The Advocate 07-18-2026

LSU, TULANE TO RENEW FOOTBALL RIVALRY IN 2030 1C

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Montrell Jackson

Matthew Gerald

Brad Garafola

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

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S at u r d ay, J u ly 18, 2026

Nick Tullier

‘Never stop telling their stories’

BR honors fallen officers on 10th anniversary of ambush

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Restaurants, grocers in La. respond to parasitic outbreak Cyclospora linked to contaminated lettuce

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

The food-borne parasitic outbreak that can cause extreme diarrhea and has affected several U.S. states, including Louisiana, is creating headaches for owners of local restaurants and supermarkets.

They’ve stopped buying some bagged shredded lettuce, which has been linked to the outbreak, and scrambled to ensure the lettuce they do have is safe.

“I heard about it on the ‘Today’ show like everybody else, so I stopped ordering it and started buying heads of iceberg lettuce instead,” said Cindy Mandina, a fourth-generation owner of Mandina’s, a Mid-City establishment known for its gumbo, pastas and fried shrimp and oyster loaf. “Now, I’m shredding it myself, old school.”

The outbreak of the cyclospora parasite, as the bug is called, has been linked to Taco Bell locations in five states that served bagged shredded lettuce from one of the country’s largest agricultural producers, Taylor Farms.

Louisiana was not among the states identified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Still, the number of reported cases in Louisiana of the parasitic infection have more than doubled in one week to 55, including five

ä See OUTBREAK, page 5A STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Riders with the Gulf Coast Brotherhood pass under an American flag Friday as part of a memorial service to honor four Baton Rouge law enforcement officers who died due to a 2016 ambush.

BY BLAKE LESCHBER Staff writer

Officer Matthew Gerald’s mother Patricia wears a homemade necklace with his photo on it.

Her sister made one for all of the family members of the four law enforcement officers who died in the July 17, 2016, ambush.

“People will ask, ‘Who is that you have around your neck?’ ” Patricia Gerald said. ä More “Then I get to tell a magical story, photos. especially in July. … It’s just a way to keep their memory alive.”

PAGE 1B This is one of many ways that the Baton Rouge community honored the 10th anniversary of a shooting that took the lives of four law enforcement officers.

On July 17, 2016, six officers were shot in an ambush at a convenience store off Airline Highway, about a mile from the Baton Rouge Police Department headquarters. Three of them — Cpl. Montrell Jackson, Officer Matthew Gerald and sheriff’s Deputy Brad Garafola — died that day.

ä See STORIES, page 4A

WEATHER HIGH 95 LOW 75 PAGE 6A

Lawmakers again eye AI regulation

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Baton Rouge police Chief TJ Morse delivers a speech at a memorial service Friday at police headquarters for the four officers killed in a 2016 ambush.

During Louisiana’s recent legislative session, a slew of bills restricting the use of artificial intelligence stalled after President Donald Trump’s administration said it wanted to create a national regulatory framework around the technology — and threatened states’ federal broadband funding if they acted on their own.

Noncontroversial bills, including ones that toughened penalties related to AI-generated child pornography, did pass. But proposals that entailed more dramatic changes — such as restrictions to how insurance companies

Business ......................5B Deaths .........................4B Nation-World................2A Classified .....................7D Living............................1D Opinion ........................6B Comics-Puzzles .....4D-6D Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C

ä See REGULATION, page 4A

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BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Body found after boat tragedy in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO — Police have recovered the body of a woman who was one of three people missing after a boat sank this week in San Francisco Bay. The body was identified as Tondra Madruga, 58, also known as Tondra Miller, the San Francisco medical examiner said Friday.

Madruga’s body was recovered Thursday by a police marine unit, two days after the Volare, a 49-foot cabin cruiser, sank with 20 people aboard after being hit by a wave and capsizing. The group was on the boat to scatter the ashes of a loved one.

One man, Clifford Boisa, died immediately after being retrieved from the chilly water.

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended rescue efforts Wednesday evening but police are still looking for the missing.

Ralph Boisa said his extended family and some close friends were on the boat Tuesday to celebrate the life of his daughter, who died over a decade ago.

Madruga was a friend.

The two people who remain missing are Ralph Boisa’s sister, Carol, and Clifford Boisa’s wife, Jackie, he said.

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U.S., Iran escalate attacks Airstrikes hit more bridges; tower collapses at key port

BY JON GAMBRELL Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United States and Iran escalated their attacks across the Middle East on Friday, trading strikes aimed at infrastructure and military targets as their battle over the Strait of Hormuz CO ONFLICT intensified.

The U.S. exIN THE T MIIDDLE panded its attacks against Iran by hitEAST AST ting more bridges and energy sites and collapsing a tower at a key Iranian port, following through on President Donald Trump’s threats to pressure Tehran to ease its chokehold on the waterway vital to world energy supplies.

In response, Iran launched missiles into U.S.-allied nations in the Mideast, including Qatar, a media-

tor in the war, and Kuwait, where one of the desert nation’s water desalination plants was damaged.

U.S. Central Command said late Friday it had launched its seventh straight night of attacks aimed at degrading Iran’s military.

In a statement early on Saturday, the Iranian military claimed that two oil tankers exploded and caught fire as they attempted to transit a mined route in the Strait of Hormuz. It did not provide further details, and the U.S. denied the report. “This is false,” CENTCOM said in a social media post.

Crossings through the strait fell to a three-week low, according to an international shipping tracker.

The U.S. airstrikes hit bridges overnight into Friday in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province, Iranian state television reported.

The attacks hit Bandar Khamir, a city on the Strait of Hormuz.

The highway and railway bridge strikes appeared aimed at cutting off Bandar Abbas, Iran’s main port, from roads leading into the Islamic Republic’s central region onward to Tehran, the capital.

Iran acknowledged “attacks on power infrastructure” during the U.S. airstrike campaign for the first time Friday when its Energy Ministry issued a call for people to use less power in southern provinces “experiencing extreme heat.” The ministry did not specify what was hit.

Iranian authorities said at least 46 people have been killed and more than 400 wounded in recent U.S. strikes, including eight killed in a strike on a bridge Friday.

U.S. officials acknowledged 13 additional U.S. service members — 10 Army soldiers and three Navy sailors — had been injured since Monday, but offered no further details.

Landslide in China kills 8; 34 missing

Magnitude 7.3 quake hits southern Mexico MEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities were reporting no immediate damage after a strong earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the southern state of Chiapas, resulting in shaking hundreds of miles away in Mexico City.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake — with a magnitude of 7.3 — occurred at 8:48 a.m., with an epicenter about 30 miles southwest of the city of Huixtla, in Chiapas state, near the border with Guatemala.

Reports in Chiapas indicated a series of aftershocks as panicked residents left their homes as a precaution.

Trump urges Darline Graham to run for term COLUMBIA, S.C. — President Donald Trump said Friday that Darline Graham, the sister of the late Lindsey Graham, has his support to run for a full term to replace her brother in the U.S. Senate.

He wrote on social media that she “has been a WINNER all of her life and, should she accept, has my Complete and Total Endorsement.”

The president said he had discussed a potential campaign with Darline Graham at the White House. Four people familiar with the deliberations, none of whom were authorized to speak publicly, had previously said that she privately expressed interest in running.

Plans for Lindsey Graham’s funeral were also announced Friday. There will be a service in Washington on July 28 and more in South Carolina on July 29.

After both of their parents died when Darline Graham was only 13, Lindsey became her legal guardian and later adopted her, to ensure his military benefits would flow to her.

Man confronts ‘Today’ show host, is arrested NEW YORK — NBC reportedly fired a security guard after an intruder breached the “Today” show set, where he sought out Al Roker and Craig Melvin, allegedly using racial slurs and turning violent before being taken into custody.

A source close to the matter confirmed the guard’s termination to TMZ after Andrew Truelove snuck into Studio 1A in New York City’s Rockefeller Center.

The suspect allegedly entered through the lobby, then followed closely behind an employee, who used an ID card to scan in to a restricted area, according to a complaint in the case. Truelove then made his way backstage, where he apparently began to search for 71-year-old Roker.

According to the complaint, a person identified as Informant 2 — presumably Melvin — spotted the suspect at the bottom of a stairwell in an “Employees Only” zone.

Truelove, 41, was charged with burglary and menacing, both as hate crimes, in addition to criminal trespass and harassment in connection with the case.

Central Command said it hit dozens of military and military infrastructure targets in Friday’s airstrikes.

The strikes collapsed a tower at Iran’s Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, a key trade route for landlocked, neighboring Afghanistan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported and the U.S. military later confirmed.

Iran said the tower oversees commercial traffic into the port.

But Central Command said it was part of a maritime surveillance network used by Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard to “track and target” commercial vessels in the strait.

In Kuwait, authorities said Iran attacked a power and water desalination plant, causing widespread damage to the station. Kuwait said it extinguished the blaze and was working to assess the damage and get the station working again.

About 90% of the country’s drinking water comes from desalination.

BY ANDY WONG Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHARLES KRUPA

People hold signs in protest during a vigil Friday for Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a Colombian national who was shot and killed by an ICE agent, in Biddeford, Maine.

Lawmakers demand answers on ICE vetting Officer who shot man in Maine has had past mental health issues

BY LISA MASCARO

AP congressional correspondent WASHINGTON — Democratic members of Congress are demanding answers about Homeland Security’s vetting and training of immigration enforcement agents after it was disclosed that the ICE officer involved in a deadly shooting this week in Maine had a history of mental health issues and violent behavior.

The Associated Press reported Thursday that David Brouillette, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who shot a Colombian man in Maine, is an Army veteran who has struggled with serious mental health issues since early childhood, according to several of his close relatives.

The AP reached out to congressional leaders and several key lawmakers of both major political parties for response.

The top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, said Brouillette’s history of violence and mental health issues and the death in Biddeford, Maine, “directly call into question the supposed vetting and training ICE does of its recruits.”

“This senseless tragedy must be investigated and the officer responsible should be taken off our streets and face justice for his actions,” Thompson said in a statement to the AP. Brouillette didn’t respond to text messages or an email seeking comment, but three relatives who said they had spoken to him since the shooting, including an ex-wife and a daughter, said he told them

he acted in self-defense.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who led a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security earlier this year as Democrats tried to impose restraints on immigration enforcement operations, said the consequences of failing to put guardrails on ICE are now being measured in lives.

President Donald Trump’s administration “rushed 12,000 agents onto our streets without ensuring they were fit to carry a badge and a gun — and Republicans gave this rogue agency vast power and no accountability,” Schumer said in a statement.

The report on Brouillette’s troubling past comes as the Department of Homeland Security has been on a hiring spree, fueled by vast sums of money from Republicans in Congress to help carry out Trump’s mass deportation agenda. It raises fresh questions about the department’s efforts to quickly hire, vet, train and dispatch recruits who are being sent to patrol communities across America.

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the Republican chair of the powerful Appropriations Committee, said earlier that it is “extremely unfortunate” that the agent did not have a body-worn camera.

The senator ensured $20 million for expanded use of body-worn cameras and $2 million for de-escalation training as part of the Homeland Security funding bill that Congress approved to end the department shutdown.

At least 10 people have died in encounters with immigration agents since Trump launched the crackdown after retaking office, including 25-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, the Colombian national who was shot and killed

by Brouillette on Monday while in his car near his home in the coastal Maine city of Biddeford.

Oscar-winning actress Brenda Fricker dies

BY DANICA KIRKA Associated Press

LONDON — Brenda Fricker, who became the first Irish woman to win an Academy Award for her role as Bridget Fagan Brown in the 1989 film “My Left Foot,” died Thursday in Dublin. She was 81.

Fricker won the Academy Award in 1990 for best supporting actress for her portrayal of the determined mother of Christy Brown, a writer and painter who was born with cerebral palsy and could control only his left foot. Daniel Day-

Lewis, who played Brown, won best actor.

She later spoke of how the award doomed her to being typecast to forever playing roles as mothers. Later in life, she said she used the weighty statuette to prop open her bathroom door.

Fricker, who appeared in more than 90 films and television shows between 1964 and 2024, was known for her role as the “pigeon lady” in the 1992 film “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” where she played a homeless woman who befriended Macaulay Culkin’s character in New York’s Central Park.

CHONGQING, China — A landslide Friday on the outskirts of the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing killed at least eight people and left 34 missing, burying residential buildings and forcing more than 1,100 people to evacuate, according to local officials and state media reports.

The landslide occurred at around 9:08 a.m. in Pengshui County on the outer edge of the Chongqing municipality, when massive amounts of rocks and soil washed downslope, burying more than 10 residential buildings, state broadcaster CCTV said.

Ten people were rescued from the debris, including two who were seriously injured, Pengshui County Mayor Ren Xujiang said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping asked authorities to determine the cause of the disaster, state media said.

The landslide contained about 636,000 cubic feet of rocks and debris, and the largest single rock was around 106,000 cubic feet,

said Wang Chuanjun, head of Planning and Natural Resources in Pengshui County, at a news conference.

Wang also warned of persistent risk of further collapse under extreme weather conditions, such as heavy rainfall or prolonged periods of clear and hot weather, based on experts’ field inspections that found scattered unstable rock masses remain at the top and along the sides of the steep cliff.

Water, electricity and gas supplies were cut off within a 0.6-mile radius of the landslide to prevent further disruptions. Over 800 rescuers worked on site, a local government statement said.

Residents said local officials and communities organized an evacuation after small rocks fell and unusual sounds were heard from the hills. The landslide happened during the evacuation, local newspaper Chongqing Daily reported.

Rescue efforts were hindered by the unstable terrain and the risk of another landslide, according to the broadcaster.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ 3A

Texas floods leave big cleanup job ahead lll

More than 570 people rescued

damage the buoys might do if they became untethered and got caught along banks and against bridge piers. Each is about 15 feet long and weighs 1,000 pounds.

In the Hill Country, Serena Reyna woke up Thursday morning to find her Kerrville boutique, Nu Accents, covered in debris after four feet of floodwater rushed into the store. She described the store as “a total loss.”

“The floors, I mean they’re soaked in mud and still you know an inch of water in some spots,” she said.

The Texas Department of Transportation said high waters closed a 50-mile stretch of U.S. 57 and that parts of the roadway were not expected to reopen until Monday.

In all, roughly 6 million residents across Texas were under a flood watch at various points this week.

BY JESSE BEDAYN, JAMIE STENGLE and JOHN HANNA Associated Press

UVALDE, Texas — First responders in storm-battered Texas again rushed to save people trapped in high waters Friday, as more heavy rain widened the danger from floods that have killed at least two people and left hundreds more in need of rescue.

A week of punishing downpours dumped more than 2 feet in some areas. The rain was expected to taper off, but another round of showers worsened already swollen rivers and flooded rural communities near the border with Mexico that had largely been spared major damage.

Near Ozona, a small town about 200 miles west of San Antonio, floodwaters spilled over Interstate 10. More than 50 people were rescued by boat from flooded apartments and a waterlogged RV park.

A section of a bridge also collapsed over the Nueces River in Uvalde County, where months’ worth of rain has fallen in a span of days. In Uvalde, about 80 miles southwest of San Antonio, floodwaters rushed through Miguel Vasquez’s home twice this week, leaving a layer of mud and knocking over his refrigerator and other items.

Debris was strewn around his neighborhood and a neighbor’s shed teetered over a washed-away section of the property. He said Friday that he’d been caught in the waters’ current and nearly been swept away and drowned in trying to get to his house Wednesday.

A return to flooded homes

An aerial view shows flooding on Friday in Ozona, Texas.

“I had to grab on with my hands and my feet. You couldn’t swim,” he said. “People think that when there’s a flood, you can swim.

Swimming’s not going to help you.

It’ll take you. The current’s too strong.”

Almost a trillion gallons of water Nearly 1 trillion gallons of water fell on the three hardest-hit counties over three days — enough to fill 1.5 million Olympic-sized swimming pools or supply 11 million homes for a year.

Uvalde County alone got more rain in that period than California has seen over the last month,

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GERALD HERBERT

according to Ryan Maue, former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.

The Hill Country is especially prone to flash floods because the area’s signature limestone is covered by just a thin layer of soil.

During heavy rains, water can quickly shoot downhill before filling the narrow river basins.

Emergency personnel across a wide swath of southern and central Texas have rescued more than 570 people, including stranded drivers and people trapped in homes, Gov. Greg Abbott said. Hill Country residents were beginning to clean up after floodwaters again barreled

down the Guadalupe River and through communities still reeling from deadly floods a year ago.

Giant border buoys set adrift Floodwaters on the Rio Grande temporarily closed the two international bridges on the border with Mexico at Eagle Pass, stranding a few people on the wrong side.

About 600 huge buoys placed on the river to deter migrants from crossing into the U.S. illegally were set adrift by the rising waters, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar said.

Cuellar said about 480 of them were captured by noon Friday.

Critics have worried about the

Floodwaters had overrun Uvalde and cut off most outside routes, making it one of the hardest hit cities. The waters were receding Friday, and officials said a major highway, Route 90, had reopened.

One person died while driving on a flooded road, swept away near Uvalde, authorities said.

Another victim, 65-year-old John Mark Steward of Kerrville, died after his mobile home was swept into Goat Creek on the Guadalupe River, his wife said. The same river was wrecked by flash floods last year when two dozen children and counselors died at Camp Mystic.

Authorities on Thursday said summer campers were safe.

In Ozona, the seat of Crockett County, authorities used seven rescue boat teams to get people out of the hardest-hit areas. They were taken to the local civic center for shelter.

Fires’ smoke pushes farther into U.S., engulfs D.C. in haze

BY PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press

NEW YORK — Millions of people in the Great Lakes, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states muddled through another day of unhealthy air from uncontrolled wildfires on Friday.

The thick smoke enveloped the nation’s capital in a gloomy, eerie haze.

Warnings of dangerous conditions were expected to remain in effect through Saturday across a wide swath of the U.S., though there’s potential for temporary improvement with storms forecast in some affected areas during the weekend.

D.C. resident Stewart Verdery awoke Friday to take in his usual sunrise view of the city’s famous landmarks from a rooftop, only to be greeted by a darkened horizon and no monuments in sight.

“It’s pretty crazy to wake up at sunrise and not see the sun when it’s not even raining,” he said by phone after posting a video of the surreal scene on X. “And it smells like somebody’s having the world’s largest cookout.”

No end in sight There may be pockets of relief at times, such as this weekend, but the smoky conditions won’t be gone

anytime soon as the fires continue to burn largely unchecked, cautioned Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster at the National Weather Service based in Maryland.

Wildfires are burning in the Ontario area of Canada as well as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota, which U.S. officials have closed as they fight to put out the blazes.

“The source of the smoke is going to continue on for certainly a week, probably,” Oravec said. “It’s just going to depend upon which way the wind’s blowing as to where the smoke is going to affect the most.”

On Friday, communities in Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan, including Detroit, again registered some of the worst air quality in the world, according to IQAir, an air quality monitoring website.

Not far behind Detroit was Washington, D.C., where the smoke created eerie scenes.

The Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and other national landmarks were enveloped in an orange-hued haze throughout much of the day.

People, particularly those with heart or lung disease, older adults and children, were urged to limit or avoid going outside until air quality improved.

Long-term exposure to

smoky conditions can complicate existing health problems and lead to chronic and deadly issues, including respiratory illness, cardiovascular and neurological diseases and premature death, officials warned.

For Maria Travela, Friday was her first day outside since after smoke from the wildfires blanketed the Chicago area early Thursday.

“Now it’s better. This morning, it was bad,” said Travela, who has asthma and wore a mask as she crossed a bridge over the Chicago River downtown. “They were saying that, for people like me, with asthma, any kind of issues like that, it would be bad for your lungs.”

Trump criticizes Canada Hundreds of wildfires are burning in Canada, including about 190 in northern Ontario, Premier Doug Ford said at a news conference. Flames destroyed the Namaygoosisagagun First Nation community, and 10 northern Ontario communities have been evacuated or were being evacuated, with more possible.

The increase of fire in vast Canadian forests has largely been blamed on climate change.

In response to the smoke, U.S. President Donald Trump made a social media post Friday that blamed

OLD HOUSE DEMOLITION Demolition of Houses, Barns & Out Buildings FREE ESTIMATES

Canada for its forest management and threatened additional tariffs on Canada.

The Canadian government didn’t initially respond to questions about Trump’s comments.

Asked about a Michigan lawmaker’s criticism about

the smoke, Ford noted Canada has helped the U.S. fight fires in the past.

“If there’s some politicians out there chirping away, maybe what you should do rather than complain is send support, send help, because we have done the exact

same thing for our American friends and that’s what you’re supposed to do,” Ford said.

Saturday brings a high chance of thunderstorms across much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, which will help dampen the bad air.

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Patricia Gerald wears a necklace with a picture of her son, Officer Matthew Gerald.

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s Cpl. Orlando Woodard shares a moment with Patricia Gerald, mother of fallen An East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s deputy salutes after placing a flag officer Matthew Gerald, during a memorial service to honor the four law enforcement officers who died as a with the honor guard during Friday’s memorial service at Baton Rouge result of a 2016 ambush. police headquarters.

STORIES

Continued from page 1A Almost six years later, sheriff’s Sgt. Nick Tullier succumbed to his wounds.

At 8 a.m. Friday, community members walked from the police headquarters to the Benny’s BQuik convenience store, honoring the exact time stamp — 8:40 a.m.

— when the ambush occurred.

Later, at 3 p.m., about 300 law enforcement officers, family members and community members gathered at a memorial at the police headquarters to remember the lives lost that day.

“Today is one of those defining days of our city, that everyone can think back and remember where you were 10 years ago,” Baton Rouge police Chief TJ Morse said.

“The memories of those heroes will never leave us. Their smiles, their service, the way they raise their children, loved their families, lifted up their friends and looked after this community.”

The shootings at Benny’s BQuik lasted a little under 14 min-

REGULATION Continued from page 1A

and employers can use AI — died on the vine despite bipartisan support.

Yet Democrats and even some Republican lawmakers, including the Senate president, have expressed a desire to revisit the bills in 2027. That could set the stage for a fight in the Legislature next year, depending on where Gov. Jeff Landry stands and what happens at the federal level.

In May, Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, said he told the White House that Louisiana would hold many AI bills this year but move forward with them if Congress does not create national regulations by the time the next regular session arrives.

“We’re going to hold those for a year, and then next year at this time, if they haven’t taken any action, then we’ll pass the bills that we would have liked to have passed this year,” Henry said.

The Senate president did not specify which of the many AI bills filed this year he favored. Henry did not return multiple follow-up request for comments this month.

Other Republican lawmakers have expressed interest in moving ahead with Henry’s plan.

“I agree with Cameron (Henry) — you know, if Congress doesn’t act within the next year, the states are going to have to do something,” said state Rep. Vincent Cox, R-Gretna, who unsuccessfully sponsored two AI-related bills. “I don’t see (Congress) doing anything right now.”

Meanwhile, it appears unlikely that Gov. Jeff Landry would green-light legislation in defiance of the Trump administration. Landry, who has the power to veto most

utes. The gunman — Gavin Long, a 29-year-old former Marine who traveled from Kansas City to Baton Rouge to target law enforcement officers — chose the location because it’s about a mile from police headquarters. Officers often dropped by the store for coffee and other items, District Attorney Hillar Moore said.

Before speeches Friday, dozens of charity members arrived at the headquarters on bicycles, biking 90 miles from Slidell. Michelle Beck, a former police officer and member of the Gulf Coast Brotherhood Ride, said they biked here to honor the fallen officers and fulfill their mission of never forgetting what happened. Beck is also the widow of BRPD K-9 Officer Mark Beck, who died on duty in 2008.

“A man dies two deaths: one when he physically leaves Earth and one when the last time his name is ever spoken,” Beck said.

“Part of my reason for being here is to speak those names, make sure those names and their memories live.”

Beck said this is the first time the Gulf Coast Brotherhood Ride has done a ride for an anniversary.

bills, is a close friend of the president.

“We agree with the Trump administration that these decisions are best regulated at the federal level,” said Kate Kelly, a spokesperson for Landry. “The Trump administration issued the national policy framework in March of 2026. They also issued an executive order on June 2.

We will use those two documents as guiding lights going forward.”

Trump has generally been reluctant to curb the use of AI, arguing that restrictions would hinder U.S. advances in the technology.

In March, the Trump administration released its AI policy agenda, which says Congress should block state AI laws that “impose undue burdens,” all with the goal of ensuring “a minimally burdensome national standard” to promote American dominance in the technology.

But the framework endorsed regulations that would protect children from the dangers of AI, such as sexual exploitation and selfharm linked to chatbot use.

And in June, the president took a small step toward creating more restrictions around the technology, signing an executive order that established a federal framework for reviewing the risks AI systems pose to national security. Participation by developers would be voluntary, according to the order.

The order also stressed the importance of laws that prevent AI from being used to commit crimes.

Louisiana bills that failed In the spring, numerous bills filed by Republicans and Democrats alike lost their shot at moving forward amid opposition from the Trump administration.

One of the many bills on the table would have required humans to review health insurance claim denials made using AI. Another

East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Sid Gautreaux addresses the crowd gathered for Friday’s memorial service.

Typically, the nonprofit bikes longer routes — Louisiana to Alabama or vice versa — but decided to connect members from different law enforcement agencies in Louisiana and Mississippi for this day.

“We did what we do on all our other rides, and we searched for those magic words to bring some healing and take some pain away from these families,” said Craig Russell, president of the Gulf Coast Brotherhood Ride. “But I don’t know if

proposal would have required employers to do the same for decisions to hire, fire and promote employees.

Cox voiced frustration that his two bills, which included the bill regulating employers, House Bill 421, “didn’t get a chance to pass.”

The state representative’s other proposal, House Bill 157, attempted to protect Louisiana musicians by making it illegal to use AIgenerated content of another person’s likeness or voice for commercial purposes without that person’s permission.

Cox pulled both bills upon learning from the Landry administration that Trump threatened to go after federal funds used to expand broadband access if states passed certain AI regulations. That could have put millions of dollars that Louisiana was slated to receive on the line, though it was unclear how much power the Trump administration actually had over the funding.

Cox recently vowed to bring HB157 back next year; he said he is less certain about whether he will move forward with HB421, which would be more controversial.

The health insurance legislation — Senate Bill 246 — was sponsored by state Sen. Jay Luneau, a Democrat from Alexandria, who also parked his bill out of concern for the broadband funds but promised to sponsor it again next year.

“My plan all along has been to bring my bill back, and the reason for that is because it really is a very commonsensical bill,” he said.

“It’s not unreasonable, certainly, and I think a whole lot of people want to see that.”

SB246 received early support from state Sen. Adam Bass, a Republican from Bossier City, who helped shape the legislation. The teamwork between Bass and Luneau was unusual, considering the two senators often

those words are out there; I don’t have them. But what we brought today is love and honor.”

Through Scripture, praise and emotions, attendees of the memorial listened to each other speak their hearts for about an hour.

East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said the ambush was one of the darkest days in Baton Rouge history, but community gatherings honor not just the tragedy, but the beauty of how the

fallen lived.

“They were husbands, fathers, sons, friends, partners and public servants,” Gautreaux said. “They laughed together and served together. They believed this community is worth protecting, and that is a legacy we honor.”

Morse and Gautreaux made promises that they would never forget what happened, and would always carry the officers’ legacies.

“As sheriff, I make a promise to you: East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office will never stop telling their stories,” Gautreaux said.

“We will never stop supporting their families, and we will never forget the price they paid for this community.”

After the memorial, Patricia Gerald reflected on how she sees Matthew every day and hopes to see more respect and honor for law enforcement officers.

“I say Matthew’s name every day,” Patricia Gerald said. “I have a sticker on my car; my license plate says ‘PD.’ I always take the opportunity to the bag boy, or whoever’s getting around my car, I say, ‘This is my son, who died protecting and serving.’ ”

pornography “with the inclash on insurance issues.

Bass did not return a re- tent to coerce, harass, or intimidate another person.” quest for comment.

It also requires schools to What did pass educate kids about AI-genMeasures that did pass erated pornography laws.

And Act 211 by state Sen. included laws toughening criminal penalties around Heather Cloud, R-Turkey the use of some AI-gener- Creek, made it a crime to ated pornography, regulat- use a child’s image to train ing the use of AI in political AI to generate pornography.

The child pornography advertisements and requiring healthcare workers to laws passed thanks to the disclose when they record Trump administration’s suppatient visits for AI tran- port of AI laws protecting children. scriptions.

But other bills in that vein For example, Act 806 by state Rep. Mandie Landry, did not move forward.

HB734 by state Rep. Josh D-New Orleans, requires political advertisements to Carlson, R-Lafayette, one of disclose the use AI to imitate the most conservative voica candidate in some cases. es in the House, would have Act 782 by state Rep. Bry- established an AI consumer an Fontenot, R-Thibodaux, bill of rights and required made it a crime for minors to parental permission for AI “possess, sell or maliciously chatbot interactions with disseminate” AI-generated children. Carlson did not re-

turn requests for comment.

Chatbots have caused growing public concern after several high-profile cases in which they have encouraged people in mental health crises to harm themselves.

Some users died by suicide.

State Rep. Laurie Schlegel, R-Metairie, who did not sponsor a chatbot bill but has helped shape state technology regulations, said she agreed it would be best to have one set of national AI restrictions in place.

But she, too, expressed interest in pursuing state AI regulations, especially when it comes to child protection — and she said she believed Trump’s position gives “leeway” for such policies.

Email Meghan Friedmann at meghan.friedmann@ theadvocate.com.

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lll

Documents don’t prove Trump’s claims, review finds

BY JILL COLVIN and ERIC TUCKER

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump released a trove of documents during a prime-time address to the nation that allies had hyped as a smoking gun that would prove his long-debunked allegations of mass voter fraud.

Speaking from the White House on Thursday night, he described shocking revelations, like Chinese meddling to undermine his failed candidacy in 2020 and a cover-up by the “deep state.” He claimed, “Americans were blatantly lied to about the security of our election infrastructure.”

But a review by The Associated Press found no such confirmation in the collection of newly declassified Trump reports, investigation files, intelligence analysis and assorted correspondence. Many pages are so heavily redacted that their findings are unclear.

Others outline vulnerabilities and assessments that have been welldocumented for years. There’s no evidence that China or any other foreign entity manipulated the vote in 2020 or any other year.

“The White House promised a

bombshell, and they delivered a dud,” said David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research, who attended a White House briefing on the material ahead of the speech.

Despite what appeared to be a concerted effort by administration officials, “there was absolutely nothing here that was news, nothing here that even calls into question past elections and certainly not the 2020 election.”

Here’s a look at what the documents say.

China has our data. Lots of it “Starting during the 2020 election cycle, the People’s Republic of China carried out what is believed to be the largest compromise of election data in history, resulting in China’s illicit acquisition of 220 million U.S. voter files,” Trump said Thursday night.

There is no evidence, however, that China actually used that information in any way.

It has long been established that China collects immense volumes of data on Americans unrelated to any efforts to manipulate votes or alter election outcomes. And public versions of voter files are widely available, including online, and can be bought and sold by campaigns and political parties so they know which doors to knock on

and where to send mail.

China on Friday called Trump’s allegations “groundless” and “entirely fabricated” and said it has never interfered in U.S. elections and has no interest in doing so.

Noncitizens on voter rolls In his remarks, Trump touted the release of a new Department of Homeland Security investigation, based on state voter rolls and public records, that he said had identified approximately 278,000 noncitizens registered to vote in federal elections.

The report said the agency uncovered more than a quarter of a million noncitizens illegally registered to vote in California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Nevada, based on public records, which are often erroneous or incomplete.

Another 28,000 noncitizens, it claimed, were found on voter rolls in 25 states using the new Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system.

There is no allegation, however, that any of those people actually voted, which would be a crime.

That data has also not been verified. Reports have found that the SAVE database is plagued with errors, including outdated information that has often classified naturalized citizens as noncitizens.

Indeed, a federal judge has barred

the database from being used over Vulnerabilities in voting systems fears that voters will be wrongly purged from voter rolls.

The documents, Trump told the Studies have found noncitizen nation, included intelligence “revoting to be extremely rare. vealing shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure” Russia’s election efforts that leave it vulnerable “to hackTrump has spent years criticiz- ing, exploitation and foreign intering the intelligence community’s ference.”

One report included a list of reassessment that Russia meddled in the 2016 election to help him win. cent breaches — mostly by RusBut the documents shed new light sia — and called on state and local on the country’s ongoing efforts. election officials to step up their One declassified document from defenses to prevent information 2020 portrays Russia as the coun- from being used to obtain absentee try that has tried the most to pen- ballots or alter voter rolls. Election etrate American election systems officials acknowledge that voting — but in an effort to defeat Joe machines also carry risk — which Biden. It notes how Russia worked is why they don’t rely on them to amplify claims that Biden, while alone to ensure the accuracy of serving as vice president, engaged the vote. Safeguards like physical in inappropriate behavior involv- security, equipment testing, paper ing Burisma, the Ukrainian energy ballot backups and postelection aufirm that employed his son Hunter, dits help to catch machine errors a charge frequently repeated by or threats.

Trump and Republicans.

But it is unclear what the adThe document went on to state ministration is doing to facilitate that both China and Iran wanted their efforts. Earlier this month, Trump to lose. But it included a Trump ousted members of a biparchart documenting each country’s tisan federal election commission known efforts. Only Russia was that distributes federal grants to marked as having been known to states, oversees the testing of vothave engaged in “targeting, ac- ing systems and maintains the nacessing, or manipulating election tional voter registration form, afprocesses or election-related sys- ter the group resisted his efforts to require potential voters to docutems.”

Russia has continued to deny in- ment their U.S. citizenship before registering. terfering in U.S. affairs.

Clara Ester, activist who rushed to King after he was shot, dies

BY TRAVIS LOLLER and KRISTIN M. HALL Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Clara Ester, an activist who as a 20-year-old college student rushed to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s side when he was shot, has died.

Ester, who died on July 9 at the age of 78, was among a few remaining witnesses to King’s assassination and its immediate aftermath in Memphis. With the passing of the Rev. Jesse Jackson

Sr. in February and Ester this month, King aide and former U.N. ambassador Andrew Young is believed to be the last surviving eyewitness to the shooting. Ester Ester grew up in Memphis attending Centenary United Methodist Church, where her pastor was civil rights leader the Rev. James Lawson.

“We used to joke about colored water being KoolAid and the white water just being water, and so that satisfied us as children,” Ester told The Associated Press in 2018, around the 50th anniversary of King’s death.

“But until you see the racism, until you see what has been withheld from you because of your color — is what started to really truly anger me. And I knew if there was a movement that could help change any of that, I had to be in it.”

Civil rights issues were often discussed from the pulpit of her church, Ester said.

Lawson was very involved in the sanitation workers’ strike, so it was natural for her to become involved too.

“I got to the point that I didn’t miss a mass meeting,” she said. “I picketed every day that the picket lines were up.”

Even 50 years later, she clearly remembered the impact of hearing King’s speech at the Mason Temple the night before he was

OUTBREAK

Continued from page 1A hospitalizations, underscoring the many questions that still remain about other potential sources of the outbreak.

Reports on the parasite have not gone unnoticed. At Canseco’s, which owns six supermarkets in the New Orleans region, produce sales have slipped slightly in recent days, according to owner Sinesio Canseco, even though the store doesn’t carry Taylor Farms lettuce.

So far, though, the reaction has mostly been muted.

“We haven’t heard much from customers, at least not yet,” said Canseco. “That could change. People get paranoid pretty fast.”

Since May 1, the CDC has received reports of 1,645 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in the U.S. and is aware of more than 5,100 cases that require further analysis to confirm the illness.

In Louisiana, cases have been reported in every region of the state, with the highest numbers in East Baton Rouge and Lafayette parishes.

On Thursday, the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administra-

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Packages of lettuce and salad greens fill a refrigerated display at a grocery store. Lettuce sold across the United States is facing increased scrutiny as federal and state officials investigate whether iceberg lettuce linked to a multistate cyclospora outbreak reached retailers or other businesses beyond Taco Bell restaurants. tion confirmed that public health officials had linked the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.

The agencies said the lettuce came from five-pound bags produced at Taylor Farms’ facility in Guanajuato, Mexico.

Local health experts said lettuce and berries are common sources

of cyclospora because they grow close to the ground, where they can be contaminated by feces.

Also, they’re often consumed without being cooked, which would kill the parasite.

“What happens is some form of sewage or stool that has this organism in it gets into the soil of where this produce is being grown, and then gets on that produce through the soil,” said Dr. Katie Taylor,

assassinated and how it seemed to foreshadow his death the next day.

“He had seen the mountaintop,” Ester said. “It was evident on the balcony — how calm.”

Ester had gone to the Lorraine Motel for dinner on April 4, 1968, when she saw King chatting on the balcony with people below. Then she heard a shot.

“He was speaking calmly and pleasantly to a crowd,” she said. “And so he was happy at that moment. But

medical director of infection prevention at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge.

Taco Bell, in a statement Friday, said the affected lettuce would be “indefinitely removed from our supply chain nationwide and will be replaced within 24 hours in select states.”

It did not identify the states.

The statement added, “Taco Bell has taken precautionary action, and we encourage all relevant restaurants, retailers, and foodservice operators to do the same.”

One of Louisiana’s largest Taco Bell franchisees, Morgan Citybased B&G Foods, declined to comment on the lettuce used at its 230 Taco Bell outlets in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, referring a request for comment to the statement released by Taco Bell’s corporate office.

Some local grocers and wholesalers have pointed out that while they carry some Taylor Farms produce grown in the U.S., they do not stock the company’s shredded lettuce from Mexico.

Dorignac’s and Zuppardo’s in Metairie both said they don’t stock bagged iceberg from Taylor Farms.

Southside Produce in Baton

to lay there with his eyes open, looking toward heaven. He had seen the promised land, and he may not get there with us, but he promised that we as a people will see the promised land.”

Ester said she ran to King and saw he was struggling for air. She tried to loosen his belt and asked someone to bring towels to try to staunch the bleeding. After King was taken away by ambulance, she had to stay at the hotel, where she was questioned by police.

Rouge said it doesn’t either.

Rouses, which has 76 supermarkets in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, said it also had not been affected by the outbreak, and provided an “all clear” letter from Taylor Farms issued late Friday.

“Our records indicate that you WERE NOT shipped iceberg lettuce products included in this action,” the letter from Taylor Farms to Rouses said.

It added that the company had stopped sourcing iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico.

Some restaurant operators said they were relying on their wholesalers for guidance and weren’t worried.

“I’ve been dealing with the same supplier for 20 years and I trust them,” said Justin Kennedy, manager of Parkway Bakery & Tavern near Bayou St. John. “They haven’t notified me of a problem.”

Mandina said she isn’t taking any chances at her Canal Street restaurant.

“We’ve had a few customers ask about it, not many,” she said. “But we’ve made changes anyway. No one wants to get this bug. So I’m just being careful.”

Staff writers Margaret Delaney and Joy Holden, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

An Excellent Education is Every Child’s Birthright Learn more at BRALLIANCE.ORG

6A ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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TODAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Sunshine and a few clouds

Mostly sunny

A t-storm around in the p.m.

A stray afternoon thunderstorm

A t-storm around in the p.m.

Humid; a p.m. t-storm or two

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

95° 75°

LOW

HIGH

95° 76°

LOW

98° 77°

HIGH

Beaumont 93/75 Port Arthur 92/76

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

Hattiesburg 98/74

Alexandria 94/74 Baton Rouge 95/75

Lafayette 93/75 Lake Charles 93/76

10s

20s

30s

Houma 95/74

40s

LOW

YESTERDAY

50s

60s

70s

80s

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

90s 100s 110s

FIRST

JUL 21

City

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

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

PRECIPITATION

93°/76° 92°/74° 87°/76° 99° in 1921 62° in 2014

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

New Orleans 95/78

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

0s

HIGH

97° 76°

Baton Rouge through 5 p.m. Friday

Jackson 96/74 Many 93/73

LOW

97° 78°

TEMPERATURE

Longview 95/74

-0s

LOW

Monroe 97/75

Shreveport 95/75

-10s

HIGH

96° 77°

The biggest weather issue we will all have to deal with this weekend is the heat. Most of our area is under either a moderate or a major heat risk for today. So expect under mostly sunny skies, temperatures this afternoon to rise to the mid-90s. Humidity will remain high, so heat index values will be 106 or greater. Also, keep in mind the UV index will be at the extreme level, so take frequent breaks, stay hydrated and protect yourself from the sun. Expect only a slight rain chance.

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

HIGH

11:32p 5:38p 8:41a 10:50a 1:03p 12:31p 2:11p

6:14 a.m.

8:07 p.m.

10:47 a.m.

11:05 p.m.

FULL

LAST

JUL 29

Hi

TODAY

91 94 85 93 89 96 93 95 102

Lo

75 75 72 75 68 77 65 76 86

NEW

AUG 5

W

t c t t t t s pc t

AUG 12

Hi

SUN.

94 96 81 94 82 98 99 95 104

Lo

75 74 66 72 66 78 68 75 83

W

t s pc t pc s s s pc

FT.

LOW

0.00” 3.92” 3.00” 40.64” 35.00”

FT.

HIGH

0.4 10:07a 0.1 1.0 2:37a 0.1 1.5 1:16p 0.9 1.5 3:28a 0.4 0.8 10:28p 0.4 0.9 8:47p 0.4 1.0 12:13a 0.2

MODERATE

READING 64 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

FT.

LOW

FT.

--- ----- ----- ----- --7:54p 1.2 --- --9:35p 1.2 4:37p 1.0 --- ----- ----- ----- ----- --- 11:30p 0.5

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

MAJOR MINOR MAJOR MINOR

Today Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

City

3:26a 4:16a 5:03a 5:48a 6:32a 7:15a 7:59a

Los Angeles Miami Nashville New york City Philadelphia Phoenix St. Louis San Francisco Seattle

Hi

86 91 92 78 83 99 92 68 76

9:38a 10:27a 11:14a 11:59a 12:20a 1:03a 1:46a

TODAY Lo

67 80 74 71 74 84 76 56 56

3:49p 4:38p 5:25p 6:10p 6:55p 7:39p 8:23p

W

s t t t t t s pc s

TODAY

MODERATE

Hi

86 93 89 81 87 102 91 67 78

10:00p 10:49p 11:36p ---12:43p 1:27p 2:11p

SUN. Lo

66 79 73 65 67 84 75 57 59

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

W

pc t t s s t t pc s

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

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

FRI. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

14.90 36.00 38.40 22.10 13.70 10.34 6.50

-0.69 none +0.10 -0.30 -0.20 -0.50 -0.20

40

27.12

-2.13

19

-1.43

-0.03

18 29 8

-0.93 10.74 1.41

-0.05 -0.17 +0.17

13 15

2.81 1.50

-0.09 -0.28

47 34 29 20 12 6

19.10 14.39 12.02 10.52 6.80 3.90

-0.89 -0.74 -0.71 -0.49 none +0.01

data as of 7 a.m. Friday

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

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A WALK TO REMEMBER

Community honors fallen officers who died 10 years ago in an ambush LEFT: Chad Parker with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office jogs past the crowd to get ahead of them during the memorial walk for law enforcement victims of a 2016 ambush shooting from Baton Rouge Police Department headquarters to the site of the shooting, Benny’s B-Quik at 9611 Airline Highway, on Friday. RIGHT: Justin Bennett with BRPD’s 95th basic training unit holds his hat to his heart while holding the American flag during a prayer at the end of the memorial walk.

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Mayor-President Sid Edwards, Police Chief TJ Morse, District Attorney Hillar Moore and other law enforcement and members of the community reach the end of the memorial walk for law enforcement victims of a 2016 ambush shooting.

Prairieville teen to be featured in ESPN ‘My Wish’ series

She will meet WNBA star A’ja Williams

BY ANNAKATE FREELAND Staff writer

A Prairieville teen’s wish to meet one of the WNBA’s biggest stars will be featured on national television this weekend as part of ESPN’s long-running “My Wish” series.

Khloe C., 18, is one of five children and young adults featured in ESPN’s 20th anniversary “My Wish” special, which partners with M a k e - A - Wi s h t o grant sports-themed Khloe C. wishes for children with critical illnesses.

An avid basketball fan who enjoys playing with her family, Khloe underwent a liver and kidney transplant after being diagnosed with a genetic disorder, leaving her unable

ä See TEEN, page 2B

Man arrested in drug bust near LSU Coke, meth, MDMA found, deputies say

BY OLIVIA TEES

Staff writer

A Baton Rouge man was arrested after police were informed he was allegedly selling cocaine out of an apartment near LSU’s North Gates.

Jordan Langlois, 35, was arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on June 30 on three counts of possession with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond review is set for

Sept. 22.

In March, the Sheriff’s Office was contacted by an anonymous source who said Langlois was selling drugs at an apartment complex in the 1900 block of East Magna Carta Place, according to an arrest warrant.

Detectives also received information from LSU Police saying Langlois was a cook and was selling drugs to LSU students, the warrant states.

During the investigation, agents set up a drug sale between a confidential informant and Langlois at an apartment on West Chimes Street. After the sale, agents observed Langlois had interactions

with other individuals, typical of inconspicuously handing off drugs, according to the warrant.

Agents obtained probable cause and executed a search warrant at the West Chimes Street apartment and arrested Langlois.

Deputies found 70 grams of individually packaged cocaine, 21 grams of meth, and MDMA pills in a locked safe. They also found multiple digital scales, empty clear mini baggies and a bottle of Inositol — a sugar substitute commonly used to cut drugs, the warrant states.

After being read his Miranda rights, Langlois admitted to being an active user of drugs and knew

the safe was in the apartment, but said he was not selling the drugs.

Based on the training and expertise from the agents, the amount of cocaine found in the apartment was exceedingly more than a person would have for personal use, the arrest warrant said.

Langlois was identified in police documents as a cook for Delta Chi fraternity. However, House Corporation President of the LSU Chapter of Delta Chi John Dunlap said Langlois was not employed at any point by the fraternity or the catering company it uses.

LSU Police did not return a call for comment on Langlois’s employment.

State officials confirm first case of West Nile Residents urged to use measures to prevent mosquito bites

2026 mosquito season in a person in Ouachita Parish on Friday.

West Nile virus has been actively spreading throughout Louisiana since its first detection in the state in 2002. In 2025, there were 86 confirmed human cases of the disease in Louisiana, including four deaths.

BY MARGARET DeLANEY So far in 2026, 13 parish mosStaff writer quito abatement districts have The Louisiana Department of detected West Nile in mosquito Health confirmed the first human pool samples.

“Mosquitoes may be a comcase of West Nile virus of the

mon summertime nuisance, but they’re more than just a pest,” said Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein in a statement from LDH. “Every year, West Nile virus reminds us that mosquito bites can sometimes lead to serious illness. The good news is that a few simple steps, like using insect repellent and eliminating standing water, can significantly reduce your risk.”

About 1 in 150 people who are infected with West Nile virus

develop a severe illness that can affect the brain, spinal cord and nerves, which may even cause paralysis or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The most important way to prevent mosquitoes is by dumping any standing water that could be collecting outside of your home, according to New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent

ä See WEST NILE, page 2B

2B ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Bernhard sells longtime pipe fabrication business New york firm purchases parent company of Epic

BY IANNE SALVOSA

Staff writer

Bernhard Capital Partners has sold a Baton Rouge pipe fabrication business to a New Yorkbased firm, marking the second time the private equity firm has sold a longtime portfolio company to the group.

New York-based One Equity Partners will purchase United WELD Holdings, the parent company of Epic Piping, in a deal ex-

pected to close by the end of the year. Epic Piping CEO Remi Bonnecaze said in a release that One Equity Partners has the ability to scale the pipe fabrication business, which had been with Bernhard Capital Partners since 2014.

The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the sale.

Steel fabrication and induction bending company BendTec has also been under United WELD Holdings’ umbrella since 2021.

One Equity Partners, a former affiliate of JP Morgan, manages about $10 billion in assets, focusing on businesses in the technology, healthcare and industrial sectors. About a year ago, the firm announced it had purchased

Bernhard’s stake in Baton Rougebased industrial service provider Brown & Root, which was one of the first companies in its portfolio.

Epic Piping, one of the largest pipe fabrication businesses in the world, announced late last year it would spend $25 million to upgrade its Livingston facility, a move that would add nearly 80 jobs to its overall team of about 2,000. The expansion will support the state’s burgeoning energy and data center industries, which have influenced expansions at other metal fabrication companies in the Capital Region including Pipe & Steel Industrial and The Shaw Group, founded

by Bernhard Capital Partners founder Jim Bernhard.

Epic Piping is headquartered in Baton Rouge and has a distribution facility in Texas, with other hubs in Livingston, Lake Providence, San Marcos, Texas and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Ante Kusurin, partner at One Equity Partners, said in a release that the firm can help Epic Piping continue to grow with its investments in the energy sector and “sustained infrastructure.”

“Pipe fabrication work has shifted from being predominantly field-based to in-house due to labor advantages enabling quicker completion of projects,

and Epic has emerged as a leader with the required scale, certifications and execution capabilities to compete for large, complex projects,” Kusurin said in a release.

This year, Bernhard Capital Partners has announced the sale of two other portfolio companies, including surety carrier The Gray Casualty & Surety Co. and United Utility Services. It also announced the acquisition of utility service Spire Inc.’s natural gas business, power company Cleco Corp. and consulting firm ECM Consultants.

Email Ianne Salvosa at ianne. salvosa@theadvocate.com.

Man who died in crash on Orleans Parish DA and special prosecutor ask to block subpoenas Old Hammond identified Rodrigue criticized Williams’ however, act with impunity without White calls demand the realization that despite her cur- response to the records request, rent job title, she is merely a defen- which is separate from the subpoefor records a dant in a criminal matter wherein nas. ‘retaliatory campaign’ the law provides no favoritism be- “The DA never actually denies

BY MATT BRUCE and JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writers

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams and special prosecutor Laurie White each asked a judge Friday to block subpoenas that aim to expose misconduct or leaks in the grand jury process that led to this month’s indictment of Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill on public intimidation charges.

White and Williams each filed motions to quash Murrill’s subpoenas against them for records and communications.

In doing so, White accused the attorney general and her legal team of a “retaliatory campaign to harass and intimidate” her and Williams.

In Williams’ motion, his first assistant, Ned McGowan, wrote that the District Attorney’s Office recused himself from the grand jury inquiry on June 1. Murrill’s subpoena is “facially defective and contrary to law,” he wrote.

The subpoena sought the records too fast, Murrill failed to pay the required fees and the request violates a Louisiana Supreme Court stay in the case, McGowan argued.

McGowan wrote that Murrill’s subpoena also seeks “almost every communication in any form with everyone ‘who was not an empaneled member of the grand jury.’ ” He wrote that the subpoena to Williams impugns victim rights law as well as restrictions on compelling testimony from lawyers.

Robert Chaisson, the ad hoc judge appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to preside over Murrill’s criminal case, on Tuesday signed the subpoenas demanding records that Murrill’s defense attorney, Laura Cannizzaro Rodrigue, sought against White and Williams.

Chaisson set a deadline of 5 p.m.

Friday for their responses.

White decried the subpoena as a fishing expedition in her motion to quash it, writing that Murrill’s team asked for communications over lengthy periods of time and failed “spectacularly to identify any document.”

She chided Murrill’s attorneys for targeting Williams, a purported victim of public intimidation from the attorney general, with a subpoena of his own.

“In Louisiana’s history, no Court has allowed a criminal defendant the ability to conduct the retaliatory campaign against a prosecutor and victim of crime — even when the criminal defendant is a public figure or held a public office at the time,” White wrote.

“The Defendant and her counsel,

WEST NILE

Continued from page 1B Control Board director Claudia Riegel.

Riegel emphasized that any little bit helps mosquito numbers as a whole and encouraged residents to spend just 10 minutes a week scanning their yard on trash day to see if there are any items that could be collecting water.

Small containers with water inside, like a soda can, can be an incredibly productive site for mosquito breeding.

As for keeping the bugs off your skin, bug spray, long sleeves and staying near airflow from fans while outside is your best bet.

cause of her title.”

Rodrigue sought records about how the New Orleans grand jury came to indict Murrill over alleged threats to Williams, Mayor Helena Moreno and five City Council members.

The subpoena requests are part of Murrill’s attempt to have the criminal case against her thrown out. She faces 16 felony counts of public intimidation and malfeasance in office from the July 2 indictment.

The Louisiana Supreme Court issued a swift stay in Murrill’s case but said she could file “any and all defensive pleadings, including motions to quash” in the meantime.

White wrote in her Friday filing that the high court’s stay order did not authorize Murrill to issue subpoenas to either her or Williams.

Murrill’s attorneys declined to comment Friday on either filing.

The subpoenas seek any correspondence from Williams and White involving the grand jury or the judge who oversaw its proceedings, Criminal District Court Judge Leon Roche.

Murrill’s legal team has also sought Williams’ communications with Moreno, City Council President JP Morrell, former Congressman Cedric Richmond, state Sen. Gary Carter or news media related to the grand jury’s inquiry.

“Louisiana’s Top Prosecutor and her counsel should know that District Attorney Williams enjoys the right to not be abused via the overreaching and procedurally deficient (subpoena),” White wrote.

“Yet, the Defendant and her counsel attack him too.”

From White, Murrill’s attorneys seek correspondence with Williams, Roche, Moreno or members of the news media.

The subpoenas seek records dating to March 1, before White’s appointment as a special prosecutor, she wrote.

Williams denies involvement Williams’ office issued a statement late Thursday denying any involvement in Murrill’s indictment.

Williams recused himself and his office from the probe, prompting Roche to appoint White as special prosecutor.

Murrill’s attorneys have also argued that White is conflicted. The Louisiana Supreme Court seemed to agree in its order staying the case.

Williams said Thursday that he’d turned over information sought by Murrill’s attorneys in a separate public records request. He said they show “no communication” about the indictment between the District Attorney’s Office, Moreno or any council members.

Southern house mosquitoes also bite in the evening, Reigel said, so try to lessen your time outside at night.

Here are a few extra tips to stay safe during mosquito season: n Wear an EPA-registered insect repellent when you know you’ll be outdoors n Wear long-sleeved, loose-fitting clothing n Spray bug spray on exposed skin or on top of clothes n If you’re using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and then insect repellent n Wear clothing or gear treated with permethrin if you know you’ll be outside for prolonged periods of time n Weather-strip doors and windows and check for holes in

that these records exist; he is just refusing to produce them,” she said.

Murrill warned officials Williams’ office received notice that the grand jury wanted to investigate Murrill several days after Moreno posted a video to Instagram on May 13, responding defiantly to the letters Murrill had sent earlier that day to her, Williams, and five council members.

In them, the attorney general told them their jobs were in jeopardy over their support for electing a new unified Orleans Parish court clerk.

Murrill wrote that City Council resolutions calling for an election and appointing an interim clerk, former criminal court judge Calvin Johnson, violated state “usurper” laws.

Johnson may have been an “innocent bystander” to the council actions, Murrill wrote, but he “would face personal exposure for fines or imprisonment” if the council stood firm and he took office. Johnson has filed an attorney misconduct complaint against Murrill.

In her video, Moreno said Murrill’s letter had surprised her, citing the same public intimidation statute that the grand jury went on to wield against the attorney general.

Williams formally recused his office on June 1. The grand jury returned the indictment against Murrill on July 2.

In McGowan’s response to Murrill’s public records request Thursday, he wrote a letter calling it “improper,” saying it makes “abusively overbroad and vague requests, and it seeks information that is not a public record.”

Williams’ office said it had no responsive records of communications with White and isn’t the custodian of them. His response says that phone records demanded by Murrill’s lawyers “are not created or maintained” by the district attorney.

“At no time did the OPDA ‘handle’ the case against your client,” McGowan wrote. “Because the matter was not initiated by, or prosecuted by, the OPDA, no writings in possession of the OPDA meet the legal definition of a public record.”

McGowan also wrote that Williams had no advance knowledge of White’s selection as special prosecutor.

Rodrigue called Williams’ claim “a troubling interpretation” of public records law.

“This raises serious questions about the DA’s understanding of his obligations pursuant to the public records laws and his so-called commitment to transparency,” she said.

screens to ensure no bugs are able to sneak inside n Dump any standing water around your home, including in bird baths, buckets, trash cans and children’s toys, at least once a week to prevent mosquito breeding n Flip over any items that could collect standing water n Scrub bird baths or any items that hold water constantly to kill larvae n Clean swimming pools that aren’t being used collect water outside n Use mosquito fish in your ponds n Check and clean your gutters.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

A man who crashed his truck The accident occurred shortinto a pole along Old Hammond ly after 5:15 p.m. Thursday on Highway on Tuesday La. 447 at Dot Lee Drive. may have suffered a Hunter Roe was northmedical condition before CRIME bound on La. 447 when he the incident, the East Ba- BLOTTER attempted to pass a truck in front of him in a deston Rouge Parish Sherstaff ignated no-passing zone. iff’s Office said.

Roe’s vehicle crossed into The accident happened reports the southbound lane and close to noon on Tuesday, when 84-year-old Bercollided head-on with annard Zimlicki, who was driving on other southbound truck, accordOld Hammond Highway, left the ing to a preliminary State Police roadway and struck a traffic pole investigation. near Millerville Road, a Sheriff’s Roe was transported to a hospiOffice spokesperson said. tal, where he died from injuries The cause and manner of Zim- sustained in the crash.

State Police said that due to the licki’s death has not been finalized, the Coroner’s Office said severity of the crash, whether seat belts were used is unknown Friday. at this time. The driver of the truck involved in the collision was properly restrained and uninjured.

State Police said impairment is A multi-vehicle crash Thursday evening in Livingston Par- not suspected, but routine toxicolish killed a 19-year-old Denham ogy samples were obtained.

The crash remains under invesSprings man, according to Louitigation. siana State Police.

Man killed in head-on car crash, State Police say

La. high court fast-tracks lawsuit on N.O. judges

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

The Louisiana Supreme Court on Friday took over and fasttracked a lawsuit challenging a new state law that reduced the number of judges in New Orleans courts.

Criminal District Court Judge John Fuller sued Gov. Jeff Landry and other state officials, asking the courts to block the provision of Act 748 that eliminates three sections of criminal court by Jan. 1. Landry signed the measure into law last month.

Fuller, the newest member of the criminal court bench, argues that the Louisiana constitution calls for a two-thirds supermajority vote to change the number of judges in Louisiana and that both chambers fell shy of the mark.

State officials claim the measure didn’t need a supermajority for passage. They cite an exception for New Orleans municipal offices from the 1974 cwonstitutional convention. The delegates made Crescent City courts “sub-

TEEN

Continued from page 1B to compete in the sport she loves.

Her wish was to meet four-time WNBA Most Valuable Player and three-time champion A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces.

The segment follows Wilson as she gives Khloe a behindthe-scenes look at what it is like to be a professional basketball player, creating what ESPN describes as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Khloe’s story will premiere during “SportsCenter” at 8 a.m.

July 19, the first of five “My Wish” features airing this year.

Produced in partnership with Make-A-Wish, the annual series showcases children whose sports dreams are made possible by some of the biggest names in athletics. This year’s featured athletes include Wilson, PGA Tour champion Scottie Scheffler, WWE’s Seth Rollins, San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. and the Tennessee Volunteers

ject to change by law” with a simple majority, the state argues.

Judge Tarvald Smith of the 19th Judicial District this week enjoined state officials from enacting any provision of Act 748 until after the qualifying period, which runs Aug. 5-7.

That left open a door for Fuller and the two others with seats marked for elimination — Judges Rhonda Goode-Douglas and Simone Levine — to run for reelection.

Murrill vowed to appeal Smith’s injunction. Fuller’s attorney, Jerome Matthews, asked the state’s high court to step in.

The Supreme Court halted proceedings at the lower courts and gave Murrill and others until next week to file any oppositions to Fuller’s claims.

Matthews said he expects the court to rule before Aug. 5, given its expedited track.

“Whoever lost at the (appeals court) would’ve just had to go to the Supreme Court anyway,” he said. “So … let’s just go straight to the Supreme Court to get a ruling.”

football team.

“Now more than ever, the courage of these children and the love and resourcefulness of their families remain inspiring,” longtime “My Wish” host Chris Connelly said in a news release. “Thanks to ESPN and our friends at Make-A-Wish, this year’s wishes go a long way to restore so much of the joy and exuberance that critical illness takes away.”

Now in its 20th year, ESPN’s “My Wish” series has featured hundreds of wish recipients and some of the biggest names in sports, highlighting the hope and encouragement wishes can bring to children and their families during difficult times.

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Funerals Today

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Hatcher, James Richard

Broussard, Joan

St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 12424 Brogdon Lane, at 11 a.m.

Caballero, Cecile

St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church, 9150 Highland Rd., Baton Rouge, LA at 12pm.

Hidalgo, Betty

St. George Catholic Church at 11am.

Nelson, Maebell

Little Zion Baptist Church, 1955 74th Avenue, at 8 .am.

Parks, Gary

Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge, 8470 Goodwood Blvd. at 2pm.

Rutzen, Christopher

Trinity Lutheran Church, 15160 S. Harrell's Ferry Road, at 4 p.m.

Stoothoff, Robert

Drusilla Seafood, 3482 Lane, Suite D, at 11 a.m.

Drusilla

Washington, Dorothy

Antioch Baptist Church at 11 a.m.

Obituaries Clayton, Inez Annette

Inez Annette Clayton was born on October 23, 1959, to the late Edna Mae Allen Clayton and Joshery Clayton, Sr. She was the ninth child born to this union. Inez entered into eternal rest on July 12, 2026, at OLOL Hospital, she leaves to cherish her memories, two daughters, China Spradley and Africia Spradley; grandchildren who affectionately called her "Momo", Doneshia Spradley, Lydell Link, Jr., Lyeshia Link, Tyree Link, and Troyneshia Link, Ja'Kwan Peterson, Ja'Vion Peterson, Ja'Shon Peterson, and Ja'Shad Spradley; great-grandchildren, Journee Snearl and Jrexel Snearl, A'riya Link and Arayla Link; sisters, Joann Bosley (Herman, Sr.) , Cecile Marie Davis (Hall IV); sister-in-law, Carolyn Clayton; brothers, Larry Clayton and Cedric Clayton; special friend, Rodger Dale Williams; Godmother, Audrey Bosley; host of nieces and nephews; cousins and friends; lifelong friend, Inez Mitchell. Preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Osia Mae Baker and Gwendolyn Williams; brothers, Clifford Earl Clayton, Sr., Joshery Clayton, Jr., and Jessie Clayton, Sr. Visitation Tuesday, July 21, 2026, Hall's Celebration Center, 9348 Scenic Highway, Baton Rouge, LA., 8:00 am until religious services at 11:00 am. Entombment Heavenly Gates Cemetery of Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge, LA. Pastor Carnel Joseph officiating. Funeral Service Entrusted to Hall Davis and Son. Funeral will be livestream the day of the service.

Psalm 116:15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

James Richard Hatcher died at home, peacefully on July 1. He was 90 years old, born & raised and lived in Baton Rouge. He was a physician- urologist for 35 years. He retired from medicine & went on to work with Patrician Management for 25 more years. He served in the Air Force as an officer, being drafted during the Vietnam War. He was married for 48 years to Denise, had 4 children & 10 grandchildren.

He loved Louisiana, Baton Rouge, LSU, golf, his patients, his business associates & his friends. Most of all he loved his family & his Saviour Jesus Christ.

Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their Shepherd, & shall guide them to springs of the water of life; & God shall wipe every tear from their eyes.

LeBlanc, Gwendolyn 'Gwen'

Gwendolyn "Gwen" LeBlanc June 8, 1939 - July 9, 2026 Gwen LeBlanc passed away peacefully at her home on July 9, 2026, at the age of 87, surrounded by her family.

A longtime resident of Plaquemine before moving to Baton Rouge, Gwen devoted her life to her Catholic faith, family, and community. She lovingly cared for generations of children through Miss Gwen's Playschool and will be remembered for her kindness, generosity, and quiet strength.

She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Dickie LeBlanc; her children, Rickie LeBlanc, Michael (Dana) LeBlanc, and Angele (Robert) Peek; 10 grandchildren and 21 greatgrandchildren.

Visitation will be Monday, July 20, from 9:00 a.m. until the 10:00 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church. Interment will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests prayers and Masses in her memory. _

Louisiana University with a degree in nursing in 1973.

Upon graduation, Sarah enlisted in the Navy and was stationed at NAS Jacksonville, Florida for a period of two years. She was devoted to her nursing career helping others. She was a very kind and gentle nurse and very proud of her service in the Navy.

Two days after her service in the Navy, she married Gregory Oivanki, who she had met on a family camping trip in 1970. Sarah and Gregory settled in Denham Springs where she worked at Baton Rouge General Mid-City, then Dixon Memorial Hospital in Denham Springs, then back at Baton Rouge General MidCity working in the Chemical Dependency Unit. Her nursing career spanned 46 years, retiring from Ochsner Medical Center where she was the Night Shift nurse on the telemetry floor. During her nursing career Sarah formed close friendships with three of her coworkers, Ellen, Christa and Cathy.

They spent thirty-plus years working, loving, and supporting one another in the building on O'Neal Lane and continued after retirement, getting together every month for lunch.

They called themselves "the Ochsner Beauties."

She also had a life-long friendship beginning in grammar school with Ricci, who she cherished immensely. Sarah had family ties to New England where she and Gregory traveled frequently, as they both loved to travel. She was a die-hard Boston Red Sox fan. She loved the Fall season colors and everything related to the New England area and chose that décor for her home. She and Gregory especially enjoyed two trips to Kenya and one to Botswana, Africa where she saw her favorite animals: the lion, Simba, and lioness, Simba Jike. Sarah was predeceased by her parents, Wilmah and Charles Henderson, her inlaws, Kaarlo and Marion Oivanki, her brother-inlaw, C. Scott Cannon and an adoptive sister. She is survived by her adoring husband of 51 years Gregory, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; Stephen Oivanki (Jan), Paula Oivanki Cannon, Millie Oivanki Bailey (Kirk), Lisa Oivanki, Anna Oivanki Lucas, two adoptive sisters and many nieces and nephews, including her godchild, Rachael Cannon Koske.

Sarah was a kind, patient, loyal, humble, true friend and a lover of cats, especially lions. She will be greatly missed by all those who loved her. Visitation will be held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Denham Springs on Monday, July 20, 2026 from 10am until the funeral service at 11am. Family visitation will begin at 9:30 am. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her name to your favorite charity.

NE WSL E TTER S The biggest stories customized to your interests – delivered direct to your inbox

Oivanki, Sarah

Falvey, Rema Renee

Rema affectionally known as Renee passed away July 4, 2026. She is survived by her daughter Taylor Carbo and granddaughter Ella Rae. Her son Dylan Falvey. Mother Rema Fields.

Sister Francis Falvey.

Brother James Falvey IV (Krystal). Fiancée Terry Didier. Niece Heather Simon. Nephews Brock Simon, Roman and Declan Falvey. She is preceded in death by James Falvey III, father. She was a friend to all who knew her and she never met a stranger.

Sarah Catherine Henderson Oivanki passed away Sunday, July 12, 2026 at Ochsner Medical Center.

Sarah was born in Boston, MA February 18, 1951 and within months was adopted by Wilmah and Charles Henderson. In 1956 the family moved to Louisiana.

She graduated from Walker High School in 1969 and from Southeastern

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BUSINESS

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ 5B

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M/news/business

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IBM warning is ‘hammer’ on tech’s AI outsiders

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U.S. restores trade privileges for Hong Kong

HONG KONG — The United States confirmed Friday that it will not renew an executive order that revoked Hong Kong’s special trading status. The decision comes after China signaled that the city’s preferential privileges were being restored.

The U.S. order, which President Donald Trump signed in July 2020 in his first term in response to Beijing imposing a national security law to limit dissent in Hong Kong, is not being renewed, according to a Treasury Department spokesperson who was not authorized to speak publicly on the issue by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump’s order was last renewed for a year in July 2025.

China considers the national security law for Hong Kong necessary to restore stability in the city after massive anti-government protests in 2019.

Under the order, Trump said Hong Kong was no longer sufficiently autonomous to justify differential treatment in relation to mainland China under certain laws. It eliminated the preferential treatment for Hong Kong to the extent permitted by law and in the national security, foreign policy, and economic interest of the United States.

The implications of the decision not to renew the order were not immediately clear.

The White House referred questions about the executive order lapsing to the Treasury Department.

General Mills recalls Pillsbury Bread Rolls Two kinds of frozen Pillsbury Bread Rolls were recalled after glass might have gotten into the dough, according to General Mills.

The two lots of Pillsbury Bread Rolls Hard Roll Dough are lot Nos. 11JUN6JL and 12JUN6JL with best by dates of Oct. 12 and 13, 2026, respectively. This covers 544,400 rolls.

There’s only one lot, 12JUN6JL, of Pillsbury Bread Rolls Kaiser Roll Dough recalled.

This covers 181,440 rolls.

A statement by General Mills said the “two frozen dough products were baked onsite and sold exclusively at Walmart in-store bakeries in the United States.

This voluntary recall is limited in scope, highly contained and all potential impacted product has been removed.”

Recalled breads went to distributors in 19 states including Louisiana.

If you have a recalled product, throw it away or return it to the store for a full refund. If you have more questions about this recall, call General Mills at (763) 764-7600.

General Mills statement didn’t address how the glass got into some of the dough, what facility was used, or why no news release was issued.

FAA will allow Boeing to certify its planes Boeing will be allowed to take responsibility for certifying all of its 737 Max and 787 planes starting next week, the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday.

The FAA said that after months of review the agency decided that Boeing’s final safety checks on its planes are good enough to ensure they are airworthy.

Since September, Boeing and the agency had been taking weekly turns performing the safety checks that are required before aircraft are cleared for delivery and declared safe to fly. The FAA said Friday that the plane maker and government inspectors were both issuing similar findings as they issued airworthiness certificates.

Federal regulators took full control over 737 Max approvals in 2019, after the second of two crashes that were later blamed on a new software system Boeing developed for the aircraft.

The FAA ended the company’s right to self-certify 787 Dreamliners in 2022, citing ongoing production quality issues.

30-YR T-BONDS 5.07 -0.01 -0.24%

BY RYAN VLASTELICA and CARMEN REINICKE Bloomberg News (TNS)

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NG HAN GUAN

Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks Friday at the opening ceremony for the World AI Conference in Shanghai. The newest Kimi K3 model from Beijing-based startup Moonshot appears to be catching up to the best versions of Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

New Chinese AI model surprises tech industry Kimi K3 appears to be catching up to Claude, ChatGPT

BY MATT O’BRIEN AP technology writer

Another powerful new artificial intelligence model from China took the U.S. tech industry by surprise Friday, the latest sign that Chinese startups that publicly release their “open-source” AI technology are making the California titans of AI sweat.

The newest Kimi K3 model from Beijing-based startup Moonshot, run by a Pink Floydloving entrepreneur who earned his doctorate in Pittsburgh, appears to be catching up to the best versions of Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. “This may be the single biggest release of the year,” and marks a moment when open-source Chinese models are surpassing closed U.S. models, said Anastasios Angelopoulos, co-founder and CEO of Arena, a platform for evaluating AI systems.

Kimi K3 topped the charts in Arena’s ranking of what it calls “front-end coding capability,” a measure of an AI large language model’s performance. “More results are rolling in that are likely to continue to show it is at the top of the pack,” Angelopoulos said on social media.

It was not likely a coincidence that K3’s unveiling came shortly before Chinese President Xi Jinping’s opening address Friday to the nation’s annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai.

American-led restrictions have blocked China from accessing some of the world’s most advanced technologies, spurring China’s efforts to build its own know-how and intensifying the rivalry between the world’s two

biggest economies.

“The development of artificial intelligence should not be a solo performance by any single country but rather a symphony of global cooperation,” Xi said at the event.

K3 follows another major AI model release last month from the Chinese startup Zhipu, or Z.ai. Its new flagship GLM-5.2 model is already widely used by software developers around the world who say it can perform work almost as well as top U.S. models at a lower price.

The hype over the new Chinese model resembles the market-shaking panic that followed Chinese startup DeepSeek‘s new model release in early 2025, though not everyone finds it justified. The response to K3 is an “overreaction shockingly similar” to DeepSeek’s release last year, said tech analyst Patrick Moorhead on social media. He said it could be good for parts of the broader AI industry but poses a revenue challenge to Anthropic and OpenAI. During the conference, which runs until Monday, tech giant Huawei has also been showcasing a new AI computing system called the Atlas 950 SuperPoD, a signal that China increasingly is amassing the domestic hardware it needs despite U.S. restrictions on imports from chipmakers like Nvidia.

Moonshot hasn’t said what hardware it used to build K3, but the startup is a partner with Huawei.

The price to use K3 is the highest yet for a Chinese AI model, but is still half as expensive as OpenAI’s high-performing GPT5.6 Sol model, according to a Fri-

day report by Bank of America research analysts.

U.S. politicians and several major U.S. AI companies including Anthropic and OpenAI have accused Chinese AI models of illicit “distillation” of their models to extract their technologies, a claim that Beijing says is “groundless.”

Anthropic in February accused DeepSeek, Moonshot and a third China-based AI lab, MiniMax, of engaging in campaigns to “illicitly extract Claude’s capabilities to improve their own models” using the distillation technique that “involves training a less capable model on the outputs of a stronger one.”

Anthropic said that distillation can be a legitimate way to train AI systems but it’s a problem when competitors “use it to acquire powerful capabilities from other labs in a fraction of the time, and at a fraction of the cost, that it would take to develop them independently.”

But it can go both ways. San Francisco-based startup Anysphere, maker of the popular coding tool Cursor, has acknowledged that one of its top products was based on Moonshot’s K2.5 model. Elon Musk’s SpaceX is planning to close a deal to buy Cursor for $60 billion later this year.

Developers who build “opensource” AI make key components of the technology accessible for anyone to examine, modify and build upon. Proponents say open-source practices promote innovation, while critics warn that making powerful AI models publicly accessible poses safety and security dangers.

International Business Machines’ warning this week that its sales are falling well short of expectations highlights a growing divide between artificial intelligence winners and everyone else in the tech universe.

On Tuesday, IBM said it failed to predict that its customers would shift their spending away from the company’s products so they can focus on servers, storage and memory products used in AI computing. The company’s shares plunged 25% for their worst day ever in data going back to the 1960s. But in a much broader sense, the revelation explained how the current technology trade is throwing a wrench into the stock prices of huge companies that provide popular products and services unrelated to AI. “It’s not just a wrench, it’s like a hammer,” said Brian Mulberry, chief market strategist at Zacks Investment Management. “It’s not that there’s not demand for (other services). There is. It’s just that they can’t get there because there’s only a finite amount of capex that can be spent.”

Perhaps the best examples of this bifurcation are software giants Salesforce and ServiceNow, which sell tools that manage sales, human resources and IT functions for companies. The stocks have lost roughly a third of their value this year and are among the 20 worst performers in the S&P 500 Index. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Semiconductor Index is up 62% in 2026.

IBM’s news marked “a pivotal moment in the tech trade,” Mulberry said. It underscored how companies are de-emphasizing traditional tech products and services and prioritizing AI-related infrastructure and security software, which is in demand because the existence of AI represents a risk to corporate security.

With those costs rising — particularly soaring memory prices — the businesses are being forced to reassess how much they can spend elsewhere.

Software developers like Workday and SAP SE are also likely to feel the pinch from the spending shift, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Anurag Rana. And leading tech business indicators like cloud backlogs and new subscription sales may come in below Wall Street expectations as these companies report earnings in the coming weeks.

“While the shortfall may be because of shifting IT budgets, this fundamental weakness will likely be interpreted as AI disrupting their core businesses, which could put further pressure on the sector’s valuation,” Rana wrote in a note on July 14.

Wall Street has been lowering its estimates for the software and services sector, which is expected to post earnings growth of 16.5% in 2027, a consensus that has steadily declined for seven straight weeks, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. An index of software-as-aservice stocks is down 26% this year, compared with an 11% drop for a broader software index and a 13% rise in the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index.

Citizens Bank to cut ties with CoreCivic and GEO

BY KEN SWEET

AP business writer

NEW YORK — Citizens Bank said it plans to wind down its financial relationship with two private prison companies that have been government contractors under the Trump administration to help run immigration detention centers, bowing to public pressure from advocates and left-leaning city governments.

Citizens provided banking services to CoreCivic and The GEO Group, both companies that own or run private prisons throughout the country. Under President Donald Trump, both companies have been contracted by U.S. Immigration and Customers Enforcement

to operate detention or deportation centers as part of the Trump administration crackdown on illegal immigration.

The bank came under an intense public campaign for its relationship with CoreCivic and GEO who demanded that Citizens cut ties with the two companies. At least two city councils in New Jersey have voted to withdraw their money from Citizens if they did not cut ties with the private prison operators.

“Today’s announcement that Citizens Bank will exit its current lending relationships with private prison giants CoreCivic and The GEO Group is an important victory for the people who refused to let a major bank finance hu-

man suffering brought on by ICE detention activities of the current federal administration,” said the De-ICE Citizens Bank Coalition, in a statement.

In a statement, Citizens said they were ending their relationship with the two companies purely for business reasons and not because of political pressure. The federal government has said it plans to buy several facilities run by CoreCivic and is in talks to do so with GEO. Because of this, Citizens said the companies’ financial needs have been reduced.

“This is a business decision based on changed commercial circumstances and does not reflect any change in our view regarding

these companies’ business models or operations,” the bank said in a statement.

Banks cutting ties with businesses or individuals is known as debanking, and it has become a politically charged topic in Trump’s second term. Under the Trump administration, bank regulators have been conducting investigations into bank’s debanking practices, with the potential of these bank regulators issuing fines or penalties to any banks that are found to have committed debanking.

“All banks, including ourselves, must consider these regulatory and contractual frameworks in making decisions on who to bank or not bank,” Citizens said.

6B ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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

ANOTHER VIEW

Polls show how Americans see the issues

Americans have endured a dizzying stretch of controversies and sudden turns in recent months — from wars in Iran and Ukraine to Supreme Court rulings, congressional maneuvering and presidential drama. It’s been exhausting and, at times, confusing.

Through it all, Donald Trump’s job approval ratings have remained steady. His latest rating averages 43%, exactly where it was four months ago.

The president’s critics find that hard to believe; they keep hearing about individual polls showing his popularity falling.

But polling averages, which combine results from multiple surveys, have shown little movement.

Ron But the more revealing story may be Faucheux what voters say about specific issues.

Iran: The latest Economist/YouGov poll finds that only 36% of voters approve of Trump’s handling of the war with Iran, while nearly 6 in 10 disapprove. Fewer than a third believe going to war was the right decision.

Trump campaigned in 2024 as dealmaker-in-chief, promising to bring peace through quick, smart negotiations. Yet 60% now say he’s been ineffective in negotiating with Iran.

More voters expected a return to full-scale war than a negotiated settlement. Only 31% believe the United States should continue attacking Iran, including 59% of Republicans, 17% of independents and 5% of Democrats.

Israel: 32% of U.S. voters say their sympathies lie more with Israel, 25% side more with the Palestinians and another 25% are unsure. Among Democrats, just 10% side with Israel, while 36% favor the Palestinians.

Thirty-six percent of voters support continued U.S. military aid to Israel, while 45% oppose it. Support among Republicans is 57%; among Democrats, 22%.

Ukraine and Russia: Americans overwhelmingly support Ukraine in the war against Russia. Sixty-nine percent side with Ukraine, compared with only 4% who side with Russia. A 56% majority supports sending military aid to Ukraine, while 28% oppose. Yet voters see no clear winner in the war.

The economy: Only 27% of voters rate the economy as excellent or good. Those views are heavily influenced by partisanship. While 49% of Republicans give the economy positive marks, only 9% of Democrats and 14% of independents do. On top of that, a majority of Democrats and Independents believe the economy is getting worse.

Politicians and sexual assault: The collapse of Democrat Graham Platner’s Senate campaign in Maine has pushed this issue back into the headlines. The poll finds that 62% of voters nationwide believe a candidate accused of sexual assault by several women should drop out of the race, unless the allegations can be disproved.

That view is shared by 58% of men, 63% of women, 74% of Democrats, 60% of independents and 49% of Republicans.

At the same time, 62% believe political candidates are, at least sometimes, unfairly accused of sexual assault.

Voters are also unimpressed with how both parties handle such charges. Only 25% say Democrats do a good or excellent job, while 24% say the same of Republicans.

World Cup: 41% of Americans say they watched at least some of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. That includes 47% of men, 37% of women, 36% of Whites, 53% of Blacks and 60% of Hispanics.

Only 21% approved of Trump’s request that the onegame suspension of U.S. player Folarin Balogun be overturned.

Greenland, Canada and Cuba: Americans show little appetite for using military force to seize other countries. Only 10% support using force to take control of Greenland. That low number drops further to 6% when it comes to Canada. Taking control of Cuba draws slightly greater support, though still only 20%.

World leaders: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy receives the highest favorable rating among the four foreign leaders tested: 53% favorable to 31% unfavorable.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s negative rating in the U.S. is 10 times greater than his positive rating — 80% to 8%. Iran’s Mojtaba Khamenei is even worse; his negative is nearly 11 times larger than his positive score, 54% to 5%.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is viewed favorably by 28% of U.S. voters and unfavorably by 52%.

That’s far down from where it stood. Netanyahu has become a pariah among Democrats, with a favorable rating of just 9%. He does better with Republicans, where nearly 50% view him positively.

Numbers tell the story, but they can change. That’s exactly why they’re worth watching.

YOUR VIEWS

Graves should admit GOP’s mentality is what led to closed primaries I write today to express my agreement with Garret Graves’ June 30 commentary on the issue of open vs. closed primaries. I, too, believe that open primaries foster greater electoral participation, result in better candidates and, generally, better serve our state.

What I hope now is that Graves’ concern with voter engagement and ensuring that “citizens choose their representatives and government remains accountable to its people” extends to other areas of our electoral process.

Graves, as a congressman, voted in 2020 to reject the electoral college delegation from Pennsylvania after they were properly elected by the citizens of their state, basically telling those citizens their votes didn’t count. Mr. Graves’ own party has also enthusiastically taken advantage of their legislative majorities around the country to ger-

Watching in horror as the government pursues another senseless war This year, some people in our country are celebrating our 250th anniversary. Not me. I am ashamed of what the United States has become. Sadly, this is not the first time our government has screwed things up so badly.

Fifty years ago, as we celebrated our 200th anniversary, we had just been defeated in South Vietnam, having lost 58,220 of our best young people and a trillion dollars.

We watched in horror as the Communist North Vietnamese Army overran the country, slaughtering a million of the people who had believed in us.

Now, here we are, 50 years later, watching in horror again as our government, led by a criminal madman and his incompetent Secretary of “War,” pursue another senseless slaughter for reasons based upon faulty logic and vanity.

When will we ever learn?

rymander congressional districts, effectively disenfranchising Democratic and minority voters at every opportunity, and further dividing our country. They also, without evidence, daily cast doubt on the integrity of our electoral process. Each of these seems a much greater infringement of voting rights and a much greater risk to our democracy than how we go about selecting candidates in a primary election.

To flip Graves’ point, Louisiana and the United States currently have a problem in search of a solution. I hope Graves and the rest of those in his party will, for the good of the state and the country, turn their backs on this “win at all costs” approach to politics and governance and stand up for democracy and the sanctity of a person’s vote when it matters.

PAT FORBES Baton Rouge

ED BROCK Baton Rouge

Newspaper’s love affair with Republican Senate candidate is not good journalism

Obituaries are big part of celebrating a life As a longtime reader of the obituary section and an expert on local funeral customs and traditions, I have noticed a significant decline in the number of funeral notices published in the daily paper.

Though this letter may not be reaching the right audience, since people who do not read the newspaper mostly likely do not post obituaries., it should be noted that published obits serve a number of purposes.

They inform the public of the death. They highlight the life of the deceased and identify the next

of kin. But perhaps most importantly, they preserve the life of the individual in perpetuity for future generations, researchers and historians. While many deaths are now noted on social media, which is not incidentally free while it costs money to post in the paper, those outlets are ephemeral and today’s post disappears into the ether by tomorrow.

Posting an obituary in the newspaper ensures the memory of our loved ones lives on.

You do your readers a disservice by giving disproportionate attention to U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow over her Democratic election opponent.

You gave more attention to her losing primary opponent, John Fleming, for example, than to Democratic candidate Jamie Davis, not to mention posting a huge picture of Letlow and a tiny one of Davis on election night.

You also unfairly minimized the potential draw of Davis by ignoring the fact that a Democrat won the statewide position of governor very recently, serving from 2016 to 2024, if I recall correctly.

Regardless of whom you personally prefer for the position, you owe us, your readers and those paying not-insubstantial subscription fees for journalism, better and fairer reporting.

JAY MAZZA New Orleans

New Air Force One a waste of taxpayer dollars President Donald Trump has squandered hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to “upgrade” the luxury airplane gifted to him. This plane, the new Air Force One, will become his personal property once he leaves office.

Yet when departing the recent NATO summit in Turkey, he flew on the previous Air Force One because

Ron Faucheux is a nonpartisan political analyst, pollster and writer based in Louisiana.

it was deemed safer and more capable than the gifted airplane.

Hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent on an aircraft that cannot perform as well as the previous plane. Looks like the definition of waste, fraud and abuse on the largest scale to me.

ROWENA JONES New Orleans

GLEN JACKSON New Orleans

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S at u r d ay, J u ly 18, 2026

1CN

Tulane returning to LSU schedule in 2030

Clemson, in Week 1 of the regular He highlighted his 20-0 record in worth it enough.” even bigger deal.

Tigers to host LSU lost five straight openers The matchup is scheduled for season. College football programs nonconference games during his from 2020-24, starting the skid Aug. 31 of that year in Tiger Stadi- don’t have preseason games to pre- six seasons at Ole Miss.

Southern in 2028, um, according to a Friday release pare, and starting the season with The Rebels made the CFP last with a home loss to Mississippi from LSU, which means it could a loss to a difficult opponent can season and went on a run to the State and a road defeat at UCLA. other state schools lead change the course of a season from semifinals after Kiffin left to take Brian Kelly opened his tenure as off the Tigers’ 2030 slate.

LSU is also adding an Aug. 28, 2027, opener with Northwestern State; an Aug. 26, 2028, opener with Staff writer UL-Monroe; and a Sept. 9, 2028, LSU adding Tulane back to its contest with Southern.

Coach Lane Kiffin has made it football schedule is a big deal.

But what week the Tigers will known he doesn’t love playing play the Green Wave in 2030 is an marquee opponents, such as a

BY JON BLAU

both a momentum and perception standpoint.

In this playoff era, a bad start can be the difference between making or missing the College Football Playoff field, which was a point of discussion for Kiffin on the Pardon My Take podcast in May.

the LSU job.

“We didn’t play in any of them big openers,” Kiffin said. “This place (LSU) in a four-year span lost three of four openers. ‘Yeah, that’s so great (to play a big game),’ whatever. But you don’t get rewarded for it because it’s not

head coach with consecutive Week 1 losses to Florida State in New Orleans and Orlando, Florida, respectively.

After an opening-game loss to Southern Cal in Las Vegas in 2024,

ä See LSU, page 3C

BRITISH OPEN

SAINTS PREVIEW OFFENSIVE LINE

PROTECTION PLAN ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PETER MORRISON

Former LSU golfer Sam Burns acknowledges the crowd after holing out from a bunker on the 18th green during the second day of the British Open on Friday in Southport, England. Burns finished with a majors-record 62.

Excellence and drama STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints offensive linemen Dillon Radunz, second from left, and Kelvin Banks, right, line up against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 14 in the Caesars Superdome. The Saints are banking on a stronger and healthier offensive line this season.

New Orleans hopes with a little luck, it will have best O-line in years

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

ä See SMOKE, page 6C

ä See BRITISH, page 4C

Smoke clouds conditions for World Cup AP sportswriter

NEW YORK — Mikel Merino can smell and see the smoke from the Canadian wildfires that are making for hazy conditions across large parts of the U.S., including northern New Jersey where he and Spain are set to face Argentina in the World Cup ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RyAN MURPHy final on Sunday.

The New york City skyline is seen through a cover of wildfire smoke Merino is trying not to focus on Friday in Jersey City, N.J. on it.

It remains unclear how much, if at all, the smoke will affect improvement to “moderate” air tant as a World Cup final, you the final. The World Health Or- quality in East Rutherford. have to be able to shut out exterganization forecast calls for an “For a game that is as impor- nal factors as much as possible,”

AP golf writer

Merino said Friday. “Luckily, we are being careful with every detail thanks to the federation and the organizers of the World Cup.” Spain practiced outside in hazardous conditions in East Hanover, New Jersey, on Thursday, alarming experts who thought the team should have held the session inside instead. Messages sent to FIFA and the Spanish

The progress has been slow and it has not gone without some bumps in the road, but through the draft and free agency, the Saints have assembled an offensive line that should serve as the bedrock of a successful offense.

It is bookended by two tackles taken in the top 15 of back-to-back drafts in Kelvin Banks on the left and Taliese Fuaga STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER on the right. It is led by Pro Bowl center Number to know: 742 Erik McCoy, who is hopeful he can put his Saints Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy is injury woes from the last two seasons be- hoping for a healthy season after battling That is the number of combined offenhind him. And it may be taken to the next sive snaps McCoy has played the last two level by pricey free agent acquisition Da- injuries the past two years. seasons — fewer than any one of his first five seasons. vid Edwards, who boasted an impressive 95% pass-block win rate last season, acFor a team that has been searching for ä See SAINTS, page 3C cording to ESPN. an offensive identity for quite some time,

BY STEPHEN WHYNO

BY DOUG FERGUSON SOUTHPORT, England — The British Open came to life Friday when Lucas Herbert and former LSU golfer Sam Burns took their place in history by tying the major championship record with 62s, and Bryson DeChambeau LEADERBOARD was penalized two shots after Second round his round for -8 (132) inadvertently Lucas Herbert 70-62 improving -6 (134) the path of his swing.

Ryan Gerard 67-67 In the midst Jackson Suber 65-69 of all the late Cameron young 67-67 drama was Jon -5 (135) Rahm getting 73-62 an official con- Sam Burns duct warning Bry. DeChambeau 67-68 for throwing Si Woo Kim 68-67 his club after a bad tee shot.

The r e a l ä ON TV: 5 A.M.-7 A.M. USA; emotion came 7 A.M.-3 P.M. NBC in the twilight hours with no spectators around as DeChambeau stood in high grass on the fifth hole with two rules officials, pleading his case and ultimately losing the argument. His 4-under 66 became a 68, and he went from one shot behind Herbert to three behind. And then he went to the range until the only light came from the video boards.

DeChambeau has turned down media at the majors dating to his missed cut at the Masters in April.

Herbert, who was at 8-under 132, was slightly disappointed with his record-tying round because he missed a 5-foot par putt that would have given him a 61.

“Very, very proud to put my name on that list of guys that have shot 62 in a major championship. So it’s kind of holding two emotions there at the same time,” Herbert said. “It’s a pretty good problem to have, too, to be disappointed you shot 62.”

Burns didn’t even know he tied a record when he holed a bunker shot on the 18th for his third straight birdie, just 22

a strong offensive line can help right that ship. Just by virtue of their personnel at the point of attack, the Saints should hold up in both the run and passing game, allowing them to dictate the game to the defense.

That is a theory at this point. A lot of things can go wrong, as recent seasons have proven. But on paper, this is the best offensive line the Saints have put on the field since Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk lined up at tackle.

It’s unclear if effects of Canadian wildfires will alter games

Burns, Herbert shoot majors-record round; DeChambeau penalized

WORLD CUP GLANCE

THIRD-PLACE GAME ■ France vs. England, 4 p.m. Saturday, Fox FINAL ■ Spain vs. Argentina, 2 p.m. Sunday, Fox

2C ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV

AUTO RACING 9 a.m.

F1: Qualifying Apple 11:30 a.m.NASCAR Trucks: Faith Fest 250 FS1 1 p.m.

Supermotocross World Champ. NBCSN 2 p.m.

NTT IndyCar: Qualifying Fox 3:30 p.m. INDy NXT: Qualifying FS2 4 p.m.

NASCAR Cup: Practice TRUTV 5:10 p.m. NASCAR Cup: Qualifying TRUTV BEACH VOLLEYBALL 1 p.m.

League Week 6 CW CFL 3 p.m.

Montreal at Calgary CBSSN GOLF 6 a.m.

DP World/PGA: British Open NBC 11 a.m. DP World/PGA: Puntacana Champ. Golf 3 a.m. (Sun.) DP World/PGA: British Open USA GYMNASTICS 6 p.m.

USGA: U.S. Classic NBCSN HORSE RACING 11:30 a.m.Saratoga Live FS2

1 p.m.

2 p.m.

4 p.m.

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Dunkin’ Diana Fox Saratoga Live FS1 Haskell Stakes NBC Saratoga Live FS2 MEN’S LACROSSE 1 p.m.

Carolina vs. Denver ABC MIXED MARTIAL ARTS 7 p.m.

PFL: Main Card ESPN2 MLB 1:20 p.m. Minnesota at Chicago Cubs MLBN 4:30 p.m. Miami at Milwaukee (JIP) MLBN 7:08 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at N.y. yankees Fox NBA SUMMER LEAGUE 3:30 p.m. Boston vs. Orlando Prime 4 p.m.

Philadelphia vs. Milwaukee ESPN 5:30 p.m. Houston vs. Memphis Prime 6 p.m.

Atlanta vs. Washington ESPN 7:30 p.m. Golden State vs. L.A. Lakers Prime 8 p.m.

Indiana vs. New Orleans GCSEN 9:30 p.m. San Antonio vs. Phoenix Prime MEN’S RUGBY 8:55 a.m. New Zealand vs. England CBSSN

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

11:25 a.m.France vs. South Africa CBSSN 6:25 p.m. U.S. vs. Spain CBSSN MEN’S SOCCER 11 a.m. Louisville at Pittsburgh CBS 4 p.m.

World Cup: France vs. England Fox WOMEN’S SOCCER 11 a.m. NWSL: Seattle at Gotham FC ABC 1 p.m.

NWSL: Portland at Denver CBS 3 p.m.

NWSL: North Carolina at Bay FC CBS 5:30 p.m. NWSL: Angel City at Chicago ION 7:45 p.m. NWSL: Orlando at Utah ION SOFTBALL 1 p.m.

Utah at Chicago ESPN 3 p.m.

Oklahoma City at Carolina ESPN2 9 p.m.

Texas at Portland CBSSN TBT BASKETBALL 11 a.m. TBT: The Ville at La Familia Fox TENNIS 4:30 a.m. (Sun.) ATP, WTA Tennis 5 a.m. (Sun.) ATP, WTA Tennis WNBA 7 p.m.

New york at Indiana CBS

Smith-Njigba cream of WRs

BY ROB MAADDI

selection after leading the NFL with 129 catches for 1,715 yards and 10 TDs. Nacua has averaged 104 catches, 1,397 yards receiving and six TDs over his three seasons in the NFL, giving Matthew Stafford a top target and the Rams an elite passing attack.

Associated Press

Jaxon Smith-Njigba won the AP Offensive Player of the Year award and the Super Bowl last season before the Seattle Seahawks gave him the biggest contract for a wide receiver in NFL history.

No surprise he was voted the NFL’s top wideout by The Associated Press in a preseason survey.

Smith-Njigba received four first-place votes, three thirds and a fourth from a panel of eight AP pro football writers, who ranked the top five receivers entering the 2026 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Secondthrough fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks

4. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By BEN VANHOUTEN

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba runs with the ball during the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 25 in Seattle.

Pro selection, had nine 100-yard receiving games during the reguThe 24-year-old set a team re- lar season and was a key to Seattle cord for yards receiving (1,793) winning its second Super Bowl in and receptions (119) last season. franchise history.

He received a four-year, $168.6 million extension that averages 2. Ja’Marr Chase, $42.15 million annually and in- Cincinnati Bengals cludes over $120 million in guaranteed money.

Chase, a unanimous All-Pro Smith-Njigba, a unanimous All- selection in 2024, tied Justin Jef-

ferson for first place in voting last year in this survey.

He had 125 receptions, 1,412 yards receiving and eight touchdowns last season after earning the receiving triple crown in 2024.

3. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams Nacua was a unanimous All-Pro

In a down season, Jefferson had 84 catches for 1,048 yards and two TDs while catching passes from three different Vikings quarterbacks.

The two-time All-Pro has averaged 97 catches, 1,413 yards and seven TDs over his six seasons in the NFL.

5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions St. Brown was a second-team All-Pro after earning first-team honors the previous two seasons.

He had 117 receptions, 1,401 yards receiving and 11 TDs last season for the Lions. St. Brown has four straight seasons of more than 100 receptions and more than 1,100 yards receiving.

Arizona TE McBride RB Robinson meets hype continues to shine

BY JOSH DUBOW

Henry has topped 1,500 yards rushing in each of the past two seasons after turning 30, with his The expectations for Bijan five 1,500-yard seasons tied with Robinson were high as soon as Lions legend Barry Sanders for he entered the NFL in 2023 as the most ever.

Henry ranked second in the the first running back taken with NFL last season with 1,595 yards a top-10 pick in five years.

Robinson made an impact al- rushing and is 10th all-time with most from the start with the At- 13,018 yards. lanta Falcons and then took his game to another level last season 4. Saquon Barkley, when he led the NFL in yards Philadelphia Eagles from scrimmage and was picked as the All-Pro running back.

Barkley took a step back from That production helped Robin- his record-setting 2024 season son win the honor of being named when his 2,504 yards rushing in the top running back in the league the regular season and playoffs were the most ever as Philadelby The Associated Press. phia’s offense was less potent last 1. Bijan Robinson, season. He still managed to rush for 1,140 yards and scored nine Atlanta Falcons total touchdowns.

Robinson, the eighth pick in 2023, is one of the top dual-threat 5. Jahmyr Gibbs, backs in the league, finishing Detroit Lions fourth in the league in rushing last season with 1,478 yards to go Gibbs has been a scoring maalong with 820 yards receiving. chine since entering the league He became the second player with Robinson in 2023, when he ever with at least 1,400 yards was picked four spots later at No. rushing and 800 yards receiving 12 overall. Gibbs’ 49 career TDs in the same season, joining Ste- are the most ever for a player beven Jackson, who did it in 2006. fore turning 24, topping the preRobinson led the NFL with 2,298 vious mark of 47 set by Sanders. yards and scored 11 touchds.

Associated Press

BY ROB MAADDI Associated Press

Trey McBride was the bright spot last season for a dismal team in Arizona.

He was the most productive tight end in the NFL, a near-unanimous All-Pro selection and made his second straight Pro Bowl.

McBride’s success has also landed him the top spot at tight end in a preseason survey by The Associated Press. He received five first-place votes from a panel of eight AP Pro Football Writers who ranked the top five players at the position.

1. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals

AP FILE PHOTO By JOSHUA A. BICKEL

Cardinals tight end Trey McBride catches a touchdown pass in the McBride had a breakout year in end zone against the Bengals on 2024 and followed that up with a Dec. 28 in Cincinnati. record-setting season in 2025.

He caught 126 passes last season, breaking Zach Ertz’s record dynamic receiver, Bowers is still for most in a season by a tight a work in progress as a blocker. end, had 1,239 receiving yards, and his 11 receiving touchdowns 4. Sam LaPorta, tied for first. McBride also led Detroit Lions tight ends with 566 yards after the catch.

LaPorta was limited to nine games because of injuries last 2. George Kittle, season and had 40 catches for 489 yards and three TDs. San Francisco 49ers He wasn’t charged with any Kittle had 57 receptions for drops and totaled 273 yards after 628 receiving yards and seven the catch. LaPorta is one of the touchdowns in only 11 games last best all-around tight ends in the season, averaging 11.0 yards per league and an asset in Detroit’s reception. He had just two drops run game because of his outstandand 259 yards after the catch. ing blocking skills.

The seven-time Pro Bowl pick and two-time All-Pro is one of the 5. Kyle Pitts, best blocking tight ends in NFL Atlanta Falcons history.

Pitts earned second-team All3. Brock Bowers, Pro honors after a career-high 88 catches for 928 yards and five Las Vegas Raiders TDs last season.

Pitts, who was the highestAfter a sensational All-Pro rookie season, Bowers was plagued by drafted tight end in NFL history injuries last year. He caught 64 in 2021 when the Falcons selectpasses for 680 yards and seven ed him No. 4 overall, lived up to TDs in 12 games and made his expectations as a rookie when second Pro Bowl. he made the Pro Bowl. But he Bowers gained 296 yards after was disappointing until a breakthe catch, and had three drops. A through season last year.

2. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers McCaffrey has established himself as the most dangerous receiving threat out of the backfield and is a focal point of Kyle Shanahan’s passing game in San Francisco.

McCaffrey wasn’t the explosive runner last season as he had been earlier in his career, rushing for 1,202 yards and averaging just 3.9 yards per carry. He more than made up for that with 102 catches for 924 yards as he nearly became the first player ever with two seasons with at least 1,000 yards rushing and receiving.

3. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens

AP FILE PHOTO By BRyNN ANDERSON

Falcons running back Bijan Robinson celebrates his People have been waiting for touchdown reception against the Henry to shows signs of decline as he reached his 30s, but it hasn’t Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 29 in Atlanta. been evident yet.

LSU loses freshman signee chosen late in MLB draft

One of LSU baseball’s freshman signees will no longer begin his collegiate career in Baton Rouge.

Anthony Murphy, a power-hitting California center fielder who was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 16th round of the 2026 MLB Draft, said in a social media post Friday that he had “decided to decommit” from LSU and “reopen my recruitment.” He later pledged to Miami.

“Being committed to LSU has been an incredible honor,” Murphy said, “and I’ll always be thankful for the relationships I’ve built and the support I’ve received.

“This decision was not made lightly and is in no way a reflection of LSU, its coaches or the program. I have nothing but respect and appreciation for everything they’ve done for me.”

Had Murphy decided to join the Tigers, he would’ve faced a roster crunch. LSU was projected to have more than 40 players on its 2027 roster before Friday and a likely competition for the starting center field spot.

A’s sign Southern infielder as undrafted free agent

KJ White’s stellar senior season at Southern earned him a chance with an MLB team as he signed with the Athletics as an undrafted free agent, the program announced on Thursday.

“I’m extremely proud of KJ and everything he accomplished during his time at Southern University,” Southern coach Chris Crenshaw said in a statement. “He came to work every day with a professional mindset and earned this opportunity through his dedication, consistency and commitment to becoming the best player he could be.”

White, a 5-foot-10 infielder, was named Southwestern Athletic Conference Hitter of the Year and first-team All-SWAC after having the nation’s third-best batting average in the country (.421).

NFL suspends Cardinals executive over gambling

The NFL has suspended Arizona Cardinals personnel executive Ryan Gold indefinitely for violating the league’s gambling policy.

The league said Friday that its investigation determined that Gold provided confidential, non-public inside information regarding 2026 draft selections by the Cardinals before the picks were announced, and Gold also participated in parlay bets on NFL and college games.

The league didn’t say who Gold had provided with the information.

Gold, who is in his 13th season with the Cardinals, was promoted to director of college scouting in June 2025. He spent 2022-24 as the assistant director of college scouting.

Titans to honor Johnson as Ring of Honor inductee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans will induct Chris Johnson, the sixth man in NFL history to run for 2,000 yards in a season, into their Ring of Honor during halftime of their regular-season opener Sept. 13.

The Titans announced the honor Friday following Johnson’s revelation June 29 that he was diagnosed with ALS, the fatal nervous system disease a year earlier.

Johnson was the 24th pick overall in 2008 by the Titans and played six of his 10 seasons in the NFL with Tennessee. Johnson, nicknamed “CJ2K,” rushed for 7,965 yards and had 58 total TDs in that span.

MLB restricts dugout iPad usage to prevent use of AI

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball is restricting iPad usage in dugouts to prevent the tablets from running artificial intelligence to help make decisions.

The tablets have access to video and league-provided data, and also included a custom tab where teams could access other programs. MLB made the custom tabs inaccessible to teams starting Wednesday night.

“In many cases, the custom tab had expanded the use of the dugout iPads beyond their originally intended purpose to include recommendations regarding substitutions, pitch calling, and other ingame decisions traditionally made by players and coaches,” MLB executive vice president of baseball operations Morgan Sword wrote in a June 11 memo to GMs, assistant GMs and video coordinators.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ 3C

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Belichick is hoping lessons learned lead to more success North Carolina coach heads into second college season

BY AARON BEARD Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JASON BEHNKEN

Aaron Judge watches from the yankees’ dugout during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 6 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Yankees slugger Judge still not cleared to play He hasn’t played since May 31 due to rib fracture

BY RONALD BLUM

Associated Press

NEW YORK — Aaron Judge’s broken rib has not completely healed, and the New York Yankees captain still hasn’t been cleared to resume baseball activities.

Judge hasn’t played since May 31 because of the stress fracture in his right ribs. He had a scan during the All-Star break and called the result positive news.

“Part of it’s healing. The other part of it’s still trying to bridge together,” the three-time AL MVP said before the Yankees started the second half Friday night against the two-time reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Judge and the Yankees were waiting for an evaluation of the scans from Dr. Gregory J. Pearl, chair of the department of vascular surgery at Baylor Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital in Texas. Judge will need another scan before he is cleared for baseball activities and given a time frame for a return.

“I’m going to wait for the doctors to kind of tell us what to do and what they see when they look at it,” Judge said. “We got a big team of guys looking at this just so we get the best answer and have the right plan.”

Judge is hitting .248 with 17 homers and 38 RBIs but had just one homer in his last 18 games. The 34-year-old outfielder has done lower-body work, treadmill and climbing steps but no baseball

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C The two injuries that ended McCoy’s last two seasons — an elbow in 2024 and a torn biceps in 2025 — were somewhat freak occurrences. McCoy recently said the action that caused him to tear his biceps last year was something that he’d done countless times before.

It doesn’t change the fact the Saints need McCoy to stay on the field, because there is no question the offense functions at a higher level when he is playing.

The lowdown The question of how good the offensive line can be likely will come down to the development of the young offensive tackles.

New Orleans used the No. 9 overall pick in 2025 on Banks to be their left tackle of the future. He took over that position from Fuaga, who slid over to the right side after his impressive rookie season as the No. 14 pick in the 2024 draft.

Banks appears to be a home run pick for the Saints. He played nearly every offensive snap in 2025 and improved as the season went along, cutting his quick pressure rate from over 5% in the first half of the season to less than 2% in the second half.

Fuaga appeared to be on that same track after his rookie season. But after switching to the right side — the side he played at Oregon State — Fuaga’s play fell off a bit in 2025 as he managed an injury throughout the season.

If a healthy Fuaga can rediscover his form and Banks takes another step forward, the Saints could have one of the NFL’s best young

activities or heavy weightlifting.

He’s stopped the bicycle work he did earlier in the layoff.

“It’s feeling better. It was a couple weeks that were tough, couldn’t do a lot, but now we’re feeling 10 times better,” he said. “So that was my big complaint, well, if I’m feeling better, how about we start moving? But I think they just don’t want to start adding baseball activities and other stuff and all of a sudden we have a setback and it pushes everything back.”

When he is able to play, Judge doesn’t want to go on a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment.

“I hate rehab games, so I got to to talk with them about all that, because why waste at-bats in a rehab game?” Judge said.

New York was 36-23 when he last played but was 18-19 since as the second half began Friday.

“I feel good about the fact that he will be back, but it’s just a matter of when,” manager Aaron Boone said.

Other Yankees injury news Left-hander Max Fried, out since May 14 because of a left elbow bone bruise, was to make his first rehab start on Friday for TripleA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against Worcester and will have at least one more minor league outing.

Left-hander Carlos Rodón, who has not pitched since June 28 because of left elbow inflammation, threw 10 pitches off a mound Friday but has not progressed to a bullpen session.

Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton, who hasn’t played since April 24 because of a strained right calf, started a running progression outdoors.

SAINTS DEPTH CHART Name Ht. LEFT TACKLE Kelvin Banks 6-5 Asim Richards 6-4 Alan Herron 6-3 LEFT GUARD David Edwards 6-6 Dillon Radunz 6-6 Easton Kilty 6-6 CENTER Erik McCoy 6-4 Torricelli Simpkins 6-5 William Sherman 6-4 RIGHT GUARD Cesar Ruiz 6-4 Jeremiah Wright 6-5 Xavier Truss 6-7 RIGHT TACKLE Taliese Fuaga 6-6 Barry Wesley 6-7 Alex Wollschlaeger 6-7

Wt. Exp.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NFL coaching great Bill Belichick spent a bumpy debut season at North Carolina trying to blend a roster full of newcomers and adjusting to life in the college ranks.

It was a learning experience even for someone with a résumé featuring six Super Bowl titles as a head coach and ranking as one of the NFL’s all-time leaders in coaching wins.

“Look, I learn every year; I learn things every day,” Belichick said Friday morning during the Atlantic Coast Conference’s preseason football media days.

“Every week is a learning experience for me. Try to listen to the people that are around me that work for us, that do various things, whether it’s academics, training, nutrition, offense, defense, special teams, so forth.

Try to do the best I can to help put it all together.

“Recruiting, fundraising — you name it. There are a lot of different things, and I can improve in all of them.”

It was a rough debut for the 74-year-old Belichick, best known for his time hoisting trophies and winning with relentless precision alongside star quarterback Tom Brady with the New England Patriots.

His arrival at the college level was a spectacle, one that put a national spotlight on a school with a football program that had long been an ACC also-ran compared to its tradition-rich men’s basketball program being among the nation’s blueblood elite.

There’s less buzz this time around. There’s no curiosity to imagining what it will look like for Belichick to roam a college sideline sporting his trademark hoodie garb. And the Tar Heels’ poor on-field performance offers little reason to expect a big leap in Year 2.

Yet similar to what he was known for in his Patriots tenure, Belichick is focused on his internal evaluation. And he sees cause for optimism.

“Last year when we started, we were literally starting from scratch,” he said. “We’re above that now for sure.”

Hoping for more continuity Belichick has pointed numerous times to the Tar Heels getting a late run into recruiting after his December hiring, starting with jumping into the transfer portal and then pulling from the

sure on him by selecting Jeremiah Wright out of Auburn in the fourth round.

While Ruiz likely isn’t going to share starters’ reps with Wright during training camp, the stakes are relatively high for him to prove he should still be the right guard beyond 2026.

315 307 308

2 4 R

308 301 307

8 Potential camp battle 6 The Saints were able to navigate 2 McCoy’s injury to a degree last

303 312 300

8 2 2

316 331 320

7 R 2

324 310 310

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offensive tackle tandems.

That does not even include what happened along the interior. Edwards was one of the best available free agents at any position this offseason, and the Saints snapped him up for $61 million over four years.

The veteran has drawn rave reviews for quickly settling into a leadership role for the Saints, and he fills a crucial need — left guard was a bit of a black hole a year ago.

That leaves veteran Cesar Ruiz, the Saints’ 2020 first-rounder. He is coming off a disappointing 2025 season but has shown at times in his career that he can play at an above average level. He has two years remaining on his contract but no guarantees after this year, and the Saints added a little pres-

season because they traded for Luke Fortner, who wound up starting the final 10 games and playing well enough to earn a $2.75 million contract from the Carolina Panthers in the offseason.

That leaves relatively untested young players such as Torricelli Simpkins and William Sherman to compete for the primary spot behind McCoy. Both started a pair of games at guard while New Orleans endured a rash of injuries on the interior of the offensive line last season.

Simpkins is the younger of the two, entering his true second season in the NFL. Sherman was drafted in 2021 but spent several seasons on practice squads before returning to a game day roster last season. This summer, Simpkins took snaps with the second team, though that is hardly an indication of where things will land in September.

One thing to keep in mind: Ruiz is listed as a G/C on the team’s website (as is McCoy) and was primarily a center in college.

The Saints didn’t want to shift him inside after McCoy’s injury last season because they felt it would make them worse at two positions, but perhaps that mindset would change if New Orleans feels confident about Wright.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHRIS SEWARD

North Carolina coach Bill Belichick is seen on the sidelines during a game against Duke on Nov. 22 in Chapel Hill, N.C. high school ranks. That meant pulling together a roster to get started with spring drills, then going through more waves of roster changes leading into preseason camp.

“The biggest thing last year was just how behind we were,” Belichick said of his December 2024 arrival.

By the time the Tar Heels started last season, they had 70 new players.

“This time a year ago, we didn’t have a quarterback who had taken a snap even in spring ball for us,” Belichick said.

“Last year we didn’t have any player-run practices. We couldn’t actually line up a team and run against another team without the coaches being out there because we didn’t have anybody that knew enough on either side of the ball to do that. Whereas this year these guys have done it all spring and all summer.”

To that point, the Tar Heels have plenty of newness on the roster with 60 new players, 40 true freshmen and 17 redshirt freshmen. But UNC also had 35 of the freshmen arrive in time to go through spring practices while there’s enough returnees to offer continuity and better stability.

“Culture’s a lot different, work ethic’s different,” Belichick said.

“I’m not taking anything away from the guys that were here.

But compared to a year ago, we just know a lot more about what we’re doing and how to do it and our culture’s a lot different.”

UNC knows what to expect Belichick’s appearance at this ACC kickoff event last year was the center of attention. So too was his nationally televised Labor Day debut in front of a sellout home crowd against TCU. Yet the Tar Heels lost that game in a blowout in what turned out to be a harbinger of frustra-

tion to come. And Belichick’s mere presence on the sideline only magnified the pressure that arose from on-field troubles and unwanted off-field headlines, from an assistant coach’s suspension to tabloid-like interest in Belichick’s relationship with 25-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson.

“Seeing a guy like Coach Belichick, who’s constantly in the spotlight — I mean, the guy could cure cancer and people would still write negative pieces about him,” offensive lineman Christo Kelly said.

“But seeing how he handles himself through everything, seeing how he’s continued to block out the noise, it really sets the standard for what we should be doing.”

By the end of the year, Belichick had fielded a team that had more losses by double-digit margins (five) than total wins, with two home losses ending in an empty stadium with Tar Heels fans having fled early for the exits. UNC’s three wins against Bowl Subdivision opponents came against teams with a combined 8-28 record (Charlotte, Syracuse and Stanford), while the Tar Heels failed to make a bowl for the first time since 2018.

“We really felt like it was all Carolina — Carolina for Carolina, nobody else was really rooting for us, everybody wanted to see Coach Belichick fail,” receiver Jordan Shipp said.

“It was just like we knew that we were in this by ourselves.

And everybody that was here last year, we know that feeling.

So now we know what to expect.”

The same goes for Belichick, who was asked in the afternoon what he had learned about himself at UNC. “That I like coaching in college,” Belichick said. “I didn’t know whether I would or wouldn’t, but I do.”

LSU

Continued from page 1C Kelly finally won an opener at Clemson last season. Now LSU has to complete the home-andhome series against Clemson with a Sept. 5 contest in Baton Rouge, which will be Kiffin’s debut.

Kiffin doesn’t want to play a tough nonconference slate when he doesn’t believe other leagues are doing the same. He argues the Big Ten, home to the last three national champions, isn’t as deep as the SEC and those teams don’t have as many games to “get up for” on their schedule each year.

“That schedule, where half your games you don’t have to get up for, it’s a mental toll that you gotta play when you have to get up for (it),” Kiffin said on Pardon My Take.

Kiffin would much rather open with a school from a non-Power Four conference, and American Conference member Tulane fits the bill. Tulane also happens to be the team LSU played in its first football game ever in 1893, which Tulane won 34-0.

That’s not to say the Green Wave has become pushovers, because it made the playoff under now-Florida coach Jon Sumrall last season. But the last time LSU played Tulane was an Oct. 31, 2009, contest in Tiger Stadium, which the Tigers won 42-0.

LSU’s only other game against Southern came in 2022 for a 6517 victory. LSU last faced Northwestern State in 2019 and prevailed 65-14.

UL-Monroe is a program LSU has faced four times. The Tigers have won all four games in the series, though its 2014 win was

FILE PHOTO By KATHy ANDERSON

LSU coach Lane Kiffin rides in the Endymion parade on Orleans Avenue on Feb. 14 in New Orleans.

vacated because of a booster scandal.

Officially, LSU is a combined 16-0 vs. Northwestern State, ULMonroe and Southern.

LSU holds a combined record of 69-22-7 vs. Tulane, but the Tigers have won 18 straight and haven’t lost since 1982. Of Tulane’s 22 wins over LSU, 18 came prior to 1950.

LSU will open 2027 with Northwestern State, Houston and Texas-San Antonio before launching into a nine-game conference slate. The 2028 campaign will open with UL-Monroe, SMU and Southern.

In 2029, the Tigers are slated to make a return trip to SMU before hosting Rice and McNeese State in Tiger Stadium.

LSU currently has a home-andhome series scheduled with Utah in 2031-32, as well.

Email Jon Blau at jon.blau@ theadvocate.com

4C ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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BRITISH OPEN

Rose, Fitzpatrick among the field saying farewells

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PETER MORRISON

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland looks at the lie of his putt on the fourth green during the second day of the British Open on Friday at Royal Birkdale golf club in Southport, England.

McIlroy makes weekend with sizable gap to close

BY STEVE DOUGLAS AP sportswriter

SOUTHPORT, England — Rory McIlroy has done enough to make it to the weekend at Royal Birkdale.

He’ll have to do much, much more to lift the claret jug.

The world No. 2 bounced back with a 3-under 67 in the second round at the British Open on Friday, ensuring he would the cut with his score of 1-under par overall. But he sits seven shots back of leader Lucas Herbert while sitting in a tie for 38th.

McIlroy knew he’d left a few shots out there, though, especially when he saw that two other morning starters — Herbert and former LSU golfer Sam Burns — tied the major championship record with rounds of 62 in gorgeous conditions.

“It was a little better today,”

BRITISH

Continued from page 1C minutes after Herbert shot his 62.

But there was no mistaking the frustration of DeChambeau, who tends to draw attention no matter what he does. He has been more visible on his successful YouTube channel than in the majors, particularly having missed the cut in all three of them until this week.

Six-time major champion Nick Faldo criticized him for having no strategy for links golf, and DeChambeau responded by working his way into contention with plenty of power.

DeChambeau was hand-slapping with the gallery after he made a 12foot birdie putt on the 18th to get within one shot of Herbert going into the weekend. That changed when officials asked him to review his shot from the fifth hole.

DeChambeau asked to be taken to the scene of the infraction, in thick, high grass to the right of the 321-yard hole. TV cameras picked him up arguing with Grant Moir, the R&A executive director of governance, and Mark Luiten, a chief referee from the European tour.

He drove well to the right and was stomping around as he tried to figure out how to navigate a shot 72 yards from the hole. At issue was whether he violated Rule 8 that governs the intended swing.

Officials eventually deemed a section of grass behind the ball was tamped down by his movement, which might have affected his backswing on the shot.

“A player is allowed to fairly take their stance by taking reasonable actions to get to the ball and take a stance, if in some situations that improves the condition affecting the stroke,” Moir said. “But when doing so, the player must take the least intrusive course of action to deal with the particular situation and is not entitled to a normal stance or swing.”

He said the rule applies even when there is no intention to improve the area.

Even more drama followed when DeChambeau stormed off to the range. His agent, Brett Falkoff, was asked if the two-time U.S.

McIlroy said, “but still didn’t feel 100% comfortable. Hopefully try to figure that out as the week goes on.”

He might have figured it out too late.

While McIlroy is seven shots off the clubhouse lead held by Herbert, more relevant might be No. 4-ranked Cameron Young being at 6 under. Other players such as top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau are also well ahead of the backto-back Masters champion on the leaderboard.

McIlroy, who won the British Open just down the road in Hoylake in 2014, struggled on the greens in shooting 72 on Thursday and said he still hasn’t figured them out.

“I felt like I hit good putts and they did something completely different to what I saw in the read,

and I think that’s a little unnerving,” he said.

McIlroy was happy with his driving. He drove the green on the par4 ninth hole with a 377-yard tee shot that settled 11 feet from the pin, setting up the third of his four birdies on Friday.

Yet, for all his excellence off of the tee, he has made only one birdie on the par 5s this week.

McIlroy hopes the conditions allow him to be aggressive off of the tee over the weekend. It might be his only hope of a victory.

“I think any time I can get a driver in my hand, I’m going to try to,” he said. “I just feel like with how I’m feeling with the driver, I think it’s a big advantage if I can get the ball down there and take out some of these fairway bunkers. “l continue to do that when I can, and then I’m still trying to figure out these greens a little bit.”

PLAYERS SHOOTING 62 IN MAJORS Players with a 62 in men’s major championships with round, year and course (par) U.S. OPEN ■ Rickie Fowler, first, 2023, Los Angeles Country Club (70) ■ Xander Schauffele, first, 2023, Los Angeles Country Club (70) PGA CHAMPIONSHIP ■ x-Xander Schauffele, first, 2024, Valhalla (71) Open champion would play on Saturday and replied, “We’ll see.”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” the agent said.

Herbert was long gone when all this was taking place, with mixed emotions about a short miss on the final hole but proud to become the sixth person to shoot 62 in a major. And then Burns made it seven with his astonishing finish — a 40foot birdie putt from off the green at the 16th, a 20-foot birdie on the 17th and the first birdie of the day on the 18th with his bunker shot.

Still steaming from a bogey-bogey-bogey finish on Thursday for a 3-over 73, Burns’ goal was to get back under par and keep his hopes alive in the championship.

“The finish there the last three holes was just a bonus,” Burns said of his round Friday.

Burns wasn’t even supposed to be at the British Open. His wife was due with their second child this week, but when she had a daughter earlier than expected on July 3, Burns decided to cross the Atlantic for another shot at a major. He was runner-up by one shot in the U.S. Open.

When the dust finally settled on the brown-baked links of Royal Birkdale, the only clarity was Herbert having his first 36-hole lead in a major. And golf’s oldest championship, which rarely lacks for drama, had almost more than it could handle.

Reigning champion Scottie Scheffler couldn’t buy a putt until a 12-footer for par on the final hole gave him a 68 and left him only four shots behind.

“All you can do is continue to

■ Shane Lowry, third, 2024, Valhalla (71) BRITISH OPEN ■ Branden Grace, third, 2017, Royal Birkdale (70) ■ Lucas Herbert, second, 2026, Royal Birkdale (70) ■ Sam Burns, second, 2026, Royal Birkdale (70)

SOUTHPORT, England — Justin Rose could feel the warmth and adulation as he walked up the 18th hole Friday in the British Open.

He just wishes he could have changed the day of the week.

Rose had left himself too big of a hole and didn’t ä Scores. make nearly PAGE 5C enough putts to make the cut at Royal Birkdale. He closed with a 2-under 68 — he shot 76 in the first round — and his exit was more ceremonial than it was a celebration.

“I was trying to get out of my own head at that point and just enjoy the glorious walk that an Open Championship 18th hole is,” Rose said.

He knows from experience, particularly at Royal Birkdale.

It was in 1998 when Rose, the 17-year-old amateur, chipped in on the final hole to tie for fourth.

He’s not been able to capture that moment since then, but the adoring spectators sounded just as loud.

“I could feel that they wanted it for me,” Rose said. “I think up 18, it was just about the warm reception. Obviously, I think people often remember yesteryear, me walking up that hole at Birkdale, but I think it’s a lot of appreciation for the career I’ve had since then, and I just really wanted to enjoy it with them.”

English hopes were high for this British Open because of players such as Rose, at No. 10 in the world, and Matt Fitzpatrick with three wins this year and rising to No. 3 in the world.

Fitzpatrick also missed the cut — his younger brother, Alex, goes into the weekend four shots behind the leader — and the frustration was evident with every missed putt. He often gave a pronounced thumbs up over his misses. Fitzpatrick chalked it up to the quirks and bounces of links golf.

“I’ve hit decent shots, gotten no luck and come away with 4-over par. That’s the way links golf is,” Fitzpatrick said. “You need to have that rub of the green some-

times, and I didn’t have it this week.”

Low scoring at Royal Birkdale — highlighted by the recordtying 62s by Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns on Friday — put the cut at 1-over 141. It was the second straight year that 1-over par made the cut.

Jordan Spieth, who won at Royal Birkdale in 2017, made a pair of birdies early to raise hopes he would make it to the weekend.

But then he three-putted from 4 feet on No. 7. He three-putted from 8 feet on No. 14. He made a 9 on the 17th hole. It added up to a 77 as he finished at 10-over 150 to miss the cut by nine shots.

Masters champion Rory McIlroy (139) was the only major champion this year who will be around for the weekend. PGA champion Aaron Rai (142) and U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark (143) both missed the cut.

And then were was Harry Hall of England, who opened with a 77 and had a 68 that left him three shots outside the cut. He became the only player to miss the cut in all four majors this year.

There were some late heroics, with Min Woo Lee and Josele Ballester each making birdie on the 18th hole — the hardest on the course — to make the cut on the number.

“Just making cuts is not the big picture, but moments like that when you need to, I think that will help in the long run,” Lee said.

“It would have been a bit of a bummer to pack my bags and go home. I’m excited for tomorrow.

Hopefully we get good conditions in the morning and can put a low one there.”

Cameron Smith, who won the Open at St. Andrews in 2022 a few months before he bolted for LIV Golf, missed the cut in three of the four majors this year. He missed all four of them in 2025.

Smith even went to a mallet putter, a surprise move for someone reputed to be among the best.

His problem was before he got to the green as he was unable to give himself a birdie look inside 20 feet on the entire back nine in his round of 69. He missed the cut by one shot.

The Associated Press

give myself opportunities,” Scheffler said. “I was hitting some good putts as well, the balls just weren’t dropping. If I continue to strike it like I did today and yesterday over the next couple days, I’ll be in a good spot.”

Jackson Suber (69) and Ryan Gerard (67), a pair of newcomers to links golf, were tied for second with Cameron Young, who has powerfully put together a pair of 67s as he looks more like the player who dominated the spring.

Rahm, who missed a 4-foot birdie putt on the final hole and shot 67, was very much in the mix just four shots behind and not about to change his intensity, even though another conduct violation would be a two-shot penalty.

“It’s not like I’m going to ... if I try to alter who I am too much, it might cost me a little bit on the course,” Rahm said. “But certainly shouldn’t have moments like the one on 15. I get it.”

Sixteen players were separated by four shots going into the weekend, which includes hometown star Tommy Fleetwood, who had three birdies over the last five holes for a 67.

The cut was at 1-over 141 and a few of England’s best hopes won’t be around — Matt Fitzpatrick, the No. 3 player in the world, and Justin Rose at No. 10.

Herbert, who has won on five tours around the world and most recently on LIV Golf, made the cut for only the 10th time in 18 majors. He made it look easy until the final hole, and now his thoughts shift from having his name in the record book to his name on the

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAVID GOLDMAN

Justin Rose of England acknowledges the crowd after completing his second round of the British Open on Friday at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Army captain Plunkett makes cut right on number

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

Marcus Plunkett, who left the Army as a captain to pursue golf, achieved one goal in his British Open debut. He made it to the weekend.

Plunkett was at 2-over par with seven holes to play when he nearly chipped in on the par-5 14th and tapped in for birdie, then had no stress in closing with six pars for a 71. The cut was 1-over 141, and he wound up making it on the number.

“When I got out of the Army and kind of embarked on this journey, this was the goal for sure,” said Plunkett, who currently plays on the Asian Tour.

“I got out and just wanted to see how far I could take this. Very grateful and feeling very fortu-

nate and lucky to be in a position like this.”

He was a transportation officer in the U.S. Army, mainly overseeing the movement of convoys.

How does that carry over to golf?

“I think the thing that separates a lot of people in the military — if you take out the physical fitness aspect — is just being able to stay calm under pressure and make sound decisions,” he said.

“That’s definitely something I try to carry with me.”

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WORKS

SCOREBOARD Odds Sports Betting Line MLB American League FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG Chicago White Sox-118 at TORONTO Tampa Bay -121 at BOSTON Baltimore -121 at HOUSTON Detroit -192 at LA ANGELS National League FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG Cincinnati -112 at COLORADO at PHILA -168 N.Y Mets St. Louis -121 at ARIZONA at MILWAUKEE -135 Miami Interleague FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG Pittsburgh -122 at CLEVELAND at CHI CUBS -154 Minnesota Texas -117 at ATLANTA San Diego OFF at KANSAS CITY Pittsburgh -122 at CLEVELAND at SEATTLE -136 San Francisco LA Dodgers -112 at N.Y YANKEES at ATHLETICS -129 Washington

LINE -104 -100 -101 +156 LINE -104 +138 -101 +110

East Division Tampa Bay New York Boston Baltimore Toronto

L 38 42 48 51 51

Pct .596 .563 .489 .474 .469

GB — 3 10 11½ 12

Cleveland Chicago Minnesota Detroit Kansas City

W 51 50 48 44 38

L 46 45 49 52 59

Pct .526 .526 .495 .458 .392

GB — — 3 6½ 13

Texas Seattle Houston Athletics Los Angeles

W 49 48 47 41 38

L 47 49 51 55 59

Pct .510 .495 .480 .427 .392

GB — 1½ 3 8 11½

L 10 10 11 11 14 16 18

WESTERN CONFERENCE W 19 18 17 16 11 10 8 6

L 6 7 7 8 14 13 17 20

Pct .583 .583 .542 .522 .417 .333 .250

GB — — 1 1½ 4 6 8

Pct GB .760 — .720 1 .708 1½ .667 2½ .440 8 .435 8 .320 11 .23113½

Portland 75, Washington 56 New York at Dallas, ppd

Friday’s Games

Chicago 96, Los Angeles 82 Indiana 110, Seattle 107 Atlanta 111, Toronto 92 Connecticut at Phoenix, n

Saturday’s Games

New York at Indiana, 7 p.m.

Portland at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Washington at Golden State, 7:30 p.m.

Tennis ATP World Tour Swiss Open Results Friday

At Roy Emerson Arena Gstaad, Switzerland Purse: €612,620 Surface: Red clay Results Friday from Swiss Open at Roy Emerson Arena (seedings in parentheses):

Men’s Singles

Quarterfinals Raphael Collignon (7), Belgium, def. Valentin Vacherot (3), Monaco, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-5.

Juan Manuel Cerundolo (6), Argentina, def.

Casper Ruud (2), Norway, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Aleksandr Shevchenko, Russia, def. Quentin Halys, France, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, Greece, def. Arthur Rinderknech (4), France, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Men’s Doubles

Quarterfinals Sander Gille, Belgium, and Sem Verbeek, Netherlands, def. Dominic Stricker and Dylan Dietrich, Switzerland, 5-7, 6-3, 10-5.

Jakub Paul, Switzerland, and Ryan Seggerman, United States, def. Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Quentin Halys (3), France, 6-4, 3-6, 10-7.

ATP World Tour Croatia Open Umag Results Friday

At ITC Stella Maris Umag, Croatia Surface: Red clay Results Friday from Croatia Open Umag at ITC Stella Maris (seedings in parentheses):

Men’s Singles

Semifinals Daniel Merida, Spain, def. Roman Andres Burruchaga, Argentina, 6-4, 6-2.

Men’s Doubles

Championship Adam Pavlasek and Patrik Rikl (1), Czechia, def. Marcus Willis and David Stevenson, Britain, 6-3, 4-6, 10-6.

ATP World Tour WTA UniCredit Iasi Open Results Friday

At Baza Sportiv Ciric Ia i, Romania Purse: $283,347 Surface: Red clay Results Friday from UniCredit Iasi Open at Baza Sportiv Ciric (seedings in parentheses):

Women’s Singles

Quarterfinals Maiar Sherif Ahmed Abdelaziz, Egypt, def.

Yulia Putintseva (9), Kazakhstan, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5).

Oleksandra Oliynykova (3), Ukraine, def.

Clara Burel, France, 6-4, 7-5.

Paula Badosa, Spain, def. Panna Udvardy (5), Hungary, 6-4, 7-6 (2).

Tamara Zidansek, Slovenia, def. Petra Marcinko (2), Croatia, 6-3, 7-5.

Women’s Doubles

Semifinals Zhibek Kulambayeva, Kazakhstan, and Alina Charaeva, Russia, def. Alexandra Panova, Russia, and Magali Kempen (1), Belgium, 6-4, 7-6 (3).

ATP World Tour Nordea Open Results Friday

At Bastad Tennis Stadium Bastad, Sweden Purse: €612,620 Surface: Red clay Results Friday from Nordea Open at Bastad Tennis Stadium (seedings in parentheses):

Men’s Singles

Quarterfinals Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, Paraguay, def. Stefano Travaglia, Italy, 7-6 (5), 6-2.

Luciano Darderi (2), Italy, def. Nuno Borges (5), Portugal, 7-6 (9), 6-4.

Alejandro Tabilo (3), Chile, def. Thiago Agustin Tirante (7), Argentina, walkover.

Andrey Rublev (1), Russia, def. Sebastian Baez (8), Argentina, 6-1, 6-2.

Men’s Doubles

Semifinals Francisco Cabral, Portugal, and Theo Arribage (1), France, def. Vasil Kirkov, United States, and Bart Stevens, Netherlands, 6-3, 6-2.

Fabien Reboul and Sadio Doumbia (2), France, def. Jean-Julien Rojer, Netherlands, and Theodore Winegar, United States, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 11-9.

Golf

Corales Puntacana Championship

The British Open Friday

At Royal Birkdale Southport, United Kingdom Purse: $17.8 million Yardage: 7,223; Par: 70 Second Round Lucas Herbert, Australia 70-62—132 Ryan Gerard, United States 67-67—134 Jackson Suber, United States 65-69—134 Cameron Young, United States 67-67—134 Sam Burns, United States 73-62—135 B. DeChambeu, United States 67-68—135 Si Woo Kim, South Korea 68-67—135 Bud Cauley, United States 68-68—136 Thomas Detry, Belgium 67-69—136 Alex Fitzpatrick, England 69-67—136 Tommy Fleetwood, England 69-67—136 Robert MacIntyre, Scotland 67-69—136 Francesco Molinari, Italy 67-69—136 Jon Rahm, Spain 69-67—136

S. Scheffler, United States 68-68—136 -4 Matt Wallace, England 69-67—136 -4 Ludvig Aberg, Sweden 71-66—137 -3 Daniel Brown, England 66-71—137 -3 P. Coody, United States 67-70—137 -3 Tyrrell Hatton, England 69-68—137 -3 Cameron John, Australia 70-67—137 -3 Shane Lowry, Ireland 69-68—137 -3 Victor Perez, France 68-69—137 -3 J.J. Spaun, United States 70-67—137 -3 Corey Conners, Canada 71-67—138 -2 Nicolas Echavarria, Colombia 71-67—138 -2 Chris Gotterup, United States 70-68—138 -2 Sungjae Im, South Korea 66-72—138 -2 John Keefer, United States 70-68—138 -2 Collin Morikawa, United States 68-70—138 -2 R. Neergrd-Petersn, Denmark 72-66—138 -2 Patrick Reed, United States 72-66—138 -2 Adam Scott, Australia 72-66—138 -2 Jordan L. Smith, England 68-70—138 -2 Matthew Southgate, England 69-69—138 -2 Sepp Straka, Austria 68-70—138 -2 M. Thorbjornsn, United States 70-68—138 -2 J. Bridgeman, United States 70-69—139 -1 Patrick Cantlay, United States 71-68—139 -1 MJ Daffue, South Africa 67-72—139 -1 H. Du Plessis, South Africa 70-69—139 -1 Ben Griffin, United States 69-70—139 -1 Kazuma Kobori, New Zealand 70-69—139 -1 Hideki Matsuyama, Japan 72-67—139 -1 Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland 72-67—139 -1 Shaun Norris, South Africa 69-70—139 -1 John Parry, England 71-68—139 -1 Andy Sullivan, England 70-69—139 -1 Jesper Svensson, Sweden 73-66—139 -1 Nick Taylor, Canada 68-71—139 -1 Justin Thomas, United States 70-69—139 -1 M. Brennan, United States 72-68—140 E Laurie Canter, England 69-71—140 E Eric Cole, United States 76-64—140 E Rickie Fowler, United States 71-69—140 E Ryan Fox, New Zealand 72-68—140 E Max Homa, United States 71-69—140 E Casey Jarvis, South Africa 73-67—140 E Kurt Kitayama, United States 69-71—140 E E. Lopez-Chacarra, Spain 70-70—140 E Alex Noren, Sweden 71-69—140 E Marco Penge, England 72-68—140 E Kristoffer Reitan, Norway 69-71—140 E X. Schauffele, United States 71-69—140 E Alex Smalley, United States 67-73—140 E S. Theegala, United States 71-69—140 E Josele Ballester, Spain 71-70—141 +1 Keegan Bradley, United States 69-72—141 +1 Russell Henley, United States 70-71—141 +1 Kazuki Higa, Japan 73-68—141 +1 Ryo Hisatsune, Japan 68-73—141 +1 Naoyuki Kataoka, Japan 73-68—141 +1 Brooks Koepka, United States 70-71—141 +1 Min Woo Lee, Australia 70-71—141 +1 Jack McDonald, Scotland 70-71—141 +1 M. Plunkett, United States 70-71—141 +1 Aldrich Potgieter, South Africa 69-72—141 +1 Peter Uihlein, United States 73-68—141 +1 James Nicholas, United States 75-WD Missed Cut Harris English, United States 73-69—142 +2 Daniel Hillier, New Zealand 72-70—142 +2 Nicolai Hojgaard, Denmark 72-70—142 +2 Billy Horschel, United States 71-71—142 +2 Mason Howell, United States 73-69—142 +2 Jake Knapp, United States 71-71—142 +2 Joakim Lagergren, Sweden 68-74—142 +2 M. McCarty, United States 75-67—142 +2 T. McKibbin, Northern Ireland 71-71—142 +2 Andrew Novak, United States 73-69—142 +2 J.T. Poston, United States 71-71—142 +2 Aaron Rai, England 71-71—142 +2 Antoine Rozner, France 69-73—142 +2 J. Trey Schaper, South Africa 70-72—142 +2 Cameron Smith, Australia 73-69—142 +2 Henrik Stenson, Sweden 68-74—142 +2 Sam Stevens, United States 71-71—142 +2 Sami Valimaki, Finland 70-72—142 +2 Bernd Wiesberger, Austria 71-71—142 +2 Angel Ayora Fanegas, Spain 72-71—143 +3 Wyndham Clark, United States 73-70—143 +3 David Howard, Ireland 74-69—143 +3 Tom Kim, South Korea 70-73—143 +3 M. McNealy, United States 71-72—143 +3 Keith Mitchell, United States 72-71—143 +3 Ryutaro Nagano, Japan 71-72—143 +3 Keita Nakajima, Japan 73-70—143 +3 Justin Rose, England 75-68—143 +3 Travis Smyth, Australia 71-72—143 +3 Akshay Bhatia, United States 71-73—144 +4 Jason Day, Australia 73-71—144 +4 Joe Dean, England 72-72—144 +4 Matt Fitzpatrick, England 72-72—144 +4 Harry Hall, England 77-67—144 +4 Michael Hollick, South Africa 72-72—144 +4 Viktor Hovland, Norway 70-74—144 +4 Frederic Lacroix, France 72-72—144 +4 Joaquin Niemann, Chile 76-68—144 +4 Mateo Pulcini, Argentina 75-69—144 +4 Nevill Ruiter, Netherlands 76-68—144 +4 B. Bjoernevik Skogen, Norway 73-71—144 +4 Thomas Sloman, England 71-73—144 +4 Jack Buchanan, South Africa 73-72—145 +5 A. Docherty, United States 73-72—145 +5 M. Greyserman, United States 76-69—145 +5 Michael Kim, United States 73-72—145 +5 Hao-Tong Li, China 72-73—145 +5 Daniel Berger, United States 76-70—146 +6 A. De Castro Piera, Spain 73-73—146 +6 Stuart Grehan, Ireland 77-69—146 +6 Rasmus Hojgaard, Denmark 71-75—146 +6 Adrien Saddier, France 77-69—146 +6 Tim Wiedemeyer, Germany 73-73—146 +6 Sam Bairstow, England 72-75—147 +7 Matthew Baldwin, England 72-75—147 +7 D. Clarke, Northern Ireland 73-74—147 +7 Martin Couvra, France 74-73—147 +7 Lev Grinberg, France 71-76—147 +7 Caleb Surratt, United States 72-75—147 +7 Jiho Yang, South Korea 77-70—147 +7 Stewart Cink, United States 74-74—148 +8 Scott Vincent, Zimbabwe 75-73—148 +8 Dan Bradbury, England 74-75—149 +9 Jeongwoo Ham, South Korea 77-72—149 +9 Brian Harman, United States 74-75—149 +9 Padraig Harrington, Ireland 80-69—149 +9 Matthew Jordan, England 77-72—149 +9 Kota Kaneko, Japan 72-77—149 +9 Francesco Laporta, Italy 74-75—149 +9 Gary Woodland, United States 78-71—149 +9 Tiger Christensen, Germany 75-75—150 +10 David Duval, United States 73-77—150 +10 Jordan Spieth, United States 73-77—150 +10 David Puig, Spain 74-77—151 +11 Austen Truslow, United States 79-74—153 +13 Fifa Laopakdee, Thailand 75-80—155 +15 Ren Yonezawa, Japan 76-79—155 +15

Friday

-8 -6 -6 -6 -5 -5 -5 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4

At Corales Golf Club Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Purse: $4 million Yardage: 7,670; Par: 72 Second Round Todd Clements, England 65-66—131 -13 B. James, United States 67-66—133 -11 G. Sargent, United States 66-67—133 -11 J. Veerman, United States 66-67—133 -11 Alejandro Del Rey, Spain 66-68—134 -10 Joe Highsmith, United States 68-67—135 -9 Blades Brown, United States 67-69—136 -8 Ivan Cantero Gutierrez, Spain 65-71—136 -8 Stefano Mazzoli, Italy 67-69—136 -8 Jacob Skov Olesen, Denmark 67-69—136 -8 T. Rosenmueller, Germany 70-66—136 -8 Marcel Schneider, Germany 70-66—136 -8 Filippo Celli, Italy 67-70—137 -7

Joel Dahmen, United States 71-66—137 -7 P. Fishburn, United States 67-70—137 -7 Marcus Helligkilde, Denmark 69-68—137 -7 Max McGreevy, United States 71-66—137 -7 Aaron Wise, United States 71-66—137 -7 Z. Bauchou, United States 71-67—138 -6 C. Bezuidenhout, South Africa 69-69—138 -6 Jonathan Byrd, United States 66-72—138 -6 A.J. Ewart, Canada 69-69—138 -6 Dylan Frittelli, South Africa 72-66—138 -6 S. Garcia Rodriguez, Spain 68-70—138 -6 Nick Hardy, United States 71-67—138 -6 Beau Hossler, United States 68-70—138 -6 Mackenzie Hughes, Canada 66-72—138 -6 Romain Langasque, France 68-70—138 -6 Paul Peterson, United States 68-70—138 -6 B. Snedeker, United States 70-68—138 -6 Tom Vaillant, France 70-68—138 -6 Davis Bryant, United States 71-68—139 -5 Rafa Cabrera Bello, Spain 69-70—139 -5 Jorge Campillo, Spain 70-69—139 -5 Ugo Coussaud, France 73-66—139 -5 Trace Crowe, United States 71-68—139 -5 Nick Dunlap, United States 67-72—139 -5 Will Gordon, United States 69-70—139 -5 Jeffrey Kang, United States 70-69—139 -5 Peter Malnati, United States 69-70—139 -5 Freddy Schott, Germany 70-69—139 -5 David Skinns, England 73-66—139 -5 Sebastian Soderberg, Sweden 71-68—139 -5 H. Springer, United States 69-70—139 -5 Kris Ventura, Norway 72-67—139 -5 Kevin Yu, Chinese Taipei 68-71—139 -5 C. Champ, United States 69-71—140 -4 Austin Cook, United States 67-73—140 -4 Jens Dantorp, Sweden 69-71—140 -4 Joel Girrbach, Switzerland 69-71—140 -4 Fabian Gomez, Argentina 71-69—140 -4 Bill Haas, United States 69-71—140 -4 Garrick Higgo, South Africa 72-68—140 -4 Harry Higgs, United States 72-68—140 -4 Keenan Huskey, United States 73-67—140 -4 Chan Kim, United States 67-73—140 -4 Jeong-Weon Ko, France 70-70—140 -4 Ben Martin, United States 71-69—140 -4 N. Norgaard Moller, Denmark 69-71—140 -4 Renato Paratore, Italy 70-70—140 -4 Seamus Power, Ireland 68-72—140 -4 Chez Reavie, United States 71-69—140 -4 B. Robinson-Thmpsn, England 70-70—140 -4 Camilo Villegas, Colombia 70-70—140 -4 K.h Aphibarnrat, Thailand 73-68—141 -3 Davis Chatfield, United States 69-72—141 -3 Rico Hoey, Philippines 70-71—141 -3 Hank Lebioda, United States 73-68—141 -3 Luke List, United States 71-70—141 -3 Justin Lower, United States 69-72—141 -3 William McGirt, United States 72-69—141 -3 Seung-Yul Noh, South Korea 68-73—141 -3 Pontus Nyholm, Sweden 70-71—141 -3 Jeremy Paul, Germany 72-69—141 -3 Chad Ramey, United States 70-71—141 -3 Davis Riley, United States 72-69—141 -3 Kevin Roy, United States 70-71—141 -3 Robert Streb, United States 70-71—141 -3 Alejandro Tosti, Argentina 71-70—141 -3 J.VanDerLaan, United States 73-68—141 -3 N. Von Dellingshusn, Germany 71-70—141 -3 Carson Young, United States 71-70—141 -3 Rikuya Hoshino, Japan 73-WD Missed Cut Rafael Campos, Puerto Rico 73-69—142 -2 Luke Clanton, United States 73-69—142 -2 Zecheng Dou, China 71-71—142 -2 Austin Eckroat, United States 66-76—142 -2 Manuel Elvira, Spain 76-66—142 -2 Nacho Elvira, Spain 71-71—142 -2 Domenico Geminiani, Italy 71-71—142 -2 Adam Hadwin, Canada 73-69—142 -2 Stephan Jaeger, Germany 68-74—142 -2 Takumi Kanaya, Japan 73-69—142 -2 David Ravetto, France 67-75—142 -2 Ben Silverman, Canada 70-72—142 -2 Paul Waring, England 71-71—142 -2 Dylan Wu, United States 73-69—142 -2 C. Blanchet, United States 70-73—143 -1 Jason Dufner, United States 70-73—143 -1 Yuto Katsuragawa, Japan 74-69—143 -1 Marcus Kinhult, Sweden 69-74—143 -1 T. Lawrence, South Africa 69-74—143 -1 W. Pumrl, Dominican Republic 72-71—143 -1 Marcelo Rozo, Colombia 69-74—143 -1 M. DeMorat, United States 70-74—144 E J. Gumberg, United States 71-73—144 E Scott Jamieson, Scotland 72-72—144 E R. Johnston, United States 71-73—144 E Anthony Garcia, United States 73-72—145 +1 Lanto Griffin, United States 71-74—145 +1 J. Jse Grra, Dominicn Republic 69-76—145 +1 Niklas Lemke, Sweden 76-69—145 +1 Sean O’Hair, United States 76-69—145 +1 Taylor Pendrith, Canada 73-72—145 +1 Richie Ramsay, Scotland 73-72—145 +1 J. Santos, Dominican Republic 72-73—145 +1 Brandon Stone, South Africa 70-75—145 +1 Vince Whaley, United States 73-72—145 +1 Brice Garnett, United States 73-73—146 +2 Ricardo Gouveia, Portugal 77-69—146 +2 Kensei Hirata, Japan 72-74—146 +2 C. Hoffman, United States 73-73—146 +2 Kyle Stanley, United States 71-75—146 +2 M. Steinlechner, Austria 75-71—146 +2 Danny Willett, England 70-76—146 +2 Tyler Collet, United States 74-73—147 +3 Sean Crocker, United States 74-73—147 +3 Avinash Iyer, United States 77-70—147 +3 David Liu, China 76-71—147 +3 Tyler Duncan, United States 73-75—148 +4 Daniel Gavins, England 72-76—148 +4 Jimmy Stanger, United States 73-75—148 +4 Danny Walker, United States 76-72—148 +4 Ryan Brehm, United States 74-75—149 +5 Jack Senior, England 69-80—149 +5 Adam Svensson, Canada 75-74—149 +5 Jeff Overton, United States 79-71—150 +6 Ryan Palmer, United States 76-74—150 +6

Soccer Men’s World Cup SEMIFINAL Tuesday

Spain 2, France 0

Wednesday

Argentina 2, England 1

3RD PLACE PLAYOFF Saturday

France vs. England, 4 p.m.

FINAL Sunday

Spain vs. Argentina, 2 p.m.

Transactions Major League Baseball

American League ATHLETICS — Transferred DH Brent Rooker to the 60-day IL. Selected the contract of 3B Tommy White from Las Vegas (PCL).

BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Recalled RHP Cam Sanders from Norfolk (IL).

BOSTON RED SOX — Recalled LHP Alec Gamboa from Worcester (IL). Activated OF Jahmai Jones and 1B Willson Contreras. Agreed to terms with OFs OF Owen Hull and Martin Shelar, SSs Jace Mataczynski, Wills Maginnis, Jacob Webster and Colton Coates, RHPs Lucas Davenport, Kaleb LaFavor, Mason Lei, Jase Evangelista, Alex Kranzler and Luis Calderon and LHPs Brett Lanman, Kide Adetuyi and Josh Volmerding on rookie contracts.

Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York

W 55 54 52 48 41

L 40 44 45 49 57

Pct .579 .551 .536 .495 .418

GB — 2½ 4 8 15½

Milwaukee Chicago St. Louis Pittsburgh Cincinnati

W 59 54 50 50 43

L 37 42 45 47 52

Pct .615 .563 .526 .515 .453

GB — 5 8½ 9½ 15½

Los Angeles Arizona San Diego San Francisco Colorado

W 61 49 48 41 39

L 36 47 48 55 59

Pct .629 .510 .500 .427 .398

GB — 11½ 12½ 19½ 22½

Central Division

West Division

N.Y. Mets 4, Philadelphia 1

Friday’s Games

Boston Red Sox batter Jahmai Jones hits the ball during the eighth inning of the second game of a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday in Boston. The Red Sox won 5-3 to sweep the two games.

East Division

Thursday’s Games

No games scheduled

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK STOCKWELL

W 14 14 13 12 10 8 6

National League

W 56 54 46 46 45

Thursday’s Games

LINE +104 +125 -105 OFF +104 +111 -110 +105

WNBA EASTERN CONFERENCE

Thursday’s Games

American League

West Division

Pro basketball

Minnesota Golden State Las Vegas Dallas Portland Los Angeles Phoenix Seattle

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Central Division

Saturday

Atlanta Indiana New York Washington Toronto Chicago Connecticut

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ 5C

H

lll

Boston 10, Tampa Bay 0 1st game L.A. Dodgers 2, N.Y. Yankees 1 Atlanta 15, Texas 1 Pittsburgh at Cleveland, n Boston 5, Tampa Bay 3, 2nd game Chicago White Sox at Toronto, n Minnesota at Chicago Cubs, n Baltimore at Houston, n San Diego at Kansas City, n Detroit at L.A. Angels, n Washington at Athletics, n San Francisco at Seattle, n

Saturday’s Games

Minnesota (Bradley 9-3) at Chicago Cubs (Boyd 5-1), 1:20 p.m.

Chicago White Sox (Martin 9-4) at Toronto (Bieber 0-1), 2:07 p.m.

Baltimore (Rogers 6-7) at Houston (Arrighetti 7-5), 3:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh (Ashcraft 9-3) at Cleveland (Cantillo 8-4), 3:10 p.m.

San Diego (Canning 1-7) at Kansas City (TBD), 3:10 p.m.

Tampa Bay (Seymour 6-2) at Boston (Sandoval 0-0), 3:10 p.m.

Texas (Gore 5-8) at Atlanta (Murphy 0-1), 3:10 p.m.

L.A. Dodgers (Sheehan 4-6) at N.Y. Yankees (Weathers 3-7), 7:08 p.m.

San Francisco (Webb 5-7) at Seattle (Woo 7-6), 7:08 p.m.

Washington (Littell 7-6) at Athletics (Ginn 7-6), 9:05 p.m.

Detroit (Skubal 5-5) at L.A. Angels (Rodriguez 3-2), 9:07 p.m.

Friday’s Games

L.A. Dodgers at N.Y. Yankees,n Pittsburgh at Cleveland, n Atlanta 15, Texas 1 Miami at Milwaukee, n Minnesota at Chicago Cubs, n San Diego at Kansas City, n Cincinnati at Colorado, n St. Louis at Arizona, n Washington at Athletics, n San Francisco at Seattle, n

Saturday’s Games

Minnesota (Bradley 9-3) at Chicago Cubs (Boyd 5-1), 1:20 p.m.

Cincinnati (Lowder 3-6) at Colorado (TBD), 2:10 p.m.

N.Y. Mets (Manaea 2-4) at Philadelphia (Luzardo 8-4), 3:05 p.m.

Miami (Meyer 9-1) at Milwaukee (Drohan 4-3), 3:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh (Ashcraft 9-3) at Cleveland (Cantillo 8-4), 3:10 p.m.

San Diego (Canning 1-7) at Kansas City (TBD), 3:10 p.m.

St. Louis (May 5-6) at Arizona (Pfaadt 3-1), 3:10 p.m.

Texas (Gore 5-8) at Atlanta (Murphy 0-1), 3:10 p.m.

L.A. Dodgers (Sheehan 4-6) at N.Y. Yankees (Weathers 3-7), 7:08 p.m.

San Francisco (Webb 5-7) at Seattle (Woo 7-6), 7:08 p.m.

Washington (Littell 7-6) at Athletics (Ginn 7-6), 9:05 p.m.

BOX SCORES Boston 10, Tampa Bay 0 1st game Tampa Bay

Boston

Boston 5, Tampa Bay 3 2nd game Tampa Bay

Boston

ab r h bi ab r h bi Díaz dh 4 0 0 0 Seigler 2b 5 0 2 0 Mesa rf 0 0 0 0 Rafaela cf 5 1 1 1 Aranda 1b 3 0 0 0 Abreu rf 4 0 1 0 Caminro 3b 4 0 1 0 Durbin 3b 4 2 3 1 Vilade rf-2b 4 0 1 0 Yoshida dh 5 3 3 1 DeLuca cf 4 0 0 0 Gonzalez 1b 3 1 0 0 Simpson lf 3 0 0 0 Duran lf 3 1 1 3 Williamsn p 3 0 0 0 Narváez c 4 2 3 3 Walls ss 3 0 1 0 Cheng ss 4 0 1 1 Fortes c 2 0 0 0 Totals 30 0 3 0 Totals 37 10 15 10 Tampa Bay 000 000 000 — 0 Boston 020 106 10x — 10 E_Fortes (7). DP_Tampa Bay 1, Boston 0.

LOB_Tampa Bay 5, Boston 7. 2B_Walls (12), Yoshida (11), Rafaela (23). HR_Yoshida (4), Narváez (3). SB_Rafaela (13). SF_Duran (5).

IP H R ER BB SO Tampa Bay Jax L,5-7 5 8 7 7 1 6 Roycroft 2 5 3 3 1 2 Williamson 1 2 0 0 0 0 Boston Bennett W,5-3 6 1 0 0 1 3 Gamboa S,1-1 3 2 0 0 0 1 Jax pitched to 4 batters in the 6th.

HBP_Bennett (Fortes), Jax (Durbin).

Pitch timer violations_Roycroft (pitcher).

Umpires_Home, Mike Estabrook; First, Louie Krupa; Second, Malachi Moore; Third, Alfonso Marquez.

T_2:19. A_36,774 (37,755).

ab r h bi ab r h bi Díaz dh 4 0 0 0 Seigler 2b 3 0 1 1 Aranda 1b 4 0 0 0 Rafaela cf 4 1 1 0 Caminro 3b 4 2 2 1 Abreu rf 4 2 2 3 Vilade lf 3 1 0 0 Contreras 1b 4 1 1 1 Mullins cf 3 0 1 0 Yoshida dh 3 0 0 0 DeLuca rf 4 0 2 2 Jones ph-dh 1 0 0 0 Williamsn 2b4 0 1 0 Durbin 3b 4 0 2 0 Feduccia c 3 0 0 0 Duran lf 4 0 0 0 Fortes ph 1 0 0 0 Wong c 2 0 0 0 Cheng ss 2 1 1 0 Walls ss 3 0 1 0 Totals 33 3 7 3 Totals 31 5 8 5 Tampa Bay 201 000 000 — 3 Boston 301 100 00x — 5 E_Duran (1), Durbin (6). DP_Tampa Bay 0, Boston 2. LOB_Tampa Bay 5, Boston 5.

2B_Rafaela (24), Seigler (7). HR_Caminero (29), Abreu 2 (13), Contreras (21).

IP H R ER BB SO Tampa Bay Englert L,0-3 5 8 5 5 1 4 Kimbrel 1 0 0 0 1 1 Sulser 1 0 0 0 1 1 Booser 1 0 0 0 0 0 Boston 3 2 3 Rivera 2 1⁄3 3 3 2 ⁄3 2 0 0 0 0 Weissert W,2-2 Morán H,2 2 0 0 0 0 0 Guerrero H,10 1 1 0 0 0 1 Whitlock H,17 1 1 0 0 0 1 Slaten H,13 1 0 0 0 0 1 Chapman S,20-22 1 0 0 0 0 2 Umpires_Home, Lance Barrett; First, Malachi Moore; Second, Alfonso Marquez; Third, Louie Krupa.

T_2:30. A_34,255 (37,755).

Atlanta 15, Texas 1

L.A. Dodgers 2, N.Y. Yankees 1

Texas

Los Angeles

ab Foscue dh 4 Langford lf 3 Osuna lf 1 Nimmo rf 3 Carter cf 1 Jung 3b 4 Burger 1b 4 Duran ss 3 Cauley cf-rf 3 Díaz c 3 Lopez 2b 3

Atlanta r h bi 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1

ab r h bi Baldwin c 4 2 3 5 Bart c 1 0 0 0 Albies 2b 4 1 2 1 Mateo 2b 1 1 1 0 Olson 1b 3 2 2 1 Mederos p 1 0 1 2 Harris cf 6 1 2 3 Dubón lf 5 0 2 1 Smith dh-1b 3 2 1 0 Riley 3b 5 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 Farmer 3b Jarvis ss 5 2 2 1 Hicklen rf 4 2 1 0 Totals 32 1 5 1 Totals 4215 19 15 Texas 000 000 010 — 1 Atlanta 020 420 43x — 15 DP_Texas 1, Atlanta 0. LOB_Texas 4, Atlanta 10. 2B_Nimmo (22), Cauley (1), Harris 2 (18), Hicklen (2), Jarvis (3), Mateo (6).

HR_Baldwin (16), Olson (26), Riley (10).

IP H R ER BB SO Texas Quantrill L,3-2 4 11 6 6 1 3 3 2 2 2 1 Teodo 1 2⁄3 Collyer 1 2 4 4 2 1 1 ⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 Peoples Higashioka 1 3 3 3 1 0 Atlanta Sale W,10-6 7 2 0 0 0 6 Mederos 2 3 1 1 0 1 Collyer pitched to 7 batters in the 7th.

HBP_Collyer (Albies). WP_Teodo.

ABS Challenge_Jarvis (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Olson (Strike-Confirmed).

Umpires_Home, Chris Conroy; First, Ben May; Second, Brennan Miller; Third, John Tumpane.

T_2:54. A_40,147 (41,149).

New York

ab r h bi Ohtani dh 4 0 0 0 Pages cf 4 0 1 0 Freeman 1b 4 0 0 0 Betts ss 3 1 0 0 Muncy 3b 3 1 1 2 Tucker rf 4 0 1 0 Hernández lf3 0 1 0 Rushing c 3 0 0 0 Edman 2b 3 0 1 0

ab r h bi Grisham cf 2 0 0 0 Rice dh 4 0 2 0 Gldschmidt 1b3 0 0 0 Schuemnn pr 0 0 0 0 Sánchez c 0 0 0 0 Bellinger l1b4 0 1 0 Domínguez rf 4 1 1 0 Chisholm 2b 4 0 1 0 Caballero ss 4 0 0 0 McMahon 3b 3 0 1 0 Wells c 2 0 0 0 Rosario ph-lf 1 0 0 0 Totals 31 2 5 2 Totals 31 1 6 0 Los Angeles 000 000 200 — 2 New York 000 100 000 — 1 E_Pages (2). DP_Los Angeles 1, New York 1. LOB_Los Angeles 4, New York 6. 2B_Edman (5), McMahon (8), Domínguez (9), Rice (16). HR_Muncy (18).

IP H R ER BB SO Los Angeles Sasaki 5 2⁄3 5 1 0 1 5 Dreyer W,4-1 1 1⁄3 0 0 0 0 2 Vesia H,16 1 1 0 0 2 0 Scott S,14-16 1 0 0 0 0 1 New York Cole L,3-5 6 4 2 2 1 8 Headrick 1 0 0 0 0 1 Cruz 1 1 0 0 0 1 Blackburn 1 0 0 0 1 0 Cole pitched to 2 batters in the 7th.

ABS Challenge_Cole (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Sasaki (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Grisham (Strike-Confirmed); Blackburn (Ball-Confirmed).

Pitch timer violations_Vesia (pitcher).

Umpires_Home, Junior Valentine; First, Jordan Baker; Second, Rob Drake; Third, Stu Scheuwater.

T_2:48. A_46,450 (47,309).

THIS DATE IN BASEBALL July 18

1882 — Ambidextrous pitcher Tony Mullane of Louisville pitched with both hands in a major league game at Baltimore. Normally a right-hander, Mullane switched to the left hand in the fourth inning. He eventually lost 9-8.

1912 — The Chicago Cubs had 21 hits in 11 innings but still lost to the Philadelphia Phillies when Gavvy Cravath stole home.

1921 — Babe Ruth achieves 139 home runs and becomes the all-time home run leader in Major League Baseball, taking the title from Roger Connor.

1927 — Ty Cobb of the Philadelphia Athletics doubled off the glove of Harry Heilmann for his 4,000th hit.

1948 — Pat Seerey of the Chicago White Sox hit four home runs in a 12-11, 11-inning victory over the Philadelphia A’s in the opener of a doubleheader. Seerey hit two mammoth shots off Carl Scheib, one off Bob Savage and the game-winner off Lou Brissie in the top of the 11th.

1962 — Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew of the Minnesota Twins each hit grand slams in the first inning of a 14-3 rout of the Cleveland Indians.

1970 — Willie Mays bounced career hit number 3,000 through the left side of the infield off Mike Wegener in the second inning of the San Francisco Giants’ 10-1 romp over the Montreal Expos. Mays becomes the 10th player to get 3,000 hits.

1987 — New York’s Don Mattingly tied Dale Long’s 31-year-old major league record when he hit a home run for the eighth consecutive game in the Yankees’ 7-2 loss to the Texas Rangers.

1999 — With Don Larsen on hand to help celebrate Yogi Berra Day at Yankee

Stadium, David Cone pitched a perfect game. Cone dazzled the Montreal Expos, throwing the 14th perfect game in modern history to lead the New York Yankees to a 6-0 victory.

2001 — Roger Cedeno was 4-for-5 with a double, triple, two homers and six RBIs in Detroit’s 12-4 win over the New York Yankees in the second game of a day-night doubleheader.

2006 — Atlanta became the first team since the 1930 New York Yankees to score 10 or more runs in five straight games following a 14-5 victory over St. Louis.

The Braves have scored 65 runs during their offensive explosion that included two 15-run games.

2016 — A federal judge sentenced the former scouting director of the St. Louis Cardinals to nearly four years in prison for hacking the Houston Astros’ player personnel database and email system in an unusual case of high-tech cheating involving two Major League Baseball clubs.

Christopher Correa had pleaded guilty in January to five counts of unauthorized access of a protected computer from 2013 to at least 2014, the same year he was promoted to director of baseball development in St. Louis.

2018 — As has been rumored for some time, the Dodgers trade for All-Star SS Manny Machado, who will become a free agent at the end of the season. The price is steep for what amounts to a short-term rental: five prospects, including AA OF Yusniel Diaz, one of the stars of the most recent Futures Game. The Dodgers have a gaping hole to fill, however, having recently lost SS Corey Seager for the remainder of the season.

6C ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Photo portended generational clash at World Cup years later Messi held baby yamal in now iconic pictures

BY JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain — Almost two decades ago, photographer Joan Monfort didn’t think much of his photo shoot of a teenage Lionel Messi bathing a cute baby boy in a plastic bathtub. Not until the remarkable twist of fate became clear years later, when that infant blossomed into Lamine Yamal.

Now those images of the longhaired Messi, his hands covered in soap suds as if anointing Yamal as soccer’s Next Big Thing, have become the most talked about — and gawked about — in the run-up to Sunday’s World Cup final, when Messi’s Argentina will play Yamal’s Spain for the biggest trophy in the sport.

“I have never been a believer or thought that anything was destined to occur, but I am beginning to have my doubts. This is beyond all reasonable explanations,” Monfort told The Associated Press from his home in Barcelona on Friday.

Monfort, who works as a freelance photojournalist for the AP, took the photos in 2007 as part of a charity calendar produced by local newspaper Sport and UNICEF. Luck dictated that Yamal’s mother, who appears in the calendar photo, won a raffle of families in the city of Mataró, near Barcelona, who wanted to participate. Soccer destiny then deemed that her baby boy, who would become a star for Barcelona some 15 years later, was paired up with the Argentine who would become one of the greatest of all time.

A tearful Messi left Barcelona in 2021 when the club was in financial trouble. Yamal erupted at the club two years later. The journey is now complete, from bathtub to World Cup final, where the 19-year-old Yamal will face a Messi who is 20 years his senior.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOAN MONFORT

Soccer star Lionel Messi, then 20, cradles Lamine yamal, who was 6 months old, during a photo session in September 2007 in the dressing room of the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona, Spain. ä Spain vs. Argentina.

2 P.M. SUNDAy, FOX

Monfort had no recollection of the photos until Yamal’s father posted one on social media during the 2024 European Championship, when a teenage Yamal was enjoying his international breakout and led Spain to the title.

The photo went viral then. But now, with the World Cup final looming, Monfort said, interest in his photos has skyrocketed.

“This has exploded all over the world, and the fact that the final is in the U.S. has given it the extra push,” Monfort said. “And now this has culminated with the final between Messi and Yamal. It is better than any film script.”

Monfort said he has been bombarded by queries for the photos by professional media outlets, while also seeing his images reproduced countless times on social media and the internet without any credit or compensation.

Yamal’s Spain teammate Mikel Merino had the same reaction as most people who see the photos.

“The first time I saw it, I thought it was AI and that it

wasn’t even real,” Merino said Friday. “It’s unbelievable that two of the best players to have played the game — and hopefully Lamine, in the future, will be one of those — share a picture like that. Hopefully we’re going to see a very bright final with those two protagonists at their best, playing and giving all the fans a great spectacle.”

Like many Barcelona fans, Monfort’s loyalty is split. It is common to see children wearing both Yamal’s Barcelona and Spain shirts, as well as any Messi shirt, whether from his Barcelona years or Argentina or his current club, Inter Miami, on the city’s streets.

Monfort, 58, is considering traveling to see the final in New Jersey, but whether he watches it in person or at home, he said he will have trouble cheering for one team or the other.

“My heart is split. I don’t know if I want Messi or Yamal to win,” said Monfort, a lifelong Barcelona supporter. “I have an everlasting love for the best player of all time (Messi). Yamal has broken the mold here.

“Maybe they can both win. I wouldn’t rule it out after everything we have seen.”

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SMOKE

Continued from page 1C Spanish Football Association asking whether that was considered or possible were not returned.

Air quality improved Friday, but the uncertainty lies in what will follow what could be up to 1.25 inches of rain expected to fall Saturday.

“Following that, it looks like there is another smoky air mass following in behind that system, but it’s not clear right now how much or how it might reach New York or New Jersey, when it comes to actually Sunday,” said Mark Parrington, senior scientist at the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service. “If the fire intensity really picks up again through (Saturday), it’s possible it puts more smoke into the atmosphere that then might quickly follow that rain event.”

Jonathan Belles, senior meteorologist for The Weather Channel app and weather.com, expects to have improved confidence in the forecast as game time gets closer.

“The question is whether smoke behind that (rain) system reaches ground level over northern New Jersey on Sunday and, if so, how concentrated it becomes,” Belles said. “Current forecast models range from little to no ground level smoke to levels that could become more concerning for players and fans.”

Smoke from wildfires attacks nearly every system in the body, killing tens of thousands of people a year, numerous medical studies show.

It attacks the body immediately, spiking asthma cases with increased ambulance runs within hours. Smoke can trigger inflam-

mation in different parts of the body, often attacking a person’s weakest points, which can then cascade into different effects of an immune system trying to fight a nasty irritant, doctors and scientists say.

There could be an effect on players’ performance even if the air conditions are moderate, according to University of California, San Diego professor of medicine Chantal Darquenne.

“It’s kind of a dose dependent effect,” Darquenne said. “If it’s moderate, it’s going to be less of an effect, but it’s still going to be there, especially because they are doing vigorous exercise during these events.”

Roughly 80,000 fans are expected at the final, which takes place in the large, open-air stadium in the Meadowlands that is home to the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets.

During a rehearsal Thursday night at MetLife Stadium for Sunday’s halftime show, some members of the New York Philharmonic wore masks and some used outdoor-friendly instruments rather than the regular ones they play.

The haze has caused complaints across sports, with athletes critical about the decision to play in hazardous conditions. Before his New York Yankees played at home roughly 12 miles from the Meadowlands, manager Aaron Boone said he was not hearing much about the smoke.

“Obviously they’re monitoring it to see if it gets any worse,” Boone said.

“We’ll be communicating with our guys a lot. We’re able to test oxygen levels and things like that if guys are having trouble. So, we’re paying attention to it, and we’ll take the guidance from the league and the weather and the smoke people.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By STEPHEN K.H. MOyES

A general view of the stadium is shown during a World Cup match between Panama and England on June 27 in East Rutherford, N.J.

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

BR Ballet Theatre names interim leader

|

S at u r d ay, J u ly 18, 2026

1dN

TLC stars soak up New Orleans at national conference

Staff report Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre announced the appointment of Mysti Byrnes as interim executive director.

Byrnes is a nonprofit leader, community advocate and arts supporter whose career has focused on strengthening communities through philanthropy, public engagement, food access and cultural enrichment.

She previously served Baton Rouge as the development director of the Big River Economic & Agricultural Byrnes Development Alliance, director of Public Relations for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, associate director of Opéra Louisiane and is currently a Baton Rouge Area Foundation Development fellow.

Her commitment to the community extends beyond her professional roles. She currently serves as a Capital Area CASA volunteer advocate, secretary for the Baton Rouge Opera Guild Board of Directors and is a dedicated co-leader of the “Perk Up Perkins” initiative — a grassroots movement focused on improving pedestrian safety and corridor enhancements along Perkins Road.

As a trained opera singer, Byrnes is no stranger to the performing arts and has long been an advocate for preserving and expanding access to classical arts organizations throughout the Capital Region.

“I’m honored and excited to return to the performing arts and grateful for the opportunity to help guide Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre through its next chapter,” Byrnes said in a news release. “BRBT has a rich history of artistic excellence that has made an enduring contribution to our region’s cultural identity.

I look forward to working alongside the Board, staff, instructors, and supporters to continue building on that legacy.”

As interim executive director, Byrnes will oversee the

PROVIDED PHOTO

in the

BY JUDY BERGERON Staff writer

Big Easy

As TLC’s freshman season of “Little Singles” passes the midway point, three series principals were out and about in New Orleans this week.

John Ferguson, Stephanie Vrettakos and Sammy Replogle traveled to the city along with about 700 fellow little people for the nonprofit Little People of America’s annual conference. Their entourages — both short-statured and average-sized family and friends — brought total attendance to around 2,000, according to the trio of castmates known as “the three amigos.”

They’ve been buddies for years, having first met at past conferences.

Forging friendships, which sometimes lead to permanent relationships, are part of the camaraderie of conference week.

“It really is a support group and a community where, for one week, you can really feel like everyone else would feel all year ’round,” Ferguson, 28, of Toronto, Canada, said. “It’s our chance to just leave the average world where we obviously stand out

ä See BALLET, page 2D

As the school year starts, we’re thinking about the people who stand at the front of the room, who open classroom doors with a smile. Sometimes a stranger in August becomes the person a student never forgets.

Certain teachers say something on a random October afternoon and students repeat it for decades to come — or a teacher may lead by example and give in ways that changes lives.

We invite readers to tell us about that teacher who made all the difference: write a letter directly to the teacher and send it to us. Or tell the story plain: a name, a classroom and the moment that stuck.

We’re looking for the lessons that have outlasted the chalkboard (or the dry erase board, as the case may be). Send your letter or story, including the name of the teacher, name of school, city and year to jan.risher@ theadvocate.com by 2 p.m. July 28. Photos of the teacher are also welcome.

‘Little Singles’ cast members, from left, John Ferguson, Stephanie Vrettakos and Sammy Replogle visit New Orleans this week for the Little People of America conference.

and we’re looked at and all of that, but here it’s like everyone shares the same experiences and it’s super-relatable.”

A digital content creator, Ferguson added that the conference is great for all age groups. Younger kids have a

PROVIDED PHOTO FROM WARNER BROS. DISCOVERy

‘Little Singles’ castmates, from left, Stephanie Vrettakos, Sammy Replogle, John Ferguson, Krista Sulaica and Jordanna James gather in the backyard of their Palm Springs ä See STARS, page 3D vacation rental.

ART WORLD FEMINIST ICON

Louisiana artist inspires fashion line Christian Dior debuts a new fashion line inspired by radical Louisiana artist Lynda Benglis.

AP PHOTO By EMMA DA SILVA

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

The glittering gowns recently debuted by the house of Christian Dior may seem familiar to fine art aficionados, especially in Louisiana.

They are tributes to 84-year-old Lake Charles artist Lynda Benglis, who regularly rattled the art world with her avant-garde work.

Jonathan Anderson has only been the creative director of

Christian Dior Haute Couture for about a year, but he has already delivered one of the plum couture commissions of all time: Taylor Swift’s wedding gown.

It’s unclear from reports in the fashion press how exactly Anderson, 42, became enamored with Lynda Benglis’ art. His fall 2026-27 couture collection is concentrated on Benglis’ most beautiful sculptures, particularly a

ä See BENGLIS, page 2D

2D ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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RELIGION BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS

Women’s retreat in Denham Springs

LAYD Retreat House, 10875 Fontenot Road, Denham Springs, will host “God’s Daughters Retreat: Who Am I? Identifying the REAL ME!” from 6:30 p.m.

Friday, July 31, through noon Saturday, Aug. 1.

The overnight retreat is designed to help women rediscover their identity in Christ through worship, prayer, fellowship, reflection and Biblical encouragement.

“Participants will be reminded that they are chosen, loved, healed and deeply valued as daughters of God,” a news release states.

Registration is $214.19 and is available through

eventbrite.com.

Event to promote spiritual renewal Global Network Outreach Ministries, 9466 Greenwell Springs Road, Baton Rouge, will host “The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit: Breath on Us Again, Lord” from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, July 25.

This Speak Life Encounter is designed to encourage spiritual renewal through worship, prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit. Inspired by Ezekiel 37:14, the event will focus on restoring faith, healing brokenness and renewing God’s spirit in every area of life.

Lavern Thames will be the featured speaker. All are welcome.

TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press Today is Saturday, July 18, the 199th day of 2026. There are 166 days left in the year.

Today in History: On July 18, 1976, at the Summer Olympics in Montreal, Nadia Comaneci of Romania became the first gymnast to receive a perfect score of 10 from Olympic judges for her performance on the uneven bars.

Also on this date: In 1536, the English Parliament passed an act declaring the authority of the pope void in England.

In 1863, during the Civil War, Union troops spearheaded by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, made up of Black soldiers, charged Confederate-held Fort Wagner on Morris Island, South Carolina. The Confederates were able to repel the Northerners, who suffered heavy losses; the 54th’s commander, Col. Robert Gould Shaw, was among those who were killed.

In 1925, Adolf Hitler published the first volume of his autobiographical manifesto, “Mein Kampf (My Struggle).”

In 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed a Presidential Succession Act which placed the speaker of the House and the Senate president pro tempore next in the line of succession after the vice president.

In 1964, nearly a week of rioting erupted in New York’s Harlem neighborhood following the fatal police shooting of a Black

BALLET

teenager, James Powell, two days earlier.

In 1994, a bomb hidden in a van destroyed a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing 85 people.

In 2005, an unrepentant Eric Rudolph was sentenced in Birmingham, Alabama, to life in prison for an abortion clinic bombing that killed an off-duty police officer and maimed a nurse.

In 2013, Detroit became the biggest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy, its finances ravaged and its neighborhoods hollowed out by a long, slow decline in population and auto manufacturing.

Today’s Birthdays: Olympic gold medal figure skater Tenley Albright is 91. Movie director Paul Verhoeven is 88. Singer Dion DiMucci is 87. Actor James Brolin is 86. Baseball Hall of Famer Joe Torre is 86. Singer Martha Reeves is 85. Business mogul Richard Branson is 76. Actor Margo Martindale is 75. Musician Ricky Skaggs is 72. World Golf Hall of Famer Nick Faldo is 69. Actor Elizabeth McGovern is 65. Actor Vin Diesel is 59. Author Elizabeth Gilbert is 57.

Retired NBA All-Star Penny Hardaway is 55.

Singer-songwriter M.I.A. is 51. Actor Elsa Pataky (“The Fast and the Furious” films) is 50. Movie director Jared Hess is 47.

Actor Kristen Bell is 46.

Actor Priyanka Chopra is 44. Actor Chace Crawford is 41. Boxer Canelo Alvarez is 36. Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles is 29.

Continued from page 1D

dence in her leadership and her ability to position BRBT as the region’s leading performing arts organization.”

organization’s day-to-day operations while working closely with the company’s board of directors to support the organization’s mission, strategic priorities and continued artistic excellence.

“We are delighted to welcome Mysti to the BRBT family,” said Heather Herman, chair of BRBT’s Board of Trustees, in the release.

“I have the utmost confi-

The Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre, under the artistic direction of Rebecca Acosta and Jonna Cox, is a nonprofit organization chartered in 1960 to promote and assist the advancement of classical and contemporary dance by maintaining a performing company, presenting a high-quality season, and providing dance education and community outreach.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EMMA DA SILVA

A model wears a creation as part of the Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2026-2027 Women’s collection presented in Paris on July 6.

STATE OF MIND

Dior shifts buzz from Taylor Swift’s wedding gown to sculptural couture

BY THOMAS ADAMSON

Westwood, whom Swift wears often.

The one dress the world PARIS — Jonathan Ander- wanted to see was the one son arrived at Paris couture Anderson would not show.

So on Monday he changed week with the fashion world still waiting to see the Dior the subject — to art. wedding dress he made for Poured, not sewn Taylor Swift.

On Monday, on the first The collection tried to day, he tried to give it some- move the conversation from Swift’s hidden gown to the thing else to look at.

Three days after Swift work of Benglis, known married NFL star Travis since the late 1960s for pourKelce at New York’s Madi- ing latex onto gallery floors son Square Garden, with and letting metal fold and both dressed by Dior, Ander- sag into shape.

Dior workrooms were son returned to the runway with a sculptural, heavily treated as a version of her pleated haute couture col- studio — a place where flat lection inspired by Ameri- fabric is pressed, knotted and bent into three dimensions. can artist Lynda Benglis.

Benglis bends flat materiThe commission was a coup for the LVMH-owned al into shape; so, in the end, house and for Anderson, the does couture.

41-year-old Northern Irish The clothes followed that designer appointed a year idea. A skirt of silver-foiled ago to overhaul all of Dior’s petals moved with each step. fashion lines.

A strapless silver lamé For months, industry gown was cinched with an watchers had bet on Ameri- oversized bow. Trousers can names, such as Ralph and blouses were finished in Lauren, or on Vivienne tight hand-pressed pleats.

AP fashion writer

BENGLIS

Continued from page 1D series of large works that appeared to be shimmering pleated ribbon knotted into loose bows.

He respectfully translated Benglis’ vision into gowns that are both spectacular and quietly elegant. Anderson, who is certainly aware of Benglis’ role as a 1970s feminist firebrand, also scored a conceptual coup by wrapping young women in the pioneering artist’s life’s work.

Benglis might be the most famous artist to have ever graduated from Newcomb College’s art department — now part of Tulane University. She was already achieving fame in New York by 1974 for her experimental

Dior’s signature Bar jacket, the nipped-waist shape the house has built on since 1947, was remade several ways: in fern-green tweed with a frayed fringe, in gray houndstooth folded into a giant bow, and once with loose chiffon threads left hanging at the hem.

Other looks were built entirely from embroidered silk flowers.

A wide fan of blue tulle was splayed across the front of one dress.

Handbags came in metallic pleats — four of them designed with Benglis herself.

Fans out, stars in France was in another heat wave, with temperatures above 86 F. Dior had sent fans with its invitations, and guests used them through the show in the gardens of the Rodin Museum.

The front row mixed pop stars with artists.

Singer Sabrina Carpenter and actor Josh O’Connor sat

among guests including Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas, Naomi Watts, Rebecca Ferguson and Alexa Chung.

Despite the razzmatazz, Anderson’s wager is plain: that the world’s most storied fashion house can afford to be strange.

He is often compared to Matthieu Blazy, the new designer at rival Chanel, who made the wedding dress for singer Dua Lipa this month.

The season now carries a peculiar distinction: Its two biggest stories are dresses no one is allowed to see.

The bride you can’t see As couture tradition dictates, the show closed with a bride.

Anderson sent out a pale, strapless column gown under a long veil of hand-pleated chiffon, trimmed with feathered dandelions and embroidered cactus flowers.

It was the second wedding dress Anderson showcased this week — and the only one anyone could photograph.

Benglis satirized the situation by taking out an ad in a respected art magazine that featured a totally nude photo of herself with a large dildo.

It was an art world hand grenade that immediately made her a feminist icon.

A couple of Benglis’ major works are on permanent display in New Orleans.

One of her golden abstractions stands on the Poydras Street neutral ground near the intersection of Baronne STAFF FILE PHOTO By DOUG MacCASH Street, and a wave-shaped bronze piece rises from Lynda Benglis’ ‘The Wave’ fountain was dedicated in City Park the bank of Big Lake on the in 2015. walking path near the entrance to City Park. There corners. Imagine enormous, are also six smaller Benglis style.

Imagine gallons and gal- crusty, curly, coils of clay sculptures in the New Orlons of rainbow-colored latex coated in gold or silver glaze. leans Museum of Art collecpaint poured directly onto That’s the sort of thing Beng- tion. the floor of an art gallery. lis has been known since the Lava flows of foam plastic 1960s.

Email Doug MacCash at insulation gushing from the Back then, big-time art dmaccash@theadvocate. walls and piling up in the was mostly a boys’ club. com.

Places of Worship Directory Places of Worship Baha'i Faith Baton Rouge Baha'i Faith Public Informational Meeting 2nd Sunday of Each month @ 2:30-3:30 pm Goodwood Library Room B Visit bahai.org, bahai.us and bahai-br.us

SHOP TODAY! Something for everyone.

Baptist Mount Zion First Baptist Church Dr. Rene’ F. Brown, Pastor 356 T. J. Jemison Blvd.

Sunday School: 8:30 am Sun. Service: 9:30am Wednesday Bible Study: 12 noon & 7:15 pm Communion Service First Sunday: 6pm Broadcast: 11am 106.5 FM www.mtzionfirstbaptist.com

TRUE LIGHT CHURCH Rev.BAPTIST Dennis R. Hebert, Pastor 3836 North Street Phone 383-3912 Sunday School – Sunday Worship – 9:00 10:00A.M. Wed. Prayer Service &A.M. Bible Study – 6:00 P.M. Communion Service 2nd Sunday 10:00 A.M.– Place a Classified ad?

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930 North Boulevard (Corner of North & T.J. Jemison) 225-383-4777 Rev Brady Whitton Senior Pastor www.firstmethodist.org Sunday Worship Sanctuary 8:30 AM & 11:00 AM America Street - 9:45 AM First Baptist Church Baton Rouge 529 Convention Street Sunday School 9:15 am Sunday Worship 10:45 am.

Broadcast live stream of Sunday Worship on Youtube and Facebook.

Wednesday Prayer meeting and Bible Study 5:30 pm www.fbcbr.com

Sunday School (for all ages) - 9:40 AM Services Broadcast Sunday 9:30 AM WBXH (Cox Channel 16, Digital Channel 39, Dish TV Ch. 39) 10:30 AM WAFB Channel 9 Radio Broadcast 5:30 AM- WYNK 101.5 FM 8:00 AM- THE RIVER 96.1 FM

– SINCE I842 –

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ 3D

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We are not wasting doughnuts Name tags help As consolation, perhaps Dear Miss Manners: Whenever you can start a movement someone brings doughnuts to have your co-workers into the office, there are always a few people who cut bring doughnut holes to a doughnut in half and leave work instead.

Dear Miss Manners: one half in the box.

How do you tell I feel this is rude, someone their pants as it is unappetizing are too thin? to see food that has Gentle reader: Meanbeen cut up and left. I understand they only ing what? Too tight? want half a doughnut, Too narrow? Too seeJudith but I feel they should through?

Martin take the whole thing Miss Manners is MISS and throw half away, not sure why she is MANNERS or offer it to someone bothering to clarify who wants the other because any of the half. I don’t want to eat some- three — weight, fashion sense or poor eyesight — one else’s half doughnut. would be equally impolite Is it polite and approprito mention. Unless there ate to cut up communal food on a serving platter or is a real problem, such as body parts being unknowbox and leave half?

Gentle reader: Sorry, but as ingly exposed, you should long as a knife is used or the remain silent. Your opinion cut is otherwise clean, Miss on any of these matters is Manners sees nothing wrong not required. with leaving half a doughnut.

Dear Miss Manners: My husThrowing the other half band is extremely mediaway is wasteful, and trying cally sensitive, to the point to find an immediate taker that he cannot be inside for it would be tedious. most buildings for more

than about 15 minutes. The indoor air quality of all but the most hyper-clean buildings causes him long-term inflammation.

Our fourth grader has his first piano recital coming up. My parents were the ones to sign him up for lessons and have been driving him. My husband and I would like to support our son, but can’t afford to compromise my husband’s health over it.

There are some things he can do, like wear a respirator and take medication immediately after the exposure, but his doctor recommends against doing this. My husband also hates using the respirator and will rarely wear it.

My mother said that it’s all right to leave right after our son plays his piece. I would feel like it would be very rude for us to do that.

Isn’t it proper etiquette to stay for all the children’s pieces at a recital? If my

STARS

Continued from page 1D chance to make friends with others who look like them, while adults may look for love and fun.

The Big Easy — heat aside — had a lot to offer conferencegoers.

“We went to Bourbon Street yesterday, had a great time,” Ferguson said. “Did a bar night with karaoke, went to watch some sports this morning.”

The sports competitions, directed by the Dwarf Athletic Association of America, include soccer, basketball and track and field.

“It’s nice because then it’s like you’re on an equal playing field for once, too,” said Vrettakos, 33, who works in marketing in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The conference also offers medical sessions, workshops, field trips, dances and other celebrations. The packed schedule included a Steamboat Natchez dinner cruise, a National WWII Museum tour, a pontoon ride through the swamp and a jazz brunch.

“The three amigos” are all about such fun on their new unscripted series, set in California, where a cast of five vacation at a luxury Palm Springs getaway while exploring life and love in their 20s and 30s.

Predictably with reality television, tension comes when a romance triangle threatens longtime friendships. Other friends also drop by for parties, adding to the fun and drama.

“I miss that house,” Vrettakos lamented of the spacious party house with a large backyard pool.

PROVIDED PHOTO

‘Little Singles’ castmates and longtime friends John Ferguson, left, and Sammy Replogle say they’re often mistaken for brothers. Both made their first trip to New Orleans this week for the Little People of America conference.

“Little Singles” follows a succession of TLC series revolving around the lives of families with dwarfism, including “Little People, Big World, “The Little Couple” and “7 Little Johnstons.”

Those series have a different dynamic than “Little Singles,” Vrettakos pointed out.

“I’ve watched some of ‘Little People, Big World.’ I don’t follow any of the other ones too closely, but they’re just more family-oriented, whereas ours is obviously — we’re all navigating our 20s and 30s,” she said. “So it’s just a very different dynamic that I think is relatable too, but a different demographic of people.”

Producers from Shed Media initially reached out to Ferguson on Instagram about a possible reality series. Considering the stunts and tricks reels he posts, the first idea was a prank show.

“Then I explained a little about our community and how crazy and close we all

are. And they were like, ‘Scrap the pranks. We want to see you and all of your friends,’ ” said Ferguson.

“I hit up the closest friends I have in this community (Vrettakos and Replogle).

Krista Sulaica, 31, a content creator from Lake Orion, Michigan, and dancer and actress Jordanna James, 37, of Hartford, Connecticut, filled out the cast.

“It’s great because we also help create it, you know what I mean? Because like even the greatest of producers don’t fully understand what we deal with or our struggles or what we like,” Ferguson said. “So it really feels like a group project rather than like, ‘Hey, we’re going to throw you in this house and like, this is exactly what you need to do.’”

The cast’s input shapes how misconceptions get addressed on-camera.

“For me, it’s the fact that everyone thinks that we can’t do everything that everyone else does,” Replogle

husband’s medical exception would somehow exempt him from that rule of etiquette, how should we indicate to others present why we have to leave before the other performances?

Gentle reader: Long-term inflammation is as good an excuse as Miss Manners has heard for making a swift exit from a children’s concert.

If your husband can safely leave on his own, allowing you to stay longer, that would be ideal. If not, tell the other parents that you are afraid you will have to exit right after Eli’s piece, but you have a medical issue to which you have to attend. Presumably your parents can fill you in. Just do not be surprised if the other parents start stealing the excuse.

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com.

said. “And my mom always taught me growing up, you can do anything you put your mind to, just maybe a little bit different than how someone else would do it.

And so you just kind of have to look at it that way.”

Another misbelief is that little people aren’t happy with who they are, according to Ferguson.

“At least all the friends I have who are small, I know they’re confident with who they are and they wouldn’t change who they are or what they look like,” he said. “Even like growing up, everyone always asked me, ‘Hey, how would you feel if you were average? Isn’t that what you want?’ It’s like, honestly, ‘No.’” In Louisiana, the trio was happy to report that all the locals were super-friendly and respectful.

Such is not always the case, as seen on a recent “Little Singles” episode where the gang is in a grocery store. They are annoyed by a shopper who can’t seem to stop gawking at them. Later, at a bar, an average-sized stranger literally grabs Ferguson off the dance floor, raising him over the crowd.

“I think it’s (the series) an eye-opener for a lot of people to see how our age bracket just lives their life — and that we still party. We still have relationship problems.

And, we can just live life to the fullest at the end of the day,” said Replogle.

“Little Singles” airs at 8 p.m. Mondays on TLC and is available for streaming the next day on HBO Max.

Dear Heloise: Please endonating personal items (toothbrushes, toilet pacourage the staff at small businesses to wear a name per, etc.) to food pantries, tag. For example, I go to you’re correct to first the dry cleaners about check if the local pantry once a month and accepts those would like to greet items. If not, I suga friendly person gest folks seek out by their name, other organizations especially because that accept personshe always knows al items for people my name due to in need. my order. Knowing Hints from There’s a wonderHeloise ful free healthcare someone’s name is a way to build clinic in my county warm relationships, and called Volunteers in Mediif I can see it written on cine that accepts nonfood a name tag, it helps build items (ranging from shamconfidence, especially as poo to household cleaning we age. — An Avid Reader, via supplies) for their patient email pantry. They recognize Avid Reader, this is a that patients often need good hint. We all enjoy assistance beyond health being addressed by our care during these difficult names, and it does build financial times. (Plus, a friendly relationships at clean body and a clean work. — Heloise home are essential to good health.)

Taking a step up I encourage your readDear Heloise: My elderly ers to show their kindness mom had a hard time getat food pantries and other charitable outlets that ting in and out of bed due serve those in need beto the height of her mattress and box springs, so cause we’re all in this towe got her an aerobic step gether! Thank you for all to put alongside the bed. of the great tips. — Katherine, It was long enough to give in Cape May County, New Jersey her plenty of room to safeKatherine, battered women’s shelters across ly get in and out of bed, and it could be pushed un- the country usually need der the bed when it wasn’t these items, as do chilin use. — Patty G., via email dren’s homes and shelters for the homeless. — Heloise

Shelter supplies

Dear Heloise: As a follow-up to Beverly, who suggested

Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

MONICA C. JARREAU BROKER/REALTOR/OWNER

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monicacjarreau@gmail.com

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4D ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

lll

zodIAC CANCER (June 21-July 22) Speak your mind, but be prepared to live with the consequences. Letting go is hard but also rejuvenating. Carrying burdens affects your emotional and mental wellbeing.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Arguments over money, personal choices and how you want to spend your time will escalate quickly. Use your imagination, and you'll find a way to do what pleases you and those you encounter.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Contemplate your personal and professional situation, and you'll discover a path to better days ahead. Reach out, start conversations and choose the road that offers a chance to do things your way.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Sit back and study situations carefully. How you deal with others will make a difference to the outcome. Positive change is within reach if you channel your energy in a direction that's comfortable.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Be gracious, humble and kind, and you'll attract the same in return. Keep your promises doable and honor your word. Setting high standards will lead to greater respect from your peers.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) A financial gain looks hopeful. Go over your documents, be resourceful and put your plans in motion. A change at home will encourage you to rethink your lifestyle.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Apply pressure and be ready to defend yourself

and your plans if someone tries to intervene. Take advantage of any opportunity you get to voice your opinion and enlist people who have something to contribute.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) A chance to be with or do something nice for someone you care about will pay off. A positive change at home will develop due to your innovative planning.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Stop worrying about what others think or do. Create opportunities, and embrace what belongs to you. Love and romance are on the rise.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) The more receptive you are, the easier it becomes to manipulate whatever situation you face by offering incentives to get what you want in return. A unique offer or opportunity will develop.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Keep your eye on the money and the people who can help or hinder your journey. Navigating your way to the prospects that excite you will encourage greater freedom to follow your heart.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Refuse to let emotional mayhem ruin your day. Size up situations, and point yourself in a direction that offers a unique perspective on how to use your connections, skills and attributes.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY CeLebrItY CIpher Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

TODAy'S CLUE: y EQUALS U

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ 5D

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CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

Sudoku InstructIons: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers.

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

6D ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

lll

B.C.

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER The first sentence of “1984” by George Orwell is, “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking 13.”

When you bid to a grand slam, there is normally not much point in counting losers, because you cannot afford any.

You might as well only try to find 13 winners.

In this deal, which 13 tricks should South hope to take in seven hearts after West leads the diamond three?

The bidding had a modern tinge.

South’s four-club rebid was a splinter, showing at least game-forcing values with a singleton or void in clubs. North then control-bid (cue-bid) his diamond ace, which East doubled to ask for a diamond lead. And South optimistically took a shot at all of the marbles.

Outside hearts, South has six winners: four spades, one diamond and one club.

He could rely on the diamond finesse and try to take six trump tricks. But East’s double strongly suggests that that finesse will fail. Instead, declarer should play for seven trump tricks. But which seven?

South should use dummy’s winners to remove East’s trumps and take three ruffs in his hand. However, he has to be careful with his communications.

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

Declarer wins with dummy’s diamond ace, ruffs a club with a high trump (queen, king or ace), returns to dummy with a heart, ruffs another club high, leads a heart to dummy, and ruffs the last low club. Then, after a spade to dummy’s queen, declarer draws trumps and claims. It is a classic dummy reversal. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

word game InSTRucTIonS: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3.

Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

ToDAY’S WoRD — PALMETTE: pal-MET: A decorative motif suggestive of a palm.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 35 words Time limit 55 minutes Can you find 47 or more words in PALMETTE? YESTERDAY’S WoRD — GLABRouS garb glob goal grab grub gular labor lobar also blog blur

boar bogus bola brag burl bursa ragu oral osar ours slab

slob slog slub slug slur soar soba solar soul sour sugar

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “Trust in him at all times; you people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.” Psalms 62:8

You can count on the Lord. He is faithful. G.E. Dean

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Saturday, July 18, 2026 ■ 7D

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classifieds.theadvocate.com Search Search& &Place PlaceAds AdsOnline Onlineatatclassifieds.theadvocate.com classifieds.theadvocate.com* Call * Call -Friday Us Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM at 225-383-0111 8AM-5PM at 225-383-0111 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the Estate of Rosa V Payne(s) 7 the Estate of James A Payne(s) please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050.

194483-July 18-20, 3t $85.75

Announcements Former yellow cab Drivers requested for Monday - Friday for Shopping and Errands. Will pay for Round Trip destinations & waiting. Larger vehicle preferred.

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ANYONE knowing the whereabouts of CHRISTINE WILLIAMS, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS THE HEIR OF TERRY WILLIAMS please contact Courtney M. King, Attorney at Law, (225) 366-8696.

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ANYONE KNOWING THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE HEIRS OF DARRELL G. SPENCER, PLEASE CONTACT AMANDA MARIONNEAUX, A. MARIONNEAUX LAW, LLC, AT 23615 RAILROAD AVENUE, PLAQUEMINE, LA 70764 OR AT (225) 385-5189.

194358-July 16-18, 3t $178 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Wayne Drake please contact Atty.

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Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Daniel Gabriel Bowman please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050.

194474-July 18-20, 3t $82 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Donnie Northern please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 9060050.

194488-July 18-20, 3t $82

GENERAL HELP The Diocese of B.R. Child Nutrition Pro‐ gram is seeking FT school Cafeteria Mgrs., Cooks, & Porters. HS Diploma or Equiv. and BG Check req. Apply at www.cnpbr.org/employment

Merchandise

WANT TO BUY Old Records 33's, 45's & 78's. All types of music. Call 985-259-1889 WANT TO BUY Wanted! Will pay top dollar for Accardo, Miss Prissy, Spider Legs & Bream Master Popping Bugs Call 606-923-2699

Public Notices Conservation

VICES, LLC

Hilcorp Energy Company P.O. Box 61229 Houston, Texas 77208-1229 713-209-2400 Is applying to the Injec‐ tion and Mining Division of the Office of Conser‐ vation for a permit to dispose of produced flu‐ ids generated from oil and gas production by means of an injection well, which is identified as LL&E Lafitte SWD Well No. 204 Serial Number 248452 . The injection well will be located in Section 020 Township 17S Range 24E, Lafitte (4989), Field, Jefferson (26) Parish, Louisiana.

The injection Zone is Pro‐ posed to be at 7098 ft. to 7421 ft.

All interested parties are hereby given an opportu‐ nity to submit written comments no later than fifteen (15) days from the date of this publication.

Identify the well when corresponding direct comments to: Office of Permitting and Compliance Engineering Division P.O. Box 94275 Baton Rouge, La 708049275 Re: Comments for SWD Applications 194520 July 18, 1t $186.20 PUBLIC NOTICE --LEGAL NOTICE Department of Conservation and Energy Office of Permitting and Compliance Hilcorp Energy Company P.O. Box 61229 Houston, Texas 77208-1229 713-289-2721 Pursuant to LAC 43:XIX. Chapter 47 et seq., Hilcorp Energy Company is applying to the Office of Permitting and Compliance of the De‐ partment of Conserva‐ tion and Energy request‐ ing expedited processing of a Class II saltwater disposal well permit ap‐ plication previously no‐ ticed to the public on 6/9/2026_ in The Advo‐ cate. The well is identi‐ fied as LL&E Lafitte SWD Well No. _ 204 Serial Number 248452, located in Section 020, Township 17S, Range 24E, Lafitte Field, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.

In accordance with the Public Records ACT, R.S. 44:1 et seq., all public records concerning this request for expedited processing are available to the public for inspec‐ tion and coping. Please address all comments or inquiries to: Gavin D Broussard, Direc‐ tor Engineering Division Office of Permitting and Compliance 617 North 3rd Street, 8th Floor Baton Rouge, LA 70802 194521 July 18, 1t $173.46

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON PROPOSED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVI‐ RONMENTAL QUALITY AND BFI WASTE SER‐

BATON ROUGE Graywood Estate Sales 1881 Hood Avenue 70808 Curated Estate Sale Fri 7/17 Sat 7/18 Sun 7/19 Mon 7/20 Tues 7/21

AREA 3 3, 4 & 5 BR Homes for rent, Starting at $1000/mo Call 225-938-8219

The Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Environmental Quality and BFI Waste Services, LLC (Respon‐ dent), Agency Interest Number 189512, have en‐ tered into a proposed settlement agreement, Settlement Tracking No. SA-MM-25-0095, concern‐ ing the State's allega‐ tions of environmental violations by Respondent at its facility in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, which allega‐ tions are set forth in Con‐ solidated Compliance Order & Notice of Poten‐ tial Penalty, Enforcement Tracking No. MM-CN-2000387, and Amended Consolidated Compli‐ ance Order & Notice of Potential Penalty, En‐ forcement Tracking No. MM-CN-20-00387A, and other violations included in the settlement and which are not in the Con‐ solidated Compliance Order & Notice of Poten‐ tial Penalty and Amended Consolidated Compliance Order & No‐ tice of Potential Penalty.

The Department of Envi‐ ronmental Quality will accept comments on the proposed settlement for the next forty-five (45) days. The public is in‐ vited and encouraged to submit written com‐ ments to the Louisiana Department of Environ‐ mental Quality, Office of the Secretary, Legal Divi‐ sion, Post Office Box 4302, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821--4302, At‐ tention: Oscar Magee, At‐ torney. All comments will be considered by the De‐ partment of Environmen‐ tal Quality in reaching a decision on whether to make the settlement final.

Terms and conditions of the proposed settlement agreement may be re‐ viewed on the Depart‐ ment of Environmental Quality's website at www.deq.louisiana.gov, by selecting About LDEQ, Enforcement, and Settle‐ ments. The document may also be viewed at, and copies obtained from, the Louisiana De‐ partment of Environmen‐ tal Quality, Public Records Center, Room 127, Galvez Building, 602 North Fifth Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802.

To request a copy of the proposed settlement, submit a completed Pub‐ lic Record Request Form (DEQ Form ISD-0005-01).

The form and instruc‐ tions for completion may be found on the DEQ Website at the following address: http://deq.louisiana.gov/ assets/docs/General/Pub licRecordsRequestForm. pdf, or by calling the Customer Ser‐ vice Center at 1-866-8965337.

Pursuant to La. R.S. 30:2050.7(D), the Depart‐ ment of Environmental Quality may hold a public hearing regarding this proposed settlement when either of the fol‐ lowing conditions are met: 1) a written request for public hearing has been filed by twenty-five (25) persons, by a gov‐ ernmental subdivision or agency, or by an associa‐ tion having not less than twenty-five (25) mem‐ bers who reside in the parish in which the facil‐ ity is located; or 2) the secretary finds a signifi‐ cant degree of public in‐ terest in this settlement.

For further information, you may call the Legal Division of the Louisiana Department of Environ‐ mental Quality at (225) 219-3985.

194524 July 18, 1t $392.91 PUBLIC NOTICE The City of Central Plan‐ ning & Zoning Commis‐ sions will hold public hearings on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at 6:00 pm at Central City Hall, 11530 Sullivan Road, Central, LA 70818, to consider the following: Planning Commission S-26-0012: Subdivision in the 8800 Range of Joor Road. Request for a pre‐ liminary/final plat to subdivide one lot (A, A.J. Browning Property) into four with a new private servitude of passage. i i i

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Legal Notices

p g Comprising 4.623 acres in the R/A (Rural/Agricul‐ tural) zoning district.

(Applicant: Professional Land Surveyors of Louisiana LLC, for HSC Holdings, LLC)

y campground and related amenities. For more in‐ formation go to opportu‐ nitiesinlouisiana.com.

Zoning Commission T-26-0003: Floodplain and Stormwater Manage‐ ment. Amend Title 7 Uni‐ fied Development Code to move floodplain and stormwater manage‐ ment regulations from Chapter 15 to Chapter 4, and provide for related matters.

T-26-0004: Performance and Specific Use Stan‐ dards. Amend Title 7 Uni‐ fied Development Code (UDC), Title 12 Nuisances, and Appendix 1 Compre‐ hensive Zoning Code (CZC) to move perfor‐ mance and specific use standards from the CZC to the UDC, make minor adjustments, and provide for related matters.

193361 July 8, 13, 18, 2026 $80.74 PUBLIC NOTICE The City of St. George Planning & Zoning Com‐ missions will hold public hearings on Monday, Au‐ gust 3, 2026, at 6:00 pm at St. George City Hall, Council Chambers, 11207 Proverbs Ave, St. George, LA 70816, to consider the following: Zoning Commission PO-26-0004 Changes to Concept Plan for Long Farm PUD: This combined property is located on the north side of Airline Hwy, east of Baringer Foreman Road, on Lots 1227, ALLEY TR. C, ALLEY TR. D, GS-3, GS-3-A, GS-4, GS-5, GS-6, GS-7, P-1, P-S, RW-1, AW-1 thru AW-4 of Long Farm Subdivision, and Lots REM. TR. Z-1-D, TR. P-4-B, TR. P-4-C, TR. A1-C, TR. A-1-A-2-D, TR. A1-A-2-A, TR. A-1-A-3-B-2, TR. RPS, TR. A-1-A-1-C, TR. A-1-A-3-A-5, TR. A-1-A-3-B1-A, TR. Z-1-A, TR. Z-1-C, TR. Z-1-B, TR. A-1-A-3-A-1B, TR. A-1-A-2-C, TR. A-1A-2-B, TR. A-1-A-3-A-2, TR. A-1-A-3-A-1-A, TR. A-1-A-3A-3-B, TR. A-1-A-3-A-4-B-2, TR. A-1-A-3-A-4-B-3, TR. A1-A-3-A-4-B-1, TR. A-1-A-3A-4-A, and TR. A-1-A-3-A3-A of Russell Long Prop‐ erty, in Sec. 50, 51, 52, T8S, R2E, GLD, EBR. The applicant requests major changes to the Long Farm Planned Unit Devel‐ opment Concept Plan within the R-9 Residen‐ tial-9 and MX-4 MixedUse Regional zoning dis‐ tricts/PO-PUD-4-09 Planned Overlay, includ‐ ing revisions to land use acreages, parcel loca‐ tions, circulation plan and other related mat‐ ters. (Applicant: Zach Schmidt, Westwood Pro‐ fessional Services, on be‐ half of RKL Farm, LLC) Z-26-0002 R1 to B1 at 15222 Perkins Rd: This ±2.334-acre property is located on a portion of Lot 7.4 AC. of the Mildred L. Mangrum Curtis, 1/2 USUF located in Sec. 61, T8S, R2E, GLD. The appli‐ cant requests to rezone from R1 Residential-1 to B1 Business-1 Zoning Dis‐ trict. (Applicant: Duane Mizell, D&T Rental Prop‐ erties, LLC, on behalf of Mildred L. Mangrum Cur‐ tis, The Olen Dodd Curtis Testamentary Trust) T-26-0006 Outdoor Stor‐ age and Display: Amend Title 7 of the Unified De‐ velopment Code to up‐ date regulations for out‐ door storage and display, and provide for related matters.

T-26-0007 Variances: Amend Title 7 Unified De‐ velopment Code (UDC) to consolidate and update allowances for variances, and provide for related matters.

194532 July 18, 25, Aug. 1, 2026 3t $124.21

192994-jul 2-aug 15-45t $207.90

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

PUBLIC NOTICE --MINUTES For the Meeting of the Governing Authority of Americana Economic Development District Council Chambers, 4700 Main Street Tuesday, June 09, 2026 Immediately following close of Meeting of Mayor and City Council A. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairwoman Ambre DeVirgilio at 7:40 p.m.

B. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Rolled over from previ‐ ous meeting.

C. OPENING PROCEDURES 1. ROLL CALL MEMBERS PRESENT Brandy Westmoreland John LeBlanc Ambre DeVirgilio James Graves Jennifer Landry 2. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING OF May 12, 2026, regular meeting. h i d b

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Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min g The motion was made by Mrs. Westmoreland The motion was sec‐ onded by Mr. LeBlanc To approve the Minutes of May 12, 2026, regular meeting, and approve them as written.

YEAS: Westmoreland, LeBlanc, DeVirgilio, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None D. NEW BUSINESS 1. Update from Chairwoman DeVirgilio 2. Discussion and action on AEDD meeting video/livestream/host‐ ing quotes.

Mrs. DeVirgilio provided an update to the Board, stating that implementa‐ tion of the livestreaming service will take longer than anticipated due to the need to establish a new contract for hosting the livestream on the City’s website.

E. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was journed at 7:42 p.m. ______________ Karen Burdette, Clerk of the City Council CITY OF ZACHARY, LA PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA _____________ Ambre DeVirgilio, Chairwoman CITY OF ZACHARY 194509 July 18, 1t $33.41

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Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

PUBLIC NOTICE --MINUTES I. A public hearing will be held as follows: DATE: June 23, 2026 TIME: 6:30 p.m.

PLACE: Zachary City Hall – Council Chambers – 4700 Main Street, Zachary, LA, 70791 CALL TO ORDER Mayor McDavid called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at the Zachary City Hall located at 4700 Main Street, Zachary, LA. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Invocation by Councilwoman Landry Pledge of Allegiance by Councilwoman West‐ moreland OPENING PROCEDURES ROLL CALL MAYOR David McDavid COUNCIL MEMBERS Brandy Westmoreland – District 1 John LeBlanc– District 2 Ambre DeVirgilio – Dis‐ trict 3 Jennifer Landry – District 5 COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT James Graves – District 4 1. To fix the annual prop‐ erty millage rate for 2026.

II. A public meeting will be held as follows: 1. Consider and Adopt Ordinance 2026-09 - Ordi‐ nance To Fix The Annual Property Millage Rate For 2026 And To Establish The Rate Of Taxation And

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Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

Levy A Tax In The Amount Of 5.070 Mills To Defray Expenses Of Op‐ eration Of The City Gov‐ ernment For All General Purposes For The Year 2026 On All Taxable Prop‐ erty Within The Corpo‐ rate Limits Of The City Of Zachary And To Provide The Collection Of The Same And For Other Mat‐ ters In Connection There‐ with.

Mayor McDavid opened the PUBLIC HEARING at 6:32 p.m. There being no one to speak in favor or against the millage rate Mayor McDavid closed the PUBLIC HEARING at 6:33 p.m.

The motion was made by Councilwoman Landry The motion was sec‐ onded by Councilwoman DeVirgilio To approve and Adopt Ordinance 2026-09 - Ordi‐ nance To Fix The Annual Property Millage Rate For 2026 And To Establish The Rate Of Taxation And Levy A Tax In The Amount Of 5.070 Mills To Defray Expenses Of Op‐ eration Of The City Gov‐ ernment For All General Purposes For The Year 2026 On All Taxable Prop‐ erty Within The Corpo‐ rate Limits Of The City Of Zachary And To Provide The Collection Of The Same And For Other Mat‐ ters In Connection There‐ with.

YEAS: Westmoreland, Leblanc, DeVirgilio, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: Graves ABSTAINED: None ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:34 p.m.

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Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

CERTIFICATION ________________ Karen Burdette Clerk of the City Council CITY OF ZACHARY PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA __________________ David McDavid, Mayor I, Karen Burdette, do hereby certify that I am the duly appointed and acting Clerk of the City Council for the City of Zachary, Parish of East Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

I further certify that the above and foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the public hearing meeting of the Mayor and Council of the City of Zachary, Louisiana, held on Tues‐ day, June 23, 2026, a proper quorum being there and then present. _____________ Karen Burdette, Clerk of the City Council 194518 July 18, 1t $53.62 PUBLIC NOTICE --PUBLIC NOTICE OPPORTUNITY FOR REQUESTING A PUBLIC HEARING All interested persons are hereby advised that (Divine Medical the Transportation and Ser‐ vices, LLC) has applied to the Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Transportation and Development for project funding under Federal Transit Adminis‐

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

tration (Section 5310 and/or 5311) for the fol‐ lowing: PROJECT: (Divine Medical Transportation and Ser‐ vices, LLC) is preparing [Replace existing to equipment to continue, transportation services in the Parish. Further de‐ tails relative to the pro‐ ject are available from (Divine Medical Trans‐ portation, 1018 Sherron Avenue, Baker, LA 70714, 225-300-3938 of Shawntell Parker).

Interested persons are advised that they may request that a public hearing be conducted to provide a means for the public to express their views relative to the pro‐ posed project on the probable social, eco‐ nomic, and environmen‐ tal effects involved. In lieu of requesting a pub‐ lic hearing, interested persons may submit their comments in writ‐ ing.

Written requests for a public hearing and/or submittal of comments must be postmarked on or before (August 1, 2026), and should be ad‐ dressed to: (Divine Med‐ ical Transportation and Services, LLC). Should a public hearing be re‐ quired, a public notice will be published stating the date, time, and loca‐ tion of the hearing.

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PUBLIC NOTICE --The Louisiana Office of State Parks is requesting proposals for a PublicPrivate Partnership pro‐ ject to design, construct, and operate a high-qual‐ ity recreational vehicle d d l d

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PUBLIC NOTICE

BATON ROUGE Appliances, furniture, baby, kids', women & men's clothes, kitchen, hh.

Saturday 7am-1pm. Across from Target on Millerville. Follow the yellow balloons.

APARTMENT Holiday Acres is now accepting applications for 3- and 4-bedrooms apartments. Rent based on income.

Come and apply at Holiday Acres located at 11744 Hallmark dr. Baton Rouge, La 70807 Monday, Tuesday, and Fridays from 8-5pm.

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Public Notices

In accordance with the laws of the State of Louisiana and the partic‐ ular reference to the pro‐ visions of LA R. S. 30:4, and the provisions of Statewide Order No. 29-B as amended and adopted by the Office of Permit‐ ting and Compliance of the State of Louisiana

BAKER 3811 Epperson St. Fri/Sat/Sun 9a-4p, Furniture, John Deere, Esso, Coke, Vintage, Lures, Knives & more!

Huge Yard Sale. 2451 Desoto Dr. Saturday 8am-3pm.

Catering supplies, SUV, motorcycle, hh items, etc.

ANYONE KNOWING THE WHEREABOUTS OF JOHN E. NELSON, PLEASE CONTACT AMANDA MARIONNEAUX, A. MARIONNEAUX LAW, LLC, AT 23615 RAILROAD AVENUE, PLAQUEMINE, LA 70764 OR AT (225) 385-5189.

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Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the Estate of Leonard Virdure, the Estate of Juanita Higginbotham Virdure, the Estate of Serena Fines & the Estate of Samuel Fines please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050.

194480-July 18-20, 3t $109

BATON ROUGE Yard Sale. 16438 Morel Ave. Saturday 7a-3p. Lots of shoes, hh supplies, jewelry, clothes & more.

Employment

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Edward Fleming, Eric D Fleming, Chiquita Seymore, the Estate of Ollie Fleming & the Estate of Vera Fleming please contact Atty.

Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050.

194470-July 18-20, 3t $97

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Johnny Jones, Frank Oliver Collins and the Estate of Alice Earl Jones Bowman please contact Atty.

Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050.

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