The Acadiana Advocate 07-27-2026

New Iberia’s Baits Motel casting a net for visitors

Couple’s quirky spot plays a part in revitalizing the downtown area along Bayou Teche

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

Southwest Louisiana is home to a number of small towns where Acadiana’s culture truly shines — but, outside of chain hotels and shortterm rentals, there are not that many places for visitors to stay for a local experience.

Mickey and Tiffany Bellott want visitors to experience New Iberia the way locals do Their answer is Baits Motel, a colorful roadsidestyle motel filled with Louisiana history, art and plenty of inside jokes

A couple with a bold sense of style

and willingness to do the work themselves, they learned the ropes from pouring creativity into short-term rental properties near the heart of New Iberia’s Main Street and now, they are preparing to open a new motel that feels like a classic, quirky roadside stop.

Baits Motel, at 129 Burke St., backs onto the Bayou Teche and is two blocks from Bouligny Plaza, near spots like the Shadows-on-theTeche museum, Victor’s Cafeteria, Bambino’s Burgers and New Iberia City Park Events like the Spanish Festival and Books Along the Teche Literary Festival regularly take over downtown, with the rooms of this colorful little motel opening to all of the activity outside.

The motel’s name is a play on the fictional Bates Motel from “Psycho,” replacing “Bates” with “Baits” as a nod to south Louisiana fishing culture. According to Tiffany Bellott, they

ä See MOTEL, page 4A

Tiffany, left, and Mickey Bellott have played a role in revitalizing New Iberia’s downtown area with their new motel.

U.S. Troy Carter d-New Orleans, has announced his candidacy for Congressional Black Caucus chair

Committee to review education funding formula

Some concerned about makeup of board, short time frame

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

Beginning next month, 15 people could decide the future of school funding in Louisiana. Lawmakers established the school-funding task force with a unanimous vote on the last day of the legislative session in June. It was pitched as a way to increase pay for teachers, who once again this year received one-time stipends instead of permanent raises.

But the committee, which is scheduled to begin meeting Aug. 13, has a far more sweeping mission than simply to find more money for teachers. Its job is to conduct a “top-to-bottom review” of the more than 30-year-old formula that determines how much state funding every public school in Louisiana receives, according to the resolution establishing the task force. Called the Minimum Foundation Program, the formula doles out about $4 billion annually, which schools use to pay teachers, purchase textbooks, operate buses, provide special education services and much more.

After studying the MFP, the committee must recommend a “revised or replacement formula” by Jan. 1, according to the resolution.

If their proposals are adopted, these 15 people will have overhauled the decades-old funding system in a matter of months.

By next year “hopefully we’ll have a brand-new MFP — a new dawn — in Louisiana,” Gov Jeff Landry said in June when he and legislative leaders formed the task force.

But as the group gets set to convene, public education advocates are raising concerns.

While most agree that the funding formula needs to be updated, they argue that the five-month timeline is too condensed. They also question why the committee includes 10 lawmakers and someone from the Governor’s Office, but just four people representing education groups.

Other states have engaged in lengthy schoolfunding reviews before overhauling their systems. Tennessee’s review process involved 18

See FUNDING, page 5A

Carter interested in leading Black caucus

He’s currently No. 2 in Capitol group

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

“The CBC is more than a caucus. It is a powerful voice for millions of African Americans and for all people who have too often been overlooked, underserved or denied equal opportunity. Should my colleagues entrust me with this responsibility, I will lead with humility, cour-

age and an unwavering commitment to liberty justice, equality and opportunity for all,” Carter, 62, said in an interview The election for caucus chair will be held after the Nov 3 midterm elections, and the new leader will take office in January Carter believes the caucus is growing into a stronger influence in policy debates. “I’ve worked very hard to be a bridgebuilder within the caucus and outside the caucus. And I think now more than ever, it’s what we need in Washington,” Carter

ä See CARTER, page 5A

PHOTOS By LEE BALL

Mickey and Tiffany Bellot have transformed a property into the Baits Motel in New Iberia. Each room has been decorated to reflect its own theme.

Landry

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Injunction upheld to block federal voter list

A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling that in nearly half of U.S. states halted President Donald Trump’s executive order to create a federal list of eligible voters and limit delivery of mail ballots only to people on that list.

The ruling Saturday by judges of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Trump administration’s effort to move forward with the mail-in voting restrictions in 23 U.S. states that sued ahead of November’s midterm elections

Trump issued an executive order in March for the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the commissioner of the Social Security Administration to create a “state citizenship list” of eligible voters. It also ordered the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail ballots only to people on that list.

Democratic officials in 23 states and the District of Columbia challenged Trump’s order in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Boston. They argued that Trump’s order was unconstitutional because the states and Congress, not the president, have the authority to set election rules.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, who was nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama, agreed and halted Trump’s order from being implemented for the Nov 3 elections — but only in the states that have sued.

Sweltering heat wave grips U.S. another day

At least 40 million people were under extreme heat warnings across central and southern parts of the United States on Sunday as high temperatures and severe humidity gripped large swaths of the country for a second straight day Heat indexes exceeding 105 degrees stretched from Minnesota down to Mississippi, extending west into southern California and Nevada. Parts of the Southwest could see highs of 120 degrees Sunday according to the National Weather Service.

Meteorologists said the sweltering weather was the result of another heat dome — a phenomenon in which atmospheric conditions trap heat, accentuating and prolonging already high temperatures

“Right now, it’s affecting a lot of people right in the middle of the country,” said Bob Oravec, an NWS meteorologist. “The core of the heat sinks southward by early next week.”

The moist air was also producing other volatility around the top of the heat dome, including the risk of severe thunderstorms, flash flooding and hail around the Great Lakes on Sunday The potential for heavy storms was expected to move east in the coming days.

“If you have a heat dome in one part of the country, you’ll have a different corresponding weather in another part,” Oravec said.

“It’s all related.”

Temporary relief will come to the central U.S. toward the middle of the week, but high temperatures could return by the weekend, he noted.

Raúl Castro absent from Cuba celebration

HAVANA Cuba held a traditional rally on Sunday to commemorate one of the revolution’s most important anniversaries but former President Raúl Castro was conspicuously absent. It was the first time in at least three decades that 95-year-old Castro did not attend the event, and no explanation was given. President Miguel Díaz-Canel read a congratulatory message from Castro to his compatriots at the rally, held in the eastern city of Pinar del Río.

The annual event commemorates the July 26, 1953, assault led by brothers Fidel and Raúl Castro on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes barracks in Cuba’s eastern region. The military action against former dictator Fulgencio Batista failed, but it marked the beginning of the revolutionary struggle that culminated on Jan. 1, 1959.

Raúl Castro’s last public appearances were in June, during an event to establish the Ministry of the Interior and on May 1 to celebrate Labor Day

Deadly Berlin Pride attack suspect killed

Police say German citizen sought to join terrorist group

BY GEIR MOULSON, KIRSTEN GRIESHABER and STEFANIE DAZIO Associated Press

BERLIN The suspect in the deadly Berlin Pride attack that left one person dead and 29 injured was shot and killed by police during a confrontation on Sunday in a suburb of the city, authorities said. Abdul Ballout, a German citizen with Lebanese roots, was killed following a search that lasted nearly 24 hours after the attack in downtown Berlin. Prosecutors said he had previously sought to join the militant Islamic State group.

Ballout was suspected of driving a van into a crowd near Berlin’s Pride festival Saturday night before apparently stabbing others with a machete in what authorities believe was an Islamic extremist terror attack.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the attack occurred a few hundred yards from a party near the Brandenburg Gate that was supposed to close out the city’s Pride festival.

Ballout was tracked down around 6 p.m. Sunday at a garden in Spandau, a Berlin suburb, the city’s police department wrote on X. They said he apparently ran toward officers with a sharp instrument, and police fired at least one shot. He died at the scene. Ballout was born in Germany, the minister said His mother was naturalized in 2002, three years before he was born.

Ballout traveled to Lebanon in 2025 with the goal of going to Syria to join the Islamic State group, Berlin prosecutors said Sunday There, he made contact with several people who were presumed members of the militant group — or at least he believed them to be, prosecutors said.

In May, a juvenile court in Berlin convicted Ballout of preparing a serious act of violence endangering the state, as well as publishing Islamic State propaganda on his Instagram account and other charges, prosecutors said.

The court handed down a suspended sentence of one year and 10 months in youth custody which Berlin prosecutors had appealed. The court said it took Ballout’s months of pretrial detention in Germany and Lebanon into account. It also said it considered that Ballout had admitted to the crimes, appeared to distance

himself from the militant group and no actual threat had ever materialized.

He was released from detention pending the appeal.

Berlin’s Pride festival is one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ celebrations.

According to police, a white van drove into the Tiergarten park about 10 p.m. and hit several people before colliding with a tree. The closing party at the Pride festival, known as Christopher Street Day, was ongoing at the time next to the Brandenburg Gate, a short distance away Police said a woman was killed.

On Sunday afternoon, hundreds of mourners gathered at a memorial at the iconic gate. They hugged each other and laid down flowers, candles, rainbow flags and homemade signs, including a cardboard one that said: “the only thing more powerful than hate is love.”

Hundreds of thousands had come to Berlin to celebrate on Saturday, though it’s unclear how many were still at the festival by late evening. It’s one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ celebrations.

“We are simply stunned by what happened,” said Andre Lehmann, a top official with the main national LGBTQ+ association, LSVD+. “This suspected attack hits the heart of the queer community.”

2 West Bank mosques set on fire amid surge in settler violence

BY MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel Two mosques in the Israelioccupied West Bank were set on fire overnight in an apparent Israeli settler attack, officials said Sunday after a spate of deadly violence that killed four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers.

Palestinians and the Israeli opposition accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-line government of turning a blind eye to attacks by settlers against Palestinians, which threaten to ignite widespread violence across the territory

Israeli soldiers and police fanned out across the West Bank after the attack, closing off major roads and blocking access to a hospital where it said two militants were hiding.

Israel also arrested more than 70 Palestinians over the weekend as they attempted to contain the escalating violence.

The mosques, in the villages of Qusra and Kour in the northern West Bank, suffered extensive damage in the fires

In Qusra, the attackers spray-painted “revenge Benayahu,” referring to one of the Israeli soldiers killed on Friday and “the land of Israel is redeemed

with blood.” The soldier lived in a nearby settlement.

Ahmed Abu Mahmoud, 64, who lives next to the Qusra mosque, said he heard noises at 3 a.m. and discovered the mosque had been set on fire. The fire was too large for him to fight on his own, so he called for help.

“The military arrived here, saw with their own eyes and then left,” Mahmoud said.

Security footage in Kour obtained by The Associated Press showed three people dressed in civilian clothes setting off a large explosion in the entrance of the mosque in the middle of the night On Sunday, residents held prayers despite damage to the entrance.

Israel’s military said it was working with police to investigate the mosque attack.

“The security forces strongly condemn incidents of this kind, including harm to religious sites, and will continue to act decisively to maintain security and public order in the area,” it said.

The Israeli army often announces investigations into violence against Palestinians but rarely makes arrests or prosecutes settlers involved in violence.

The military also reported it had sealed the homes of two Palestinian militants suspected of killing the soldiers in preparation for their demolition. Israel often demolishes the homes of attackers, claiming it deters future attacks.

U.S. and Iran pause attacks after days of escalation

BY SAMY MAGDY and CARA ANNA Associated Press

CAIRO The United States and Iran paused their attacks for a second straight day Sunday, as efforts continued to bring them back to negotiations on an interim ceasefire deal largely undermined by recent exchanges of fire. It was not clear why the U.S. has paused after targeting Iranian coastal areas and infrastructure in a nearly two-week escalation sparked by Iran’s firing at ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon did not respond to questions

President Donald Trump is “giving talks some space. He’s giving it a little bit of room,” Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told Fox News “We’ve had both Oman and Iran, and a number of our other negotiators, engaged at every level, from the most senior levels all the way down to the technical level over the past few weeks, and particularly in the past few days.”

Waltz dismissed the idea that the U.S. stockpile of interceptors crucial in defending against Iranian attacks is running low but experts have questioned how long both the U.S and Iran can afford to keep up attacks.

Since the U.S. has halted attacks for the past two nights, Iran has as well, its army spokesperson told Iran’s state TV on Sunday Tehran in recent days has counterattacked against countries in the region hosting U.S. military forces, killing at least three service members at a base in Jordan and one in Iraq.

The 60-day period that began when the interim deal was signed by both countries in mid-June is well into its second half, and major issues that were meant to be negotiated — notably Iran’s nuclear program at the heart of tensions — remain set aside asmediatorstrytokeepbothsidestalking. A regional official involved in mediation efforts said diplomacy was underway and that a pause in U.S. and Iranian strikes was a “positive signal that helps their efforts to de-escalate.”

The official said both countries want to return to the interim ceasefire deal and that a compromise being negotiated centers on having Iran run vessel transit through the Strait of Hormuz with fewer restrictions on ships.

Commercial shipping traffic on the Strait of Hormuz was at a three-week low a maritime body overseen by the U.S. Navy said Sunday, adding that no new attacks had been confirmed in the past 72 hours.

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ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By EBRAHIM NOROOZI

People gather outside the Brandenburg Gate on Sunday for a demonstration in support of the LGBTQ+ community after a car rammed into a crowd at the Pride March in Berlin on Saturday night.

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By LEO CORREA

A Palestinian man prays Sunday inside a mosque that was burned during an attack by Israeli settlers early in the morning in the West Bank village of Qusra.

7,500 constructionjobs,$1.6billionfor Louisianabusinesses.Upto$50,000 for teacherbonuses. Part of apartnership that’sjust gettingstarted.

Tim Food truckowner

Thomasina 2ndgrade teacher

hadjust finished watching the series when her husband suggested the namefor their building —but spelled like fishing bait. The sign on the top of the motel looks like afishing bobber,which is a greatintroduction to how the Bellotts’ sense of humor shines through this revitalization project.

“Our very first plan was nothing like this,” said Tiffany Bellott, walking through roomsthatfeature vintage finds, themed art and plenty of local flavor.“We used to stay in motels and take pictures of ideas, and it was going to be more sleek, you know,with adesk and aTV.

“This just kind of progressed. We would find things and think, ‘That would look good in this room.’”

In other words, no jump scares at this getaway Rooms feature themes like Mardi Gras, gumbo and New Iberia’shistoric Mount Carmel Academy.They are startingtolook for items— like athree-legged taxidermy raccoon —for aDave Robicheaux-themedroom, paying homage to New Iberiaauthor James LeeBurke

“Those doors came from aspeakeasy they were tearing down in St. Martinville,” said Mickey Bellot, pointing out acolorful tableau in the motel’sMardi Gras room.

The Baits Motel building has had several different lives— from amid-century ice cream parlor,toserving the community as aGulotta’s workwear shop in the 1960s and ’70s (Gulotta’sisstill open in New Iberia, at 916 S. Lewis St.) More recently,ithousedaPack NMail business and dental offices.

The Bellotts purchased the building seven years ago and started the work to turn it into amotel.

With several rooms finished, they plan to begin taking reservations by late summer,with more progress to come —like comfortable patios that back down to the bayou, and future plans for acouple of family-sized suites in the unfinished section of the building.

“This is amega-micro resort,” according to Mickey Bellott, whose ideasfor the property include usingalot of old water skis he hasin storage to create afence for an outdoor shower near the bayou.

The building already resembles agallery,ormaybe an artists’ co-op, with rooms made up of art pieces and found materials turnedinto unique fixtures, like an old, pitted Magnalite pot turned into asink basin. They also plan to host art shows and other events at Baits Motel, creating abusiness that continually evolves with the community,instead of ablank-slateroom for the night.

“Wewant to share things that are related to our culture, our resources, our history,our people in the area,” said Mickey Bellott. On top of runningtheir rentals in New Iberia and working on the motel, the couple started a“Better Swamps and Gar-

dens”LLC —another pun to make and sell merchandise out of theart and retail shop in the motel’slobby, which features some local artists like Paul Schexnay-

der and Steve Seneca.

TheBellotts’ grandsons have already positioned themselves as future proprietors of BaitsMotel, known for popping out of thelobby

window during community events to sell popsicles.

Once the motel is up and running, retirement might finally be on the horizon

Tiffany Bellott recently

retired from hernursing career,but plans to do all the housekeeping at the motel, and Mickey Bellott is still working at his business, Royal Security in New Iberia.

Forthis couple,more free time is likely to involve a newproject

“I would love to buy an old school bus andmakeitour ‘Better Swamps and Gardens’tourbus.Use it forthe art co-op,art shows, going camping, going to cook-offs and stuff like that,” said Mickey Bellot, who is also examining how to restore oldshipping containers into usable, unique space behind the motel.

“It’sa lotofwork, butif thenumbers work out, it’ll pay for itself. Hopefully, give us enough to retire.

That’sthe goal —tobuild something for our grandkids.”

Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.

The Mardi Gras bathroom is seen at the Baits Motel

The Mount Carmel room at the Baits Motel was decoratedbyMickey and TiffanyBellott.

The BaitsMotel overlooksthe BayouTeche on July 8.

CARTER

said. “People that are able to work withinthe caucus,but alsorecognize that the caucus makes up one part of the Congress. Our responsibility is to use that force tobuild with otherforces to advance good, sound policy.”

Louisianapower players

Should the Democrats win the majority in the 120th Congress that begins its two-year term in January,Carter’selection as caucus leader would mitigate Louisiana’sloss of influence on Capitol Hill.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, of Benton, and House MajorityLeader Steve Scalise,ofJefferson, now thechamber’s toptwo leaders, will step into new roles should the Republicans lose the majorityin November

In that scenario, which polls suggest is not unlikely, Carter predicts his friend and fraternity brother,Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, DN.Y., will become Housespeaker The two have agood relationship

FUNDING

Continued from page1A

subcommittees with more than 200 members and public hearings acrossthe state, while Texas’ school-finance commission produced a165page report with dozens of recommendations.

Critics have suggested that Louisiana’stask force is designed to give Landry and the Legislature moresway over schoolfunding, even though the state board of education legallycontrols the MFP.They fear the committee will lockinthe funding cut that Landry ordered this year to pay for the teacher stipends, forcing schools to makedowith less money

“I’m praying for the best,” said St. Tammany Parish School Board member Isabelle Moore, but “I do worry.” School fundingdebate

The task force was ostensibly created to secure funding for permanent teacher raises. But it sprang from a much larger debate: Do Louisiana publicschoolsneed more money—ormore fiscal discipline?

The debate is centered on the MFP,the system Louisianaadoptedin1992todistributestate education dollars, which comprise about 40% of school funding (local and federal money makeup the rest). The formula doles out funding to school systems based on how many students they enroll, giving extra money to districts with less localtax revenueand to schools serving students with additional needs, including those with disabilitiesor from low-income families. Public school advocates generally approve of the formula’sbasic design, which distributes dollars basedon local needs and resources. The main problem, they argue, is that the baseline funding amount —$4,015 per student —has increased by less than $600 over the past 20 years.Meanwhile, the cost of goods and services has soared, and schools face mounting demands to provide tutoring, mental health services, careereducation enhanced security and more.

“One word they don’twant to hear is ‘adequacy,’”said Michael Faulk, the former head of the statewide superintendents association, referring to lawmakers.

“What does it actually take to provide everystudent an education that meets all the requirements the state puts on schools?”

But not all state lawmakers, who allocate school funding, areconvinced that schools need more money.

Senate President Cameron Henry, whointroducedthe resolution creating the task force, said advocates who ask for more education funding can’texplain the formula or how schools spend the dollars they receive.

“You’re never going to get more money when no one understandswhere the money that you’re currently getting goes,” he said in an interview last month.

The funding debate came to ahead this spring over the

andare on the same page for most issues, he said Whythe caucus is important With 435 representatives and100 senators, Congress often breaks up into cliqueswho discuss policies,figure outstances andcreate strategies that enhance their influence.

Thelargest Democratic group is the New Democrat Coalition, with 114 members who focus on economic policy and national security.Carter is amemberofthat group too.

The Republican Study Committee, whose189 members researchand develop conservative policies, is thatparty’slargest caucus. Both Scalise and Johnson have chaired the StudyCommittee.

Formed in 1971, the Congressional Black Caucus is one of the more influential voices in Congress, particularly within

questionofteacherpay

Aftervotersrejected

Landry’splan to use education trust funds to finance raises, he pulled$168 million outofschooldistrictbudgets to cover stipends for teachers and support staff. He argued that school districts can stretchthe dollars they getbyreducing “waste and bureaucracy.”

“Wedonot have arevenue problem in this state,” Landrysaid. “Wehave aprioritiesproblem.”

Around the same time, Landryand Henry saidthe MFP task force would figure out howtoinsert teacher raises into the formula so that, after this year,temporary stipends wouldnot be necessary

“There is no way we can’t find apermanent pay raise in those dollars,” Henry said.

‘Tallorder’for task force

The task force faces aformidable to-dolist when it convenes nextmonth

The committeemustconducta“comprehensive” review of the MFP,then propose anew or revised formula that is transparent, sustainable and includes “permanent and predictable” fundingfor educator raises, the establishing resolution says.

The resolution does not address what educators and advocates say is theunderlyingproblem —thatthe statehas notput enough money into K-12 education to keep up with rising needs andcosts.

“I think the formula’s pretty fair,” said David Claxton,executive director of theLouisiana Association of School Superintendents, whoison the task force.

“The issueismoreabout funding it.”

Anothertask force member,Sen. Glen Womack, R-Harrisonburg, saidheis open to considering whether schools need more money after thegroupdigs intothe funding formula.

“I thinkour first step is finding out howwegot

theDemocratic Party

Former President Barack Obama andformer Vice President Kamala Harris were members when they were in Congress. So was civil rightsicon Rep.John Lewis, D-Ga. Becoming caucuschairs has been aboost for the holders of the office.

Cedric Richmond, whowenton to becomeatop aide to President Joe Biden, and Karen Bass, who is mayor of Los Angeles, have been caucus chairs. Challenges ahead

The 62-member Congressional Black Caucus has more members than ever before —but it faces more challenges in an erawhere Republicans control all three branches of government and thus control the levers of power

Thosenumbers likely will changeafter the Nov.3midterm elections.

Some states, including Louisiana, usedthe Supreme Courtdecision in Louisiana v. Callais to redraw and eliminatethe districts that had been configured toelect minoritycandidates.

“We’velost my colleagueand friend, Congressman Cleo Fields,”

here,” said Womack, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee. “Where is the money going now?”

Whenother states revamped their school-funding formulas in recent years, theysimultaneously boosted funding levels. Tennessee adopted anew formula in 2022 thatincreased annual educationfunding by $1 billion. Texasrevamped itsformula in 2019, increasingper-student funding by about 20%and boosting spendingbymore than $6 billion. The changes came after acommission met for about ayear,hearing testimony from more than150 educators, advocates and policy experts.

Barry Erwin is chief policy officer of the research and advocacy group Leaders for aBetterLouisiana.He said he questions how lawmakers who arenot schoolfinanceexperts will be able to rewrite the MFP in less thanfive months

“Honestly,itdoesn’tseem feasible to me,” he said. “Once they start really digging intoit, they’re going to seehow complex it is.”

Even if the group does propose anew formula, the Legislature can’tsimply adopt it. Under the Louisiana Constitution, the state Board of Elementaryand Secondary Education sets the funding formula, which the Legislature can only approve or reject

Kevin Berken, who chairs the board’seducation finance committee, said the board is open to recommendations, adding that there already have been twoindependent studiesofthe MFP this year He said the board will considerthe taskforce’srecommendations, but noted that the group has been givena short timeline to propose a school-funding overhaul.

“It’sapretty tall order,” he said. “I wish them alot of luck.”

Email PatrickWall at patrick.wall@theadvocate. com.

Carter said of the Baton Rouge Democrat, who announced Tuesday he would not seek reelection in aseat thatwas redrawn in May to ensure that five of Louisiana’s sixrepresentatives would be WhiteRepublicans.

“That repeats itself in Texas andAlabama, perhaps, andother places,sowewilllosesome (seats). But in other places, we’ll pick up,certainly offsetsomeof thelosses,” Cartersaid.“So,this notion that theCongressional Black Caucus will be weakened is not true.We’ve demonstrated that even with small numbers, we have good voices.”

Carter said the caucus will continue fighting forvoting rights and challengingthe SupremeCourt, which“seemstohavelosttheir way.Weneed to reform measures so we canget the guardrails of our checks and balances healthy again.”

The Black Caucus, like the rest of theDemocratic Party,also is struggling withhow to incorporatefar-left wing members who seek more radical solutions and more aggressive confrontations with the Trump administration. Carter says thattheme hasbeen

overblown by the media.

“Newmemberscoming in who have very bold ideas are not going to be silenced. We’re not goingtojust throw them to theside because they have bold ideas,” Cartersaid. “Part of leadership is harnessing those ideas, harnessing that energy,and morphing it into aposition that we can all work on to advance what’sbest forthe American people. The role that I intend to play as leader of thecaucus is to not allow outside voices to try to pit oneagainst the other.” Carter began his political career in the 1980s as an aide to New OrleansMayor SidneyBarthelemy He represented Algiers in the Louisiana House starting in 1991, then the New Orleans City Councilin1994.

In 2015, Carter was elected to the state Senate and wonelection to Congress in 2021when Richmond resigned to work in the White House

He serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which oversees oil andgas explorationand production policies.

Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate.com.

CoolKidsInc.expandsits reach,empoweringyouth inNortheastLouisianato pursuebrighterfutures

By Stevie Cavalier Licciardi stevie.licciardi@theadvocate.com

This storyisbrought to youbyMeta.

Cool Kids,Inc.isanearly development& mentoringprogram based in Northeast Louisianathatprovides communitysupport to school-agechildren and their families.Fromwarming sheltersand freshmeals to enrichment learningexperiences,Cool Kids,Inc strives to help kids unlock their full potential within their communities Kelsey Higdon, Digital Sales Manager forNola.com and The Advocate visited with Deanna Hubbard, owner of Cool Kids, Inc., to getthe inside scoop on howthe recentMetainvestmenthas been impacting thislocal community program.

Canyoutellusthestoryofhowthis organizationstarted,andwhat yourcoremissionis?

This organization wasstarted by my son, Jordan Hubbard,who wasatone timevery undisciplined. To makea long story short, Itold him thatifhecould find afew other young men who needed the same support he wasthen Iwould start an organization to help them. He wasable to findaboutten young men, and so it grew from tenyoung men to fifty, and then from fifty all theway to whatwehavenow.Itchanged hiswhole lifewhen the program started. Jordan was able to go to MorehouseCollegeinAtlanta. He is the CEO of Cool Kids,Inc. andwas recently electedasalderman forthe Town of Rayville.

HowistheMetainvestment changingthe‘day-to-day’ forfamilieswalkingthrough yourdoors?

Duringa recentstorm,the powerwas out andpeople were displaced.Kidsweren’t eating because everything wasclosed— stores,restaurants,and schools.Jordan Hubbardcalled HenryThornton, Community Development Regional Manager forMeta,and said,“Ourkids need to eat. Within twodays, we were able to feed 1,600 kids with themeals Meta provided We alsopetitionedMeta foradditional funding to help with our building’s repairs and the meals we provide for250 kids throughout three parishes each week. Our Cool Kids,Grab&GoProgram provides

breakfast and lunch 5daysaweek throughout the summer whenchildren areout of school.Meta said they would help,and they did everything theysaid theyweregoing to do.Wehaveabrand-newcomputer room in the back of our building, thanks to Meta.Itwas unusable, but nowit’susable. We arealsogetting ready to repair the outside of the building, as well, and we will have abeautiful building to operate in becauseofthe impact thatMetahas had on thiscommunity. Metabelieves“Thefutureis foreveryone.”Whatdoesthat phrasemeanforthekidsyou areabletohelp?

That statement goes hand-in-handwith ourmotto,which is,“Youare nota product of your environment,yourenvironment is aproduct of you.”Welooktoinstill in our kidsthe idea thatyou canbewhoever you have decidedyou want to be.Thatmeans youcan be adoctor,lawyer, nurse, or whatever youclaim foryourself. That’s amajor part of ourprogram.Whena kidcomes to ourdoorwelooktomakesurethatthey have what theyneed educationally,spiritually,and emotionally.Webelieve that every child hasachancetoexcel,and with Meta comingin, notonlydotheyhavea chance to excelinthe present, buttheyhavea chance to have ajob fora long time in thefuture. Follow @coolkidsinc1 on Instagramfor regular programupdates

Formoreinformation on the Meta project in Richland Parish, see meta.com/ BuildingLouisiana.

Gov. Jeff Landryspeaks during anews conference about teacher payraises at the State Capitol on May 26.

STAFFFILE

PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Johnson

Scalise

BY JENNIFERMcDERMOTT

Associated Press

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is proposing to eliminateafoundational safety principlethat has for 50 years minimized the radiation people in the United States are exposed to and that has been adopted around the world.

Currently,facilities suchasnuclear plants, hospitals or academic institutions that use radioactive materials must ensure radiation exposures are kept “as low as reasonably achievable” —the ALARA principle. The NRC proposal would abandon that philosophy while keeping aseparate standard on maximum radiation exposure. The two standards have worked together in radiation safety. Dose limits set the maximum amount of radiation the public and radiation workers can be exposed to, while ALARA kept radiation exposureas

low as practical under those limits.

Researchshows radiation exposure increases aperson’schanceofgettingcancer,a risk that increases as thedoseincreases.

Thedose limitsare not changing.

Butthe NRC, which regulates civiliannuclearenergy technologies and radioactive materials, now wantsto replace ALARA witha “graded approach” that includesseveral actionsfacilitiesmust take depending on the potential dose of radiation to workers. More rigorous radiation protectionmeasureswould be required when approaching dose limits to ensure theyaren’texceeded.

This comes as President Donald Trumpattempts to quadrupledomestic nuclearenergy production because of surging electricity demand amid adatacenter andartificial intelligence boom.Reforming theNRC is oneway Trumpistrying to speed up nuclear reactor development.Heinstructed the federal

BY MARK CARLSON, EMMA DA SILVA and JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press

LEGE-CAP FERRET,France A ragingwildfire in southwest France forced the evacuation of 55,000 peopleovernight Sunday,bringing the total forced out of their homes to astaggering 220,000 in one region alone,asflames crept ever closer to the wine region city of Bordeaux. Neighboring Spain oversaw its own fire evacuations on the country’s east coast.

Shifting and gusting winds, as well as arid conditions, complicated massive efforts to limit the spread of the monster blaze burning out of control since midweek in France’s Gironderegion, where Bordeaux is located. Authorities issued overnight evacuation orders for five more localities southwestof the historic city

“The situation remains very unfavorable,” French Interior Minister Laurent

Nunez said after whathedescribed as “anotherdifficult night” for fire crews battling round-the-clock against the blaze that has burned an area four timesthe size of Paris. “The firebecameextremely virulent again and unpredictable, generating its own windsand advancing erratically towardthe Bordeaux metropolitan area,”Nunez posted on X.

“It became calmer by the

Regulators seek to eliminateradiation safety practice

agency in an executiveorder last year to“adoptscience-based radiationlimits.”

The Energy Department, which oversees national energy policies, has already stopped using ALARA.

The NRC expects to finalize its radiation protection regulations in the coming months.

NRCChairman Ho Nieh said the commission is not lowering thebar on safety.

“We’re just removing the ambiguity,” he said in acall withreporters. “But thestandard forexposureto workers andthe public, those are not changing. We’re just putting in place greater clarification.”

Nieh doesn’texpect major changes within the nation’sexisting fleet of large, traditional reactors. But companies designing andbuilding new,smaller reactors could move faster withaclearer picture of the radiationprotection requirements, he said.

end of thenight,” theministeradded.

At theend of his Sunday Angelus prayer,Pope LeoXIV referenced “the devastating wildfires” in France and Spain and said: “I express my solidarity andinvite everyone to pray for those affected and for the work of the rescue workers.”

An estimated 162 square mileshad burned in Gironde, theregion’sprefecturesaid,

The NRC said radiation exposure limits are setwellbelow levels associated with health effects, and it expects remaining standards and industry practices to keep radiation doses far below the limits. There’s incentive to do so —it’smoreexpensive and time-consumingtowork in areas withhigher radiation because access mustberestricted and more surveys are required

The nuclear industry’stradeassociation agrees withthe NRC.

“Wewill always continue to look at what can we do to reducethe dose to workers, and maintain our doses to the off-site public as low as possible,” saidDougTrue,chiefnuclear officer at theNuclear Energy Institute.“It’s not like we’re just going to throwopen thedoors andlet everything run up to thelimits.”

ALARA created a“moving target” for regulation, said Justin Friedman,anuclear energyconsultant who previouslyspent three decades

at the U.S. Department of State. Getting ridofthe rule would allowNRC scientists to make morerational decisionsaboutappropriatelevelsof manageable risk,headded. Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear powersafetyatthe UnionofConcerned Scientists, cautions that some parts of the NRC proposal could raise permissible radiation doses in certain cases, while still stayingbelow the cap.Lyman highlighteda proposed revision to radionuclide emissions standards, in particular Radiation exposure to thegeneral public is limited to 100 millirem per year.Atypical dose of radiation from achest X-ray is 10 millirem. TheNRC wantstoincreaseits radionuclide emissions standards from aconservative 10 milliremper year dose to 25 milliremper year, based on ahypothetical person living in ahouse at the property line foranuclear plant.

much of it forests andscrublandmade tinder-dry by successive heat waves. That is seven timesthe area of Manhattan islandand four timesthe size of Paris.

Firefighters raced in trucks to fight flare-ups and planes dropping water andretardantsrotated in the smokefilled air.Farmers delivered water in tanks to fire crews so they could fight the flames without interruption.

“This allows firefightersto focus on thefire,” saidTheo Hernandez, awine grower “It’svery strong, very virulent, it’sspreading everywhere.

Thenumberoffirefighters mobilizedgrew to 2,500, backed by 18 planes and helicopters, including from other European nations. Soldiers havealsobeen calledin. A giant A400M military cargo aircraft dropped plumes of ochre-colored retardant In afirst for France, the blazealarmingly developed into aself-feeding firestorm on severaloccasions, most

recently on Saturday night, generating lightning bolts thatcan start newflare-ups, authorities said.

“It’slike being confronted by ahurricane,” saidGironde firechiefMarc Vermeulen. Forecast hightemperatures starting Tuesday could complicate the firefighting, Gironde prefect SophieBrocas said.

In Spain, wildfires burned outofcontrol around Madrid.

Evacuations were also carried out Sunday in the Valencia region. Aman waskilled Saturday in awildfire in Manises,aValenciasuburb, marking Spain’sfirst recorded death in thelatest fires.

“Westill have some difficult hours ahead,” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez saidSunday, but the night was “very positive in termsofbringing the flames under control.”

Atotal of 76,000 people have been evacuated in Spain while 30,000 others have been confinedtotheir homes, the governmentsaid. Evacuees fretted about

what they’ll find when they’re allowedtoreturn RocíoDomínguezfled her house with only the clothes on her back. “All the clothes, allthe memories, everything, everything, everything,” were left behind, she toldThe Associated Press.

“The only thing Ihad time to grab was akit Ihave for the dogs,”Domínguezadded, surrounded by her two beloved pets. Everything else she haswithher now—from the clothes shewears to her food andtoiletries —she received at theshelter At the evacuation center where cots have been set up for about 200 people, Domínguez still has the terrifying memory of theirescapefresh in hermind “Itwas madness with cars going up and down, traffic jams in thevillage streets as people triedtoget out. It looked like the apocalypse,” told Domínguez, 35 years old andunemployed, whoiswith her parents and siblings. “You couldn’t see anything.”

Opelousas native wins gold at X Games

Wyatt Fontenot takes Best Whip in motocross

BY KRISTIN ASKELSON Staff writer

Opelousas native Wyatt Fontenot

captured his first X Games gold medal Friday, winning the Best Whip competition at X Games New Orleans. The victory came in Fontenot’s fifth X Games appearance and followed a bronze-medal finish earlier this year at X Games Sac-

‘World Cup of cuisine’ crowns winners

Team USA wins big, N.O. culinary scene shines

BY IAN MCNULTY Staff writer

Before the gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded at the threetiered podium, and before the competitors in their gleaming white chef coats and tall toques took the stage holding their national flags among a crowd of cheering supporters, New Orleans chefs were already jubilant.

They’d been watching all weekend as teams of top chefs representing countries across North and South America contended for peak culinary awards, while also rubbing elbows with visiting celebrity chefs, some regarded as rock stars by those who value tasting menus over concert tickets.

All of this culinary firepower was in New Orleans for twin global contests, Bocuse d’Or and Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie (aka the Pastry World Cup). Teams were competing to make it to their respective finals, to be held in Lyon, France, in January, an event regarded as the World Cup of cuisine

These local competitions were qualifying rounds, and New Orleans chefs and restaurateurs attending to watch and help produce the events called them a win for the city’s own culinary identity

“It brings such great energy, with all these chefs and food enthusiasts here,” said Alon Shaya, chef and co-owner of Saba and Safta’s Table restaurants.

“New Orleans is such a great place for people who love food and hospitality to visit, and for a lot of them this was their first time experiencing that.

I think it just multiplies the possibilities for New Orleans,” he said After the weekend’s performance, USA teams swept both categories and will advance to the finals Pastry Team USA won the gold medal in the Americas round on Saturday and Bocuse d’Or Team USA won gold on Sunday

Each team is composed of chefs from around the country, who take leave from high-profile restaurant positions to represent their country While still not as well known in the U.S., Bocuse d’Or and Pastry World Cup are followed obsessively by chefs and culinary aficionados around the world.

New Orleans first hosted a qualifying round for each in 2024, marking the first time they were held in any North American location Event organizers said it was a move to increase its visibility in new markets.

It’s also an opportunity the local tourism marketing and sales agency New Orleans & Co. campaigned heavily to get. Alice Glenn, the tourism group’s executive vice president, said hosting the competitions is part of a larger strategy to elevate the city’s profile as a global travel destination and a culinary center of excellence.

“There’s no better way to do that than bringing the best chefs in

ramento. In Best Whip, freestyle motocross riders are judged on style and control as they throw their motorcycles sideways — and sometimes nearly upside down — before bringing them back under control for a clean landing.

Fontenot, 24, has become one of the sport’s rising stars since moving to Temecula, California, in 2022 to train and compete professionally Though he now lives on the

West Coast, he returns to Louisiana whenever he can.

Unlike traditional motocross where the fastest rider wins, freestyle motocross rewards originality, style and execution.

While each run lasts only a few seconds, Fontenot said it takes years of practice to reach that level.

“I’ve been working on a few things for this weekend,” he said

before the competition. “So, I mean, it’s game time.”

Fontenot’s love for dirt bikes began at an early age. Growing up in Opelousas, he was surrounded by rodeos thanks to his father who worked as a horse trainer and horseshoer But it was watching his cousin and neighbors ride dirt bikes that sparked his passion.

“Once I got my first opportunity on a dirt bike around 10 years old, that was it,” he said.

Initially Fontenot competed in traditional motocross racing, even-

tually reaching the professional level before discovering freestyle motocross, where creativity and style are just as important as athletic ability

“I mean, every rider has a different style of doing things, and we’re all kind of unique in our own way,” he said. “For me, I’m known for having the Cajun vibe.”

After New Orleans, Fontenot plans to continue competing, including returning to South Africa

MONCUS MUSIC

ABOVE: From left, Randy Leferink, Craig Guillory, Henry Hample, Kevin Huval, Don Fontenot and Phil Duplechin perform tunes during the Cajun music jam on Saturday at Moncus Park

RIGHT: Lester Gauthier sings and plays his washtub bass during the Cajun music jam.

BELOW: Standard poodles Bear, left, and Cotton listen to the music.

Two arrested in fatal scooter hit-and-run

16-year-old was killed July 17 in Lake Charles

BY COURTNEY PEDERSEN Staff writer

The Lake Charles Police Department has made two arrests following a fatal hit-and-run involving a teenager on an electric scooter Around 12:23 a.m. July 17, officers responded to Red Davis McCollister Road, west of South Park Road, for a crash involving an electric scooter, according to a release from the department.

When they arrived, officers learned that a 16-year-old boy riding a scooter was struck by a vehicle, and the driver left before police arrived. The 16-yearold was pronounced dead at the scene On July 20, the department arrested 33-year-old Garrin N Solari, of Lake Charles, in the fatal crash.

“During the investigation, officers located Solari’s vehicle at his residence and seized it as evidence,” the release states. “Investigators also determined that Solari allegedly attempted to conceal and destroy evidence related to the crash.” Solari was booked into the

Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center on counts of felony hitand-run and obstruction of justice, with bail set to $465,000, according to the release.

Detectives with the Police Department received additional evidence on Wednesday, which added another count. He was served with the arrest warrant with one count of vehicular homicide at the correctional center as well as an additional bail of $250,000. During the investigation, the department determined that 32-year-old Shane Alan Griffiths was a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the crash, and evidence revealed that Griffiths

assisted Solari following the crash, according to a Thursday news release.

Griffiths was arrested on Thursday and taken to the Calcasieu Correctional Center, where he was booked on a felony count of accessory after the fact with a $100,000 bail.

“The investigation remains active and ongoing,” the release states “Anyone with additional information regarding this case is asked to contact the Lake Charles Police Department Traffic Division at (337) 491-1456, ext. 5429, or submit an

PHOTOS By ROBIN MAy

ä See NATIVE, page 4B

Racism isn’tdestiny in important U.S. Senate race

Nothing less than the future of Louisiana is at stake in the U.S. Senate race. That’swhy it can’t be calledoff before it even beginsbyracism about the choices in the November election. The campaign must be about the quality of life for every familyinLouisiana: healthcare in rural areas and metro areas, the ability of families to be financially secure and earn alivable wage, the protectionofaccess to reproductive healthcare and protections for all citizens. But some people want totell you the election is over now, before asingle general election ballot is cast.

When Shawn Wilson was running for governor in 2024, I was so aggravated by the White Democratsand no-party folks parroting the line that aBlack man could not be elected. What thatrace proved is that ahighly qualified Black man can’twin if we don’tvote for him.And the state is poorer today for the election of Jeff Landry over Wilson.

Ihope my White friends understand what is at stake this year.Weneed to highlight why the Democratic Senate nominee Jamie Davis is agenerational leader, who understands rural Louisiana,abusinessman who farms 3,200acres and understands the critical impact of federalpolicies on Louisiana farmers and working families. Davis understands the balance between business and protecting our natural resources, environment and communities. We need White people of character and conscience to understand this opportunityto bridge the fault linesofrace, class, region and political party They can help elect aman who embodies the best of Louisiana. Jamie Davis can win if we vote like our future depends on it. It is timefor Louisiana to move past the racism that has polluted our politics for generations.

MELISSA S. FLOURNOY Baton Rouge

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR

AREWELCOME.HEREARE

Thebreakthroughcancer drugsoftomorrowdepend on ourinvestment today

Fordecades, pancreatic cancer has remained one of themost difficult cancers to treat. Most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage,when surgery is no longer an option,and for those whose cancer has worsened despite chemotherapy,treatment options have been extremely limited. That is why therecent dataondaraxonrasib presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meetingearlier this summer is so important. In apivotal Phase 3study of patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer,daraxonrasib nearly doubled survival compared with chemotherapy

Aonce-daily oral tablet, it is also thefirst chemotherapy-free treatment to show benefit in aPhase3trial for patientswith advanced pancreatic cancer

This progressdid not happen overnight. It is the result of decades of scientific research into KRAS, aprotein that is mutated in most pancreatic cancers

Foryears, KRAS was considered “undruggable.” Continued investment in science and persistence from researchershave begun to

change that narrative.

Abreakthrough like this is not just aheadline. It can mean moretime, something my patientsand their families hopefor every day

Daraxonrasib is not yet FDA-approved, but it is available through the FDA’s Expanded AccessProgram in partnership with the manufacturer for certain patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer

Researchers are also studying it in earlier stages of pancreatic cancer,inpatients with untreated stage IV disease andincombination with other novel therapies.

That is how progress builds: One discovery opens the door to thenext.

As policymakers debatehealthcare reform and scientific research funding, they should remember that thediscoveries that will save lives tomorrow depend on the investments we make today

Patients need care tobeaffordable and accessible, but they also need asystem that continues to support scientific innovation.

JONATHAN MIZRAHI,M.D Ochsner Medical Center Jefferson

N.O. will paya highprice for antagonizing

thegovernor

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno recently retracted a$110 millionbond sale request before the State Bond Commission, saying she expected it to be rejected as retribution for the indictment of the attorney general.

Gee,who could ever imagine this would be the inevitable outcome of the city attacking the attorney general?

Dane Ciolino, law professor at Loyola University,opined during a recent interview that the indictment of the attorney general for cautioning city officials that they were breaking state law and could pay a price they did not want to pay was going to be anonstarter

The fact that all 12 Criminal District Court judges recused themselves because they were smart enough to realize that they did not want any part of this fiasco should be evidence that city officials got way over their skis.

Let’sberealists. Grand jury members didn’tget together and decide to indict Liz Murrill. Someone put that motion before them.

That was adumb move, and the city is going to pay abig price for a long time.

Ihope that Moreno doesn’tcontinue to antagonize the governor and his staff. The real losers will be the citizens of New Orleans.

RICK ELLIS

Size,placement of photos tell theirown

storyafter election

Irecently read an article in a national newspaper highlighting 16 things America got right. The one that caught my eye was titled, “Our Aspiration to Fairness.”

Soon afterward, Iread my regional paper.The headlined story showed alarge photo of the Republican Senate primary winner, the written commentary,asmaller photo of the Republican runner-up and below that aphoto of the Democratic primary winner

Most of the article detailed the Republican winner’sstory and her connection to the president, with abrief mention of the Democratic winner’sname.

As someone who has spent years workingwith Louisiana communities living near petrochemical facilities, Iamtroubled by a familiar pattern.

dustrial pollution exposure, including learningdisabilities and anemia among children, reproductive healthcomplications among women and other adverse health outcomes.

Ithen looked on my social media page and noticed alocal newsstation’spost with the winners in sideby-side photos. The photo of one winner featured her professionally dressed, while the photo of the other winner depicted him in his working gear —farming attire.

OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name and the writer’scity of residence.The Advocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@theadvocate.com. TO SENd US ALETTER SCAN HERE

Followingrecent industrial incidents—includingthe May refinery explosion and fire in Chalmette and the April refinery fire in St.CharlesParish —residents were quickly reassured that there was no threat to public health.

Yetmanyfamilies living closest to these facilities continue to ask an important question: How do we know?

Fordecades, residents of Louisiana’sindustrialcorridor have reported concerns aboutcancer,respiratory illness, reproductive health problems, childhood learning disabilities and other chronic health conditions affectingmultiple generations. Toooften, these concerns have been dismissed or minimized.

Therecently released CoDA Environmental Health Study provides new evidence that these concerns deserve serious attention.

UsingLouisiana Medicaid data and government environmental data, researchers found elevated risks for several health conditions amongpeople living in areas with higher in-

Importantly,these findings echoed stories shared by residentsthemselves during focus groups held throughout thestate. Louisiana’scommunities are not asking for alarmism. We are asking for transparency, accountability,honest answers and the basic right to breathe clean air and drink clean water

This is not unreasonable. When industrial accidents occur,residents deservemore than reassurance without clarity.Wedeserve to know therisk when disastrouschemical fires, spills and other industrial disasters happen in our communities.

We deserve robust environmental monitoring,clear public communication and a commitment to understanding the long-term healthimpacts of living near industrial facilities.

The people who live beside these plants every day deserve to be heard.Residents of Louisianadeserve better!

KANITRACASTON NewOrleans

While Idobelieve that what someone wears could be thought of as aminor indicator of ability in someminds and also that someone wearing casual or working attire could be thought of as amore relatable candidate, aphoto depicting a candidate in business attire almost surely presents that person as capable of doing abetter job.

It is incumbent upon reporting entities to makemore of an effort to present fairly.Thinking about the sheer level of effort, energy and finance it surely takes to run foroffice, it is my hope that in the future, especially as the November election approaches, the media reporting stories live up to their claims of fair and nonpartisan reporting, including the headline, body and photos.

DEDRA

MAJOR Chalmette

NewOrleans

PROVIdEd PHOTO

PresidentDonald Trump arrivesto speak at Wheeler High School on July 22 in Marietta, Ga. ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

Is Trumplosinghis touch?

For over adecade, Donald Trump has demonstrated ashrewd —even brilliant —grasp of what motivates his followers. That’swhy he’s won two elections and only barelylost athird. But Trump has always been more effective as achallengerthanasan incumbent —the one election he lost wasasa sitting president— and 18 months into his secondterm, the president seems to be losing his political touch. Aglaringgap keeps growing between what he’sfocused on and what voterscare about, and his recent tone-deaf speech about voter fraud highlights that damaging disconnect.

support his economic policies and 27% back thewar effort. Two-thirds describe groceries as “unaffordable,”up from 45% in February, and many Republicans areincreasingly frustrated with thepresident’srelentless rants.

important’ to votein2026 than in previous midterm elections, compared with just over half of Republicans.”

“Tome, it’sjust amissed opportunity to talk aboutanissue that voters are actually going to cast votes on,” Michigan Republican strategist Jason Cabel Roe told The Hill. “Wecontinue to have to revert back to him airing his grievances,and, you know,Republicans areexpected tojust stand and salute to it.”

America is at war,awar Trump chose to fight after promising to avoid foreign conflicts, and the costs are mounting rapidly.Atleast17U.S. soldiers are dead and about 500 injured.

The White House has requested an emergency aid package of $67 billion to fund the war,and the Washington Post reports: “The Pentagon faces an urgent budget shortfallcaused largely by the war in Iran, with some critical lines of funding set to runout within weeks…” For civilians, the average priceof gas is now back to over $4 agallon, and according to Brown University’s Iran WarEnergy Cost Tracker, Americans have shoulderedmore than $72 billion in increased fuel bills since the war began in February.That works outto more than $550 per household,and consumer resentmentisrising.

In arecent WashingtonPost poll, Trump’soverall approval rating remains stuck at 37%, but only 33%

“When moms and dads lie down to sleep at night and can’t, what are they mostly worried about? Iwould say cost of living. That’s what Ibelieve,” said Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana. “But he’sthe president andhewas elected by thepeople and he can talk about whatever he wants.”

Other GOP lawmakers say Trumpis ignoring abasic truth: that American politics is always about thefuture, notthe past.“It’slike it’sa really good show,” said Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina. “But you’ve watched the reruns too manytimes.”

As aresult, reports thePost, there “are signsthat Trump’sbase is weakening.” Only 15%ofTrumpbackers “approve strongly” of the president, a newlow,down from 19% in February. And thereisa growing enthusiasm gap between potential Democratic and Republican voters.

“Democrats are 10 points more likely to be certaintovote this year than Republicans,”writes the Post. “And more than 7in 10 Democrats say it is ‘more

To somestrategists, this fading zeal explains Trump’sspeech on voter fraud. He pulled out all the favorite catchphrases that have always motivated his base —plot, fraud, cheat, even Deep State —inanattemptto generatepressureonCongress to pass theSAVEAct, abill that would rig the fall election for Republicans by disenfranchising as many as 21 million valid voters. Andifthe bill fails, as is likely, he acquires one more grievance to motivatehis supporters.

Buthis ploy could also ignite “a political backfire for the GOP,” warns The Wall Street Journal. “If Republican voters believe” theelection system is corrupt, then “why waste time going to thepolls in November?”

Rep.Thomas Massie of Kentucky, wholost aprimary to aTrump-backed challenger,argues that since Republicans control the White House and bothhouses of Congress —plus the SupremeCourt —playing the victim won’twork.

“And we’re trying to convince people that the problem is we can’twin electionsorthe elections weren’tfair?” Massie told The Hill. “It may energize asmall amount of the base, but it’s going to fall flat among the swing voters.”

Do those swing voters care more about election fraud in Venezuela or gas and grocery prices in Visalia or Vincennes or Vicksburg? The answer is obvious,but not to Trump.

Email StevenRoberts at stevecokie@ gmail.com.

When theguardrailsare destroyed

People of acertain age were taught to respect the police, obeythe lawand other rules and regulations mostly practiced by our parents and grandparents. They believed such things would lead to better lives for themselves and for the nation. For many, they did. Today we look at the lawlessness,the antisemitism, thehate speechdirected at the president, teen takeovers, attacks on police officers and others and we mightask: Why is this happening?

could lay out why economic incentives, rather than government diktats, are more effective at allocating resources. But theGOP led by President Donald Trumphas spent more time name-calling than making apositive case for the American system.”

The answer can be foundonthe side of the road. To use ametaphor,the guardrails have been removed. Guardrails are crash-tested barriers designed to keep vehicles from running off the road. Moral, ethical anddeportment “guardrails” have functioned to keep us from “running off theroad.” Politicians, including PresidentDonald Trump and Democrats in Congress, throw rhetorical barbs at each other, sometimes using vulgar language What kind of lesson does this teach young people?

AWashington Post editorial titled “Name-calling won’twin election”puts it this way: “Republicans could explain why putting bureaucrats in charge of the economy has ended disastrously everywhere it has happened. They

Calling people names doesn’t changetheir minds. It hardens their hearts.Republicans should focus on why they think —and prove —theirideas are better than what the Democratic Socialists are selling. Alittle bit of history might help, especiallywhen theyounger generation may have missed learning aboutmuch of the 20th century which saw communismand socialism kill millions of people, the imprisonment of millions more,suppression of speech andreligion and astate-controlled press. If guardrails are destroyed, where doesone turn for protection of what we in America know as basic human rights? No guardrails, no freedom and anythinggoes, depending on who has thepower.Asthe verse says: “If the foundations be destroyed, what can therighteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). Assuming, that is, anyone can be called “righteous.”

The World Cup, watched by hundreds ofmillions around theworld,

has boundaries on the field. So do other sports. There are speed limits and limitations on other behavior to protect our safety,allow for the pursuit of happiness or at least contentment, and contribute to the general welfare. If there were no boundaries in sports how could anyone keep score? If there are no moral boundaries in life, anarchy results. Replacingthese guardrails cannot be done by government alone, or even mainly.Itrequires achange of heart for individuals, which can then lead to achange in direction for thecountry

I’ve quoted it before, but thecondition in which we find ourselves deserves repeating it:“In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25)

Guardrails are coming down faster than Trump’sname on The Kennedy Center in Washington. Truthhas become subjective. Everyone does what seemstohim or herself to be right —without being able to define right or wrong using auniversal standard. Notice the number of politicians who refuse to define “woman.”

As in ancient times,weare seeing the resultsofwhat we are dismantling. Email Cal Thomasattcaeditors@ tribpub.com

Former South Carolina congressman Joe Cunningham talks —and writes —like someone whohas nothing to lose. Or,heisone brave man,willing to tell the unvarnished truth to his fellow Democrats. At 44, Cunningham isn’tnearly finished with what he started out to do when he wasfirst elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 after running on apromise to vote against Nancy Pelosi as House speaker.Hequickly transformed into anational political star after becoming the first Democrat to winthe state’s1st Congressional District in four decades. His career wascut short just twoyears later when Republican Nancy Mace ousted him in aclose election. A run forSouth Carolina governor in 2022 against the seemingly invincible Gov.Henry McMaster,aRepublican, also proved quixotic. Somemight say that aDemocrat such as Cunningham isn’telectable in MAGA-red South Carolina, where President Donald Trumpisstill the endorser-in-chief.Cunningham admits that campaigning was often tough. In Trumpstrongholds such as Goose Creek (near Charleston) or even Hilton Head, people don’twant to hear aword from Democrats, he told me in an hourlong conversation. At least Cunningham was hearing people out as he tackled atour of the state’s46counties before the governor’srace. He heard what voters cared about —not the Democratic Party’sgreen energy tax breaks, but grocery prices, affordable housing, education and health care. The mayor of one small towntold Cunningham that residents just wanted agrocery store.

These days, Cunningham is less frustrated by his defeats than by the sorry state of the Democratic Party —the hypocrisy,disingenuousness and disconnect from what Americans generally care about. He detailed his observations in arecently self-published book, “Lifeofthe Party,” an easy-to-read autopsy of his beloved party’s departure from reality “The Party’sgaze has drifted beyond the basic needs …and has settled on aculture war that includes gender identity,racial quotas, DEI, and bathrooms,” he wrote. “Ithas cost them swaths of voters whomay never come back.”

He points out that atiny percentage of people are transgender and asks what percentage of those want to play sports. Victory fora minuscule slice of the population may fill the virtue cup, but it’snot awin forthe country.Diversity he wrote, should be the nation’sbarometer,not its guiding star Cunningham’s book offers insights, as well as statistics and stories from his Kentucky upbringing, into his heroes and simpler times when humility,honesty and accountability were social norms. The world has changed so rapidly in the past twodecades that mostAmericans struggle not only to makeends meet but also to makesense of things. Most baffling (and frightening) are advances in artificial intelligence and the predatory practices of Big Tech. Afather of two with ababy due any day Cunningham said the Democratic Party should shiftfocus from tangential issues to, among other things, the challenges all parents face in protecting their children.

Those mostconfused are sometimes elderly elected officials —the people Cunningham calls the “geriatric oligarchy.” He argues that the country needs younger representation from generations that understand the complexities of technology.Inhis book, he recounts an anecdote from 2018 when Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg testified at aU.S. Senate committee hearing about data abuse and social media privacy.Then 84-year-old Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, R-Utah, asked, “How do you sustain a business model in which users don’tpay for your service?” Zuckerberg responded, “Senator,werun ads.” In 2006, during adebate about net neutrality, Sen. TedStevens, R-Alaska, then 82, shared his expertise, explaining that “the internet is not something that you just dumpsomething on. It’s not abig truck. It’s aseries of tubes.” Cunningham proposes age limits forelected officials and the judiciary.“It’s hard to take the keys away from your parents,” he told me, but age matters.

He argues that his party,more than Republicans, needs new ideas. “You have to make things simple, and Trumpdoes makethings simple,” he told me. “Notax on tips wasone. We can’tbetter dissect our healthcare system and come up with somenew ideas?

Cunningham said he hopes his book will contribute to amore honest self-appraisal by his former colleagues and areturn to big ideas. One might also hope it will lead him to run again forpublic service. Athird party might be just the ticket.

Kathleen Parker is on X, @kathleenparker

Kathleen Parker

Steve Roberts

Cal Thomas

Tulane waterrunoffproject helpscity

BY MIKE SMITH Staff writer

On the surface, it is an inviting expanse of bright green grass stretching out across the heart of Tulane’suptown campus. But much like the classic literature read by the university’sstudents, adeeper meaning lurks underneath.

Anew project unifying green spaceatTulaneisalso designed to help withone of the city’smostpressing problems: managing stormwater.Todothat, the project includes what might be called adungeon for runoff

Justbelow the grassysurface, chambershave been built capable of holding 440,000 gallons of water— about two-thirds of an Olympic-sized swimming pool. That water is then slowly released into the city’s drainage system, easing pressure during heavy rainfall.

The project is part of a larger plan being put in place across Tulane’scampuses— including its downtown expansion —tomanage stormwater more effectively.City policies require it, though Tulane officials say they want to go above and beyond. It has divided itscampus into “watersheds,”and has builtprojects that blend seamlessly into campus life.

“There are all kinds of techniques, and Tulane has really been creative in using them all where they’re appropriate,” Emily Bullock, alandscape architect with SMM who consults for Tulane, said during arecent tour of the campus. Projects range from permeable parking lots tonative plant gardens and architecture that subtly helps preserve majestic live oaks. Stormwater systems similar to the chambers under the new “Unified Green” project have been built beneath its sports fields.

The recent walk across campus demonstrated thearray of projects hidden in plain sight. The blades of Louisiana irisesextend from native gardens absorbing rain, while the curved glass wall of the uni-

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the world here,” she said. “They’re meeting people, seeing young chefs on the rise, seeing the dining scene as it is today.This is how catalytic things happen.”

Local chefs attending the competitions agreed. Some called the events another reflection of the city’sgrowing reputation as acreative hub of rising talent, along with other milestones like New Orleans’ debut in the Michelin Guide last fall and hosting the North America’s50Best Restaurants ceremony last spring.

“I thinkit’sshowing that New Orleans is notjusta legacy food city butaplace where people are reinventing it,” said Kaitlin Guerin, pastry chef and owner of Lagniappe Bakehouse in Central City.“It shows we’re on the map for what we are now,not just for the past.”

Theeventswereheldin conjunction with Louisiana Restaurant Association’sannual trade show,and turned one part of the convention center into an arena-style competition kitchen. Fans and familymembers who had traveled with the teams and

versity’sbusiness school is designed to leavespace for oak trees’ rootstosoak up stormwater.

“These projects demonstrate that stormwater management is not solely the responsibilityofpublic agencies —itisa shared effort, and institutions and developersall haveanimportantrole to play in building amore resilient New Orleans,” MeaganWilliams, thecity’schief sustainability officer,said in a preparedstatement.

“Theproject’sincorporation of stormwater detention alongside improvements to public space is agreat example of how thoughtful site design can reallydelivermultiple community benefits.”

‘Secretweapon’

Floodingproblems in the formerswamp nowcalled NewOrleans are no secret, and climate change is projected to intensifyrainfall in theyearsahead.That has led to achorus of voices warning that thedrainage system will notbeable to cope on its own.

The latest version of the city’sstormwater policy took effect in 2018. It requires development or redevelopment projects of significant size to retain and filter thefirst 1.25 inches of stormwater runoff. Residential properties with less than six unitsare exempted.

Mid-Citypo-boy shop Parkwayisaregularly cited example of aprivatebusiness employing stormwater management. Its parking lot can appear to be simple gravel, but it is actually apermeable surface thatacts as asponge, absorbingwater andslowly draining it, said Jessica Dandridge-Smith, executive director of The Water Collaborativenonprofit. On alarger scale, Williams citesprojectsassociated with the Gentilly Resilience District, which is incorporating green infrastructure into drainage improvements, including wetlands, detention ponds and permeable pavement.

She alsonamed the Mirabeau WaterGarden, which broke ground in late2023 and

is designed to hold up to 10 million gallons of stormwater

Dandridge-Smith,whose organization has long worked on stormwater-related issues in the city,said the policy is “one of those secret weapons that New Orleans has.”

“I think the stormwater code gets us alittle bit closer to whereNew Orleans should be,” shesaid. “Every property should be holding and storing water,sothat waywecan see areduction in flooding.”

That, in turn, will help businesses thrive because, if it “floods every time your door is open, then obviously your business will be harmed by that,” said Dandridge-Smith.

Other cities also have stormwater policies,though not necessarily with the same focus. Less flood-prone locations maybemore interested in water quality, with afocus on filtering thewater before it drains out into surrounding waterways, said Colleen McHugh,a senior planner with theBaton Rouge-based Water Institute.

McHugh, who has worked on stormwaterissuesinNew Orleans andother partsofthe country,spoke of the collective effort in the city in recent years to advanceprojects that workwith nature.

“The bigger institutions and landowners play this important role in thiscollective effort of livingwith water in New Orleans,”she said. “Rather thantrying to push water out of thecity as fast as possible, actually trying to slow it down and give it spaces where it can go safely, while also providing other benefits for communities, such as increasingthe quality and access of green spaces.”

The stormwater policy ties in to ongoing discussions aboutwhether New Orleans should institute astormwater or parcel fee. The idea is to provideneededfunding for infrastructure by including nonprofitsand government institutions exempt from property taxes.

Tulane is amongthose, andunder some proposals being discussed, theuniversity could potentially receive incentives or creditfor its

trade show attendees packed the room, many wearing their national colors,waving small flags and ringing noise makersand bells in zealoussupport. By contrast, the chefs pursued their work with laser focusand tight coordination, ever aware that the clock was ticking and that thejudges,all acclaimed chefs, were circulating to watch theirperformance.

Familiaringredients are transformedinto worksof culinaryart. Team USA’s winning platter for the Pastry WorldCup round, for instance, wasa dioramaofdino-

saurs and prehistoric plants that covered an entire table.

Oneprominent chef in attendance was Jérôme Bocuse, thechef who continues the legacy of his fatherPaul Bocuse, therevered godfather of modern French cuisine who first created Bocuse d’Or in the 1980s. He waseffusive in his praise of NewOrleans as host city, citing its historicconnection to France and vibrant food culture.

“When we came here two years ago, Ididn’t think it couldbepossibletodoitbetter,but thisyear it was,” Bocuse said.

stormwater management projects if afee is instituted.

‘We’re storingwater’

Tulane’slarger “Unified Green” project is uniting the previously separate Newcomb Quadand Berger Family Lawn in thecenter of campus. Construction began in April and is expected to be completenext spring.

The newly expanded green space provided aunique opportunity to address stormwater withthe detention system. Therewerealready examples elsewhereoncampus, with systems built beneath the football practice field andthe baseball team’s Turchin Stadium.

About two feet under the green,below grass andfill material,storage chambers shaped like half-tunnels collect the stormwater as it filters down. The ground below remainsearthenand able to absorbrain, and aweir gradually chokes out the water that collects in thechambers.

Jeffrey Stolier,senior associate vice president for planning at Tulane, said such additions add significant additional expensetoprojects, but he noted their importance. The stormwater systemand related infrastructure for the Unified Green project will costaround $4.5 million. Tulane declined to provide atotal cost forthe entireproject.

He said the benefits of the larger project go beyond the detention system.Unifying thetwo quads means taking out the street between them.

“So that will remove just alot of asphalt,and we’re replacing that with permeable paving and much lessof it,” he said during therecent tour of campus.

“Sowe’re goingtohave gardens, and there’sgoing to be abig medallioninthe middlewiththe Tulane insignia, aplace for events, but it’llalso be permeable. And so we’rereducing the amount of impermeable surface area while we’re storing water.”

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SATURDAY,JULY25, 2026

3: 2-3-1

4: 9-5-8-3

5: 2-4-4-0-8 EASY 5: 5-12-25-28-31

1-23-24-29-3438 POWERBALL: 3-4-2436-47 (17) Unofficial notification, keep your tickets to defend his King of the Whip title afterwinning the event last year.He’ll also compete in Big Hill Jam,where he has finishedrunner-up multiple times, andhopes to continue building his career Email Kristin Askelson at kaskelson@ theadvocate.com.

PHOTO PROVIdEd By XGAMES

Fontenot

STAFF PHOTO By ENAN CHEdIAK

The crowd cheers during the Bocuse d’Or international culinarycompetition at the NewOrleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on Sunday.

BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

Kobe Bufkin made the most of his chance to play with the New Orleans Pelicans’ Summer League team. The Pelicans have signed Bufkin to a training camp deal The deal will allow Bufkin an opportunity to earn one of the final roster spots, according to a team source. Bufkin,

UP R FI -

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Quietly, the New Orleans Saints allocated some of their offseason resources toward addressing a third phase that had grown stagnant in recent years — special teams.

The first came in free agency, when the Saints signed former Minnesota Vikings (and Tulane Green Wave) punter Ryan Wright to a four-year, $14 million deal — hopefully putting a stopper into the creaky revolving door at the position they created when they cut Thomas Morstead five years earlier

Then, on Day 3 of the draft, New Orleans used a sixthround pick on one of the draft’s most electric return men, LSU’s Barion Brown. That may not sound like much, until one remembers New Orleans has found its last two AllPro returners in the undrafted ranks.

And, finally, the Saints waited until one of the final days of their offseason program to add kicker Tanner Brown — who was named the United Football League’s 2026 Special Teams Player of the Year to compete with incumbent Charlie Smyth

teams

The investment was necessary Last season, New Orleans ranked dead last in both field goal percentage (71.1%) and gross (43.3 yards) and net punting average (36.1).

Depth chart (name, height, weight, experience)

n Charlie Smyth, 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, 2 years

n Tanner Brown, 6-0, 177, 1

n Ryan Wright, 6-3, 245, 5 n Zach Wood, 6-3, 255, 10

n Barion Brown, 5-11, 177, R n Ty Chandler, 5-11, 205, 5 Number to know: -63.3

That is the cumulative Expected Points Added (EPA)

contributed by the Saints special teams units in 2025. Take note of the minus sign in front of that number. It was the worst figure in the NFL last season by a significant margin. The difference between the Saints and the second-worst team, the Arizona Cardinals (minus-44.2),

BY DAN GELSTON AP sportswriter

PHILADELPHIA The social media pitch to bring LeBron James to Philadelphia was an almost naive one from Joel Embiid. “ @KingJames hey bro hope you’re having a good day Want to join us in philly?? Peace,” Embiid wrote. His recruitment skills were on point and James — the four-time NBA champion and career scoring leader — will join Embiid in a startling turn of events on the Philadelphia 76ers. Ok, fine, just a short 12 years after the July 1, 2014, post. The 76ers expect James to be worth the wait and hope he can win an NBA championship in Philadelphia much as he did in his previous three stops in Cleveland, Miami and with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 76ers are used to playing the long game. The franchise hasn’t won an NBA championship since 1983, when Julius Erving still soared and a year before James was born. Certainly not as dominant as he was in

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Saints’ sixth-round draft-pick Barion Brown runs with the ball during rookie mini-camp on May 9 at the team’s indoor practice facility in Metairie.

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By SETH WENIG

The 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame inductees Jeff Kent, left, Andruw Jones, center,

Beltran pose for pictures after the induction ceremony on Sunday in

N.y

6p.m.Gotham City vs.Red Rose FS1

8p.m.JHX Hoops at

6p.m.

Norris ends wait forF1win in Hungary

MOGYOROD,Hungary— Lando Norris ended an eight-month wait by “flying” to aFormula 1victory with strong pace and adose of good fortune at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday

The defending champion was on pole butlostthe lead to hisMcLaren teammate Oscar Piastri when he ran wide at the secondcorner Norris got the lead back after Piastri was delayed by acollision with Carlos Sainz Jr.while lapping the Williams driver,allowingNorris to come out of the pits ahead of histeammate. He cruisedtothe win from there. “Car was unbelievabletoday well done guys, incredible.We were flying,” Norris said. “Nice to be finally abletodoitall foryou. Feels like it’sbeen awhile.”

Piastrithenstoppedwith abroken gearbox, paving the way for MaxVerstappen to takesecond, with Kimi Antonelli third Antonelligetsboost in title fight

Evenwith Mercedes largely off the pace for once and athreeplace grid penalty in qualifying, Antonelli recovered from seventh to take his ninth podium finish in 11 races and makeastatementto histitle rivals.

Antonelli increased his standings lead to 50 pointsover Lewis Hamilton,who wasfifth after a penalty for speeding in thepits. George Russell was barely afactor as he drove through the field to seventh after anear-stall at the start dropped him to theback. He drops 59 points behind his Mercedes teammate Antonelli. Norris hadn’twon afull Grand

Prixrace since Sao Paulo in November,though he did win asprint in Miami in May Hungary was the last race before the mid-season break. The next race is theDutch Grand Prix on Aug. 23.

Hamilton left to ruepenalty “Sometimes you just can’tcatch abreak,” Hamiltonhad written on InstagramonSaturday. He discussed howhis three-place penaltyinqualifying —Hamilton’s thirdpenalty in three race weekends —made it “difficult to hang on tothat positivity”.

Afourthpenalty won’thave helped, and nor will yet another Ferrari strategyblunder When Piastri’sbreakdown at the side of theroad brought avirtual safetycar slowdown, Ferrari decided it was worthcalling in Ham-

ilton for fresh tires. Unfortunatelyfor the seven-time champion, he left thepit lane to see Antonelli approachingfast. In what appeared to be arushtokeepthe Mercedes driver at bay, Hamilton broke the pit lane speed limit Hamilton ended up being asked to give theplace back to Antonelli and was then givenafive-second penaltythat dropped him behind teammate Charles Leclerc in the final standings. “Handing outpenalties like crazy,” he told Ferrari over the radio. Isack Hadjar took sixth after atactical race holding up drivers whothreatened his Red Bull teammate Verstappen, with Russellseventh. Liam Lawson was eighth for Racing Bulls ahead of Audi’sNicoHulkenberg in ninth andLawson’steammateArvid Lindblad 10th

Shin claims first LPGA wininmorethanadecade

The Associated Press

TROON, Scotland South Korean golfer Jenny Shin secured atwoshot victory at the Women’sScottishOpen on Sunday to enda wait of more than 10 years for her second LPGA win.

The 33-year-old Shin, who won the Texas ShootoutinMay 2016, carded a3-over 75 on the DundonaldLinks to finish at 9 under “My first one didn’treally feel like awin at the time,” Shin said. “I didn’tfeel like Ideserved it. It felt very accidental. But this one definitelyfeelsalot different. This one feels like Iearned it. Iworked hard for it.” Shin was in tears after thefinal putt dropped on the18th and was doused with water and champagne by agroup of friends. Leading since the first round, Shin could afford three straight bogies on Nos. 6-8 after starting

JennyShin of South Korea

the 2026 ISPS HANdAScottish Open on Sunday at dundonald Links, Ayrshire.

the final round with afive-shot lead over Thailand’sPajaree Anannarukarn(74). Shin also bogeyedtwo of the last three

holes but had madetwo birdies earlier “I wasn’tasnervousasyesterday,”Shin said. “I feel like I’ve

done everything right but just wasn’thitting it like Iwas the last three days and just hitting it into bunkers and bushes and that wasn’tfun.

“With three bogies in arow, Ithought, ‘oh boy, Idon’tknow wherethis is going to go’. But yeah, Ihung in there, so I’mquite proud of myself and very happy.”

Shin is now thinking about the next challenge.

“I’m going to do everything Ican to win again,” Shinsaid. “I can’t believe it happened this week.” ALim Kim finished second after a4-under68, with four straight birdies helping her leapfrog twoshots aheadof Anannarukarn, who droppedto third.

The Women’sScottish Open comes between the final two majors—the Evian Championship and the Women’sBritish Openstarting Thursday at Royal Lytham &St. Annes.

Memphis, Caldwell-Pope reachbuyout agreement

MEMPHIS,Tenn. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope reached abuyout agreementwith the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday ESPN, citing sources, reported late on Saturday thatCaldwell-Pope plans to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers after clearing waivers. Caldwell-Pope averaged 8.4 points and21.9 minutes in 51 games last season forMemphis. He had finger surgery in February and missedthe final31games of theseason Caldwell-Pope underwent surgery to addressamisalignmentofhis right pinkiefingerinFebruary andmissed the last31games of the season.

The33-year-old guard hasacareer 11-point average in 963 games in 13 seasons with Detroit, the Los AngelesLakers, Washington, Denver, Orlando and theGrizzlies. He was part of championship teams with the Lakers in 2020 and theNuggets in 2023.

All-Star Bellinger heads to IL with hamstring strain

PHILADELPHIA The Yankees have placed All-Star outfielderCody Bellinger on the 10-day injured list with aleft hamstring strain, ablow to New York’sdefense on ateam already missing several big bats.

The Yankees recalledoutfielder Spencer Jones from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre before Sunday night’sgameatPhiladelphia to take Bellinger’sspot on the roster NewYork hasbeen without slugger Aaron Judge since May 31 because of afracturedrib anddesignated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is still out with astrained right calf that’ssidelinedhim sinceApril 24. The Yankees entered Sunday’s game21/2 games behind TampaBay in the AL East.

F1’s BahrainGrand Prix to be held in Malaysia

MOGYOROD, Hungary— Formula 1is heading back to Malaysia for the first timeinnine years as the Bahrain Grand Prix was rescheduled there forOct. 4. The Sepang circuit is slotted in between races in Azerbaijanand Singapore, subject to approval from theFIA’s worldmotor sport council, F1 andthe FIA said Sunday F1 called offits races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which had been set for March and April, as the Iran warescalated.

Despite taking place in Malaysia, the race will still have Bahrain Grand Prix branding.

It’s not the first time an F1 race has been named for one country and took place in another.The long-running San Marino Grand Prix washeld in neighboring Italy but last used that namein2006.

TexasSSSeager takes firstBPsincebackinjury

ARLINGTON, Texas Corey Seager took live battingpracticeSunday for the first time since the Texas Rangers shortstop was sidelined by aback injuryfor the second timethis season on July 1. Seager finished the session with ahome run andwas planning to take live BP again Monday before whatwould appear to be aminor league rehab assignment. The two-time World Series MVP andfive-time All-Star playedtwo games in the minors in early June when he was returning from a three-week absence because of lowerback inflammation. Seager spenttwo moreweeks on the injured list in June after getting a concussion.

Former Patriots offensive lineman Devey dead at 38

BY JEROME PUGMIRE AP sportswiter

PARIS Tadej Pogacar confirmed his status as one of cycling’salltime greats after winning arecord-equaling fifth Tour de France title in emphatic style.

Daring mountain attacksfrom deep, multiple stage wins and an ice-cool temperament all helped the 27-year-old Slovenianseal his victory on Sunday.Hejoined Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spaniard Miguel Indurain and Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as the only riders to win five Tours.

“I’mspeechless.It’sanincredible day,there was an incredible atmosphere,” Pogacar said. “I’ve ridden seven Tours already and

I’ve always finished on the podium. Youmight think this is afairytale, it’sincredible for me too.”

After competingstrongly in Sunday’s21st and exciting final stage in Paris, Pogacar finished 6minutes, 26 seconds ahead of Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel in the overall standings.

Two-timeTourchampion Jonas Vingegaard was Pogacar’smain rival heading into the race but theDanecrashedout on the15th stage.

“Shame that Jonasand others crashed outofthis Tour,” Pogacar said. “I hope we can all fight again next year.”

Pogacar’sUAE Team Emirates XRGteammateIsaac Del Toro, a22-year-old Mexican making his Tour debut, wasthird at 9:42

back from Pogacar,who smiled and held up his hand to signify his wins. His teammates then joined himastheystood proudly on the Champs-Élysées.

“I don’tknow how Idoit,” Pogacar said. “I now have to find anew goal to chase. Which goal? Let’s just not jump ahead of ourselves, and enjoy this moment.”

Pogacar won theGiro d’Italia in 2024 but has not won the Spanish Vuelta, which starts on Aug. 22.

“Will IbeatLaVueltainafew weeks?” he said. “Let’ssee.”

Peerless Pogacar

Pogacar won five stages at this year’srace to take his impressive tally to 26 overall. He tried to winonSunday,too, but victory ultimately went to

Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, who justheld off the chasing pack on the home straight forhis secondstage win at this year’s race and fourth overall.

Sunday’s88.7-kilometer (55mile) stagelooped around Paris andwas mostly processional, although less so than in previous years, which wereusually entirely flat stages forsprinters and not for therest of the peloton. The stage was shortened from 133 kilometers and its starting point in Thoiry,westofthe capital, was changed to Parissoasto reduce pressure on emergency services combating wildfires in thesouthwest. Some security forces initially mobilized for Paris were redeployed to help response efforts.

Former NFLguard Jordan Devey,who won Super Bowl 49 with the New England Patriots in 2015, died Tuesday.Hewas 38. Devey’sfamily revealed in aGoFundMe fundraiser that the football star died by suicide. They said he was knownfor his“unwavering dedication to serving others.”

“His commitment to uplifting those around himextended far beyond sports, as he faithfully served in his church,offering support, counsel and friendship to anyone in need,” thepost read “He wasdeeply loved by the players whosaw him as amentor,role model and friend.”

His wife, Linsey Devey,shared on Instagramthatthe couplewas afew days shy of their 15th wedding anniversary

His family revealed that the retired footballer spenthis finalyears coachingathletes at Eagle High in Idaho.

The Associated Press

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By dARKO BANdIC

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain celebrates afterwinning the Formula OneHungarian Grand Prixatthe Hungaroring racetrack on Sundayin Mogyorod, Hungary.

ASSOCICATEd PRESS PHOTO By STEVE WELSH

celebrates after winning

assists and 3.7 rebounds.Heshot 41.9% on 3-pointers for South Bay He put up similar numbers playing for the Pelicans in Summer League. He played in three games in Vegas and led the Pelicans in scoring with 21.3 points per game. Hisbest game wasthe firstone against the Minnesota Timberwolves when he poured in 30 points and shot 5-for-9 on 3-pointers.

“Our coaches putmeina position to thrive, so Ijust tookadvantage of the opportunities that they gave me,” Bufkin said after the first game.

His3-point shootingdropped off in the other two games and he finished Summer League7-of-22 (31.8 %) from long distance. He

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is about the difference between theCardinals andthe eighthworst team It wasanall-aroundpoorperformance. The field goal unit struggled throughout the course of the season (though things were better after Smyth took over). The punting unit routinely underperformed and also allowedtwo kicks to be blocked. The Saints’ best overall performance came from their punt returners, who finished 19th in average yards per return.

Thelowdown

At bare minimum,the Saints should be acompetent team when theirpuntingunitjogsontothefield.

While New Orleans wasstruggling last season, Wrightwas enjoying one of the best years of his career.Hefinished 2025 ranked No. 3inthe NFL in net punting average (44.5, more than eight yards better than the Saints’ total), No. 7inaverage hang time (4.49 seconds) and No. 4intouchback percentage(4.6%). He also hadthe longest punt in theNFL last season, a77-yarder against the Cleveland Browns in London that traveled 63 yards in the air before rolling to the 2-yard line, where it was downed. Even if Wright doesn’tmaintain that standard, he’sasafe bet to be better than what the Saints have trotted outsince lettinggo of Morstead.

Since the startofthe 2021 season, 168 punters have recorded at least 20 punts in aseason.The four players who have punted for the Saints in that span achieved the following ranks in gross punting average: 65 (Blake Gillikin), 109 (Gillikin), 138 (Kai Kroeger), 152 (Matthew Hayball)and 162 (LouHedley). In other words, three of the fiveare in thebottom 20th percentile.

The return game had been steady for along timeinNew Orleans, whether it was Deonte Harty or Rashid Shaheed back to strike fear into opposing specialists. But the Saints had aneed aftertradingShaheedtothe Seattle Seahawks last offseason, and Brown should be the firsttoget a

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Baseball Era Committee at the Winter Meetings last December, is the first second baseman to join the Hall since another Astro: Craig Biggio in 2015.

The sixth Puerto Rican elected to the Hall of Fame, Beltrán hasa strong contingent in townfor the weekend.

“It’svery incredible that Ihave both of my parents here,” he said on Saturday.“They came from Puerto Rico —coming to Cooperstown, youknow,it’snot an easy task. …Webrought probably like 150people from the island.”

Asecond-round Draft pick of the Royals in 1995, Beltrándebuted at 21in’98andwonthe1999American League Rookie of the Year Award handily.Hewas bound for Cooperstown that first summer:When George Brett became the first Royal enshrined, the teamplayed in the annual Hall of Fame Game exhibition at Doubleday Field.

“I had the chancetointroduce Carlos to my good friend Orlando Cepeda as the ‘next Hall of Famer fromPuertoRico,’That’showmuch Itrusted his ability and Itrusted him as aperson,” Brett wrote in the Hall of Fame’s2026 yearbook. Beltrán was in shock.

“I’m like, ‘What are you doing?’ Like, Ihaven’tplayed agame and you’re introducing me as aHallof Famer,” Beltránrecalled on Saturday.“Idon’tthink that’s agood statement, George. And George

also averaged 5.3 rebounds, 3assists and2 steals. Before theteam made the trip to Vegas, first-year Pelicans head coach Jamahl Mosley talked about what an opportunity like this could mean for the former first-round draft pick.

“I think it’s greatfor Kobe,” Mosley said. “He’s been excellent in his communication with thecoaches in what he’strying to do and what we’re asking of him to do.Just be afacilitator and attack thebasket when he needs to.

Defensively,can hepick guys up full court? Can hemake it harder for theother team’spoint guard? It’s agreat opportunity for him, but it’sagreat opportunity for all these guys to show what they are capable of doing.”

Now Bufkin will get to attend training camp and try to earn a roster spot.

shot at filling it. Brown wasanexceptional collegefootballreturnman,setting theSoutheastern Conference record for career kick-return touchdowns (six)during his time at Kentuckyand LSU. It will be interesting to see if Brown gets ashot to return punts in the pros —incollege, hereturned only 11 puntsinhis career

If Brown is unable to duplicate hissuccessinthe NFL, the Saints couldlean on free agent signee

Ty Chandler,who has a25.7-yard career kick return average in the NFL(albeit in alimited sample size).

As for kicker,well Training camp battle

Smyth waiteda long time to earn hisplace on an NFL active roster,spending about 18 months on the practice squad after signing from Ireland via theInternational Player Pathway.And while he wasn’tperfect in his debut season—he drilledagame-winner in theclosing seconds against Carolina and hit from 57 yards out, buthe also missed four of his11field goal attempts beyond 40 yards— he showed morethan enough potential tomerit alongerlook

It’s justa question of how long that look will be

New Orleans has actively pursued competition forSmyth this offseason.Itsigned (and subsequently released) formerTexas kicker Mason Shipley after the draft andalso worked out former Pro Bowler Younghoe Koo. But themost dauntingchallenge may comefrom Brown

Some have compared Brown to Dallas CowboysAll-Pro kicker BrandonAubrey,not only because of where they came from (Aubrey foundimmediate success after playinginthe USFL; Brown is trying to makeasimilar leap from theUFL),but because of their powerfulkicking legs.

While Smyth hasshown more than enoughleg in practice settings, hitting some that look like they’d be goodfrom70yards, Brown has proven it in agame setting. He connected on apair of 60-plus-yard field goals in one UFL playoff game last year,following up aregular season in which he successfully converted 29 of his 32 kicks.

said, ‘Well, Carlos, everything is possibleinlife. If youplayhard and if you continuetoplaygood, and if you continue to develop yourself, this is an opportunity, andthis is a chance that you could be here.”

Twenty-seven years later,here they are.

“It’sathrill,” Brettsaid on Saturday

One year afterthe Hall welcomed its first Japanese-born player, Jones becomes the first native of Curaçao, partofthe Kingdom of the Netherlands, to be inducted.Hemanaged the Netherlands squad in this year’sWorld Baseball Classic and enjoyed watching the island’ssoccer team compete in the World Cup.

“I alwayslove this game. Baseballismylife,” he saidon Saturday morning. “So to geta chance to representyourcountry,manage your country,and get achance to coach myson on theprofessional level,itwas fun. Ienjoyed every bitofit.”

Unlikehis fellow inductees this year,Kent did not debut with a bang.Tradedthree times before he was30, he didnot establish himself as amiddle-of-the-order, middle-infieldstaruntil being dealt to the Giants before his age29 season in 1997. There, Kent formed apotent triowithBarry Bondsand J T. Snow

That’swhen Kent’s journey to Cooperstown really began: the 2000 NL MVP Award with San Francisco, five All-Star selectionsand 377career home runs, the most of any primary second baseman.

Heavy-heartedJones helpsliftTeamSpoon past Team Coop in WNBA All-Star Game

BY JAYCOHEN AP sportswriter

CHICAGO Jonquel Jones,Nneka Ogwumike and Dominique

Malonga made WNBA history on Saturday night

It was quite theAll-Star party in theleague’s30th season.

Jones had 22 points, 13 rebounds andeight assists, helping Caitlin Clark and Team Spoon outlast Marina Mabrey and Team Coop 129122 in the WNBA All-Star Game.

Playing with aheavyheart afterthe death of an aunt, Jones wasnamed MVP.The 32-year-old New York Liberty center became thefirst player to winthe league, WNBAFinals,Commissioner’s Cup and All-Star MVP awards.

“Nomatterwhat mood I’min, basketball can pick me back up,” Jones said, “and so just leaning into that.”

Malonga had afirst-half dunk forTeam Coop,but Team Spoon had eight playersscoreindouble figuresinanAll-StarGame that featured 127 3-point attempts and verylittledefense. Allisha Gray had19points for Team Spoon, and Clark finished with 17.

It was the firstWNBA All-Star GameinChicago since 2022. This time, themarquee eventwas played in front of arecord crowd of 19,783 at the United Center instead of the smaller Wintrust Arena in downtown Chicago.

“Tobeable to have tonight, have 19,000 people in thehighestattendance ever in the All-Star Game just really shows that our league is growing and people wanttobe around us and want to be apart of this and understand how special it is,” Jones said.

Ogwumike scored 11 points for Team Spoon while passing Maya Moore (119) for the most career pointsinAll-Star Game history

Kelsey Mitchell had 28 points for Team Coop, and Mabrey scored all of her 23 pointsduring ared-hot first half. The 20-year-old Malonga finished with 12 points and13rebounds.

“I gottosee afew go down early,” said Mabrey,who matched the WNBA scoring record when she had 53 pointsfor Torontoina winover LosAngelesonJune25. “That’skind of like my thing. Get them up when they’re going in.” WNBAgreats Cynthia Cooper

JAMES

Continuedfrom page1C

his MVP heyday,LeBronJames is still, wellLeBron Jamesand his addition should lift any team miredinthe NBA mucky middle such as the Sixers intocontention. Throw himinto in alineupthat includesa league MVPinEmbiid, All-Stars Tyrese Maxeyand Jaylen Brown, and promising secondyear standout VJ Edgecombe, and it’snoshock the Sixers moved up few afew pegs Friday on the bettingboard and into the short list of favorites for an NBA title.

Just not the favorite.

James is again chasing aring and his arrivalona two-year deal for the veterans’ minimum of about $3.9 million per season shook up the Sixers and put the Eastern Conference on notice —yes,even the NBA champion Knicks —that areal championshipcontender might finally emerge in Philly 76erswon theoffseason

Here they come, team of the year?

The Sixers earned straight A’son their summerschool report card even before James saidhewould sign withteam. The Sixers fired team president Daryl Morey and replaced him with longtime ClevelandexecutiveMikeGansey,who came out swinging for thefences in his first month on the job. He pulled off the shockerofa tradewithBoston that landed them Brown —the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, afive-time All-Starand theleague’sfourthleading scorer this past season.

It’s difficult to fathom that an oftinjured Embiid —who won Olympic gold withJames —and Maxey alonewould have been enough to coax James to Philadelphia. Butadding astudlike Brown?

Brown surelyplayed akey deciding factor in James’ decision his “last” one, he says —and now theSixersboast perhaps thetop

andTeresa Weatherspoon drafted the All-Star teamsfrom players that were eithervoted as starters by fans, media and fellow players or chosen as reservesby the league’scoaches. Las Vegas’ BeckyHammon coached Cooper’s team, andMinnesota’sCheryl Reeve was in charge of Weatherspoon’ssquad. Clark went5for 15 from beyond the arcand had fiveassists in her return to the All-Star game. The Indiana Fever guard missedlast year’sevent in Indianapolis because of agroin injury

“Lastyear really stunk being in our home city; younever want to miss that forthe fans,” Clark said.

“I love to show up and compete.”

The 24-year-old Clark came out firing, connecting from 33 feet and 37 feet on her wayto11points in the first 21/2 minutes. She buried another 3early in the second quarter off a slickno-look pass from Minnesota Lynx guardOliviaMiles,the only rookie selected forthe game. Clarkand Mabrey each put on

starting fiveinthe NBA. Andboy,what abargain. There are some caveats, of course. James turns 42 in December and there are alot of mileson those legs. James battled injuries last season and played in only 60 games. Embiid has never been reliable, withonly 57 combined games played the last two seasons, and the Sixers have churned through aslew of imported stars overthe last decade —James Harden, Jimmy Butler,Paul George —and still haven’t advanced out of the second round since 2001.

There’sonly one ball and alot of talentthat has the resumetocommandit.

Butwith apologies to Wilt Chamberlain, many,many apologies, James becomes the most accomplishedplayer to ever wear a76ers uniform

He won’tbealone in that No. 23 uniform —Fanatics soldout almost instantly of his jerseys on Friday.

It’salsoa big win forfront officeboss Bob Myers, whoopenly pitched for James to sign in Philadelphia on his agent’spodcastand won fourchampionships as aGolden State Warriors executive.

Powershiftsinthe East

The Sixers endedtheir season with asecond-round sweep to Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart andthe NBA champion Knicks.

The Knicks are still the team to beat. By talent, by virtueofwinning it all and, at least outofthe East, the betting favorite to again reach the NBAFinals.

The Knicks have largelystayed patwhile otherhopefulcontenders went for major moves.

The Heat —hey,when exactly is that presser? —liketheir chances after they traded with Milwaukee for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP was the latest on a long list of superstaracquisitions madesince Pat Riley arrived to take over as team presidentin1995.

Muchlike the Sixers before they acquired Brown, the Heat

an offensive show,but Malonga got the biggest cheer of the night. The 6-foot-6 centerfromthe Seattle Storm ran downthe lane, got apass from former LSU standout Angel Reese and threw down a right-handed jamwith6:24 left in the first half Reese jumped up and down as Malonga finished the play,and the twoexchanged amid-air chest bump on theirway back down the court.

“The way she makes it look easy theexcitement around it,” said Paige Bueckers, who scored 12 points forTeam Coop. “I love Dom really happy forher in just how easy she makes it look.” It wasthe first dunk in aWNBA All-Star Game since Sylvia Fowles in 2022. Lisa Leslie (2005), Jones (2017), Brittney Griner (2019) also have accomplished the feat. Leslie was on hand forthe festivities, alongwith South Carolina coach and former WNBA guard Dawn Staley.Former NBAstar Dwyane Wade also wascourtside.

are atwo-star team withAntetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. Antetokounmpo,Adebayo andJames would have made them anew Big 3, much likewhenJames wontitles in MiamiwithDwyaneWadeand Chris Bosh. Toronto is hopeful for aresolution to their held-up trade with the Los AngelesClippers thatshould land them KawhiLeonard. The trade is on hold pending the outcome of the NBA’s investigation into whetherthe Clipperscircumvented salary cap rules.

Abad dayfor Cleveland

The Cavaliers would have loved asentimental third tour with Jamesand have thefranchise’s greatest playereventually retire in Cleveland.

Jamesinstead left theCavaliers in alurch, and they have to hope they can re-sign 36-year-old James Harden as part of alineup that includes Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell. They will be projected to finish behindtheKnicksand76ersintheEast. Don’tforget,Detroitwon60games lastseasonandwouldliketoproveits early playoff exit was apart of the growing pains of acontender LeBron’s legacy

Look,James’legacy is setand not even aflameout in Philly is going to change his indelible stamp on the game from the court to the cash register There is onemajor markhecould hit should he send theSixers on a parade route down Broad Street. He would become the first player to win NBAtitleswithfourteams.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse turned 59 on Fridayand there’s no better professional gifthecould have received than LeBron James. Purchased on adiscount rack. Look for LeBron on opening night in New York. Look for LeBronona Christmas game in Philadelphia. Look for LeBron to keep Sixers’ tickets sky high on the secondary market even on nights when Embiid sits.

ASSOCIATEdPRESS

PHOTOByNAM y. HUH Team Spoon center Jonquel Jones, left,and Team Coop forward Natasha Howard, right, battlefor arebound during the All-Star game Saturdayin Chicago.

BY ROBIN MILLER | Staff writer

What started out as asimple internet search ended with alost piece of Louisiana entertainment history for Michael Wynne. Now Wynne, the Alexandria historian,iscuriousastowhy there isn’t astate historical marker dedicated to Spencer Williams Jr.inVidalia, where he was bornonJuly14, 1893.

Who is Spencer Williams Jr.? He’sprobably bestknownfor hisfinal acting role as Andrew “Hogg”Brown, or simply Andy,inCBS’s1950s era television version of “The Amos ‘n’ Andy Show.” The show began as anightlyradio program in the1920s featuring White actors. Racial stereotypes stirred intense controversy,and the television series was canceled

ä See CURIOUS, page 6C

Smearcampaign

Museum honors late artist within enough peanut butter to make 15,000 sandwiches

BY MOLLYQUELL Associated Press

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands More than 800 pounds of peanut butter —enough for around 15,000 sandwiches —has beenspread across the floor of amuseum in the Netherlandsintribute to Dutch artist WimT.Schippers, who died last month. The conceptual artist, who diedatthe age of 83, first created the Pindakaasvloer,or

peanut butter floor,in1969. Thework was unveiled in June at theDepot offshoot of Museum Boijmans VanBeuningen in theDutch port cityofRotterdam for atwo-month show Schippers was abeloved nonconformist character in the Netherlands,where he also voiced Ernie and Kermit the Frog in the Dutchversionof “SesameStreet,” and created

ä See HONORS, page 6C

Workers spread peanut butter on a floor to recreate the ‘Peanut Butter Floor’ artwork in tribute to dutchartist WimT.Schippers at the Museum Boijmans VanBeuningen in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

AP PHOTO By MOUNEB TAIM

Thebagel’s journeyto American breakfast staple

BY JOSH CORNFIELD Associated Press

NEW YORK The bagel in Amer-

ica is an immigrant story with a hole in the middle. It came to AmericawithEastern European Jews escaping poverty andantisemitism. It landed in NewYork street carts and neighborhood bakeries.Later, it madeits way to supermarket freezer aisles andinto the breakfast order of so many every day. And like every food story,itstarts withthe first bite.

As alayer of crunch prepares your brain foracrusty piece of bread, it’simmediately met by thesoft yetdense chew of the inside. Eating the two textures together brings afeeling of joy, along with whatever toppings you’ve added.

Aschmear of cream cheese to keep it simple.A flavored spread to adda bitofzest. Or abagel topped taller than the human mouth can handle with fish,tomato, cucumberand red onions. And we haven’teven talked about the flavor choices.

Asimple plain or egg bagel works for some (no judgment). Others insist on seeds —poppy, sesame—orshards of onion or salt. Others say it’snot abagel unless it’saneverything, each bite snapping back at you with adifferent cascade of flavors. Puristswilltellyou to keep it simple. But with abagel, like so much in American life, you can have it any way you’d like.

ä See BAGEL, page 6C

AP PHOTO By dARIO LOPEZ-MILLS Aplain bagel with creamcheese

Vidalia. Vidalia was Black filmmaker Spencer Williams Jr.’s native home.

CURIOUS

Continued from page 5C

While perusing the internet for a favorite childhood episode of the TV comedy, Wynne discovered that Williams not only made filmmaking history, but he maintained his Louisiana roots.

“He kept ownership of two lots of land in the Bingham addition in Vidalia until his death,” Wynne said. “He also married a Louisiana woman, Olivia Jones, in 1929, and had one daughter.”

Williams was considered one of the top pioneers in Black cinema.

“He paved the way for Black actors and Black directors in the movie industry,” Wynne said. “They wouldn’t have had those opportunities in the early movie industry if it wasn’t for Williams.”

Why no remembrance?

But the “Amos ‘n’ Andy” controversy eclipsed Williams’ career

“Forget about ‘Amos ‘n’ Andy,’” Wynne said. “Spencer Williams should be honored for his pioneering work. So, why isn’t there a historical marker honoring him?” Then again, Wynne already knows the answer Williams fell out of favor with Hollywood after CBS canceled its Thursday night series on June 11, 1953, and faded into obscurity Wynne knows that if he didn’t know Williams’ story, neither did others So, no marker But that wasn’t the case when Williams was on television. Archived editions of The Advocate and The Times-Picayune include photos of the actor, along with mentions that he was a Louisianan from Vidalia during the series’ run. And historians have since written of Williams.

Historian G. William Jones’ short biography of Williams for the Texas State Historical Association’s “Handbook of Texas,” notes that Williams moved from Vidalia to New York in his teens Texas was both his home and filmmaking base in the 1940s, but as a teenager in New York, Williams worked as a “call boy,” or stagehand, for theater impresario Oscar Hammerstein — grandfather to playwright-lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, who would co-write and stage some of Broadway’s most legendary musicals Williams eventually left New York and enrolled at

HONORS

Continued from page 5C

absurdist and silly works that challenged conventional ideas about the meaning of art.

“Isn’t it fantastic that we are all standing here looking at peanut butter?” Schippers told journalists gathered at the Central Museum in Utrecht in 1997 where Pindakaasvloer was on display for the second time. Schippers created the work as part of a Floor Covering Series, which also included floors covered with glass shards and salt. The aroma, redolent of breakfasts and lunch boxes, is what lingers with many who experience the work first hand. Museum staff directed visitors for the opening to “follow the smell” which was wafting by the ticket counter, three floors below where the artwork is laid out.

PUBLIC dOMAIN

A movie poster for Spencer Williams Jr.’s 1941 selfproduced film ‘The Blood of Jesus’

the University of Minnesota, but his time there was cut short by the U.S Army “In 1914, he began his four-year Army service at Fort Slocum, New York,” Wynne said. “He became Gen. John J ‘Black Jack’ Pershing’s personal bugler in Mexico, while the general was on the trail of Pancho Villa. After World War I started, Spencer served extensively in military intelligence in France after his promotion to sergeant major.”

After that, it was back to New York, where Williams recorded the duet “It Feels So Good” with native New Orleans jazz guitarist Lonnie Johnson on the Okeh Race Records label, which targeted African American audiences. New Orleans’ King Oliver and Louis Armstrong also produced early recordings on the label with Armstrong eventually making music history

Taking a different path

But Williams’ recording would point him down a different path

“Williams’ work in the New York recording industry led to an invitation to move to Hollywood as a sound technician for Christy Studios,” Jones writes. “Like other studios, Christy was gearing up to meet the new challenge of sound motion pictures. Al Christy, the studio head, began making a series of Black cast short films adapted from the magazine stories of Jewish writer Octavus Roy Cohen.”

Christy asked Williams to write the scripts to give the dialogue a more authentic sound By the 1930s, Williams also was acting in these films produced for Black audiences.

“Williams also wrote and appeared in the first horror film with an all-black cast, ‘Son of Ingagi’ (1940),”

“The thing I remember is the smell,” Mieke Weismann told The Associated Press. The food photographer and writer saw the 1997 exhibition as a teenager The art installation may not be for everybody. A sign at the museum’s entrance warns visitors with peanut allergies that they might not want to enter the space. It took two employees of the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen several days to spread 40 buckets of peanut butter across a 270-squarefoot hexagon. “It was a lot of work,” Leon Duenk, one of the two men who installed the artwork, told AP. The pair used drywall trowels to smear the peanut butter to a thickness of 0.8 inch.

Prior to his death the museum and Schippers discussed how to recreate the work in the future, producing a 20-point plan that included the requirement to apply the peanut butter “as

By The Associated Press

Today is Monday, July 27, the 208th day of 2026. There are 157 days left in the year Today in History:

On July 27, 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed at Panmunjom, ending three years of fighting on the Korean peninsula that killed an estimated 4 million people.

Also on this date:

Jones writes. “In the early 1940s, Williams met Al Sack, a Dallas-based film distributor whose company, Sack Amusement Enterprises, provided ‘ethnic films’ for many theaters in the Southwest.”

And it was in Dallas where Sack financially backed Williams in a series of feature films for Black audiences, resulting in 10 films for which Williams wrote, directed and acted.

“Sack evidently gave Williams the freedom to shape the films as he saw fit,” Jones writes. “Unlike most of the genre, Williams’ films are generally faithful to reality and unmarred by stereotypes.”

Probably Williams’ most noted movie was the 1941 feature, “The Blood of Jesus,” filmed for $5,000 by the Amegro Film Co., founded by Williams that same year

National Registry of Films

According to the nonprofit Black history website BlackPast.org, “The Blood of Jesus” is “considered one of the most effective depictions of Black church life in the South and was selected by the United States Congress for entry into the National Registry of Films in 1991.” The website also points out that Williams also composed music.

Then came 1951, when Williams landed the role of Andy

“Although he is best remembered for his role as slow-witted, often duped and frequently unemployed Andy, Williams later protested the demeaning public images in which Hollywood subjected Blacks to portray,” BlackPast.org states. “He pressed for more serious depictions of Blacks in motion pictures and attempted to rectify the stereotypical climate by making movies after the ‘Amos ‘n’ Andy’ series that were more in line with African American life.”

But Williams’ attempts failed. He died of kidney failure in his Los Angeles home on Dec. 13, 1969.

“His tombstone in the Los Angeles National Military Cemetery notes his home state as Louisiana,” Wynne said. “His life is worthy of a historical marker and a book.”

Do you have a question about something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phone number and the city where you live.

smoothly and boringly as possible” and that “no one is supposed to stand in, or lie down on the peanut butter.”

Schippers did not specify the size or shape of the work, but he did say it needed to be smooth peanut butter and that he preferred the Dutch peanut butter brand Calvé. The company donated 40 tubs of peanut butter for the work.

Multiple visitors stepped into the artwork when it was on display in 2011. In 1997, the work was “vandalized” when a group of people placed 12 slices of bread and several bags of hagelslag — chocolate sprinkles commonly eaten on bread at breakfast in the Netherlands — on the floor

“It doesn’t look bad,” Schippers told Dutch newspaper Volkskrant at the time. “The sprinkles have been applied with a sense of proportion and a skillful hand.”

AP writer Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, contributed.

In 1789, President George Washington signed a measure establishing the Department of Foreign Affairs, forerunner of the Department of State.

In 1909, during the first official test of the U.S. Army’s first airplane, Orville Wright flew himself and a passenger, Lt. Frank Lahm, above Fort Myer, Virginia, for one hour and 12 minutes

In 1940, Billboard magazine published its first “music popularity chart” listing bestselling retail records. In first place was “I’ll Never Smile Again” recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, with featured vocalist Frank Sinatra.

In 1974, the House Judiciary Committee voted 27-11 to adopt the first of three articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon, charging he had personally engaged in a course of conduct designed to obstruct justice in the Watergate case.

In 1980, on day 267 of the Iranian hostage crisis,

the deposed Shah of Iran died at a military hospital outside Cairo, Egypt, at age 60.

In 1981, 6-year-old Adam Walsh was abducted from a department store in Hollywood, Florida, and was later killed (Adam’s father, John Walsh, subsequently became a victims’ rights activist and, in 1988, launched and hosted the television show “America’s Most Wanted”).

In 1996, terror struck the Atlanta Olympics as a pipe bomb exploded at Centennial Olympic Park, directly killing one person and injuring 111. (Anti-government extremist Eric Rudolph later pleaded guilty to the bombing, exonerating security guard Richard Jewell, who had been wrongly suspected.)

In 2012, Britain opened its Summer Olympic Games in a celebration of Old England and new, even cheekily featuring stunt doubles for Queen Elizabeth II and fictional special agent James Bond parachuting into Olympic Stadium.

In 2013, security forces and armed men clashed with supporters of Egypt’s ousted president, Mohammed Morsi, killing at least 72 people.

In 2015, the Boy Scouts of America ended its blanket ban on gay adult leaders while allowing churchsponsored Scout units to maintain the exclusion for religious reasons.

In 2018, the White House announced that North Korea had returned the remains of what were believed to be U.S. servicemen killed during the Korean War, with a U.S. military plane making a rare trip into North Korea to retrieve 55 cases of remains. In 2020, the world’s biggest COVID-19 vaccine study began with the first of 30,000 planned volunteers helping to test shots created by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc. Today’s birthdays: Singersongwriter Bobbie Gentry is 84. Actor-director Betty Thomas is 79. Olympic gold medal figure skater Peggy Fleming is 78. Singer Maureen McGovern is 77. Comedian-actorwriter Carol Leifer is 70. Comedian Bill Engvall is 69. Actor-martial artist

BAGEL

Continued from page 5C

The bagel started in Jewish communities in Poland and was brought here by Eastern European Jews escaping growing antisemitism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries After arriving from Poland, Harry Lender worked at a New Jersey bakery to earn enough to bring his family to America. His sons grew the family’s work from their New Haven, Connecticut, bakery to supermarkets around the country

with frozen bagels.

The bagel, then, is another story of the success of immigrants in America

The shops that now sell them are run by families of those original immigrants and new groups who’ve come for a better life.

But no matter how far the bagel spreads, it maintains a special place for American Jews. Many moments in the circle of life for Jews in America include boiled rings of dough stacked high to celebrate or eat away the grief.

Ritual circumcision for a baby boy? Snip snip, then bagels for all.

Bar mitzvah day 13 years later? Months of practice for an hour of work. Then: bagels. Shiva house mourning a loved one? “Sorry for your loss.” “Thank you. Bagels are in the other room.” In these situations, the bagel brings comfort — just as it has for generations of American Jews, immigrants, and anyone else looking for their place at the table.

Part of a recurring series, “American Objects,” marking the 250th anniversary of the United States.

PROVIdEd PHOTO

A sign at the end of the Mississippi bridge connecting Concordia Parish to Adams County, Mississippi, at Natchez, welcomes travelers to the town of

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By dARIO LOPEZ-MILLS

A breakfast egg and cheese on an ‘everything’ bagel

LEO (July23-Aug. 22) Choose to do something thatencourages youtolearn and experience something new and exciting. Connect with people who share your concerns and interests. Anger is awaste of time and effort.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Reach out to thosealready doingsomething youwant to pursue, but don't bank on having the sameexperience.Fine-tune your path forward to bypass the pitfalls others encountered.

LIBRA (sept. 23-Oct. 23) Keep personal information asecret. Take care of matters with institutions, government agencies and authority figures. Researching something will help youdeterminethe best alternatives to implement.

scORPIO (Oct. 24-nov. 22) Speak up. Honesty is the best way to stifle negativity. Stop worrying about who walks away If aconnection is causing you grief, let it go. Take the path that offers food for thought.

sAGIttARIus (nov.23-Dec. 21) All is good if you take care of your health and physical well-being. Takingontoo much or more than youcan handle will leaveyou subject to risk and injury.

cAPRIcORn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Address issues concerning legalities,health issuesand your financial future with those who influence your lifestyle and how you proceed. Acommitment will help you get back on track.

AQuARIus(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Keep your thoughts to yourself. Listen, learnand formulate aplan that encourages you

to broaden your awareness, needs and what you want to pursue. Alifestyle change is overdue.

PIscEs(Feb. 20-March 20) Payattention to detail and what othersthink and do. If you becomeaspokespersonand articulate your thoughts and plans, you'll attract people who want to achieve the same goals.

ARIEs(March 21-April 19) If you take the plunge and let your imagination lead the way, you'll devise innovative ideas and plans that will help you shine in your professional arena.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Letting situations, people and worry take up your time will result in few accomplishments. Put your time to good use, focus on physical activities andreiterate to those close to youwhatyou feel is important.

GEMInI(May 21-June 20) An instinctive moveonyour partorthat of someone close to you will have two parts —benefits will unfold, but the cost and emotional mayhem that transpires may put adamper on the outcome.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Slowdown, breatheand focusonwhatbrings you peace and joy. Refuse to let mixed emotions cause problems with associates, lovers or friends. Pay more attention to your surroundings.

Thehoroscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact ©2026 by NEA, Inc.,dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

FAMILY CIrCUS

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, pastand present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

tODAy's cLuE: WEQuALsL

CeLebrItY CIpher

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placingpuzzle basedona9x9 grid with several given numbers The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

Saturday’s PuzzleAnswer

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge

ZigZiglar,awriter,salesmanandmotivational speaker who died in 2012, said, “You were born to win, buttobea winner,youmustplantowin,preparetowin, andexpect to win.”

To succeed in abridgedealmay require taking awinner at the right moment. Atrick toosoon or toolatemay prove fatal.

In today’s deal, South is in four spades Westleadsthe club queen.Whatshould declarer do?

In the auction,South probablyshould have rebidthree no-trump. With eight winners, he needed partner to provide only onemore trick, or for the opening lead to be alow heart away from the ace.

Declarer apparently has these 10 tricks: six spades, one heart, two diamonds andone club.

However, to get that heart trick, South has to lead his king to drive out the ace, then get to the dummy to cash the queen.

And apparently the only dummy entry, theclubace,hasbeenremovedbyWest’s opening lead. Well, if aheart trickis impossible, maybe South’s 10thtrick can be aclub ruff in dummy.

Some players would take the first trick andreturn aclub, but the defender who wonthat trick would surely shift to a trump to stop declarer’s club ruff.

wuzzles

Instead, suppose West is allowed to take trickone.Whatwill he do next? If he leadsatrump,South wins, draws trumps,andleadstheheartkingtoestablish dummy’s queen, with the club ace stillontheboard.IfWestcontinuesclubs, thendeclarercanruffaclubontheboard for the required extra winner. ©2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By AndrewsMcMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzle is aword riddlewhichcreates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOONGOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

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,”

loCKhorNs

Be diligentfor theLord. Manyare counting on us. G.E. Dean

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato

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