment was read, and deputies took an extraordinary step by ordering media from the courthouse.
Roche later defended the move to clear his courtroom, saying he was trying to protect the anonymity of the grand jurors.
In his own recusal order Wednesday, Roche claimed Murrill’s attorney, Laura Cannizzaro Rodrigue, spread “vicious falsehoods and derogatory remarks” about him and the at-large New Orleans “citizenry” in public interviews and on social media.
Roche cited an interview on
failed to complete the work, a civil suit was filed in July 2015. Anny was added as a defendant to the suit, alleging that he either did not have the authority to issue the payment or that he fraudulently issued the payment.
“Anny was acting not as a private citizen, but as a mayor pro tem,” Anny’s attorney, Christo-
tectives believe Minnieweather was involved in an altercation with Parms and was killed in the struggle, according to a warrant for Parms’ arrest. It is believed Parms stashed the teen’s body, threw away evidence and attempted to cover up the crime scene. While investigating the teen’s disappearance, police discovered a 16-year-old girl who had been in an illicit relationship with Parms. He was arrested on June 10 for counts of indecent behavior with juveniles and computer-aided solicitation of a minor, but was released on bond a short time later
During an interview when Parms was arrested the second time, he ad-
177 cases, with 28 hospitalizations, shortly after “I certainly don’t want (Louisianans) to start panicking,” Nnedu said. “Our Centers for Disease Control is going to be looking into these cases to see if they are linked, and specifically what the exposures are.”
What is cyclospora?
Cyclospora is a microscopic, spherical parasite that commonly causes watery diarrhea “with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the CDC. The illness, called cyclosporiasis, is not usually lifethreatening and is typically treated with antibiotics.
As far as epidemiologists know, humans are the only species that can contract cyclosporiasis.
The heat-loving parasite infects the bowels and spreads through feces In the past, people have been infected by consuming fruits or vegetables that were exposed to feces-contaminated irrigation water
courthouse steps minutes after the indictment, during which Rodrigue lamented a “kangaroo court.”
Rodrigue did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday
Less than 24 hours after the indictment was recorded, the Louisiana Supreme Court granted Murrill an emergency stay that’s frozen proceedings in the case for now
Justices did not put a timeline on the stay order but granted the attorney general time to file a motion to quash the indictment, finding “considerable support” that she’s “likely to succeed on the merits” in getting the indictment tossed out on “either a legal basis or due to apparent procedural irregularities.”
Hans Liljeberg, who served 10 years alongside Chaisson on the 5th Circuit bench before becoming a Jefferson Parish Council member, praised the appointment. “Good man. Honest as the day is long, super fair temperament, very hard to upset,” he said of Chaisson. “It was a very wise choice by the Supreme Court, in my humble opinion.”
pher Bridges, told the judge. Sorrento town attorney Robert Faucheux Jr argued that Anny did not have the power to authorize any check without a proper bidding, contract or resolution. He said that, according to the law the only exception is in emergencies, but that it did not apply Criminal charges were brought
mitted to police that he had met Minnieweather on June 4 at a residence on Bradley Street.
Detectives were able to narrow down the location where they believe Minnieweather was possibly attacked.
Detectives obtained video of a tall Black man dragging a garbage can to a spot in the 3200 block of Conrad Street. They also found video from a minute later of a man matching Parms’ body type riding a small child’s bike away from Conrad toward Charles Street. A tall male was also seen getting off the bike and throwing it into some bushes. He is then seen taking off a black mask, gloves and a T-shirt, which he threw into
The rates of cyclosporiasis cases are generally higher in developing countries, according to Nnedu, and some previous outbreaks of the illness were linked to imported produce.
The following foods have been specifically linked to previous cyclospora outbreaks in the United States and Canada:
n Bagged salad mixes and kits (pre-cut lettuce blends with romaine, iceberg, red cabbage, carrots)
n Fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
n Fresh basil n Raspberries n Snow peas
n Green onions (scallions).
People with diarrhea that hasn’t resolved on its own within a few days should see a health provider and discuss the possibility of cyclospora, officials say
“If a diarrhea is prolonged, that goes on for more than two days unstopped, you may want to talk with your physician,” Nnedu said.
While a self-initiated grand jury probe is unusual, it’s not unprecedented.
Baton Rouge attorney Jim Boren helped get then-East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Pat Screen out of hot water in 1987 after a grand jury indicted him and a former top aide with malfeasance in office, acting against the advice of thenAttorney General William Guste’s office The panel sought counsel from another lawyer before charging Screen. Legal observers at the time dubbed it a “runaway grand jury.”
The grand jury in Murrill’s case was guided by a former criminal court judge, Laurie White, after Williams recused. If it wasn’t a runaway jury, Boren said the bigger anomaly was in the flash freeze by the Louisiana Supreme Court.
“I have never, ever seen a case where a defendant went straight to the Louisiana Supreme Court. And without giving the prosecution an opportunity to respond, they issued a stay,” Boren said. “I would venture to say that’s never happened before. I mean I’ve been a lawyer for 50 years In those 50 years, that’s never happened.”
against Anny for forgery, felony theft, splitting profits and malfeasance in the office. He was indicted in July 2018. Anny hired attorneys to represent him in both cases. The civil case was eventually abandoned, with no fault or fraud against him.
In February 2025, the criminal charges were dismissed, termi-
several garbage cans. Parms is 6 feet tall, much taller than Minnieweather, who was only 4 feet 7 inches.
After witnesses described observing a tall man beating a smaller person while a child’s bike was in the middle of the roadway, detectives were able to locate blood that had soaked into the ground. Detectives obtained a search warrant for Parms’ truck, which tested positive for the presence of blood
Morse said Parms has made no statement or offered any help to authorities on locating Minnieweather’s body
environmental studies and permits to be validated before construction begins. Two earlier motions — one to approve and one to deny failed with no second.
“Sadly, I feel like I’ve failed you all,” she told the crowd when making her decision.
Only four of the commission’s seven members participated in the vote Commissioner Wade Schexnaydre abstained because of a business connection to one of the companies involved in the development. Commissioner Erik Jones abstained because a family member owns some of the land. Commissioner Nicholas Miller was absent from the meeting.
A majority of the residents’ concerns were about traffic, while some had apprehensions about drainage and overpopulation.
“There’s gonna be people killed on Highway 44 coming out of that subdivision, y’all,” Cotton Field Avenue resident John Lee said.
Dina Lejeune, who lives on Woodland Avenue, had concerns that roads connecting the subdivision to her street and to Cotton Field would cause danger by crowding the narrow roads. She said Harvest Fields should have its own entrance and exit so other streets wouldn’t be used.
“Will homeowners have to take legal action against the Planning Commission?” she asked. “Leave our neighborhoods and homes alone.”
Commissioners voted 5-0 in February to deny the preliminary plat following strong opposition from more than 100 residents who brought the same concerns about drainage, traffic, population and quality of life.
Ascension Parish has long faced pushback from residents about new subdivisions as it has evolved from a largely rural region to a highly populated, traffic-prone area with multiple flood zones. In 2021, the Parish Council passed a moratorium on new subdivisions that lasted into 2022, and no new subdivisions were proposed until late 2024. Harvest Fields is the second subdivision proposal since the moratorium was lifted.
nating all criminal charges after more than eight years of continuous court appearances.
According to the petition, Anny is seeking reimbursement for the legal fees he incurred in both cases against him as well as for the “mental and emotional distress, loss of business opportunities and damages to his reputation.”
He remains in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and is held without bond His next court date will be on Oct. 15 for a bond review hearing.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2026 PICK 3: 0-4-0
PepsiCo says customers tightened budgets
NEW YORK PepsiCo reported stronger-than-expected revenue in thesecond quarter despite weaker demand in North America, where it said consumers tightened their budgets as the Iran war caused gas prices to spike.
“I think theconsumer is worse than what we had anticipated, and it’sdriven mainly by gasprices,” PepsiCo CEORamon Laguarta said Thursday during aconference callwith investors.
The food and beveragegiant said its net revenue rose6.4% to $24.2 billion for the AprilJune period. That was better than the $23.9 billionWall Street expected, according to analysts polled by FactSet In February,PepsiCo slashed U.S.pricesonLay’s, Doritos, Cheetos and Tostitos chips by up to 15%, which boosted snack demand in the first quarter But in the second quarter, as gas prices rose, PepsiCo’s snack sales volumes were flat in North America, while its beveragevolumes fell 4%.
PepsiCo said it will continue to invest in making its products more affordable.The company is also trying to meet demandfor healthier products. In March it introduced Doritos Protein and Gatorade Lower Sugar,which has no artificial flavorsorcolors.
Deere &Co., FTC settle right-to-repair lawsuit
TheFederal TradeCommissionand attorneys general from several states secured aright-to-repair settlement Wednesday withagriculture equipment giant Deere &Co. that requires the company to let farmers and independentshops fix their own equipment.
TheIllinois-basedmanufacturerhas facedcomplaints for years for withholding the software needed for repairs and forcing customers to use authorized dealers instead of independentones.
This marks the secondrightto-repair settlement Deere has reached this year,following a separate $99million class-actionsettlement with farmers in April. Although the class-action compensated consumers, the FTC’ssettlement instead requires Deere to make its repair services available to equipment owners and independent shops.
The FTC and attorneys general from Arizona, Illinois, Michigan,Minnesota and Wisconsin brought the antitrust lawsuit in January 2025, arguing that Deere had illegally restricted farmers and independentshops that might otherwise service them from repairing farm equipment such as tractors. Under the order filed inIllinois,Deere will now be required to make diagnostic and repair tools available to equipmentowners and independent repairshops, not only its own network of authorized dealers. N.Y.sues over so-called forever chemicals
ALBANY,N.Y.— New York’sattorney general sued several large chemical and agricultural companies on Thursday,alleging they knowingly sold harmfulso-called forever chemicals used in cosmetics, nonstick cookware and other products.
The lawsuit against 3M, DuPont de Nemours, Chemours, Cortevaand other manufacturers is the latest legal action overPFAS, which havebeen linked to an increased risk of certain cancers and developmental delays in children
The lawsuit seeks to forcethe companiestofund environmental cleanup efforts in New York andtowarn consumersabout theirproducts. It arguesthat, in some cases, the companies were aware that the chemicals were toxic or could cause environmental damage.
PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are agroup of chemicals that have been around for decades and have now spread into the nation’s air,water and soil.
BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer
WASHINGTON Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, economist Raj Chetty andformer Bank of England governor Mervyn King are among aslate of names released by the Federal Reserve Thursday that will helpdevelop recommended changes to the central bank’s operations. They are among theco-leaders of five different task forces announced by Fed Chair Kevin Warsh last month. Theother leaders are amix of publicofficials andbusiness leaders.
former chair Jerome Powell. Warsh has sought tocommunicate less about the Fed’sthinking on interest ratesand has said he wants to reduce thecentral bank’s roughly $6.7 trillion in holdings of government bonds.
supportedbyFed staff, the central bank said. Oneofthe task forces will focus on how artificialintelligence and other new technologies will affect productivity and jobs.
economic mobility
Doug McMillon, theformer president andCEO of Walmart, and Kevin Murphy,aneconomics professor at the University of Chicago, will co-lead the data task force.
Warsh called for “regime change” at theFed last year while he was under consideration by the Trump administration to replace
Most of thedirectors announced Thursday areleading figures in economics and business, rather than longtime Fed critics. Warsh’s use of task forces, Fed-watchers say,suggest he wants to persuade his fellowFed officialsofany changes rather than impose them.
“The U.S. economy has changed significantly over the last generation,and never moresothan right now,”Warsh saidina writtenstatement. “Each task force will carefully consider whether policymakers’ meansand methods, analytical toolsand policy approaches can be improved upon.”
The five taskforces will each have three co-leadersand will be
To oversee that task force, Warsh has turned to executives from firms developing AI, including Andreessen, amajor investor in crypto firmsand AI technology
Asha Sharma, an executive vice president at Microsoft andCEO of its Xbox unit,will also co-lead that task force. Charles Jones, an economist at Stanford currently on leave with Anthropic, will act as the third co-chair Chetty,a Harvard economist, will co-lead atask force on evaluating the data sources used by the Fed. Chetty has broken ground by using huge data sets to track families’economic fortunes over decades andevaluate which areas of the country have seen the most
Athird task force will examine the Fed’sbalance sheet, which has ballooned in size since the Great Recession in 2008-09. Raghuram Rajan, aformer leader of the Reserve Bank of India, and Harvard economist and former Treasury officialKaren Dynanwill co-lead thetask force, alongwithJeremy Stein, aformer Fed governor Greg Mankiw, atop economist in the George W. Bush administration and Thomas Sargent, aNobel laureateatNew York University, will co-lead atask force on inflation frameworks. King, theformer Bank of England governor,will be one of the leaders of the task force on communications.
Salesofpreviously occupiedhomes slowed in June
BYALEX VEIGA Associated Press
Sales ofpreviously occupied U.S.homes slowedinJune,but akey measure of home prices climbed to an all-time high, addingto affordabilitychallenges forprospective homebuyers.
Existing home salesfell2.4% last month from Maytoaseasonally adjusted annualrate of 4.09 million units, theNationalAssociation of RealtorssaidThursday. Sales rose 2.8% compared with Junelast year.
Thelatest sales tally fell short of the roughly 4.21 million pace economistswere expecting, accordingtoFactSet.
Home sales have been mostly hovering close to a4millionannualpace going back to 2023, far short of the historic norm that is closer to 5.2 million.
Sales have remained sluggish as mortgage rateshave mostly trended higher in themonths since the war between the U.S. andIran started.Expectations of higher inflation amid surging oil prices have pushed up thelongterm bond yields that lenders use as aguide to pricing homeloans, causingmortgage rates to climb. Still, mortgage ratesremainbelow where theywereayear ago.
Despite the lackluster sales, home prices continuedtorise nationally last month.The U.S. median sales price increased 1.8% in June from ayear earlier to $440,600, an all-time high on data goingbackto1999,NAR said.
Home prices haverisen on an annualbasis for36months in arow
First-time buyers accounted for33% of home purchaseslast month, down from 35% in May andupfrom 30% in June last year.Historically,theymade up 40% of home sales.
BY MATT O’BRIEN and JOCELYNNOVECK Associated Press
NEW YORK The New York Times, the Daily News and other media outlets are asking afederal judge to imposesanctions on OpenAI, escalatingafight over artificial intelligence and copyright that could shape the future of astruggling news industry. Thenewspapers allege the ChatGPTmaker is hiding evidence important to what could be alandmark copyrightinfringementtrial over how OpenAI and its business partner,Microsoft, built their AI technologies using millions of news articles. At issue is whether AI chatbots are unfairly competingasaninformation source,siphoning off web traffic without doing the journalistic work involved in gatheringthe news.
Afiling ThursdayinaManhattan federal courthousealleges OpenAI
“Without adoubt, the affordability is amajor challenge for people who want to become homeowners, whichisthe reason why we need moresupply,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’schief economist.
The U.S. housing market has been in aslumpsince2022, when mortgagerates beganto climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes wereessentially flat last year,stuck at a30-year low Through thefirst half of this year,seasonally adjusted sales of existing U.S. homesare up only 0.7% compared to the same period in 2025.
Yearsofsoaring home prices, especially in theearly partof this decade when rock-bottom mortgage rates fueled abuying frenzy,have left many would-be homebuyers frozen out of the market. And achronic shortage of homes for sale nationally,due
partly to years of below-average new home construction, has helped prop up home prices even in amultiyear sales slump.
Many of thehomes purchased lastmonth likely went under contract in April and May,when the average rate on a30-year mortgage ranged from 6.23% to 6.53% —the highest levelgoing back to late August, according to mortgagebuyer Freddie Mac.
Those who can afford to buy at current mortgage rates or pay allcash are likely to encounter buyer-friendly trends in many markets. In June, median list prices fell 2.5% from ayear earlier,the steepestannualdropon datagoing back to 2017, according to Realtor.com Still, housingmarket pricingtrends vary widely regionally and locally.Consider,since peaking in 2022 at $449,000, list priceshavecomedown7.3%in the West and 3.5% in the South,
but are up 10% in the Midwest and 12.6% in the Northeast, according to Realtor.com
Home shoppers have more homes on the market to choose from than thistime last year,although home inventory levels remain well below historical norms. There were1.56 million unsold homes at the end of last month, down 0.6% from May and up 1.3% fromJune last year,NAR said. That’sstill well short of the roughly 2million homes forsale that wastypical before the COVID-19 pandemic. June’smonth-end inventory translates to a4.6-month supply at the current sales pace. Traditionally,afive-tosix-monthsupply is considered abalanced market between buyers and sellers. “Weneed to see 30%-40% growth in inventory,” Yunsaid. “We’re not seeing that, so inventory (is) still remaining relatively tight.”
“chose obstruction” over releasing datasetsand ChatGPTlogsthat could showhow theAIsystemused copyrighted news content. The plaintiffs areaskingthe judgeto penalize the company for “discovery misconduct” that could distort evidence, saying the recent deposition of an OpenAI employee contradicts the company’searlier claims. New York Daily News attorney Steven LiebermansaidOpenAI has been “making misrepresentations” for two years about its abilitytosearch for copyrighted content in itsAItrainingdatasets and logs. OpenAI has described its limitations in sharing ChatGPT logs as ameasure to protect user privacy
“Asthe Times’ caseweakensand they’ve been forced to drop claims against us, they’re persisting with their efforts to invade the privacy of people who havenothing to do with this case, including by making these blatantly false allega-
tions,” said astatementThursday from OpenAI spokespersonDrew Pusateri. TheNew York TimessuedOpenAIand Microsoftinlate2023, about ayear after ChatGPT’s debutsparked acommercialAI boom and began changing the way people search forinformation online.The threattonewspublicationsbecame even moreapparent when Google in 2024 introduced AI-generated summariesatthe top of online search results,cutting off theadvertising dollars that come when people click alink to the information’soriginal source. The Times has since been joined by other news organizations. OpenAI andother tech companieshavearguedthe processof training their AI systemsondigitized books, online articles and other writings found on the internetisprotected by the “fair use” doctrine of U.S. copyright law OpenAI rivalAnthropic agreed
to pay book authors $1.5billion for training its chatbot Claude on their pirated works —anamount that represents asmall fraction of Anthropic’s$965 billion market valuation as it prepares to become publicly traded. TheNew York Times’ arguments are different from those brought by book authors. In its original lawsuit and an amended complaint filed last month, it focused on the unfair competition of companies that “seek to free-ride on The Times’s massive investment in its journalismbyusingittobuild substitutive products without permission or payment.” The mounting costs comeasa growing number of media organizations have signed licensing deals withOpenAIand other companies that typically pay the outlet afee to be able to train AI systems on their news feeds or archives. The Associated Press wasthe first to announce such adeal
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Obituaries
Bajoie, Lawrence Phillip 'Chicken Red'
Lawrence "Chicken Red"
Bajoie, 76, of Zachary, Louisiana, passed away on July 4, 2026. He is survived by his beloved wife, Mabel, children, grandchildren, andhost of relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Lydia Ricard Bajoie, brother Carl Bajoie, and sons Kevin and Cory Bajoie Visitation will be held July 11,2026, at St.Francis Xavier CatholicChurch, 1120 Myrtle Walk Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA from 10:30AM -11:30AM,Holy Rosary at 11:30AM,followed by Mass of Christian BurialatNoon. Interment at Greenoaks Memorial Park. Services entrusted to Hall Davis& Sons Funeral Service.
Patrick "Pat" J. Crain, 82, of Ethel, Louisiana,was calledhome to be with the Lord on July 3, 2026.Pat was bornonDecember 21, 1943,inMount Hermon, Louisiana.Pat is survived by his beloved wife, Betty; his daughter, Donielle CrainGainous (David); his son,Clark Crain(Kandi);16 grandchildren; and 7greatgrandchildren. Hewas precededindeath by his parents, W.B. and Frances Crain, and his great-grandson, Brooks Gainous. Visitation willbeheld at Feliciana BaptistChurchon Friday, July 10, 2026,from 6:00 p.m.until8:00 p.m. Visitationwillcontinue on Saturday, July11, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. until the funeral service at 11:00a.m. Burial willfollow at the Crainfamily residence, 8001 Highway10, Ethel, Louisiana 70730.
Ellen M. Davidson,a faith-filled courageous, and lovingChristian, was born on November 28, 1955,inBaton Rouge and passed awayinBaton Rouge on July 3, 2026,leaving behinda legacy of devotion, strength, and kindness that touchedeveryone who knewher. Viewingwillbegin at 9a.m. at MJRFriendly Service Funeral Home, 7803 Florida Blvd., Denham Springs, LA 70726, followed by the service at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 11th. Interment will take place at OakGrove Cemetery.Please dresscasually,comfortably, and colorfully.
Jeffrey "Neil" Gibbs Obituary 2025 May 21, 1983 —Nov 3, 2025 Baton Rouge, Louisiana
With profound sadness, we share thenews of the passing of Jeffrey "Neil" Gibbs, 42, who left us on Monday, November 3, 2025, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after acourageous battle with cancer.
BornonMay 21, 1983, in Springfield, Illinois, Neil was abeaconofintelligence and discipline from his earliest days.His numerous talents paved the way for alife full of achievements. Growing up in Palmyra, Illinois, he left his mark at Northwestern HighSchool, participating in FFA., excelling in baseball and football, and becoming alocal legendasa sharpshooterinbasketball -having spent countless hourshoning his skills off thecourt. After high school, Neil proudly joined theUnited States Army National Guard,serving an 18 -monthtour overseas during OperationIraqiFreedom in Kuwait and Iraq Upon returning, he was deployedtoLouisiana to assist with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts
Transitioning from his military service, Neil focused hisdedication and talent on building asmall business in the tree industry, becoming askilled certified arboristand founding Diversified Tree Co., a venture he nurtured from theground up.His unwavering workethic and integrity turnedhis business intoa trusted name within theBaton Rougearea and neighboring communities. Outside of his professional life,Neilcherished time spent withfamily,friends, and hisbeloved dogs. He had agenuine appreciation forgoodfood, cultivating his trees, staying active, tinkering with mechanics, and indulging in his passionfor art. Neil had aspecial way of brightening up any gathering with his infectious smileand laughter. Even during themost challenging times, he faced life with aremarkablespirit of courage, thoughtfulness, and purpose
He is survivedbya loving family,including his parents, Jeff Gibbs of Modesto,IL, and Brenda GibbsofPalmyra, IL,his twobrothers, JasonGibbs and wife Courtney of Hettick, IL,and JaredGibbs of Palmyra, IL,and his sister, Jessica Jean Gibbsof
Glendale, AZ. Neil is also survivedbyhis grandparentsLarryand BonnieWaters of Palmyra, IL,Donald Gibbs of Modesto, IL,and Carol Woods of Woodward, OK; along withmany nieces and nephews; and hisfour Siberian Huskies—Dakota, Samantha, Jasper, and Sara. Neil's love,wisdom, and joywillforever be in the heartsofthose who knew him. ACelebrationofhis life will be held at 1:00p.m. on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Gilead Baptist Church, 679 Boy Scout Road in Hettick,Illinois. A Memorial Visitation willbe held at thechurch beginning at 10:00 a.m. Memorialsinhonor of Neil may be madetoGilead Baptist Church, P.O. Box27, Hettick,IL62649. Family and friends may signthe online guestbook or leave apersonal note to thefamily at www.resthav enbatonrouge.com
my in 1935 and completed theseventh gradein1942. At that time, she went to live with herauntand uncle, Eleanor McCall, and Floyd Bondy, wholived in Florence,South Carolina andhad no children. There she attendedboth junior andhighschool, whereshe excelledinacademic and extracurricular activities. Shegraduated from FlorenceHigh in 1946 and returned to Louisianawhere she enteredLSU full-time in thefall.In1949 she interrupted hereducation to work for the American Rice Growers Associate in Lake Charles. During that time she enrolled in nightcourses at McNeese College. In 1952 she returned to Baton
Rouge whereshe continuedher education as a part-time night student and wasalso employed by theOfficeofthe President of LSUwhere she served underthe administrations of General Troy H. Middleton,Dr. John Hunter,and Dr.MartinD.Woodin. In 1970 she marriedJohnH Hernandez.After herretirement she devoted her life to homemaking and volunteering in civic, cultural,and church organizations. These includedBaton Rouge OperaGuild, The LiteraryClub, Garden Growers Study Group, Woman's Club, The East Side/WestSideClub, Foundation of Historic
Louisiana, Friends of Magnolia Mound, and Lady of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher. Her greatest joy was being with family, friends, and their children. She and John frequently entertained in their home and made every meal afestive occasion.
She is survived by sisters, Gayle Bondy Brown, and Alice Alcide Bondy. Also, many nieces and nephews to treasure her memory including Charles "Beau" A. Bondy and JoAnn Bondy Martin; godchildren Belinda Bondy, James "Jim" Bondy and Gayle LaCour Pfister. Aunt Polly's love and generosity enriched the lives of her nieces and nephews and helped form them into the people they are today.
She is preceded in death by her beloved husband,of 53 years, John H. Hernandez, her parents, Auguste A. Bondy,Sr. and Annie Hays Bondy, brothers, David J. Bondy, Sr. (Adelaide) and Auguste Arthur Bondy, Jr.; brothers-in-law Carl O. Brown, and Frederick Hill, Jr., sisters Marguerite Bondy Bougere, Anne Bondy Triche, Catherine Bondy Paine (Charles), Patricia Bondy LaCour (Edgar), Mary Lillian Bondy Bond, sister-in-law and dear friend Thelma Dayries Bondy, and nephews Walter "Buddy" Bougere, Paul Bond and niece Nancy Bondy Kindy.
Pallbearers willbe: David Bondy, Jr., Matthew Bondy, Ed LaCour, FrancisLaCour, Jacob "Jake" Harelson andDr. Paul Rachal.Honorary Pallbearers:Richard Bondy, Steven F. Crucq, David E. Shirley, J. Clayton Johnson and Mike Harelson. The family would like to thank Drs. Paul Rachal and Ashley Doucet Bordelon, Pointe Coupee Homebound Health and Hospice, LaCour House and long-time caregiver, Yolandra Newton, for all the loving care they gave Aunt Polly during her last few years.
Funeral Mass (no wake) will be celebrated by Father Scott Dugas at St. Mary's of False River, 348 Main Street, New Roads, Louisiana on Friday July 10, Visiting and
ton Rouge,Louisiana
In lieu of flowers, memorialdonations to BatonRouge Opera Guild or thecharity of your choice
Holmes, Randell Dewayne'Big R'
Resident and native of Baton Rouge, LA. Transitioned at age 49, at OLOL Hospital. Survived by wife, children,parentsand siblings. Officiated by Pastor D. Hardy. Avisitation will be held from 9:00 AM to 11:00AMon 2026-07-11 at Saintsville C. O. G. I.C., 8930 Plank Road. Funeral service following at 11:00AM at same location.
Jones, EddieMarshall
Eddie Marshall Jones, a native of Liberty, Ms. and resident of Baton Rouge La. passed awaySaturday July 4, 2026athis residence. Mr. Eddie was 92, born October 12, 1933 in Liberty, Ms. to Edgar Earl Jones and Essie MaeCauseyJones. He was aproud Army veteran and aretireeofGulf States Utilities. He was memberofBethelBaptist Church. He is preceded in death by hisson EddieDwayne, his parents EdgarEarland Essie MaeJones, and his
leavesbehindhis fur babies Tillyand Deany Visitation willbeFriday July10, 2026 at Brown Funeral Home in Liberty, Ms. from 10:00 A.M. until time of funeralservices at 11:30 A.M. at thefuneralhome. Officiated by Rev. Dusty Rhodes. Graveside services withMilitaryHonors willfollow at Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers,please considera donationtoSt. JudeChildren's Hospital or Bethel Baptist Church.
BrendaKingpassed away July 8, 2026. Arrangementspending withDelhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA
Robins, Sallie Terrell 'LilBae'
CelebrationofLife for Sallie TerrellRobins willbe held on Saturday, July11, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. at Jordan UnitedMethodist Church, 4619 Stearns Street,Baton Rouge, LA 70811. Interment Wesley United Church Cemetery, 8337 CarruthRoad, Wilson, LA 70789
Patsy Parrino Stevens, born on December 23, 1933, passed away peacefully on July8,2026, surrounded by theloveofher family AnativeofCheneyville, Louisiana, Patsy builta beautiful life rooted in faith, family,and compassion. Adevoted Catholic, she livedher life through kindness,generosity, and unwavering love forothers. She cherishedher family aboveall else and was aconstant source of strength,encouragement, and grace. She is survivedbyher children, Robert Charles Stevens; Brenda Stevens Catalanatto; and John JosephStevens and wife, Raylyn. She was aproud grandmother to Brandi Clay (Michael), Michelle
Catalanatto(Will), Jenny Donahoe (Matthew), Caroline Francis(Chris), Lauren Keating (Sean), andGrant Stevens (Sophia), and a loving great-grandmother to Mikey, Patrick, James, and Alexander Clay, and Harrison, Henry, Benjamin, andBeau Donahoe. Shealso leaves behind many belovednieces, nephews, extendedfamilymembers, and dear friends. Shewas preceded in death by herhusband, Van Joseph Stevens;her daughter-in-law, Gwen Stevens;her parents, Nicholas and Josephine Parrino; herbrothersPeter, Sam, Carlo, Tony, Joseph,Morris, and Nicholas Jr.; andher sisters Bessie, Josie, Mary, Marie,and Lucille. Visitation will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at OurLady of Mercy. AFuneralMass will begin at 11:00 a.m., followed by interment at ResthavenGardens of Memory
Shewill be deeply missed andlovingly rememberedbyall who knew her. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the LSUFood Pantry
Alphonse Williams, Jr departed this life on June 28, 2026, at the age of 67. Viewingwillbeheld on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at St.GabrielCatholic Church 3625 LA-75, St.Gabriel, La 70776 at 9amuntil thereligiousservice at 11 am. Father Albert Blountwill
Louisiana has an opportunityto compete for thousands of highpaying jobs in one of the fastestgrowing industries in theworld: aerospace While aerospace may be receiving more headlines today,this is not anew conversation for Louisiana. Since 2022, we have worked with aerospace leaders, built workforce partnerships and helped positionLouisiana to compete for the investment and jobs now making front-page news.
At the second National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) Aerospace Committee meeting, we heard from theFederal Aviation Administration, Space Foundation, the Advanced Air Mobility Multi-State Collaborative and higher education institutions. We alsomet with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and his team. The common theme was workforce needs. Louisiana is uniquely positioned to capitalize on aerospace industry growth. We already have astrong manufacturing base, world-class energy expertise, strategic military assets,growing educational partnerships and aworkforce eager to learn new skills. But this opportunitydid not
appear overnight. Four yearsago,Iattended a meeting in Alaska andlearned howaerospace technology intersects with issues deeply important to Louisiana, from hurricane forecasting and coastal restoration to nationaldefenseand advanced manufacturing. Isaw what this industry couldbringtoour state, which ledtomebecoming chairman of thatgroup.
Ihostedtheir meeting in Louisiana during my term in 2024 and welcomed elected leaders and industry professionals from across thecountrytoNew Orleans. Attendees touredNASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in NewOrleans Eastand Stennis SpaceCenterinMississippi and heard fromleading experts about thefuture ofthe space industry
This inspired me to ask the NLGA to help advance this industry in thestates, so we created the committee. Each lieutenant governor appointed two advisers from their state. Louisiana’sdelegation included Dr.Tina Tinney of Nunez Community College and arepresentativefrom Louisiana Economic Development. Together,wehighlighted Louisiana’s growing workforce efforts,includingNunez’s Aerospace Manu-
facturing Technology Program, which has awarded 330+ credentials for high-demand, high-skill careers. These programs provide Louisianans with pathways to well-paying jobs without relocation or years of additional education Nunez Community College is seeking $9.2million to renovate adonated building and expand training capacity.These are the kinds of investments Louisiana must support to remain competitiveinaerospace and show the
Louisiana is experiencing ahistoric political milestone. According to voter registration data from the SecretaryofState’soffice, for the first time in the state’s modern history,the number of registered Republicans now exceeds the number of registered Democrats
industry that we will have the workforce they need.
Many of the issues discussed by thecommittee werereflected in legislation passed this year to create astronger business and legal environment foraerospace companies in Louisiana. Reports suggest that SpaceX is already paying attention.
I’m pleased to see Louisiana creating policies to attract aerospace investmentand help our workforce, but tax incentives and grants alone will not determine
our success. Workforce availability will play amajor role. States like Alabamathat train students as early as high school in aerospace manufacturing techniques are dominating the industry
The aerospace, aviation and defense industries are poised to create thousands of highly skilled, high-paying jobs in the coming years. States benefiting the mostwill be those providing the trained workers aerospace employers need.
These opportunities extend beyond engineers, astronauts and pilots. Current projections estimate the country will need an additional 1.5 million civil aviation professionals, 400,000 maintenance technicians and 71,000 air traffic controllers over the next decade. Additional demand will exist in administration, communications, marketing, logistics and related fields.
We need our Legislature to support policies and investments that attract these businesses and help our citizens gain the skills to claim these jobs. The aerospace industry is growing rapidly.Louisiana’schallenge is not whether the opportunity exists but whether we can seize it.
Billy NungesserisLouisiana’s lieutenant governor
Ayearafter grid failure, what have we learned?
While Republicans have been the dominant party in state government for anumber of years, the partisan realignment of the electorate reflects the final piece in the structural consolidation of Republican dominance in Louisiana’spolitical landscape.
Louisiana, like other former Confederate states, maintained astrong allegiance to the Democratic Party from Reconstruction through the mid-20th century.During this period, the Democratic Party functioned not merely as apolitical organizationbut as the primary institutional expressionofSouthern political identity and governance, exercising near-hegemonic control over state and local institutions.
This alignment began to unravel in the 1960s following the national Democratic Party’s embrace of civil rightsand voting rights legislation. These policy shifts fundamentally altered the party’srelationship with its traditional White Southern base.InLouisiana, as in muchofthe South, White voters increasingly shifted their support to Republican candidates while often remaining formally registered as “legacy” Democrats.
While voting patterns in Louisiana have long signaled ashift in political preference toward the Republican Party,the change in voter registration has been slower to follow.This lagging indicator of registering and identifying as aRepublican now appearstohave caught up with the leading indicator of voting forRepublicans, thereby completing the state’spartisan realignment. Although Louisiana is considered ared state based on electing Republicans to office, it can now be officially recognizedasa truly realigned state, as votersare no longer merely casting ballots for Republican candidates; they increasingly perceive and define themselves as Republicans
The partisan reshufflinghas been driven overwhelmingly by the realignment of White voters. Registration data illustrate the scale of the transformation. In 1960, approximately 99%ofWhites were registered Democrats. That figure fell below 90% by 1979, at which point 6% of Whites were registered Republi-
While voting patterns in Louisiana have long signaled ashift in politicalpreferencetoward theRepublican Party, the changeinvoter registrationhas been slowertofollow.
cans.
The Democratic share of White registrants continued to declineinthe following decades. The last time amajority of Whiteswere registered as Democrats was 2001, compared to 31% registered as Republican. By 2023, Republicans attained majority status among White voters, while only 21% were registered Democrats. The most recentdata showthat 54% of Whites areregisteredasa Republican, while 18% are registered Democrats.
At the same time,White voter registration has also shifted toward the nonpartisan category.Overthe past 50 years, theshare of Whites registered as “No Party” has grown substantially,increasing from 3% to 28%.
Taken together,these figuresshow that the long-term partisan transformation is not simplyastory of Democratic declinebut of a structural realignment in whichWhite voters have moved away from theirhistoric partisan home.
This shift reflects deeper institutionaland behavioral transformations drivenbythe steady migration of White voters into theRepublican Party.Consequently,electoral competition has increasinglydeclined, andDemocratic capacity to conteststatewide powerhas weakenedconsiderably.
The endresult is apolitical environment in which Louisiana can nowbecharacterized less as acompetitive two-party systemand more as areliably Republican state where diminished Democraticinstitutional strength limits the prospects for meaningful partisan competition
Ed Chervenak is the director of the LSU New Orleans Survey Research Center
Thirteen monthsago, tens of thousands of Louisiana residents lost power during aload shed event, when electricity was intentionally shut off to protect the overall stability of the grid. The outage sparked understandable frustration and raised serious questions about the reliability of our energy infrastructure. But amid all the debateand finger-pointing, there is one question everyone seems to agree on: How do we make sure somethinglike this never happens again?
MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator), the entity responsible for managing the flow of electricityacross Louisiana and 14 other states, is doing aSouth Load Pocket Risk Assessment focused on Louisiana. The study may sound technical, but it is relevant to the families and businesses that lost power last year.This risk assessment will be an important tool to help Louisiana address key questionsaround whythe load shed event happened, how to prevent future outages andwho is responsible for grid reliability in Louisiana.
Louisiana. This workcomes at acritical moment: Louisiana is experiencing unprecedented load growth, with nine major projects recently announced in the state, including new data centers and manufacturing plants. These projects could bring up to 7.8 GW of new power demand, which would morethan double the existing power usage of Louisiana’sindustrial sector Strong regional grid connections can help ensure that we can meet this energy demand at alower cost and mitigate any reliability challenges when power demand spikes. Without strong regional connections, we increase the risk of higher power bills, reliability issues and blackouts as these new large loads are brought online.
MISO’s job is to balance thesupply and demand of electricity in real time, help managecongestion on transmission lines and prevent large-scale outages. In simple terms,MISOallows utilities to buy and sellpower across statelines so that electricity can be delivered efficiently and cost-effectively
The May 25, 2025, power outage was linked to load pockets, or areas where electricity demand is high but transmission intothe area is constrained. In theNew Orleansmetro area, those constraintsmeant that even though power was available on the grid elsewhere, it could not be delivered fast enough to where it was needed most. That is why theLoad Pocket Risk Assessment is so important. The study will evaluate where transmission limitationsinsouth Louisiana remain, how rising demandand extreme weather affect risk, and what solutions could help relieve these constraints. The analysis is not just limited to identifying problems. It will examine solutions to improve reliability across southern
Somepolicymakers have suggested that Louisiana should leave MISO following recent outages. Doing so would remove Louisiana from asystem designed to improve affordability and manage risk across abroader region. More importantly,leaving now would halt valuable progress just as MISO begins astudy aimed directly at addressing south Louisiana’sgrid challenges. Research consistently showsthat delaying transmission development increases long-term costs forconsumers and limits economic opportunity At the end of the day,astronger regional grid is not political. It is practical.
Families wantconfidence that the lights will stay on during extreme heat. Businesses want certainty that the grid can support growth and investment. Communities want to know that the systemspowering hospitals, emergency response and daily lifeare reliable. That is one area we are all aligned on, and the Risk Assessment is an important step toward answering it with real data, long-term planning and solutions that help ensure Louisiana is better prepared forthe future.
Madelyn Smith serves as the Louisiana programmanager forthe Southeastern Wind Coalition
As Democrats in recent elections have chosenincreasingly left-leaning candidates, some whobear the label of Democratic Socialists, Republicansare taking the opportunity to paint the party as too radical.
President DonaldTrump in aspeech last week at Mount Rushmore warned of the dangersofcommunism andsaid that Americansshould reject such ideologies. Has the left embraced policies that are antithetical to American values or is the right stoking fears just to win in the midterms? Hereare twoperspectives:
What to make of move from redhatstored hate
Donald Trump has gone from redhats to red hate.
With his popularity stuck below 40%in most polls, the presidentknows thatifthe fall elections become areferendumon hisrecord, Republicans will lose. Sohe’s turned to his favorite strategies of fear and falsehood.
Trump has long pitted Red America against Blue America anddonned acrimson cap to symbolize his tribal loyalties. But after far-left candidates won Democratic primaries in New York and Colorado, he quickly transformed red from arevered color to areviled one.
“There is now aresurgence of the communist menace in our land,” the president said at arally in South Dakota. “Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty.”
exported by an insidious international conspiracy to poison theAmerican character
The political situation is complex because theclash between Trumpand his rivals is not purely an ideological rightversus-left conflict. For one thing, the president isn’tareal conservative in many ways, championing federal power over states’ rights in areas like voting rules and violating traditional normssuch as the power of Congress to spend federal money
President Donald Trump hadtwo messages in his speech at Mount Rushmore on the eve of July 4. The first, expected, message was atraditional celebrationof thenation’s250th anniversary.The second, less expected message was awarning about a“resurgence of the communistmenace” in the United States.
Red-baiting is adeeply dangerousand despicable strategy,but it has been acentral part of American politics for more than acentury,since the Bolshevik Revolution transformed Russia in 1917. Andit keeps resurfacing because it works, which is why Democrats face acritical dilemma.
The successful insurgents, some of them Democratic Socialists, have excited and engaged primary voters, especiallyyoung ones. And they’ve introduced innovative campaign tactics using social media that amplify their appeal.
However,ideas that win primaries in safe blue districts don’talways translate to Middle America. Control of Congress won’tbedecided in urban centers like Brooklyn or Berkeley,but in swing districts such as the suburbsofPhiladelphia and the farming towns of California’s Central Valley
The New York Times summarized the Democrats’ problem: “Theinsurgents, often campaigning on progressive platforms, have injected new energyintoa party still recovering from acrushing defeat in 2024. But they havealso concerned some in the party establishmentwho worry that voters are choosing candidates with narrower general-election appeal or politically toxicpositions that could hurt Democrats in November.”
Red-baiting comes easily to Trumpbecause it enables him to targettwo of his favorite enemies, liberals and foreigners, and throughout history,every outbreak has taken the same tone: Communism is demonized as alethal ideology, like an infectious disease or debilitating drug,
In addition, theDemocratic insurgents arepromotinggenerational change, not just policy differences, andcapitalizing on visceral dislike of Trumppersonally.“Fighter” and “outsider” are not ideological concepts.
But some of their ideas can be both ideological and unpopular,from abolishing ICE and denouncing Israel to nationalizing healthcare. Even moredamagingcan be “woke” cultural tropes, especially those concerning gender identities.
That’swhy MattBennett, co-founder of Third Way, acentrist Democratic think tank,told theTimes that primary triumphs by far-left candidates were “dangerous” for Democrats nationally.“What we’ve seen Republicans do very successfully before is weaponize thecraziest ideas of the activist left,” he said. “And now theammunition they’ve got is much,much more powerful.”
What alarms Democratic realists is simplepolitical math. The “majority makers” from marginal districts, as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi calls them, are particularly vulnerable to thoseGOP weapons, and agroup of moderate House Democrats felt compelled to issueastatementsaying, “Weare capitalist, not socialist.”
Oneofthem,Rep. TomSuozzi from the NewYork suburbs, argued in theTimes that Democrats were “nevergoing to win themajority by just appealing tothe extreme base” and added: “The Republicans are always going to get 40%. The Democrats are always going to get 40%. It’sthe fight over that 20% in the middle.”
Trump has madeamajor blunder by ignoring, even denigrating, thereal-life economic concerns of ordinary Americans. ButDemocrats are fully capable of blowing their chances if they misread the meaning of afew far-left victories
EmailSteven Roberts at stevecokie@ gmail.com.
“As we approach this magnificent anniversary,wesee our American identity underarenewed attack, ageneration after we fought and won the Cold War against the menace of communism,” Trump said. “There is now aresurgence of the communist menace in our land, including from newcomers to our country who embrace ideas totally opposed to our way of life and our greatsuccess. Theseare not merepolitical disagreements like differences over taxes or regulations.Communism is amortal threat to American liberty.”
Trump’smove wasn’ta complete surprise. After theJune 23 Democratic primaries in New York —the one in which Democratic Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani emerged as akingmaker by backing far-left candidates who upset progressive Democratic House incumbents— Trump quickly branded those far-left candidates as “communists,” and not as socialists, as they styled themselves
“As you saw with the communists elected in New York City recently they’re communists, they’re notsocial Democrats —they want to completely destroy thetraditional American way of life,” Trump toldthe Faith &Freedom Conference in Washington, D.C., on June 26. The Democratic Party,Trump said, is “becoming acommunist party.These are not social Democrats, these are hardcore, godlesscommunists. They’re godlesscommunists. All communists are godless. They don’tbelieve in God. This is themost serious threat to our country since itsexistence, in my opinion, 250 yearsago.”
By thenext week,whenTrump delivered the Mount Rushmore speech, more Democratic socialists hadwon Democratic Party primaries, one in Colorado, and one in Washington, D.C. What some non-socialistDemocrats hadhoped that theDemocratic Socialists of America victories would remained localized in New York City —instead spread across
the country Now,Trump is on record calling the whole DSA group communists. On one hand, it’sremarkable that so far there really hasn’tbeen much outrage and pushback from mainstream Democrats. On the otherhand, why would they push back?Manyview the DSA contingent as invaders who used the Democratic Party’sstructure to powertheir campaigns —for the purpose of defeating incumbent Democrats. Anotherreason for the quiet is that, for some of the DSA winners, the communist label either fits or comes uncomfortably close. Mamdani, of course, has specifically denied being acommunist. But he hasspokenofthe “warmth of collectivism” and“each according to their need,each according to their ability” —his paraphrase of Karl Marx. Also, at aDSA conferencein2021, Mamdani discussed goalslike canceling student debt, Medicarefor all and “seizing the means of production.” If you are talking about“seizing the means of production,” thenyou should notbetoo surprised when people think you are acommunist. But it’snot thatway for the otherDSA candidateswho wonrecently —Claire Valdez, MelatKiros, Janeese LewisGeorge andothers.
On the otherhand, allofthem are members of the Democratic Socialists of America, andthe word “socialist” has always been akey part of the vocabulary of communism, in the 20th century andtoday.Soone could say that Trump’s accusationisreasonably true for some of the DSA comrades who have defeated Democratic candidates and at least adjacenttothe beliefs of some others. In otherwords, it’sclose enough for a political campaign.
Thatsaid, Trump is absolutely on the money aboutcommunism, the ideology thatled to so much death, deprivation anddestructioninthe Soviet Union, Eastern Europe,Communist China, Cuba andelsewhere. “Communism is aloser,and it always will be,” Trump said in his July 4speech, the dayafter he spoke at Mount Rushmore. “Communism is the enemy of free people everywhere, everywhere in the world. Never works.”
Byron York is on X, @Bryon York
Pelicans fall in opener to Timberwolves, drop 12th straight summer game
BY ROD WALKER Staff writer
Not even a splendid performance from Kobe Bufkin was enough to stop the New Orleans Pelicans’ Summer League woes
Thursday
Bufkin poured in 30 points but the Pelicans fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 105-92 in the Summer League opener in Las Vegas. The Pelicans have now lost 12 straight games in Summer League play. Their last win in Summer League play was in their next-to-last game in 2023.
Bufkin, who has the most NBA experience on the Pels’ Summer League roster, scored 21 of his points in the first half. That included three 3-pointers. In the game, he knocked down five of nine 3-pointers to go with his six rebounds and two assists.
Bufkin was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 draft He spent his first two seasons in Atlanta and played last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, appearing in 16 games.
Pelicans’ coach Jamahl Mosley spoke Monday about what this opportunity means for Bufkin.
“I think it’s great for Kobe,” Mosley said “He’s been excellent in his communication with the coaches in what he’s trying to do and what we’re asking of him to do. Just be a facilitator and attack the basket when he
See PELICANS, page 3C
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
It’s hard to argue with LSU coach Jay Johnson’s track record of getting players to professional baseball. Since arriving in Baton Rouge, Johnson has helped Paul Skenes, Dylan Crews and Kade Anderson become top-three picks in the MLB Draft and developed Gage Jump, Luke Holman and Tommy White into second-round picks. Under his watch, Jacob Berry also became a first-round pick after one season at LSU. That trend of Johnson getting Tigers to the big leagues as high-round picks is expected to continue this summer, with Derek Curiel and Jake Brown expected to be selected in the first two rounds of the draft.
To help preview the draft, The Advocate spoke with six MLB scouts about LSU’s incoming high school class and its own draft-eligible players to paint a clearer picture of what may happen on Saturday and Sunday They spoke to The Advocate confidentially
This story is part three of a threepart series of scouting reports, draft predictions and analysis on every LSU player and signee.
Here’s what you need to know about LSU’s draft-eligible players heading into the draft.
ä MLB Draft Rounds 1-4 NOON SATURDAy, MLB NETWORK, NBC
Derek Curiel, CF Draft rankings: No. 8, The Athletic; No. 10, ESPN; No. 12, MLB.com
Breakdown: It would be a big surprise if Curiel didn’t land in the first round He hit .359 with a .957 on-base-plusslugging percentage over two seasons with the Tigers and was a Gold Glove Award-winning center fielder as a sophomore.
After playing left field as a freshman, Curiel proved this year that he has a chance to stick in center in professional baseball.
“He hit the ball harder this year and showed he could play center, and he puts good at-bats together,” one scout told The Advocate. “I would say he probably just kind of proved overall that he can do all of those things.” Scouts, however, are more split on whether Curiel is worthy of being ä See LSU, page 5C
Ruling allows athletes in the lawsuit an opportunity to enter transfer portal
The Associated Press
CINCINNATI An Ohio judge has granted a preliminary injunction for 24 men’s and women’s college basketball players suing the NCAA for eligibility, claiming the new age-based model unfairly shuts them out of further competition.
Judge Christopher Wagner said Thursday the NCAA eligibility rules have been applied to 2022 high school graduates in an arbitrary and capricious manner, adding the plaintiffs would suffer “irreparable injury” without an injunction.
“We hope the NCAA reconsiders its position and allows all other similarly situated athletes from the high school class of 2022 to compete for remaining roster spots in all sports,” attorney Ryan Downton said
Wagner’s ruling allows the athletes in the lawsuit an opportunity to enter the transfer portal. He scheduled a conference for Aug. 4 to prepare for a trial.
“While we will seek to overturn this ruling, it is now apparent that Congress must act swiftly to restore stability, uniformity, and fair competition in college athletics,” the NCAA said in a statement.
The Protect College Sports Act has moved forward with Senate committee approval in June. However, the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences oppose the bill designed to stabilize college sports and are seeking revisions.
Downton has filed similar lawsuits against the NCAA on behalf of nearly 30 men’s and women’s basketball players.
The lawsuit in Cincinnati was filed shortly after the NCAA Division I Cabinet approved a monumental change in eligibility rules last month
“When each plaintiff completed their fourth season of competition during the 2025-26 academic year, they had every rea-
son to know it was the end of the line and time to make way for the next generation of college athletes,” the NCAA wrote in a filing.
The plaintiffs are seeking to be eligible to play a fifth year during the upcoming season, representing athletes who graduated from high school in 2022 and began their college sports careers that autumn and never redshirted.
“Each plaintiff was harmed each time he or she competed in a basketball game against a fifth or sixth-year player without being offered the same opportunity to compete in a fifth season themselves,” Downtown wrote in a filing.
The NCAA now allows athletes five seasons of competition over a five-year period that begins with their full-time enrollment or the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever occurs first.
The move will all but eliminate waivers or redshirt years for extended eligibility except for religious missions, pregnancy
ä See NCAA, page 3C
BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer
NORTH BERWICK, Scotland Rory
McIlroy began getting into the mood for the final major of the year by taking advantage of the par 5s at The Renaissance Club for a 5-under 65, giving him a five-way share of the lead Thursday in the Genesis Scottish Open.
Patrick Cantlay made a little noise in an otherwise quiet year for the American with five birdies in 10 holes and then a collection of tough par saves at the end that felt just as valuable. He also was at 65, along with Tom Kim, Bernd Wiesberger and Rasmus Hojgaard
Hojgaard was the only player of the leading five to play in the afternoon, when the wind began to calm. He was at 6 under with four holes to play but found a bunker off the 16th, went into the rough and took double bogey Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world searching for his first win since January, made three straight birdies around the turn and was slowed by a long three-putt bogey on the 11th, followed by a drive into a bunker that kept him from reaching the green at the par-5 12th. Scheffler failed to birdie any of the three par 5s in his round of 68.
“Wish I could have gotten a few more shots out of it,” Scheffler said. “I like to keep a clean card, so two bogeys hurt. Maybe could have played the par 5s a little bit better But overall, nothing crazy Just a decent day.”
McIlroy felt about the same. He was tied for the 18-hole lead for the first time since the Masters, but this didn’t feel like anything special except for seizing on the easiest scoring chances.
McIlroy holed an 18-foot eagle putt on the par-5 first hole he started his round on No. 10 — to go along with a pair of birdies on
the other two par 5s at The Renaissance Club. That made his round and his scorecard feel a little better
He has been away the last two weeks since a pedestrian performance in the U.S. Open, though the brand of golf doesn’t feel entirely different. Shinnecock Hills might be as close to links golf as any course in America. The Renaissance Club has the look of links, though it is not links turf.
The real test is Royal Birkdale next week for the British Open.
“I felt like I drove the ball particularly well, and I started to see that at Shinnecock, as well,” McIlroy said. “A continuation of putting the ball in play, and then once I do that, I feel like I can attack courses and I can set up scoring opportunities. I did that today.”
Cantlay hasn’t won in nearly four years and slipped to No. 37 in the world after missing the cut in the U.S. Open, his lowest ranking in more than eight years. He’s had three top 10s and four other
finishes in the top 20. It hasn’t been horrible, but he has lacked a spark and might have found one.
He went to a slightly heavier putter to account for the slower greens this week and next, and it paid off in birdies and pars. Most impressive was his finish. He found a pot bunker off the tee on the par-5 seventh and could only get that back to the fairway, leaving him 261 yards for his third shot. He wound up getting upand-down and saving par with a 13-foot putt. He saved par with a 5-foot putt on the eighth and then got up-anddown from just inside 100 feet off the ninth green to keep a clean card.
“I’ve been putting in some hard work with my team, and have got some important golf the rest of the year,” Cantlay said.
The Scottish Open is co-sanctioned by the European tour and PGA Tour the ideal place to be for those wanting to get acclimated for the British Open, whether
it’s the seaside air the time zone or a slightly slower set of greens. It’s also a last chance for the likes of Michael Thorbjornsen, among those at 67. The leading three players not already eligible get a spot at Royal Birkdale. Thorbjornsen is fourth alternate. Brooks Koepka, who appears to be past that mysterious nerve issue in his left hand that caused him to pull out of the Canadian Open when he was off to a good start, felt that putting is all that has slowed him this year That much was evident when he missed four putts from 7 feet or under, one of them from 20 inches. He also rolled in three birdie putts from outside 20 feet and was among seven players at 66.
Nearly half of the 156-man field broke par “It could have been a very, very good round. But then again, I’m happy with the way I battled back,” Koepka said. “That was solid. So hopefully take that into tomorrow.”
The British Open is set to begin on July 16
BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer
The oldest championship in golf has become the last major on the calendar
The British Open has 166 years of history behind it, so it doesn’t need a catchy slogan — the PGA Championship was “Glory’s Last Shot” when it was last in the lineup for Scottie Scheffler and everyone else to know it will be eight months before the next major
“We look forward to them so much, we build our schedules and the year around them, and then they’re over like that,” Justin Thomas said “It sucks when they’re done.” And for the 153 players who have their last chance at winning a major this year? The pressure is not necessarily any greater, nor is there greater urgency to win one before the season is done.
“But every year you don’t is another year you haven’t,” Thomas said. The 154th edition of The Open Championship returns to Royal Birkdale on July 16-19 along the Lancashire Coast in northwest England, an area rich with links golf — three British Open venues are about 60 miles (96 kilometers) apart. The Royal & Ancient is expecting upward of 300,000 fans.
It will be the last chance for Scheffler to make it three years in a row winning a major In the modern era of majors that dates to 1934, only seven other players have done that Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka.
Scheffler became the “Champion of the Year” at Royal Portrush last summer with another command
performance on golf’s biggest stage He is not one to look back on all the trophies he has won in the last five years, but the 30-year-old Texan has caught himself glancing at all the names engraved into the base of that silver claret jug.
Scheffler is the last of 10 names added to the base of golf’s oldest trophy since Rory McIlroy last took possession in 2014. McIlroy the back-to-back Masters champion, is keen to get a seventh major and join Harry Vardon with the most majors by anyone from the Old World.
English hopes lie with Tommy Fleetwood, who grew up a short walk from Birkdale and Matt Fitzpatrick, whose three wins this year are more than Scheffler’s and McIlroy’s combined.
McIlroy hasn’t seriously contended for the British Open since 2022 in St. Andrews. His lone appearance at Royal Birkdale was a tie for fourth in 2017, though he finished seven shots behind. But he loves the course and the challenge off the tee it presents, which typi-
cally is his strength.
“The one thing that I like about Birkdale is there’s usually sets of bunkers on both sides of the fairway. So you’re always having to challenge one set of bunkers to get to where you want your ball to finish,” he said.
McIlroy cited the 10th hole to illustrate. To play it safe and stay short of the bunkers doesn’t leave a good view of the green with a midiron. To challenge the bunker on the left, and stay short of the bunker on the right, allows for a good chance at birdie with a wedge in hand.
This is not exactly the same Royal Birkdale that last hosted the British Open in 2017 because of changes to some five holes. The most noticeable might be the par-4 fifth, shortened to 321 yards with more bunkers and the green shifted to the left to tempt players to drive the green
The most significant change is eliminating the par-3 14th hole where Jordan Spieth began his remarkable rally in 2017. Now the 14th is a par 5 that used to be No.
Iwai leads in first round of Evian Championship
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France Aki Iwai shot an 8-under 63 for a two-stroke lead on Thursday in the first round of the Evian Championship, the fourth women’s golf major of the season, as top-ranked Nelly Korda struggled.
The 24th-ranked Iwai had eight birdies and no dropped shots in the sun-splashed lakeside town that three weeks ago hosted the G7 summit of world leaders.
Japan’s Iwai made birdies at three of the last four holes, including the par-5 18th, and led by two shots from Perrine Delacour, whose 6-under 65 included an eagle at the par-5 15th and a pair of bogeys toward the end of her round.
Korda was 11 shots back with a 3-over 74, including a doubly bogey six at the first hole.
Soccer star Pulisic fractured his leg during Belgium loss
U.S. star Christian Pulisic fractured his right leg during the Americans’ World Cup loss to Belgium and will be sidelined for several weeks.
Pulisic has a bone bruise and a microfracture of his tibia and fibula, the U.S. Soccer Federation said Thursday The diagnosis was made after an X-ray and MRI on Tuesday He would not have been able to play during the remainder of the tournament had the U.S. advanced.
Pulisic is expected to resume training before AC Milan’s Serie A opener at Torino on Aug. 23.
Pulisic hit a leg of Belgium captain Youri Tielemans while attempting a shot in the 52nd minute of Monday’s 4-1 round-of-16 loss at Seattle.
Commanders to retire Hall of Famer Riggins’ No. 44
ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders are retiring John Riggins’ No. 44 during the upcoming NFL season, the team announced Thursday The Hall of Fame running back will be honored in a ceremony at halftime of the team’s game against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov 8.
“There are certain players whose impact goes far beyond statistics, championships and accolades: They become woven into the identity of a franchise,” controlling owner Josh Harris said in a statement.
Riggins is the organization’s all-time leading rusher with 7,472 yards and 79 touchdowns on 1,988 carries and helped the team win the Super Bowl in the 1982 season.
15, only it’s 60 yards longer (602 yards), has been shifted to the right and now has 12 bunkers.
The 15th is a newly created hole that measures 241 yards Adam Scott was asked to give a short assessment and replied, “too long.”
McIlroy said he was “undecided,” which didn’t sound all that encouraging when he added, “I think it’s going to be a big talking point during the week.”
It’s a beautiful links course set among dunes off the Irish Sea, one of only two on the British Open rotation where the ninth and 18th holes return to the clubhouse.
And it has a rich heritage despite not hosting the Open until 1954.
Of the nine previous champions (Thomson won twice) all but one are in the World Golf Hall of Fame or certain to be there when eligible. Those nine champions have combined to win 37 majors. Links golf on any course can produce some quirky bounces, when seemingly good shots turn bad and sometimes — though not as often — the other way around.
“You can tell why golf was invented here,” Scheffler said. “You can hit a lot of clubs from off the green It’s not the same club every time, and it gives you an option. You can get some funny bounces sometimes. But it’s also a pure and raw way to play golf.
“The conditions change pretty quickly and that could have an effect on tournament. But when you have similar conditions over four days, it’s a pretty true test of golf.”
Harris English was the runnerup to Scheffler last year at Royal Portrush. He was asked what trait an Open champion needs to conquer links golf. “Super gritty,” he replied.
And when it’s over, another name will be added to the base of the claret jug. And then golf’s best players will have to wait 263 days until the next major
Wichita joins Dayton as host cities for NCAA Tournament
The opening round of the expanded men’s NCAA Tournament will be split between Dayton, Ohio, where those early games traditionally have been played, and Wichita, Kansas, for at least the next two years.
The NCAA said Thursday that both cities would host six games apiece in the enlarged 76-team field.
“Like Dayton, Wichita is a basketball-crazed community that we expect will embrace the reimagined start of the tournament,” Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill, the chairman of the NCAA’s Division I men’s basketball committee, said in a statement.
The NCAA approved the expansion of the tournament from 68 teams in May
Red Sox pitcher Suarez out of All-Star game due to injury
CHICAGO Boston Red Sox pitcher Ranger Suarez will miss next week’s All-Star Game after he was placed on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with a left groin strain. The IL stint for Suarez was made retroactive to Monday, a day after he left with two outs in the third inning in Boston’s 7-5 victory at the Los Angeles Angels. The lefthander is 4-3 with a 3.15 ERA in 17 starts in his first season after signing a $130 million, five-year contract with the Red Sox in free agency The 30-year-old Suarez was scheduled to pitch again on Saturday at the New York Mets. Tracy said the team is considering several options for the start at New York, including Brayan Bello, who was optioned to TripleA Worcester last month.
BY TOYLOYBROWN III Staff writer
One of LSU’stop targets on the 2027recruiting trail is no longer available.
Marcus Spears Jr., the No. 1player in the class of 2027, committed to Texas and reclassified to the 2026 class, according to ESPN. The 6-foot-9lefty forward turned 17 in April and will have to spend two years in college before being eligible for the NBA draft. He is theson of former LSU football and NFL defensive lineman Marcus Spears, now an ESPNanalyst. His mom is also former LSU women’sbasketball center Aiysha Smith, who started all64gamesinher Tigers career
“Marcus Jr.grew up in Texas, and there’snothing like playing for your home schooland winning,” Spears told ESPN.“Iexperienced that growing up in Louisiana at LSU. This is his decision and his future.”
Spears Jr.was re-offered by LSU coachWill Wade on May 21 after being initially recruited by former coach Matt McMahon. The star Texas commit was also heavily recruitedbyKentucky and Arizona.
Spears Jr.told Sam Lance of the Field of 68 on May29 that he was in contactwith assistants on Wade’scoaching staff but hadn’tspoken to Wade.
“I haven’ttalkedtocoach Wade yet, but I’ve been in contact with the assistants,” Spears Jr.said. “I seen what coach Wade did at NC State.
AP FILEPHOTO By GREGORy PAyAN
Dynamic Prep forwardMarcus Spears Jr.drives the ball against ProlificPrepduring agameonJan.19atthe Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. On Thursday, Spears Jr.committed to Texas.
He obviously did good, so I’ll be looking into it.”
Spears Jr., who will now be theNo. 4player in ESPN’s top 100 rankings, has been playing AAU basketball this summer for the Texas-based program Drive Nation. In 11 games, he averaged 20.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.5blocks and 1.2 stealsper game. He also shot 59.3% from the field and52.6% from the3-point line on 1.7 attempts per game The only commitment Will Wade has in the 2027 recruitingclass is AhmadHudson,
theNo. 26 player in thecountry,according to ESPN. The 6-foot-7, 239-pound four-star forwardisalso committed to play football for Lane Kiffin. Hudson, aRuston native, is the No. 1tight endinthe countryand saidthis summer he’sgoing to playboth sports.
HudsonearnedLouisiana Gatorade Player of the Year honorsasa junior, averaging 19.7 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 3.0 blocks. He led Ruston (23-4) to the DivisionI nonselect state tournament championshipgame.
BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer
Kawhi Leonard’strade to the Toronto Raptors is on hold pending the outcome of the NBA’s investigation into whether the Los Angeles Clippers circumvented salarycap rules, the teams announced Thursday It does not necessarily mean that the trade is off.
The Raptors said they still want Leonard, and the Clippers, in astatement sent to multiple outlets including The Associated Press, again insisted that they are not guilty of any wrongdoing relatedtoanendorsement contract between Leonard and anow-bankrupt California-based digital bank that touted itself as environmentally friendly
But the probe, as detailed by the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, could lead to penalties that include asubstantial fine, the loss of draft capital and, potentially,even the voiding of aplayercontract —ifthe league finds there was adeliberate circumvention of cap rules.
“The NBAleague office informed us that as aresult of the ongoing investigation involvingthe Clippers, we would assume the risk of any potential outcome of the investigationimpacting Kawhi,” the Raptors said.
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needsto. Defensively, can he pick guys up full court? Can he make it harder for the other team’spoint guard? It’s agreat opportunity for him, but it’sa great opportunity for all these guys to show what they are capable of doing.
While Bufkin wasthe most experienced player, the Pelicansalso got big contributions from the smallest guy on the court.
Markquis Nowell, a5-foot7guard, finished with 20 points, six assists, five steals and four rebounds.
Micah Peavy,who played
“In lightofthis, we will wait until the league’s investigation is complete.”
There is no timetable for the conclusionofthe NBA’s probe,which is being performedbyoutside counsel —WachtellLipton,a New York-based firm. Commissioner Adam Silver saidin recentweeks that he’d like to see aconclusion.
“My instructiontothem is we can’tbeinvestigating forever.Atsomepoint you have to wrap it up,” Silver said last monthatthe NBA Finals.“But at the same time, themost important thingisthatweget itright.”
Through aspokesman, theNBA said Thursday that it doesn’t“have aspecific timeline for the conclusion of the investigation but expect the firm to finalize its work in the coming weeks
TheNBA opened an investigation back in September into whethera$28 million endorsement contract between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC —acompanythatfiled for bankruptcy in 2025 —broke league rules, following a report by journalist Pablo Torre. Lastmonth,Aspiration co-founder Joseph Sanberg was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to defraudinginvestors andlenders of at least $248 million
in 61 gamesfor thePelicans as arookie this past season, scored 16 points on6-of-11 shooting. He shot 2-for-4 on 3-pointers, avast improvement from his rookie year when he shot just 25.9 % from long distance. Makingstrides in hisshooting was an areaPeavywanted to improve during Summer League play “I’m going togoout and show what I’vebeen working on and what this new coachingstaff has been putting in place,”Peavy said Monday.“Mainly,I can show just how many shots I’ve beenputting up. My confidence is there.” The Pelicans selected Peavey in the second round of the2025 NBA Draft.
BY ANDREWDAMPF AP sportswriter
LONDON— Coco Gauff had just the shot shewas looking for Sevenyears after her breakthrough at Wimbledon, the American player was on the verge of reachingher first final at theAll England Club.
Allshe needed to do was execute what appeared to be amanageableput-away on her first match point
Thething is, it’snever that simpleinaGrandSlamsemifinal, especially towardthe end of adecisive super tiebreaker on Centre Court —the sport’s most hallowed venue Gauff fluffed aforehand drop-shot attempt into the net and her opponent Karolina Muchova went on to see outadrama-filled tiebreaker to win 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (10) on Thursday On the matchpoint, Gauff hit awell-placed serve down theT on theadcourt and Muchova’sweak forehand return bounced before the service line—right in Gauff’s attack zone. But Muchova’s shot had some topspin on it and kicked up higher than Gauffwas anticipating.
“The bounce kind of caught me off guard,” Gauff said. “I just panicked alittle bit.”
After the miss, Gauff ran her non-hitting hand over her face andpracticed afull-swing forehand that perhaps she wouldhavepreferred in hindsight
“People whodon’t watch tennis are going tobelike, ’Why didyou do that?” Gauff said. “At the end of the day, that’sthe choice I made. Wasitthe right one in that moment?Maybe not. But then also, if Imakeit, everyone’sgoing to say how clutch of ashot that was.
roller coaster.”
Muchova will meet Linda Noskova in an all-Czech final on Saturday after Noskova beat Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-4.
Clearly flustered after her miss, Gauff called for aball to serve againbeforeshe realized it was time to change ends since it was9-9.
“I’m goingtothink about it tonight,” Gauffsaid.
“I look at Roger (Federer, in the 2019 final) lost match pointshere, Jannik (Sinner) obviously at Roland Garros (in last year’s final). Every great champion has this happen in their career,” Gauff added. “Maybe this is something Ineed to be on their level.”
Tracy Austin suggested on the BBC that Gauff looked like “she changed hermind threetimesasto where to hit that ball.”
sure moment,for sure.”
Diving like BorisBecker
On the point after Gauff’s miss, Muchova produced alob winner to set up her first match point, which she lost when she slipped to the grass andapassing shot from Gauff sailed by her But Muchova quickly set up another match point and produced aseries of shots to thecorners. Gauff,on the full run, reached the last ball but her forehand response landedinthe net and Muchova covered her hands in disbelief.
“You’re up and down in 10 seconds. Youhave amatch point, then match point down. It’snotime to think, but very nerve-wracking,” Muchova said. “I’m really kind of shaking and trying to sink it in.”
“Atthe heart of this investigationare Joe Sanbergand Aspiration,”the Clippers said Thursdayina statement. “Wedid not funnel money to Kawhi Leonard through Aspiration. Like many sophisticated investors, financialinstitutions, and businesspartners, we were victims of afraud initiated by Sanberg, whohas been convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
“Werecognizethe uncertainty this has created and theimpact it has had on our team, ourfans, the Raptors organization, their fans, and theplayers whose futures remain affected while this process continues. We remain confidentthat, when the facts are evaluated fairly and thoroughly,the NBA will confirm exactly what we have said from the beginning: We have not done what we are accused of doing.”
For its part,Toronto reaffirmed that it still wantsto acquire Leonard.
“The Raptors remaineagertobring Kawhiback to Toronto and look forward to aswift resolution for our players, our organization, and our fans,” the Raptors said.
The Raptors and Clippers struck adeal on June 30 on a trade thatwould send Leonard back to the citythat helped win the 2019 NBA championship.
Jaron Pierre, the New Orleans native and the Pels’ second-round pick in June, scored just two points in his 12 minutes of play. Solomon Washington, also aNew Orleans native, did notplay. He wasone of fiveplayers on theroster whodidn’tplay.
Center Hunter Dickinson finishedwith 12 points and six rebounds. He was 2-for4on3-pointers. Collectively,the Pelicans shot 42% (14-of-33) on 3-pointers. ThePelicanswill tryto endtheir 12-game summer skid Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets.
Email Rod Walker at rwalker@theadvocate. com.
“That’sjust tennis. Youlose some points off margins. A‘roller coaster’
Muchova also lost a match point beforeshe came out on top when Gauff hit aforehand into the net.
“Itwas such abig fight,” Muchova said. “Itwas a
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or active-dutymilitary service. Extensions will no longer be considered for athletes who are injured.
Athletes whose eligibility expiredbyspring 2026 under thetraditional model —four years of competition over fiveyears— will not be allowed afifth year of competitionunder the new rules that go intoeffect this fall.
TheDivisionI Cabinet hassaidina statement posted on Xthat it was aware of
But Gauff said, “Honestly,I didn’tchange my mind too much. Ifeel like if Ihad to do it over,Iprobably would have gone fora slice forehand downthe line.
“It’sa learning experience,” Gauff added. “I know Ican do better and improve on that,and going with a higher-margin shotina pres-
legal action challenging its decision andthat“we do not intend to change course.” Three basketball players, including Xavier forward Filip Borovicanin of Serbia, andthree coaches,including Xavier coach RichardPitino,along with an agenttestified at ahearing in Cincinnati earlier this month, while the NCAAdid notcallany witnesses. Wagner appeared to be critical of theNCAAinhis writtenruling, saying the governing body resembles “a highly profitable professional sports league,” more thanits argument of being a voluntary association.
Earlier in the tiebreaker, Muchova produced adiving forehand volley winner at full stretch that brought back memories of the way three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker used to play.She endedup face downonthe grass, her racket lyingnexttoher,as the crowd roared.
“The court finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that plaintiffs will suffer irreparable injury if the preliminary injunction is not granted,” Wagner said. The NCAA said the decision was wrong.
“Wewill immediately seek all avenues for reversal, including astayofthe court’sorder pendingappeal,” theNCAAsaid. “The court disregarded over a century of precedent and substituted itsown judgment, on alimitedfactual record, for the collective expertise of the nation’s leading higher education institutions.”
BY KYLE HIGHTOWER AP sportswriter
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. Kylian Mbappé had agoal and an assist after missing afirst-half penalty kick, Ousmane Dembélé scoredthe otherand Francebeat Morocco 2-0 Thursday in the World Cup quarterfinals.
Mbappé’sgoalinthe 60th minute was the 20th of his World Cupcareer and came in his 20thmatch at the tournament, moving him one behind Argentina captain Lionel Messi. Dembéléscored hisfifth goal of the tournament in the 66th
Mbappé wastaken down in the 76th minute and was taken offfor asubstitute aminute later.Hewas then shown sitting on the bench with an ice pack on hisright ankle After the match and with both shoes on, Mbappé ran and jumped in celebration with his teammates.
France will face either Spainor Belgium in the semifinals in Dallas on Tuesday France beat Morocco by the same score in the semifinals of the 2022 tournament in Qatar when the Atlas Lions became the first African team to make it thatfar.France now remains on track to become only the third nationtoplay in thefinal of three consecutive World Cups Mbappé got his goal with aperfectly placed shot just inside the far post after Morocco failed to clear theball. He received the balljust outside the area, took acouple steps
forward and then sent his shotsailing into the net. He extended both arms and ran to the sideline to cel-
ebratewithhis teammates France’ssecond goal came after Mbappé took apass and tapped it
back for Dembélé. Mbappé kept running forward and took defenderswithhim,opening space for
ROUND OF 16
July4 Canada 0, Morocco 3 Paraguay0,France1
Sunday Norway 2, Brazil 1 England 3, Mexico 2 Monday Spain1,Portugal 0, Belgium4,UnitedStates 1 Tuesday Argentina 3, Egypt2 Switzerland 4, Colombia 3 QUARTERFINAL
Thursday France2,Morocco 0
Friday Spainvs. Belgium, 2p.m.
Saturday Norway vs.England, 4p.m. Argentina vs.Switzerland, 8p.m.
Dembélé’sshot.
Franceheld a21-4 advantage in shots on goal and 8-1 edge in shots on target for the game.
Mbappé also hadthe first shot on goal of the game, just missing wide right in thefourth minute. Then,in the 25th, he was running up the left sidewhen he was chopped down in the boxbyMorocco defender Noussair Mazraoui. Referee Facundo Tello quickly pointed to the penalty spot. Mbappé linedupwaiting for his attempt but was held up by alengthy video review.Hewas finally cleared to shoot in the 28th minute, but after ahesitation, Mbappé’sshot toward the right corner was corralled by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou,who guessedthe directionofthe shot correctly
BY GREG BEACHAM AP sportswriter
INGLEWOOD,Calif. Spain hasn’tlost and hasn’teven conceded asingle goal at this year’sWorld Cup. La Roja is unbeaten in 36 straight competitive matches since March 2023. This lofty standard of play clearly doesn’tscare Belgium, which is on asurging trajectory of its own heading into the teams’ World Cup quarterfinal match on Friday
While Spain has been Europe’s most consistent winner forthe past 31/2 years, Belgium has played its way into position for what could be the final chance for its full golden generation to do something spectacular together The tantalizing clash at SoFi Stadium matchesapre-tournament favorite and the reigning European champions against Belgium, whichhas neverquitereached its full potential despitethe bigmoney starsacrossits roster. Yet goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois says Belgium realizes the opportunity it has after blowing out the co-host United States 4-1 on Monday in its best performance of the tournament and extending the Red Devils’ own unbeaten streakto 18 matches acrossall competitions.
“I think they’re one of the favorites to win it, so obviouslywestart as the underdogagainst them,” said Courtois, who has been at Real Madrid since 2018. “But in football, everything is possible and Ibelieve that we can win,with all respect. But obviouslytheyare the favorite.”
While Spain has struggled to score occasionally over thepast month, its defense has remained perfect, with Rodri orchestrating theeffortsuperblyfrom midfield.
Goalkeeper Unai Simón has played aWorldCup-record 609consecutive minuteswithout conceding, racking up another World Cup record of six straight clean sheets dating back to the 2022 tournament in Qatar
Simón has only had to make six saves in five World Cup matches, but Belgium has enough offensive talent to make any goalkeeper work —including Kevin De Bruyne, Youri Tielemans,veteran striker Romelu Lukaku, playmaker Leandro Trossard andCharles De Ketelaere, who had two goals against the Americans. Despite awealth of good players around teenagesensation Lamine Yamal, Spain hasn’tscoredwith as much flair as Belgium in this tournament,gettingseven of its nine goals at the WorldCup in two routs of overmatched Saudi Arabia
and Austria.LaRoja managed only
Mikel Merino’sclutch injury-time goal whilebeatingPortugal1-0 in the roundof16.
“Ultimately we have been very focused on thedefensive aspect, butwe’ve also historically scored alot,” Spaincoach Luis De La Fuentesaid Thursday.“Ithink we have the most attempts on goal (in this World Cup). Perhaps alittle bit more efficacy,and we might also be the squad that scores the most. But we’re so good on the attack that itgives the opponent littleopportunity to comethe other way.”
Striker MikelOyarzabal scored two goals in Spain’sfirst appearance at SoFiStadium last week, leading Spain to a3-0 rout of Austria.
“I think we’ve managedto build areally solid coregroup,” Oyarzabal said. “Regardless of whether things go well or badly,or who’splaying, theteam responds, and Ithink that’scrucial. We’ve achieved somethingvery difficult: creating that kind of unity within the national team.”
Belgium hasbeentothe World Cup quarterfinals more recently than Spain. TheveteranBelgian stars were youngsters eight years ago when the Red Devils madethe semifinalsinRussia, while Spain hadn’twon aknockout match since winning theWorld Cup in 2010.
Yamal’s time?
Yamal still hasn’tbroken outin his first World Cup, scoring only onegoal for Spain.His teammates and coaches say they’re quite satisfied with hisoveralltournament performance, which began with limitedplaying time in thegroup matches while he returned from a hamstring injuryincurred in April
with Barcelona.
“Maybe he hasn’tcontributed goals, but he brings all the attack,” midfielder Gavi said. “He’s incredible. Ihope that now if we win, hopefully in thesemifinals or the final, too, if we win, then he scores goals so people understand what he does for us.”
De La Fuente praised Yamal foranexcellent two-wayperformance against Portugal. The coach even credited Yamal for the fact that Nuno Mendes, who was attempting to mark Yamal, hadtoleave earlyinthe second half with an injury
“He’svery motivated,” De La Fuente said. “(Yamal) wants to do so much,and we know thebest version of him,the attacking Lamine, is something we haven’tseen yet in this WorldCup. He had to work on thedefensive sidequite abit becausewewere facing apowerhouse of arival. Ithink this was an exercise in maturity for Lamine. He’s going to perform on theattackingfront, that’s clear.He’sgot incrediblepotential, andit’sgoing to come.”
Injury concerns forBelgium Belgium lost midfielder Amadou Onana to aknee injury this week,forcing atactical change to preserve its defensive structure. That change might simplybethe return of De Bruyne, who likely didn’tplay against the U.S.tokeep him in topcondition for Friday’s match. WingerJérémyDoku is thought to be healthy now,but hasn’tconsistently played well at the World Cup.
Nico Williams is expected to be fit after being limited earlier in the World Cup, andSpain otherwise appears to be in good health.
BY STEVE DOUGLAS AP sportswriter
It’stheatrical.Itcan be maddening. It makes the world’stop soccer players look very cool or very silly
Thestutter-step penalty has been afeature of this World Cup, with the leading adopters of the technique being superstars Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane and Neymar Let’ssay it’shad varying levels of success. It hassent France through to thequarterfinals and contributed to Brazil’sexit. Messi didn’teven hit the targetwhenhetriedone in group play As for Neymar, aconverted stutter-step penaltyproved to be his parting gift to international soccer Andthat feels poignant.
PopularizedbyPelé
The stutter-step penalty where aplayer feints, sometimes repeatedly and almost to the point of stopping, keeping his eyes on the goalkeeper during their runup to the ball —iswidely believed to have been spawned in Brazil in thelate 1950s and early 1960s.
Nicknamed the “paradinha,” Portuguese for“little stop,” it was made famous by Pelé and continuedbya youngNeymarwhenhe was being hailedasanheirtothe three-time WorldCup winner
In 2010, at theage of 18, Neymar took the stutter to extremes when he scored apenalty forclub team Santos by dancing up to the ball, coming to astandstill after placing his standing foot next to theball, and then stroking it home, having madethe goalkeeper commit adive already It forcedsoccer’s lawmaking officials to change theregulations ahead of the WorldCup in South Africa that year,instructing referees to show ayellow card to penalty-takers who feint as they are about to strike the ball and to disallow those goals.
The law has been refined again since then,withplayers allowedto feint during their run-up but not aftercompleting it before shooting. ‘Sophisticated’ butrisky
The mainidea of thestutter-step penalty is to befuddlegoalkeepers so much in this battleofwills over 12 yards (11 meters) that they commitearly and offer an easy path for ashot into thenet. This “goalkeeper-dependent technique” —asit’scalledby
experts —isnot for the fainthearted.
“It is very sophisticated and hard to perform when the pressure is truly on,” explains Geir Jordet,professoratthe Norwegian SchoolofSport Sciences and author of thebook “Pressure: Lessons fromthe Psychology of the Penalty Shootout.”“If you’re competent at executing this technique, this will effectively delete the risk factorofthe goalkeeper going in the right directionand your odds suddenly going down.” However,Jordet added: “You need to have avery high clarity in your head to be able to do that.”
Most everyone is doingit
When it comes to penalties, there will always be traditionalists in the head-down-and-hit-it-hard camp. There was also fleetingly ahopskip routine,usednotably by Portugalmidfielder Bruno Fernandes andformer Italyinternational Jorginho, that enjoyed somesuccessaround six or sevenyearsago Nowadays, most penalty-takers have the stutter-step technique in theirarmory, even if they don’t use it all the time.
Messi used it —and failed forhis spotkickthatdrifted wide against Austria in the group stage.Hechanged course by doing anormal run-up for a penalty against Egypt in the last 16 on Wednesday and this time sawhis kicksaved In England’sgroup-stage win over Croatia,Kanehad apenalty saved after astutter-step run-up, only forthe refereetoorderthe spot kick to be retaken because thegoalkeeper steppedoff his line too early.Kanescored his second attempt after astraight run-up to the ball. Successful kicks using that technique have been delivered by Mbappé to secure France’s 1-0 win over Paraguay in the round of 16, Ronaldo in Portugal’s2-1 win over Croatiain same round, while Neymar now aged 34 —rolledbackthe yearstoscorefromone in the last seconds against Norway.He retired from internationalplay afterthe match. Possibly thebestatitisMexico strikerRaúlJiménez,who used repeated stutter stepsonhis way to converting apenalty in the 3-2 loss to England on Sunday. He is statistically the best ever penalty-taker in the Premier League, having scored on all14ofhis kicks.
BY STEPHENHAWKINS AP baseball writer
ARLINGTON,Texas JacobLatzwent to spring training with the Rangers competing for aspot in their rotation. He instead became an All-Star closer,even after his first appearance forTexas this seasonwas as astarter and he didn’thave asave until late April.
Latzisthe only Rangers player named to the American League All-Star team for Tuesday’sgame in Philadelphia. That is also where they opened the season, and he threw four no-hitinnings while starting their second game on March 28, only after two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom wasa late scratchbecause of neck stiffness
This season has certainly been an unexpected twist for the 30-yearold left-hander who has longed to be abig league starter.Heisexcelling in afirst-time role, with 18 saves in 20 opportunities and a1.71 ERA in 33 games. “When Ididn’tget the starting role Iwas hurt in the moment, forsure,”Latzsaid. “ButIknew that therewere good things ahead because of the work Iput in during the offseason. Ididn’tknow it would show up this way.”
That spot start for Latz inPhiladelphia came only days after being told he didn’tmake the rotation. He instead went into abullen without a designated closer,and he didn’tget his first save until April 25.
Latz was named AL reliever of the month in June after his 11 saves set afranchiserecord for the most in any single month. Hisother appearanceinJune wasaperfect
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afirst-round caliber player.One scout who spoke with TheAdvocate said he wouldn’tpick him until the beginning ofthe second round. Anotherbelieved thathis value belongedmore in the third or fourth round. Athird scout said he’d be comfortable with taking him in the back half of thefirst
Curiel isn’taperfect player. He only hit 13 home runs in college, and scouts question whether he has the tools to ever become an All-Star-caliber player in the big leagues. But the divisive nature of his draft value among scoutshad less to do with who Curiel is as a player and more to do with how they value aplayerlike him
“He’skind of like one of those in the eye of the beholdertype of players, because there are some people that will point to the contact skills and say,‘Hey,wecan make swing changes to get him into more power,’ one scout said. “And there’s some people who willsay,‘He’sjust not going to hit the power.’
“There’speople withinour organization that do thinkhe’sa definite first rounder.”
Aplayer that scouts have often comparedCurieltoisCleveland Guardians left fielderSteven Kwan. Like Curiel,Kwan is an excellent contact hitter with little power and an elite left fielder who can play center in apinch.
“I think (Curiel’s) like aGold Glove left fielder and acompetent center fielder,” another scout said “And now you’re putting him in the Steven Kwan bucket. As good aplayer as Steven Kwan is, he wasn’tdrafted in the first round.”
Despite these concerns about his power (or lack thereof) and ceiling, mock drafts have consistently pegged Curiel as afirst-round pick. One scout —who believed hewas closer to being asecond-round type of player —theorized that his draft stock is as high as it is because of the makeup of this year’s draft class.
“I think he ends up going in the top-15,” the scout said. “And it’sbecausehow confident are youinany hitter in this college class? Everyonestruck out.”
If Curiel dropped out of thefirst round, the chances of his return to school could rise significantly,for two reasons.He’srepresented by Scott Boras, an agent who often won’tallow his clients to sign for a salary he believes is less than what they’re worth. Curiel also holds negotiating leverage over teams as a draft-eligible sophomore because he couldreturn to LSU next year with two years of eligibility remaining “I think if he had stayed struggling, Ithink there wasa good chance he goes back (to school),” one scout said. “Because as asophomore eligible (player), he could go back and it wouldn’thurt.” LSU, however,doesn’tseem to believe that Curiel or Jake Brown could end up back at school. LSU
TexasRangers relief pitcher Jacob Latz throws during the ninth inning of agameagainst the MiamiMarlinson
June 22 in Miami. Latz is the only Rangers playernamed to the AL All-Star team
ninth inning in agame that went to extra innings.
Hisonlysave in the big leagues before this yearwas pitching the final three innings of a10-2 win over Baltimore last season, when as aswingman he started eight of his 33games. “He’salways super even-keeled. The qualitiestobeacloser,the temperament, the moundpresence and thestuff, he’sgot allof those,”first-year Rangers manager
has added three outfielders from the transfer portal this summer, all of whom havethe pedigree and talenttostart right away
Tulane’s Jason Wachs, Oregon’s Angel Laya andNotreDame’s Bino Watters all made the top-60 of ESPN’sportal rankings. Laya and Watters cracked the top-15.
Prediction: First round, likely top15
Jake Brown, RF
Draftrankings: No. 41, The Athletic; No. 59, MLB.com;No. 64, ESPN
Breakdown: Brown had an excellentcareer at LSU. He hit .304 with a.951OPS over threeseasons,won anational championship as asophomore andshowcaseddangerous pull-sidepower as aleft-handed hitter in hisfinal year in Baton Rouge.
He arrived at LSU as an excellentathlete drafted outofhigh school as apitcher.Henow enters the draft withthe same athletic upside, but as aright fielder who can potentially play center and has abig arm
“He hit for more power,and then, Ithought he didbetter against lefties this year,” one scout said. “Because last year they really didn’t expose him to many, but Ithought he didalittle better job.”
Brown was on track to potentially become afirst-round pick after a hot start to theseason, but adownturn in production in Southeastern Conference play andabrokenhamatebone in his right hand at the endof theyear added some question marks to his profile.
One scout toldThe Advocate that theinjury could affect Brown’s draft stock.Hebelieves theLouisiana native needed three full seasons as ahittertoprovehecould do it at ahigh level in professional baseball.
“Him missingthat muchofhis junior year,”the scoutsaid, “probably hurts him more than just aboutevery player.”
Twoscouts who spoke with The Advocate said that Brownwill land in the second round. Between Brown and Curiel, onescoutsaid that he thought Brownhad abetter chance of endingupback at school thanCuriel, despite Curiel better fitting the profileofaplayerwho could return to school as adrafteligible sophomore.
Prediction: Second round
DevenSheerin,RHP
Draftrankings: No. 145, MLB.com; No. 163, ESPN
Breakdown: Sheerin’send-of-season numbers don’taccurately reflect howgoodhewas through most of his onlyhealthy campaign at LSU.
At 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, Sheerinhas afastball that’supto 98 mph and adelivery that makes him especially difficult for righthandedhitterstoface. Those traits allowed himtostrike out 58 batters in 372/3 innings
“You can seethe deception,the stuff, thesize,” one scout said. “I would say it’sall that stuff.” Sheerin also throws aslider that could use some sharpening, and he
Skip Schumakersaid.
“I still think he could be areally good starter That’show good he is. Ihave no ideawhathis future’sgoingtolook like,but having All-Staronhis resume no matter what is pretty sweet.”
Schumaker, an adviserfor Texas lastyear,and Latz met for lunchin California during the offseason to talk aboutwhatthe pitcher needed to do to prepare to compete for a rotation spot.
They had what Schumaker called “a really challengingconversation”late in spring training. Latz responded that he wanted to pitch high-leverage innings. “You earn those innings, you’re notjust given those innings. He absolutely earned it two, three weeks into the season,” Schumaker said. “Long storyshort, that conversation in the offseason at lunchwas amazing,thendisappointment, then back to amazing.”
missedall of last season witha torn ACL.The injury,one scout said, may have affected his conditioning in the second half of this year
Despite theinjury,ESPN still has Sheerin as one of the top relievers in thedraft. Butbecause of his future as areliever,don’texpect Sheerin to be pickedinthe first few rounds of the draft.
“Relievers are so hard to peg,” one scout said. “But Iwould guess he goes somewhere (fourth round to 10th round), somewhere in that range. Prediction: 3rd-5th round
Santiago Garcia,LHP Draft rankings: N/A
Breakdown: Garcia’slone season at LSUhad itsups anddowns, but theleft-handed reliever possesses afew traits that shouldappealto major leagueteams He has aclean delivery,agood breakingballand afastballthat can get into themid-90s.Consistently throwing strikes wasanissue for Garcia —which likely limits his ceiling to being areliever but his best traits should still allow him to be drafted.
“I thinkatthe end of the day,his breaking ball, once again,provides him afloor of alefty reliever,” one scout said. “And if he’sgoing to throw 93, 94, touch 95, then that’s not bad.”
The same scout said he’d be willing to pickGarciainthe seventh round and prefers him to Sheerin, despiteSheerin’spedigree as one of the top relievers in thedraft
“You’ll probably laugh,” the scout said. “But Ithink there’s moreupside and Iwill always take alefty over arighty.”
Prediction: 7th-10th round
GavinGuidry, RHP Draft rankings: N/A
Breakdown: After fourseasons with theTigers, Guidry didn’tfully close the book on areturn to Baton Rouge for afifth year,but he did express awillingness to move on to professional baseball in an interview with104.5 ESPN after this season.
Latz has fivesaves when pitching twoinnings,and hisMLB-leading nine saves getting at least four outs are the most for aRangers pitcher since Francisco Cordero had nine the entire 2004 season. “This is aplayerwho hasdeveloped alittle bit later in his career, but it’snot for alack of determination and work ethic. This guy is as committedasanybody I’ve seen in the game, and he’snot afraid of the moment,” saidRangers president of baseball operationsChris Young, aformer big league pitcher
Texas took Latz in the seventh round of the 2017 draft afterhe pitched only 81/3 innings over three college seasons. He missed his freshman season at LSU in 2015 because of astressreactioninhis left elbowthatrequiredsurgery, then pitched in only seven games in 2016. He then went to Kent State but was unable to play there because of NCAA transfer rules. Latz made his big league debut by starting his only game forthe Rangers in 2021 before the transition to the bullpen.Hedidn’t pitch in the majors again until three relief appearances in 2023, andhemade46morethe following season. “Just incremental steps along theway.Itwas atough climbto getback frommycollege career to where we are at right now,” he said. “Little by little, Itried to solidifymyself as amajor league player,and lastyear wasabig step forward, just growingthe confidence. It wasn’ttruly linear but learned alot along theway And Ithink it definitelymakes it alittlemore meaningful doing it this way.”
you’re like, ‘Okay,I’m already going to be out, here’sthe next guy.’ I just think, as someone who played, that’snoway to pitch.”
Benge has afastballthat sits in the mid 90s and agood slider Control has been an issue for him and he doesn’thave the size to be astarter,but he has “enough stuff to be drafted,” as one scout put it.
Prediction: Rounds 11-20
ZacCowan,RHP
Draft rankings: N/A
Guidry,who began his collegiate career as an infielderand missed alloflast year witha back injury, consistently struggled to avoid hard contact, allowing 10 home runs in 432/3 innings. His issues came as asurprise following two campaigns in which he was one of LSU’s best arms outofthe bullpen.
“I am afan of Guidry.I thinkhe should have signed last year with the hurt back and all,” one scout said. “I did talk to his agent during thesummer, and he just decided he wanted to go back,whichisfine.I don’treally know what they’re looking for financially,but he probably ought to just take it and move on, do something else.”
The same scout believed that much of Guidry’sstruggles this season originated from LSU’s coaching staff notputting him in theright positions to succeed consistently
“I don’tthink he’spitching right,” thescoutsaid. “I don’tthink his fastball has enough on it to pitch upstairs like he is. But once again, he has agood slider.The slider gives him afloor as areliever
“You’re asinker/slider guy.Go with it, because you’re going to have more successthatway than what you’re doing right now.”
Guidry isn’tguaranteed to be drafted this weekend, and he went to the Cape Cod Baseball League this summer to help raise his draft stock. Buthis slider andtrack recordbefore this season suggest that he deserves ashot in professional baseball.
Prediction: Rounds 11-20
Connor Benge, RHP
Draft rankings: N/A
Breakdown: Benge didn’tpitch much in two seasons in Baton Rouge,throwing only 23 innings. Thatsmall sample size wasfrustrating for onescout whospoke with The Advocate.
“With all those guys, it’shard to pitch when you’re looking over your shoulder right whenyou get in thegame,”the scoutsaid. “I don’tknow howJay didn’tknow that, but if you throw one ball, and
Breakdown: Cowanhad astellar collegiate career,becoming akey arm on anational championshipwinning team and developing into an ace at Wofford before transferring to LSU Cowan’sprospects in professional baseball, however,are more muted. His fastball hasnever reached the mid-90s,helacks a plus breakingballand he doesn’t offer much deception with hisdelivery His changeup and command are both excellent, but his ceiling is relatively low as asenior
“I guess you’re hoping you can get him to throw harder,” one scout said. “But if he hasn’tbynow,that’s probably going to be it.”
Prediction: Rounds 11-20
GrantFontenot, RHP
Draft rankings: N/A
Breakdown: Fontenot pitched more than he ever had before this year as afifth-year senior, posting a4.18 ERA over 321/3 innings andsporting afastball that reached 98 mph at the start of the season. His slider could use some work, andhedidn’thaveareliable third pitch, but Fontenotthrewmore strikes thisseason after appearing in just six games in 2025.
“He got to pitch more this year than he ever had,” one scout said. “So it kind of told you they believed in him more.”
Fontenot pitched well enough this season to potentially be drafted, but one scout questions whether he’llactuallyget picked up by ateam.
“He’sayear older and really the samekid,” the scout said. “So why didn’tanyone sign him last year?”
Prediction: Rounds 11-20
ChrisStanfield, OF
Draft rankings: N/A
Breakdown: Stanfield’sseniorseason was definedbyinjuries. He broke his hand diving into home plate in the second gameofthe year,and then hurt his hamstring during the back half of the season and never fully recovered.
When healthy last year,hestarted in center field for theeventualnationalchampions and hit a career-best .298 with an .818 OPS. But despite those impressive credentials, three scouts told The Advocate they don’texpect him to be drafted this weekend.
“Small possibility,” one scout said. “Ifitdoes (happen), it will be late.”
Prediction: Undrafted
Email Koki Rileyat koki.riley@theadvocate.com.
The music of rock royalty,Queen, is in the spotlight for “Rock the Dome: Laser Queen” at 6p.m. Saturdayat the Louisiana Art& Science Museum’s Irene W. Pennington Planetarium.This electrifying showtransforms the dome into ahigh-energyfusion of laserlight, music and motion. $20. lasm.org
BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer
It seems like just yesterday that street cleaning crews swept up the last of the beads on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, exhausted costumers wandered home from the French Quarter,the Rex ball was on TV,and Carnival 2026 drew to aclose.
But, believe it or not,the calendar tellsusthat Monday marked the halfway point to Carnival 2027.
Though the traditional season always begins on Twelfth Night, Jan. 6, the date of the climactic Fat Tuesday changes year by year,based on the moon cycle
With Mardi Gras falling early on Feb. 9, the next Carnival will be asprint, providing just 34 days to legitimately consume king cake.
An increase in daily consumption may be necessary As our Carnival 2027 preview indicates,from the Phunny Phorty Phellows rolling streetcar party and Joan of Arc parade at the start of the season, to the Zulu and Rex parades that close it out, there will be nary aweek without aprocession.
And starting with the appropriately named Twelfth Night Revelers, the whitegloved set gets in on the action with aseason of balls, most private, by invitation, but many are extravaganzas thatcan be attended by purchasing tickets, including Endymion, Bacchus, Orpheus and Zulu.
As always, new themes, celebrity riders and other novel features will arise. Stay tuned.
Off-season controversies are, of course, as much a part of Carnival as glitter and doubloons. This year, city leaders have floated the possibility of anew tax on parade riders to help plug arecently revealed Mardi Gras budget shortfall. Meanwhile, asimmering lawsuit has pitted New Orleans’ Krewe of Oshun against its former float builder.Plus, former Krewe of Nyx members were awarded a$90,000 settlement in aclassaction lawsuit against the now-defunct krewe.
But fear not, despite stepping awayfrom the editorship, Arthur Hardy has agreed to continue contributing his unparalleled knowledge of the big party to the annual Mardi Gras Guide, set to publish around Christmas. Victor Andrews at The TimesPicayune |NOLA.com will take the reins as senior editor with Hardy as editor emeritus.
Ryan Kattner, in addition to a summer of touring with Man Man, is writingscripts on spec,contemplating thenext Man Man album and on the lookout for more acting work.
PROVIDED PHOTO By EBRU yILDIZ
The Baton RougeOrchid Society’sannual showand sale brings in exhibitors from orchid societies across the Gulf Coast. Also look for affordable plants from local vendors, tours, and education sessions running 9a.m.to 4:30 p.m.Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 3p.m Sunday at the LSU Rural LifeMuseum. Free. aos.org
Butterr&Friends: an ImprovCollider Show, partofthe ComedyShows at the Studio Series, will takeplace at 7:30 p.m. FridayinManship Theatre’sHartley/Vey Studio Theatre. The twohour event, bringing together improvteams for ashowcase, is rated R-ish due to improv content. $14. manshiptheatre.org
BY JOHNWIRT Contributing writer
RyanKattner,ringleader of the well-respected Man Man, put hisindie-rock band on hold in 2025. Themultitalented Kattner, akaHonus Honus, spent last year working on theAMC+series “TheVampire Lestat” —as an actor,co-writer,contributing songwriter,musician and music supervisor.The series’ third seasonofepisodes debutedthissummer,culminating in the season finale on July 19
MAN MAN/ DEATH VALLEYGIRLS
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.Friday WHERE: Chelsea’sLive, 1010 Nicholson Drive,Baton Rouge TICKETS: $25 INFORMATION: chelseaslive.com and manmanband.com
With “Vampire Lestat” production on hiatus, Kattner is all in for Man Man’s2026 summer tour.Friday,for the first time sincethe group’s2014 showat the Spanish Moon, the band is
back in Baton Rouge, this time at Chelsea’sLive. Tour setlists will include songs from ManMan’s imaginative andengagingly accessible seventh album,“Carrot on Strings.”Released in 2024 by Seattle’slegendary Sub Pop Records, “Carrot” follows the band’sSub Popdebut,2020’s “Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In Between.” “We’re going to be busting outaton of songs, spanning the discography,” Kattner said from Brooklyn, New York, the latestofthe many places he has dwelled. “Depending on
if ‘VampireLestat’ fans come out, Imight do aLestat song I wrote. And there’snew stuff.A lot of stuff. And we’ll play‘So It Goes’ for any ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ fans.” By popular demand, Sub Pop released“So It Goes”— acountry-ish ballad heard in the 2020 videogame “Cyberpunk 2077” —asasingle in March. Audiences first heard actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead singing the song in the 2016 short film that’salso titled “So It Goes,” which co-stars Kattner
ä See RUN, page 3D
to hiswebsite
t’snot theeasiput asmile on a salways worth
Yethe’s ma de it look easy for years on the stand-up comedystage and the small screen. While surfing, one is bound rerunsofhis nothing,” the nine-season comedy “Seinfeld.” Launch dinadditionto “Seinfeld” episodes, which he played
afictionalized versionofhimself, there are his comedy specialsand newer series, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.” Fansofthe king of observational humor, Jerry Seinfeld, can catch his new stand-up routine at 8p.m. Saturdayatthe River Center Theatre for PerformingArts. According to Ticketmaster,seats are still available in theorchestra section for$225.80.
This marks the 72-year-old native New Yorker’sthird trip to the Capital City in the last17years, appearing here in 2009 and2015.
Here’sa bit of Seinfeld trivia for you: n He’s authored four books: “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Book,” “Is This Anything?”, “Seinlanguage” and the picture book “Halloween.”
n He chairsGood+ Foundation’sFatherhood Leadership Council, which supports programs that address the
roots of intergenerational poverty and change the story around fatherhood.
n His full name? Jerome Allen Seinfeld.
n He co-created and wrote “Seinfeld” with Larry David.
n “Seinfeld” won22Emmy Awards and received 55 nominations.
n Rolling Stonenamed him the seventh-greatest stand-up comedian of all time in 2017.
n He practices transcendental meditation.
n His comedy influences range from Richard Pryor to Abbott and Costello.
n He directed, co-wrote, produced andstarred in theNetflix comedy film “Unfrosted,” which spoofed the creation of Pop-Tarts, and also cowrote and starred in the animated “Bee Movie.”
n He is left-handed and his first joke wasabout being left-handed.
FRIDAY
CAM PYLE: Crowne Plaza, 6 p.m.
EDDIE SMITH: T’Quilas, Denham Springs, 6 p.m.
ROCKIN’ ROUGE: El Paso, Denham Springs, 6 p.m.
PEYTON FALGOUST: Galvez Seafood, Prairieville, 6 p.m.
BUBBA PLAUCHÉ: BLDG 5, 6 p.m.
RACHAEL HALLACK & ERIC CANTRELLE: Sullivan’s Steakhouse, 6 p.m.
AC CAMPBELL: Court to Table, 6:30 p.m.
SHAUN MILEY: Le Chien Brewing Co., Denham Springs, 6:30 p.m.
CHRIS ROBERTS: Bin 77, 7 p.m
DON POURCIAU & KONSPIRACY: VFW Hall, 7 p.m.
BRITTON MAJOR: Copa-Cruzan Creole, Gonzales, 7 p.m.
JOEL NEELY: The Brakes Bar, 7 p.m.
JOEY & THE JUMPER CABLES: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 7 p.m.
HENRY TURNER JR. & ALL-STARS: Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, 8 p.m.
HOTEL CALIFORNIA EAGLES TRIBUTE: L’Auberge Event Center, 8 p.m.
HONKY TONK PLAYBOYS: Double D Daiquiris Denham Springs, 8:30 p.m.
JAKE ROUNDS: Scoreboards, 9 p.m.
RHETT GUILLOT: Fat Cat Saloon, Prairieville, 9 p.m.
REGENERATION: Icehouse Tap Room, 9 p.m.
ORPHAN ANNIE: The Edge Bar at L’Auberge, 9 p.m.
THE DUPONT BROTHERS: The Vine-
The following is a calendar of community events in the Baton Rouge area from Friday through Thursday, July 16
FRIDAY
“BACKROOMS” + SHORT FILM “TICK”:
6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Manship Theatre, 100 Lafayette St. In “Backrooms,” a therapist’s patient disappears into a dimension beyond reality, and she must venture into the unknown to save him. In “Tick,” produced by LSU students, a troubled night guard’s shift at a mysterious antique shop goes awry when he is forced to confront his regrettable past. $9.50. manshiptheatre. org.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY
EVENING SKY VIEWING: 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., BREC Highland Road Park Observatory, 13800 Highland Road. See the majesty of the night sky for those 6 and up. hrpo.lsu.edu/events.
SATURDAY
SWAMP BIRD WALK: 7 a.m.-9 a.m.,
BREC’s Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center, 10503 N. Oak Hills Parkway. Check out the feathered friends that call Bluebonnet Swamp home. Led by a member of the Baton Rouge Audubon Society, a morning hike through the forest and swamp while identifying various bird species. braudubon.org.
BATON ROUGE ARTS MARKET: 8 a.m. to noon, Fifth and Main streets, downtown. Vendors sell pottery, woodwork, textiles, glass, paintings, sculptures, photographs, handmade soaps, handmade toys and jewelry. artsbr.org.
RED STICK FARMERS MARKET: 8 a.m. to noon, Fifth and Main streets, downtown. Farmfresh produce and goods, including wine, seafood, plants, flowers, prepared and baked items and more. breada.org.
DISCOVERY DAY: INDEPENDENCE DAY:
9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Capitol Park Museum, 660 N. Fourth St. Explore history, creativity and patriotic fun. Free educational craft. Presented
yard, 9 p.m.
SATURDAY
JOVIN WEBB: Leola’s Café, 11 a.m.
BRITTON MAJOR: Sullivan’s Steakhouse, 5:30 p.m.
2 DOMESTIC 1 IMPORT: BLDG 5, 6 p.m.
STUDIO4: Victoria’s Mexican Denham Springs, 6 p.m.
GROOVE UNIT: El Paso, Denham Springs, 6 p.m.
3:05 EXPRESS: Blue Iguana, 6 p.m.
CATAHOULA: Court to Table, 6:30 p.m.
SHO RETRO: Le Chien Brewing Co., Denham Springs, 6:30 p.m.
THE LEE SERIO BAND: T’Quilas, Denham Springs, 6:30 p.m.
FLORIDA STREET BLOWHARDS FRONTYARD CONCERT: 15623 Chenove Ave., 7 p.m.
PAT-E & RYAN: Copa-Cruzan Creole, Gonzales, 7 p.m.
LAURIE & TYLER: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 7 p.m.
JEFF BAJON PROJECT: Bin 77, 7 p.m.
BEN BELL & THE STARDUST BOYS: Curbside Burgers, 7 p.m.
ACOUSTIC SATURDAYS WITH HENRY
TURNER JR. AND SPECIAL GUEST DIXIE
ROSE: Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, 8 p.m.
RHETT GUILLOT: T-Fred’s Tiki Bar, Prairieville, 8 p.m.
RIVER RAIN: Swamp Chicken Daiquiris, St. Amant, 9 p.m.
HEATH RANSONNET: The Vineyard, 9 p.m.
BRIAN & THE BANDITS: Fat Cat
by Capitol Park Museum and the Friends of Capitol Park Museum. $5; children ages 6 and younger, free. https:// louisianastatemuseum.org.
FAMILY-HOUR STARGAZING: 10 a.m., Irene W. Pennington Planetarium at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Learn about the stars and constellations in the local nighttime sky, followed by an all-ages show. lasm.org.
GREATER BATON ROUGE MODEL
RAILROADERS: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Republic of West Florida Historical Museum, 3406 College St., Jackson. Electric trains of all sizes will be running on five different layouts. Free admission and parking.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY
BASF’S KIDS’ LAB: 11 a.m.-3:45 p.m.
Saturday and 1:30 p.m.3:45 p.m. Sunday, Louisiana Art & Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Explore the science of chemistry during 45-minute hands-on workshops for young scientists ages 6-12 and their accompanying adults. Included in regular admission. lasm.org.
SUNDAY
SENSORY SECOND SUNDAY: 3 p.m.-
5 p.m., Louisiana Art & Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Dimmed lights, lowvolume music, designated quiet areas, headphones and sensory tools are available. Due to limited space, preregistration recommended at tinyurl.com/LASMSensorySunday. lasm.org.
TUESDAY
RED STICK FARMERS MARKET: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. Farm-fresh produce, goods, cooking demonstrations. breada.org. BATON ROUGE CHESS CLUB: 6 p.m.8 p.m., La Divina Italian Cafe, 3535 Perkins Road, Unit 360. A chance to play and learn; all levels welcome. Free.
TUESDAY AND THURSDAY
TWILIGHT TOURS: 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m., BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo, 3000
Room, 4 p.m.
SONGWRITER SUNDAYS: La Divina Italian Cafe, 5 p.m.
CHRIS OCMAND: Pizza Byronz, 5 p.m.
OPEN MIC JAM: Fat Cat Saloon, Prairieville, 7 p.m.
TUESDAY
STEVE GUSTAFSON: Stab’s Restaurant, 6 p.m.
EDDIE SMITH: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 6:30 p.m.
OPEN MIC JAM: Brickyard South, 8 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
BRENT ARMSTRONG: Danny’s Dive Bar & Grill, 6 p.m.
Saloon, Prairieville, 9 p.m.
SAVANT: The Basin Music Hall, 9 p.m.
CHASE TYLER BAND: Fred’s on the River, Prairieville, 9 p.m.
TITANIUM RAIN: T’s Country, Denham Springs, 10 p.m.
SUNDAY
CODY CRETTET: Copa-Cruzan Creole, Gonzales, 10 a.m.
Zoo Circle. Take a tram ride through the zoo in the cool of the evening, enjoy a narrated ride through the zoo, an animal encounter at the Wildlife Safari Theatre and an evening snack. Adults and teens, $16; children ages 2-12, $13; registration required. https:// brzoo.org/.
WEDNESDAY
RED STICK FARMERS MARKET: 9 a.m to noon, ExxonMobil YMCA, 7711 Howell Blvd. Farm-fresh produce, goods and more. www.facebook.com/redstickfarmersmarket.
THURSDAY
RED STICK FARMERS MARKET: 8 a.m to noon, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, 6400 Perkins Road. Farm-fresh produce, goods and more. facebook.com/redstickfarmersmarket.
STORYTIME AT THE SWAMP: 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., BREC’s Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center, 10503 N. Oak Hills Parkway. Children ages 2-5 (with accompanying adult) can listen to themed books, engage in short rhymes and songs, and interact with an education animal. swampevents@brec.org or (225) 757-8905.
OUTDOOR COMMUNITY YOGA: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., pavilion by the pond, LSU Hilltop Arboretum, 11855 Highland Road. Dropin; no registration required; bring your own mat. Free, but donations welcome. lsu.edu/ hilltop.
WEEKLY SOCIAL BIKE RIDE: 7:30 p.m., Geaux Ride, 601 Laurel St. Free. geauxridebikes.com.
KARAOKE, TRIVIA, BINGO AND MORE: 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., Brickyard South Bar + Patio, 174 South Blvd. Presented by BarFly Entertainment. Free to play. acebook.com/brickyardsouth.
ONGOING
ANN CONNELLY FINE ART: 1670 Lobdell Ave. Hours are 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Free. (225) 927-7676 or annconnelly.com.
ART GUILD OF LOUISIANA: Inde-
RACHAEL HALLACK & ERIC CANTRELLE: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 11 a.m.
JACI & JOSH: Leola’s Café, 11 a.m.
JUSTIN BURDETTE TRIO: Superior Grill-MidCity, 11 a.m.
FORET TRADITION: Fred’s on the River, Prairieville, 3 p.m.
OLD TIME MUSIC JAM: West Baton Rouge Museum, Port Allen, 3 p.m.
MOM AND DAD: Icehouse Tap
pendence Park Theatre, 7800 Independence Blvd. “Workshop Show,” through Sept. 9. Life Drawing sessions 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Wednesdays
$15 per session; open studio; no instruction. Classes are held at AGL Park Studio, 2490 Silverest Ave
BATON ROUGE GALLERY CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ART: 1515 Dalrymple Drive. Works by Mitchell Gaudet, Mark Jane Parker and Brandon Surtain, through July 26. Hours: noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. batonrougegallery.org.
CAPITOL PARK MUSEUM: 660 N. Fourth St. “We the People,” a living portrait of 21st-century American identity through nearly 200 paired photographs by Steven G. Smith shown across two giant screens, together measuring
about 12 feet high and 36 feet wide, through Jan. 2, 2027. (225) 342-5428 or louisianastatemuseum.org.
THE GALLERY AT MANSHIP: 100 Lafayette St. “The Monsters We Sometimes Become,” multimedia art exhibition featuring original works of artist Nathaniel A.J. Landry with an original musical score and live performance by Monoblack, through Aug. 14. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
KNOCK KNOCK CHILDREN’S MUSEUM: 1900 Dalrymple Drive. Offering interactive exhibits, programs and resources that inspire children to become creative problem solvers and lifelong
Dear Heloise: As aretired high schoolEnglish teacher,I read with interest the letter concerning how written and spoken English standards have deteriorated in the United States. Based on my experience, my students in middle school would tell me that there was little to no exposure to grammar skills or learning to speak in frontof
Continued frompage1D
“That’show my whole musician-as-actorstarted, because Iwrote that song,” he said.
Kattner’soriginal demo recording for “So It Goes” later found its way to “Cyberpunk 2077.”Inthe video game universe, he’scredited as Fingers and the Outlaws.
“I bought the game to see (how the songisused),” Kattner said. “Itplays allthe time. And it’sinadramatic moment in the game. Kids were covering it on YouTube and I’d get requests for it all the time. So, we figured we might as well releaseit.”
Another Kattner song has surfaced in Season 3of“The Vampire Lestat,” chosen by the series’ composer,Daniel Hart, who also serves as musicdirector for theband led by Lestat de Lioncourt Kattner’s characterinthe series, Salamander,plays bass for the rock star vampire.
By The Associated Press
Today is Friday,July10, the 191st day of 2026. There are 174 days left in the year
TodayinHistory:
On July 10, 1940, during World WarII, the Battle of Britain began as the German Luftwaffe launched attacks on southern England (The Royal Air Force was ultimately victorious.)
Also on this date:
In 1509, theologian John Calvin, akey figure of the Protestant Reformation, was born in Noyon, Picardy, France.
In 1890, Wyoming was admitted as the 44th U.S state.
In 1925, jury selection began in Dayton, Tennessee, in the trialofJohn T. Scopes, charged with violating the law by teaching Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. (Scopes was convicted and fined, but the verdict was overturned on atechnicality.)
In 1929, American paper currency was reduced in size as the government began issuing bills that were approximately25% smaller In 1951, armistice talks aimed at ending the Korean Warbegan at Kaesong.
In 1962, the first active communications satellite,
agroup. There wasn’tany diagramming ofsentences or speech units.
Most of this is due to state education departments who apparently no longer feel that grammar skills and being articulate are necessary —and that students will somehow learn on their own. The emphasis now, of course, is on state-mandated exams. They dictate what is to be taught and what day it is to be taught. Speech courses were once required for graduation but
have now been eliminated from curriculums. So, foreign language teachers have had to pick up theslack and start teaching grammar,which is essential when learning asecond language. I’d incorporate grammar in my classes by using student composition errors (mini grammar units), teach them how to diagram asentence, and assign projects that required studentstospeak in front of their classmates. Anddon’tget me started on the death of cursive
‘We’re going to be bustingout aton of songs, spanning the discography,’saysRyanKattner of Man Man’sFridaygig at Chelsea’sLive.
During this week’s“The VampireLestat: AfterDark” discussion with the show’s castand crew, seriesstar Sam Reid praised his TV band.
“They arean incredible bunchofactors and supertalented musicians in their ownright,” Reidsaid. “We felt so lucky that we had such nicepeople to play the band andwejust allinstant-
ly got on.”
“Daniel Hart spent so much time with us,” Kattner said. “That’s something that’sreallyspecial about the show.Threeweeksof rehearsalbeforeweeven started shooting and then we rehearsed throughout the fivemonths of shooting. Every time you see theband playing in the show, we’re playing live.”
Telstar 1, was launched by NASA.
In 1985, theGreenpeace protest shipRainbow Warrior was sunk withexplosives in Auckland,New Zealand, by French intelligence agents; oneactivist was killed.
In 1991, Boris N. Yeltsin took the oath of office as the first elected president of theRussianrepublic.
In 1991, PresidentGeorge H.W.Bush lifted U.S. economic sanctions against SouthAfrica.
In 2002, theU.S.House approved ameasure to allow airlinepilotsto carry gunsinthe cockpit to defend their planes against terrorists (President George W. Bush later signed the measure into law).
In 2015, South Carolina pulled the Confederate battle flagfromits place of honor atthe Statehouse after more than 50 years.
Today’sBirthdays: Singer MavisStaples is 87. Actor Robert Pineis85. International TennisHall of Famer Virginia Wade is 81. Folk singer Arlo Guthrie is 79. Baseball Hall of Famer Andre Dawson is 72. Rock singer Neil Tennant(Pet Shop Boys)is72. Banjo
penmanship! —Jon, in Houston,English Teacher of 42 Years Jon, Iused to love diagramming asentence, and it wassouseful when writing compositions. Readers, what is your opinion on American education these days?
Let us know at Heloise@Heloise. com. —Heloise Building life skills
Dear Heloise: Iraised five children, and each one worked during the summers. They worked in ice cream stores, department stores,
Before Kattner seguedto Salamander,heworked as musicsupervisorthrough thefirst two “Vampire Lestat” seasons. Hishighestprofileacting gig yet, the role follows his appearances in 2020’s“Woe,” 2018’s “Dames,” 2017’s“Use Your Delusion” andthe aforementioned “So It Goes.”
“I cantalk only ‘vampire,’ if you want,” Kattner said. “I’m proudofthe show.Honestly,it’sone of mymost favoritethings I’ve ever done Such agreat experience, and Ifeel so lucky to know Rolin Jones(theseries’creator) and Hannah Moscovitch and the other writers on the show.”
Music, Kattner’sspecialty, beats at theheart of “The Vampire Lestat” Season3.A la Jim Morrison and Michael Hutchence, SamReid’sshirtless, swaggering, levitating Lestat sings and struts for rabidfans. Kattner’sSalamander character appears most of allinthe fourth andfifth episodes,while Lestat’s band plays ahandful of cities “It’saninsane season of
lawnservice, and car washes for low wages. But what they didn’t makeinactual money wasmade up forbylearning responsibility, budgeting skills and punctuality I’mproud to say that all five children went to college and graduated. Asummer job helped each one of them develop skills that they’ll use all their lives. Ilove your column! —Joyce D.,inOverland Park, Missouri Send ahinttoheloise@heloise com.
TV,” Kattner said. AMC+ has yet to announce if “Lestat” will rise againin afourth season. In the meantime, Kattner,inaddition to asummeroftouring with ManMan,iswritingscripts on spec, contemplating the next Man Man album and on the lookout for more acting work.
“I’m one of those multihyphen people,” he said. “I wish that Iwas more gainfully employed in all of these things, but, going on 25 yearsofbeing aguest artist, I’mstill warming up to using that term to describe myself. It’sall side hustles and looking for a newgig.”
player Bela Fleck is 68.
Actor FionaShaw is 68. Singer/actor Jacky Cheung is 65. Actor Alec Mapa is 61. Country singer Gary LeVox (Rascal Flatts) is 56. Actor Sofia Vergara is 54. Actor Adrian Grenier is 50. Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor is 49.
Actor Thomas Ian Nicholas is 46. Singer/actor Jessica
CANCER(June 21-July 22) Reach out, get thelowdown anddowhat you can to help.The response you receive will change how you feel about yourself and what you want to pursue. Look for original ways to improve your profile
LEO (July23-Aug. 22) Take the road less traveled. Look fornew opportunities to putyour attributes to good use. Engage in eventsthat reflect somethingyou want to pursue in life.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Listen to your innervoice,not what someone elseis prompting you to do. Don't be atagalong when you have dreams of your own to pursue. You don't need to change to please others.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Focusonvalues, andset acourse to embark on what moves you most. Takethe path thatallowsyou the freedom to breathe easy and satisfyyour soul. Adomestic adjustment will openyoureyes.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Trust your instincts when dealing withothers. Be resourceful,research, ask questions anddetermine what's most likelyto support your long-term plans. An emotional situation will help mold your perspective.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Easy does it.You'll be manipulated if you let your heart lead the way. Stay focused on what's happening in your relationships andhow you can ensure equality.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Physical activitywill help youblow off steam. Protect yourself against thosetrying to
part you fromyour money or encourageyou to take arisk withyourphysical or emotional well-being.
AQUARIUS(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Pay attention to what's happening at home or to those you love. Compensations arenecessary when at acrossroadsorembarkingon alifestyle change. Stop worrying about what wentwrong.
PISCES (Feb.20-March20) Listen to your heart,not what others try to lead youto believe. Be resourcefuland engage in activities andevents thatrequire your intellect and experience, and you will outperform those whochallenge you.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Opportunity begins with you. Don'thide when it's necessary to put yourself out there andconnect withpeople whocan spark your imaginationand inspireyou to make changes to how you earn your living.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Engage in events that bring youincontact with like-minded people. Homeimprovementsthat make your lifeeasier will turninto viable solutions to whatever is lackinginyourlife.
GEMINI (May21-June 20) Change maybe haunting you, but acting in haste will send you on awild-goose chase. Slow down andrethink every move;timeis on your side.
The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By AndrewsMcMeel Syndication
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placingpuzzle based on a9x9 grid with several givennumbers Theobjectistoplace the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty levelofthe Sudoku increasesfrom Monday to Sunday.
Yesterday’s PuzzleAnswer
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer
Bridge
BY PHILLIPALDER
Hesiod, an early Greek poet, said, “Observe due measure,for right timing is in all things themost important factor.”
Thatappliestomany bridge contracts, either to make or to break them.This dealgives both sides achancefor good timing once North-South push intofour hearts.
West leadsthe spade two. Howcan East defeat thecontract? How canSouth gethome if East wins the first trick and tries to cash asecond spade winner?
The bidding was difficult.Whenone spadecame around, North thought about making atakeout double, but was rightly nervousabout having only twohearts. After North balanced with two clubs, South might have passed,but advanced withtwohearts,knowingthathispartner would rememberthat he hadnot immediately made atwo-heart overcall. North cue-bidtwospadestoshowastronghand and ask his partnertobid no-trump with aspade stopper. (Five clubs can be defeated after atrump lead.)
East beats four hearts if he shifts to the diamond queen at tricktwo. Thisgives thedefenders the tempo to collect one spade, two hearts and onediamond. But that is not clear-cut
If East tries to cash asecond spade trick, South should ruff and be willing to give the defendersone spadeand two hearts. He shouldignore the trump finesse andcash his tophearts. Then he turns to theclubs and gets hisdiamond losers away in time.
©2026 by NEA, Inc.,dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication
Each Wuzzleisawordriddle which creates adisguised word, phrase,name,place, saying, etc. Forexample: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON
Previous answers:
word game
InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or moreletters.2.Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” suchas“bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” maynot be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.
toDAY’s WoRD MAtRons: MAY-truns: Married women, usually marked by dignified maturity or social distinction.
Average mark 23 words Time limit 45 minutes
Can you find 37 or more wordsinMATRONS?
YEstERDAY’s WoRD —BAnIsHEs
today’s thought
“But so shall it notbeamong you: but whoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:” Mark 10:43
