BY SEUNG MIN KIM,
CLARE JALONICK and MEG KINNARD Associated Press
WASHINGTON Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies in Congress who traveled the globe to advocate for a more aggressive U.S. foreign policy, has died after a “brief and sudden illness.” He was 71. His office’s statement posted on social media early Sunday said his family “ap-
preciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.” It did not provide any additional details about the circumstances surrounding the Saturday night death of the prominent South Carolina Republican, a former Air Force lawyer who served in Congress for three decades. Hours later, another statement from Graham’s office said the Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia’s preliminary findings are that the senator died of aortic dissection due to arterio-
sclerotic cardiovascular disease. That is an aorta rupture stemming from hardening of Graham’s arteries.
Trump, who talked to Graham frequently, said he was “like a member of the family It’s very tough.” He said on NBC’s ”Meet the Press” that Graham had called him on Saturday night after returning from a trip to Ukraine and “sounded a little bit tired, but perfect.”
The president ordered that flags across
GRAHAM, page 5A
more business means more traffic
BY ADAM DAIGLE Acadiana business editor
If you’re trying to get in or out of the city of Scott during peak traffic times using Interstate 10, you probably know the routine. It might take a while.
The section of La. 93 gets backed up in the city just west of Lafayette, and it will likely continue as more progress is made at Destination Pointe, the Super 1 Foods-anchored 44-acre retail development that has about half its lots sold Residents in Scott are optimistic about the future of that development, but it’s the traffic that makes some people wince.
“We’ve already got mornings and afternoons a backup from the traffic circle all the way usually around The Best Stop,” said Caleb Lege, president of the Scott Business Association. “An increase in business is always good for the economy and the city, but it creates more people coming into Scott in an already busy area.”
major upgrade is planned for that area, said Mayor Jan-Scott Richard, but relief won’t come any time soon. It will feature roundabouts at the intersection north of I-10 and at Renaud Drive. The road between the two will be expanded to four lanes. Construction will likely start in
Blanche’s release of the files incomplete, some say
BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer
WASHINGTON Based largely on his tough cross-examinations of FBI Director Kash Patel last year, Jeffrey Epstein’s “Minor Victim No. 1” is pressing U.S. Sen. John Kennedy to oppose the confirmation of Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general.
“I feel like he’s somewhat, you know, starting to feel like that there’s something much bigger going on here. And I think he wants to find out,” Marina Lacerda said of Kennedy, R-Madisonville, in an interview Palm Beach, Florida, police began investigating Epstein after hearing stories about his sexually exploiting and trafficking underage girls. Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to state charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution He served 13 months under a controversial deal offered by then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, of Miami, that gave Epstein immunity from federal charges.
Blanche
In 2019, after several of the now-adult women went public with their allegations, federal prosecutors arrested and charged Epstein with sex trafficking minors out of his New York City mansion as well as his estates in Florida, New Mexico and a Caribbean island. Epstein killed himself while in detention.
Lacerda is one of 20 Epstein survivors working to block Blanche’s confirmation as the nation’s leading law enforcement official.
Blanche has been acting attorney general since former Attorney General Pam Bondi stepped down April 2.
Both Kennedy and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, in March 2025 backed Blanche’s appointment as second-in-command of the Department of Justice.
As deputy attorney general, Blanche oversaw
See NOMINEE, page 4A
Fire breaks out at pub in Bangkok, killing 27
BANGKOK A huge fire engulfed a pub in Bangkok early on Monday morning, killing at least 27 people before firefighters brought the blaze under control, officials said.
Footage shared online by first responders shows a huge blaze raging and plumes coming out of the front door of the Na Ladprao pub in the northern part of the Thai capital. People are seen trying to flee as thick black smoke billows into the sky Rescuers said the fire was reported around midnight.
Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters at the scene that 27 people died and that several of the injured have been taken to the hospital He said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Anutin said a musician who was performing at the pub told him that he saw smoke coming out of a circuit breaker near the stage before the power went out, then an explosion was heard and thick smoke quickly filled the place Many of victims were found at the restrooms, at the back of the pub, Anutin added.
Firefighters took about half an hour to bring the fire under control. Photos of the aftermath show charred tables and chairs, and the damaged interior of the pub.
Qatar’s former ruler dies at 74
Emirates
DUBAI,UnitedArab
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who as ruler of Qatar transformed the tiny Persian Gulf nation into a global player in diplomacy, media and investment, and then shattered tradition by voluntarily turning over power to his son, has died, state media reported. He was 74.
The state-run Qatar News Agency reported his death. It offered no cause.
Sheikh Hamad, who stepped down in June 2013 after 18 years as emir, was the architect of energy-rich Qatar’s stunning ambitions that turned it from a backwater into an international crossroads in less than a generation. Qatar owns the Harrod’s department store in London and founded the powerful Al Jazeera satellite news network Qatar’s political reach today stretches from North Africa to Afghanistan and it hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the world’s most-watched soccer event Sheikh Hamad, though long out of power, received thunderous applause from Qataris attending its opening match.
But Qatar’s rise under Sheikh Hamad also rankled regional and Western allies with its independent-minded policymaking, including its close ties to Shiite powerhouse Iran, the Palestinian militant Hamas group and Egypt’s outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
Al Jazeera’s blunt reporting, though a much-praised departure from the traditionally deferential habits of Arab media, also was criticized and accused of slanting coverage to suit the views of Qatar’s rulers.
Typhoon Bavi weakens, but brings strong winds
BEIJING Typhoon Bavi weakened to a tropical storm on Sunday hours after making landfall in eastern China‘s Zhejiang province, but was still bringing days of strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the country
The storm’s intensity continued to weaken as it moved northwestward across eastern China into the province of Anhui on Sunday afternoon, according to China’s national weather center Strong winds and heavy rain are expected to impact many eastern and northeastern Chinese cities on Monday, the National Meteorological Center said, adding that heavy to torrential rain was recorded Sunday afternoon in provinces, including Anhui. In Zhejiang province, more than 2.2 million people were evacuated due to Bavi, according to state media. The city of Shanghai, in Zhejiang, evacuated over 290,000 people from at-risk areas, while Fujian province evacuated more than 180,000 people In the coastal city of Yueqing, also in Zhejiang province, more than 1,300 trees were toppled, including at least 700 uprooted, according to state broadcaster CCTV
BY JON GAMBRELL, WILL WEISSERT and KONSTANTIN TOROPIN Associated Press
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates —
The United States attacked Iran on Sunday over an Iranian strike on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz that set it ablaze and left a crew member missing. Iran responded with attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Oman the nation on the other side of the strait that Tehran has pressed to collaborate in managing shipping traffic.
The U.S. struck again later in the day The governor of Qeshm Island near the strait told Iran’s staterun IRNA news agency that projectiles were fired at military targets, with no casualties Explosions were also heard in the coastal city of Bandar Abbas and Hajiabad city to the north.
A U.S. official said a few strikes were conducted on missile and air defense systems and paramilitary Revolutionary Guard boats at a couple of locations to further degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss military operations, Iran and the U.S. are near-
ly at the midway point of the 60-day period of their interim deal aimed at reaching a permanent end to the war
The strait, a key route for the global supply of oil and natural gas and long considered an international waterway has become a sticking point in negotiations that seem in danger of collapse.
“A return to full-scale hostilities would have catastrophic consequences,”
United Nations SecretaryGeneral António Guterres said, according to a statement.
The U.S. military earlier Sunday said it hit some 140 targets, including missile and drone launch sites, ammunition dumps, communication equipment and other sites.
The attacks were heavier than in recent days. The U.S. has launched three rounds of airstrikes targeting Iran in the past week over attacks on ships heading through the strait using a route off Oman, seeking to avoid the Islamic Republic’s territorial waters.
“We bombed the hell out of them last night,” President Donald Trump told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Semiofficial Iranian news agencies reported that a navy officer was killed Iran retaliated by attacking nations in the region hosting U.S. military forces, while insisting it alone must control the strait and potentially charge vessels for traveling through it
“The era of one-sided
deals is OVER,” Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament and a main negotiator, wrote. “We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking.” Iran said the strait was closed until calm is restored, and Tehran would consider targeting “additional enemy bases in the region” if it faced more attacks. The U.S. military and Trump asserted that the strait remained open.
The U.S. military said over 140 ships had transited over the past week A multinational body overseen by the U.S Navy said traffic continued “at reduced levels” off both Oman and Iran, and that nearly 140 vessels transited daily be-
fore the war About a fifth of all traded oil and natural gas passed through the strait before the war Iran’s grip on it led to a global energy crisis, though oil prices have sharply dropped since wartime highs of $120 a barrel. Missile alerts sounded across several Gulf Arab countries.
Qatar’s military said it intercepted incoming Iranian fire, with explosions heard in the neighboring United Arab Emirates. Three people, including a child, were wounded by shrapnel from the interception of attacks, Qatar’s Interior Ministry said.
Missile alerts sounded in Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.
Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said three “land border posts” in the north and an offshore drilling platform of the Kuwait Oil Company were damaged, with one worker wounded.
Three Iranian missiles struck areas across Jordan, causing minor damage but no injuries, Jordan’s state news agency reported. And the Omani state news agency said drones struck sites in an area on the waterway a day after Oman and Iran held talks on the strait and agreed to continue discussions. The strait sits in Iran and Oman’s territorial waters. Oman summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest the strikes, the first such move since the war began, calling Iran’s acts “irresponsible.”
By The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA Residents in some Philadelphia neighborhoods and surrounding counties were cleaning up Sunday from widespread damage caused by a line of severe, short thunderstorms that passed through.
The storms, called microbursts, passed through Saturday afternoon, downing trees and power lines, flooding a handful of streets and causing structural damage. A building that collapsed in a West Philadelphia neighborhood threw bricks into the street, crushing cars and blocking trolley tracks.
The National Weather Service said at least four of the microbursts brought straight-line wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph to Montgom-
branch blocks a street Sunday after a line of severe, short thunderstorms passed through the city the day before in Philadelphia.
ery and Philadelphia counties between about 2:30 and 3:15 p.m. Saturday Despite speculation that the damage — including part of a roof torn off a Philadelphia Housing Authority apartment building had been caused by a tornado, NWS officials confirmed the
straight-line winds were to blame.
The microbursts in Philadelphia were among a range of severe weather across the U.S. this weekend that included heatwaves flooding and wildfires.
In a news release early
Shooting near Toronto street festival kills 2 people and wounds 4
BY ROB GILLIES Associated Press
TORONTO A shooting near a Toronto street festival killed two men and wounded four other people Saturday evening, police said, adding that what initially prompted an active-shooter warning was an exchange of gunfire between two people targeting each other
Toronto Police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo said investigators recovered two firearms after the shooting that was reported at 8:12 p.m. near St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue, where the Salsa on St. Clair festival was underway No suspect or suspects had been arrested by the time of a late-night news conference, where Barredo confirmed both of the deceased victims were men.
Officers initially urged the public to avoid the area before later announcing the scene had been secured.
“There was some concern about an active shooter That turned out not to be the case,” Barredo said. But the two gunmen involved in the shooting “indiscriminately put vast numbers of people in danger.”
Valerie Rodriguez said she was sitting outside a nearby restaurant when people suddenly began screaming and running.
“A bunch of people told us to lay down onto the floor,” she said. “We got scared because we didn’t know exactly
what was happening.”
Festival vendor Patsy Gutierrez said she was serving customers when she saw “a huge wave” of people fleeing.
“Everybody started getting frantic and then we stopped serving,” she said. “I don’t think it should be something that’s happening at these types of events.”
A large police presence remained around the festival, an annual celebration of Latin American culture that draws thousands of people to Toronto’s St. Clair West neighborhood for live music, dancing, food and cultural performances. “I’m deeply disturbed and angry about this reckless and irresponsible act of violence right in the middle of a festival attended by families,” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said.
Sunday from Philadelphia officials, Mayor Cherelle Parker said she had toured the damage in multiple neighborhoods in her city throughout Saturday afternoon and evening The city issued a Declaration of Disaster Emergency related to the storms.
“Every level of government is working together today, tonight, and for as long as it takes to respond to this storm, restore services, and help our residents recover That is our commitment,”
she said. Philadelphia Housing Authority officials said 11 residential units were affected by the roof and water damage at its apartment building. All residents were safely evacuated to temporary shelter before being relocated to a nearby hotel.
Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management staff also helped evacuate at least one private residential property because of damage as well, city officials said.
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Firm agrees to pay $26.9M over Kansas oil spill
BY JOHN HANNA Associated Press
TOPEKA,Kan.— A proposed legal settlement with the U.S. government would require the Keystone Pipeline system’s operator to pay a $26.9 million civil penalty over a major oil spill in Kansas in December 2022 and spend about $40 million more to prevent future accidents.
The agreement would resolve allegations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Kansas that South Bow, based in Canada, violated U.S. and state clean water laws. The rupture dumped nearly 13,000 barrels of heavy crude oil into a creek running through a rural pasture in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles northwest of Kansas City The accident was the largest onshore crude pipeline spill in the U.S. in nine years and surpassed all 22 previ-
ous ones on the same pipeline system combined, according to a 2021 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The total amount of oil spilled would have nearly filled an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
South Bow also would pay Kansas more than $3 million for environmental restoration projects under a proposed decree filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Kansas. A judge would have to approve the proposal after a 30-day public comment period
South Bow also would pay Kansas more than $3 million for environmental restoration projects under a proposed decree filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Kansas A judge would have to approve the proposed decree after a 30-day public comment period.
“The oil spill blanketed land and water, rendering the waterway lifeless and useless and requiring extensive cleanup and remediation,” Jeffrey Hall, the EPA’s assistant administrator for its enforcement office, said in a statement. “The substantial
The ruptured Keystone
9, 2022.
penalty reflects the seriousness of the environmental harm.”
South Bow officials did not respond immediately Sunday to a phone message and email seeking comment, but the company told The Canadian Press that it “proactively” began cleaning up
the area before receiving directives from U.S. officials. The cleanup was completed early in 2024.
The company that built the pipeline, TC Energy, spun off South Bow as a separate firm in 2024, after the Kansas cleanup was done.
No pipeline workers or
area residents were injured, and officials said public water supplies weren’t affected by the spill. However, a complaint filed Friday by the U.S. government along with the proposed settlement said more than 2,700 animals were harmed or killed. The area is home to an endan-
gered species, the long-eared bat. In a May 2023 report for the U.S. government, an engineering consulting firm said that a bend in the Keystone system where the spill occurred had been “overstressed” since its installation in December 2010 — likely because construction activity itself altered the land around the pipe. The complaint filed Friday in court said soil under the pipe had been “improperly compacted” and that while the company re-excavated the site in 2013, it did not replace that section of pipe. The 2,689-mile Keystone system carries thick, Canadian tar sands oil to refineries in Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas. In April, President Donald Trump gave the go-ahead for South Bow and another company to build a second pipeline from Canada to Wyoming, a smaller version of a massive $8 billion pipeline project known as Keystone XL blocked by former President Joe Biden’s administration in 2021 over environmental concerns.
Plea and sentencing hearing set
BY KATE BRUMBACK
ATLANTA A judge has set a plea and sentencing hearing later this month for a teenager accused of killing four people in a September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia Colt Gray, 16, had pleaded not guilty to charges including murder in the shooting that killed two students and two teachers, and left several others wounded, at the high school northeast of Atlanta. In a court filing Friday, the judge overseeing his case set a “Non-Negotiated Plea and Sentencing Hearing” to begin July 24 The judge had previously said that if Gray wanted to plead guilty ahead of trial, he must notify the state and court by this coming Wednesday A non-negotiated plea means that the state and the defense have not reached an agreement on a sentence.
Unlike a negotiated plea, or plea deal, where a defendant reaches an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty in exchange for an agreed upon sentence and possibly reduced charges, this leaves sentencing entirely up to the judge who makes a decision after giving each side a chance to present a summary of the case and a sentencing recommendation.
Gray’s attorney did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Sunday Gray’s trial had been set to begin in mid-October in Columbia County, about 100 miles from Barrow County where the shooting
BY WAFAA SHURAFA and NATALIE MELZER Associated Press
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip Israeli fire in Gaza on Sunday killed at least six Palestinians, including a 9-year-old girl, and wounded over a dozen others, according to local health officials A drone strike on a blacksmith shop in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood killed at least four Palestinians, according to officials at Shifa hospital, where the casualties were taken. The Israeli military acknowledged striking the area, saying it targeted “terrorist infrastructure,” without elaborating. It later said it struck a Hamas weapon production site Palestinians received an evacuation order from the military following the first strikes. Roughly an hour later, intense airstrikes targeted the same blacksmith shop. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society’s ambulance service said the strikes in Gaza City wounded 14 people. Also on Sunday, Israeli gunfire killed 9-year-old Tala Abu Matar in a displacement camp in central Gaza, according to officials at the
Palestinians gather Sunday around the site of an Israeli military drone strike on a blacksmith shop in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood that killed at least four Palestinians and wounded another according to officials at Shifa hospital, where
Health Ministry The Israeli military said it was unaware of such an incident And an Israeli strike on a displacement tent in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis killed one Palestinian, according to health officials at Nasser hospital, where the body was taken Israel’s military said it carried out a strike in that area and called it “part of routine activities.” The military said it was not aware of casualties. Israeli strikes have less-
ened considerably since a ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, but they continue almost daily Israel’s military says it targets Hamas and other militants, often asserting they were planning attacks. The strikes have also killed many civilians. At least 1,098 Palestinians, including at least 260 children, have been killed since the ceasefire, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry Five Israeli soldiers have been killed in that time.
happened, after the judge agreed to a defense request to change the venue.
Gray’s father, Colin Gray, was convicted by a jury in March on charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors said he gave his teenage son the assault-style rifle used to open fire at the school. The elder Gray is set to be sentenced later this month.
The Sept. 4, 2024, shooting killed teachers Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. Another teacher and eight more students were
wounded, seven of them hit by gunfire. Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time of the shooting, was charged as an adult with 55 total counts, including murder cruelty to children and 25 counts of aggravated assault.
Investigators testified that Colt Gray carried the rifle given to him by his father onto the school bus with the barrel wrapped in a poster board. They said the teenager left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the rifle, shooting people in a classroom and hallway
Investigators have said the teenager carefully plotted the shooting at the high school of 1,900 students. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent testified that the boy left a notebook in his classroom with step-by-step instructions and a diagram to prepare for the assault, including an estimate that he could kill as many as 26 people and wound as many as 13 others. Colt and Colin Gray were interviewed by sheriff’s deputies about an online threat linked to Colt Gray in May 2023. Colt Gray denied making the threat at the time. He skipped eighth grade, enrolled as a freshman at Apalachee after the academic year began, and then skipped multiple days of school.
By The Associated Press
the organization and release of nearly3million files gathered by law enforcement looking into allegations that the wealthy financier recruitedmorethana thousand young girls for sex.
Blanche has said repeatedly that no evidence that adult men had sex with girls was found in the interviews, transcripts,notesand other materials gathered during the investigations into Epstein’sconduct, even though at least one accuser claimed she was sent to have sex with men in Epstein’scircle.
“Wecan’tallow for this man to come in and gaslight in saying that there’snothingheretolookat,”Lacerda said. “There are things to look at.”
Lobbying to stop nomination Lacerda and 19 other survivors wrote in aletter that they were concerned that Blanche was among senior administration figures who adopted astrategy of minimizing the Epstein files instead of choosing to pursue “investigative leads and try to figure out what actually happened. These revelations confirm our worst fears about the administration prioritizing political expediency overjustice for survivors and truth for the American people.”
Marina Lacerda, avictim of JeffreyEpstein’s
Stein, right, also an
for comment.
to thelist after survivors reviewed his questioning of Patel over several committee hearings late last year
In particular,Lacerda said,Kennedy challenged Patel, whosaid despite the legal issues raised by the 2008 federal no npr ose c uti on agreement,“allcredible information” hadbeen released and that nothing had beenfound to warrant further prosecutions.
‘I wasstunned’
Born in Brazil,Lacerda moved to New York City at the age of 8. Her immigrant family jammed intoasmall apartment and survived on instant ramen noodles. Lacerda took on small jobs to help out. Afriend mentioned “a kind,older man” would pay $300 for young girls to massagehim without wearing atop, she said.
until Lacerda was deemed “too old” at 17, Epstein paid to sexually abuse her, she said.She dropped out of school to work forEpstein.
Lacerda, now38, filed an anonymous complaint and prosecutors linedher up to testify in 2008, beforethe trialwas averted by the pleabargain, andthenagain in 2019 beforeEpstein took his own life.
formationtoavoid tarring innocents, he added.
Investigations frustration
Lacerda says she and her fellowsurvivors arefrustrated that only two people have been prosecuted by U.S. authorities— Epstein in 2008 and his longtime girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell in 2022. Maxwell is serving a20-year sentence at aminimum security Texas prison camp that usually doesn’thouse sex offenders.
Blanche interviewed her, then facilitated the move in August 2025 from aFlorida penitentiary,where security is not as relaxed.
Consequences have been greater for Epstein associates in other countries. In the United Kingdom, former Prince Andrew lost his position as aBritish royal and wasforced to move outofa palace owned by his family
Survivors also question whyinvestigators aren’tfollowing up on the information found in the files and revealed through sworn testimony at theHouse Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
“We’re forgetting about the people that we have just questioned,” Lacerda said.
lease of the Epstein records.
SeniorU.S. DistrictJudge Emmet G. Sullivan, of Washington, said Blanche essentially admitted to the violationsbyfailing to address the lawsuit’sallegations that a13-year-old’sclaims againstTrump waswithheld.
Trumprepeatedly hassaid he endedhis relationship with Epstein years ago and was unaware of underage girls being used for sex. No evidence hasbeenrevealed that Trump or Clinton had sex with underage girls. Otheropposition
The Epstein survivors aren’t the only opponents of Blanche’snomination.
More than 1,200 former agents, analysts, immigrationjudges, lawyers and other staffers wrote to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday detailing why they are against making him the attorney general.
Thesurvivors need one Republican senator on their side to kill Blanche’snomination in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will hear from the nominee on Wednesday andThursday.Kennedy is amember of that committee.
Survivors have focused their efforts on twoGOP incumbents whosereelections Trump opposed: Sen Thom Tillis, R-N.C.,and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Kennedy,who has agood relationshipwith President Donald Trump, was added
Continued from page1A
late 2027 or early 2028.
“It’sasignificant project, but it’sgoing to help mitigate some traffic concerns in that area,” Richard said. “And hopefully spur some economic growth. There will be some inconveniences in the short term, but the end goal is always the focus here.”
Nearly adecade since the arrival of that Super 1store and 20 years since the four property owners bought the land, Destination Pointe could be nearly full by then Tenofthe 19 lots have been sold, with construction either underway or expected to start soon on five of them.
The El Paso Mexican Grill is expected to open soon, Richard said.
“This interchange is anice interchange, obviously the best going west from Lafayette,” said Ryan Pecot, senior retail leasing and development adviser with Stirling Properties, which is marketing the site. “It reminds me of what we programmed at Hector ConnalyRoadup in Carencro. The difference is you had the Walmart that relocated there,but other than that, they’re pretty similar and both took alittle bit of time.”
Thelatest
Waffle House wasthe most recent land purchase when it grabbed the land adjacent to the El Paso Mexican Grill lot back in December
Site work has begun on the two lots that willhouse a convenience store withfuel pumps and aquick-serve restaurant on property owned by an LLC registered to LakeCharles business owner Gul Awan, who was unsuccessful in openinga Shaq’s BigChicken in Lake Charles last year No work has begun on the site owned by Texas-based restaurant chain Golden Chick. An adjacent site was listed as the future homeof aCC’sCoffee House, but the franchisee for that loca-
“This issue is not going to go away.I think the essential question for the American people is this: They know that Epstein trafficked young womenfor sex to himself. They want to knowwho, if anyone else, he trafficked these young women to. And that’savery fair question. Iwant toknow that answer AndI think you’re going to have to do more to satisfy the Americanpeople’sunderstandable curiosity in thatregard,” Kennedy said. Patel responded, “I agree.”
Neither Blanche nor Kennedy responded to requests
Lacerda was 14 in 2002 when shefirst arrivedatEpstein’s Manhattan mansion.
“T he moment Iw al ke di nt o his house,Iwas stunned,”Lacerda said. “Luxuryfurniture, framed photographs on the walls of famous people, most of them Ididn’trecognize but Bill Clinton was there (and) DonaldTrump.”
The housekeeper led Lacerda to the third-floormassage room that was decorated with painted clouds and drawings of nudewomen, she said.
For thenext three years,
Lacerda said the release of investigation materialshas been sloppy at best.
Blanche’steam struck outthe names of wealthy andinfluentialmen associated with Epstein but left her name and her address in Floridaexposedinatleast 46 instances, she said, adding that she and other survivors have since received death threats.
Blanche testified on May 19 that theerrors made while blacking out names were inevitable because of the strict timeline required. The JusticeDepartment was careful not to make publicuncorroborated in-
For instance, Lesley Groff, Epstein’sassistant for18 years, told the panel in June that she did not know of his sexualpredilectionsand had nevermet anyofthe underage masseuses.
“She’s lying. Ihavemet her in the office plenty of times,” Lacerda said. “I was paid by Leslie. Fresh hundred bills that came in envelopes.”
Additionally,Groff’sdesk was just outside the room that monitored activity throughout hisNew York City mansion.
“Wewerebeing watched 24/7,” Lacerda said. “Weare wondering, as well, where are those videotapes?”
In late June, Blanche was scolded by afederal district judge overseeing alawsuit claimingthe Justice Department violated the law CongresspassedinNovember that required the public re-
tionhas since opened in the former PJ’sCoffee space in West Village.
Thedevelopment’sinterior sites remain for sale along with two lotswest of theOur Lady of Lourdes Emergency Center
Luring franchisedbrands to the developmentrequires comparingitmoretoother I-10exits instead of what is missing in Scott, Pecot said.
Thedevelopment’sinterior lots could be more suitedfor amulti-family project.
“Taco Bell andWendy’s are at (the) Ambassador Caffery (exit),” he said. “They’re going to say,‘Look, we’re an interchange down. We don’tneed to do this one.’ Scott does wellresidentially because ofthe proximityto Lafayette, but Ithink part of itscommercial challenge is it’stoo close to Lafayette.”
The development is supported by an economic development districtthatdates back to 2007, and city officials expanded theboundaries in 2021 to include areas south along Apollo Road,accordingtoarchives.
Thedistrict charges a 1-centsales tax, which generated $1.8 million in2025, according to the city of Scott’saudit from thatyear filed with thestate.That’s up from $1.47 million in 2024
and $1.31 million in 2023.
“The city of Scott is very business-friendly,” said Michael Roberts, part of the development’s ownership group. “From the mayor’s office to thecity council, everybody over there likes commercial developments They’re willing to help.”
City’s growth
Likeeveryother municipality in Lafayette Parish, the cityofScottgained a sizablenumberofresidents between 2020 and 2025. The population rose from 8,170 in July 2020 to 9,635 five years later,an18% increase, Census data shows.
Not counting for inflation, total retail salesinthe city have grown nearly 18% since 2024 and 43% since 2020, according to data from theLafayette Economic Development Authority.That’s similartogains in Youngsville (58% since 2020) and Carencro(38.5%).
Homes are still being built in the West Village development, but other subdivisions arebeing builtnorth of I-10 to fuel moregrowthinthe city,Lege said.
“There are definitely people moving in, and we’re excited to seenew faces,” he said. “I’d like to say (it’s due to) thesmall-town feel,
theculture and the things that we offer as acity.We’re trying to putinfrastructure first before we grow too
big.”
Yetit’sthe corridor along the I-10 that will continue to be the city’seconomic
“Sincehis confirmation as deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche hasshown timeand again that his guiding star is fealty to the President, not theConstitution, Stacey Young, executive director and founder of Justice Connection, aWashington-based organization for department alumi, said in a statement. “Thatfealty led to the purge of thousands of experienced career employees.”
About 16,000 of the agency’s 40,000 employees have left since Trump’ssecond term began.
SomeDemocrats and Republicans also fret that Blanche will act moreasthe president’srepresentative than the nation’stop lawyer.Herepresented Trump when, in March2023, he was indicted in New York on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records to hide “hush money” paid to porn starStormy Daniels, aBaton Rouge native whose real nameisStephanie Clifford. He was convicted on all 34 counts on May 30, 2024.
“This is notabout Trump. We just wantthose files to be released and people to be
engine. The big four boudin stops —Billy’sBoudin and Don’sSpecialty Meats to the south and The Best Stop and Kartchner’stothe north —bring in lots of travelers from Texas and other areas, Richard noted, but the city’s commercial frontage on the south side of I-10 generates business as well.
The lot across from Destination Pointe remains up in the air.RaceTrac’sapplication wasturned downbythe city council, butthe company has since filed an appeal in state court.
“Wedid atraffic study back in 2021 that was saying there was 18,000 cars aday going through that southern roundabout,” Richard said. “That’sfive years ago. Ithink numbers areway abovethatnow.Wehavea very appealing exit. It’sa nice, clean entrance into our community.”
Email Adam Daigle at adaigle@theadvocate.com.
BY SAMYAKULLAB
Associated Press
KYIV,Ukraine Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stepped down on Sunday as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced fresh changes to Ukraine’sgovernment, saying he had offered anew and important position to the former premier Zelenskyy, whohas remained in office under martial law because wartime elections are prohibited, has periodically reshuffled his government in an effort to bring fresh momentumtohis administration.
Svyrydenko, who has served as Ukraine’seconomy minister,was named prime ministerinJuly 2025 at the age of 39 after playing
alead roleinsecuring amineral agreement betweenUkraine and theUnited States, seen as an important way of tying U.S. interests to Ukraine’ssecurity In astatement on social media, Svyrydenko said she was “proud to have had the honor of leading the governmentduring oneofthe most difficult periods in Ukraine’smodern history.” Shealso said she had discussed“next steps” withZelenskyy,but didnot provide further details.
just peace closer,” she said.
“I remainready to serve the Ukrainian state and carry out everytaskaimed at strengthening Ukraine’sposition, defending our national interests and bringing a
Zelenskyy announced herresignation in apostsaying that Ukraine was “changing its political strategy.” He also said he hadoffered Svyrydenko theopportunitytolead “a new,importantarea” in Ukraine’srelations with a key international partner “Each priorityareaof foreign policy will be assigned to aspecific person with substantial experience who is capable of implementing what we agree on at the leaders’ level and what the Ukrainian people expect,” Zelenskyy said, describing theimpending reshuffle.
The Ukrainian leader also said there would be changes among thetop ranks of Ukraine’slaw en-
forcement agencies.
Zelenskyymet with aseries of seniorofficials following the announcement, including Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, Interior MinisterIhorKlymenkoand Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov Theoverhaul, whichZelenskyy hasyet to explainindetail, would be the fourth major reorganization of his governmentsince the start of Russia’sfull-scale invasion.
Elsewhere, aUkrainian attack in southwest Russia killedone person and wounded three more, local officials said Sunday,asKyiv’sforces continuedtobombard Russia’s oil facilities. The head of Russia’s Samara region, Gov.Vyacheslav Fedorishchev,said that achild was among the injured. He also said that
residential homes and apartment buildings were damaged in the strike, as well as an unspecified “industrial site.” Russian media outlets reported that the attack’starget was the region’sSyzran Oil Refinery,with many sharingimagesthatappeared to show plumes of black smoke rising over the site. The refinery,whichisownedbyoil and gasgiant Rosneft and sits some 500 miles east of the border,has been arepeated target for Kyiv’s forces.
Meanwhile the governor of Russia’s Rostovregion, Yuri Slyusar, said that atanker had been damaged in adrone attack in the AzovBlackSea maritime canal. The tanker was empty and there is no threat of an oil spill, Slyusar said.
Continued from page1A
the country be flown at halfstaff until Saturday evening.
Anoted hawk, Graham was one of the most influential figures in Washington on foreign affairs and he advised Trump on matterssuch as the Iran war and Russia. On Friday,Graham had announced an agreement with the Trump administration to move forward on apackage of Russia sanctions.
As chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, Graham also had acentral role during Trump’ssecond term as Republicans pushed majorlegislationonparty-line votes while holding anarrow 53-47 majority in the chamber Under South Carolina law,Republican Gov.Henry McMaster will appointa temporary replacementfor Graham, who was seeking afifth term in November
Anew nomineewill be selected in aspecial primary, which is required to be held within weeks of avacancy
The winner of November’s generalelection will starta full six-year term in January
Complicatedrelationships
Graham, elected to the Senate in 2002 after serving in the House, long promoted apolicy of robust U.S. military interventionism and strong national defense that in later years would put him at odds with the growing isolationist wing of his party Over time, Graham became well-known for his close ties with Trump, whom the senator briefly ran against for the presidential nomination in 2016. Their relationship would begin on arough note, with Graham calling the thenNew York businessman “unfit for office.” Graham used a profanity to describe Trump after Trump made disparaging comments about Arizona Republican John McCain, Graham’sbest friend in the Senate and aVietnam War veteran. McCain and Graham, along with Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., were known as the “Three Amigos” and frequently traveled together to promotetheir foreign policy viewsaround theglobe.
During acampaignrally in South Carolina,Trump read outGraham’spersonal cellphone number and continued to belittle him throughout the 2016 race as Graham made it clear he would not support Trump. Graham, however,shifted significantly once Trump won the White House and emergedas oneofTrump’s top allies —speakingwith him frequently and becoming aregularpresence on the golf course alongside the president —even as McCain remained acritic.
In a2018 interview with The Associated Press, Graham explainedhis pivot by saying McCain taught him that the country must move forward after elections and that meant “you have an obligation” to helpthe president. McCain ran twice for the White House.
“And I’ve tried to be helpful where Icould because I think he needs all the help he can get,” Graham said of Trump. “You can be abetter critic when peopleunderstand that you’re trying to help them be successful.”
UkrainianPresident VolodymyrZelenskyy,left, and U.S.
photo togetherinKyiv, Ukraine, on Friday.
Graham was aprominent defender of Trump during the president’stwo firstterm impeachments —areversal from Graham’srole as aHouse prosecutor during Democratic President Bill Clinton’simpeachment in 1998,whenheurged senators not to make up their minds beforelistening to allofthe arguments. Both Trump and Clintonwere eventually acquitted.
Graham appeared to break withTrump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, saying in adramatic speech on the Senate floor that night, “Count me out Enough is enough.” But the senator soon returned to Trump’sside and the two remained close during Trump’ssecondterm.
Foreignpolicya focus
Graham had just been in Ukraine to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,who said the senatorvisited his country 10 timesduring the years since Russiainvaded in February 2022. “Lindsey was atrue defenderoffreedom andthe values thatmakeour world safer,” Zelenskyy said He was also one of the chief backers of Trump’swar in Iran, having advocated for years for direct confrontation between Washingtonand Tehran. Graham continued to defendTrump this summerevenasmany of his fellow Republicans questioned atentative June ceasefire agreement that they worried could sendbillions of dollars to Iran.
“I’d rather try diplomacy than takeitoff the table,” Graham saidof Trump’s memorandum of understanding withTehran Graham’s travels made him afamiliarfacetodozens of world leaders.
Israeli PrimeMinister Benjamin Netanyahu said Graham understood that the security of Israel and the United States was inseparable.
“Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America haslost agreat patriot. I have lost abeloved friend,” Netanyahu said.
Multiple committees
As BudgetCommittee chairman, Graham helped oversee aSenate procedure that allowed Republicans to pass significant policiessuch as last year’s tax law without the threat of aDemocratic
filibuster
He hadpreviously led the SenateJudiciary Committee when Republicans confirmed AmyConey Barrett to the SupremeCourtin2020. The senator was in line to regain that gavel if theparty kept its majority after the midterm elections and had pledged to confirm “as many conservative judgesaspossible.”
Graham was akey player in theSenate’sefforts to craft amassive immigration overhaulin2013 as amember of abipartisangroup. Thelegislation passed the Senate with68votes but was nevertakenupbythe House, so it did notbecome law Graham’s viewsonimmigration, particularly an endorsement of apathto
citizenship for people in the U.S. without legal status,put him at odds with some Republican factions. Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, aDemocrat who was his ally on that issue,saidGraham was “part of every important policy issueand an indispensable player” in bipartisannegotiations
An ‘irreplaceable’force
Graham often worked across the aisle, even as he remained fiercely loyalto Trump.Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, aDemocrat, said in astatement that“personal relationships often mattered more to himthan thepolitical disagreementsofthe day.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Graham was
“over the moon” with the Russian sanctions deal announced Friday.“Thelast thing in the world Iwould have guessed was that he was sick or ill or in any way vulnerable,” Blumenthal said.
JaimeHarrison, aformer national and state Democratic Party chairman who unsuccessfully ran against Graham in 2020, said that even during their“fiercest politicalbattles,” the twomen “couldstill share aconversation, alaugh and amutual respect for South Carolina.”
Graham was unique in the Senate for his influence not only on Trump, but also with his fellow Republicans who were aware of his ability to sometimes move the president’sthinking. He was also known forhis sense of humor, oftendeployed to diffuse tensions.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the second-ranking Republican, said Graham will be missed forhis “quick witand infectious laughter.” McMaster said in astate-
mentthat Graham was “irreplaceable.” Former Republican President George W. Bush said Graham“understood how the world works” and “was akind and funny manwho loved our country and loved serving it.” Graham often spoke about his humble roots, growing up in theback of aSouth Carolina bar and helping to raise his sister, Darline, after his parents died at a young age. Graham wasnot married and did nothave children. Graham won 57% of the GOP vote in South Carolina’s primaryinJuneand was up againstDemocrat Annie Andrews, apediatrician, and several minor party and independentcandidates in November His death will likely prompt ascrambletofill a rare open Senate seat. AnumberofRepublican names began circulating as possible replacements to serve out the rest of Graham’s term,including Reps. Nancy Maceand Russell Fry
Appointments arefirst come, firstserved, and everyservice is 100% free. Simply call one of our offices to reserveyour spot.
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BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer
James Rivers, a multi-instrumentalist fixture of New Orleans nightclubs who was fluent on everything from saxophone and clarinet to bagpipes, died July 5. He was 89.
His saxophone was featured on such classic New Orleans R&B recordings as Al Johnson’s “Carnival Time” and Frankie Ford’s “Sea
$1M needed for St. Bernard land related to War of 1812
BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer
As a group of tourists stepped off their paddle wheeler in St. Bernard Parish Wednesday afternoon to wander the 145-acre Chalmette Battlefield, park ranger Karley Nugent gathered the group to talk about “one of the most important moments in United States history.”
“The Battle of New Orleans and its overall significance in our nation’s history can’t be overstated,” Nugent told the room of visitors not far from where U.S. forces under Andrew Jackson beat back the British troops. “Yet the reality is seldom people know about it.”
The Battle of New Orleans took place along the Mississippi River at the conclusion of the War of 1812, and now as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, the historic site may receive a major expansion under a new initiative from a national nonprofit for battlefield preservation.
The American Battlefield Trust is raising funds to purchase 40 acres of land next to the battlefield for $3.6 million by September in hopes of further preserving the site where the Battle of New Orleans took place 211 years ago.
David Duncan, the organization’s president, said the purchase would provide access to land that was used by the British forces during the battle and offer historians a better understanding of the British forces’ actions during the fight, which resulted in a major defeat for the redcoats.
Duncan added they’ve already secured most of the funds through state and federal grants and early donations, but need about $1 million more to complete the purchase.
“It’s very important to save these parts of our country’s history so that future generations can go there and learn what happened, why it’s important and hopefully become better citizens in the process,” Duncan said.
The proposed land is currently zoned for industrial use and owned by Genie Holdings LLC based in Kenner, according to parish assessor’s office records. It sits between the Chalmette Battlefield and the St. Bernard Port Harbor and Terminal District’s Chalmette terminal.
Duncan said once American Battlefield Trust purchases the land, it will place conservation easements on the property that legally prevent future owners from building on it. From there, Duncan hopes to see the parish or the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, which operates the Chalmette Battlefield, take over the land as an educational site for the public.
St. Bernard Parish President
Cruise.”
His jazz band, the James Rivers Movement, logged countless gigs everywhere from Tyler’s Beer Garden on Magazine Street to Mel’s Lounge in Faubourg Marigny to annual appearances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. His fans included director and actor Clint Eastwood. Rivers performed on the soundtracks of several Eastwood films, including the New Orleans-shot 1984 thriller
“Tightrope” and 1988’s “Bird,” the biography of jazz musician Charlie Parker Rivers also appeared on screen in Eastwood’s “The Bridges of Madison County” in 1995.
Born in the Treme neighborhood on April 18, 1937, Rivers grew up in a close-knit family of six siblings. He first started playing music at age 8.
He attended Walter L. Cohen High School and graduated from
Booker T. Washington High School.
Determined to be a professional musician, he studied at the Houston School of Music. He toured as a backing musician with the Impressions, Jerry Butler and the New Orleans R&B band Huey Smith & the Clowns.
Rivers
While on tour with the Clowns, he was badly injured in a car accident. After being hospitalized, he formed the James Rivers Movement.
In the book “Up from the Cradle of Jazz: New Orleans Music Since World War II,” Rivers recounted to co-author Jason Berry an unconventional musical inspiration. “Sometimes I used to practice and go out at night to Lake Pontchartrain, in contemplative moments, where it would be quiet and listen at the waves and the water,” Rivers said. “Just to be alone, like to hear the different sounds of the water beating against the seawall, and I could meditate. You’d be sur-
The 2026 Disability Pride Celebration was held Saturday at the Yambilee building in Opelousas to recognize the achievements, talents and contributions of individuals with disabilities.
ABOVE: Characters join in the celebration. LEFT: Elijah Duplechain, center, grand marshal of the Disability Pride Celebration, receives a special kiss during the event.
Oh the irony of it all!The July 3newspaper included an opinionpiecebyChief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme CourtJohn Weimer (“Judiciary’sresponsibility to fulfill Declaration’s promise”) in which he writes, “Alexander Hamilton metaphorically describedthe judiciary as the least dangerous branch of government, possessing neither the sword of the executive nor the purse of the legislature.The judiciary’s authority, he explained, rests in ‘neither force norwill but in judgment alone.’”
That same Friday,the Louisiana Supreme Court issued an order in State of Louisiana vs. Murrill, staying the indictment againstthe attorney general. Five justices votedfor astay order: “Attorney General makes acompelling argument concerning the disturbing defects in the grand jury proceedings and in the trial court’s handling of those proceedings.”
Twojustices dissented, saying the appearance of thestay order is that the attorney generalisgetting special treatment (i.e getting to “cut the line”). They said, “This perilous and unprecedented action threatens this court’s longtermlegitimacy in the eyes of the public.”
Majority and dissentingopinions, though expressing stark disagreement in strong words, don’tthreaten the legitimacy of the Louisiana judiciary.But,the concurring opinion by Justice McCallum does exactly that, referring to allegations by the attorney general on the indictment: “Atworst, they are indicativeof invidious motives; at best,they suggest incompetence. In either case, if they prove to be even partially accurate, then additional proceedings beforethe newly reconstituted Judiciary Commission and Office of Disciplinary Counsel will no doubt become necessary.”
Maybe this is an example of why Hamilton referred to the judiciary as “the least dangerous” branch of government, not abranch of government without danger
CATHERINE BREWTON NewOrleans
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR
AREWELCOME.HEREARE
Thirty yearsago, in 1996, Iwrotetothis newspaper on thetopic of teacher pay raises andthe exclusion of communication professionals. It was based on anarrow reading of personnel categories and ignorance of the services provided to students. Back then, the point was acknowledged and the pay raise was amended, with apromisethat future raises and stipends would include educational professionals who provide direct services to students. That inclusion has continued until today Thecurrent stipend does not include professionals who provide critical services that allow students to progress educationally, includingspeech therapists and audiologists, who are not recognized for their daily contributions to student achievement,their qualificationsorthe critical role they play within schools.
SLPs and audiologists provide essential support for studentswith challenges in hearing, listening, understanding, speaking and expressingthemselves. They work with students throughout all school settings to support them. They use specialized knowl-
edge to help teachers and families support students. Their services are mandated by stateand federal law,which recognize that communication is abasic right and forms the basis for all educational skills.
SLPs andaudiologistsare paid on the teacher pay scale, and they perform manyof thesame duties as teachers within aschool. In schools, they are generally accepted as professional peers of the teachers. Their qualifications often exceed those of teachers: master’sand doctoral degrees, state licenses to practice, teacher certificationsand national credentials.
There is acritical shortage of SLPs and audiologists,and school settings are among the mostneedy.They are not less deserving than teachers,nor are their contributions less. The governor and thestate Legislature were wrong to structure this stipend according to anarrow definition of “teachers.”
Thirty years, and here we are again. We can do better,Louisiana.
ROSEMARYKERRIN past president, SpeechPathologists and AudiologistsinLouisiana Schools
An op-ed by Megan McArdle on June 24
tax rebates
In the Opinion section under Our Views, the issue of nitrogen hypoxia executions wasdiscussed. Does anyone ever bring up the suffering of the victims? Any suffering by the prisoner cannot compare to the victims’ suffering. Once the prisoner has exhausted all state appeals, it is timetomove forward with the execution. Eliminate federal court appeals. It will save the taxpayers’ legal fees as well as the cost of housing and feeding the prisoners. Bring back the firing squad in all 50 states. If any prisoner survives the firing squad, then you can ask them if they suffered at all. Let the warden decide when the execution will be and get on with it. Do not reveal the date or time because no one needs to know.The family can be notified after the execution is over.It’satwo-sided coin: The victim’s family suffers and the prisoner’sfamily does too. My sympathy to both of the families.
MICHAEL BOWEN Baton Rouge
TO SENd US ALETTER SCAN HERE
OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name and the writer’scity of residence.The Advocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@theadvocate.com.
warns of socialism. What we should fear is plutocracy,which is theform of government we live under today.Republicans say we can’t afford funding for education, healthcare, infrastructure, reducing thedeficit or payingdown the national debt. Buttheykeep giving tax cut after tax cut to the wealthiest amongusand big corporations. We apparently can afford that Starting in 1981 (Ronald Reagan’spresidency),the wealthiestpeople and big corporations have had their taxes slashed. They have also benefited from numerous complex tax avoidance loopholes. Dozens upon dozens of big,profitable corporations have paid zero taxes on profitsyear after year.Many received millions (and sometimes billions) in
Since 1989, the wealthiest one-tenth of 1% of Americansincreased their share of U.S. wealth 13% to 25%. The rest of the top 1% saw their share of U.S. wealth increase from 22% to 30%. The wealthiest 1% of the population holds 55% of the total wealth of the nation.Everyone in the bottom 90% saw their share of total wealthdecrease. Meanwhile, Republicans wring their hands about fraud and waste while the current president pardons multi-millionaire white collar criminals and the Pentagon has “lost” (can’t account for) hundreds of millions of dollars in equipment.Achangeintaxes and oversight is long overdue.
ANDREW
GALLIEN Harahan
WorldCup visitors made us look at Americaanew
As arelative novice to theworld of soccer,I’ve been pleasantly surprised with my World Cup exposure.
Thegames themselves have been inspiring. The athletes are so obviously proud to represent their countries. Instead of bored looks and/or kneeling during national anthems, they show notonly respect but genuine emotion They sing those anthems proudly and show thedepthsoftheir emotions without shame. Duringthe games, their camaraderie with not onlytheir teammates but also their opponents is refreshing.
Andthe reaction of fans from around the world to our United States is awonderful reminder of the blessings we have. Whether it’sBuc-ees, BassPro Shops, WaffleHouse, free drink refills, ranch dressing or just the friendly and welcoming nature of our people, thereviews are overwhelminglyfavorable. As we celebrate our nation’s250th birthday year,perhaps we should takeafresh look at, and embrace anew appreciation for, the wonderful country our Founding Fathers brought forth—one of availability,abundance, opportunity,ingenuityand freedom.
TRUDYBORDELON Metairie
Itrust that our president is aware that it is possible to be MAGA and also adecided supporter of Ukraine. Polling has consistently shownoverwhelming American sentiment not only forUkraine’s survival but formeaningful material aid in its defense. The parallels between Russia’sterror bombing tactics and Adolf Hitler’s1940 Blitz on Britain seem obvious, and with the sameresult. The senselessness of targeting innocent victimsonly hardens their nation’sresolve —another strategic and tactical failure of the aggressor Putin has ridden this tiger nearly to an end. Russian military collapse and civilian disenchantment seem closer than ever.Touse President Donald Trump’scard gamemetaphor,Ukraine now holds the stronger hand. Isuggest that he channel the soul of Winston Churchill and encourage all peace-loving people that while we maynot be seeing “the beginning of the end” forVladimir Putin, we have clearly witnessed “the end of the beginning.” PETERMEISNER River Ridge Ukrainesupport
Politiciansshouldpay
What is wrong with our Gov.Jeff Landry in that he is cutting funding foreducation to pay forateacher pay raise? The issue is that it has not been thought out clearly,inthat the reduction in funding will hurt everyone in the long run. The ones whoare really going to sufferare the children of this great state. What Landry should do is take someofthe money that is being
TheTrump administration’spolicymaking apparatus is often achaotically uncoordinated mess. The White House issued awell-designed road map for Americandominanceinartificial intelligence, and then the Defense Department launched aquixotic attackonAnthropic, one of the nation’sfrontier AI firms. Immigration and Customs Enforcement went back and forth on workplace raids after the Agriculture Departmentsecretary said that rounding up farm laborers would make it hardto deliver the lower food prices PresidentDonald Trump promised on the campaign trail.
that it would be unethical to do randomized controlled studies that might have providedproof of effectiveness, because how can we deny the control group treatments that are thestandard of care?
Then some of WPATH’sinternal deliberationsbecame public via leaks and lawsuits, andgosh darnit, Iamrunning out of synonyms for “absolutely gobsmacked.”
WPATHseems to have axed minimum-ageguidelines at the request of aDepartment of Health and Human Services official in the Biden administration. The official, who is a pediatrician and atransgender woman,argued that settingminimum ages might spur “devastatinglegislation.”
But there’sone policy area where theadministration is united and monomaniacally on-task:the waron pediatric medical transition (PMT). From Trump’sexecutive order titled “Protecting Children from Chemical andSurgical Mutilation” tothe recent Federal Trade Commission lawsuit against the World Professional Association for Transgender Health,the administrationhas done everything in its power —and some things that weren’t—tohalt these treatments.
True conservatives regard these efforts with uncomplicated glee. But we more libertarian-minded skeptics have something of aquandary.Onthe one hand,some of the administration’s actions have been novel —and dubiously legal —expansions of regulatory power.Onthe other hand, as the medical nonprofit Do No Harm wrote, “WPATHdeserves it.”
I’ve been covering thisissue for four yearswith growing dismay at the shoddy research and obvious confirmation bias of clinicians whoinsisted, based on thin observational studies, that these treatments were “evidencebased, medically necessary care.” I was stunned when doctors claimed
This is not how serious medical professionals behave. It is not how science works. It is activism dressed up in alab coat. Is it adeceptive business practice, though?
Ican makethe argument: WPATH membersearnquitealot of money from these interventions, and theFTC lawsuitalleges that the organization crafted its guidelines to maximize insurance reimbursement, “including by replacing objective criteria with provider discretion, removing age minimums,and issuing broad ‘medical necessity’declarations for nearly every medical-transition intervention.”
However,Idon’tthink they’re misinformingthe public for fun and profit Ithink they are convinced these treatments work, and that confirmation bias and groupthink led them to behave like political activists rather than dispassionate scientists. It deserves areckoning, but it shouldn’t comefromthe FTC. Because this topichas been so politicized, cracking down in this way comes uncomfortably close to free speech restrictions. Falseconfidence isn’tthe samething as false advertising.
Andwhere, theskeptics might justly ask, will that reckoning come from? They believe that PMT amounts to grotesque medical experiments on children. It will be the“next lobotomy,”Ihave been told manytimes since Iwroteacolumn on the sordid history of that medical horror story Ihave sympathy for those who believe PMTisa disastrous medical mistake. That practitioners seem to ardently believe in their interventionsdoesn’tmean they work: Medical history’smost destructive quacks weren’tcharlatans selling snake oil, but people who believed withall their heart that they could cure patients by dunking them in ice baths or scarring theprefrontal regions of their brains. Given how little we know,Ican’trule out this becoming another one of those episodes. That said, medical history also contains pioneers who were wrong about small things and nonetheless right about somethingimportant: The 19th-century Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis didn’tunderstand the germ theory of disease, but he was still absolutely correct that doctors should wash their hands before touching patients. Gender clinicians may turn out tobeprematurely confident in treatments that eventually prove out, rather than grievously wrong. The cure for bad science is better science, not lawsuits. Yetofall the frenetic action, the one thing the administration has not done is to fund serious clinical trials with long-term follow-up to provide answers patientsneed. Instead, thegovernment canceled grantsfor youth gender research. Perhaps those studieswere shoddy, and grants for better-controlled trials are forthcoming. Butthey should have been thefirst resort,not the last. Megan McArdle is on X, @ asymmetricinfo.
Europe is now the fastest heating continent, and Paris is suffering greatly under 100-plusFahrenheit temperatures.Thathas inspired some conservative Americans to politicize the Frenchaversion to air conditioning. In return, many in France are blaming Americans’ burning of planet-warming fossil fuels to power their ACs.
Whose voice hits the high note? Both, really The Wall Street Journal holds that the easy answer for France is to install air conditioners. It got allhuffy when Paris Deputy Mayor AudreyPulvar remarked, “As the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, you bear asignificant responsibility for global warming and the consequences we, in France, are experiencing.” She specifically cited the energy Americans use to run theirACs.
Pulvar neglected to name the No. 1 emitter of greenhouse gases,which is China. And blaming the U.S. for the oppressive heat that is closing schools and offices —and endangering the health of the very young, old and those with certain medical conditions —does nothing to ease the current suffering. The French right is making thatsame argument.
All that said, air conditioning has become much more energy-efficient. The popular mini-splits —separate units in different rooms —use far less energy than central air.Ownerscan thuscool only the room they’reusing. However,the French antipathy to air conditioning has its reasons. Northern cities like Paris have traditionally experienced relatively cool summers Air conditioning units hanging out the windows mar the historicstreetscapes They make noise and send indoorhot airoutside whereit’salreadysweltering. And climate changeissomething that previous American administrations have addressed but the current
one denies even exists,despite evidencetothe contrary.It’swreaking havoconmuchofthis country as well, bringing massive wildfires, flash flooding, withering crops and water shortages in the West.The list goes on. It’snot truethat there’snothing we Americans can do about this long-term threat. But there’slittle the French can do about this and lastsummer’sheat Barring asudden spell of cool air,they will have to startbringing relieftothe people Otherwise,the economy will suffer along with the Parisians. The American South knows the importance of air conditioning to itseconomic viability Air conditioning takes muchcredit for theSun Belt boom following World WarII. Atlanta, Houston, Phoenix and Miami became acceptable places for corporateoffices. Before theadvent of AC, Southernersreliedonarchitecture and naturetomake high temperatures bearable. The older houses feature high ceilings, sleeping porches and shade trees. (In the 19th century,many foreign dignitaries refused to visit Washington, D.C. in the summer because of the humid heat, nottomention mosquitoes
and malaria.)
Proposals for our cities,northern as well as southern, include digging up more of the urban hardscape. Pocket parks, putting greenery in schoolyards and on medians,and installing rain gardens to capturewater areinthe plans. Paris has tree-lined boulevards but not much moreinthe way of green spaces. Chicago and New York both do alot better on thatfront. An impervious surface covers75% of Paris,whereas even Manhattanisonly 63% enclosed by asphalt, parking lots, concrete sidewalks and other surfaces thatwater cannot easily soak through.
Paris,bythe way,has aplan to incorporate moreplantsintothe city’s landscape. That could help. And international effortstoseriously confront the threat of rising temperatures would save theentire planet.Inthe meantime, air conditioning can get the people throughthis andthe torrid summers to come.
But what Parisians do is ultimately up to the Parisians, notpartisans in the United States.N’est-ce pas?
Follow Froma Harrop on X, @FromaHarrop.
The pungent odor of Kristi Noem lingers in Washington. Nearly four months after she was fired as homeland security secretary,afacetofher tenure produced aSupreme Court case, decidedlast month. Her behavior egregiously violated the pertinent law,but wasshielded from judicial rebuke by the court majority’stoo-mechanical textualism about the secretary’s“determination,” meaning decision. And by a blinkered nonrecognition of the animus behind Noem’s action.
Will
A1990 statute allows the DHS secretary to grant temporary protected status, shielding aliens in America from having to return to nations afflicted by natural disasters, wars or persecuting regimes. When the Trump administration moved to end TPS for more than 350,000 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians, five of the former and seven of the latter sued, charging thatprocedural requirements had not been followed, andthat the TPS denial was tainted by racism.
The court ruled 6-3 for the Trump administration, with Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., joinedinthe judgment by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.and Justices Clarence Thomas, Brett M. Kavanaugh, Neil M. Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett. The majority noted that the 1990 statute shields the DHS secretary’s“determination” from judicial review. And that the plaintiffs were unlikely to prevail regarding racism, because the Trump administration’s denial of TPS renewal was facially “race-neutral”: The administration has terminated every TPS designation that has comeupfor renewal.
Justice Elena Kagan, joined in dissent by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, agrees that the TPS statute prevents judicial review of the DHS secretary’sfinal decision about TPS, but does allow judicial review of whetherthe secretary,inreaching that decision, “adhered to the procedures it mandates.” And Kagan noted thatalthough previous DHS secretaries had “repeatedly” found Haiti and Syria “too dangerous to permit safe return,” Noem declared them safe without complying with specific statutory proceduresthatdeny the DHS secretary “unfettered discretion.”
In February,this columnnoted: The law required Noemtoreview conditions in Haiti after consulting with appropriate government agencies (note the plural). Instead, she made her decision, then conducted amake-believe “consultation.” ANoem staffer sent atwo-sentenceemail to aState Department staffer who, 53 minuteslater,sent acomparably brief judgment that Noem’spolicy triggered no foreign policy concerns.
Kagan, however,noted the irrelevance of this: The law requires consultation not about foreign policy implications but about whether conditions are safe in the pertinent country.And Kagan refuted the majority’sclaim to see “no evidence that race played any role in the Haiti decision.”
Noem wasimplementing the president’sproclaimed animus even against immigrants who are in America legally,but whom he considers icky Kagan says prior court rulings establish thatthe Haitians needed to show only that “a racially discriminatory purpose” was a motivating factor” (emphasis added) in the termination of Haiti’sTPS designation. Well. Noem’s former employer has said Haitians were eating Ohio pets (see below). He has said migrants such as they are “poisoning the blood” of America and Haitians “probably have AIDS.” Wasraceon the president’smind? Donald Trump hasclarified this: “Why is it we only take people from shithole countries” like Haiti and Somalia? “Why can’twe have some people from Norway [and] Sweden?” Kagan: “Haitians are Black. (Norwegians and Swedes not so much.)”
Three days after Noemterminated TPS for Haitians and Syrians, she recommended “a full travel ban on every damn country that’sbeenflooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies” who “slaughter our heroes” and “suckdry our hard-earned tax dollars.” She refrainedfromechoing Trump’sassertion about kitten-cooking Haitians in Springfield, Ohio. This marks her as aMAGA moderate. JD Vance spread the pet-eating fiction because he said creating “stories” (his word) makes the media notice Americans’ suffering. Surely justices are not required to ignore such rhetoric? And although thoughtful people disagree about whether,orhow much, justicesshould consider the downstream consequences of their rulings, Kagan writes: One of the Haitian plaintiffs, an Alzheimer’sresearcher,has Type 1diabetes, which can be easily treated in America but can be a“death sentence” in Haiti “given that country’scollapsedhealth-care infrastructure.” And aSyrian plaintiff will have to return with her17-year-old daughter,who haslived here most of her life and “will have no future in Syria because she speaks little Arabic.” Time and freshening breezes will cleanse Washington, dissipating the legacies of appointeeslike Noem, and of the president who chose them.The court’smistaken ruling she provoked will be more lasting.
Email georgewill@washpost.com.
BY MICHAEL R. SISAK and CLAUDIA LAUER Associated Press
NEW YORK A week ago, 18-year-
old Nolan Xavier Wells took a boat trip with friends to celebrate the Fourth of July on an island off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. He never came back. Two days later, he was found dead. What happened, Wells’ parents say, is a mystery riddled with conflicting stories, implausible explanations and missing details It is a case shadowed by the state’s fraught racial history and lingering distrust in law enforcement.
At a news conference Friday in New York City, Christine and Elmore Wonsley called for a thorough and transparent investigation into their son’s death, skeptical of claims that Wells told his friends to leave the island without him and suggestions that he, an elite athlete who knew how to swim, had accidentally drowned.
Wells’ body was found early Monday along the shore of Horn Island, about 7 miles off the Mississippi coast, more than a day after he was last seen alive The roughly 11-mile long spit of land is near the Alabama state line. The island is uninhabited and accessible only by boat. About 200 people were there on July 4, the family’s lawyers said.
“We just want to know what happened and why our baby didn’t come home,” Christine Wonsley said, looking upward several times as she stood alongside her lawyer Ben Crump, and the Rev Al Sharpton, who will officiate Wells’ funeral.
Family commissions autopsy
Crump said Wells’ family has commissioned an independent autopsy, performed by a forensic pathologist in Washington, D.C. with no ties to Mississippi law enforcement, while they await the results of an official autopsy, which could take weeks. They also plan to employ experts to recover messages that appeared to have been deleted from his cellphone, Crump said. They will eventually turn the device over to authorities, he said.
Wells’ family also encouraged witnesses to come forward and asked people to submit any video they recorded that may show him on Horn Island, echoing a call by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office to help shed light on the moments before Wells’ disappearance and death
A photo posted on social media, purportedly from the boat ride to the island, shows Wells with his arms around three White male friends. Sheriff John Ledbetter said Wells’ friends were cooperating and that investigators don’t suspect foul play Crump said those friends now have lawyers and that his investigators haven’t attempted to speak with them yet.
Wells’ death has led to rampant speculation and suspicion as people grapple with Mississippi’s history of racial tension and what it means to be a Black person in a majority White space.
Actor and producer Tyler Perry is helping pay for Wells’ funeral, former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick is helping pay for his independent autopsy and filmmaker Spike Lee showed up to the news conference to show support
for Wells’ family
Family doesn’t trust authorities
Crump said Wells’ parents hired him to conduct an independent investigation into their son’s death because they don’t trust that law enforcement officials will perform a fair inquiry in a state still reckoning with its Jim Crow past, including the 1955 lynching of Emmett Till and the murders of three civil rights workers in the 1960s.
“The history of Mississippi is something that they don’t just read about in books,” Crump told reporters at Sharpton’s National Action Network headquarters in Harlem.
It is the second case that Crump has taken on in the state in recent months. He also was recently retained by the family of a Mississippi 1-year-old who was killed when police fired into a moving car
Ledbetter told The Associated Press this week that investigators suspect that Wells “chose to stay on the island with the assumption that he was going to ride back to the mainland with someone else.” Didn’t have cellphone or keys
But Wells didn’t have his cellphone or his keys — his friends did.
“What teenager would leave their phone behind if they’re going to stay on this island? What teenager wouldn’t take their phone?” Crump said. “It’s not adding up at all.”
Crump said bystander video from the island showed a person he said was Wells arguing with someone to give him his phone back. In another discrepancy Crump said that a witness reported Wells had planned to leave on the boat with
his friends, contradicting the sheriff’s theory
“The friends come back and he’s left there with some story about how he said leave him behind,” Sharpton said. “But then by some magic one of the friends has his keys and his phone.”
The sheriff did not return The Associated Press’ messages seeking his response to the family’s concerns.
Parents try to track down son
Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, said she started to worry when a friend of his called her just after 11 p.m. on July 4. After trying to track him down on her own, she reported him missing to police and went with her husband to meet an officer in a McDonald’s parking lot, she said, a process exacerbated by a dispute over which law enforcement agency had jurisdiction over the island. One of Wells’ friends had also reported him missing to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Wells’ father, Elmore Wonsley, said he went out on a boat on the morning of July 5 looking for his son near Horn Island. Crews from multiple local and state agencies began an extensive search, and his body was recovered early Monday, family members confirmed.
“If he’s drowning, nobody sees him drown? Nobody offers assistance? Nobody tries to help? I mean, obviously he stands out,” Crump said. “I think he’s the only Black person I saw when I’m looking at the videos.”
Christine Wonsley said she used an app to track his phone and, after a friend went to where it was
on land to pick it up, noticed that some of his messages appeared to be deleted.
As they searched for their son, Elmore Wonsley went to retrieve Wells’ keys from the home where he stayed with his friends from the boat the night before their island trip. He said his son’s car was still parked in the yard.
Had football aspirations
Wells, who would have turned 19 next month, played wide receiver on the football team at Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit, Mississippi, and had aspirations of playing at a high-level Division I program
His coach, Les George, told WAPT-TV that Wells “was a guy that never had a bad day Never.”
“He was very sociable with everyone, didn’t meet a stranger,” George said.
Christine Wonsley said she and her husband schooled Wells in history and talked to him about navigating the racial tensions that still permeate the South.
Wells was a peacemaker who didn’t like division, once breaking into a dance while still in diapers to ease tensions while his parents were arguing, they said. He wanted everyone to be included and shied away from confrontation.
“Nolan is a person with a big heart,” Elmore Wonsley said.
As people mourn and protest Wells’ death, Christine Wonsley urged them to follow his example.
“Please be peaceful,” she said.
“Nolan was not someone who liked fights, physical fights. He didn’t even really like arguments. Don’t go out there trying to be tough.”
Move will help expand services, it says
BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer
Business First Bancshares Inc., the holding company for Baton Rouge-based b1Bank, has acquired a local financial consulting firm to expand its community bank services.
Continued from page 1B
Louis Pomes said in a statement that he fully supports the organization’s efforts to expand on the historic site.
“The American Battlefield Trust’s proposed land acquisition in St. Bernard Parish represents an investment in preserving one of the most significant chapters of our nation’s history,” Pomes said.
Meredith Hardy, spokesperson for the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, said the National Park Service was not involved in the land acquisition but that it “appreciates the interest many organizations and individuals have in protecting resources associated with that (Battle of New Orleans) history.”
American Planning Corp. will become a part of Smith Shellnut Wilson, Business First’s investment advising arm that manages $5.7 billion in assets. American Planning Corp. offered a variety of financial services including capital planning and providing outsourced chief financial officers, specializing in aiding community banks. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Business First Bancshares CEO Jude Melville said the two companies had an established relationship after American Planning CEO T. Jefferson Fair helped charter b1Bank in 2006. Discussions on acquiring American Planning began after Smith Shellnut Wilson started to “gain momentum” a few years ago, Melville said.
The move expands Business First’s financial services, which before the acquisition included interest rate swaps and providing Small Business Administration loans. Business First acquired Smith Shellnut Wilson in 2021, which had $3.5 billion in assets at the time.
“Now we have a good critical mass and can help Jeff grow what he started,” Melville said. Smith Shellnut Wilson, estab-
Over the past 25 years, the American Battlefield Trust has preserved nearly 63,000 acres of land from former battlefields across the country from the Revolutionary War, Civil War and War of 1812. History
The Battle of New Orleans
was one of the final conflicts in the War of 1812 between the fledgling United States and Great Britain, which started after Great Brit-
ain had taken thousands of American sailors to work for the Royal Navy through impressment and also allied themselves with Native
Continued from page 1B
prised at the things you can work out.”
His repertoire of instruments included the tenor, soprano and alto saxophones, clarinet, flute, harmonica, piano, organ and guitar
A school band’s performance during a televised football game first piqued his interest in bagpipes He ordered one from the music store Werlein’s and taught himself how to play from listening to bagpipe records. During an interview with Berry at the 2017 Jazz Fest, Rivers clarified, “I am not really a bagpiper, but a musician who learned how to play one.” Rivers was a regular at Tyler’s Beer Garden, which opened on Magazine Street in the 1970s and burned in 1990. That was reportedly where Eastwood first heard him. A favorite at jazz brunch-
es, he also had a standing gig at Fat Harry’s on St. Charles Avenue. His robust bagpipe rendition of “Amazing Grace” inspired drinkers to sing along with the religious standard. Beyond the many recordings by other artists to which he contributed Rivers’ own discography includes the 1978 album “Olé” and 1981’s jazz-funk collection “Thrill Me.” Recorded at Allen Toussaint’s Sea-Saint studio in Gentilly and released on J.B.’s Records, “Thrill Me” consisted mostly of songs written by producer Senator Jones. He also issued 45 rpm singles for J.B.’s Records and other labels, including 1976’s “Disco Lady.” His 1996 CD “I’m the Man” included “Amazing Grace,” “Ave Maria,” “Cherokee” and “All These Things.” Berry, a friend for more than 50 years, recalled the spontaneous energy of Rivers’ 1970s gigs at the Freret Street club Sylvia’s. “He sometimes led pa-
trons out of Sylvia’s, secondlining down the street,” Berry said. “Once he got on the Freret bus, serenaded the driver for a few blocks, got off at Napoleon Avenue and met his dancing tribe on the way back.
“He was a showman of seamless ease. Offstage, he was an easygoing gentleman, a delight to hang with.” Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
Email Keith Spera at kspera@theadvocate.com.
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lished to help community banks manage their risks, served 190 banks before the acquisition and now serves about 250. American Planning will add nine staff members to the 20 employees with Smith Shellnut Wilson. At the beginning of this year, Business First acquired Progressive Bank, its seventh bank acquisition, bringing $800 million in assets to the company
Americans to oppose the United States’ westward expansion.
The British sought to take over New Orleans and its port to block the United States from using the Mississippi River and therefore choke off its already fragile economy, Nugent said.
U.S. troops under Jackson, then a major general for the U.S. Army set up a line of defense along a canal on the Rodriguez Plantation in Chalmette using weapons and other resources supplied by French privateer Jean Lafitte in exchange for a presidential pardon.
On Jan. 8, 1815, British forces led by Gen Sir Edward Pakenham attempted to attack the American troops from multiple sides but were quickly devastated by gunfire.
In a matter of only 30 minutes, about 2,000 British soldiers were wounded, captured, missing or killed, including Pakenham, compared to only 71 U.S. casualties.
The Treaty of Ghent,
which would end the war, had already been signed by the time the Battle of New Orleans took place, and was ratified a month later to formally cease hostilities. The Chalmette Monument and National Cemetery were both built on the land decades later After the Civil War, a free man of color and New Orleans grocer named JeanPierre Fazende bought land in the middle of the battlefield and turned it into a thriving independent community for free people of color and emancipated slaves called “Fazendeville.” However the government decided in the 1960s to tear down the community to restore the battlefield to its 1815 appearance for war’s 150th anniversary The Chalmette Battlefield later became part of the Jean Lafitte National Historic Park in 1978.
Email Lara Nicholson at lnicholson@theadvocate. com.
BY JON BLAU Staff writer
A reliable tight end and a strong running game can be a quarterback’s best friend.
LSU’s Sam Leavitt should have his security blanket in 6-foot-7, 237-pound tight end Trey’Dez Green, who is expected to have a standout junior season
A rushing attack is more of a hope, based on an expectation, because Lane Kiffin leaned so heavily on the run at Ole Miss. But it remains to be seen how quickly the Tigers’ 124th-ranked rush offense turns around in one season.
The rest of Leavitt’s posse? It’s a completely revamped receiving corps, which the ex-Arizona State quarterback has started building a chemistry with this summer after missing most of spring practice.
Will any of them prove to be best-friend material? Here’s how the Tigers’ top receivers could earn Leavitt’s trust.
Jayce Brown
Leavitt loved to push the ball downfield in his time at
ROD WALKER Staff writer
BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer
UL ace right-hander Cody Brasch may have had to wait a little longer than he would have preferred, but there was absolutely zero regret when the San Francisco Giants called with the 238th pick in the eighth round of Sunday’s MLB draft.
Just a sense of appreciation and gratitude.
“Oh yeah, it was awesome,” Brasch said. “It was unreal.
“We were watching and my agent was texting me, ‘All right, you’re going this pick,’ so we kind of had the anticipation going too. It was just really cool.”
It was a bit surprising because San Francisco wasn’t one of the teams Brasch had talked to much in the predraft process. “At first, I was, ‘Oh really the Giants?’ All right, come on,” said Brasch, who expects to learn of his first assignment in the next few days.
It’s going to be a new experience for Brasch who has never been on the West Coast.
“It’s all the Lord’s doing, too, man. I’m so thankful — thankful for what God has done in my life, and I’m thankful for all the blessings that he’s put in front of me.
“I’m just going to continue to trust him and just continue to try to live out my dream of
Arizona State, throwing eight touchdown passes that traveled more than 20 yards in the air during his 2024 playoff season, according to Pro Football Focus. Brown, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound receiver who reportedly runs a 40-yard dash in the low 4.4 seconds, went deep for Kansas State regularly
The Florida native finished just shy of 2,000 yards in three seasons, averaging 17.1 yards per reception — top 10 in program history The speedster was targeted, on average, 14.4 yards down the field in 2025, according to PFF
That’s a lot of deep routes for a receiver who lined up in the slot 70 percent of the time, catching more than a few bubble screens and racking up yards after the catch. The only issue for Brown: He had five drops on on-target throws last season, and came down with just six of his 12 contested-catch attempts.
He isn’t exactly a jump-ball receiver but Brown can separate and run under a deep pass if Leavitt puts some air on it As he’s been known to do.
ä See PELICANS, page 3C
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
More surprises were in store for LSU baseball on Day 2 of the 2026 MLB Draft. The Tigers had nine signees and eight players selected over the 20-round draft on Saturday and Sunday, but the biggest news for LSU was who didn’t get picked on Day 1 or in the early rounds of Day 2. Top high school signees Dominic Santarelli (OF), Malachi Washington (OF), Kolby Stringer (RHP), Cooper Sides (RHP) and others were not selected in the first half of the draft, paving the way for all of them to join LSU’s roster in 2027. The five top recruits were all top-150 prospects in the MLB Draft, on either MLB.com, ESPN or The Athletic’s draft rankings. Washington was taken by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 18th round, and Santarelli was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the same round. But it’s unlikely either will end up at their respective clubs. Pittsburgh and Seattle, in all likelihood, would have to fail to sign one of their top selections to have the money needed to sign Washington or Santarelli. Washington and Santarelli also posted on social media that they were going to LSU on Sunday, not long after they were taken in the draft. With the draft complete, LSU is on track
to have 16 incoming freshmen in next year’s class. LSU coach Jay Johnson told The Advocate before the draft that they expected approximately 14 signees to make it to school. The Tigers did not get through the draft unscathed on Sunday with their high school signee class. They had six signees selected by teams on Day 2 of the draft after losing three recruits to the draft on Saturday The Chicago Cubs took right-hander Dylan Blomker in the fifth round with the 159th overall pick and two more signees were snatched up in the 11th round. The Pirates took left-hander Spencer Evans at No. 318 overall and the Detroit Tigers selected first baseman Will Adams at No. 336 overall. The Washington Nationals also took outfielder Anthony Murphy in the 16th round, but there’s a better chance than not that he never signs for reasons similar to those involving Washington and Santarelli. Logan Schmidt (LHP), Jensen Hirschkorn (RHP) and Wessley Roberson (OF) were the three signees taken in the draft on Day 1. Schmidt was taken in the second round by the Cleveland Guardians, Hirshkorn was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the third round and Roberson was
Top-ranked star defeats Zverev for second straight Wimbledon title
BY ANDREW DAMPF Associated Press
LONDON Jannik Sinner is starting to make a habit of responding to adversity in Paris with titles at Wimbledon.
The top-ranked Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 Sunday for his second consecutive title at the All England Club after his German opponent appeared bothered by a knee issue following a slip to the grass on a key point in the third set
Sinner’s fifth Grand Slam title came in his first tournament since a second-round meltdown at the French Open, when he wilted in a Paris heat wave
When Sinner ripped a forehand winner up the line on his first match point, the Italian dropped to the grass on his back in celebration.
“There’s no better place to play tennis,” Sinner said during the trophy ceremony
A year ago, Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in the final at the All England Club after wasting three match points against his rival in the Roland Garros final.
It was Sinner’s 10th straight victory over Zverev, who was coming off his first Grand Slam title at the French Open.
Zverev’s previous best performance at Wimbledon was reaching the fourth round three times.
“I’m 29 years old and this is the first time I actually believe I can win this trophy,” Zverev said.
Prince William joined his wife, Kate, and two of their children for the final in a star-studded Royal Box that also included actors Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman and Ben Stiller Linda Noskova beat Karolina Muchova in an all-Czech women’s final on Saturday for her first Grand Slam title.
Zverev slips
The top two seeds appeared perfectly matched until Zverev earned his only break point of the match at 3-3 in the third set — 2 hours and 42 minutes in. Sinner produced a drop shot and Zverev slipped and appeared to hyper-extend his right knee as he attempted to change directions
behind the baseline
Zverev grasped his knee in apparent discomfort and Sinner went around the net and helped his opponent up off the grass.
Zverev quickly resumed playing but he appeared slightly hampered and slung his racket across the baseline in frustration when he missed a forehand and handed Sinner the first break of the match and a 5-3 lead in the third. Sinner then served it out.
Zverev had also lost 14 straight sets to Sinner and when he claimed the opening set of the final with a forehand winner up the line to conclude a tight tiebreaker, he let out a loud roar toward his box as he bent over in celebration.
Zverev cranked out serves at up to 139 mph, while Sinner produced a series of well-placed aces at a slightly lower speed.
But Sinner began to read Zverev’s serve better in the second-set tiebreaker, and Zverev started to miss forehands.
“He showed once again why he’s the best player in the world,” Zverev said.
Sinner produced 58 winners to Zverev’s 49 and had only 25 unforced errors to Zverev’s 45.
Zverev led 17-15 in aces.
Paris meltdown
Amid stifling heat and humidity in Paris in late May, Sinner had his
30-match winning streak ended after coming within one game of a straight-set victory over Juan Manuel Cerundolo, who was ranked No. 56. Conditions were cooler in southwest London for the final, with clear skies and a temperature of 82 degrees, but it was also breezy which led to a series of shanked shots from both players.
Sinner went in for medical exams in Milan after the Paris defeat and didn’t play an official match again until he arrived at
Wimbledon, where he twice had to come back from a set down in a five-set marathon against Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round.
Sinner then didn’t drop a set the rest of the way until the final, having dominated against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
Despite the defeat in the final, Zverev will leapfrog Alcaraz into the No 2 spot in the rankings on Monday Alcaraz missed both the French Open and Wimbledon this year due to a right wrist injury
drillers win opener of American Legion state tourney 12-2
BY MIKE COPPAGE
Contributing writer
Every year the Lafayette Drillers coaching staff preaches the importance of winning the first game of the American Legion state tournament.
The Drillers got that done in emphatic fashion on Saturday in Crowley, pounding the St. Landry Bank Indians 12-2 in six innings to advance in the winners’ bracket, where they faced GautierAmedee on Sunday The rest of the tourney will be at Fabacher Field in Youngsville.
“The last two years, we underproduced and lost the first one,” Drillers coach Kason Knight said.
After two scoreless innings, Lafayette posted a pair of threerun frames before breaking the game wide open with a five-spot in the fifth Six players had multiple hits.
“Our guys do a really good job of buying into our approach,” Knight said, “On top of that, our starting pitcher (Ace Dupuis) gave us a helluva performance.” Dupuis defeated the Indians for the second time this season. The pitcher from Southside High threw a complete game both times, blanking the Opelousas-
the game with one out in the sixth inning.
In the third inning, Kaleb Simon opened the scoring with a double that brought in Celestine Domingue added a single that scored two runs.
“Owen is a huge piece of our offense,” Knight said of the rising senior from St. Thomas More. “He’s gotten consistently better week after week.”
The Drillers are expected to start left-hander Beau Cormier, the clean-up hitter, on the mound on Sunday
“He knows how to pitch,” Knight said. “He throws five pitches for strikes. He won a lot of games for Acadiana Renaissance and has won a lot of games for us.”
IN BRIEF FROM
Ryu wins Evian in playoff for 2nd straight major title
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France A second major title in a three-week stretch. The lowest round an 11-under 60 — in an LPGA major It was quite the weekend at the Evian Championship for Haeran Ryu, the latest South Korean sensation in women’s golf.
Ryu, the winner of the Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine on June 29 gave up a three-shot overnight lead, birdied No. 18 to make a playoff, and beat Brooke Henderson on the first extra hole Sunday to win the fourth women’s major of the year
“This,” said the 25-year-old Ryu, drenched in Champagne and cradling the trophy in her left arm, “is just a dream right now.” Henderson was looking to be the first repeat winner of the Evian Championship since it became women’s golf’s fifth major in 2013.
Johnson wins at Firestone for first senior major title AKRON, Ohio Zach Johnson won his first PGA Tour Champions major in the final event at Firestone Country Club closing with a 2-under 68 for a six-shot victory Sunday in the Kaulig Companies Championship.
Johnson had a 63 in the third round that staked him to a fourshot lead entering the final round, and even with a pair of bogeys in his opening four holes no one came particularly close. Johnson chipped in from 20 feet on his last hole. It was Johnson’s third win in his rookie season on the 50-and-older tour allowing him to close the gap on Stewart Cink in the Charles Schwab Cup. The win makes Johnson eligible for The Players Championship next year
Kim gets back on track with Scottish Open victory
NORTH BERWICK, Scotland Tom Kim played bogey-free during a tight race to the finish Sunday and closed with a 6-under 64 for a twoshot victory in the Scottish Open, his first PGA Tour title since the fall of 2023. It was the latest and best sign the 24-year-old Kim had his game on track after spending all season outside the top 100 in the world. He finished with a 4-foot par putt on the 18th as his closest pursuer, Min Woo Lee, watched from the 18th fairway and realized he needed to hole out from the fairway to force a playoff. Lee closed with a par for a 67 to finish alone in second.
Matt Fitzpatrick, who shared the 54-hole lead with Robert MacIntyre, had a 69 and tied for third with MacIntyre (69), Keita Nakajima (67) and Johnny Keefer (67).
D’backs place RHP Gallen on 15-day IL due to elbow LOS ANGELES The Arizona Diamondbacks placed right-hander Zac Gallen on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, while left-hander Mitch Bratt was recalled to start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday Gallen was supposed to start the final game before the All-Star break before manager Torey Lovullo announced a change late Saturday Gallen, 30, has struggled for more than a month, going 0-5 with an 8.24 ERA over his past eight starts, going back to May 29. He is 3-9 on the season with a 6.34 ERA over 19 starts. A 2023 All-Star and veteran of eight major league seasons, Gallen is 69-61 with a 3.83 ERA over 195 career starts.
based Indians in the regular season and spinning a four-hitter with seven strikeouts on Saturday
“Everybody knows it’s all about pitching,” Knight said of the key to winning the double-elimination tourney “To only use one arm today that’s really big and sets us up pretty good down the road.”
The Drillers scored all five runs in the fifth inning with no outs Catcher Owen Domingue, who had two hits, got things started with a single. Ashton Ce-
lestine, Camren Roberts, Jackson Breaux, Braxton Boudreaux and Kyzer White each finished with at least two hits.
“Our lineup does a really good job of playing the game the right way,” Knight said. “We play fast; we play small ball when we have to but we also put it in the gaps. I think we saw that today.”
Leadoff hitter Celestine and White each drove in three runs. White ripped a ball to the deepest area of the park in center field to score Breaux (three hits) and end
In addition to a stellar offensive performance, Roberts was big defensively at second base. The rising junior at Lafayette Christian robbed the Indians of a hit with the bases loaded in the fourth inning and later snagged a line drive that ended in a double play
“I get to coach him at LCA,” Knight said of Roberts. “He’s our starting shortstop He does a great job defensively, and he is really putting his at-bats together right now. It’s fun to watch.”
“This group of guys is something special,” Roberts said. “One through nine, we hit, and whenever you play the defense like we played today, it’s unmatched.
“We have a chance to go deep in this tournament.”
McGregor had no prior knee injury, manager says LAS VEGAS Conor McGregor’s manager said in a social media post Sunday that fighter did not have a previous knee injury prior to his shortened UFC 329 fight with Max Holloway McGregor’s first fight in five years lasted just 1:09 due to a knee injury sustained while attempting an opening roundhouse kick. “That opening jump switch kick was drilled daily for months, multiple times in warmup. Never an issue,” John Kavanagh wrote on Facebook. “Knee went when he (threw) the very first kick. Doesn’t get any worse than this.” McGregor’s highly anticipated return to the
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Summer League play In Thursday’sopening loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, he playedjust 12 minutes andfinished with two points. He scored 12 points in 25 minutes in Saturday’swin over the Charlotte Hornets. He was 0-for7on3-pointers in the firsttwo games, but finally knocked down some treys (3-for-10) Sunday.He also recorded threerebounds.
“I feel like I’ve shown my resilience, my toughness,” Pierre said. “Just me being from New Orleans, I’m showingthat dog that I’ve got.”
RECEIVER
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There is some projectionwith Harris because the former Stanford receiver returns to thePower Four after an All-Mountain West seasonatHawaii But as far as body type and skill set, Harris is similar to one of Leavitt’sfavorite receivers of yesteryear,Jordan Tyson, who regularlysprinted his6-2,200-pound frame down the field and won his shareof50-50 balls. Harris, at 6-2, 200 pounds,came down with 16 of 22 throws that were contested in 2025, according to PFF.Heaveraged 19.7 yards per reception, along with an average depth of 15.7 yards on his targets. Those are numbers agunslinging QB loves to see. He hastoprove he candoitin the SEC before Harris is in the discussion with Tyson, picked No. 8bythe Saints in April, as Leavitt’s all-time favorite pass catcher.But there’sareadymade role forHarris to play, if he can seizeit.
Same for Old Dominiontransfer Tre’ Brown, another outside receiver who stands 6-2, 190 and averaged20yards per catch in 2025. WinstonWatkins
Watkins has ahead start, endearing himself to his new quarterback becauseheshould know Kiffinand Charlie Weis Jr.’soffense better than anyone. The 5-10, 182-pound sophomore played his freshman season at Ole Miss, hauling in 26 passes for373 yards and ascore.Hewas inthe
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snatched up by the MiamiMarlins in the fourth.
On Sunday,five LSU relievers were taken in the later rounds. Right-hander Grant Fontenot waspickedinthe 10th roundby the Kansas City Royals at No. 299 overall; left-hander Santiago Garcia was taken in the 12th round by the Toronto Blue Jays at No.372 overall; and the Marlins took righthander Connor Benge in the 13th round at No. 385 overall.
The New York Mets also picked right-hander Gavin Guidry in the 16th round with the 480th overall pick, and the Guardiansselected right-hander Zac Cowanwith the No. 573 overall pick in the 19th round. Outfielders Derek Curiel and Jake Brown, and right-hander Deven Sheerin were the Tigers taken on Day 1ofthe draft. Curiel was the No. 5overall pick, selected by the Pirates, while theSeattle Mariners took Brown in the second round and the Philadelphia Phillies snatched up Sheerin in thefourth High school signeeslost Blomker was the first Tiger of any kind to be taken before the 10th round. At 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, he attended Las Cueva High in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has afastball that reaches the mid-90s, but his strength on the mound is his ability to throw multiple breaking balls at ahigh level
One scout who spoke withThe Advocate said that he’sthe best prospecttocome out of New Mexicosince LSU star StevenMilam.
“He has all the ingredients if you read it on apiece of paper,” the scout said. “That sounds like it’sastarter with four pitches, and they flash average or better,and there are outings where you show up one time, and he’sthrowing 65% strikes. And then you show up another time, and you read everything,and you’re like, this guy has nothing.” Evans was theonly left-handed pitching signee from LSU taken in the draft. He attended TNXL Academy in Ocoee, Florida, and is from Ocoee. He was the No. 194 player in MLB.com’sdraft rankings and throwsafastball that
Malik Dia, a6-foot-9 undrafted forwardfromOle Miss, led the Pelicans with 18 points andeight reboundsinhis best game in Las Vegas. Dia, whocame off the bench, shot 6-of-12 from the floor “It’sjustbeing confident in who Iam.” Dia said.” Ilove this game. Ispend so much time on it and I’m just coming outhere playinganother game.”
Kobe Bufkin, who hasbeen the Pelicans’ most productive offensiveplayer in Summer League, chippedin15points. Bufkin, drafted by theAtlanta Hawks with the No. 15 overall pick in 2023, is averaging 21.3 points through the first three games. That includes ateam-best30 points in the opener New Orleans native Solomon
Washington, aformer Carver High standout who was named Louisiana’sMr. Basketball in 2022, got his first action in SummerLeague play.The undrafted rookie missed hisonly shot attempt in his nine minutes of play, but recorded three rebounds and two assists. Melvin Council dished out ateambest four assists to go withhis nine points.
Phoenixrookie forward Koa Peat,the younger brotherofformer Saints’ offensive lineman Andrus Peat,finished with12points and four rebounds for theSuns. The Pelicans play their fourth gameWednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Email RodWalker at rwalker@theadvocate.com.
slot for nearly 83 percent of his snaps, flashing his potential as a route-runner extraordinaire.
Those skills were on full display in aroadwin at Oklahoma.Watkins finished with 111 yards on just four catches, glidingacross the middle for a40-yard catch-and-run to set up ago-ahead score. Then he crossed up adefensive backona 43-yard slantand go. Watkins is still young, but he reallyfitsthe bill as areliable, sure-handed slot receiver who not only offers Leavittanoutlet in the quick passing game but also finds open space when the scrambling QB goes off-script.
Eugene Wilson
Wilson was aFreshman AllAmerican in 2023,but injuries limited the 5-11, 190-pound wideouttonine starts over the past two seasons at Florida. He had morecatches(61) and yards (538) as atrue freshman
Florida wide receiver
Eugene Wilson runs withthe ball after a catch against Kentucky on Oct. 19, 2024. Wilson signed with LSU during the transfer portal period.
AP FILEPHOTO
By GARy MCCULLOUGH
than he produced in his next two seasons combined (46 receptions for 505 yards).
But if the former top-50 recruit rediscovers his playmaking potential, he’sa versatile athlete who can line up just about anywhere, comesinand outofhis breaksefficiently,and flashes an abilityto maketough catches
The5-11, 190-pound wideout lined up in the slot52% of thetime last season,but he wasalsobrought in motion and stretched defenses horizontally on jet sweeps.
He’sjust been on adownward trajectory since2023, posting an 81.8 PFF grade as afreshman, then a71.9 as asophomore, then a57as aredshirt sophomore.
Maybe afresh start helps.Maybe amore aggressive scheme —heaveraged just 7.4yards of depthonhis targets lastseason better suitshim. Wilsonismoreofa dark horse but he’svery much in therunning.
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becoming aMajor League Baseball player.”
The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder began his onlyseason with the Cajuns after transferring from TylerJunior College as the team’s closer,before moving to the Friday night starter thesecondhalf of the season. In 742/3 innings, Brasch allowed 53 hits, walked21and struck out 82.Opponentshit .197.He finished 6-3with six saves and a 2.77 ERA. After not having aplayer drafted last summer for the first time in UL programhistorysince2013,Brasch startedastreakwithhisselectionin the eighth round on Sunday In 2024, Kyle DeBarge became thehighest draft pick in program history when he was takenwith theNo. 33 overall pick in the first round by the Minnesota Twins.
LP Langevin was later taken in the fourth round that season by Kansas City In 2023, UL made more noise in the first eight rounds with Carson Roccaforte selected at No.66
reaches the mid-90s, along with a slider
His biggest issue, according to scouts, was hisinabilitytoconsistently throw strikes. Twoscouts who spoke with The Advocate before the draft thought he’d make it to LSU.
“I think he kind of falls in the bucketofthe high school guy that you have to scout in casehe ends up being signable or in case he comes out and has like ahuge spring or something,” one scout said. “Everybody knew who he was,obviously. Andthere’ssome upside in him, but Ithink he ends up atschool.”
Evans’ TNXL teammate and fellowLSU signeeColeton Brady announced Saturday night that he’d be going to school and withdrawingfrom thedraft.Brady was one of four LSU signees to withdraw their name from the draft before Sunday Adams was thetop-ranked recruit in MLB.com’srankings who was selected after the10thround. He attended Hoover High in Alabamaand is oneofthe top recruits
in LSU’s2026class.Hewas theNo. 57 player in The Athletic’sdraft rankings and atop-130 player in ESPN and MLB.com’slists.
He wonthe Gatorade Player of theYear AwardinAlabama, hitting 13 home runs with a.489 batting average. He hassome power, but is mostly known for his strong contact skills andpatience at the plate.Adamsisone of themostpolished players in LSU’sclass. “Great kid, good hitter.Probablygoingtobelike acorner type of defender. Left field, right field, first base, because he’salefthandedthrower,” ascoutsaid. “Good, good hitter.Hecould go there and play well as afreshman. He wouldreally help him if he made it to school.”
The Nationals and Pirates took fliers on two of LSU’stop signees in the later rounds, in casethey couldn’tsign one of their toppicks. LSUplayers in laterrounds Fontenot had acareer year as a fifth-year senior this spring. He spent threeseasonswith the Tigers, redshirting as afreshman
in 2022beforeleaving the program for two yearsand returning to LSU in 2025. He posted a7.20 ERA in limited work in his return to BatonRouge, butposteda4.18ERA in 321/3 innings as akey piece in the Tigers’ bullpen this year
“He got to pitch morethis year thanheeverhad,” one scout said. “So it kind of told you they believed in him more.” Fontenot transferred to McLellan Community College after his freshman year at LSU.Hethen spent the2024 season at Texas before returning to Baton Rouge.
After transferring in from Oregon, Garcia posted a5.96ERA in 222/3 innings in his lone season with theTigers. He produced plenty of swings and misses —striking out 35 batters—but walks were an issue for the junior. He issued17of them and threw eight wild pitches during his timeinBaton Rouge. He transferred to LSU fromOregon last offseason, posting a4.20 ERAasasophomore in his only year with the Ducks. Before Oregon, Garcia spent hisfreshman season at Central ArizonaCommu-
overall in the second round by the Royals, before theTexas Rangers selected Julian Brock in the eighth round.
In 2021, Spencer Arrighetti was scooped up in thesixth round by Houston In 2020, Hayden Cantrelle was taken by Milwaukee in the fifth round.
Twoyears before that, pitcher Hogan Harris was taken in the third round (85th overall) by the Oakland Athletics.
In 2015, shortstop BlakeTrahan wasalsoathird-round pick by Cincinnati at No.84overall.
The only other top eight picks this century were catcher Jonathan Lucroy No. 101 overall in thethirdround by Milwaukeein 2007, outfielderCorey Coles No 139 overallinthe fifth round by the Mets in 2003, outfielderSeth Harrison in the seventh round by the Giants in 2014, pitcher Patrick Green in the seventh round by Kansas City in 2004, catcher Danny Massiatte in the sixth round by TampaBay in 2000 and Scott Dohmann in the sixth round by Colorado in 2000.
Email KevinFoote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.
nity College, where he had a3.04 ERA in 232/3 innings.
“He has asolid floor with that breaking ball; his velocity even ticked up later in the year,” ascout said. “And theyactually startedusing him more.”
Benge had a9.00 ERA in seven innings this season for the Tigers. He walked three batters and struck out 13 as asenior,spending two seasons with LSU after transferring in from Dallas Baptist.
In his first season at LSU, Benge had a6.75 ERA in 16 innings. He owned a5.73ERA in his only season at Dallas Baptist and spent his freshman year at LSU Eunice.
“It’shard to pitch when you’re looking over your shoulder right when you get in the game,” one scout said. “I don’tknow how Jay (Johnson) didn’tknow that, but if you throw one ball, and you’re like, ‘Okay,I’m already going to be out for the next guy.’ Ijust think, as someone who played, that’sno way to pitch.” In four seasons withthe Tigers, Guidry had a4.66ERA in 962/3 innings.Hebegan hiscollegiate career as an infielder but moved to the mound midway through the year,ending the season with a3.77 ERA and recording the final out of LSU’snational championship in 2023.
“I could seesomebodytaking him;he’sbeen around awhile. He’s worn the (number) eight at LSU, so there are probably some trustworthy traits there,” ascout told The Advocate. “He wasa prospect in high school, and Icould see if somebody’sjust kind of taking a stab at him and getting him back to what they thought he could be.” Cowan, meanwhile, was oneof LSU’smost important pitchers over the past twoseasons. He helped guide the Tigers to anational championshipin2025 and was one of their top relief pitchers this spring. “Cowan kind of runs intothe no fastball (problem). He’sagood changeup guy,” one scoutsaid. “But someone should give him a chance. He throwsstrikes. He’sa veteranguy.Hecan pitchinmultiple roles.”
Email Koki Rileyatkoki.riley@
EMMY AWARD NOMINATIONS
‘The
BY ALICIA RANCILIO Associated Press
The Primetime Emmy Award nominations are out and not-sosurprisingly “The Pitt” is an early winner with more nods than any other show.Also, it’sagreat start for the cast of “Widow’s Bay”who enter with 19 nominationsfor its freshman season. There were plenty of surprises and some snubs from Wednesday’s nominations, including some hits and misses for “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr.and Carolyn Bessette” and afirst nom for Connor Storrie –just not for the show most people know him for.
If “The Bear” star Jeremy Allen Whiteattendsthe Emmy Awards this year,itwon’tbeasanominee. The acclaimed series got several nominations for its final season, justnot an acting nod for itshead chef. Read on for more noteworthy nominees and those who gotoverlooked.
‘The Pitt’anEmmys juggernaut
Last year,Shawn Hatosy won best guest actor in adrama for “The Pitt.” This year,he’sgotten bumped up to supporting actor status and has an Emmy nomination to show for it. He is competing against co-stars Patrick Ball and Gerran Howell in the same category.Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif and Sepideh Moafi receivedtheir first nominations for best supporting actress in the HBO Max medical drama. While the cast racked up numerous nominations,two actors ended up being their own best cheerleaders. Brittany Allen and Jeff Kober each guest starred as ER patients on Season 2and self-submitted their work for nominations. Now,they’reEmmy nominees in the guest-acting categories.
ä See EMMY, page 6C
LSUHilltop
BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer
Ask Louisianans to nameafamous naturalist, and John J. Audubon’sname will top the list. It’sunderstandable, with Audubon’sname prominently attached to everything from zoos and aquariums to bridges and parks and,yes, even agolf trail.
tinction goes to William Bartram,who madehis way through the Louisiana territory in 1775, ayear before the Declaration of Independence wassigned and 10 years before Audubon’sbirth.
Audubon visited Louisianaoften, spent lots of time in New Orleans and even based his portfolio, “Birds of America,”onmany of the birds he collected and documented while living in St. Francisville. But Audubon wasn’tthe first naturalisttodocument Louisiana’snatural landscape and its inhabitants. That dis-
BYERIK PEDERSEN
The OrangeCounty Register (TNS)
James Wolff is not his real name,but the former spy who writes under that nom de plume is the author of “Spies and Other Gods,” asplendid mystery set in the world of espionage. It’sgot aunique way of telling its story,which we won’tspoil, and characterswho are unexpectedlymore than you first imagine. Wolff agreed to answer our questions, and left his encoded responses at asecret dead drop location. Or did he?
Doubts? Well, proof is foundinthe historic markers documenting Bartram’strail through theBaton Rouge area, each bearing a local passage from his book, “Travels of William Bartram.”
Oneofthese markers piqued Cynthia Jardon’scuriosityabout the legendary naturalist
“I saw amarker relating to William Bartram on avisit to the Burden Center,” theAlexandria reader said. “I’ve been told there are moremarkers in
ä See MARKING, page 6C
Please tellreaders about your new book,“Spies and Other Gods.”
The seed of the idea for “Spies and Other Gods”lies in an official report written by the U.K. parliamentary committee that oversees the spy agencies. In this report, thecommittee complained that spy chiefs were blocking their staff from whistleblowing directly to the committee, instead forcing them to make their complaints through internal channels. This started methinking along two lines. The first was that spies can be extremely obstructive and unhelpful! The second was
AmericannaturalistWilliam Bartram made hisway through the Louisiana territoryin1775.
a question:what would complaint number 1look like? From there, my story took me to an Iranian assassin, an international manhunt and an awful lot of dark secrets. Youworked in intelligence (as have other authors in yourgenre): Whydoyou think former intelligence officers write books (and do youall gettogether in an undisclosedlocation to compare notes)? Great question! Iwish Icould give you adefinitive answer For me, the answer lies in the way that spying is all about character,psychology and motive—which are things that preoccupy fiction writers too.
Spies are natural observers, natural watchers. They like to collect details that allow them to build up aprofile of an individual. As forthe secret meetings with other spies-turned authors in an undisclosed location, Ican’tpossibly comment Afollow-up to the previous question: Youwrite,“Anyonewho chooses writing spynovels over spying can’thavebeen much good in the first place,” and I’dlove to hear more about that. (While I’msure it’sawinking joke, if you have more to add on the subject, that’dbegreat.) I’mreally just poking
By The Associated Press
Today is Monday,July 13, the 194th day of 2026
There are 171 days left in the year
TodayinHistory:
On July 13, 1985, the “Live Aid” benefit rock concerts were held simultaneously in London and Philadelphia, raising millions for famine relief in Ethiopia. Also on this date:
In 1793, French politician physician and journalist Jean-Paul Maratwas assassinated by Charlotte Corday,who stabbed him to death in his bath.
In 1863, deadly rioting against the Civil Warmilitary draft erupted in New York City.(The insurrection was put down three days later.)
In 1923, asign consisting of 50-foot-tall letters spelling out “HOLLYWOODLAND”was dedicated in the Hollywood Hills to promote areal estate subdivision (the last four letters were removed in 1949).
In 1930, the first FIFA World Cup began in Uruguay
In 1960, John F. Kennedy won the Democratic presidential nomination on the first ballot at his party’s convention in Los Angeles.
In 1973, former presidential aide Alexander P. Butterfield revealed to Senate Watergate Committee staff members the existence of President Richard Nixon’ssecret White House taping system.
In 1999, Angel Maturino Resendiz, suspected of being the “Railroad Killer” responsiblefor the deaths at least nine people, surrenderedinElPaso, Texas. He was convicted of capital murder in aTexas court and executed in June 2006.
In 2013, ajury in Florida cleared neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman of all charges in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black teenager whose killing unleashed furious debate over racial profiling, selfdefenseand equal justice.
In 2018, agrand jury indictment, sought by special counsel Robert Mueller, alleged that the Russian government was behind asweeping conspiracy to interfere in the 2016 U.S presidential election.
In 2020, Washington’s NFL franchise dropped the “Redskins” name and logo amid pressure from sponsors; the move followed decades of criticism that the name and logo were offensive to Native Americans. (The team was eventually renamed the Commanders.)
Today’sBirthdays: Gameshow announcer Johnny Gilbert (TV:“Jeopardy!”) is 98. Author and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka is 92. Actor Patrick Stewart is 86. Actor Harrison Ford is 84. Singerguitarist RogerMcGuinn (The Byrds) is 84. Rubik’s Cube inventor Erno Rubik is 82. Actor-comedian Cheech Marin is 80. Actor DaphneMaxwell Reid is 78 Actor Didi Conn is 75. Actor Gil Birmingham is 73. Singer Louise Mandrellis72. Former boxing champion Michael Spinks is 70. Actordirector Cameron Crowe is 69. Comedian TomKenny is 64. Actor Ken Jeong is 57. Singer Deborah Cox is 52. Actor AyaCash is 44. Former St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina is 44. Actor Colton Haynes is 38. Actor Steven R. McQueen is 38. Soul singer Leon Bridges is 37.Actor Hayley Erin (TV:“General Hospital”) is 32.
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Dear Doctors: Ijust finished atough year in grad school, and my diet hasn’tbeen that great.Iknow your gut microbiomehas alot to do with good health, and Iwant to get mineintobetter shape. I’m thinkingaboutprobiotic capsules, but it’sconfusing.How do you know which ones to take?
Dear Reader: When life gets challenging,itcan beall tooeasy to let healthyroutines fall by the wayside. As happened to you, this can include not always making the best food choices. Diethas adirect andpowerfuleffect on thetrillions of microbes that maketheir homes in ourgut.Asyou pointout, the gut microbiomeplays akey role in physical health It makes sense that you’re ready to focus on getting your gut health back ontrack.Considering probiotic supplements also has acertain logic. The term probiotics refers to live microorganismsthat can have abeneficial effect on thebody.The
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Another commonality: Allen and Kober haveeach won Daytime Emmy Awardsfor “All My Children” and “General Hospital.”
The25nominationsfor “The Pitt” are nearly double what it received for its first season. Besides actingcategories, it’s nominated for best drama and behind-thecamera work like directing and casting
Otherfresh faces
In asea of regular nominees like Jean Smart, Quinta Brunson and Martin Short, somenew names managed to squeezein.
Less than one month after “Widow’sBay” completed airing its first season, thecomedy horror starring Matthew Rhys is planting aflag at theEmmy Awards. Kate O’Flynn, Kevin Carroll, Stephen Root andDale Dickey arecast members among thefirst-time nominees.
Thenewlywed characters in “Beef” Season 2split when it came to Emmy recognition. Charles Meltongot his first nomination, while Cailee Spaeny was overlooked.
“Monster: The EdGeinStory
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Baton Rouge. So, whydid Bartram travel through Baton Rouge, and howwas itdecided where the markers would beplaced?”
Answeringthe last part of that question is easy.
“Weplaced the markers according to locations in thepassages in William Bartram’sbook,” said Michele Deshotels, amember of the Bartram Trail Project Committee andthe LSU Hilltop Arboretum’s board of directors.
She refers to Bartram’s1791 book, “TravelsofWilliam Bartram,” in which he accurately chronicles his 1773-1777 exploration of the southern colonies and southeastern region of North America. In it, Bartram specifically documents thefindings of his visittothe “BatonRouge settlement,” where he notonly takes note of abluff along the Mississippi River,but also ariver called Amite and an area bythe nameof Manchac.
In hisblood
Whydid Bartram decide to conductthissurvey of theSouth’secosystem? It was in his blood.
Bartram’sfather was noted naturalist JohnBartram. Though dad was born in the “British Province of Pennsylvania” in 1699 and was aclose friend to Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, son William Bartram is celebrated as Ameri-
myself with this line. There’sa lot of myth-making in spy literature. And there are alot of people in the spy world itself who take themselves just alittle bit too seriously.Iwantpeople to read this book because they enjoy the writing, the characters and the humour,not because they think it waswritten by asuper spy Without giving anything away,you havea unique approach to how you tell this story. Is there away you can talk about that?
I’ve been preoccupiedfor a
while now with theidea of collective identities. In an organisation like MI5 or MI6, you have all the thousands ofemployees with their separate identities and then above them all, floating like a kind ofdeity,isthe organisation’s identity.Sooften it’s hard to pin down responsibilityfor adecision or apolicy to oneindividual, because thetruth is that thedecision has been taken collectively, by this supra-identity.Ithought it would be interesting to write a novel with the organisation itself providing the narrative voice. In this case, avoice that is spiky, provocative, argumentative, defensive, cynical and—Ihope
word has also become shorthand for live microbial cultures that are available in capsule form. They differ in thetypes of bacteria they contain, the number of microorganisms they deliver and the purported benefitsthey claim.It’s no small wonder you find yourself confused. While takingprobiotic supplements is generally considered safe, thebenefits currently remain unclear.This is due to several factors. Oneisthat thegut microbiome is fantastically diverse, with between 400 and 800 different spe-
cies. Another is that each person’s gut profile is unique. Add in the fact that the effects of probiotic supplements have been found to be modestand short-lived, and the limitations of the capsule approach becomeapparent. That leads us to the guidance we give our own patients. We don’t advise against taking probiotic supplements, but we do strongly urge that they be part of awider approach. Research showsthat, given thechance, the gut heals itself. One of the mostimportant thingsyou can do to bolster that is to eat avaried, high-fiber diet. This, in turn, feeds the microbes in thegut Fiber goalsdifferdepending on age and gender.For women49and younger,it’s25gramsoffiber per day.After age50, 21 gramsisfine. Up to age 49, men are urged to get 38 grams of fiber per day.Atage 50, the goal resets at 30 gramsper day
Sarah Pidgeonisnominated for her portrayalasCarolynBessetteKennedyin‘Love Story: John F. KennedyJr. &Carolyn Bessette,’but Paul AnthonyKelly was not nominated for his role as John F. KennedyJr.
didn’thave the buzz of previous monster stories about Jeffrey Dahmer or Lyle and Erik Menendez.Its star,Charlie Hunnamcan count himself an Emmy nominee though. Hiswork as the serial killer brought him his first nomination. File this next one under,“We’ll takewhat we can get.” While Con-
ca’sfirst native born naturalist and scientific illustrator
According to Allen Johnson’s 1929 entry on Bartram in the “Dictionary of American Biography,” thenaturalist’stalent for drawing wasrecognized by Franklin, who “offered to teach (young Bartram) printing, and then suggested for him thetrade of engraver
Instead, Bartram tried his hand working as an independent trader in Cape Fear,North Carolina, before accompanying his father’s 1765-66 exploration of the St. John River in Florida.
The father and son duo wrote a book about that trip, titled “Travels on the St. John River,” and though it was published in 1791, it’sstill in print through the University of FloridaPress.
ButWilliam Bartram’slife journey would take adifferent path after that.
“His father’sfriend, theEnglish naturalist Peter Collinson, had before his deathin1768 shown drawings by William —‘elegant performances’ —tothe Duchess of Portland, and to Dr.John Fothergill, a(British)botanist and aFriend, who soon extended his patronage to theyoung American,” Johnson writes. “AtFothergill’s expense, Bartram spent theyears 1773-77 exploring the southeastern part of the United States. In return, Fothergill was tohave seeds, specimens, and drawings; journals and exquisite drawings.”
It was through Fothergill’spatronage that Bartram was able to travel as far west as Louisiana.
lots of fun.
What are you reading now?
Iamreading “Lonesome Dove,” which is every bit as gripping as Iwas led to believe. I’ve always loved Cormac McCarthy’swesterns, like “Blood Meridian,” and it’sbeen so interesting to see the samelandscape from adifferent perspective. It’s also made me very glad that Iwasn’tborn into that exceptionally violent and brutal world. Is there abook or type of book you’re reluctant to read? Ihate to admit it, but Ivery rarely read spy novels. It might be that Ispent 15 years as aspy which gives me alow tolerance
Although fiber supplements can be tempting, we strongly encourage eating real foods. The different types of fiber they contain support gut diversity.Vegetables, leafygreens and fruit also deliver micronutrients and phytonutrients, which play important roles in metabolic health. Don’t forget fermented foods, which are natural sources of probiotics: yogurt, kefir, kimchi, pickles and sauerkraut. Interestingly,studies also show the gut microbiome needs sleep and regular exercise as much as the rest of you. Bottom line: The best path to ahealthy gut lies in lifestyle changes, not in the health food aisle.
Send yourquestions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla. edu,orwrite: Ask the Doctors c/oUCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10880 WilshireBlvd., Suite1450, Los Angeles,CA, 90024.
While it’snosurprise that Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder and Paul W. Downsgot recognized forthe final season of “Hacks,” anice addition to the list is co-star Meg Stalter,who is up forher first Emmy as best supporting actress. You’ve been snubbed
Let’sstart with the big one. After receiving twoEmmy Awards for best actor in acomedy,Jeremy Allen White was not nominated for the final season of “The Bear.” The show got nominated, however,as did AyoEdebiri for best comedy actress.
Sarah Pidgeon is nominated for her portrayal as Carolyn BessetteKennedy in “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr.&Carolyn Bessette” but that love only goes so far. Paul Anthony Kelly,who played Kennedy,was shut out.
nor Storrie of “Heated Rivalry” also received his first Emmy nomination, it’snot forthe show that made him astar.There’sa technicalitywhere showsfinanced outside the U.S. are ineligible for Emmys, and the samegoes for their cast. Storrie is instead acontender for guest-hosting “Saturday Night Live.”
Startedout in Philadelphia
Bartram was living in Philadelphia when he set out on his pioneering, four-year solo journey,which brought him through theCarolinas and the Gulf South to Louisianaand the Mississippi River.Heobserved and recorded native plants, animalsand people in his journal along the way.That includes adrawing of alligators, though he documented them in Floridabefore arriving in Louisiana.
“He didn’texplore awhole lot of Louisiana,” Deshotels said. “He only got as farwest as Pointe Coupeé.”
Or,asBartram spelled it in his book, “Pointe Coupe.” Amarker stands across from St. Francis Chapel along La. 420 bordering the Mississippi River levee. Buthis chronicle of the Baton Rouge area wasthorough, as told through themarkers.
Each was spearheaded by Baton Rouge’sBartram Trail Project Committee, headed by the late Randy Harelson, in cooperation with the nonprofitBartram Trail Conference.
Themarkers’locations
In Baton Rouge, they can be found:
n on the Mississippi River levee at theintersection of South Boulevard and River Road downtown; n BREC Airline Highway Park, 17200 Airline Highway near Bayou Manchac; n theLSU Hilltop Arboretum,
for unrealistic scenarios, or that writing my own spy novels means that I’m desperate forapalate cleanser at the end of the day
There are spy novels Ilove like “Harlot’sGhost,” “The Quiet American” or “The Untouchable” —but it’s not my genre of choice. Is there aperson who made an impact on your reading life —ateacher,a parent, a librarian or someoneelse? IrememberanEnglish teacher when Iwas aged around 12, and alessoninwhich we were going around theclass reading our essays aloud. Mine wasapretty unremarkable account of something, but Istill remember the way the teacher stopped me,asked me to
“The Four Seasons” is about a group of friends but Colman Domingo is the standout this year Domingo was nominated for best supporting actor in acomedy while Tina Fey, who created the seriesand also stars, got overlooked Apple TV’s“Your Friends & Neighbors” stars Jon Hammasa man whosecretly steals from his wealthy neighbors. The show got adramaseries Emmy nomination. Hammdid not.
11855 Highland Road; n Burden Museum &Gardens, 4560 Essen Lane; n BREC Magnolia Mound Museum +Historic Site, 2161 Nicholson Drive; n and the Main Library,7711 Goodwood Blvd.
“The marker at the library was in storage at abotanical garden in Mississippi,” Deshotels said. “Weapproached the library and asked if they would be interested in having this original marker, which took an overall view of the area through the writing in the book. We thought it was just perfect for the library,and they even chose some plants that were related to Bartram for their landscaping.”
Markers also stand at the intersection of Plains-Port Hudson Road and Old Scenic Highway in the Zachary-Plains area, along La. 42 in Port Vincent and, again, along La. 420 in Pointe Coupee Parish. Amarker commemorating Bartram’s journeys through the Lake Pontchartrain Basin also stands in Pelican Park at 63350 Pelican Blvd./Pelican Drive in Mandeville. Finally,the trail winding through LSU Hilltop Arboretum is named forBartram.
“All kinds of great things are associated with William Bartram,” Deshotels said. “And he wasactually asked to go on one of the great explorations after the Louisiana Purchase, but he said no, because by then he was too old. He thought his fireplace in his own house would be amuch nicer place to be.”
re-read asentence and then said that the essay was worth it for that one sentence on its own. Irealised in that moment that asentence can be athing of beauty
What do you find the most appealing in abook: the plot, the language, the cover, arecommendation? Do youhaveany examples? When Henry James was asked about his books, he replied that his objective wastowrite interesting things in one beautiful sentence after another.I can’tthink of abetter wayofputting it. Ilove words, adistinctive style, awriter whoknowswhat they’re doing and has interesting things to say along the way.
cAncER(June 21-July 22) Be brave,ask forwhatyou want anddon't shyaway from setting boundaries if someone tries to take advantage of you. Achange of heartwill result if you let criticism and ego get in the way of common sense.
LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Explore creative possibilities.Consider your skills and what youenjoy doing most,and search forcareer choices that can be instrumentalinfurthering your agenda
VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Take amoment to breathe. Distance yourself from chaoticsituations and people who contribute to your stress andanxiety.Surround yourselfwith apeaceful environment.
LIBRA(sept. 23-oct. 23) Contemplate your alternatives, play each scenario out start to finish andrethink your objective. Pay attentiontowhat's working foryou and what is causing confusion and uncertainty.
scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Keep life simple,doable and affordable. Refuse to let temptation, overindulgence and poor influences takeover. Avoid making hasty decisions regarding your health or financialwelfare.
sAGITTARIus(nov. 23-Dec. 21) Open youreyesand your wallet. Take care of what's dragging you downathome, medically or legally. Declutteryour life and letgoofthe past cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan.19) Pull it together, make your move andlive up to the promises you made yourself. A
change maynot be easyphysically or financially,but the result will be uplifting.
AQuARIus (Jan.20-Feb. 19) Payattention to how you earn your living and how to channel your energy into prosperity and aprofession that excites you more than sucks the life out of you. A change will help youput your life back in perspective PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) High standards, expectations and drive will carry youforward. Don't letothersmanipulate youorleadyou astray.Takethe walk that leads you in adirection that makesyou feel good ARIEs(March21-April 19) Be honest with yourself and considerate of others. If you are willing to meet in the middle and accept the truth, you'll discover how to deal with the transparency issuesyou face.
TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Getinvolved, make adifference and do your part. Adversity may rear its ugly head, but if youproceed withkindness andlove, youwill be part of thesolution, notthe problem.
GEMInI (May 21-June 20) If youdon't like something, change it. Research,find alternativesand make it happen. Take responsibilityfor your life,health and destination.Talkischeap
The horoscope,anentertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2026 by NEA,Inc.,dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to place thenumbers 1to9inthe empty squaressothat each row, each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of theSudoku increases from Monday to Sunday
Saturday’s Puzzle Answer
By PHILLIPALDER
One of the toughest card-play concepts for less experienced players is the“danger hand.” This occurs when declarer mustdohisutmosttokeeponeparticular opponent off the lead.
Today’s deal,itwill not surprise you to learn, is atextbook example. Southisinthree no-trump. West leads the diamond six:five, two (lowest from three worthless cards),jack.How should Southcontinue?
Note North’s two-heart rebid. With two lowdiamonds, it is preferable to raise heartswith only three than to rebidone no-trump. Then South carefully jumps to three no-trump, not four hearts, asking hispartner to choose between those two game contracts.
Southstartswithseventoptricks:three spades,oneheart,onediamond(fromthe first trick)and two clubs. The extra winners can obviouslycome from the club suit. But through which opponent should declarer finesse?
The first trick makes it clear that West hasthe diamondqueen and ace. If East had either of those cards, he would have played it at trick one —third hand high. So, if East gains the lead, he will return adiamond straight through South’sking 10, and West will cash several tricks in the suit. But if West is on lead, Southstill hasadiamondstopper.Eastisthedanger hand.
still has to be careful. He should cross to dummy with a spade, then run the
10. When that finesse wins, South plays aclub to his jack, cashes the club king, returns to dummy with aspade, takes theclubace and club eight, and ends with an overtrick.
Each Wuzzleisaword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON
Previous answers:
word game
InsTRucTIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters.2.Words that acquire four letters by the additionof“s,”such as “bats” or “dies,”are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns,
or vulgar or sexuallyexplicit words are not allowed.
ToDAy’s WoRD REAMERs: REEM-ers: Rotating tools with cutting edges used to enlargeorshape ahole.
Average mark 14 words
Canyou find 19 or more wordsinREAMERS?
sATuRDAy’s WoRD —conVERsE
today’s thought “When pridecomes, then comes shame: but with thelowly is wisdom. The integrity of theuprightshall guide them: butthe perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.” Proverbs 11:2-3
