The Advocate 08-05-2026

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Schools chief calls probe ‘challenging’

Cole addresses investigation during parish’s annual back-to-school convocation attended by 6,000 employees

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Betty Cormier, who has worked for a decade at the Pecan Island Food Store, says she doesn’t yet know how a SpaceX spaceport might change life in the small community she has come to know well.

Pecan Island residents react to SpaceX spaceport

‘It would be life-changing’

BY ALEX LUBBEN and JOEL THOMPSON Staff writers

Betty Cormier tended the counter Tuesday at the Pecan Island Food Store, a quiet storefront and gas station on La. 82 in the southern reaches of Vermillion Parish.

Surrounded by marshland, wildlife preserves and hunting and fishing camps, it’s one of the only places to get ä SpaceX food, fuel and supplies for miles earnings around. But she’s heard that that call offers may not be the case for much no hints of longer.

SpaceX, billionaire Elon Louisiana Musk’s commercial aero- plans. PAGE 11A space company, is in talks with the state of Louisiana over a 130,000-acre tract of land nearby that sources say the company wants for launching rockets. A spaceport would reshape this remote community on Louisiana’s southwestern coast, bringing potentially thousands of jobs but also construction, noise and other changes. Having heard little from local and state leaders, Cormier and some of her neighbors are wary.

“Our store is not equipped to handle 1,500 extra people,” she said. “There’s a lot of concern about whether we can adapt.”

In interviews, parish officials have said they are enthusiastic about the opportunities SpaceX

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Representatives from East Baton Rouge Parish schools parade around the arena holding banners of their schools during the annual back-to-school convocation at Southern University on Tuesday.

BY CHARLES LUSSIER Staff writer

Baton Rouge schools Superintendent LaMont Cole broke his silence Tuesday on an ongoing investigation of him by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office focusing on his time as a Metro Council member, part of a wider probe into corruption in city government.

“I am currently experiencing one of the most challenging times of my life,” Cole told an audience of about 6,000 East Baton Rouge Parish school employees gathered at the district’s annual back-to-school convocation.

The Advocate broke the news of the long-running investigation a

week ago, citing multiple sources.

School officials subsequently confirmed the investigation in an email to district staff.

Cole went further Tuesday as he spoke at Felton G. Clark Activity Center at Southern University.

The superintendent said he has been encouraged by numerous texts and messages from well-wishers on staff, including biblical passages. One is from John 13:7, where Jesus speaks.

Cole summarized it as, “You may not know now, but later you will understand.”

“I want to thank you for your support. I love you and I feel your appreciation,” Cole said. “And let me

Superintendent LaMont Cole speaks ä See PROBE, page 9A during Tuesday’s convocation.

ä See SPACEX, page 10A

Entergy puts purchase of Texas power plant on hold proceedings in its controversial it needs additional time because of Public Service Commission staff. acquisition, which has put EnterQuestions about cost, plan to buy a Texas power plant “complex and fact intensive issues The PSC regulates Entergy. gy at the center of a debate over He also said Entergy is working whether data centers will raise $1.8 billion, saying it is work- in the case,” in which Entergy is data center mount for ing on a plan to lessen the costs to asking for permission to buy the with the PSC to “identify ways to costs for residents.

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residents.

Entergy on Monday asked a judge to suspend the procedural Facing questions from investors schedule in the case, postponing and regulators, Entergy Louisi- a hearing that was scheduled for ana has indefinitely postponed September. Entergy told the judge Staff writer

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Cottonwood power plant from a private equity firm.

Entergy spokesperson Brandon Scardigli said in a statement that the company needs additional time to address “issues raised” by the

lessen the initial bill impacts of the A consultant hired by the Louiproposed Cottonwood acquisition.” siana Public Service Commission, It was not immediately clear Entergy’s regulator, testified earliwhat a reworked version of the er this summer that the proposed deal would look like. But the move ä See ENTERGY, page 8A reflects mounting opposition to the

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Blanche’s AG nomination clears critical hurdle

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Court: Feds wrong to terminate climate funds

WASHINGTON — A divided federal appeals court on Tuesday said the Trump administration improperly terminated billions of dollars in funds to boost clean energy projects, handing a win to a coalition of nonprofits picked to run the Biden-era effort.

Climate United Fund and other nonprofits won’t have access to their funds immediately as the decision will be put on hold for several days giving the Environmental Protection Agency time to ask the Supreme Court to step in.

The judgement by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is a loss for the Trump administration in one of its earliest efforts to dismantle President Joe Biden’s campaign to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gases. The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, commonly referred to as a “green bank,” is a $20 billion congressionally authorized program that provided money to nonprofits that would then make loans and invest in small energy projects, energy-efficient buildings and transportation.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin accused Climate United Fund and other nonprofits picked to run the green bank of mismanagement and potential fraud.

He froze billions that had been placed in a Citibank account for the program and then terminated their grants. The groups disputed any wrongdoing and sued, arguing the Trump administration broke the law and violated the Constitution by not spending money authorized by Congress.

Officials: Transmission tower sparked Eaton fire

LOS ANGELES — Sparks from an idle transmission tower owned

by Southern California Edison caused the 2025 Eaton fire in the Los Angeles area that killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 homes and businesses, Los Angeles County fire officials said in a report released Tuesday.

It took firefighters nearly a month to extinguish the blaze, which scorched 22 square miles.

The Eaton fire burned at the same time as the wind-whipped Palisades fire. An AP analysis at the time showed both blazes torched more urban area than any California fire in decades.

The Eaton fire was caused by electrical arcing on the utility’s out-of-service tower atop a ridge covered with dry fuel, the agency said in a statement. When bare, uninsulated wires touch or come close together it can cause arcing, which is when electricity jumps through the air, producing sparks.

The report said SoCal Edison was responsible for maintaining and operating its electrical lines and equipment “in a manner that would minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfire posed by them.”

Guatemala evacuates hundreds amid eruption

GUATEMALA CITY — Guatemala remained on alert Tuesday after evacuating hundreds of people following an eruption the day before of the Fuego volcano, which is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and one of Central America’s most active volcanoes.

The country’s disaster management agency said 659 people were evacuated from eight villages in the danger area and are being housed in nearby shelters.

The eruption started on Monday morning, with videos showing clouds of gas and ash above the volcano as lava and pyroclastic flows roll down.

Claudinne Ogaldes, executive secretary of the Guatemalan disaster management agency, said that about 10 more communities are expected to be evacuated throughout the day.

CORRECTION An article Saturday detailing new laws taking effect in Louisiana misstated the act number of a law relating to the protection of restaurant workers. Act 342 enhances criminal penalties for assault and battery when the victims are employees in food and retail establishments.

The Advocate regrets the error.

Senate panel advances bid after deal with GOP holdouts

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEHAD ALSHRAFI

Palestinians gather Sunday around a car struck in an Israeli military strike in Gaza City.

Netanyahu pushes back on Gaza deal Israeli leader says no withdrawal until Hamas fully disarms

BY WAFAA SHURAFA, SAMY MAGDY, IBRAHIM HAZBOUN and MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza City — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel will not withdraw from its current lines in Gaza until Hamas has completely disarmed and pushed back on a recent deal announced by President Donald Trump.

Netanyahu’s remarks cast more doubt on the deal to disarm Hamas, which was seen as a potential breakthrough for ending the war. It also marked a rare public display of friction with the Trump administration.

The agreement called for Hamas to begin disarming and for Israel to halt its strikes and begin withdrawing from the roughly 60% of Gaza it currently controls. It was based on an October ceasefire agreement that ended major military operations and brought about the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza but has stalled on other fronts.

Netanyahu, who faces a tough battle for reelection in October, reiterated his stance that disarmament should come first. He said Israeli forces would continue to “do whatever is necessary to protect themselves, our territory, and our citizens.”

The Trump administration “sent us a draft. We did not agree. It is not our draft.

We sent our comments. … This is our position,” Netanyahu said in a video posted on social media.

Mass funeral held in Gaza Earlier on Tuesday, Palestinians gathered for a mass funeral of more than 100 bodies finally recovered from a deadly Israeli strike in Gaza in 2023. More than 300 people were killed on Nov. 22, 2023, weeks into the war with Hamas, when warplanes flattened a residential block in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood.

Around 40 bodies were recovered soon afterward in a frantic scramble of rough tools and bare hands, but most were buried deep beneath the rubble. Reports of the high number of victims in one of the war’s deadliest attacks took days to reach the public in the chaos just before its first ceasefire.

Over the weekend, first responders dug through the destroyed buildings and recovered remains of 112 victims, including 40 children, according to the Civil Defense, a rescue agency operating under the Hamas-run Interior Ministry.

It said 157 bodies still have not been found.

“The only crime of these martyrs was that they remained steadfast and resilient

in their homes, believing that these homes would protect them,” one relative, Taysir al-Hassayna, told The Associated Press following the funeral prayers.

For the missing, it’s “as if their bodies had evaporated without a trace.”

Recovery of remains Only now are some bodies of people killed in the war’s ferocious early months slowly being recovered, as the fragile ceasefire allows such efforts to push ahead in parts of devastated Gaza.

Those discoveries have contributed to the war’s rising toll. The Hamas-led militant attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 73,377 Palestinians, including since the ceasefire, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.

At least 7,400 people have been reported by relatives to still be under the rubble, Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the ministry’s records department, told the AP. The true number is likely thousands higher because in some cases entire families were killed in a single bombing, leaving no one to report the missing, al-Waheidi has said.

The people mourned on Tuesday were from a residential block belonging to the Hassayna and Abu Sharia clan, and many were related. AP has identified at least 60 families across Gaza who lost 25 or more family members during the first three months of war.

On Tuesday, the remains of the victims, wrapped in Palestinian flags, were laid in rows on the ground. Many were marked with photos, and flower petals were scattered around them all. Hundreds of people surrounded the bodies for funeral prayers, some standing on the rubble.

Following the prayers, people carried the bodies on stretchers along a narrow street lined by destroyed buildings and buried them in a nearby cemetery.

Deadly strikes continue At least 1,252 people have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.

The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. It does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants but says women and children make up most of the dead.

Israel says its strikes are against militants who endanger its soldiers, took part in the Oct. 7 attack or carry out other violations. Five Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.

The U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement last October called for Hamas to be disarmed and for Israel to withdraw. An International Stabilization Force was to be deployed, and an independent Palestinian administration was to oversee governance and reconstruction.

Trump administration revokes visa of Brazil’s ambassador to U.S.

BY MATTHEW LEE and MAURICIO SAVARESE Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has revoked the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to the United States in retaliation for Brazil’s denial of visas last month for two American diplomats who sought to visit ahead of upcoming elections as well as Brazil’s stalling on approving President Donald Trump’s nominee to be ambassador in Brasilia.

The State Department said the decision was a reciprocal response to Brazil’s actions and officials said the step had been delayed several times to give Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva room to back down, something he did not do.

Officials said, however, that it could be quickly reversed if Brazil takes appro-

priate action and accepts Trump’s ambassadorial choice.

Trump has had a fractious relationship for some time with Lula’s administration, which has opposed him on numerous policies, particularly in the Western Hemisphere regarding Venezuela and Cuba.

Their relationship also has been strained

by Trump’s fondness for Lula’s first term successor and then predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently under house arrest, and his son Flavio, who is Lula’s main opponent in October election.

Lula has spared Trump himself from criticism and claims they liked each other when they first met at the United Nations Assembly General in September of last year. The Brazilian leader has blamed Secretary of State Marco Rubio for some of the actions against his country.

administration announced as part of the settlement.

After days of negotiations, Blanche issued an order Sunday evening confirming “beyond any doubt, that there is no Fund.”

Democrats say

BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Blanche’s order doesn’t and MARY CLARE JALONICK go far enough to prevent the Trump administration Associated Press from reviving the fund WASHINGTON — Acting after the acting attorney Attorney General Todd general’s confirmation and Blanche cleared a critical have called for legislation hurdle Tuesday in his bid to permanently bar it.

The order also to be confirmed doesn’t stop the to the post after administration swaying Repubfrom compensatlican holdouts on a Senate commiting Trump allies — including people tee to advance his who attacked the nomination for a Capitol on Jan. 6, floor vote.

2021 — through a The Senate Judi- Blanche previously estabciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lished process that allows lines in support of the people to file claims for nomination of President damages if they believed Donald Trump’s former they were wronged by the personal attorney, who has government. aggressively pushed the The fund “can easily be Republican administra- revived with a new order tion’s priorities since tak- from the Department of ing over from Pam Bondi Justice 15 minutes after Mr. Blanche is confirmed in April.

The vote followed a deal as attorney general,” said struck late Sunday be- Dick Durbin, of Illinois, tween Blanche and two the top Democrat on the Republican senators — committee.

Cornyn and Tillis had John Cornyn, of Texas; and Thom Tillis, of North also pressed for clarificaCarolina — who had been tion on a separate part of threatening to block his the settlement that would confirmation over the set- grant Trump and members tlement of Trump’s law- of his family immunity suit against the Internal from tax audits.

Under the deal, the JusRevenue Service regarding the president’s leaked tice Department clarified in writing that the tax autax returns.

The full Senate could dit immunity agreement vote later this week on applies only to claims open Blanche’s nomination. If at the time of the settleall Democrats oppose him, ment and does not protect Blanche can only afford to Trump from examination lose two Republican votes of future tax filings. if Sen. Mitch McConnell, It also makes clear of Kentucky, who was hos- that only the parties that pitalized after a fall, does brought the lawsuit — Trump, two of his sons, not return before then.

Cornyn and Tillis backed and the Trump OrganizaBlanche’s nomination af- tion — are covered by the ter the Justice Depart- tax agreement.

Cornyn said his reasons ment confirmed in writing that it wasn’t moving for backing Blanche go forward with a $1.8 billion beyond the deal struck fund to compensate Trump Sunday, adding that he beallies who believe they lieves the Justice Departwere prosecuted for po- ment needs a “stabilizing litical purposes, which the force” at the helm.

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Iran, Oman working on deal to reopen strait lll

Officials say plan could help wind down war

BY SAMY MAGDY, AAMER MADHANI and MATTHEW LEE Associated Press

CAIRO — Iran and the Gulf Arab state of Oman have made progress toward a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a potential breakthrough that could help wind down the war in the Middle East, regional officials said Tuesday.

Under the emerging agreement, ships would enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman, with service fees charged for providing security and preserving the maritime environment, two regional officials told The Associated Press.

They said negotiations are still underway and that the final agreement could take a different form, with any deal linked to lifting the U.S. blockade on Iran’s ports. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations un-

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By RAZIEH POUDAT

Regional officials say a deal between Oman and Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could help bring an end to the war. folding behind closed doors.

Any agreement formalizing Iran’s control of the strait would mark a significant strategic victory for Tehran. For that reason, the U.S. could seek to block the deal by refusing to lift the blockade. The strait was an open international waterway before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28.

A U.S. official familiar with the negotiations said that any “temporary” routes established through the strait would not involve approvals

by Iran or charges. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and

spoke on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. remains committed to returning to the status quo in which “no party controls the lanes or the ability to transit through them.”

U.S. President Donald Trump is under mounting pressure to end an unpopular war that has driven up gas prices ahead of midterm elections and drawn down U.S. supplies of some munitions. In recent days, he has again whipsawed between threatening massive strikes and voicing support for diplomatic efforts.

In an exchange with re-

porters on Monday, Trump reiterated his public stance that he’s opposed to tolling in the strait. “I’m not going to let them charge,” Trump said. “Anybody’s going to charge, we’ll charge.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the bilateral talks with Oman are focused on “establishing safe inbound and outbound shipping lanes,” routes that “uphold sovereign rights while also addressing the national security considerations of both Iran and Oman.”

“The final results of these negotiations will be announced once concluded,” he added, in remarks carried by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to reporters at the State Department, said “there’s been progress made in those talks, but not finality yet. We’re

hoping that will happen very shortly.”

Rubio has previously ruled out any deal that would give Iran control over the strait, saying last month that it would create a “very dangerous precedent” for other parts of the world.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that “there is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the strait and move towards a more normalized position in this conflict.”

Asked whether there would be tolls for movement through the strait, Bessent said: “I think it would be freedom of movement.”

The potential agreement between Iran and Oman was first reported by The New York Times.

A fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas transited the waterway before the war. Iranian attacks on ships have

largely shut it down, causing a spike in the price of fuel, fertilizer and other goods, and rattling economies far beyond the Middle East.

Trump said Monday that the U.S. was in talks with Iran, saying it was Tehran’s “last chance” to reach a deal and avoid another U.S. military escalation.

“The first phase is the opening of the straits. The second phase will be the denuclearization,” Trump said. “And that will take a little while.”

Iran has denied it is negotiating with the U.S., saying the talks are only with Oman.

The two sides reached an interim agreement in June to reopen the strait and launch 60 days of talks aimed at ending the war and resolving the long-standing dispute over Iran’s nuclear program. That agreement collapsed over escalating hostilities focused on the strait, and the deadline is around two weeks away.

The Best Way to Say Sa “Welcome Back” Surprise your favorite teacher with a desk arrangement.

Family: Man complained of access to meds before death at immigration jail

BY HALLIE GOLDEN and JAKE OFFENHARTZ Associated Press

Family members of a Salvadoran man who died at a New Jersey immigration jail are demanding an independent investigation into his death, alleging he was denied proper medical care inside a facility that has become a flashpoint for protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

The man, Edwin LopezCornejo, was hospitalized Saturday after suffering a “medical emergency” while being held at Delaney Hall in Newark, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He died the same day.

His official cause of death will be released following

NEW JERSEY

further medical examination, according to ICE, which has listed his age as 41. Relatives said he was 39.

At a news conference Tuesday, distraught family members said Lopez-Cornejo had complained he was not getting regular access to his medications, which he took for diabetes, high blood pressure and seizures. His mother, Maria Cornejo, said he called the day before his death to tell her he had spoken to a doctor early Friday and had lost feeling in half his face and arm.

“My son needed medical attention, and he didn’t receive it,” Cornejo said in Spanish. “He was a good father. A good son. A hard-

working man. He didn’t harm anyone.”

Through tears, his 12-yearold daughter, Ashley Lopez, said the family knew his health had worsened in detention. “All of us were worried about him,” she said.

In their statement, ICE said Lopez-Cornejo “received proper medical care and was seen by medical professionals” while in custody. He had been held at the facility since his arrest June 18, according to the agency, which accused him of entering the country illegally.

In all, at least 56 people have died in ICE custody during Trump’s second term. Hundreds of detainees across the U.S. have brought lawsuits accusing immigrant detention facilities of failing to provide proper medical care.

House ethics panel opens investigation against Republican Rep. Max Miller

By The Associated Press The House Ethics Committee said Tuesday it had opened an investigation into domestic abuse allegations against Republican Rep. Max Miller as the embattled Ohio congressman faced pressure from President Donald Trump and escalating criticism from his former father-in-law, Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno.

Miller, a senior adviser to Trump during his first presidency, faced a Wednesday deadline to decide whether to stay in his race for re-

election, with Republicans nervous that the allegations surrounding the secondterm congressman could cost them a seat as they try to hang on to their House majority in this year’s midterms.

Leaders of the ethics committee said in their statement that the committee was reviewing whether Miller “may have engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use.” Earlier in the day, Miller said he had requested his own investigation into the allegations made by his ex-wife,

Emily Moreno. It was not clear whether his request or another one prompted the committee to investigate.

Trump spoke with Miller on Monday and advised that his candidacy “doesn’t look good,” according to a source familiar with the conversation who was granted anonymity to discuss a private conversation. Trump’s conversation with Miller was first reported by Axios.

Miller said during a CNN interview Tuesday that he wasn’t exiting the race, despite what he described as Trump’s words of caution.

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6A ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

lll

Man accused in Spokane fire questioned previously setting the fire. His bail Documents say he nied was set at $1 million.

Authorities haven’t said was part of probe what caused the other two in 2 other blazes fires burning around Spo-

BY MANUEL VALDES, ED WHITE, MARTHA BELLISLE and GENE JOHNSON Associated Press

SPOKANE, Wash. — A man charged with intentionally setting a wildfire that’s destroyed hundreds of buildings in and around Washington state’s second-largest city was questioned by law enforcement during two fire investigations last year, though he wasn’t charged in either, court documents show.

Aaron F. Farinacci, of Spokane, was arrested Monday and booked on suspicion of first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, the biggest of three blazes that have destroyed at least 700 buildings and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes. According to court records, he de-

kane. No deaths have been reported.

Farinacci, 37, served about a decade in prison after killing his father in Arizona in 2010. Last year, authorities questioned him in two firerelated cases in Spokane, according to a probable cause statement filed in Spokane ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By LINDSEy WASSON County Superior Court.

From left, homeowner Al Acosta, his son Louis Acosta, One involved several “busdaughter Renee Stewart and son-in-law Jamie Stewart look sized” fires in an area near Farinacci’s apartment in July through the remains of Al’s home on Monday after a wildfire 2025, police records in that hit the northern part of Spokane, Wash. case say. The other involved a wildfire in a state park that About 10 minutes later, as fire!’ It was the exact spot prompted evacuation notices they were returning home, where he was standing.” the following month. In nei- the man was still there.

Child’s daughter called 911 “He was bent over in the and he drove back to the spot ther case was he arrested. brush, acting nervous,” Child where he’d seen the man, A tip leads to an arrest told The Associated Press on sheriff’s detective Michael On Saturday, Paul Child, 64, Tuesday. “You get the feeling Drapeau wrote in the probwas driving with his grand- this guy’s up to something.” able cause statement. He “No longer than 10 minutes gave a police officer a deson along some railroad tracks in his rural neighbor- after I got home, my daughter hood northwest of Spokane. says, ‘There’s a fire,’” Child He saw a man standing and recalled. “My first words looking toward nearby trees. were, ‘That SOB started a

scription of the man he had seen — bald, White, wearing a green shirt and carrying a backpack.

A responding sheriff’s deputy saw a man matching that description walking more than 1 mile away and detained him. Another deputy also responded, and Child showed up to identify the person in custody — Farinacci — as the one he had seen in the area of the fire, the document states.

Farinacci had a backpack and a fanny pack, in which he had a pack of cigarettes, waterproof matches and a butane lighter, it says. He told the deputies he didn’t start the fire and he denied having been in the area where it started. He was wearing a green T-shirt that read, “who needs luck I have charm,” the detective wrote.

The deputies were unaware of Farinacci’s prior fire-related contacts and the

cause of the Old Trails Fire hadn’t been determined yet, so they released him to continue working on evacuation efforts, Drapeau wrote.

But the following day, a wildland fire investigator ruled out other possible causes, including sparks from electric wires or passing trains, and police arrested Farinacci on Monday.

“As it happens in so many critical cases, it was citizens who were paying attention to their surroundings, being aware and willing to step up and say something that led to the relatively quick apprehension of Mr. Farinacci,” Sheriff John Nowels told reporters.

Farinacci appeared in court Tuesday via video link from the jail and was represented by Colin Charbonneau, director of the Spokane County public defender’s office. A judge set his arraignment for Thursday.

Authorities identify three people killed in Idaho In-N-Out shooting

BY DAVE COLLINS and SARAH RAZA Associated Press

The three people killed when a gunman opened fire at an In-N-Out Burger in Idaho included a worker at the restaurant chain and a man from the area known for helping others get sober.

Authorities released the names Tuesday of the people who died when 24-year-old Chad Williams opened fire at the Twin Falls restaurant.

The attack Saturday afternoon ended when Williams shot and killed himself. Police said they are confident Williams acted alone but have not yet identified a motive.

Ashley Garibay, 23, who was killed in the shooting, worked for the burger chain on a team that trained new employees away from where she lived in Stockton, Cali-

fornia. Her family said she loved her work and called her an “amazing, beautiful soul who loved living life.”

“She was adventurous, outgoing, smart and driven, never letting obstacles get in her way,” her family said in a statement. “She lit up a room with her bright smile and a laugh that was contagious.”

Dale Schultz, 66, of Salt Lake City, and Christopher Claunch, 59, of Hagerman, Idaho, about 28 miles northwest of Twin Falls, were also killed, according to police.

One of Claunch’s friends, Garren Taylor, said Claunch completed a rehab program for alcohol abuse in Idaho a couple of years ago and was immediately hired at the center. Taylor said Claunch, known to those close to him as “Toph,” dedicated his life to helping others get sober.

“He helped hundreds of

people,” Taylor said Monday.

“He was just a gift to anyone he came in contact with. It wasn’t about the paycheck.

His attitude was: ‘I get to help someone today.’ ” A candlelight vigil was planned Tuesday night at Twin Falls City Park, and police have opened a center where those who were affected by the shooting could get support and request or collect personal items left at the scene. Flags in the city will be at half-staff until next week.

The In-N-Out location opened in late July as part of the California chain’s Idaho expansion. Garibay got her first job at one of the restaurants, and she dreamed of one day managing one of the stores, her family said.

She worked in Stockton and joined the traveling team in 2023, said family spokesperson Kristin Cole.

Spanish prime minister fends off criticism from EU over Ceuta crisis

BY SAM MCNEIL, JOSEPH WILSON and COLLEEN BARRY Associated Press

BRUSSELS — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s migration policies faced fierce criticism as leaders from across the European Union met Tuesday following last week’s rush of migrants to the Spanish territory of Ceuta in North Africa.

The sudden arrival of 72,000 migrants on Thursday and Friday sparked a humanitarian crisis in Ceuta and reignited the immigration debate in the 27-nation bloc, though most of the migrants soon went back. More than

80 migrants died, including some who drowned or were trampled in a stampede to cross a breakwater barrier, according to Spanish and Moroccan authorities.

Open letters from 22 EU leaders, and a quick retort from Sanchez, have exposed a roiling debate inside the EU pitting migration hawks against the progressive Spanish leader who has challenged consensus within the bloc on migration as well as NATO spending, Gaza and Israel.

Sanchez’s government has dismissed the attacks as politically motivated, saying most of the migrants were pushed back from Ceuta

within hours in “close coordination with the Moroccan authorities and with very little support from other European states.”

While ministers seemed to rally back around Sanchez after meeting Tuesday, Europe displayed a deeply damaging disunity in the aftermath of Ceuta as it faces security threats from Moscow, instability with Washington and economic tension with Beijing, said Alicia García-Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific and Middle East for the financial firm Natixis.

“Europe has shown weakness again,” she said. “Massive weakness.”

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, August 5, 2026 ■ 7A

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• “86% of the 219 patients who completed the therapy reported immediate resolution of symptoms.” - Orthopedic Technology Review • “Vertebral axial (spinal) decompression was successful in 71% of the 778 cases” - Journal of Neurological Research • “Good to excellent relief in 86% of patients with Herniated discs” - The American Journal of Pain Management • “Decompression Therapy reported a 76.5% with complete remission and 19.6% with partial remission of pain and disability” - Rio Grande Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery You will sit with the doctor one on one to go over your x-rays, and you’ll get to see everything first hand.

At LeBlanc Spine Center, our goal is to help you live pain-free and return to the activities you love. We genuinely enjoy meeting with patients, answering questions, and showing firsthand how spinal decompression can be a life-changing solution. If you’ve been living with back or neck pain, we invite you to schedule a one-onone consultation and experience what sets our clinic apart-personalized attention, proven technology, and compassionate care.

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Before coming to LeBlanc Spine Center, I was dealing with low back pain and an SI joint problem, and I had no gel between my lower joints. I had been struggling with this for about a year and had tried exercises and wearing belts just to get by. Since starting care here, I’d say I’ve improved about 80%. The pain relief has made a real difference, and I’ve also noticed improved posture. The staff here is a great group to work with - they really care and treat you well. I can’t say there’s anything I disliked about my care, because everything has been positive. I may not be doing anything brand new, but I’m doing it with less pain than before, and that has made life better. I would definitely recommend LeBlanc Spine Center to others because they’re a great group to work with, they help improve posture, and most importantly, they help reduce pain.

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8A ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

lll

ENTERGY

Continued from page 1A acquisition would effectively mean residents would pay for energy that’s largely only needed because of Meta’s massive north Louisiana data center. After The Times-Picayune | The Advocate reported about the testimony, Gov. Jeff Landry issued an executive order demanding that data center developers pay for their own energy costs.

Entergy filed a rebuttal in the case in late July, saying the company has been considering buying Cottonwood for years and that it’s not needed because of Meta’s data center.

But the company has faced pushback from the PSC, where at least two members have suggested they will oppose the deal. Commissioners Eric Skrmetta and Mike Francis, both Republicans, indicated they would vote against the proposed deal, which would cost the average residential customer about $9 a month more on their electric bill.

Francis said Tuesday that his stance hasn’t changed and that he expects Entergy to present a reworked version of the deal.

“They’re going to have to go back to the drawing board and present a different case, would be my guess,” Francis said.

Commissioner Davante Lewis, who has also raised questions

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

A crew raises new power poles in March at the Meta data center site in Holly Ridge. about the proposal, said investors asked him about Cottonwood at a recent gathering of regulators in Minneapolis. He suggested Entergy is getting “serious pushback” from investors, who are questioning whether the company will ever win approval.

“I find it hard-pressed that this application will be approved without fundamental changes to it,” Lewis said, adding that he hasn’t taken an official position on the deal.

Scardigli, of Entergy, said the preceding will continue on a “revised timeline.”

“During this period, Entergy Louisiana is also working with LPSC Staff and other parties to identify ways to lessen the initial bill impacts of the proposed Cottonwood acquisition,” he said in a statement. “Because it is an existing facility option and avoids new construction costs, Cottonwood offers an opportunity to add existing, dispatchable generation quickly

that supports the power needs of ALL of our Louisiana customers, at a fraction of the cost for a new build.”

Entergy’s planned acquisition is being litigated before an administrative law judge. Judges typically make a recommendation to either approve or reject such applications, and the PSC has the final say.

Entergy Corp. CEO Drew Marsh told investors on a recent earnings call that while Cottonwood isn’t the “shiniest new plant out there,” buying it would be cost-effective for customers in the long run.

He also said the company is working to “mitigate the impact” on ratepayers.

“The biggest issue is a timing question, because the full plant is what’s available at the beginning of next year, and it’s for sale now,” Marsh said. “It’s not for sale at the ideal time when all these other customers are arriving, that aren’t data centers. And so we’re working through that and figuring out ways that we can manage the risks, and we feel confident we’ll come up with something.”

The proposed acquisition raised questions about whether Meta was following a White House pledge it signed promising to pay for its own power when building data centers. Meta spokesperson Francis Brennan said at the time that the analysis by the PSC consultant, Lane Sisung, was “inaccurate speculation.”

“Meta pays its own way, both for the power and new infrastruc-

“They’re going to have to go back to the drawing board and present a different case, would be my guess.”

MIKE FRANCIS, Public Service Commission member ture we use,” he said in June. “Our agreement with Entergy is built to guarantee we pay those costs, not Louisianans.”

Sisung’s analysis raised a host of problems with the plan. Cottonwood is 22 years old, has reliability issues that would require hundreds of millions in spending by Entergy to fix and was acquired by a private equity firm a few years ago for far less than Entergy is planning to buy it for.

And, he wrote, the need for power exists “principally by the Metarelated ramp period rather than by general system load growth.”

The data center, one of the largest in the world, has become a flashpoint for a national debate over the massive infrastructure buildout to power artificial intelligence products.

Landry’s administration has signed nondisclosure agreements with Meta and other data center developers as part of a bid to land the facilities.

His administration also pushed through a tax break for data centers that could give billions in benefits to tech giants like Meta and Amazon.

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CLASSIFIEDS continued from Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --[Media and Substitute Notice] Eyemart Express Provides Notice of Data Event

Farmers Branch, Texas – July 31, 2026 – Eyemart Express, LLC (“Eyemart”) hereby provides notice about a cybersecurity event that involved cer‐ tain individuals’ personal data.

Eyemart, a nationwide provider of retail optical and optometric services, learned on February 13, 2026 about unauthorized access to its systems on February 12, 2026. Eye‐ mart was able to contain the incident and secure its systems that same day. In addition, Eyemart immediately launched an investigation to deter‐ mine the nature and scope of the incident.

The data involved varies based on a given individ‐ ual’s relationship with Eyemart. For certain Eye‐ mart customers, their name, vision insurance information, date of birth eyeglass pur‐ and/or chase or prescription were involved. Eyemart has mailed notification letters to such cus‐ tomers except when it could not determine an address for them. For other affected individu‐ als, name, address, So‐ cial Security number, date of birth, eyeglass prescription, health plan and/or other information was involved (as more particularly described in notification Eyemart’s letters to such individu‐ als). If you have ques‐ tions or would like addi‐ tional information, in‐ cluding whether you are one of the above-de‐ scribed customers for which Eyemart was not able to determine an ad‐ dress, you may contact Eyemart at 800-655-4635.

As part of Eyemart’s re‐ sponse to this incident and its ongoing commit‐ ment to information se‐ curity, Eyemart contin‐ ues to review and update its training, processes, and procedures, and is working to implement measures to reduce the possibility of a similar in‐ cident in the future. Eye‐ mart is also cooperating with federal law enforce‐ ment. For individuals whose Social Security number was involved, is providing Eyemart credit complimentary monitoring (as explained in Eyemart’s notification letters to such individu‐ als).

Eyemart encourages all individuals to remain vig‐ ilant as to potential inci‐ dents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing account statements and reviewing periodically their credit report. Indi‐ viduals may obtain a free copy of their credit re‐ b lli

1 (855) 949-5044

Dr. Shannon Bierma, PhD Neuro-psychologist Louisiana

Dr. Erik Hanson, MD Psychiatrist Louisiana

Legal Notices

py port by calling 1-877-3228228 or by visiting www. annualcreditreport.com and following instruc‐ tions for submission of requests. Relevant con‐ tact information for the national credit reporting agencies is as follows: Equifax, PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374, www. equifax.com, 1-800-6851111 Experian, PO Box 2104, Allen, TX 75013, www. experian.com, 1-888-3973742 TransUnion, PO Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016, www. transunion.com, 1-800888-4213 Upon receipt of credit re‐ ports, individuals should review them carefully.

They should look for un‐ recognized accounts or creditor inquiries, and for inaccuracies in re‐ ported data such as ad‐ dress, payment history, or date of birth. If any‐ thing looks incorrect, in‐ dividuals should contact credit reporting the agency using contact in‐ formation provided with the report. Individuals may also contact the Federal Trade Commis‐ sion (“FTC”) or their state Attorney General for information about identity theft and credit report fraud alerts and security freezes. The FTC may be contacted at 600 Avenue Pennsylvania Washington, DC NW, 1-877-ID-THEFT 20580, (438-4338), and TTY: 1866-653-4261.

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F-8 — Personnel Records f. F-9.2 — Compensation g. F-11.4 — Sick Leave h. F-11.4b — Sick Leave Bank i. F-12.11 — Use of Pro‐ nouns and Given Names j. G-2.4c — Education of Students with Exception‐ alities k. G-2.4e — Sex Education l. H-3.5b — Corporal Punishment m. H-3.6 — Student Health Services n. H-3.6b — Immunizations o. H-3.6c — Administration of Medication p. Parent Communication q. Student Fees, Fines, and Charges 6. Consideration and Ap‐ proval of 1 FTE and Job Description for Federal Programs Assistant.

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Public Notices Nat Res Coastal PUBLIC NOTICE --City of Baker School Board Board Meeting Agenda Tuesday, August 4, 2026, 6:00 P.M. School Board Office Monique Butler, President – Presiding “It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself.”Eleanor Roosevelt A. Meeting Commencement 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Silent Meditation 4. Pledge of Allegiance B. Welcome of Visitors C. Recognitions D. Approval of Agenda (Action) E. Action Items-The pub‐ lic may comment on Ac‐ tion Items. Public Com‐ ment is limited to 2 min‐ utes per individual.

1. Consideration and Ap‐ proval of Minutes from the School Board Meet‐ ing of July 7, 2026, and Special Board Meeting July 28, 2026.

2. Consideration and Ap‐ proval of Financial State‐ ment ending 06-30-2026. d ill f

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE the Louisiana De‐ partment of Conserva‐ tion and Energy, Office of Permitting and Compli‐ ance (OPC) has received the following applica‐ tion(s) for a Coastal Use Permit (CUP) in accor‐ dance with La. R.S. 49:214.21 et seq., and the rules of the Coastal Man‐ agement Program. Appli‐ cations for coastal use permits may be in‐ spected at 617 North 3rd Street, Room 1078, Baton Rouge, LA or on the OPC at: https:// webpage denr.louisiana.gov/page/ public-notices.

Copies available, costs are apply. Written comments are solicited from the public and must be re‐ ceived within 25 days of the date of this notice.

Comments must be up‐ loaded directly to our record electronic through the OPC web‐ page or mailed to: OPC Kyle Administrator, Balkum, P.O. Box 44487, Baton Rouge, LA 708044487. All comments must contain the appropriate CUP number and the

Public Notices Nat Res Coastal

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PUBLIC NOTICE --WBR NOTICE OF PUBLIC CONDEMNA‐ HEARING: TION Pursuant to Parish Code Chapter 109-42 “Derelict Structures”, the follow‐ ing properties have been condemned by the Parish President.

Address: 1234 REV MAN‐ UAL ST. PORT ALLEN LA 70767 (File #26-0036) Owner: LUELLA MILLS PARKER Legal Description: LOT 4 MARIONNEAUX SD 53A53CB188 E62(MAP FILED IN ORGINAL CB61 E111) (PLAT MAP 69) A PUBLIC HEARING will be held by the West Rouge PARISH Baton COUNCIL to ratify the condemnation order. The owner of the structure may appeal the decision of the Parish President by appearing at this meeting of the PARISH COUNCIL to show cause why the structure should not be condemned.

Date: Thursday, August 13,2026 Time: 5:30pm Public hearings will be held at the West Baton Rouge Parish Govern‐ mental Building, 880 N. Alexander, Port Allen, LA 70767.

Published in The Advo‐ cate for Two (2) consecu‐ weeks from tive through 07/30/2026 08/13/2026.

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A PUBLIC HEARING will be held by the West Baton Rouge Parish Council relative to the aforementioned re‐ quest(s).

Date: Thursday, August 27, 2026 Time: 5:30 pm

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PROBE

Continued from page 1A say, I want to thank you for being a friend.”

Then Cole launched into his own rendition of “Thank You For Being A Friend,” the theme song to the ‘80s TV sitcom “The Golden Girls,” a show he said he used to watch with his grandmother. First, Cole said the lyrics out loud and then sang them, sparking a singalong from the arena crowd.

Cole did not provide the audience any details about the accusations he is facing or the investigation that he is undergoing. Cole left the Metro Council in July 2024 to become superintendent of Louisiana’s second-largest traditional school district.

After Cole spoke, the Rev. Joshua Johnson, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Baton Rouge, summoned Cole back to the stage to pray over him, prompting many in the audience to likewise lift their hands in prayer.

On July 28, after the news of the investigation of Cole broke, the district’s head of communications, Taylor Gast, sent an email to staff.

“We understand that news like this can create uncertainty and concern. During this time, we encourage everyone to remain calm, avoid speculation, and allow the appropriate processes to move forward,” Gast wrote. “Our focus remains on what matters most. We will continue serving our students, supporting one another, and continuing the important work happening in our schools and departments each day.”

Employees reported back to work Monday, and students return to classes Thursday.

Cole’s comments Tuesday capped a rousing pep rally event. It featured an Olympic-style “parade of schools” where groups from schools across the parish held banners showcasing their sites.

Several school bands also performed, including South-

ern University’s famed Human Jukebox.

A convoy of school buses transported school staff to Southern University on Tuesday. They arrived in a festive mood, filling the stands and wearing T-shirts marking their particular school.

“Where’s my Istrouma Indians? I got to give them a shout,” asked Mayor-President Sid Edwards, prompting a section of the stands on the far side of the arena to stand up and shout. “Yeah!

It’s good to see y’all.”

Edwards, a longtime football coach, spent his final years before becoming mayor at Istrouma High.

He said he knows the staff’s true feelings about having to come back to work.

“Y’all are happy today, but I promise you yesterday, you were moping around a little bit with the end of summer,” he said.

Echoing other speakers, the mayor encouraged educators in the room to make personal connections with their students, to help them down a better road, to save their lives, “literally.”

“As we used to say in football, it’s not about Xs and Os,” Edwards said. “It’s about Jimmys and Joes.”

Other prominent community leaders and government officials were on hand, including District Attorney Hillar Moore, Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed and state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley. Five of the nine members of the parish School Board also were present. Board President Shashonnie Steward and Vice President Cliff Lewis offered introductory remarks.

Cole, however, was the main event. The superintendent waited until it was his turn to speak before he finally entered the auditorium to rousing music, similar to the style of a pro wrestler entering the ring.

He highlighted high-profile changes during his twoyear tenure, including closing several schools, changing start time at a growing number of schools, and

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

East Baton Rouge Parish schools Superintendent LaMont Cole dances while making his entrance onstage during the annual back-to-school convocation for school employees on Tuesday at Southern University. notable gains on standardized tests. He also pointed to a large employee pay raise approved in June that is lifting starting teacher salaries by $6,000 to $56,000 a year.

“I promise you we’re not done yet,” Cole said.

Cole grew up in Baton Rouge and attended several Baton Rouge schools before graduating from Tara High.

He named aloud several teachers whom he credits with changing his life; one, Joyce Wilson, was in the audience and is a teacher still at Broadmoor High.

“Years from now, one of your students may stand on this very stage and talk about the teachers who inspired them, and that teacher could very well be you,” Cole said. “That’s the power of public education. That’s the power of the teacher.

That is the power of the East Baton Rouge Parish school system.”

Email Charles Lussier at clussier@theadvocate. com.

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SPACEX

Continued from page 1A might bring to a remote section of Louisiana’s coast, as are some landowners nearby. At the same time, others in Vermilion, which has a population of about 60,000 people, are more skeptical. Around 5,000 people live in the remote area around Pecan Island where sources have told The Times-Picayune and The Advocate that SpaceX plans to build a launch site.

For months, many in Vermilion have heard the rumors of a major project involving a space company, but there’s been little information shared so far from public officials. Gov. Jeff Landry’s office has declined to comment about any potential launch site in Vermilion Parish. The company has declined to comment, but referred to a post on X that states that the company needs more launch sites and that included a map of the area around Pecan Island.

Vermilion Parish President Chad Vallo said he expects to hear from state officials at some point, and he said he’s excited for the jobs and potential economic growth. His office is in the process of reaching out to elected officials in Texas near SpaceX’s Starbase, the company’s flagship launch site, to find out about the impacts of the spaceport there.

“If it does come to fruition, it would be life-changing,” Vallo said, adding that he hopes that his grandson, who serves in the U.S. Navy, will be able to return to the area and get a job with SpaceX. “He could possibly be home and wouldn’t have to go find a job somewhere else.”

Vallo said that to the extent he has heard from constituents, they support the project. Still, in interviews Tuesday, and during an online call organized Monday night by a local opponent of any space development, some residents didn’t share that view. Environmental advocates are concerned about how a site devoted to space launches could impact the coastal region that’s nestled between wildlife refuges.

Wayne Miller, the assistant fire chief in Pecan Island, said he’s opposed to the project, as are many people he’s heard from.

He’s also concerned about the

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Wayne Miller, who raises show pigs in Pecan Island, says he is opposed to the SpaceX project.

enough to physically damage lack of information.

“The state needs to open its houses in the area.

Still, environmentalists are mouth and tell us what’s happenraising concerns about the poing,” he said. tential impact of the project on A spaceport on the Gulf the natural areas that surround Pecan Island is a small commu- it. The stretch of land SpaceX nity along a stretch of wetlands is looking to acquire is situated about 45 miles southwest of La- between the Rockefeller Wildfayette. Down the road from the life Refuge to its west and an town, in an area called Fresh- Audubon-owned site, the Paul water City, is a small stretch of J. Rainey Sanctuary, to its east. filled-in marsh that SpaceX has Both provide key habitat for miindicated on social media that it gratory bird species. may acquire for its next space“As SpaceX considers development in Vermilion Parish, we port.

About 130,000 acres of wetlands are concerned about potential around Pecan Island are owned impacts to sensitive habitats,

by ExxonMobil, which acquired wildlife, fisheries, air quality, the land in 1958 when it bought local livelihoods and emergenHumble Oil, according to Jason cy-response times when roads Theriot, a historian and author of become congested,” said Alyssa a book about the area. Since then, Portaro, the executive director the land has been managed by an of the Habitat Recovery Project, entity called the Vermilion Corpo- a Vinton-based environmental ration, which oversees duck hunt- group.

She called for conducting enviing there.

As part of a settlement with ronmental studies of the area to Exxon in lawsuits alleging that establish baseline data against the company damaged parts of which the impacts of the project Louisiana’s fragile coastline, the can be measured. state is negotiating for SpaceX to receive control of the land, either ‘Something’s happening’ through a sale, long-term lease or SpaceX’s Texas launch site other type of arrangement. has affected the environment The site is potentially a Goldi- there. After one of the landmark locks location for Musk’s compa- launches of Musk’s Starship ny. It’s near the Gulf Intracoastal rocket in 2023, conservationWaterway, a shipping channel that ists canvassed the landscape for SpaceX may make use of. There’s signs of environmental damage. abundant natural gas nearby, The impact was clear. Yellow egg which is needed for rockets. And yolk stained the ground where there are few nearby residents to birds’ nests had been the day becomplain about the sonic booms fore, according to The New York — which, near SpaceX’s launch Times. None of the nine nests site in Texas, have been strong that conservationists had been

monitoring survived the launch intact.

Louisiana has passed legislation aimed at reducing any liabilities for SpaceX and other companies who want to launch rockets in the state. A new law passed this spring aimed at shielding aerospace companies from lawsuits over the impacts of any potential launch site, barring nuisance lawsuits from local governments or residents, as well as other legislation meant to lure commercial spaceflight companies to the state.

Pierre Miller, 64, an attorney who lives in New Orleans and whose family owns around 10,000 acres in coastal Vermilion, said he was open to the idea of SpaceX developing in the area. He said the area never recovered from Hurricane Rita in 2005 and could use an economic shot in the arm.

“I’m curious about it and excited about the possibilities,” he said. “I don’t know why it can’t be compatible with (existing recreational uses). They will need a lot of empty space buffer.”

Regardless of their views on the prospect of a space launch site, residents and landowners said they were largely just seeking more information on what might be coming. And with a lack of official information, questions have spread. A few weeks ago, large white Xs appeared on a number of streets in the area. During a call Monday evening organized by a local opponent of the project, the markings became a topic of speculation.

“We all know something’s happening,” one Pecan Island resident said of the Xs, which brought guesses that they were visible from satellites. Others guessed that they were simply marking roads that would need to be widened.

Warren Winch, 79, a Pecan Island native who has given airboat tours of the region, was focused less on what might be coming that what might no longer exist in the area if SpaceX arrives.

“If they put it where they say they are, at least I’ll have a nice view of the launches,” Winch said. “What I worry about are my kids who raise cattle for a living and other people who do shrimping and crabbing to survive. Most of them don’t want it, and I can only imagine what it’s going to look like for them.”

Med schools join LSU as branch campuses

BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

The LSU health sciences centers in Shreveport and New Orleans have officially joined the flagship institution as branch campuses, the university announced Tuesday.

The merger was approved by LSU’s accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, at its June board meeting. It cements the university’s plan to operate as an “integrated research enterprise,” a release from the university said.

“The work happening every day on LSU’s flagship campus in Baton Rouge is complementary to that of our research-intensive centers across the state, and this designation recognizes that,” Chancellor Jim Dalton said. “While we are unified as a single institution, we also recognize and respect the specialized work occurring across LSU’s research, instructional, and patient care sites and value the benefits that an appropriate degree of operational autonomy provides to the state.”

The move is part of the university’s ongoing reorganization to unify the main campus in Baton Rouge, the LSU AgCenter, the health sciences centers and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center so they act as one research entity. Some local advocates in Shreveport have expressed hesitation about the plan, saying they fear losing independence.

University administrators argue the merger will help LSU attain a top-50 ranking in the National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development Survey, an annual census of the universities that spend the most on research. The ranking depends on combining research dollars across campuses, they say.

A team of commission reviewers will visit LSU this fall to evaluate the implementation, per the release.

LSU awaits approval for its reorganization from the U.S. Department of Education and will receive final authorization at the accreditor’s December meeting, the release said.

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lll

SpaceX earnings call offers no hint of La. plans share to $125 when the markets Eventually, Musk said, Starship pany’s financial performance.

Officials talk about growing launch capacity payloads will also include compoIn a request for comment last closed Tuesday.

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

In an earnings call with Wall Street investors Tuesday, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and his top executives discussed the growth and financial performance of the publicly traded company’s rocket, satellite and AI divisions.

They didn’t mention any plans for a new spaceport in coastal Vermilion Parish.

As previously reported, Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration is in the final stages of negotiating a

deal with SpaceX to build a launch facility on a 130,000-acre site near Pecan Island about 45 miles southwest of Lafayette.

Landry is expected to announce the deal, which will bring thousands of jobs and commercial infrastructure to the remote area, later this month.

On Tuesday’s call, Musk and SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell alluded to the company’s plans to exponentially scale up the number of reusable Starship rockets it will blast into space carrying Starlink satellites.

nents for AI data centers in space.

“I know this sounds nuts … we are going to land a lot of tonnage on the moon,” he said. “We’re going to build factories on the moon.”

But he did not elaborate on what it will take to build enough new launch facilities and increase capacity at existing facilities in Boca Chica, Texas, and Cape Canaveral, Florida, to attain those goals.

None of the Wall Street analysts that were allowed to ask questions following the company’s presentation pressed for details on the topic, focusing instead on the com-

weekend on the Vermilion Parish deal, a SpaceX spokesperson referred to a previous post from May on its platform X. “We are constantly exploring to find viable sites to expand Starship operations in the future, both domestically and internationally,” the company said in its social media post.

Tuesday’s call was the first since SpaceX went public in June with an initial public offering that raised a record-breaking $85.7 billion. In the months since, the company’s share price has tumbled from its mid-June high of $172 a

The company reported Tuesday that it brought in $7.8 billion in revenue in the second quarter, up 92% from the same period a year ago.

But during the same period, the company remained unprofitable, losing $541 million on the heels of a $4.3 billion loss in the first quarter.

Chief Financial Officer Bret Johnson told investors the vast majority of the company’s capital expenditures have been on its AI division, not its rockets.

Of $18.4 billion spent in the second quarter on capital projects, $15 billion went to AI infrastructure.

Porn site says age verification regulations not working

ones that don’t verify users’ device level, but when it selves must take action. a statement on X. nography websites’ responLouisiana leaders inState comes to pornography in Rep. Laurie Schle- ages.

“I ultimately believe it’s sibility to keep minors off of In its letter, Pornhub ar- particular, platforms them- the platforms’ and the por- their sites,” she said. gel, the Metairie Republican dismiss concerns who sponsored Louisiana’s gued those concerns are be-

BY ALYSE PFEIL and MATT ALBRIGHT Staff writers

One of the world’s largest pornography sites sent a letter this week urging state officials across the country to reconsider age verification regulations, but it received an icy response from leaders in Louisiana, which has one such law.

“These laws do not work and, as a result, have put your constituents’ children and adults’ personal data at risk,” says Pornhub’s letter, which is addressed to hundreds of state-level leaders.

“If you truly intend to protect minors online, you must acknowledge the facts and introduce a real solution.”

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, who received the communication, was not convinced.

“Not only will we NOT reconsider age verification for Pornhub’s website, but we’re going to pursue even more accountability,” Murrill said

age verification law and also got the letter, was similarly critical.

Schlegel called it “a desperate attempt” by the company to avoid taking responsibility for keeping minors off its platform.

She noted the lobbying effort comes as lawmakers in Congress are actively considering federal legislation such as the SCREEN Act, which would establish ageverification requirements for websites with sexual content.

Louisiana in 2022 passed a law requiring pornographic websites to digitally verify that a user is older than 18 before viewing their content.

Supporters argued it was necessary to keep children away from age-inappropriate content and safe from child predators. Opponents said it would violate users’ privacy through the collection of personal data and would push young people away from more responsible sites that implement the age checks to more dangerous

ing realized.

“Dangerous websites that are breaking the law by refusing to implement any kind of age assurance are benefiting from the law by winning traffic over from the compliant websites that have,” the letter states.

The company argued a better solution exists and has been tested in the United Kingdom: Requiring companies like Apple and Google to enable parental controls, which block porn and other adult content, at the level of the operating system by default. Users would need to verify their age to disable those controls.

“This method protects minors without requiring adults to surrender unnecessary personal information to multiple websites,” the letter states. “It also avoids creating systems that are easily circumvented through tools like VPNs.” Schlegel said she supports age verification measures that work at the system or

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Judge hears arguments to restrict clothing

Spectators in rape trial could be banned from pink

BY BLAKE LESCHBER Staff writer

A Baton Rouge judge Tuesday heard arguments on a motion to restrict spectators from wearing pink to the trial of the first suspect accused of raping Madison Brooks.

This decision is one part of a highly anticipated trial for the first of four being tried for the alleged

rape of 19-year-old LSU student Brooks in 2023, after which she was fatally struck by a car.

Judge Gail Horne Ray will make a decision on the motion Thursday — less than two weeks before 21-year-old defendant Desmond Carter’s trial will begin.

The Motion to Prohibit Prejudicial or Intimidating Spectator Displays was filed at the end of

June and sought to keep spectators from wearing pink clothing or attire that references Brooks to restrict potentially influencing jurors. However, the state has since pushed back on this motion, saying it’s “unreasonable.”

Pink is the color of the Madison Brooks Foundation, which Brooks’ mother, Ashley Baustert, founded.

The organization works to “ad-

vocate for the safety of young adults.”

Defense attorney Caitlin Fowlkes claimed members of the public wearing coordinated clothing could prejudice the jury against Carter and undermine the presumption of innocence.

“In fact, about a week after I filed this motion, (Baustert) posted on Facebook, encouraging people to attend the trial and wear pink,” Fowlkes said during the motion hearing Tuesday.

Fowlkes referenced multiple Facebook posts by Baustert both in the hearing and in the motion.

These posts encouraged supporters to attend court events, wearing pink clothes and “Madi stickers.”

Assistant District Attorney Sonya Cardia-Porter, in a written response to the motion, pushed back on Fowlkes’ claim, saying the posts “demonstrate victim advocacy rather than a plot to intimidate the jury.”

ä See TRIAL, page 2B

St. George approves changes to Long Farm plans Development layout tweaked, rezoning tabled

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

AFTERNOON STROLL

A woman walks over a bridge along Capitol Lake on a sunny afternoon recently in Baton Rouge. The lakeside path follows the edge of Capitol Lake with views of the State Capitol. Birding enthusiasts can find ducks, egrets and other waterfowl. A little over 2 miles, the path offers a quiet setting for an afternoon stroll.

The St. George Zoning Commission has approved a slight change to the development plan for the Long Farm Village mixed-use development that will tweak the layout for better efficiency.

Long Farm Village is a more than 200-acre development with residential, commercial and public components by developer Russell Mosely. The zoning change will alter the access point for the commercial portion, which is currently accessible through the residential area. Mosely said the change was inspired by feedback from residents who are trying to prevent traffic moving through the neighborhood to get to the commercial portion.

The change received unanimous approval from the commission at its meeting Monday evening.

Mosely said he plans to implement cul-de-sacs to prevent through traffic in the residential portion.

The development has been built up for more than a decade and includes single-family homes and upscale apartments. Recently, 215 residential lots have been completed. The commercial portion is anchored by Rouses Market. Several new restaurants are opening soon, including Cheba Hut, Hawaiian Bros Island Grill, Swig and

ä See DEVELOPMENT, page 2B

Historic Donaldsonville building BRPD officer allegedly sold for first time since it was built gave information to Downtown structure was constructed in 1895

known drug dealers

BY ANNAKATE FREELAND

Staff writer

A historic downtown Donaldsonville building that has remained in the same fraternal organization’s hands since it was built more than 100 years ago has been sold.

The three-story brick building at 122 Railroad Ave. sold Friday for $265,000 to Donaldsonville local Bill Dawson, who is also the chair of the West Ascension Hospital Board.

The more than 10,000-squarefoot structure has been owned by the local Masonic lodge, a fraternal organization, since it was built in 1895. The organization is centered on fellowship, charitable

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

The property at 122 Railroad Ave. in downtown Donaldsonville has been owned by the local Masonic lodge since its construction in 1895. ä See BUILDING, page 2B The building was sold on Friday to a local businessman.

The Baton Rouge police officer who was arrested by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday allegedly distributed private information about law enforcement officers to known drug dealers.

Joanell Robinson, 41, was arrested CRIME and booked into the BLOTTER East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on staff 20 counts of tresreports pass against state computers and 20 counts of malfeasance in the office.

The Louisiana Bureau of Investigations received a tip that a BRPD officer was sharing protected law enforcement information with a known drug dealer.

During an interview with the

FBI, Robinson, a corporal with the department, admitted that she accessed the databases and provided individuals who did not have clearance with private information about “10 to 20 times.”

Agents also learned that Robinson had sent the private information to a drug dealer involved in a hit-and-run investigation that had remained open until Robinson’s illegal activity was discovered.

The Louisiana Bureau of Investigations was the primary investigating agency and had assistance from the FBI. “Law enforcement databases exist to protect the public — not to tip off criminals. I’d like to thank the FBI for their assistance in this investigation,” said Attorney

ä See BLOTTER, page 2B

2B ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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N.O.’s mule-drawn carriages not affected by ban drawn carriages, which have Some cities been in Central Park for 167 years. In June, an 18-year-old considering tourist there died after leapoutlawing attraction ing from a runaway carriage

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

On a sweltering Saturday morning outside Jackson Square, Willy Picket rested his shoes on the front of his wooden carriage and looked at his 14-year-old whitehaired mule, Baby Girl.

Picket was dressed for the weather, with breathable shorts, a straw hat, an Under Armour shirt and slip-on shoes he said were built to withstand mule urine. Baby Girl stood in front, wearing a tiny blue Mardi Gras krewe hat. It was late July, as New Orleans settled into the long stretch of high temperatures and humidity that arrives each year, and as a debate about tourist carriages simmered in other U.S. cities.

New York City is considering banning its iconic horse-

whose driver had stepped off to take a picture. The death came not long after a carriage horse there died after eating a poisonous plant and broader questions arose about heat and animal work.

“I can understand where they say they don’t want them working hard,” said Picket, 72, as he sat in the driver’s seat of his four-seat green carriage parked in a row of mule-drawn carriages along Decatur Street. “But I know we don’t treat them bad.”

Picket, who grew up in Uptown New Orleans and started driving in the 1980s, was responding to some animal-rights activists’ claims of mistreatment in the carriage industry. In addition to the concerns in New York, in Philadelphia, where Picket himself once did a stint as a horse-drawn carriage driver, officials in June banned

people contemplating purchasing his business.

“I told them, ‘Go to court, look at the accident rate,’ ” Charbonnet said of the industry in New Orleans.

“They were satisfied.”

‘Stubborn as a mule’

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Willy Picket, with Baby Girl the mule, rolls past Jackson Square with a family in New Orleans on July 25. its carriages (though the last business closed there in 2023). Other cities like Chicago have also phased out the practice in recent years.

Soon San Antonio will, too.

Talks of similar bans haven’t proliferated in New Orleans, where horses and mules have been pulling people in some capacity, whether in carriages or streetcars or parades, for

BUILDING

centuries. But the turning tide in some cities is something Picket and his boss, Mid-City Carriages owner Louis Charbonnet III, have on their mind.

Charbonnet, who is 87 and said he is thinking of selling Mid-City Carriages after three dozen years of family ownership, said he’s gotten questions about the recent accident in New York from

Notably, New Orleans already has its own ban on horse-drawn carriages, and the mules that pull them today are part of a pact made decades ago.

In 1980, two horses died pulling packed carriages through the French Quarter during a summer heat wave. The deaths provoked a flurry of attention on the industry and led to calls to end the practice.

Instead of outlawing animal-drawn carriages entirely, the New Orleans City Council brokered a compromise with the carriage industry and the Louisiana SPCA. The horses were replaced with mules, a hybrid of horse and donkey, which some veterinarians say are

more sure-footed, intelligent and better able to withstand heat than horses.

New Orleans is one of the only places in the U.S. that bans horse-drawn carriages but allows mule-drawn carriages.

“This is one thing that New Orleans got right. It puts mules to work, and not horses,” said Charbonnet, a former state representative who represented the French Quarter at the time the regulations were implemented.

“Horses will work until they die; they’ll just drop dead on you. Mules will let you know when they are tired, and it’s time to go to the barn. That’s why they say, ‘stubborn as a mule.’”

In the years since 1980, the city has further ratcheted up its regulations around heat and animal welfare.

By city ordinance, mules can’t be used if the temperature reaches 95 degrees or the heat index reaches 105.

If they do, owners face a $500 fine.

repairs before it can be used. He said he imagines it being used as office space.

The third floor, which features a large meeting room, will continue to be used by the Masons rentfree for six months, Dawson said.

After that, the organization would pay rent if it decides to stay.

“The third floor is, I would imag-

ine, just like the day they built it,” Dawson said.

Dawson said the expansion of industry with the $5.8 billion Hyundai Steel mill under construction has given him hope for his investment in downtown Donaldsonville. He said it has been a goal of his to “get businesses back on Railroad Avenue.”

“I’ve been very involved in Ascension Parish for a long time.

But in Donaldsonville, we never had a spark to get this going, and now that’s happened,” he said. “I think it’s great to be involved, and I can buy a building that’s over 125 years old, and it’s still in the same shape as it was almost when it was built.

were wearing pink nail polish during the hearing, claiming the state endorses the message — although the prosecutors denied that the nail polish was an intentional choice.

“It’s the basis of why defendants who are incarcerated are not able to wear jail clothing during a trial; it is communicative,” Fowlkes said. “At that point, they’re no longer spectators; they are now involved in the trial.”

In a cited 1966 Supreme Court case, Sheppard v. Maxwell, the court ruled that a defendant’s right

to a fair trial was violated by a “carnival atmosphere” in the courtroom, which deprived the defendant of “judicial serenity and calm” he was entitled to. Another cited 1965 case found that television cameras prejudiced juries as well.

Cardia-Porter also called the motion “overly broad, vague and unenforceable,” and raised concerns regarding the First Amendment rights of spectators. Additionally, the state wrote that it supports the court being able to instruct the jury “in clear and unequivo-

cal terms” to disregard any attire from the gallery.

Carter is charged with a count of first-degree rape and third-degree rape. He was one of four men in a vehicle with Brooks when prosecutors allege she was sexually assaulted after a night of heavy drinking.

A previous motion from Fowlkes sought to have Carter’s firstdegree rape charge quashed over claims the statute was unconstitutionally vague and written in a way that Fowlkes said criminalizes all

group sex. Ray dismissed the motion, but admitted the rape law was “sloppily written.” A first-degree rape charge carries a mandatory life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole.

Ray was previously recused from the cases before the state Supreme Court returned her to preside over the trials in May. Among prosecutors’ complaints was the fact that Ray’s son is a convicted rapist.

Carter’s trial is scheduled to begin on Aug. 17.

the intersection of Perkins Road and Pecue Lane to business use Continued from page 1B to build an office for Stuart & Co. General Contractors.

Several residents spoke in oppoDumpling & Bao. sition of the proposal due to conCommissioners also held a pub- cerns about the plan not meeting lic hearing for the proposed rezon- the criteria for commercial use ing of part of a residential tract at and potentially spiking ongoing

traffic and drainage issues in the area. Steve Legendre, a commercial real estate broker with Stirling Properties, said he has had the listing since 2020 and many prospective buyers have been interested in the property for commercial use.

The commission voted to defer

a decision on the proposal for 30 days to allow time for the developer to meet with the Pecue Perkins Highland Homeowners Association to discuss concerns.

The commission also approved amendments to the Unified Development Code that update regulations for outdoor storage, includ-

ing a requirement to ensure outdoor storage is not visible from streets, and replacing the words “waivers” and “exceptions” with the term “variance” in the development code.

Co., owned by Lewis Savoie. The business opened in 2024. Dawson said he and Savoie have discussed Continued from page 1B expanding the sweet shop into the other commercial space, which is work, personal development and unoccupied.

The second floor offers a full community service.

The building’s first floor has two kitchen, dining hall and meeting commercial spaces, one of which room. Dawson said the space will is occupied by Cane Sugar Toffee need to be cleaned and have a few

TRIAL

Continued from page 1B “The social media posts … are calls for peaceful support,” the response stated. “The (posts) share information about court dates being open to the public, inviting anyone interested to ‘attend,’ ‘wear pink’ and ‘pray.’”

Fowlkes countered that clothing is communicative to a jury and even pointed out the prosecutors

DEVELOPMENT

BLOTTER

Continued from page 1B General Liz Murrill in a statement.

Robinson was placed on administrative leave in February after she was named in the federal investigation. She had been with the department since 2009.

Police: 5-year-old shot self with babysitter’s gun A 5-year-old boy shot himself in the hand with a gun left unattended while a babysitter was in charge of him, Baton Rouge police said.

Haidyn Moten, 21, was arrested Monday and charged with cruelty to juveniles.

During the investigation, police said the child entered Moten’s

room, where his .45-caliber Glock handgun was on the bed, unattended and loaded. While playing with the gun, the child shot himself in the left hand and was taken to the Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Moten admitted to police that he was supposed to be watching the child and had left the gun unattended.

BRPD found that Moten had a warrant for his arrest as a fugitive from the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office for illegal carrying of a weapon.

died after she fell into the path of a vehicle, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office said.

The incident happened at 10 p.m. near the intersection of Old Hammond Highway and Manson Drive.

The preliminary investigation found that the woman was walking with two other people, one of whom was on a bicycle, when she suddenly fell into the roadway and was hit by an approaching vehicle, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

“The driver attempted to avoid the collision, but was unable to do so,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

The woman was taken to the hospital but later died of her injuries.

“The driver remained on scene and is cooperating with investiA woman who was walking along gators,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

Old Hammond Highway with two “At this time, investigators do not other people late Monday night believe speed or impairment were

Woman struck by vehicle on highway dies

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

factors in the crash.” axle of a dump truck carrying sand.

The identity of the deceased is Harvard was properly restrained being withheld, pending verifica- but suffered fatal injuries and was tion and notification of family, ac- declared dead at the scene.

The driver of the truck was also cording to the department. properly restrained and was taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

Impairment is not suspected, but police will run routine toxicology A man was killed in a two-car samples. crash after he ran into a truck going in the opposite direction on LOTTERY Plank Road on Monday morning, said Louisiana State Police.

MONDAY,AUG. 3, 2026 State troopers responded to the PICK 3: 7-8-6 car crash shortly after 9 a.m. on PICK 4: 0-5-3-0 Plank Road south of Welch Road.

PICK 5: 0-5-6-7-7 During the investigation, troopers found 33-year-old Dakota HarPOWERBALL: 8-30-41-48-54 vard was driving a 2010 Chevrolet (04) pickup north on Plank Road.

For reasons still under investigaUnofficial notification, tion, Harvard crossed over into the keep your tickets. southbound lane and struck the rear

Man killed in car crash on Plank Road on Monday

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

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Chipotle pulls jalapeños from some restaurants

CHICAGO — Chipotle Mexican Grill said Tuesday that it had removed jalapeños from some of its restaurants, after determining the peppers could potentially be tied to a salmonella outbreak public health officials are investigating.

In a brief statement, Chipotle maintained that the “health and safety of our guests and employees is our highest priority” — and that it was aware of authorities investigating the source of a salmonella outbreak impacting several food service retailers.

The company added that it had pulled the jalapeños out of an abundance of caution and “replaced them with product from different growers.” It did not specify how many of its restaurants were impacted, or where the previous peppers had come from.

The Minnesota Department of Health on Tuesday confirmed that it was investigating a salmonella outbreak tied to several Mexican-style, quick-service restaurants — with jalapeños as the suspected source. Officials identified 110 cases in the state. Chipotle made up the majority of those where they were able to reach impacted consumers for an interview — who ate at the chain between mid-June and mid-July — but not all.

S&P 500 7,736.52 136.02 1.79%

EURO 1.1529 0.0022 0.20%

CRUDE OIL 75.77 -4.57 -5.69%

GOLD 4,095.40 61.70 1.53%

6-MO T-BILLS 3.96 -0.03 -0.75%

30-YR T-BONDS 5.17 -0.06 -1.15%

U.S. markets rally to records

set a couple months ago.

Palantir Technologies helped der rates and a growing backlog Profits keep piling up high The Dow Jones Industrial Aver- lead the way and surged 29.5% af- across its main businesses.

Caterpillar is also benefiting age added 907 points, or 1.7%, ter CEO Alex Karp said its overfor Palantir and to its own record set the day be- all revenue leaped 93% in what from the AI boom through infore, while the Nasdaq composite he called an “otherworldly” quar- creased orders for turbines used others, while oil jumped 2.6%. ter. Besides reporting a stronger to power data centers, among othDespite worries about high infla- profit for the spring than analysts er things. prices ease They’re the latest companies to tion, the war in Iran, frustration expected, the AI company also

BY STAN CHOE

with the economy and a possible bubble in stock prices because of the boom in artificial-intelligence NEW YORK — The U.S. stock market technology, Wall Street hit its latrallied to records on Tuesday as est apex and rewarded investors profits kept piling up for compa- who remained patient because profits keep soaring for companies and as oil prices eased.

The S&P 500 shot up 1.8%, and nies. Stock prices tend to follow the main measure of Wall Street’s the path of corporate earnings health topped its prior all-time over the long term.

Associated Press

raised its revenue forecast for the full year of 2026.

Caterpillar climbed 5.6% after the heavy-equipment maker likewise reported stronger profit and revenue than analysts expected. It was the first time Caterpillar made more than $20 billion in sales and revenue in a quarter, and CEO Joe Creed said it’s seeing strong or-

deliver even better profits for the latest quarter than investors expected, following strong results from Amazon, Microsoft and others. Coming into this week, companies in the S&P 500 index were on track to deliver growth of nearly 50% in earnings per share for the spring from a year earlier, according to FactSet.

McDonald’s posts strong second-quarter profit McDonald’s posted a strong profit in its second quarter and named a new head of the U.S. market with sales at home under pressure as many Americans grow increasingly cautious about spending.

Same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, edged up 0.8% in the U.S. That’s a sharp slowdown from the 2.5% increase a year ago, when the company had a big win with a meal tied to “A Minecraft Movie.” Global same-store sales rose 1.3%.

CEO Chris Kempczinski said during the company’s earnings call on Tuesday that the U.S. performance was partly hurt by inconsistent execution across its restaurants and marketing programs that didn’t meet expectations.

“We don’t have a strategy problem,” he said. “We simply didn’t execute at the level we needed to in the second quarter.”

Another issue was a pullback on the number of digital offers that customers received, Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden said. Without those offers, customers either bought less, or didn’t buy at all. McDonald’s plans to address this by launching more digital offers nationally, starting next week. The company is also looking to send more personalized offers to its most loyal users, he added.

Toyota reports hefty profit on cheap yen TOKYO — Toyota reported Tuesday a nearly doubling of profit for the fiscal first quarter as solid demand in the U.S. and India combined with a favorable exchange rate to boost results.

The Japanese automaker, which makes the Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models, recorded a $9.4 billion net profit in the April-June period, up from $5.8 billion the same quarter the previous year.

Quarterly sales rose 10% year on year to $85 billion.

A cheap yen raises the value of overseas earnings for Japan’s giant exporters like Toyota Motor Corp. The U.S. dollar was trading at about 145 yen during the fiscal first quarter in 2025, but at about 160 yen for the same period this year.

The dollar is now trading at about 158 yen because of a joint U.S.-Japan market intervention, which came last week, or in the fiscal second quarter.

The favorable currency effect added $2.2 billion to Toyota’s quarterly operating profit in the April-June period.

The automaker is figuring the yen at 160 to the dollar for the full fiscal year.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By AMR NABIL

Storage tanks are seen at the North Jiddah bulk plant, an Aramco oil facility, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia. Six of Europe’s largest oil companies posted combined first-quarter profits of $22 billion, more than 40% higher than last year.

Oil companies post banner profits as Iran war drives prices higher

By The Associated Press NEW YORK — Big oil companies continue to book massive profits as fighting in Iran disrupts energy markets and sends oil and gasoline prices sharply higher.

Six of Europe’s largest oil companies posted combined first-quarter profits of $22 billion, more than 40% higher than last year. Profits at BP, based in London, more than doubled to $3.9 billion in the second quarter, the company said Tuesday.

And Saudi Aramco reported a 44% year-onyear increase in second-quarter net profit that reached $32.69 billion, driven by higher crude oil, refined products and chemicals prices.

The supercharged performances from big oil in Europe and the Middle East follow reports of enormous profits from the largest U.S. oil drillers last week.

As the conflict has dragged on, high oil prices have driven up the cost of gasoline, jet fuel and diesel, which has led to higher shipping costs. In the West, filling up the car or buying a plane ticket is costing consumers more. But the situation in parts of Asia

are more dire because the region depends more heavily on fuel exported through the Strait of Hormuz. Fuel supplies have run low in some countries, leading to rationing and sporadic closures of schools and government offices.

Despite oil prices falling to their lowest level in three weeks Tuesday, big U.S. energy companies drew the ire of President Donald Trump, who criticized them this week for their outsized profits.

Trump said he’s not happy with Chevron and Exxon Mobil, though energy prices skyrocketed only after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February, and the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed off to tanker traffic.

About 20% of the world’s oil typically flows through the strait.

“They made too much money, too much money,” Trump said Monday. “They ought to give some of that back to the public, and they better cut the retail price.”

Exxon Mobil on Friday reported that its second quarter profits doubled to $14.5 billion, boosted by record diesel production.

The oil giant, based in Spring, Texas, brought in $116 billion in revenue, up 42%.

Chevron, based in Houston, nearly quadrupled its profits to $12 billion and revenue jumped 56% to more than $70 billion.

On Tuesday, the price of U.S. crude oil fell 5.4%, or $4.36, to $75.98 per barrel.

The sharp decline followed comments by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who told CNBC that the U.S. and Iran “may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the Strait.”

Oil prices for U.S. crude are down from around $92 a barrel in late July, but still more than 13% higher than when the conflict with Iran started.

Brent crude, the international standard, fell 4.9% to $83.87 per barrel.

A resolution to the Iran conflict, which has lasted more than five months, could give oil shippers the ability to send vessels out of the Persian Gulf, where tankers of oil and other products have been trapped during the fighting.

Shares of major oil companies are up by around 20% to 30% this year, easily outpacing the 13% gains on the S&P 500.

Job openings slip to 7.4M, but labor market remains resilient

BY PAUL WISEMAN AP economics writer

WASHINGTON — U.S. job openings fell slightly in June, but the labor market continued to show resilience in the face of an economic shock from fighting in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Employers posted 7.36 million vacancies in June, down from 7.54 million in May, the Labor Department said Tuesday. The numbers were in line with economist expectations. Openings rose by 97,000 at warehouse, transportation and utility companies and 39,000 at federal government agencies.

Openings dropped at wholesalers and manufacturers of nondurable goods.

Layoffs were little-changed at 1.8 million, and the number of people quitting their jobs — a sign of confidence in their prospects — rose slightly.

The gross number of people hired — before subtracting those who quit or lost their jobs — rose slightly 5.3 million. But hiring is weaker than it was in the jobs boom that followed pandemic lockdowns. Then, gross monthly hiring often topped 6 million.

Still, the U.S. job market has remained sturdy despite a surge in en-

ergy prices caused by the conflict in Iran, rebounding from a 2025 slump.

Before the war in Iran, roughly 15 million barrels of Persian Gulf oil were shipped each day through the Strait of Hormuz. The strait borders Iran, which has fired on ships attempting to transit the passage.

So far this year, companies, government agencies and nonprofits have added an average 92,000 jobs a month. That is up from fewer than 10,000 a month last year — fewest outside a recession since 2002 — as employers held off on hiring because of high interest rates and uncertainty caused by President Donald Trump’s unpredictable eco-

nomic policies.

When the Labor Department releases its jobs report for July on Friday, it is expected to show job gains of 100,000, up from 57,000 in June.

The unemployment rate is expected to have remained at a low 4.2%, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet. In years past, 100,000 new jobs a month would have been mediocre.

But Trump’s immigration crackdown and the ongoing retirements of baby boomers mean that fewer people are competing for work. So the economy doesn’t need as many new jobs as it once did to keep the unemployment rate from rising.

4B ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

Funerals Today Furr, Martha

Faith Baptist Church, 15880 Plank Road, Baker at Noon.

Obituaries Aucoin, Rosalie Tullier

Rosalie Tullier Aucoin, age 95, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 1, 2026, after a courageous battle with cancer, surrounded by the love of her family.

Rosalie lived a life devoted to caring for others.

A proud graduate of Charity Hospital School of Nursing in 1952, she dedicated 40 years of her life to nursing in obstetrics, helping bring countless new lives into the world. Her compassion, gentle spirit, and unwavering dedication made her a beloved caregiver and colleague throughout her career.

Above all, Rosalie was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother. As the mother of eight children, she centered her life around family and took great joy in nurturing and supporting those she loved. Her home was a place of warmth, laughter, and lasting memories. Her life was a beautiful example of quiet strength, unwavering faith, peace, humility, and unconditional love.

She enjoyed many hobbies that reflected her curious mind and creative spirit. She loved painting, reading, working crossword puzzles, playing word games, completing jigsaw puzzles, and spending time playing cards with family and friends. In her younger years, she especially enjoyed square dancing and the friendships it brought into her life.

She is survived by her loving children, Jayne Aucoin Dominique, Cynthia Aucoin Phillips, Patricia Aucoin Couvillion, Albert A. Aucoin (Debbie), Deidre Aucoin Bensimon, Michelle Aucoin Stieffel (Frank), and

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Douglas L. Aucoin (Angela); 24 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; her 2 sisters-in-law; numerous nieces and nephews; extended family members and a lifetime of friendships made.

Rosalie was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Erby M. Aucoin Jr.; her son, Erby M. Aucoin Ill; her grandsons, Alan M. Dominique and Jason D. Ward; her sons-in-law, Michael Couvillion and Brian Phillips; her daughter-in -law, Janis Aucoin; her parents, Enos and Zelma Averett Tullier; her four brothers; and her only sister.

She will be remembered for her loving heart, her dedication to her family and profession, her quiet strength, and the kindness she shared with everyone she met. Her legacy lives on through the generations of family she cherished and the many lives she touched throughout her remarkable 95 years.

She will be deeply missed and forever loved.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in remembrance of Rosalie Aucoin to St. Matthew the Apostle Church, 10021 Jefferson Hwy, River Ridge, LA 70123, 504-737-4537 or to Ochsner Health System, Department of Philanthropy, attention cancer research, 1514 Jefferson Hwy, Suite 1E032, New Orleans, LA 70121.

Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend a Funeral Mass on Friday, August 7, 2026, at 12:00 pm at St. Matthew the Apostle Church, 10021 Jefferson Hwy, River Ridge, LA 70123. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am with a ceremony by the Nurses Honor Guard at 11:45 am followed by the Mass. Interment will take place in Greenoaks Memorial Park, 9595 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70815.

Fond memories and words of condolences may be shared at www.leitzeag anfuneralhome.com.

Bessie, Bertha

Entered into eternal rest at St. Clare Manor on August 1, 2026. She was a 98year-old native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Visitation at Greater Beach Grove Baptist Church on

Thursday, August 6, 2026 from 6-8 pm; viewing at the church on Friday, August 7, 2026 at 9:00 am until Celebration of Life Service at 11:00 am conducted by Pastor Keno Spurlock; interment at Port Hudson National Cemetery.

Dreher, Kerwin Leonard

Dear Heavenly Father, a terrible storm is raging.

You are my anchor; you are my safe harbor. Into your hands I commend my soul. Amen. Dear ones, grieve not for me for I am home, I am safe. (per PawPaw). Kerwin was born on March 18th, 1943, to Hilda Easley Dreher. He died at 4pm on August 1st. He was raised by his maternal grandparents - Earnest L. Dreher and Olive Webb Dreher in Baton Rouge, LA. He was married to the most loving and gracious lady - Gladys Marie Higgins Dreher. Gladys and Kerwin had two sons, Frank E. Dreher and Kerry Dreher, who he is survived by as well as daughter-in-law, Janice Lorino Dreher; grandsons, Logan Reed Dreher, Dickie Taylor Dreher, Eryc Kristopher Lorino, Victor Giovanni Lorino; and dear close friend Kristie Kimball (KK).

Preceded in death by his mother, maternal grandparents, and wife. Kerwin served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1961 to 1971 aboard submarines and patrol boats in Vietnam. He was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve from 1977 to 1998 and retired at the rank of Chief Warrant Officer. He proudly served his state as well as a Louisiana State Police trooper from 1971 to 1989 reaching the rank of Lieutenant. PawPaw, as he was affectionately called by those who knew and loved him was passionate about all things outdoors and remained an avid fisherman, shrimper, crabber and hunter throughout his life.

He took great pride in teaching his grandsons and scores of other young people to love and respect

Louisiana's vast natural resources. His grandsons all learned to shoot, hunt, fish and to appreciate the beauty of nature. He was a great storyteller, always filling the room with his deep knowledge of history and his quick wit. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him and will always have a special place in our hearts. Kerwin was not pretentious nor arrogant and he made lifelong friends of those who spent time with him in his work, his service to our country and especially those who sat and talked with him on his countless trips to Grand Isle and to the woods. He lived a long life filled with a love of family, friends and the Lord. Funeral arrangements will be held at Coffman Funeral Home in Harrison, Arkansas on August 7th.

He will be laid to rest at Sandhill Cemetery in Yardelle, Arkansas next to his mother Hilda according to his final wishes.

Furr, Martha Myra Johnson Bishop

Martha Myra Johnson Bishop Furr, a mother, a homemaker, and owner and president of Baker Printing Company, passed away peacefully at her home in Baker, La., on Thursday, July 30, 2026. She was 89 years old. Born February 1, 1937, in Edinburg, Miss., Martha was the daughter of Elsie Kate Mooney Johnson and Arthur D. Johnson. In 1953, she married Jack Andrew Bishop, with whom she had 6 children - 4 sons and twin daughters. The couple opened Baker Printing Co. in 1962, and upon Jack Bishop's passing in 1983, Martha continued to run the business, which is still in operation to this day. In 1992, Martha then married Albert Furr, who passed away in 2014. Martha's life was a testament to the importance of unwavering faith, quiet strength, and extraordinary determination. During a time when female business owners were a rarity, she played an integral role in the dayto-day operations of the business that she and her husband had built, one that her family continues to run to this day. Her greatest legacy, however,

was the Christian faith she steadily lived and instilled in her family for generations to come. Martha's devout Christian beliefs profoundly influenced and guided every facet of her life. Martha is survived by her sons, John Andrew Bishop (Dawn) of Clinton, La., Richard Dean Bishop (Karen) of Zachary, La., Timothy Paul Bishop (Debbie) of Saratoga, Wyo., and Spencer Jay Bishop (LuAnn) of Clinton, La.; her daughters, Martha Bishop Kwasny (John) of Brandon, Miss., and Myra Bishop Penn (William "Michael") of Lena, Miss.; one stepdaughter, Lana Furr Griffin (Cary) of Baker, La.; three stepsons, Douglas Furr (Betty) of Baton Rouge, La., Tommy Furr (Susan) of Baton Rouge, La., and Roger Furr of Baker, La.; 55 grandchildren, 56 greatgrandchildren, and 5 greatgreat-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her father, Arthur Johnson; mother, Elsie Kate Mooney Johnson; sisters, Ella Johnson and Nell Johnson Grant; brother, Lee Johnson, Sr.; husband, Jack Andrew Bishop; husband, A.T. Furr; daughter-in-law, Robbie West Bishop; grandson, Trenton Paul Bishop; granddaughter, Nichole Laureme Penn; and greatgrandson, Ruston Dwayne Bishop. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at Faith Baptist Church at 15880 Plank Road in Baker, La., from 9

a.m. until the service at noon. Burial will immediately follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, 6213 Groom Road, Baker, La. 70714. Pallbearers will be John Charles Kwasny, William Michael Penn, Spencer Vance Bishop, Bennett Earl Bishop, Rusty Dean Bishop, and Byram Hall Bishop. Honorary pallbearers will be John Eddie Grant, Jr., Noel Stiles, John Andrew Bishop, II, and Jerrel Douglas Day, and Roger Furr. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Quiet Waters Ministries, P.O Box 2247, Madison, MS 39130, or at quietwatersms.org. Share memories at www.CharletFuneralHome. com

Landry, Glenda Cuny

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Glenda Cuny Landry passed away peacefully on

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Sunday, July 26, 2026, at the age of 85. She was a native of Baton Rouge, and a long-time resident of Plaquemine, Louisiana.

Glenda attended Baton Rouge High School and had a lifelong career in accounting and public service. While working at the Louisiana Department of Revenue, she met her husband-to-be Francis A. Landry, Jr. Glenda continued her public service at the Louisiana Real Estate Commission, from which she retired. Glenda was formerly a member of the Catholic Daughters and Garden Club in Plaquemine, LA. She was an avid reader and a cat lover. She was predeceased by her parents, Glenn "Gene" Cuny and Pearl Mitchener Cuny, her husband, Francis A. Landry, Jr., and her stepson, Francis Dean Landry.

She is survived by her two daughters, Julia Landry Wascom (Andrew) and Joelle Landry McClelland (Cory), and two grandsons she loved with all her heart, Cade and Luke McClelland. In accordance with Glenda's wishes, there will be no formal funeral service or visitation.

As Glenda was a devout Catholic her entire life, her daughters will request a Catholic mass intention for her. The family kindly requests that any memorial donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which was an organization Glenda supported.

Rachal; and his beloved Aunt Dell, who raised him.

Relatives and friends are invited to celebrate Ken's life with a service to be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge.

A visitation will be held at the funeral home on Friday, August 7, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and on Saturday, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Following the service, Ken will be laid to rest at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Cemetery in his birthplace of Cloutierville, Louisiana.

A more detailed and specific obituary can be found on his tribute page through www.resthavenba tonrouge.com.

Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note to the family at www.resthav enbatonrouge.com

Schneider, Dorothy Glenn

Lavespere, Kenneth Andrew 'Ken'

Kenneth "Ken" Andrew Lavespere, 83, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at his home in Denham Springs.

He was born January 29, 1943, in Cloutierville, Louisiana, to Felix Andrew Lavespere and Madonna Rachal. He was raised there with deep love and devotion by his beloved aunt, Etta Dell Cannon ("Aunt Dell"). He was also deeply cherished by his mother, Madonna, and his stepfather, William "Bill" Rachal, who were married for over 50 years.

Ken is survived by his wife, Boyu Fan, and his stepson, Jingxu "Jimmy" Lan. His legacy lives on through his sons and their families, including son, Robbie Dean Lavespere (Denni Tweedy) and children: Robbie Lavespere, Macey Allement (John Allement), Laird Lavespere, Eli Lavespere, Ethan Lavespere, and Kenneth Lavespere; and his son Kenneth Andrew "Andy" Lavespere Jr. and children: Colt Lavespere, Cross Lavespere, and Crew Lavespere; he raised his sons, alongside their mother, Mary Margaret James - with whom he maintained a lifelong bond of warmth, affection, and friendship.

He is the proud greatgrandfather of Lillie Allement, Lucy Allement, John Allement, and Lorrie Allement. Ken is also survived by his sister, Patsy Bessonett, and his brothers, Greg Rachal and Delbert Rachal.

Ken is preceded in death by his parents, Felix Lavespere and Madonna Rachal; his stepfather, William

Dorothy Glenn Schneider, 69, of Prairieville, Louisiana, passed away on July 31, 2026. Born in San Antonio, Texas, on April 25, 1957, Dorothy graduated from Oliver Wendell Holmes High School. She married the love of her life, Roy Schneider Jr., on April 2, 1983, and together they built a life centered on love, family, and devotion.

Dorothy worked as a librarian, where she shared her love of learning with countless others.

She found joy in the simple pleasures of life and especially enjoyed reading, shopping, and spending time with family and friends. She leaves behind a loving family who will cherish her memory, including her children, Jennifer McKeithen (Japeth), Brian Schneider (Lori), Elizabeth Schneider, Patricia Lee (Seung Yull), and Bonnie Schneider. She was the proud grandmother of Wesley, Lucas, Diana, and Yuna, each of whom brought immeasurable joy to her life. Dorothy is also survived by her siblings, Roger Barr, Donna Brown, and Dicy Ormiston, along with numerous extended family members, dear friends, and all who were blessed to know her. The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Our Lady of The Lake Hospital and to Pinnacle Hospice, as well as Jonathan Lyons and Brandi Baker, for the compassionate care and support they provided during Dorothy's final days. A visitation will be held on Saturday, August 8th, 2026, from 9:00 a.m-10:00 a.m. at Ourso Funeral Home, 13533 Airline Hwy, Gonzales, LA, 70737.

Service will begin at 10:00 a.m. and interment will follow at Serenity Oaks Cemetery.

Tweedy Jr., William Frank 'Bud'

Born on Easter Sunday, April 20, 1930, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, William Frank "Bud" Tweedy, Jr., was welcomed by his parents, Bonnie Bell Crum and William Frank Tweedy, Sr. At age 96, he transitioned to heaven on July 17, 2026, at home with his wife by his side.

Baton Rouge was home for all but his final few years, when he moved to Lumberton, Texas, to be near family. Two profound losses early in his life, the death of his father (age 8) and of his maternal grandfather, "Big Daddy," when he was 13, taught him the significance of responsibility, hard work, respect for his elders, and trust in the Lord. His was a long life, well-lived.

His mother informed him at age 9, that he was now "the man of the house" and had to earn his own spending money. He started with a paper route, and later worked various other jobs, all the while participating in football and track and attending church every Sunday. After graduating from Istrouma High School (1947), Bud attended SLU and LSU. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was recalled to duty during the Korean War. After completing his military duty as a staff sergeant, he earned his BS in Mathematics from Louisiana College and a Master of Divinity from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Bud pursued his vocation as a Baptist minister for seven years and continued serving the Lord throughout his life. He supported Louisiana College for many years and traveled throughout the state promoting the formation of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), serving as the Chairman of the Finance Committee and Treasurer. A former member of University Baptist Church, he served as Chairman of the Trustees, Personnel, and Renovation Committees. In later years, he served as a deacon of Broadmoor Baptist Church.

Pivoting mid-career to the insurance business, Bud was a District Manager for Aetna Insurance before launching his firm, Planned Insurance Benefits (PIB). He retired as an insurance and financial advisor (CLU, ChFC) after a long, successful career. He was a member of the Mil-

lion Dollar Round Table, and a past president of both the American Society of Financial Service Professionals of Baton Rouge and the Estate and Business Planning Council of Baton Rouge.

Later in life, Bud gave up golf to pursue his interest in saltwater fishing, often retreating to his beloved camp at Pointe Fourchon, Louisiana. A devoted football fan, especially LSU football, Bud acquired a taste for Texas A&M football upon his move to Texas. He was an avid reader, loved to travel, and could make an adventure out of an ordinary day. He never met a stranger, and his funny stories will surely be missed. A kind, generous, gentle soul who loved his family, his country, and his friends. He was grateful for the blessed life he enjoyed.

Bud is survived by his wife, Julia White Tweedy; his children, Paul (Rexie) Tweedy and Rhonda Tweedy (David) Swiger; his stepchildren, Tom (Sarah) Owens and Jeff Owens; his grandchildren, Brett (Jessica) Swiger, Craig (Megan) Swiger, Mary Catherine (Justine) Schmidt, and David Tweedy; his step-

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ 5B

grandchildren, Anna Kate, Olivia, Clara, and Maribeth Owens; and seven greatgrandchildren. He considered Dr. Gwen Corbett (Benson) Henry his unofficial adopted daughter. He was preceded in death by his parents; his stepfather and adoptive father, Norman "Bo" Johnson; his sister, Linda Johnson Davidson; his wife, Martha Sue St. Amant Tweedy; and his son, William (Will) Tweedy.

Bud's "Celebration of Life Service" will be held Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Broadmoor Baptist Church, 9755 Goodwood Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70815, Visitation: 10:30 11:00 a.m.; Service: 11:00 a.m., with a reception following the service in the church fellowship hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Bud's memory to: Broadmoor Baptist Church Organ Renovation Fund or Hoffman Prison Ministry, P.O. Box 7833, Shreveport, LA 71137.

White, Donald Ray Blue

Donald Ray White was born July 10, 1951 in Zachary, Louisiana to Alvin J. White and Bertha Ella White.

Donald Ray passed away on Sunday, July 19, 2026 at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.

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

OUR VIEWS

Insurance market shows some long-awaited encouraging signs It’s a rare thing these days to hear good news about insurance rates in Louisiana. So let us cautiously cheer signs that the drastic, cascading property insurance crisis of the past few years may be easing.

Business writer Stephanie Riegel’s recent reporting connected this welcome development to an important downstream effect: The market for home sales in the southern part of the state is improving, and real estate agents say better affordability and availability of insurance is a big reason why. Commercial sales are doing even better than residential, Riegel also reported.

Prices are still subject to inflation, but importantly, the rate of premium increases has slowed on average to the lowest level in several years. According to the commissioner of insurance’s office, premium increases are basically flat so far in 2026, after they increased 4.6% last year, 6.6% in 2024 and by double digits in 2023 and 2022.

Few carriers are proposing rate increases this year, and a handful have even filed for decreases.

And new carriers are coming into the market, although some are not writing many policies yet. Also, some bigger carriers that had stopped writing are now dipping their toes back into the market.

All this has given many homeowners more options and driven down reliance on the statebacked insurer of last resort. As of June, the Citizens’ rolls have dropped nearly 20% since 2022.

There are multiple factors at play here.

One is that Louisiana has not been hit by a major hurricane since 2021, when Ida barreled through the New Orleans area and stayed strong well inland. That, and fewer storms elsewhere, allowed insurers to recover from several years of huge payouts. The reinsurance market, which backs up smaller companies, is thriving for the same reason.

Government policies have contributed too.

Higher building standards and a recent focus on encouraging — and helping homeowners afford — fortified roofs have made insuring homes here a less risky bet.

Commissioner of Insurance Tim Temple also points to recent legislative policies he championed, which were designed to boost the free market and encourage competition. They include bills to make it more difficult to file excessive bad faith claims following catastrophic events, and to end a law that prevented insurers from dropping policyholders who had been customers for three years without specific cause.

None of this is to say that concerns over future rates and availability don’t remain. And some folks are still seeing spikes. One big storm, or a sequence of them like we saw in the years leading up to Ida, could reverse these positive developments.

“Overall, it’s a little bit better,” Temple said.

“We can say things are improving, but I am certainly not satisfied where we are.”

We aren’t either, but we’ll take it. As we know from recent experience, this new trend is certainly better than the alternative.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published

identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’s city of residence.

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

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Change law, and risk losing history that makes La. unique In 1969, Secretary of Transportation John Volpe halted plans for an elevated expressway slicing through the French Quarter. That wasn’t sentiment — it was Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, which required federal agencies to assess harm to historic places, consult with affected communities and invite public comment before breaking ground.

That law is now being dismantled.

A July 17, 2026 draft from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation would make avoiding harm optional, public comment discretionary and a project’s foreseeable ripple effects irrelevant. Mandatory tribal consultation would vanish, along with guaranteed notification for state and local governments. Even iconic cultural landscapes — think the Grand Canyon, not just buildings — could stop counting as “historic properties.”

Louisiana has more at stake than most. Its tourism economy — built on the French Quarter, plantation corridor and historic neighborhoods

— depends on those places staying recognizable. Preservation law has kept wrought iron balconies, shotgun houses and centuries-old street grids intact despite relentless pressure to modernize. Strip away that protection, and you jeopardize both livelihoods and the sense of place that defines the state.

Without Section 106, the fate of historic places rests on the tastes of whoever holds power. A leader who favors glass and steel over wrought iron could dismiss the French Quarter as an eyesore and clear the way for highrises. The same logic applies to any landscape deemed to be in the way.

Section 106 did not block every bad idea, but it forced communication. Remove that requirement, and the only thing protecting the French Quarter or the Grand Canyon is whether those in charge happen to like them.

That’s not preservation — it’s whim.

Everyone should be alarmed.

SANDRA STOKES chair of advocacy, Louisiana Landmarks Society New Orleans

The names they are a-changin’ Nothing is too inconsequential or beneath the notice of the egomaniac in the White House.

He’s had the name of Palm Beach International Airport — PBI — changed to Donald J. Trump International Airport, with the FAAdesignated three-letter identifier now DJT. If/when the arch is built it will undoubtedly be named the Arch de Trump (that’ll show those ungrateful French people or something similar, with his name on it.

He wants the new Navy battleships, under construction, to be named after himself. He wants the U.S. Mint to produce a dollar coin with his likeness (never been done for a living person).

He already has his signature on our paper currency.

He wants to change the name of the 200-year-old Penn Station to Trump

Station. He wanted his name on the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts (the Supreme Court stopped that).

The new paint scheme on his billiondollar gift airplane is remarkedly similar to the one on his privately owned Boeing 757, now being used by his sons (the previous paint scheme on Air Force One airplanes was in use for 60-something years).

When the ballroom is finished, it’ll surely be known as the Trump Ballroom. Etc., etc.

He has not yet tried to put his name into the Pledge of Allegiance. But maybe ....

On the other hand, would we rather have Kamala Harris in the White House?

ROBERT RADELAT Baton Rouge

Who gets nukes, who gets bombed? Confusion reigns Trump is going to provide Saudi Arabia with the technology to build a nuclear weapon. Israel already has nukes.

America is at war with Iran be-

cause they can never have a nuclear bomb. Could we get some clarification on all of this?

ALEX CHAPMAN Ville Platte

Been there, stayed here, got the T-shirts After reading the recent column by accomplished journalist Stephanie Grace, “Landry knows darn well that New Orleans is special,” and the opinion piece by Mitch Landrieu, “New Orleans isn’t a La. liability; it’s an asset,” I decided to write this letter.

I am a 78-year-old lifelong resident of New Orleans. I proudly wear a T-shirt that says “Be A New Orleanian wherever you are.” The slogan became popular among the diaspora of New Orleans residents who moved temporarily to other cities and states following Hurricane Katrina.

Everyone I know said they found no place quite like New Orleans, a singularly unique city.

So what does it mean to “Be a New Orleanian, wherever you are”?

It means sharing and celebrating our culture, our music, our food, our history, our neighborhoods, our diversity, our festivals and our resilience.

The best thing about where we come from is us. To quote Bob Dylan, “There are a lot of places I like, but I like New Orleans better.”

I’ve ordered a new T-shirt that says “New Orleans thinks they’re Soooo Special.” I’ll wear it when I go out to hear our music, eat our food, dance at festivals and join a second-line parade whenever possible.

ELAINE HANEY New Orleans

It’s an open primary, not a ‘jungle primary’ Let’s stop calling our open primary — or what’s left of it — the “jungle primary.”

Until recent years, our election system was consistently and accurately called the open primary. The statute creating it calls it simply the primary.

Ballotpedia.org, which reports extensively on American elections, refuses to use “jungle primary” giving the following reasons: “First, the term has negative connotations. In this context, the adjectival use of jungle suggests disorder and chaos. It infers a negative judgment against the electoral system.

“Second, the term lacks descriptive force. It does little to explain the substance or function of the system it is used to describe.”

Let’s hear it for “open primary”!

And let’s lobby our legislators to bring it back for federal elections, the state Supreme Court, Public Service Commission and BESE.

LINDA LIGHTFOOT Baton Rouge

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COMMENTARY In Nolan Wells’ death, maybe race isn’t the issue It’s been more than a month since the lifeless body of Nolan Wells was found just off of Horn Island, Mississippi. Before the Fourth of July, most people outside of the Ocean Springs, Mississippi area didn’t know his name.

His death, and the mysterious circumstances before and after, have catapulted his name into the national consciousness.

Far too little is known Will about what happened, Sutton how it happened and who, if anyone, is responsible. By far, the biggest accusations and assumptions have been focused on race.

After watching several interviews of Wells’ parents, listening to dozens of interviews with Wells family attorney Ben Crump, a nationally known civil rights lawyer, and interviewing Crump on WBOK’s Good Morning Show, I’m not so sure this is about race.

It may be, but there are too many questions. n If the initial autopsy was completed, why haven’t the results been shared with Crump’s team and the family?

“We’ve been informed that the state of Mississippi autopsy has been completed, but they have not divulged to us in any way what the findings of that autopsy are,” Crump told me. n There’s been a family-requested autopsy, performed by Dr. Robert Mitchell Jr., a prominent, board-certified forensic pathologist and president of the National Medical Association.

Cause of death? Undetermined. n Were his airways and lungs waterlogged? “We don’t know that,” Crump told me. “That’s why we ain’t speculating on it.” n If Wells did drown, what was the condition of his body before he drowned? “Was he forced into the water,” Crump asked, questioning what might have happened, “or did he go in unforced?”

There are so many questions.

Who are these friends of Nolan’s, and who are their parents? Why was cellphone content deleted? Why didn’t someone call in an emergency? Why didn’t anyone ask about Nolan when he went missing? Why hasn’t someone,

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Attorney Ben Crump listens as the Rev. Al Sharpton speaks about Nolan Wells during a memorial service celebrating Wells’ life at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs, Miss., on July 20. anyone, been arrested and charged?

These are not race issues. Black, White, Latino, Asian or other, any parent would want answers after losing a child in such circumstances. Crump noted that he fought for justice for the family of Shanquella Robinson, a young Charlotte woman who traveled to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and died under mysterious circumstances. All of her travel friends were Black.

Mexico and Mississippi are different, though.

“In the past, things haven’t always happened for Black people like we felt they should in Mississippi when you look at their history,” said Crump.

Reconstruction provided freedom and opportunity to millions of formerly enslaved people with constitutional amendments and opportunities in business, law and politics. It was too much for many White Mississippians. Reconstruction was ended and, still, hundreds of Black people were lynched. On vacation from Chicago, Emmett Till was killed there. Mississippi was the last state to remove the Confederate flag from its official state flag, in 2020.

It’s natural to wonder about the role of race in this death. Nolan Wells was

Black. The friends with him that day were White. That doesn’t mean anyone was racist. It doesn’t mean nobody did anything racist.

“We continue to say that we’re not casting any aspersions whatsoever,” Crump said on WBOK. “We just want the truth of what happened. We want them to be transparent just like we’re being transparent.”

An audio recording of the Sea Tow emergency call was released by the state of Mississippi. It’s been diced, sliced, played fast, played slow and transcribed in attempts to decipher every word. Many have concluded that background voices clearly indicate that Nolan Wells was on the boat, not left behind as friends reported.

It’s not the easiest thing, but we should hit pause on the race pedal, let Crump and team do their job keeping this matter in the public’s ears and eyes, let them conduct their investigation and trust that local law enforcement will do their jobs, realizing that every move will be dissected by the public.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com. He’s on Instagram at @editorwillsutton.

How America overcame Puritan vs. Cavalier divide “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” — attributed to Rudyard Kipling Because the Civil War’s embers are as cold as winter, it is safe, and as fun as summer, to revisit Northern and Southern cultural antagonisms that once shattered national tranquillity. So, if you read only one American history book this summer, shame on you, but make it David S. Reynolds’ “Two Ships.” It will, among other things, inoculate you against the mischievous George novels of Walter Scott.

Will Reynolds, a City University of New York historian, uses his subtitle — “Jamestown 1619, Plymouth 1620, and the Struggle for the Soul of America” — to assert this: The White Lion, the ship that first brought slaves to Virginia, and the Mayflower, which brought to New England Puritans in flight from monarchical absolutism and Anglican bossiness, incubated two ultimately incompatible American futures.

Reynolds’ powerful demonstration is that his story — the symbolism of the two ships — is not his. It was ubiquitous in American political rhetoric until, happily, it no longer was, as the nation transcended old categories.

Like any binary applied to a complex society, the two-ships division always obscured and distorted much. Still, Southerners, not without reason, came to regard the “Puritan North” as zealots persecuting heretics, conducting witch trials, regulating personal behavior and celebrating Oliver Cromwell’s beheading of King Charles I, while lecturing the South on its (obvious) sins.

Northerners came to disdain the “Cavalier South” for having imported the English aristocracy’s preferences for social hierarchy, the Church of England rituals and dissolute living associated

with leisure, gambling, lavish entertaining, dueling and other attributes of a society obsessed with feudal notions of chivalry and “honor.”

Only small minorities in both regions, especially the 300 or so FFVs (First Families of Virginia), exemplified these traits. History’s trajectory is, however, disproportionately influenced by such minorities.

Reynolds says the Cavalier culture rooted in Virginia had “virtually died out” by 1776, when the Revolution temporarily brought North and South together. Distinctly non-Cavalier Virginians (Washington, Jefferson, Madison and others not notably religious) played leading roles.

But in 1820, the Missouri Compromise embedded slavery and sectionalism in the center of politics. Reynolds says two centuries of “Cavalier values of hierarchy and subordination” then reasserted themselves. And “the momentous juxtaposition of the two ships in antislavery speeches and writings” began anew.

“Distortion,” Reynolds writes, “is intrinsic to cultural memory.” Southerners remembered the Mayflower as laden with fanaticisms, including abolitionism.

A Missourian responded, diagnosing “the Sir Walter disease.” Mark Twain blamed the Scottish writer Walter Scott, whose romantic re-creations of the past (“Ivanhoe” and such) permeated Southern culture.

Twain thought the “sham chivalries of a brainless and worthless long-vanished society” made Southerners cherish “bogus decorations” and ranks, doing “more real and lasting harm, perhaps, than any other individual that ever wrote.”

He exaggerated somewhat. But many others chimed in. Abraham Lincoln’s Navy secretary, Gideon Welles, blamed the Civil War on Southerners who “studied Scott’s novels, and fancied themselves cavaliers” and “a superior and better race.”

Lincoln, to whom the nation was always a house undivided, avoided the Puritan-versus-Cavalier dichotomy. Many others embraced it.

The New York Herald, the nation’s most popular newspaper, said “the Puritan and the Cavalier … will always fight when they meet. There is nothing in common between them but hate.”

Cavaliers, nourished by myths, disdained the materialistic North. Fortunately, they were ground down by the North’s material strength. There is much to be said for materialism undergirding a noble cause.

Much later, the South — and, regrettably, the nation — experienced yet another resurrection of Cavalier-cumWalter-Scott sentimentality. In 1936, Margaret Mitchell’s magnolia-scented novel “Gone with the Wind” became an instant sensation.

This was one year after a Cavalier in spirit, the Virginian editor Douglas Southall Freeman, published, to critical acclaim and commercial success, another slab of Southern sympathy: the final two volumes of his Pulitzer Prizewinning four-volume biography of Robert E. Lee. Then, as now, and as ever, the nation needed one of Mark Twain’s inoculations against nonsense. The antebellum South, like slavery itself, was in essence monarchical — the divine right of some to rule others. And Huckleberry Finn understood: “All kings is mostly rapscallions.”

Reynolds’ two ships, whose voyages through the nation’s memory lasted more than two centuries, have sailed far over history’s horizon. Good riddance.

One measure of our national progress is that both have been supplanted as national emblems by a raft on a river, carrying neither a Puritan nor a Cavalier, just Huck and Jim. Email George Will at georgewill@ washpost.com.

Iran war eating Donald Trump’s presidency An Iran war that was supposed to be brief, and then was supposed to be over, is imposing an increasing price on Donald Trump’s presidency.

We’ve seen the second term of a Republican administration go this way before. There are distinct echoes of George W. Bush’s Iraq War — the conflict that Trump has long excoriated — in the president’s predicament.

Now, the Iran war is different Rich than Iraq. There is no ground inLowry vasion, no regime change, no occupation, no counterinsurgency.

The casualties aren’t close to the same scale, and Trump has been fighting Iran for months, whereas Bush was embroiled in Iraq for years (and so were his successors).

Yet the political trajectory looks similar.

Then, as now, an unpopular conflict is putting downward pressure on a Republican president’s approval rating.

Mainstream pollsters routinely have Trump’s approval rating below 40%, and some put it below 35%; Fox News has him at 39%, while CNN (34%) and AP (33%) are lower. At this juncture of Bush’s second term, his average approval rating was a roughly comparable 38%, although he had further to fall as the war continued and the financial crisis hit.

If the Iran war is not exacting nearly the same price in blood and treasure as the Iraq War, it is inflicting a direct economic cost on Americans that wasn’t present during the Iraq War. It was often said of violent clashes in the streets of the U.S. in the 1960s, “The Vietnam war has come home.” Well, the Iran war came home the first time the average price per gallon of gasoline went above $4.

Trump would have much more leeway to engage in a protracted operation to bring Iran to heel if the public could, in effect, forget about the war for a while, but there’s a reminder every day of what’s happening in the Strait of Hormuz on gas station signs across America.

In the CNN poll, 28% approve Trump’s handling of Iran, while 25% approve his handling of inflation and 21% his handling of gas prices.

These issues are related.

Trump wants his presidency to matter. So, rather than being content with doing whatever he could at the margins to lower prices, he went for big, legacy-defining initiatives — tariffs and the Iran war — that raised prices.

In so doing, he forfeited his signature issue of economic stewardship. In the latest Fox News poll, 33% approve of his handling of the economy and 67% disapprove.

When the memorandum of understanding was signed with Iran, Trump boasted about how, by reopening the strait, it would avoid greater economic distress; he said he didn’t want to be another Herbert Hoover. Now, the strait is basically closed again. Absent another deal, he’s faced with the choice of escalation or an ongoing low-level conflict, neither of which is going to be palatable to the public.

The CNN poll found that nearly threequarters of Americans think Trump hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most pressing problems. The fact is that Iran wasn’t a priority for the public and there was no attempt by the White House to make it one until after it had already launched the war.

The same way Bush’s success toppling the Taliban created the predicate for the Iraq War, Trump’s stunning capture of Nicolás Maduro made it easier to believe that the Iran war would be a cakewalk.

The idealistic establishment Republican and the “America First” populist both got lured into overestimating the efficacy of American military power.

We still don’t know how Iran will end. Perhaps Trump will manage a satisfactory conclusion, and he has more room to bounce back up again politically than Bush did after years of the Iraq War. Still, the next Republican president to launch major military operations would be well served to be more prudent and mindful of worst-case scenarios than were either of his two otherwise very different GOP predecessors.

Rich Lowry is on X, @RichLowry.

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TODAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

A t-storm around in the p.m.

Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm

A t-storm around in the p.m.

A shower and thunderstorm

A t-storm around in the p.m.

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

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

90° 72°

LOW

94° 74°

Beaumont 94/76 Port Arthur 93/76

Baton Rouge 95/74

Lake Charles 92/76

New Orleans 91/77 Houma 86/73

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

0s

Hattiesburg 96/72

Alexandria 93/74

Lafayette 91/75

10s

20s

30s

40s

50s

LOW

HIGH

LOW

90° 77°

YESTERDAY

Baton Rouge through 5 p.m. Tuesday

Jackson 97/71 Many 95/73

HIGH

92° 76°

TEMPERATURE

Longview 101/78

-0s

LOW

Monroe 98/74

Shreveport 96/76

-10s

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93° 75°

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70s

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

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

AUG 5

HIGH

1:54p 7:51a 7:10a 8:40a 3:27a 2:53a 4:35a

FIRST

AUG 12

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

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

6:25 a.m.

7:56 p.m.

11:57 p.m.

1:13 p.m.

NEW

City

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

94°/72° 93°/74° 92°/71° 101° in 2023 63° in 1926

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

LAST

PRECIPITATION

Hi

TODAY

88 102 89 85 83 102 87 97 112

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89 99 89 88 80 101 98 96 112

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0.00” Trace 0.71” 41.49” 37.80”

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0.2 0.2 0.0 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.2

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MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

LOW

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FT.

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City

5:08a 11:21a 5:34p 11:47p 6:01a 12:15p 6:30p ---6:57a 12:41a 7:27p 1:12p 7:53a 1:37a 8:25p 2:09p 8:51a 2:35a 9:23p 3:07p 9:48a 3:32a 10:19p 4:04p 10:44a 4:29a 11:14p 4:59p

Hi

Los Angeles 82 Miami 91 Nashville 92 New york City 82 Philadelphia 85 Phoenix 108 St. Louis 91 San Francisco 74 Seattle 89

TODAY Lo

67 80 70 74 75 89 71 58 61

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86 90 97 88 90 110 87 73 89

THU. Lo

68 80 73 74 77 91 71 56 59

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

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40

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+0.24

19

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-0.14

18 29 8

-1.01 10.49 1.19

-0.28 -0.09 +0.97

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2.61 1.17

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-0.72 -1.00 -0.80 -0.50 -0.20 -0.30 +0.14

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Now

-0.80 23.20 25.70 11.30 6.30 4.77 3.60

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MAJOR MINOR MAJOR MINOR

Today Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday

TODAY

MODERATE

T

LOW

AP P

EN

HIGH

95° 74°

The weather will start changing a bit today and for the next few days.

Expect a partly cloudy, hot and more humid day with a light breeze and scattered showers and storms. Once again, most of our area is under a moderate heat risk, meaning heat illnesses are a threat if you don’t take the proper precautions. Temperatures this afternoon will rise to the low to mid-90s with heat index values possibly up to 104. The UV index is at the very high level, and rain will return tomorrow.

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W e d n e s d ay, au g u s t 5, 2026

Work in progress

1Cn

MLB TRADE DEADLINE

Dodgers, Red Sox go for it; others mostly idle

BY NOAH TRISTER AP baseball writer

STAFF PHOTOS By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough looks for a receiver during a training camp practice on Monday in Metairie.

What I’ve liked, loved and loathed through a week of Saints training camp

W

ith five practices under their belts, the Saints are a little more than halfway through the initial installation phase of training camp. They will have completed the entire playbook by the time they scrimmage against the Jacksonville Jaguars in a joint practice Jeff next week.

Duncan It’s still relatively early in the preseason process, but six practices have provided enough evaluation time to develop some observations of this 2026 edition.

The vibes have been excellent so far. The execution … not so much. Unless, of course, you’re a fan of stingy defense.

My early thoughts and observations as we enter Week 2 of training camp …

Early standouts The best players I’ve seen so

These five players have stood out, both in the quality and consistency of their play.

The Los Angeles Dodgers landed perhaps the best pitcher in baseball in Tarik Skubal, triggering round of disAnalysis another gust over how the twotime reigning champions seem to get every star they want.

Bryce Harper — who might have to go through the Dodgers to reach the World Series with Philadelphia — was having none of it.

“A lot of teams could have done what they did,” Harper said. “That’s not a money move, that’s a prospect move, right? There’s a lot of teams in baseball that have the prospects to move them.”

By the time Monday’s trade deadline passed, the Dodgers had taken their big swing, and the Boston Red Sox had thrown caution to the wind, sending prospects every which way to acquire Adley Rutschman and others. Other contenders, however, took a more tepid approach. Milwaukee added right-hander Dustin May. The

ä See DEADLINE, page 2C

Still waiting Among the veteran players I’d like to see more from are Zach Wilson, Kendre Miller, Noah Fant, Anfernee Jennings and Tyree Wilson. Sean Payton used to say he didn’t need to see it all the time from veterans, but he needed to see it at some point. That’s where I stand with each player in this group.

Getting their kicks

Saints cornerback Dalys Beanum returns an interception during training camp on Monday. The defense has gotten the better of the offense on most days so far in camp. far, in no particular order, are Chase Young, Kool-Aid McK-

instry, Erik McCoy, Juwan Johnson and Kelvin Banks.

Veteran Ryan Wright is a massive upgrade in the punting game, where his powerful right leg will be a weapon. He also has shown excellent touch on placement punts inside the 10.

Meanwhile, kickers Charlie Smyth and Tanner Brown have been lights-out in the place-kicker competition. Both

Kiffin knows LSU under a microscope

Demand for LSU tickets leading to higher prices

BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer

Tigers coach needs key questions answered before season opener

BY JON BLAU Staff writer

Lane Kiffin knows LSU is under a microscope, and he loves it.

“The expectations that everybody in the media has that we’re supposed to be this great team right away, that’s an awesome challenge,” Kiffin said at SEC media days. “You want to talk about getting uncomfortable? That does it. Expectations make you uncomfortable.

“They make you not be able to just go through motions in any aspect of your program.”

For the next month of preseason camp, there has to be an urgency to everything the Tigers do, because their chances of meeting sky-high expectations would be disastrously reduced by a Sept. 5 loss to Clemson in Tiger Stadium.

Here are some questions Kiffin needs answered as practice opens Wednesday.

ä See DUNCAN, page 4C

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal walks to the dugout after warming up before a game against the Chicago Cubs on Monday in Chicago.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, right, walks to the huddle during spring practice on March 26 at the LSU practice facility. The health of Leavitt’s foot from fall surgery will be a key question in preseason camp.

Kiffin’s offenses at Ole Miss thrived with dualthreat quarterbacks; the Rebels’ quarterbacks averaged 524 yards rushing per season during Kiffin’s six-year tenure.

It’s more difficult for defenders to play the run if they don’t know when a quarterback might pull it. If defenses are being gashed, they have to load the box and quarterbacks face simpler coverage schemes with fewer disguises.

Leavitt rushed for 443 yards in his first season at Arizona State and was on pace for 568 last year How is Sam Leavitt’s foot? until a foot injury sidelined him. For comparison, Garrett Nussmeier totaled minus-153 yards rushThis one could be sorted out really quickly.

If Leavitt is fully healed from fall foot surgery ing in five years at LSU. — which also required a pin to be taken out in the Kiffin will demand more from his quarterbacks spring — then he should drop back and roll out with in the run game, and Leavitt can deliver, if healthy. ease when practice starts.

If he’s moving around well and he’s well-synched If he’s limited in any way, the question lingers. ä See KIFFIN, page 3C And it’s a big question.

If you haven’t secured LSU football tickets for the upcoming season be prepared to pay a steep price — at least for the marquee games in Tiger Stadium this fall.

Intense interest in the Tigers brought about by the arrival of coach Lane Kiffin and a roster that reportedly cost upwards of $40 million to build and an exciting schedule led to an unprecedented demand for season tickets earlier this year. The school sold out of its compliment of more than 71,000 season tickets, with athletic director Verge Ausberry saying there was a record waiting list of 44,000 as well.

That leaves single-game tickets through LSU or secondary websites like StubHub or Vivid Seats, with many of those tickets commanding a higher price tag for the best games.

Like the ticket resellers, LSU has had “dynamic pricing,” a term for prices that fluctuate depending on demand, for at least five years, according to athletic ticket manager Brian Broussard.

This season, that has led to premium prices for LSU’s biggest games: Sept. 5 against Clemson, Sept. 26 against Texas A&M, Nov. 7 against Alabama and Nov. 14 against Texas. There are still much lower priced tickets for

LSU’s other three home games: Sept. 12 against Louisiana Tech, Oct. 3 against McNeese State and Oct. 17 against Mississippi State.

“We have become more aggressive in that space in the past few years,” Broussard said. “With this year’s home schedule and program changes … the market is higher than what we’ve seen the past few seasons for certain games.”

Here’s a breakdown of ticket prices through LSU’s athletic ticket website as of Tuesday afternoon: Clemson: Tickets for LSU’s season opener were priced on its site from $175-700 based on location.

The cheapest tickets for Clemson’s first visit to Tiger Stadium were in the east and west upper decks, with the most expensive seats being for the first two rows labeled as obstructed-view seats on the lower west sideline behind the LSU bench.

Louisiana Tech: Prices ran from $20 in the upper reaches of Tiger Stadium to $150 in the lower bowl for a pair of seats on the west side at the north 30-yard line.

Texas A&M: Tickets on LSU’s site started at $145 and went to $550.

The latter were primarily for obstructed-view seats on the first two rows of the west sideline, but also would get you a prime single

ä See TICKETS, page 3C

2C ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

lll

IN BRIEF

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No one has dominated this year in PGA Billy Horschel was optimistic as ever in January to start his 16th year on the PGA Tour. He chose not to add a few tournaments late in 2025 when returning from hip surgery, and that probably cost him a sure spot in the Masters because he fell out of the top 50 in the world.

There were no regrets.

“I’m betting on myself,” Horschel said at the Sony Open.

He has reached the end of the reguDoug lar season at No. Ferguson 176 in the world, which isn’t nearly as troubling as being No. 107 in the FedEx Cup in a year when his full exempt status is set to expire.

It’s a reminder how golf offers no guarantees — meritocracy works both ways — and Horschel has plenty of company at the Wyndham Championship, the final regular-season event that determines the top 70 who advance to the postseason and are assured a full card for 2027.

Outside looking in Jason Day, who 10 years ago was No. 1 in the world and looked unbeatable at times, is at No. 75 in the FedEx Cup. He started the year with a runner-up finish behind Scottie Scheffler at The American Express but has had only one other top 10 this season.

Particularly glaring another 11 spots down the standings at No. 86 is five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, who was all the talk back in January when he became the first player who bolted from LIV Golf (at just the right time as it turns out) to rejoin the PGA Tour.

Koepka had been gone nearly four years, long enough to not fully understand how the points system worked. His immediate goal was to get into the $20 million signature events — one of the conditions of his return was being ineligible for sponsor exemptions to those tournaments. He didn’t make it into any of them.

And right when he was in position to contend — two shots out of the lead going into the weekend of the Canadian Open — he had a

DEADLINE

Continued from page xx New York Yankees made a solid pickup in infielder Luis García, but general manager Brian Cashman said they tried for Skubal and Rutschman and didn’t get either. Atlanta was fairly quiet.

Near the postseason cutoff, a few teams acted like they were much further behind. Detroit is 21/ 2 games out of a playoff spot and just 51/ 2 out of first place in the AL Central. The Tigers have the second-best run differential in the American League but still parted with Skubal and right-hander Casey Mize.

Baltimore is also 21/ 2 games out of a wild card, and July was its most successful month in over two years. But the Orioles traded Rutschman, starter Dean Kremer, outfielder Taylor Ward and reliever Tyler Wells. They got a lot back for Rutschman — three of Boston’s top five prospects according to MLB Pipeline — but didn’t add many players likely to help this year.

“This is not the plan that we had going into the season,” team president Mike Elias said. “I wish that we were in a better position in the standings right now. This is not something that we embrace, but once you find yourself in these positions, you make the right moves by the franchise.”

Miami won six in a row, lost 12 in a row, then won six of seven.

The Marlins are two games out of a playoff spot but traded catcher Liam Hicks to Tampa Bay for prospects.

Here’s a division-by-division look at this year’s deadline:

AL East Tampa Bay will hope Freddy

He won the Cadillac Championship when he was No. 4 in the world. That was May 3, and no from the top 10 has won a PGA Tour event since then. It’s not getting any easier out there, if it ever was.

Half of the PGA Tour members among the top 30 in the world ranking have yet to win this year.

The world ranking of the other three major champions sounds like numbers drawn in Bingo — 44 (Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship), 34 (Wyndham Clark at the U.S. Open) and 56 (Ryan Fox at the British Open).

It was the first time three major champions in one year were outside the top 30 since 2009 delivered Angel Cabrera (69), Lucas Glover (71), Stewart Cink (33) and Y.E. Yang (110).

Brian Rolapp mentioned three guiding principles when he was introduced as CEO at the Tour Championship last year. First on his list was parity, and he probably didn’t know how right he was ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JON SUPER when he said, “The PGA Tour has incredible, competitive parity and Brooks Koepka walks on the 18th green during the third round of balance among its players.” the British Open on July 18 at Royal Birkdale golf club in Southport, “Everybody wants to go into an England. event not knowing who’s going to win,” Rolapp said.

Show of hands who had Rai paid out more than his lone vicfreak injury in his hand that one winning the PGA Championship round later forced him to withtory. against the strongest field in the The margins are thin in golf, draw. majors. Or Gary Woodland winNow he has one tournament left even for the No. 1 player in the to reach the postseason. He needs world. ning the Houston Open just over McIlroy isn’t the least bit at least a fourth-place finish at two years after returning from stressed that his one title this year brain surgery, one of the most the Wyndham Championship, a was a repeat at Augusta National. emotional wins of this crazy seatall task considering he has only Yes, he would love to win another son. one top 10 this year. At least he is FedEx Cup title. Odds are it would secure for two more years from Four weeks remain before the be sweeter to get another Race to FedEx Cup is decided, and perwinning the PGA Championship Dubai title in Europe, especially at Oak Hill in 2023. haps it will all make sense in the at the expense of Patrick Reed. end. It starts with the Wyndham No one has stood out Championship, the tournament No winners from top 10 most players would love to skip But it’s been a strange year for because it means they’re locked so many players accustomed to Cameron Young is the defendinto a good spot for the postseasmoother waters. ing champion at the Wyndham Who would have predicted beChampionship. And to think it was son. only a year ago when Young had Horschel would need at least a fore the first tee shot of 2026 that never won on the PGA Tour. Since two-way tie for second to have a Chris Gotterup would have more then, he was a lone bright spot for mathematical chance of making wins than Scottie Scheffler and the Americans in his Ryder Cup it to the FedEx Cup playoffs. The Rory McIlroy combined? debut, he won The Players Cham- way this year has gone, don’t bet No one will — or should — be against it. concerned with Scheffler. He won pionship and a signature event at Young might have summed it up his season opener in the CaliforDoral, and he had at least a share best on Tuesday when he shared of the Sunday lead at two majors nia desert, and nothing else. He advice for himself and anyone without bagging one. also has five runner-up finishes else in this game: “Nothing is givBut there’s something else and five other finishes in the top 4. about Young and this odd season.

Four of those runner-up finishes en and nothing is impossible.”

Peralta can find his form after posting a 4.99 ERA this season for the New York Mets. In addition to García, the Yankees added outfielder Heliot Ramos, but Aaron Judge’s health is probably going to be the biggest factor down the stretch for New York, and this deadline did nothing to change that reality.

The vibes are good in Boston thanks to a recent 15-game winning streak, and now the Red Sox bring in a new All-Star in Rutschman. But for Boston fans of a certain age, trading shortstop Marcelo Mayer — the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2021 — for San Francisco reliever Erik Miller might stir unpleasant memories of Jeff Bagwell for Larry Andersen.

It’s not a shock that Baltimore traded Rutschman less than two years from free agency, especially given what Boston was offering. The same could eventually happen with Gunnar Henderson.

What’s hard to swallow for Orioles fans is that they only enjoyed two good seasons before it occurred. Last-place Toronto balanced buying and selling more than the Orioles, dealing righthander Kevin Gausman away but replacing him with the much younger José Soriano.

AL Central The White Sox made a splash by trading for Luis Castillo. But he hasn’t been good this year, going 3-9 with a 5.06 ERA for Seattle.

Cleveland is barely holding on to a wild-card spot but made an honest effort to stay afloat by adding slugger Jo Adell and pitcher Foster Griffin.

Minnesota was also looking to buy at the deadline. That amounted to adding Kremer from the Orioles, plus a couple pricey relievers in A.J. Minter and Jeff Hoffman.

Don’t totally write off Detroit yet. The Tigers made the playoffs after selling at the deadline two years ago. Probably not happening this season, however. Not only did they shed Skubal and Mize, they also failed to improve their bullpen. Kansas City was an obvious seller, but Lane Thomas and Kris Bubic could only bring back so much.

AL West Houston is now in first place but just two games over .500. The Astros acquired Daulton Varsho, a good defensive outfielder, and will keep relying on Yordan Alvarez to provide the offense. Jacob deGrom said he wanted to stay with Texas, and if there were any plans for the Rangers to be big sellers, they didn’t come to fruition. Texas lost its sixth straight game Monday night but is still just two games out of a wild card.

Seattle has plenty of pitching even after trading Castillo, and there’s time for the Mariners to claw back into a playoff spot. The Atletics have fallen apart lately and did almost nothing at the deadline.

The Angels were much more active, dealing Soriano, Adell, Ryan Zeferjahn and Kirby Yates. They acquired infielder Arjun Nimmala, a 2023 first-round pick, from Toronto.

NL East Atlanta leads the division comfortably and largely stood pat, acquiring Thomas from the Royals and right-hander Tyler Mahle from San Francisco. Philadelphia made one of the biggest additions Monday by trading for threetime batting champ Luis Arraez, a move that will shift Bryce Harper back to the outfield. Miami has two playoff berths in the past 20 years and isn’t exactly pulling out

all the stops to make it this season.

Washington was surprisingly in the playoff race and made a pretty standard hitting-for-pitching swap when it sent Curtis Mead to Boston for Connelly Early two weekends ago.

Now the Nationals have lost six straight and sold at the deadline, dealing Garcia and Griffin. The Mets were obviously going to be sellers and parted ways with Minter, Peralta, Clay Holmes and Luke Weaver.

NL Central Perhaps Milwaukee was hesitant to give up a big package of prospects to rent Skubal for three months, but watching him go to the Dodgers couldn’t have been pleasant. The Cubs also did more than the Brewers, adding former LSU star Kevin Gausman, Holmes and Zeferjahn to their pitching staff. Pittsburgh added Weaver, Yates and Camilo Doval to its bullpen. St. Louis traded May and reliever JoJo Romero within the division to the Brewers, and Cincinnati traded Nathaniel Lowe within the state to Cleveland.

NL West Even after trading for Skubal, the Dodgers have seven prospects in MLB Pipeline’s top 100.

Arizona mostly stood pat but did add outfielder Lars Nootbaar. San Diego was unusually quiet before landing Mize.

Robbie Ray also joins the Padres’ pitching staff.

San Francisco had a busy week, selling off Arraez, Mahle, Ray, Miller and Ramos. The Giants will hope the Red Sox moved on from Mayer too quickly.

Colorado added infielder Connor Norby, who was once a solid prospect for the Orioles but never really took off after being dealt to Miami.

Churchill Downs, NYRA team up for championship

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Churchill Downs and the New York Racing Association are partnering for a new horse racing series that’s being billed as a season-long championship for three-year-old Thoroughbreds.

Starting in 2027, the Thoroughbred Championship Series will crown a three-year-old champion following a six-race series that will be held across three venues.

Louisville’s Churchill Downs and New York’s Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course will be the sites for the six-race series, which will be used to determine a champion three-year-old Thoroughbred. The series, which will stretch out over five months, begins with the Kentucky Derby.

Next year’s Derby is set for May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Williams sisters are playing together in Cincinnati Open

MASON, Ohio — The Williams sisters are back on track to playing doubles tennis ahead of the U.S. Open.

Serena and Venus Williams are set to take part in the Cincinnati Open, which begins next week.

Organizers announced Monday they had received a wild-card entry into the doubles field.

They last played a doubles match together at the 2022 U.S. Open. It is their first time teaming up in the hard-court tune-up tournament in Mason, Ohio.

The Williams sisters received a wild-card entry to play doubles at Wimbledon, but an injury to Serena prevented that from happening. They have won 14 major titles and three Olympic gold medals in doubles play.

U.S. to kick off World Cup cycle with home matches

ATLANTA — The U.S. men’s national team will kick off the next World Cup cycle with four matches over 11 days on home soil.

The friendlies include games against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada in U.S. cities that didn’t host World Cup action this summer.

The Americans will face Peru on Sept. 26 at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Three days later, they will host Chile at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The US-Mexico rivalry resumes Oct. 3 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. And the finale against Canada follows three days later at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota.

All four matches will be broadcast on TNT, HBO Max, Telemundo, Universo and Peacock.

Preakness date for 2027 set to be revealed on Wednesday

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The date of the 2027 Preakness Stakes is set to be revealed on Wednesday by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and the Maryland Jockey Club.

There has been speculation about the Preakness moving back from two to three weeks after the Kentucky Derby to get more horses from the Triple Crown opener to run in the second leg. Golden Tempo became the second Derby winner in a row and third in five years not to take part.

But the Belmont Stakes staying on the first Saturday in June for next year could extend the troubles of the condensed calendar for at least one more Triple Crown season. The return of the race to Belmont Park is set for June 5, as part of a new 3-year-old championship series.

Royals activate shortstop Witt after 2 weeks on IL

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals activated All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt from the injured list on Tuesday after he missed two weeks with back tightness.

“He’s done a great job working to get back, communicating with the medical department and getting himself in a good spot that we feel comfortable,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said before Tuesday night’s game against Minnesota. “We’re very happy to have him back.”

A three-time All-Star, Witt leads the American League with 30 stolen bases. He is batting .279 with 13 homers and 39 RBIs in 94 games.

Witt was in the lineup against the Twins, but Quatraro said the Royals might manage his workload in the coming days.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ 3C

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Sooners seek more production from TEs NORMAN,Okla.— Oklahoma leaned on an elite defense to reach the College Football Playoff in Brent Venables’ fourth year as coach.

Much of that defense returns, but the Sooners will need more production from their running backs and tight ends to make a return trip.

Oklahoma is looking to boost production from the tight end position heading into fall camp, which begins Wednesday, and Venables has added former NFL All-Pro Jason Witten to his coaching staff to help spark im-

provement.

Witten inherits a mix of veterans and young players, including transfers Hayden Hansen (Florida) and Rocky Beers (Colorado State).

“We’re a part of the run game.

Being the guy who’s usually at the end of the line of scrimmage Witten you’re an extension of the offensive line,” Witten said Tuesday.

“That’s a tough battle, going against defensive ends and linebackers in this conference.

When the ball gets to us we’ve got to be able to seal gaps, we’ve got to set the edge, we’ve got to create lanes.”

Last season, Oklahoma finished 13th in the Southeastern Conference in rushing (118.5 yards per game), with a per carry average of 3.54 yards.

Witten said Sooner backs struggled to create “explosive runs,” those plays that gained 12 yards or more.

“Obviously the teams that are having success on offense, they’re able to get that,” he said.

“And that’s a combination of a lot of things. The line’s got to get them to the second level, the

receivers got to block on the perimeter, the runners got to make somebody miss sometimes, you got to have good steam. But the tight end’s usually a big part of that.”

Witten brings “instant credibility” to the position, Venables said.

“Experience doesn’t get you there as quickly as being an experienced teacher,” Venables said. “He’s got a natural skill set when it comes to teaching the game, how he thinks. He’s very bright but he’s able to be an effective communicator with the guys.”

Hansen, a fifth-year senior who

played three seasons for the Gators, brings size (6-foot-8) and experience to the position group.

“He’s like an encyclopedia,” Hansen said of Witten. “When you’ve played 17 years you know exactly what works, what doesn’t work. You know all these little secrets that no one really knows unless you’ve played 17 years in the league.

“I felt like a freshman again learning from this guy and everyday is just something new. He points out things that I’ve never thought twice about. When you go and you implement the things he tells you see results almost instantly.”

Ohio State, Oregon are 1-2 in USA Today poll

CFP adds App State AD to selection committee

The Associated Press Ohio State and Oregon hold down the top two spots and the Southeastern Conference has five of the top 10 teams in the USA Today preseason coaches football poll released Tuesday.

The Buckeyes received 38 of the 72 first-place votes and were well ahead of the Ducks, who got six first-place votes.

No. 3 Georgia received seven first-place votes, No. 4 Texas got two and No. 5 Notre Dame five.

Defending national champion Indiana was No. 6 with 14 firstplace votes and was followed

by Miami, the team it beat in the College Football Playoff championship game. Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Mississippi rounded out the top 10.

Texas Tech, at No. 12, was the highest-ranked of four Big 12 teams in the poll. The SEC, with nine, had the most ranked teams. LSU was ranked No. 13.

No teams from a Group of Six conference were in the Top 25.

Ohio State went 12-0 in the 2025 regular season before ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By GARETH PATTERSON losing to Indiana in the Big Ten championship game and Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith runs the ball against Miami during the second half of the Cotton to Miami in the first round of Bowl on Dec. 31 in Arlington, Texas. the CFP. The Buckeyes return a Heisman Trophy finalist in quarterback Julian Sayin, one Jeremiah Smith and an experiThe Associated Press pre- leased at noon Eastern on Aug. of the nation’s top receivers in enced offensive line. season Top 25 poll will be re- 17.

STAFF FILE PHOTO

KIFFIN

Continued from page 1C ticket on the west side at the north 25-yard line about 30 rows up.

McNeese State: The cheapest price range for any LSU game, with tickets going from $20-$100. The best available seats were on the west side near the north 5-yard line, 11 rows up.

Mississippi State: Tickets for LSU’s most inexpensive Southeastern Conference home game ran from $40300, the latter again for obstructed-view seats on the bottom two sideline rows.

Alabama: Like Texas A&M, LSU is hosting Bama for the second straight year because of changes necessitated by the SEC’s new nine-game scheduling format. Since Alabama isn’t one of LSU’s three permanent opponents, this will be the last game in the annual

series between the Tigers and Crimson Tide dating to 1964. Tickets were going for $225-700, with a single seat 45 rows up on the east goal line going for $650.

Texas: The Longhorns come to Tiger Stadium for the first time since 1953.

That and being led by quarterback Arch Manning coupled with sky-high expectations made this LSU’s priciest ticket on a range of $260-750.

The latter price would get you a single ticket on the east 15-yard line, row 55.

Broussard said most of the single tickets available this season were part of returned visiting team ticket allotments or tickets not eligible for season ticket sales.

By comparison, most tickets on sale Tuesday for LSU home games on StubHub went from $17 for east upper deck tickets for the Louisiana Tech game to

a somewhat inexplicable $2,258 for seats near the south 5-yard line on the bottom of the west side upper deck.

Tickets for the Clemson game on StubHub ran from $224-1,300, from $152-1,624 for Texas A&M, from $2631,713 for Alabama and $250-1,135 for Texas.

For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate. com/lsunewsletter

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transfer who played 84 snaps last season, and Michael Turner, mostly a special teams contributor, are next up unless freshman Continued from page 1C Havon Finney is ready.

Defensive end doesn’t appear especially with a revamped receiving corps, Clemson deep following Gabriel Reliford’s ACL injury in the spring. Tennessee transfer Jorhas more to worry about in Week 1. dan Ross, a junior who has yet to realize How are trenches shaping up? his five-star billing, and five-star freshman Even if Leavitt is 100%, the Tigers need Lamar Brown could aid Princewill Umanmielen. But does anyone else emerge to a line to keep him there.

Jordan Seaton, the preseason All-SEC create competitive depth?

There seems to be enough for a solid 11, honoree, is a given at left tackle. Braelin Moore and Aliou Bah seem reliable at cen- but a defense playing opposite Kiffin’s temter and right guard. But that leaves two po offense needs ample rotational pieces to pretty big question marks at left guard and not wear out at the end of games. right tackle.

Bo Bordelon appears to be in the run- How many freshmen are ready? ning for one spot, but the fifth-year senior Speaking of Brown and Finney, they played just 11 snaps last season. Weston aren’t the only first-year players who could Davis lined up at right tackle all spring, earn substantial roles in preseason camp. but his redshirt freshman campaign was Deuce Geralds, a midyear enrollee, was uneven. taking first-team snaps at defensive tackle in There are other options. Devin Harper, a spring. The 6-foot-1, 280-pounder isn’t all that sophomore, is one of four players who fol- big, but he has an explosiveness that could lowed Kiffin from Ole Miss to LSU. He only create headaches for interior blockers. played 72 snaps as a freshman but 57 came He’s accompanied by five-star Richard at right tackle. LSU also brought in Bay- Anderson, who stood 6-3, 360 pounds in high lor’s Sean Thompkins, who has five starts school but appears to have slimmed down at tackle. following a summer in LSU’s strength and The sooner LSU can identify a best five, conditioning program. He’s a potential gapthe better, because the Tigers’ line needs plugger. to build as much cohesion as possible, esHow prominently do Geralds and Anderpecially coming off of a season where LSU son feature in the defensive tackle rotawasn’t even among the top 120 rushing of- tion rather than veteran options Dominick fenses nationally.

McKinley, Malik Blocton and Stephiylan Green?

Where is the defensive depth?

Receiver Corey Barber and offensive LSU looks well-stocked at a couple of po- lineman Brysten Martinez were also top 10 recruits at their respective positions in sitions defensively.

Whit Weeks, T.J. Dottery and Davhon the 2026 class.

Do they, or any number of highly rated Keys form a fantastic trio at linebacker.

DJ Pickett and PJ Woodland are a talented LSU freshmen, prove they are ready to cornerback duo, and Boise State transfer contribute immediately?

Football is a developmental game, so it Ty Benefield is a projected NFL draft pick supporting Tamarcus Cooley and Dashawn shouldn’t be expected that freshmen outshine upperclassmen. But there are someSpears at safety.

But there are questions at corner with times outliers, and Kiffin might need a Aidan Anding sidelined by an Achilles couple to emerge if his first LSU team is tear. Ja’Keem Jackson, a former Florida going to meet its potential.

TICKETS

IRVING, Texas — Appalachian State athletic director Doug Gillin has been appointed to the College Football Playoff selection committee.

CFP executive director Rich Clark made the announcement Tuesday, naming Gillin as the replacement for former UL AD Bryan Maggard. Maggard recently became the deputy athletic director at Missouri.

Gillin has spent the last 12 years at App State, overseeing the football program’s multiple conference championships and the No. 20 spot in the final 2019 CFP rankings.

Gillin served on the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee between 2020 and 2023 and was previously the deputy director of athletics at Missouri from 2012-15.

The CFP selection committee is responsible for ranking the top 25 teams and setting the field for the 12-team CFP. The committee meets in-person beginning in early November and produces a ranking of the top 25 teams each week leading up to its final selections.

S

Fireworks erupt as LSU players take the field in Tiger Stadium in an undated photo.

The Associated Press

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Associated Press

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4C ■ Wednesday, August 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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NFL NOTEBOOK

Panthers WR Legette carted off field with a stinger injury

By The Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PAUL SANCyA

Detroit Lions linebacker Devin White runs after practice at the team’s training camp on Sunday in Allen Park, Mich.

Lions LB White seeks starting role

BY DANA GAURUDER

Associated Press

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Devin White finished last season as the NFL’s third-leading tackler. He’s still no lock for a starting job with his new team.

The 28-year-old former LSU player had a career-high 174 tackles — a franchise record — for the Las Vegas Raiders last season. A free agent after the season, he was still available until the Detroit Lions, in need of depth at linebacker, signed him to a oneyear contract on Saturday.

“It’s a great opportunity and I don’t want to let it pass me by,” White said Tuesday.

With Jack Campbell, who signed a four-year, $81 million contract extension this offseason, entrenched at middle linebacker, White will look to push for a starting job at one of the outside spots. Derrick Barnes started all 17 games last season, but White could compete with Malcolm Rodriguez for the weakside job.

Rodriguez suffered a torn ACL in November 2024 and was limited to seven games last season.

Rodriguez left Tuesday’s practice early with an ankle injury.

Rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder, a fourth-round pick, is expected to miss several more weeks with a hamstring injury.

White says he’s ready for whatever role the team has in store for him.

“They control all the depth chart things and whenever it’s handed to me to go in, I just run in there as fast as I can so (the coaches) won’t put somebody else in,” he said. “That’s all I’m trying to do.

I just feel if I keep doing that and just stay humble, my role will increase and I’ll get better and better within the defense to help these guys make plays.”

The fifth overall pick of the 2019 draft, White spent his first five seasons with Tampa Bay. He signed with Philadelphia in March 2024, but never played a snap for the Eagles before he was released. He then hooked on with Houston and had a limited role with the Texans.

The Raiders took a flier on him last offseason and White set the franchise record for most tackles in a single season. However, his deficiencies in pass coverage made him expendable.

The only guarantee he’ll get with the Lions is a chance to earn a regular role.

“It’s all about competition,” defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said. “We have the chance to acquire somebody that we feel like can come in, whether that’s push to start or push guys in the room to make them better. ”

Reigning rushing leader Cook not looking back

BY JOHN WAWROW Associated Press

PITTSFORD, N.Y. — James Cook treats carrying the football the same way he answers questions about his accomplishments.

The Buffalo Bills running back does both by solely looking forward.

So there was no point in asking Cook to reflect on last year, when he used a brief training camp holdin as leverage to get a new contract, and then proved his worth by leading the NFL with 1,621 yards rushing.

“I don’t like to talk about last year, because last year is in the past. This year is a new year,” Cook said last week. “Put last year behind me, and just come out here to do it again.”

That would be difficult for anyone, given that only two players since 2001 have won consecutive NFL rushing titles — Derrick Henry (2019-20) and LaDainian Tomlinson (2006-07).

Propelling the 26-year-old Cook’s belief entering his fifth season are a healthy dose of self-confidence, an offensive line that is mostly intact and newly promoted head coach Joe Brady’s offensive scheme.

Despite Josh Allen’s strong arm and improvisational skills, the Bills split rushing and passing attempts evenly during Brady’s two-plus seasons as offensive coordinator. Brady sees no reason to change course or to reduce Cook’s workload this year.

“I expect James Cook to take another step this year in different elements of his game and continue to be the workhorse as a runner,” Brady said.

“And he wants it, right?” he added. “He had such an incredible season last year. And without div-

ing into exactly what, this is what I told him: He has got to get better.

We can’t take steps backwards.”

Cook’s power and elusiveness were on display in practice Tuesday, Buffalo’s first full day in pads.

On the first team drill, Cook took a handoff and burst through a hole on the left side for what would have been a 5-yard gain, and then sprung back up off the ground and kept running. A few minutes later, on a sweep to the right, Cook turned the corner and lowered his shoulder pad directly into the midsection of safety Cole Bishop.

“It’s a new year, and he’s going to do the same thing that he did last year, having that intensity,” Bishop said.

Cook led the NFL last season with nine games of 100 yards rushing or more, and his 12 rushing TDs were fourth in the league. He had a career-high 309 carries and averaged a career-best 5.2 yards per attempt, which tied for second in the NFL. His only blemish has been ball security. He lost four of seven fumbles, including one at the Denver 30 in a 33-30 overtime loss in a divisional-round playoff game.

Brady made a point to remind Cook about protecting the ball after the running back lost a fumble early in camp.

“I fumbled. So I just got to fix it,” Cook said. “The ball is everybody’s job, and that’s my job. I’m willing to protect it.”

Make no mistake, Cook thrives on challenges.

He did so last year by withholding his services before eventually landing a four-year, $48 million contract.

Cook has his sights set higher this year, for himself and the Bills.

“I’m looking forward to doing even bigger things. So whatever that is, I’m willing to do it,” he said.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers 2024 first-round draft pick Xavier Legette was carted off the field with a stinger injury Tuesday after landing awkwardly as he attempted to make a leaping catch in the end zone.

Stingers are injuries that impact the nerves in the upper arm, neck or shoulder and often give a player a burning sensation in his arms and hands. Most stingers resolve quickly, but some symptoms can last weeks or months.

“We’re going to evaluate him more over the next day or so and just make sure that he is in the right spot,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said. “We have a nice little window here to get him turned around.”

Canales said Legette does not have a concussion.

Legette will not play in the Panthers’ preseason opener on Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals in Canton, Ohio.

Falcons LB Walker injures leg Atlanta Falcons linebacker Jalon Walker was carted off the field on Tuesday after injuring his left leg during practice in Flowery Branch, Georgia.

Walker, a first-round draft pick from Georgia in 2025, started as a rookie and had 36 tackles, 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

Walker was the No. 15 overall pick and one of two pass rushers taken by the Falcons in the first round. James Pearce Jr. was the No. 25 overall pick. Walker is versatile and able to line up as an edge rusher or outside linebacker.

Walker couldn’t place any weight on the left leg as he was helped off the cart and taken into the locker room.

Carolina Panthers receiver Xavier Legette makes a catch during training camp on July 23 in Charlotte, N.C. ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

By SCOTT KINSER million with incentives, with $51 million guaranteed, a person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press.

The base value of $66.75 million gives Robinson a $22.25 million average per year that makes him the league’s top-paid running back. Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley’s average is $20.6 million.

Cowboys TE Fant out for season

Dallas Cowboys tight end Princeton Fant is out for the season after suffering a knee injury at camp Monday in Oxnard, California.

Fant tore his ACL and partially tore his MCL, and he will undergo surgery in the coming weeks, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Tuesday. Fant was hurt on a kneeon-knee hit to his left leg after being blocked backward into running back Israel Abanikanda during the Cowboys’ first full-pads practice.

Fant has appeared in 11 games over three seasons for the Cowboys, playing mostly on special teams, after being signed as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee in 2023. He is the cousin Robinson agrees to extension of New Orleans Saints tight end The Atlanta Falcons have Noah Fant.

The Cowboys sustained another agreed to a three-year contract extension with Bijan Robinson injury in practice Tuesday when through the 2030 season that safety Alijah Clark hurt his ankle makes the fourth-year player the and had to leave practice early.

NFL’s highest-paid running back.

Robinson reposted the NFL’s In- Ravens, Flowers reach extension stagram post detailing the extenThe Baltimore Ravens have sion on Tuesday morning, writing agreed to a four-year, $140 million “God this is for you! Blessings. contract extension with two-time Pro Bowl receiver Zay Flowers, Love this team and this city!”

The extension is worth up to $75 according to a person with knowl-

DUNCAN

Godchaux and Chris Olave.

Moore’s second team is notably leaner and faster than his first.

Continued from page 1C And that’s allowed them to zip through Moore’s high-tempo practices. have strong legs and the abilMany have finished early so ity to make kicks from 60-plus yards. Their consistency has also far in camp. been excellent in camp.

I expect this competition to be Chase Young is a beast determined during preseason The veteran edge rusher is the games, and by the looks of best player on the roster — and things, it figures to go down to it’s not even close. He opened the wire. Whoever wins the job Tuesday’s padded practice by will have earned it. pancaking Banks in one-on-one The kicking game has gone pass rush drills. He continued to from a weakness to a potential dominate in team drills, stuffing strength. a run by Etienne on first down and stopping him on a dump-off How the backs stack up pass in the left flat a short time later.

Much has been made about Defensive coordinator Branthe pairing of Alvin Kamara and don Staley has asked Young to be Travis Etienne in the backfield. more of a leader this year, and The plan is to use camp to dehe has embraced the role. He termine how the staff wants to is noticeably more comfortable deploy the duo this season. and confident in his approach.

So far, Etienne has taken the He looks and sounds like a guy bulk of the first-team reps on ready for a breakout campaign. early downs, with Kamara getting the first call on third down Shough’s passing is on point and in passing situations.

This feels like an evolving proTyler Shough has experienced cess, but I’ll be surprised if it’s a a so-so start to camp, in part Kamara-Mark Ingram-like 50-50 because he hasn’t had much split when all is said and done. help around him. Shough has imThe depth chart behind the top pressed teammates and coaches two is crowded with contenders. with his leadership skills off the Devin Neal, Audric Estime, Ty field and his arm talent on it.

Chandler and C.J. Donaldson Justin Reid remarked on how have all shown flashes of playcatchable Shough’s passes are, making ability, but this feels a noting his ability to feather the competition that will be deterball and reduce the torque when mined by special-teams perforneeded. It’s a subtle skill, and mance.

Shough seems to have mastered Still, there’s decent depth here, it. especially if Miller can stay He knows how to match his healthy. throw to the receiver’s route.

When a receiver drops one of his Team’s conditioning is excellent passes, it’s rarely because he has thrown a worm-burner into their Coach Kellen Moore said the feet. team knocked the annual preShough’s completion percentcamp conditioning test “out of age has been down so far, but it’s the park,” and it’s shown. The team’s improved speed is notice- not because of the accuracy of his passes. able at practices.

Several players reported to camp with stronger, streamlined Still waiting on the offense physiques, including McKinstry, Somewhat predictably, the

edge of the deal.

The agreement, which includes $108 million guaranteed, is a sizable commitment to Flowers, who is coming off a season in which he caught 86 passes for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns.

Baltimore drafted him in the first round in 2023, and the shifty 5-foot-9 receiver immediately became a factor with his quickness.

He’s now posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons as a top target for quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Bears’ Wright lands $116M deal Chicago Bears right tackle Darnell Wright has agreed to a lucrative contract extension, answering a major question for the team going into the season.

The Bears announced the fouryear deal on Tuesday, posting “The Wright Tackle is here to stay” on social media. Wright’s $116 million contract includes $93 million guaranteed, according to a person familiar with the agreement who spoke to The Associated Press.

The contract is the biggest ever for a right tackle and includes the most guaranteed money for an offensive lineman in NFL history, according to ESPN. “Our team is rooted in being driven by belief and built by hard work, and Darnell epitomizes our culture in every way,” coach Ben Johnson said in a statement.

The 10th overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Tennessee, Wright anchored an offensive line that helped the Bears rank third in the NFL in rushing last season on their way to the NFC North title.

Saints offense has been a work in progress so far as the unit works key additions Etienne, Fant, Jordyn Tyson and David Edwards into the mix.

With so many new moving parts, a slow start is understandable. But the Saints focused their offseason on adding explosive playmakers this offseason, and the big plays have been few and far between so far. Worse, the unit has been plagued by sloppiness. Dropped passes, errant snaps and shoddy blocking have conspired to derail too many drives.

On the bright side, the offense did flash some big-play potential in Tuesday’s padded practice.

Spencer Rattler hit Barion Brown for a long pass, and Kamara ripped off a nice run up the middle. Otherwise, the big offensive plays have been rare.

It’s early. There’s no reason to hit the panic button, especially when you consider that defenses are generally ahead of offenses at this stage of camp. But at some point, we need to see better, more consistent execution from this offense.

Running on empty Full disclosure: The Saints have had just one padded practice, so the evaluation here is limited. T hat said, the rushing attack has been tepid at best. Kamara and Neal had big-play runs on Tuesday, but those have been the exceptions, not the rule, so far in camp.

There just hasn’t been a lot of room to run, which might say more about the Saints’ improved run defense than anything else.

Time will tell.

The joint practice session next week against the Jaguars, who had the top-ranked run defense in the league last season, will be a good gauge.

Email Jeff Duncan at jduncan@ theadvocate.com.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, August 5, 2026 ■ 5C

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Legendary jockey Albarado dies at 52 Louisiana native had 5,222 career victories

Staff report

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOE REEDy

Cleveland Sirens president of business operations Allison Howard introduces the name of Cleveland’s WNBA franchise during an event Tuesday at Rocket Arena in Cleveland.

Cleveland unveils name, branding for WNBA team

BY JOE REEDY

Associated Press CLEVELAND — Cleveland’s WNBA expansion team had three priorities for the franchise’s name.

It had to have its own identity and not be related to the Cavaliers. It needed to tie into Lake Erie. And fans wanted something progressive.

The Cleveland Sirens think they accomplished all three Tuesday when they introduced the name and branding during an event at Rocket Arena.

The WNBA’s 16th team will begin play in 2028.

Cleveland was home to one of the league’s original franchises when the WNBA started in 1997, but the Rockers folded in 2003 when owner Gordon Gund could not find a new buyer.

Dan Gilbert’s Rock Entertainment Group, which has owned the Cavaliers since 2005, paid a $250 million ex-

pansion fee for Cleveland’s return to the WNBA. Janice Braxton, who played for the Rockers for three seasons (1997-99), narrated a video introducing the name and the theme of “Hear the Call.”

Braxton, along with other former Rockers players, were also at Tuesday’s event.

“We were at dinner with them last night and we gave them a sneak peek of the video. And they were overwhelming in their support and clapped several different times,” said Allison Howard, the Sirens’ president of business operations.

The logo features a Siren underneath the name. The “S” in the wordmark also conceals “CLE”. The two shades of blue take inspiration from Lake Erie and the Rockers logo.

“We really wanted something that people could rally behind a real character.

And we’re really excited about that,” said Grant Gil-

bert, Rock Entertainment Group’s VP of business and basketball operations.

“I think the other aspect of the siren name and brand that was really considered and that we get very excited about is how authentically it extends just beyond the name and branded logos itself. The potential of the name is endless.”

Over the past year, Cleveland has had 9,000 deposits for season tickets. Howard expects that to increase now that the name has been announced.

“This team can exist very much on the independent side of the Cavaliers. And that’s also what we are seeing right now. The demographic is totally different,” Howard said. “They eat different food, they drink different drinks, they get here earlier, they purchase merchandise differently, and they come from all over the state and even outside of the state.”

Lafayette native Robby Albarado, who claimed 5,222 career victories as a jockey, died Tuesday at the age of 52 in Sarasota Springs, New York, after undergoing a heart procedure last week, according to multiple outlets.

Ken McPeek, a trainer who employed the retired jockey as an exercise rider, confirmed Albarado’s death to WKYT-TV, the Paulick Report and Horse Racing Nation.

“It’s been a tough day,” McPeek told the Paulick Report. “Robby was a great friend, and there was nobody better on a horse than Robby Albarado. He needs to be in the hall of fame.”

Albarado, who retired in 2021, underwent a procedure in Saratoga last week to place a stent near his heart to deal with a blockage before being discharged from the hospital.

McPeek told the Daily Racing Form that he apparently died in his sleep.

The 2020 Preakness Stakes proved to be one of the greatest moments in the career of Albarado, who road Swiss Skydiver to victory. As an exercise rider, he worked with horses such as 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and 2024 Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna.

“Saying goodbye to someone who left us too soon is extremely difficult,” Churchhill Downs Racetrack president Mike Anderson said in a statement.

“The Churchill Downs family is saddened by this dev-

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL DEMOCKER

Guest Suite gets a wash from Robby Albarado after winning the 73rd running of the Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 21, 2017, at the Fair Grounds. astating loss and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and numerous friends.”

Fellow Lafayette native Brian Hernandez Jr., who was Mystik Dan’s jockey at the 2024 Kentucky Derby, told The Times-Picayune in 2024 that he listed Albarado as being among his role models.

In 2016, Albarado was on the verge of his 5,000th victory when he spoke about a career that spanned nearly three decades.

“You have a lot of wisdom and knowledge about racing now,” he said that year.

“Physically, I’m able to do what I was 20 years ago.

People who were 20 years ago, like valets, come up to me and say, ‘Man, you’re riding the best I’ve seen you since you’ve been here.’ I used to win five a day here, and they never said that.”

Trainer Kellyn Gorder praised Albarado for his approach as a jockey.

“I’ve always been a big fan of Robby’s,” Gorder told The Advocate in 2016.

“He hardly ever makes a mistake, and he rides hard

and wins for me a lot. One of the things I really like about him is he can give you a lot of input after a race that actually helps.”

In 2008, the jockey founded the Robby Albarado Foundation, which helped underprivileged kids in the Louisville, Kentucky, area.

“When I was a young kid I grew up in a very poor area,” Albarado told BloodHorse.com in 2008. “I got a couple of chances from a few people who helped me in racing — and if I can make a change like that in someone’s life, then that’s what I’m looking forward to.”

Albarado recorded his first win in 1990 at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas and gradually built a reputation as one of the best jockeys in the nation. He won his first Triple Crown race in 2007 aboard Curlin in the Preakness. Curlin was named Horse of the Year in 2007 and 2008.

Albarado finished his career with earnings of $221,560,458 over 34,113 mounts, according to Equibase.

Top FIFA officials break with Infantino on World Cup plan Erie Roofing Since 1976

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“The decision to withdraw grip on a presidency failed plan to sell tino’s that looked unshakable af- the project was absoluteter the World Cup ended ly necessary and beyond stakes in future barely question, because I firmly two weeks ago. believe in an independent World Cup profits Legal threat to FIFA

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Associated Press

GENEVA — Two senior FIFA executives — coaching great Arsène Wenger and CEO-like secretary general Mattias Grafström — distanced themselves Tuesday from their boss Gianni Infantino’s failed plan to sell stakes in future World Cup profits to private investors.

Wenger said in a statement he knew nothing of the $20 billion plan and that it was “absolutely necessary” to drop the proposal, and Grafström sent an email to all FIFA staff — seen by The Associated Press — calling the last week a “sad and reproachable series of events.” He also said it created “turmoil which is difficult to comprehend and accept.”

Neither directly named Infantino or offered support for the now-embattled president.

Late Tuesday, media reports in Britain said Infantino would hold a crisis meeting with senior FIFA staff in Morocco on Wednesday, which the governing body hadn’t confirmed.

The comments by Wenger and Grafström had echoes of the direct criticism from FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, who said Friday that staff had been “deceived” by Infantino’s private equity plan, which provoked a furor in global soccer.

Lamour called it the “project of one person” and said FIFA staff “deserve better than contempt and intimidation.”

The three executives are respected and trusted figures among the 211 FIFA

Wenger, Grafström and Lamour also were named in a letter from UEFA’s lawyers to Infantino among 18 executives whose data and communications should be retained as potential evidence.

“You do not need to worry,” Grafström wrote Tuesday to the hundreds of FIFA staff based mostly in Zurich and Coral Gables, Florida.

“I assure you that you as members of the administration, you will be defended and safeguarded from the political context we currently experience.”

Wenger, who was hired

by Infantino in 2019 and is FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, said he was “not involved in this strategic plan and first became aware of the project through media reports.”

Infantino withdrew his $20 billion proposal early Saturday after a furious backlash by global soccer officials, including European body UEFA warning of a boycott of all FIFA games and events.

The plan would have created a subsidiary — known as FIFA Forward Enterprise — to run the moneymaking parts of the not-forprofit soccer body’s work: organizing tournaments like the World Cup, selling broadcasting and sponsorship rights, tickets and hospitality.

It proposed raising $4.2 billion from investors by selling stakes amounting to about 20% in FFE, based on an equity valuation of $20 billion. The “anchor investor” would have been Thrive Eternal, launched

by Joshua Kushner, whose brother Jared Kushner is a

FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity,” Wenger wrote.

Cash offers FIFA’s 211 member federations — already effective owners of the governing body as a nonprofit association under Swiss law — were offered $20 million each. The deadline to accept was Sept. 19.

They also were promised a doubling of their FIFA funding for the four years through 2030 to $20 million instead of the previously announced $10 million.

Infantino shared details of the project to FIFA management just one week after the July 19 final of the financially successful World Cup in North America that drove FIFA’s revenues to $15 billion for the 2023-26 commercial cycle — almost double the income tied to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Grafström, a longtime loyal aide to Infantino since their work together at UEFA, urged FIFA staff to “all continue being proud and happy” about the first 48-team World Cup. “A sad and reproachable series of events — which were thankfully concluded with the FFE project permanently abandoned — for as much as we feel dismayed by them, should not overshadow this reality,” he wrote.

Infantino came under even more pressure when former FIFA vice president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein criticized the soccer body’s leadership on Tuesday, describing prize money withheld from his Jordan national team as a kind of blackmail.

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6C ■ Wednesday, August 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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SCOREBOARD

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL American League East Division

National League

Tampa Bay New York Boston Baltimore Toronto

W 66 63 60 54 53

L 46 50 51 58 60

Pct GB .589 — .558 3½ .541 5½ .482 12 .469 13½

Chicago Cleveland Minnesota Detroit Kansas City

L 52 56 57 58 67

Pct .532 .504 .496 .482 .407

GB — 3 4 5½ 14

Odds

West Division

W 59 57 56 54 46

Sports Betting Line NFL

Houston Seattle Texas Athletics Los Angeles

W 58 55 55 45 43

L 56 58 58 67 69

Pct .509 .487 .487 .402 .384

GB — 2½ 2½ 12 14

Hole-in-one

Central Division

Jalen Norwood

Course: City Park, Baton Rouge Hole, yardage: No. 1, n/a Club selection: 8-iron Witnesses: Thomas Cagle, Micha Brousseau

Thursday

FAVORITE Carolina

MLB

OPEN 1½

TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 1½ (35½) at ARIZONA

Monday’s Games

UNDERDOG Toronto LA Angels White Sox at K.C. Detroit

Baltimore 3, L.A. Angels 1 N.Y. Mets 6, Cleveland 2 Cincinnati 5, Athletics 4 N.Y. Yankees 2, St. Louis 0 St. Louis at N.Y. Yankees, n Boston 14, Chicago White Sox 2 Minnesota at Kansas City, n San Francisco at Texas, n Toronto at Houston, n Tampa Bay at Colorado, n Detroit at Seattle, n

UNDERDOG LINE LA Dodgers +108 Washington +137 Miami +109 at MILWAUKEE +105 San Diego OFF

Pro basketball WNBA Glance EASTERN CONFERENCE Indiana Atlanta New York Washington Chicago Toronto Connecticut

W 19 18 18 16 11 10 7

L 11 11 13 12 19 19 23

Pct .633 .621 .581 .571 .367 .345 .233

Minnesota Las Vegas Golden State Dallas Los Angeles Phoenix Portland Seattle

W 25 21 20 19 11 12 11 6

L 6 9 9 11 17 19 19 26

Pct GB .806 — .700 3½ .690 4 .633 5½ .393 12½ .387 13 .367 13½ .188 19½

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Monday’s Games

GB — ½ 1½ 2 8 8½ 12

New York 95, Seattle 83 Las Vegas 109, Atlanta 87 Phoenix 106, Chicago 101

Tuesday’s Games

Toronto at Golden State, n

Wednesday’s Games

Phoenix at Atlanta, 6 p.m.

Seattle at New York, 6 p.m.

Dallas at Washington, 6:30 p.m.

Los Angeles at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Soccer MLS Glance Western Conference Vancouver Los Angeles FC San Jose Houston Real Salt Lake FC Dallas St Louis City Portland Seattle Minnesota United Colorado LA Galaxy San Diego FC Austin FC Sporting Kansas City

W 10 10 10 9 8 7 7 7 7 6 7 5 5 4 4

Eastern Conference

L 3 5 5 6 6 5 6 8 7 6 10 7 7 9 12

T Pts GF GA 4 34 38 17 4 34 35 19 3 33 37 24 2 29 25 24 3 27 29 25 6 27 32 25 5 26 24 24 3 24 33 33 3 24 20 22 6 24 20 25 1 22 27 25 7 22 24 29 6 21 32 29 5 17 22 36 2 14 18 46

W L T Pts GF GA Nashville 12 2 4 40 35 14 Inter Miami CF 11 2 5 38 45 32 New England 9 5 3 30 28 21 Chicago 9 6 2 29 32 23 New York City FC 7 6 5 26 31 24 Cincinnati 7 6 5 26 45 44 Charlotte FC 7 7 4 25 29 27 New York 7 7 4 25 29 39 D.C. United 5 5 8 23 26 29 Orlando City 6 10 2 20 30 47 Columbus 5 8 5 20 26 28 Toronto FC 3 7 8 17 24 32 Philadelphia 4 10 4 16 25 33 CF Montréal 4 10 4 16 24 35 Atlanta 3 12 3 12 19 33 NOTE: Three points for victory, one point for tie.

Friday’s games

Toronto FC 1, New York City FC 1, tie

Saturday’s games

Nashville 2, D.C. United 2, tie New England 2, CF Montréal 2, tie New York 3, Orlando City 2 Philadelphia 3, Atlanta 2 Los Angeles FC 1, Vancouver 1, tie Columbus 2, Miami 2, tie Chicago 2, Charlotte FC 1 Houston 2, Sporting Kansas City 0 San Diego FC 1, Minnesota 1, tie Real Salt Lake 1, St Louis City 1, tie Colorado 1, Austin FC 0 Cincinnati 4, San Jose 2 FC Dallas 0, LA Galaxy 0, tie Portland 2, Seattle 1

Saturday’s games

Houston at New England, 3:30 p.m.

USL Championship Glance Eastern Conference Tampa Bay Charleston Detroit City FC Louisville Pittsburgh Miami Rhode Island FC Indy Hartford Loudoun Birmingham Brooklyn FC Sporting Jax

W 11 9 8 8 8 5 6 6 4 3 3 3 1

L 2 6 5 7 8 7 6 7 5 5 6 10 13

Western Conference

T Pts 5 38 3 30 4 28 3 27 2 26 7 22 4 22 3 21 8 20 9 18 8 17 4 13 5 8

GF 33 37 25 32 20 24 25 19 12 21 18 17 23

GA 19 24 17 31 20 31 19 20 16 29 21 32 51

W L T Pts GF GA Orange County 9 2 7 34 29 19 San Antonio 8 3 7 31 25 20 New Mexico 8 4 3 27 20 15 Sacramento 7 4 5 26 24 15 Tulsa 7 4 5 26 19 16 Lexington SC 7 6 4 25 27 22 Colorado Springs 7 6 4 25 28 24 El Paso 6 7 4 22 27 27 Phoenix 5 6 7 22 24 25 Las Vegas 6 7 4 22 25 27 Oakland 5 7 6 21 25 28 Monterey Bay FC 4 11 3 15 19 30 NOTE: Three points for victory, one point for tie.

Sunday’s games

Birmingham 1, Rhode Island FC 0

Wednesday’s games

Sacramento at Tulsa, 7:30 p.m.

Monterey Bay FC at El Paso, 8 p.m.

Oakland at Las Vegas, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday’s games

Birmingham at Brooklyn FC, 6 p.m.

Phoenix at Lexington SC, 6 p.m.

Charleston at Loudoun, 6 p.m.

Las Vegas at Miami, 6 p.m.

Sacramento at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m.

Colorado at Rhode Island FC, 6:30 p.m.

San Antonio at Louisville, 7 p.m.

Detroit City FC at Tulsa, 7:30 p.m.

Oakland at El Paso, 8 p.m.

New Mexico at Monterey Bay FC, 9 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Orange County, 9 p.m.

Sunday, August 9

Hartford at Indy, 4 p.m.

Tennis ATP National Bank Open Results Tuesday

At IGA Stadium Montreal Purse: $9,415,725

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MIKE STEWART

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies celebrates his solo home run in the second inning of a game against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday in Atlanta. The Braves won 4-2.

Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Results Tuesday from National Bank Open at IGA Stadium (seedings in parentheses):

Men’s Singles

Round of 128 Sebastian Baez, Argentina, def. Mattia Bellucci, Italy, 7-5, 6-3.

Jenson Brooksby, United States, def. Adam Walton, Australia, 6-3, 6-4.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, Greece, def. Martin Damm Jr, United States, 6-4, 6-4.

Hubert Hurkacz, Poland, def. Marcos Giron, United States, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.

Thiago Agustin Tirante, Argentina, def. Duncan Chan, Canada, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (3).

Zachary Svajda, United States, def. Denis Shapovalov, Canada, 4-6, 6-4, 3-0, ret.

Jacob Fearnley, Britain, def. Adrian Mannarino, France, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

Valentin Royer, France, def. Pablo Carreno Busta, Spain, 1-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Alexei Popyrin, Australia, def. Roman Andres Burruchaga, Argentina, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Daniel Merida, Spain, def. Liam Draxl, Canada, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Argentina, def.

Hamad Medjedovic, Serbia, 6-4, 6-2.

Terence Atmane, France, def. Jack Draper, Britain, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.

Botic Van de Zandschulp, Netherlands, def.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, France, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Tallon Griekspoor, Netherlands, def. Lorenzo Sonego, Italy, 7-6 (5), 7-5.

Fabian Marozsan, Hungary, def. Shintaro Mochizuki, Japan, 6-4, 6-3.

Men’s Singles

Round of 64 Alexander Blockx (27), Belgium, def. Jaume Munar, Spain, walkover.

Juncheng Shang, China, def. Andrey Rublev (10), Russia, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5).

Jiri Lehecka (8), Czechia, def. Vit Kopriva, Czechia, 6-4, 6-2.

Brandon Nakashima (28), United States, def.

Daniel Altmaier, Germany, 6-2, 6-1.

College football FCS Top 25 poll The Preseason Stats Perform FCS poll 1. Montana State (57) 14-2 1,425 1 2. Montana 13-2 1,328 3 3. South Dakota State 9-5 1,266 13 4. Illinois State 12-5 1,231 2 5. Tarleton State 12-2 1,100 6 6. UC Davis 9-4 1,063 8 7. Rhode Island 11-3 1,048 11 8. Villanova 12-3 1,008 T4 9. Youngstown State 8-5 946 18 10. North Dakota 8-6 945 14 11. Lehigh 12-1 826 10 12. South Dakota 10-5 783 9 13. Stephen F. Austin 11-3 773 7 14. Tennessee Tech 11-2 594 16 15. Abilene Christian 9-5 579 12 16. Southern Illinois 7-5 509 25 17. Austin Peay 7-5 440 NR 18. Yale 9-3 418 15 19. Southeastern La. 9-4 392 19 20. Lamar 8-5 380 24 21. Mercer 11-3 306 17 22. Monmouth 9-3 200 22 23. UT Martin 6-6 144 NR 24. South Carolina St. 10-3 107 21 25. Northern Arizona 7-5 103 NR Others receiving votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Idaho State 100; Western Carolina 75; Harvard 72; New Hampshire 61; Alabama State 59; Jackson State 48; Southern Utah 27; Prairie View A&M 25; West Georgia 25; UTRGV 20; Richmond 15; ETSU 12; Elon 11; Southeast Missouri 10; William & Mary 9; Delaware State 7; Drake 7; Furman 6

USA TODAY PRESEASON POLL

Rank Rec. Pts. Lrk. Votes 1. Ohio State (12-2) 1,741 6 38 2. Oregon (13-2) 1,637 4 6 3. Georgia (12-2) 1,591 5 7 4. Texas (10-3) 1,544 13 2 5. Notre Dame (10-2) 1,524 11 5 6. Indiana (16-0) 1,522 1 14 7. Miami (Fla.) (13-3) 1,409 2 0 8. Texas A&M (11-2) 1,174 8 0 9. Oklahoma (10-3) 1,104 10 0 10. Ole Miss (13-2) 1,096 3 0 11. Alabama (11-4) 1,050 9 0 12. Texas Tech (12-2) 1,034 7 0 13. LSU (7-6) 951 NR 0 14. SUSC (9-4) 838 21 0 15. Brigham Young (12-2) 781 12 0 16. Michigan (9-4) 719 22 0 17. Penn State (7-6) 463 NR 0 18. Tennessee (8-5) 428 NR 0 19. Washington (9-4) 406 NR 0 20. SMU (9-4) 378 NR 0 21. Utah (11-2) 313 14 0 22. Iowa (9-4) 291 17 0 23. Clemson (7-6) 235 NR 0 24. Houston (10-3) 194 19 0 25. Missouri (8-5) 158 NR 0 Dropped Out: No. 15 Vanderbilt (10-3); No. 16 Virginia (11-3); No. 18 Tulane (11-3); No. 20 James Madison (12-2); No. 23 Navy (11-2); No. 24 Georgia Tech (9-4); No. 25 Illinois (9-4).

Others Receiving Votes: Louisville (9-4) 153; Florida (4-8) 147; TCU (9-4) 63; Illinois (9-4) 62; Arizona (9-4) 50; South Carolina (4-8) 50; Virginia (11-3) 40; Vanderbilt (10-3) 37; Auburn (5-7) 29; Georgia Tech (9-4) 26; Boise State (9-5) 24; Oklahoma State (1-11) 22; UNLV (10-4) 17; Florida State (5-7) 13; North Carolina State (8-5) 13; Nebraska (7-6) 12; Virginia Tech (3-9) 12; Memphis (8-5) 9; Arizona State (8-5) 8; Duke (9-5) 6; James Madison (12-2) 6; New Mexico (9-4) 4; Pittsburgh (8-5) 4; Navy (11-2) 3; Western Michigan (104) 3; San Diego State (9-4) 2; California (7-6) 1; Hawaii (9-4) 1; Jacksonville State (9-5) 1; Kansas State (6-6) 1.

Transactions Major League Baseball

American League ATHLETICS — Activated RHPs J.T. Ginn and Seth Johnson. Recalled 3B Max Muncy from Las Vegas (PCL). Designated LHP Ben Bowden for assignment. Placed LHP Jeffrey Springs on the 15-day IL, retroactive to Aug. 1. Placed 1B Nick Kurtz on the 10-day IL, retroactive to Aug. 1. Sent 3B Zack Gelof

on a rehab assignment to Las Vegas. Sent RHP Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang outright to Las Vegas.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Activated C Carlos Narváez and LF Christian Franklin. Recalled LHP Cade Povich from Norfolk (IL). Optioned RF Rece Hinds and RHP Codi Heuer to Norfolk. C Chadwick Tromp elected free agency.

BOSTON RED SOX — Activated C Jake Rogers, RF Eli White and LHP Erik Miller.

Optioned DH Romy Gonzalez to Worcester (IL). Designated RHP Ryan Watson for assignment.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Activated C Joey Bart and CF Brenton Doyle. Optioned C Edgar Quero to Charlotte (IL).

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS — Activated RF Jo Adell, DH Nathaniel Lowe and LHP Foster Griffin. Optioned RHP Franco Aleman to Columbus (IL). Agreed to terms with LHP Ryan Borucki on a minor league contract.

DETROIT TIGERS — Sent LHP Brant Hurter on a rehab assignment to Lakeland (FSL). Sent RHP Andre Granillo outright to Toledo (IL).

Recalled RHP Yilber Diaz from Toledo.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Activated SS Bobby Witt Jr. from the 10-day IL. Recalled RHP Jose Cuas from Omaha (IL). Claimed LHP Connor Thomas off waivers from the Athletics. Optioned LHP Connor Thomas and RHPs Carlos Duran and Nolan Hoffman to Omaha. Designated LHP Matt Strahm for assignment.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Activated 2B Adam Frazier, C Moisés Ballesteros and RHP Ben Joyce from the 60-day IL. Selected the contracts of LHP Blake Weiman from Rocket City (SL) and RHP Shaun Anderson from Salt Lake (PCL). Designated DH Jorge Soler for assignment.

MINNESOTA TWINS — Activated RHP Jeff Hoffman. Optioned LHP Kendry Rojas to St. Paul (IL). Released RHP Cody Laweryson.

NEW YORK YANKEES — Activated LF Heliot Ramos. Recalled RHP Yerry De los Santos from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (IL). Selected the contract of SS George Lombard Jr. from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Optioned SS Anthony Volpe, RF Jasson Domínguez and RHP Angel Chivilli to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

SEATTLE MARINERS — Activated 3B Brendan Donovan, RHP Seranthony Domínguez and LF Taylor Ward. Recalled C Jhonny Pereda from Tacoma (PCL). Designated CF Stuart Fairchild for assignment. Released C Mitch Garver and DH Rob Refsnyder.

TAMPA BAY RAYS — Activated C Liam Hicks and RHP Tyler Wells. Optioned RHP Michael Grove to Durham (IL) and C Kenny Piper to Montgomery (SL).

TEXAS RANGERS — Activated 3B Cody Freeman from the 10-day IL. Optioned 3B Cody Freeman to Round Rock (PCL).

TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Activated RHP José Soriano. Optioned RHP Lazaro Estrada to Buffalo (IL).

National League ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Activated LF Lars Nootbaar. Placed C Gabriel Moreno on the paternity list. Sent LF Jordan Lawlar on a rehab assignment to Amarillo (TL).

ATLANTA BRAVES — Agreed to terms with RHP Elieser Hernández on a minor league contract.

CINCINNATI REDS — Recalled LF Héctor Rodríguez from Louisville (IL).

COLORDO ROCKIES — Selected the contract of LHP Parker Mushinski from Albuquerque (PCL).

LOS ANGELES DODGERS — Activated C Hunter Feduccia. Selected the contract of C Ben Rortvedt from Oklahoma City (PCL).

Optioned C Eliezer Alfonzo to Oklahoma City. Designated C Chuckie Robinson for assignment. Sent LHP Blake Snell on a rehab assignment to Oklahoma City. Sent RHP Tyler Glasnow on a rehab assignment to Ontario.

MIAMI MARLINS — Activated RHP Victor Vodnik. Recalled C Agustín Ramírez from Jacksonville (IL).

MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Activated RHPs Antonio Senzatela and Dustin May. Optioned RHPs Brandon Sproat and Garrett Stallings to Nashville (IL).

NEW YORK METS — Activated RHPs Dedniel Núñez from the 60-day IL and Chayce McDermott. Recalled LHP Jefry Yan from Syracuse (IL). Selected the contracts of OF Cristian Pache and LHP Nate Lavender from Syracuse. Designated RHP Bryce Conley for assignment. Sent DH MJ Melendez outright to Syracuse. Sent RHP Kevin Herget outright to Syracuse.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES — Activated 2B Luis Arraez, RHP Caleb Kilian and LHP Brooks Raley. Optioned RF Gabriel Rincones Jr. and LHP Kyle Backhus to Lehigh Valley (IL).

PITTSBURGH PIRATES — Activated RHPs Lake Bachar, Kirby Yates and Luke Weaver.

Optioned RHP Noah Murdock and LHP Brandon Eisert to Indianapolis (IL). Sent RHP Chris Devenski on a rehab assignment to Indianapolis.

SAN DIEGO PADRES — Sent RHPs Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta on rehab assignments to Lake Elsinore (CAL). LHP JP Sears changed uniform number to 39.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Activated CF Jonah Cox from the 10-day IL. Selected the contract of SS Eddys Leonard from Sacramento (PCL). Optioned CF Jonah Cox to Sacramento.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — Activated LHP Caleb Ferguson. Recalled 3B César Prieto from Memphis (IL). Optioned LHP Quinn Mathews to Memphis.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Selected the contract of LF Andrew Pinckney from Rochester (IL). Placed RF James Wood on the 10-day IL. Agreed to terms with LHP Matt Krook on a minor league contract. Optioned RHP Eddy Yean to Rochester.

FOOTBALL

National Football League ARIZONA CARDINALS — Claimed RB Evan Hull off waivers from Houston and DT Cam Horsley off waivers from Tennessee. Waived DT Coziah Izzard and WR Tejhuan Palmer.

ATLANTA FALCONS — Signed DT Marlon Tuipulotu. Placed LB DeAngelo Malone on the active/PUP list.

BALTIMORE RAVENS — Signed T Kendal Lamm.

CAROLINA PANTHERS — Announced the retirement of DT LaBryan Ray. Signed WRs Roc Taylor and Elijah Cooks.

CHICAGO BEARS — Signed DB Marlen Sewell.

L 45 53 55 59 66

Pct GB .598 — .531 7½ .513 9½ .482 13 .416 20½

Milwaukee Chicago Pittsburgh St. Louis Cincinnati

W 69 64 57 56 53

L 43 49 57 57 58

Pct GB .616 — .566 5½ .500 13 .496 13½ .477 15½

Los Angeles Arizona San Diego San Francisco Colorado

W 69 60 58 48 45

L 44 53 55 65 68

Pct .611 .531 .513 .425 .398

Central Division

West Division

GB — 9 11 21 24

Tuesday’s Games

Wednesday’s Games

UNDERDOG LINE San Francisco +168 at COLORADO +133 Athletics +125 at CLEVELAND -101 St. Louis +124

W 67 60 58 55 47

Philadelphia 6, Washington 3 Pittsburgh 4, Milwaukee 3 St. Louis 13, N.Y. Yankees 7 Chicago Cubs 10, L.A. Dodgers 5 San Francisco 5, Texas 1 Tampa Bay 13, Colorado 9 Arizona 5, San Diego 1

Tuesday’s Games

LINE +112 +117 +104 -104 OFF

Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York

Monday’s Games

St. Louis 13, N.Y. Yankees 7 Toronto 3, Houston 1 San Francisco 5, Texas 1 Tampa Bay 13, Colorado 9

Wednesday

American League FAVORITE LINE at HOUSTON -130 at BALTIMORE -140 at BOSTON -125 Minnesota -115 at SEATTLE OFF National League FAVORITE LINE at CHICAGO CUBS-126 at PHILADELPHIA -162 at ATLANTA -130 Pittsburgh -125 at ARIZONA OFF Interleague FAVORITE LINE at TEXAS -196 Tampa Bay -157 at CINCINNATI -155 N.Y Mets -117 at N.Y YANKEES -148

East Division

Toronto (Cease 7-5) at Houston (Brown 3-1), 1:10 p.m.

San Francisco (Whisenhunt 2-2) at Texas (TBD), 1:35 p.m.

Tampa Bay (Martinez 10-3) at Colorado (Sugano 11-4), 2:10 p.m.

L.A. Angels (Detmers 3-7) at Baltimore (Rogers 6-7), 5:35 p.m.

Athletics (Barnett 1-1) at Cincinnati (Lowder 3-7), 5:40 p.m.

N.Y. Mets (McLean 7-7) at Cleveland (Cecconi 4-7), 5:40 p.m.

St. Louis (Leahy 7-4) at N.Y. Yankees (Warren 8-5), 6:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox (Burke 7-5) at Boston (Gray 13-2), 6:10 p.m.

Minnesota (Kremer 1-4) at Kansas City (Cameron 5-8), 6:40 p.m.

Detroit (Melton 6-1) at Seattle, 8:40 p.m.

Philadelphia 5, Washington 0 N.Y. Mets 6, Cleveland 2 Cincinnati 5, Athletics 4 N.Y. Yankees 2, St. Louis 0 Atlanta 4, Miami 2 Milwaukee 4, Pittsburgh 2 L.A. Dodgers at Chicago Cubs, n San Francisco at Texas, n Tampa Bay at Colorado, n San Diego at Arizona, n

Wednesday’s Games

L.A. Dodgers (Lauer 6-5) at Chicago Cubs (Imanaga 7-9), 1:20 p.m.

San Francisco at Texas (TBD), 1:35 p.m.

Tampa Bay (Martinez 10-3) at Colorado (Sugano 11-4), 2:10 p.m.

Athletics (Barnett 1-1) at Cincinnati (Lowder 3-7), 5:40 p.m.

N.Y. Mets (McLean 7-7) at Cleveland (Cecconi 4-7), 5:40 p.m.

Washington (Irvin 2-5) at Philadelphia (Painter 1-8), 5:40 p.m.

St. Louis (Leahy 7-4) at N.Y. Yankees (Warren 8-5), 6:05 p.m.

Miami (Pérez 5-8) at Atlanta (Elder 7-6), 6:15 p.m.

Pittsburgh (Skenes 9-9) at Milwaukee (TBD), 6:40 p.m.

San Diego (TBD) at Arizona, 8:40 p.m.

BOX SCORES Atlanta 4, Miami 2

Philadelphia 5, Washington 0

Miami

Washington

Atlanta

ab r h bi ab r h bi Stowers 1b 3 0 1 0 Baldwin c 4 0 0 0 Conine dh 3 0 0 0 Acuña rf 4 1 1 0 Lopez ss 4 1 2 0 Olson 1b 3 0 2 0 Caissie rf 4 0 0 0 Harris cf 3 0 1 0 Hernández lf 3 1 2 0 Albies 2b 4 1 1 1 Marsee cf 4 0 1 0 Yastrzemski lf2 0 0 0 Jiménez 3b 4 0 1 2 Dubón ph-lf 2 0 0 0 Edwards pr 0 0 0 0 Smith dh 2 0 0 0 Mack c 2 0 0 0 Thomas ph-dh 2 1 00 Ramírez ph-c 2 0 0 0 Riley 3b 3 1 2 2 Sanoja 2b 3 0 1 0 Jarvis ss 3 0 0 0 Totals 32 2 8 2 Totals 32 4 7 3 Miami 000 000 002 — 2 Atlanta 010 000 21x — 4 E_Lopez (16), Albies (7). DP_Miami 0, Atlanta 3. LOB_Miami 6, Atlanta 6. 2B_ Sanoja (22), Lopez (29), Harris (22), Olson (28). HR_Albies (19), Riley (13).

IP H R ER BB SO Miami Gusto L,0-3 6 5 1 1 0 5 King 1 1 2 1 0 0 Vodnik 1 1 1 1 1 1 Atlanta Holmes W,7-4 6 5 0 0 1 5 Dodd H,8 1 0 0 0 0 0 Lee H,24 1 0 0 0 1 2 Iglesias 1 3 2 2 1 0 Holmes pitched to 1 batter in the 7th.

HBP_Vodnik (Olson). WP_Vodnik.

ABS Challenge_Olson (Strike-Overturned to Ball).

Umpires_Home, Tyler Jones; First, Clint Vondrak; Second, Adam Hamari; Third, Todd Tichenor.

T_2:15. A_26,374 (41,149).

Philadelphia

ab r h bi ab r h bi Crews rf 4 0 0 0 Schwarber dh4 0 0 0 Chaparro 1b 4 0 0 0 Turner ss 4 2 3 1 House 3b 3 0 1 0 Harper rf 2 1 0 0 Ortiz ph 1 0 0 0 Hill rf 0 0 0 0 Abrams dh 4 0 2 0 Arraez 2b 4 1 2 2 Ford c 3 0 1 0 Bohm 1b 3 0 1 1 Young cf 3 0 0 0 Realmuto c 4 0 0 0 Tena ph 1 0 0 0 Marsh lf 4 0 1 1 Lile lf 3 0 0 0 Stott 3b 4 0 2 0 Nuñez ss 2 0 1 0 Crawford cf4 1 2 0 Vivas 2b 3 0 0 0 Totals 31 0 5 0 Totals 33 5 11 5 Washington 000 000 000 — 0 Philadelphia 103 000 10x — 5 DP_Washington 1, Philadelphia 0. LOB_ Washington 6, Philadelphia 7. 2B_Abrams (22), Ford (2), Arraez (24), Marsh (16), Stott (22). SB_Crawford (15). SF_Bohm (5).

IP H R ER BB SO Washington 1 Palmquist L,0-2 ⁄3 2 1 1 1 0 Littell 6 2⁄3 7 4 4 1 2 Williams 1 2 0 0 0 2 Philadelphia Luzardo W,10-5 8 4 0 0 2 7 Kilian 1 1 0 0 0 2 ABS Challenge_Abrams (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Marsh (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Kilian (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Tena (Strike-Confirmed).

Umpires_Home, Tom Hanahan; First, Ron Kulpa; Second, Scott Barry; Third, Manny Gonzalez.

T_2:15. A_38,731 (42,901).

N.Y. Mets 6, Cleveland 2

Cincinnati 5, Athletics 4

New York

Athletics

Cleveland

ab Ewing lf 5 Lindor ss 5 Bichette 3b 4 Alvarez dh 4 Benge rf 4 Robert cf 4 Semien 2b 3 Young 1b 3 Torrens c 3

Cincinnati

r h bi ab r h bi 0 2 0 Kwan cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 Adell rf 4 1 2 0 1 2 1 DeLauter dh 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 Hoskins 1b 3 0 0 0 1 1 1 Lowe ph-1b 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Martínez lf 3 0 1 1 2 0 0 Bazzana 2b 4 0 1 1 1 0 0 Arias 3b 4 0 0 0 1 3 4 Hedges c 3 0 0 0 Rocchio ss 2 0 1 0 Totals 35 6 9 6 Totals 31 2 7 2 New York 031 100 010 — 6 Cleveland 001 010 000 — 2 E_Lindor (8), Arias (3). DP_New York 3, Cleveland 2. LOB_New York 5, Cleveland 11. 2B_Ewing (13), Adell (17), Martínez (13). HR_Torrens (3), Bichette (11), Benge (12). SB_Semien (8).

IP H R ER BB SO New York Manaea W,3-5 6 7 2 2 5 7 2 ⁄3 0 0 0 1 0 Duarte H,1 0 1 1 Lavender H,1 1 1⁄3 0 0 Senga 1 0 0 0 1 0 Cleveland Cantillo L,8-7 5 7 5 2 2 5 1 0 4 Cecconi 2 2⁄3 2 1 0 1 0 Herrin 1 1⁄3 0 0 HBP_Manaea (Kwan).

ABS Challenge_DeLauter (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Hoskins (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Manaea (Ball-Confirmed); Alvarez (Strike-Confirmed).

Umpires_Home, Chad Fairchild; First, Chad Whitson; Second, John Bacon; Third, Brian Walsh.

T_2:31. A_24,636 (34,788).

ab r h bi ab r h bi Butler rf 4 1 0 0 De La Cruz ss3 2 1 2 Wilson ss 4 0 1 2 Stewart 1b 2 1 1 1 Soderstrom lf3 1 1 0 Bleday lf-rf 3 0 1 0 Heim c 4 0 0 0 Stephensn c 4 0 0 0 McNeil 1b 4 0 2 1 Suárez dh 3 0 1 0 White 3b 4 0 0 0 I.Jhnsn dh 0 0 0 0 Walton 2b 1 1 0 0 Myers cf 4 0 0 0 Williams 2b 2 0 1 0 Rodríguez rf 2 1 0 0 Cortes dh 2 0 0 0 Friedl lf 0 0 0 0 Muncy dh 2 0 0 0 Hayes 3b 3 0 0 0 Bolte cf 4 1 3 0 McLain 2b 3 1 1 0 Totals 34 4 8 3 Totals 27 5 5 3 Athletics 000 120 100 — 4 Cincinnati 000 030 02x — 5 E_De La Cruz (10). DP_Athletics 1, Cincinnati 2. LOB_Athletics 6, Cincinnati 4. 2B_ Soderstrom (25), Wilson (13), McLain (14).

SB_Butler (7), Bolte (13). SF_Stewart (7).

IP H R ER BB SO Athletics Ginn 6 5 3 3 2 5 Basso H,2 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 Harris L,3-1 BS,9-14 ⁄3 0 2 2 3 1 1 Alvarado ⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 Cincinnati Singer 6 5 3 3 3 6 Moll 1 1 1 0 0 0 Garcia W,2-2 1 0 0 0 0 2 Pagán S,12-15 1 2 0 0 0 1 WP_Ginn, Harris(2), Alvarado.

Umpires_Home, Lance Barksdale; First, Will Little; Second, Ryan Additon; Third, Jonathan Parra.

T_2:35. A_21,714 (43,891).

Baltimore 3, L.A. Angels 1

Boston 14, Chicago White Sox 2

Los Angeles Baltimore ab r h bi ab r h bi Neto ss 5 0 1 0 Beavers rf 3 0 0 0 Trout cf 4 0 1 0 O’Neill ph 1 1 1 1 Schanuel 1b 4 1 2 0 Taveras rf 0 0 0 0 Grissom 2b 4 0 1 1 Alonso 1b 4 0 1 2 Guzman 3b 3 0 0 0 Hendersn ss 3 0 0 0 Ballesteros dh4 0 1 0 E-Strnd 3b 4 0 0 0 d’Arnaud c 2 0 1 0 Holliday 2b 3 0 0 0 Lowe ph-rf 2 0 2 0 Mayo dh 3 0 1 0 Siri lf 2 0 0 0 Franklin lf 2 1 0 0 Frazier ph 1 0 0 0 Cowser cf 3 1 1 0 Heineman c 1 0 0 0 Narváez c 2 0 0 0 Meckler rf-lf 3 0 2 0 Totals 35 1 11 1 Totals 28 3 4 3 Los Angeles 000 000 010 — 1 Baltimore 002 000 01x — 3 DP_Los Angeles 0, Baltimore 1. LOB_Los Angeles 9, Baltimore 4. 2B_Schanuel 2 (21), Grissom (15), Lowe (5). 3B_Mayo (2).

HR_O’Neill (8). SB_Franklin (1).

IP H R ER BB SO Los Angeles Rodriguez L,3-4 7 3 2 2 1 6 Farris 1 1 1 1 1 1 Baltimore Povich W,2-1 6 7 0 0 1 7 Garcia H,13 1 1 0 0 1 1 Kittredge H,7 1 2 1 1 0 1 Cano S,2-4 1 1 0 0 0 2 HBP_Rodriguez (Narváez).

ABS Challenge_Meckler (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Meckler (Strike-Confirmed).

Umpires_Home, Dan Merzel; First, Dan Bellino; Second, Mark Ripperger.

T_2:20. A_18,585 (45,971).

Chicago

Boston

ab r h bi ab r h bi Meidroth ss 3 1 1 0 Sogard 2b-1b 4 2 2 0 Murakami 1b 4 0 1 0 Rafaela cf 3 2 1 2 Vargas 3b 2 0 0 1 White cf 1 0 0 0 Grichuk lf 4 0 1 0 Abreu rf 4 2 2 2 C.Mntgry dh 3 1 1 0 Contrers 1b4 2 2 2 3 0 0 0 Seigler 2b 1 0 0 0 Bart c Doyle cf 2 0 1 0 Yoshida dh 4 1 2 1 Antncci 2b 2 0 0 0 Durbin 3b 3 2 2 4 B.Mntgmry rf 3 0 0 1 Duran lf 4 2 2 1 2 0 1 0 Mnsterio ss 4 1 2 2 Acuña ss Peters ph-cf 2 0 0 0 Wong c 4 0 0 0 Totals 30 2 6 2 Totals 36 14 1514 Chicago 000 011 000 — 2 Boston 600 016 01x — 14 E_Grichuk (2). DP_Chicago 3, Boston 2.

LOB_Chicago 7, Boston 2. 2B_Grichuk (13), Sogard (3), Rafaela (28), Yoshida (12).

HR_Durbin (11), Duran (15), Abreu 2 (19).

SB_Durbin (13), Duran (16). SF_Vargas (5).

IP H R ER BB SO Chicago Martin L,9-6 5 10 9 9 2 1 Fedde 3 5 5 4 1 1 Boston Sandoval W,1-0 5 6 2 2 4 5 Weissert 2/3 0 0 0 1 0 Miller 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 Bello S,1-1 3 0 0 0 0 2 Martin pitched to 2 batters in the 6th, Sandoval pitched to 1 batter in the 6th.

HBP_Martin (Rafaela).

ABS Challenge_Martin (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Vargas (Strike-Confirmed); Contreras (Strike-Confirmed); Weissert (Ball-Confirmed).

Pitch timer violations_Fedde (pitcher).

Umpires_Home, Brennan Miller; First, Brock Ballou; Second, Chris Conroy; Third, John Tumpane.

T_2:40. A_37,669 (37,755).

LIVING

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

|

W e d n e s d ay, au g u s t 5, 2026

1dn

Lauren Cheramie BON VIVANT

Plan for a wine dinner and ‘mahjong and margs’ in Baton Rouge Bon vi·vant /noun/ a sociable person who has cultivated and refined tastes, especially with respect to food and drink.

Wine and spirits August wine dinner: 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday at Carrabba’s Italian Grill, 7275 Corporate Blvd., Baton Rouge Carrabba’s is hosting a “Sip Around the World” wine dinner with a four-course menu and wine pairings. Taste wines from New Zealand, Provence, Tuscany and California. The menu includes shrimp salad with balsamic vinaigrette, linguine pasta with basil oil, sirloin with Calabrian pesto and vanilla panna cotta with strawberry sauce. Tickets are $60 per person, available for purchase at locations.carrabbas.com/louisiana/batonrouge/7275-corporate-blvd.

Hot Italian Summer Tasting: 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at Martin’s, 1670 Lobdell Ave., Baton Rouge Sip, savor and stroll at your own pace while sampling a selection of wines from Natale Verga in Italy. Three Italian spritzes are also included in the lineup: an Aperol spritz, limoncello spritz and Hugo spritz. Tickets are $25 per person, available for purchase at martinwine.com/events.

Mahjong and Margs: 5 p.m.-8 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 23, at Mestizo, 2323 S. Acadian Thruway, Baton Rouge Join the crew at Mestizo for an evening of mahjong and margaritas, whether you’re a seasoned player or a beginner.

However, knowledge of the game is required. There will be four tables for four players each, so if you want to play with your regulars, bring them along. All tiles, mats and racks needed to play the game will be provided. Participants must bring a National Mahj League card or any mahjong card of choice. Tickets are $25 per person, available for purchase at www.mestizorestaurant.com/ events.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Po-Boy Express, this one on Siegen Lane, has been owned and operated by the same family since 1992.

‘EXCELLENT AS USUAL’ Since 1992, this family-operated chain has transformed the scope of po-boys in Baton Rouge

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

t 90 years old, Lionel Selser doesn’t find himself behind the wheel often.

That is, unless he’s driving down the street to Po-Boy Express.

The Baton Rouge-based po-boy chain was founded in 1992 by the Ismail brothers, who broke ground on what may have been the first drive-thru po-boy restaurant in the city.

Longtime customer Selser ventures out to one of Po-Boy Express’ six locations almost daily to get his seafood fix.

“They’re closed on Sundays,” Selser said. “If they were still open on Sundays, I’d be eating on Sundays too.”

The business was started by four brothers, and 34 years later, they still run most locations. Today, customers mostly visit for the po-boys, each loaded with seafood or cold-cut meat, and dressed with lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise.

Pair it with a side of thin-fried onion rings and a fountain soda, and you’ve got yourself a poor

ä See BON VIVANT, page 2D

PROVIDED PHOTO

Finishing touches go on a sandwich at Po-boy Express in the early ’90s. boy’s luxury.

How it started Firstborn brother Said Ismail emigrated in 1976 from Palestine to Manhattan, New York, where he began learning the ropes of sand-

wich building at a longtime sub chain, Blimpie. Acquiring a job went smoothly. Finding an affordable education in New York — not so easy.

ä See PO-BOY, page 2D

THE BEST THINGS WE ATE THIS WEEK Maybe as you walked out of the first Ice Water round, it hit you.

Maybe it was a door that opened — or one that didn’t. Maybe it wasn’t until the next year when you were on the other side of the process. It could have been a moment standing in a hallway, waiting, that you can still describe in detail years later.

We’re inviting readers who went through sorority recruitment — recently or decades ago — to tell us about it: What’s the specific moment from Rush week you still think about? And what did Rush teach you that you didn’t expect? Send your response to jan.risher@theadvocate.com by 2 p.m. Aug. 10.

New dishes bring elevated flavors to consider BRQ Sliders Trio with crispy Brussels sprouts

Staff report

Slider trio

n BRQ Seafood and Barbecue,

10423 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge

STAFF PHOTO

By JOy HOLDEN

For a Friday lunch, my coworker and I chose BRQ after we both hadn’t frequented the restaurant in a while. One of my favorite things about BRQ is the house-made bread and butter

pickles and chips that arrive when you sit down.

Other than that, I chose the slider trio, which comes with three mini pretzel buns stuffed with pulled pork, pulled chicken and chopped brisket and a barbecue side. I chose a farm side, the crispy Brussels sprouts, instead.

The mini pretzel buns were

ä See BEST, page 2D

2D ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

BON VIVANT

Continued from page 1D

New food on the block

The turkey lettuce wraps are back at BLDG 5, 2805 Kalurah St., Baton Rouge. They’re served with Asian-braised ground turkey, hearts of romaine, sesame seeds, micro cilantro, mei ploy and Cambodian slaw.

In the know Galvez Rum, 1848 Charter St., Jackson, recently earned a gold medal for its Victory Blend Rum and a silver medal for its Silver Rum during the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The competi-

lll

The roast beef supreme po-boy, from left, oyster basket and shrimp po-boy are on the menu at Po-Boy Express.

tion is judged through a rigorous, blind tasting process designed to ensure fairness, consistency and credibility, a news release said.

Gold medal winners represent “exceptional quality residing near the summit of achievement — a testament to unparalleled craftsmanship and excellence.” Silver medal winners exhibit “outstanding qualities showcasing refinement, finesse, and delightful complexity that places them among the best examples of their kind.”

If you have an upcoming food event or a kitchen question, email lauren. cheramie@theadvocate. com. Cheers!

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

PO-BOY

Continued from page 1D

STAFF PHOTO By MADDIE SCOTT

Build-your-own malatang from Tiger Tang

BEST

Continued from page 1D fresh, and each slider was full with smoky flavor.

My meal came with a trio of barbecue sauces: a sweet one, a vinegar one and a spicy one. In my opinion, BRQ’s sweet sauce is one of the best in the city. Dipping the slidSTAFF PHOTO By JOANNA BROWN ers into the sweet sauce Muhammara and pita was a delight. The Bruswedges from Pamplona sels sprouts had a nice char on them and were Tapas Bar in Lafayette glazed to perfection.

— Joy Holden, ture provided a great coolfeatures reporter ing sensation in between the heated bites.

I’m excited to return in the fall and winter. n Tiger Tang, 7064 A Siegen — Maddie Scott, Lane, Baton Rouge features reporter Tiger Tang just soft opened in Siegen Village, and I’d never had n Pamplona Tapas Bar, 631 Szechuan food up until Jefferson St., Lafayette this point. I knew it was going to be spicy, and it Tapas, small plates, apsure was, but not in an petizers — I love them all, overpowering way like I largely for the ability to anticipated. shift between flavors withIt’s a build-your-ownout getting overwhelmed. bowl sort of place, so I For a light dinner at Pamchose bok choy, two differ- plona Tapas Bar, I went for a fresh arugula salad with ent types of mushrooms, a plate of Muhammara, onion, seaweed knots, a spread made from pepnoodles, rice cake, beef and pork belly. There are pers, almonds and pomeeight different broths, and granate molasses that the OG Mala Tang broth creates a tangy and spicy sounded like a good place flavor profile. to start.

With the bold flavors of This bowl was delicious- the Muhammara, a bitly spicy while elevating ter arugula salad with the flavors of each ingredi- pops of apple and orange ent. The broth was savory slices, manchego cheese, almonds and a quince vinand comforting, and I particularly loved the sea- aigrette was the perfect weed knots and beef. I also accompaniment.

— Joanna Brown, tried some mango fruit tea, and the cold temperastaff writer

Malatang

Tapas

“I looked around, and I found that Louisiana had the cheapest college in the country,” Ismail said. “So that’s how I came to Lafayette.”

In 1980, he graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a degree in civil engineering and landed a job in highway development at the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. But as years passed, Ismail wanted to bring a job opportunity to his brothers.

“I’m the oldest, so I need to help them find something they can make a living of and live comfortably,” he said. “Working odd jobs, Circle K and this-and-that, wasn’t enough for them.”

With five years of experience in slinging sandwiches at Blimpie, Ismail took to Louisiana’s capital city where he opened his own business concept inside a rundown Taco Bell. The Ismail brothers came on board and called it Po-Boy Express, a drive-thru and dine-in concept.

No other po-boy shop had a drive-thru at the time, he said.

The Ismail brothers have grown Po-Boy Express to six locations in the Baton Rouge area: n 6606 Siegen Lane, Baton Rouge n 4320 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge n 3485 Cedar Crest Ave., Baton Rouge n 641 South Range Ave., Denham Springs n 10097 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge n 14273 Greenwell Springs Road, Central “You have to excel at anything,” Ismail said. “Otherwise, you cannot get it. You really have to have it inside you.”

Menu rundown At each location, the seafood is quality. The restaurant only serves domestic seafood in the form of wildcaught shrimp, oysters and domestic farm-raised catfish.

The menu has been evolving since 1992, a time when selections included pizza, corned beef and pastrami,

Free As They Want to Be: Artists Committed to Memory at The West Baton Rouge Museum

Artists Commited to Memory

August 1 - 23, 2026

A limited viewing of works by 20 artists through Sunday, August 23, 2026 with a sampling at the West Baton Rouge Museum, Baton Rouge Gallery, and Southern University A&M College.

PROVIDED PHOTO

The Ismail family at their first Po-boy Express location, likely around 1992 each running at $2.59 or less.

Times have changed, and youngest brother Tim Ismail led the charge on recipe experimentation.

“I like to create stuff and come up with something new,” Tim Ismail said. “All the sauces that we have, I did. All the recipes, I worked on it and improved it.”

Today, the menu boasts 16 different po-boys, each dressed with lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise on white or wheat bread. The most popular sandwich is the fried shrimp po-boy, made with Gulf shrimp fried in a house-made flour blend and a Cajun-inspired seasoning blend.

Burgers, salads and seafood baskets are hearty options for those wanting something other than the staple sandwich. There are also side orders like meat pies, cheese sticks, fried mushrooms, fried pickles, stuffed jalapeños and a customer favorite: thin-cut onion rings, which took about five years to perfect the recipe.

Occasional specials make their way onto the menu: Philly quesadillas, seafood muffulettas, chop cheese burgers and fish tacos, which are usually available during Lent.

don’t know nothing about Lent. Nothing.”

Before the restaurant opened, a line of customers had wrapped around the building, said second-oldest brother Jafar “Jeff” Ismail.

To crank out orders and get the line down, the kitchen turned into a frenzy. The dining room buzzed with customers, and with every employee’s hands full, a family friend working across the street ran over to sweep the floor.

At the end of the day, Jeff Ismail found a note left behind while cleaning tables.

“Excellent as usual,” the note stated.

“That made our day,” Jeff Ismail said. “I started dancing. That made our day. Not only me. Everybody in the restaurant. Me, my brothers and my workers. That little message. I mean, we thought we did terrible.”

After their first Lenten season, the Ismail brothers knew to brace for impact next time. The days leading up to Ash Wednesday were “like an emergency,” Jeff Ismail said. They needed extras of everything. As Baton Rouge has grown (and gained five more Po-boy Express locations), the crowds have leveled, and staff can handle it better.

Discovering Lent

Legacy

Po-Boy Express had been open for less than a year when they headed to work on what they thought was a normal Wednesday in February. It was not a normal Wednesday.

“One time came the Lent,” Said Ismail said, “and we

Each Ismail brother has a degree from UL and has played different roles in the business.

Said Ismail led the initial charge in opening the stores and handling paperwork.

Tim Ismail workshopped recipes and designed the

restaurants’ interiors. With Hussein “Mike” Ismail’s computer science degree, he handled the registers and electronic aspects. And Jeff Ismail was the glue, picking up products and keeping operations afloat.

Each brother, except Said Ismail, works at and mans a different Po-Boy Express location, and new generations in the family have risen to carry the family legacy.

Said Ismail’s son, Ause Ismail, has been there since the beginning of Po-boy Express. His earliest memory is walking through the rundown Taco Bell right when his father bought it in 1992.

He was 5 years old, and once he was tall enough to see over the counter, he was taking orders at the register.

“I grew up idolizing them and just seeing what they were doing,” Ause Ismail said. “I thought they were basically like rockstars.”

Today, Ause oversees the Siegen Lane location. He believes the consistency and quality is what has made the family business successful.

“We’ve always been sticking to our guns on that,” Ause Ismail said about using only domestic seafood.

“It can be easy to cut corners and stuff like that, but we’ve never sacrificed on the quality.”

Birthday celebration On Selser’s 90th birthday on Oct. 23, he brought a couple friends with him on his almost-daily lunch at Po-Boy Express.

Staff surprised Selser with a free meal and emerged from the kitchen while serenading him with the happy birthday song. The management and staff treats him well, he said. He doesn’t go to any other restaurants.

Although the business’s name boasts po-boys, that’s not what Selser is there for.

“I eat fish. Fish only,” Selser said. “I don’t eat the bread. I don’t eat anything else. I don’t drink to drink, because I’m trying to make it to 91.”

He’s hoping for another birthday at his local Po-Boy Express.

“I still go there,” Selser said. “I went there today.

I went there yesterday. I don’t go there on Sundays, because it’s closed.”

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ 3D

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Please hold your applause clapping between moveDear Miss Manners: I went to the symphony, which I’ve ments, she chooses to bedone for many years now. lieve that it is still viable, I know that proper but that it is easy to symphony etiquette forgive an audience is to refrain from member so caught clapping between up in the emotion movements. Howof the performance as to momentarily ever, it seems to me forget it. that many symphony Judith Dear Miss Manners: I attendees are not Martin am recovering from aware of this rule.

MISS a fairly bad cold that This has given rise MANNERS I suspect I caught to a rather awkward during my last hair situation: About half the audience knows the rule appointment. While getting my hair washed, several and does not clap, and the workers were coughing and other half does clap — so sneezing around me. inevitably there is rather I get all the vaccines and weak and half-hearted applause between movements. wear masks on planes, but Should symphonies try to it is hard to wear a mask educate their patrons on the during a haircut.

Should I even mention rule with an announcement at the beginning of the con- this suspicion the next time I’m at the salon? If so, what cert? Or should we decide to say without sounding this rule has outlived its usefulness and applaud be- accusatory? It seems folks have forgotten the lessons tween movements the way from the pandemic. we applaud each scene at Gentle reader: That there is the opera? no national consensus on Gentle reader: The anwhat was learned from the nouncement could go after pandemic may be one of the the one about what to do if few things the country can the theater is overrun by agree on. period instrumentalists.

But the etiquette around Forgive Miss Manners; employees exposing cusshe has a headache from trying to scan a QR code for tomers to more mundane the playbill in the absence illnesses in commercial of a printed program. This establishments is the same is also why she was unable as it was before: Express to verify if the symphony your concerns privately to has already acted on your the boss so as not to single advice about a printed etiout or embarrass individual quette lesson — many have. employees.

Dear Miss Manners: When did As to the rule against

it become appropriate for people to inject a statement proclaiming their religious beliefs, with an air of superiority, into conversations that are not specifically about religion?

I cannot count the times I have heard “I’m a Christian, and …” in the middle of a completely unrelated discussion. We could be talking about purchasing car tires, and this happens.

I don’t need to know their beliefs. Furthermore, this statement hijacks the meaning of the word “Christian.”

Gentle reader: Etiquette has long recommended against injecting politics or religion into general conversation because of the strong feelings they engender.

We have lately seen the consequences of disregarding the former rule. As to when the latter practice began, Miss Manners is not a theologian, but she believes Christian proselytizing dates at least as far back as Saint Paul — although not as a credential for judging tires.

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners. com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail. com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Drying machine goes up in flames Casey, it’s more than Dear Heloise: This is a word likely the sun. You might of caution to never put want to try moving your things in the dryer and clothesline to an area of the leave the house. Maybe yard where there you’ve done it in isn’t direct sunlight the past without and hang them outproblems, but I did and nearly burned side every so often, my house down. A instead of every neighbor saw smoke time you do the launcoming from my dry. — Heloise home and called the Hints from Heloise Adios, junk! fire department. The kitchen was damDear Heloise: We’re aged where the washer and moving across the country from California to North dryer were located, but Carolina because of my thankfully, the rest of the house was OK. It was due to husband’s job. I went through this house of ours a problem with the wiring. and realized that I had tons The thought of losing my of junk I would never use whole house with all the again. I’d keep it, thinking, things inside makes me “Someday I might need want to cry. I made a foolthis,” or “It’s too pretty to ish error. Don’t make my toss out.” mistake. — Terry B., in Kansas If you haven’t worn it in Faded laundry a year, you probably never will. It’s surprising how litDear Heloise: My mother always hung her sheets and tle we really need. We took towels outside on a clothes- two truckloads to Goodwill line, and they smelled won- and two to a church charity shop — and I’m not done! derful for days. We always I’m so happy to have less. got such a nice breeze because our house was on a It just feels good to lighten hill out in the country. Now the house and my possesthat I’m married, I’ve been sions. hanging up my clothes and I absolutely love your sheets outside on sunny column. — Harriet M.,A Happy days, but I think the sun is Camper in California bleaching them. My dark blue towels look terrible, as Stained patio furniture do my black jeans and dark Dear Heloise: My white patio blue sheets. Is it the sun or furniture was expensive, due to washing dark items but I plan on keeping it for in detergent? — Casey D., in a long time. Recently, I noAmarillo,Texas ticed some darker areas on

the furniture that my hose can’t seem to get out. How do I get my patio furniture clean? — Linda A., in Madison, Indiana Linda, you can mix a solution of one-fourth of a cup of bleach and 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap in a gallon of water. Be sure to put on rubber gloves to protect your hands. First, try a little on a test spot to see if the solution works. If it does — and it should — use a sponge and wipe down your patio furniture.

Let it sit for a few moments while the bleach works on your furniture, then rinse with a hose. If you have a battery scrubber, you might want to use it on your furniture. — Heloise

TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press Today is Wednesday, Aug. 5, the 217th day of 2026. There are 148 days left in the year.

Today in history: On Aug. 5, 1962, South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was arrested on charges of leaving the country without a valid passport and inciting workers to strike; it was the beginning of 27 years of imprisonment.

Also on this date: In 1861, Abraham Lincoln signed the Revenue Act of 1861, which levied the first income tax on Americans (a flat tax of 3% on those making over $800/year) to help fund the Union’s Civil War effort.

In 1864, during the Civil War, Union Adm. David G. Farragut led his fleet to victory in the Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama.

In 1884, the cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal was laid on Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor.

In 1914, the first electric traffic light system was installed in Cleveland, Ohio, at the intersection of East 105th Street and Euclid Avenue.

In 1936, Jesse Owens, of the United States, won the 200-meter dash at the Berlin Olympics, collecting the third of his four gold medals.

In 1953, Operation Big Switch began as prisoners taken during the Korean War were exchanged at Panmunjom.

In 1957, the music and dance show “American Bandstand,” hosted by Dick Clark, made its national network debut, beginning a 30-year run on ABC. In 1962, Marilyn Monroe, 36, was found dead in her Los Angeles home; her death was ruled a

probable suicide from “acute barbiturate poisoning.”

In 1964, U.S. Navy pilot Everett Alvarez Jr. became the first American flyer to be shot down and captured

by North Vietnam; he was held prisoner until February 1973.

In 1974, the White House released transcripts of subpoenaed tape recordings showing that President Richard Nixon and his chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman, had discussed a plan in June 1972 to use the CIA to thwart the FBI’s Watergate investigation; revelation of the tape sparked Nixon’s resignation.

In 2010, 33 workers were trapped in a copper mine in northern Chile after a tunnel caved in (all were rescued 69 days later).

In 2011, the sun-powered robotic explorer Juno rocketed toward Jupiter on a five-year quest to discover

the secret recipe for making planets. (Juno reached Jupiter on July 4, 2016.)

In 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had ruled Bangladesh for 15 years, fled to India after weeks of student-led protests in which more than 800 people were killed and about 1,400 were injured.

Today’s birthdays: Country music songwriter Bobby Braddock is 86. Pop singer Samantha Sang is 75.

Actor-singer Maureen McCormick is 70. Rock musician Pat Smear is 67.

Author David Baldacci is 66. Actor Janet McTeer is 65. Basketball Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing is 64. Actor Mark Strong is 63. Director-screenwriter James Gunn is 60. Actor Jonathan Silverman is 60.

Actor Jesse Williams is 45.

Actor/singer Olivia Holt is 29. NBA guard Anthony Edwards is 25. Actor Albert Tsai is 22.

Living Waters has affordable rooms and houses for rent.

Please call our office for more information at 225-356-7142

Printer cheat sheet Dear Heloise: My printer can do so many things, but it’s impossible for me to remember all the steps that I need for each task, like printing labels, sending a message, copying a photo, scanning a document, etc.

So, every time someone helped me, I made a cheat sheet of instructions and have it posted on my bulletin board. It’s saved me hours of frustration and a few tears! — Lori R., in Pearl City, Hawaii Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

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4D ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

lll

zodIAC LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Refuse to let a sensitive situation explode. Listen, take your time to respond and refuse to let anyone bait you into a discussion that will lead to tension or personal or financial loss.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Pay attention in order to avoid getting into impossible situations. Take a moment and learn from experiences that you wish you could go back and change. Rely on your memory.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Enjoy what life has to offer. Don't labor over what you cannot change, but embrace what delights and excites you. You owe it to yourself to appreciate who you are and what you have to offer.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Set high standards and refuse to buy into someone else's lifestyle. Emotions will be difficult to disguise, so keep your distance from people you don't trust. Play your cards close to your chest and maintain control.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Don't go overboard when it comes to your livelihood and professional affiliates. By directing your attention to pastimes and people you enjoy hanging out with, you will enrich your life and spark ideas.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Lessons learned will be your saving grace. Use your intelligence and foresight to guide you when dealing with those who don't share your beliefs. Entitlement can lead to trouble.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Embrace change and do your best to fulfill your

dreams, hopes and wishes. Your strength lies in your ability to make your own opportunities and to see them to completion.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Be careful not to make a snap decision you regret. Look at the specs and figure out what's doable.

Use your experience and intelligence to navigate your way forward. Don't be fooled by someone's charm.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Trust your instincts, not what others tell you to do.

Change begins with you, not someone else invading your thought process and dictating the outcome. It's up to you to pay attention to detail.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Being disciplined and sticking to rules, regulations and what's in your best interest will take precedence over someone using pressure to push you in a direction that's better for them than you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Formulate a plan, research and put your heart and soul into improving your lifestyle. Refuse to let outside influences cost you or lead you in the wrong direction. Focus on doing what's best for you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Money and emotions will lead to trouble. Don't buy into something you cannot afford. Avoid joint ventures or trying to keep up with someone. Life and friendships aren't races.

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

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY CeLebrItY CIpher Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

TODAy'S CLUE: K EQUALS D

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ 5D

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CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

Sudoku InstructIons: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers.

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

6D ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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B.C.

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER John Stuart Mill, a 19th-century British philosopher and economist, said, “The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it.”

At the bridge table, though, it is your job to impede your opponents’ efforts to obtain your downfall. In this deal, how should South thwart the defense’s efforts to defeat three no-trump after West leads his fourth-highest diamond?

There is a strong case for North’s raising one no-trump to three no-trump, eschewing Stayman. He has a high honor in his doubleton and extra high-card strength. Even if North uncovers a 4-4 spade fit, game in that strain might fail due to, for example, a bad trump split, when there are nine winners in notrump.

South starts with eight top tricks: three hearts, one diamond and four clubs. The ninth winner will come from spades. But playing on that suit will give the lead back to the defenders and maybe they can run the diamond suit.

The Rule of Seven recommends holding up the diamond ace for one round and taking the second trick. Here, though, that is fatal. West gets in with his spade ace and cashes three diamond tricks.

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

If the diamonds are 4-3, South is always safe. But if they are 5-2, what is the layout?

Surely East has honor-doubleton because West would have led the king from K-Q-J-x-x.

South should win the first trick with dummy’s diamond ace to block the suit. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

word game InsTRucTIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3.

Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

ToDAY’s WoRD — IMPRoBITY: im-PRO-bih-tee: Indecency.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 16 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 27 or more words in IMPROBITY? YEsTERDAY’s WoRD — DEFRAYs dare deaf dear defray defy dray easy fade fare

fear fray rayed read ready aery yard yare year

safe safer sear serf

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “The day is yours, the night also is yours: you have prepared the light and the sun.” Psalms 74:16

This is God’s world. We are his guests. — G.E. Dean

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ 7D

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classifieds.theadvocate.com Search Search& &Place PlaceAds AdsOnline Onlineatatclassifieds.theadvocate.com classifieds.theadvocate.com* Call * Call -Friday Us Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM at 225-383-0111 8AM-5PM at 225-383-0111

Announcements Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Erika Julien, please contact B. Kyle Kershaw, Attorney at Law, 212 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70801, telephone number (225) 336-9600.

196284-Aug 4-6, 3t $88

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Twilah Gardner Haynes, please contact Natalie S. Allen, Attorney at Law The Law Office of Natalie Allen 4707 Avery Grace Blvd, Addis, LA 70710 225-776-2660 lawofficeofnatalieallen@gmail.com.

All responses will be handled confidentially.

196231-8/3-4-5-3t $106.90 Big Dude Enterprise LLC d/b/a Road Runner Bar & Lounge is applying to the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control of the State of Louisiana for a permit to sell beverages of high, low, light wine alcohol content at retail in the Parish of West Baton Rouge at the following address: 909 Court Street, Port Allen, La 70767.

Big Dude Enterprise LLC Road Runner Bar & Lounge Members: Daleveckio Wyre 196369-Aug 5, 1t $99.22

Employment GENERAL HELP Final Touch Custodial Service is accept‐ ing applications Mon- Fri 10am-3pm for evening positions @ 9229 Mammoth Ave., BR, LA 70814. Must be able to pass drug test and background check.

Public Notices

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS BID EVENT #48 Sealed Bids will be re‐ ceived electronically through our E-Procure‐ www. ment site at jeffparish.gov/supplier until 2:00 p.m., Septem‐ ber 10, 2026 and shall, at the below listed time and place, be publicly opened and read aloud. At no charge, bidders may sub‐ mit via Jefferson Parish’s electronic procurement page by visiting www. jeffparish.gov/supplier to register for this free site.

Bids will be accepted and received through Bridge until 2 p.m. The public bid opening will be held at the West Bank Pur‐ chasing Department at 200 Derbigny Street, Suite 4400, Gretna, LA 70053 beginning at 2:30 p.m. on each bid opening date for the following project: Two (2) Year Contract to Provide Labor, Materials, and Equipment Necessary for Emergency Tree Removal, Stump (Rootball) Removal, Hazardous Limb Removal and Hauling Tree Debris for the Jefferson Parish Department of Parkways Late bids will not be ac‐ cepted.

Jefferson Parish strongly encourages the involve‐ ment of small busi‐ nesses, minority busi‐ nesses, women's busi‐ ness enterprises, and veteran-owned busi‐ nesses to stimulate par‐ ticipation in procurement and assistance pro‐ grams. work in accor‐ dance with the specifica‐ tion with no additional cost to the owner.

Renny Simno Director Purchasing Department Misty A. Camardelle Assistant Director Purchasing Department ADV: The Baton Rouge Advocate: July 22, 29, and August 5, 2026 For additional informa‐ tion, please visit the Pur‐ chasing Webpage at https://www.jeffparish. gov/464/Purchasing or you may call 504-3642678.

194391-jul 22-29-aug 5-3t $113.08

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS BID EVENT #58 Sealed Bids will be re‐ ceived electronically through our E-Procure‐ www. ment site at jeffparish.gov/supplier until 2:00 p.m., August 18, 2026 and shall, at the below listed time and place, be publicly opened and read aloud. At no charge, bidders may sub‐ mit via Jefferson Parish’s electronic procurement page by visiting www. jeffparish.gov/supplier to register for this free site.

Bids will be accepted and received through Bridge until 2 p.m. The public bid opening will be held at the West Bank Pur‐ chasing Department at 200 Derbigny Street, Suite 4400, Gretna, LA 70053 beginning at 2:30 p.m. on each bid opening date for the following project: Three (3) Year Pre-Placed Emergency Contract for Emergency Transporta‐ tion Assets during a De‐ clared Emergency in Jef‐ ferson Parish for the De‐ partment of Emergency Management Late bids will not be ac‐ cepted Jefferson Parish strongly encourages the involve‐ ment of small busi‐ nesses, minority busi‐ nesses, women's busi‐ ness enterprises, and veteran-owned busi‐ nesses to stimulate par‐ ticipation in procurement and assistance pro‐ grams. work in accor‐ dance with the specifica‐ tion with no additional cost to the owner.

Renny Simno Director Purchasing Department Misty A. Camardelle Assistant Director Purchasing Department

ADV: The Baton Rouge Advocate: July 22, 29, and August 5, 2026 For additional informa‐ tion, please visit the Pur‐ chasing Webpage at https://www.jeffparish. h i

Baton Rouge Rental

Merchandise Greenoaks Cemetary Plots 3 cemetary plots for sale at Greenoaks in Baton Rouge.

Section 17, block 177, the plots 1,3.6 for sale 2500.00 each. regular 6500.00 each. call 479-2642482 cell or home 870-294-0002. quiltingbydarlene@gmail.com All Metal Welded Bird Cage depth 18" x 24" width 27" tall overall height 54" all black original cost over 1,000. dollars $500.00 hank722@yahoo.com cage can seperate from base

APARTMENT 3060 N. Acadian Thrwy (Wtr/Swr Pd) 1BR/1BA, Rent $500, Dep $100 225-357-6436

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Selling Business only not building.

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Call or Text Steve 225-341-9235

194560 July 22, 29, Aug. 5, 2026 3t $112.09

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS BID EVENT NO. #52 Sealed Bids will be re‐ ceived electronically through our E-Procure‐ ment site at www.jeffpar ishbids.net until 2:00 p.m., September 1, 2026 and shall, at the below listed time and place, be publicly opened and read aloud. At no charge, bid‐ ders may submit via Jef‐ ferson Parish’s electronic procurement page by visiting www.jeffparishb ids.net to register for this free site.

Bids will be accepted and received through Central Bidding until 2 p.m. The public bid opening will be held at the West Bank Purchasing Department at 200 Derbigny Street, Suite 4400, Gretna, LA 70053 beginning at 2:30 p.m. on each bid opening date for the following project: Westbank Expressway Median Improvements Phase 3 Extending from Louisiana Street to Terry Parkway All bids must be in accor‐ dance with the contract documents on file with the Jefferson Parish Pur‐ chasing Department, Suite 4400, Jefferson Parish General Govern‐ ment Building, at 200 Derbigny Street, Gretna, Louisiana. Late bids will not be accepted.

MORKIES, SHORKIES, BISHON YORKIES, CKC YORKIES vet checked shot worming meet Gulfport $450 334 467-3416 AREA 3

3017 Chippewa St. 3BR 1BA Rent $800/mo $300/dep 225-357-6436

MOBILE HOME 1, 2 & 3 BR mobile homes, $675 & up 6061 Plank Rd. CALL 225-978-4653 ROOMS FOR RENT Furnished Rooms. $125/wk. $500/mo.

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The Jefferson Parish Council reserves the right to reject all bids and to reject bids for just cause, pursuant to the law. Jefferson Parish and its partners as the recipi‐ ents of federal funds are fully committed to awarding a contract(s) to firm(s) that will provide high-quality services and that are dedicated to di‐ versity and to containing costs. Thus, Jefferson Parish strongly encour‐ ages the involvement of small businesses, minor‐ ity businesses, women's business enterprises, and veteran-owned busi‐ nesses to stimulate par‐ ticipation in procurement and assistance pro‐ grams.

All prospective bidders are invited to attend this non-mandatory pre-bid conference, which will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Au‐ gust 10, 2026, in the Jef‐ ferson Parish Purchasing Department, located in the General Government Building, 200 Derbigny St., Suite 4400, Gretna, LA 70053. However, failure to attend the pre-bid con‐ ference shall not relieve the bidder of responsibil‐ ity for information dis‐ cussed at the confer‐ ence. Furthermore, fail‐ ure to attend the pre-bid conference and inspec‐ tion does not relieve the successful bidder from the necessity of furnish‐ ing materials or perform‐ ing any work that may be required to complete the work in accordance with the specification with no additional cost to the owner.

Renny Simno Director Purchasing Department Misty A. Camardelle Assistant Director Purchasing Department

Baton Rouge Advocate: July 22, 29, and August 5, 2026 For additional informa‐ tion, please visit the Pur‐ chasing Webpage at https://www.jeffparish. gov/464/Purchasing or call 504-364-2678.

194775-jul 22-29-aug 5-3t $158.56 PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS City of Zachary (herein referred to as the "Owner") hereby solicits sealed bids for the 2026 Asphalt Road Improve‐ ments Program project described as follows: STATEMENT OF WORK (FORTE & TABLADA Pro‐ ject No. 260291): Asphalt road patching, cold plan‐ ing, asphalt overlay, and associated appurte‐ nances.

Sealed Bids shall be ad‐ dressed to the City of Zachary, and delivered to the Zachary City Hall, 4700 Main Street (Post Office Box 310), Zachary, LA 70791) not later than 10:00 a.m. on August 26, 2026. Any bid received after the specified time and date will not be con‐ sidered. The sealed bids

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

will be publicly opened and read aloud at 10:00 a.m. on August 26, 2026, at the Zachary City Hall located at 4700 Main Street, Zachary, LA 70791.

PLIES FOR JEFFERSON PARISH DURING A DE‐ CLARED EMERGENCY

Complete Bid Docu‐ ments, Instructions to Bidders, Bid Form, Con‐ tract, Plans, Specifica‐ tions, and Forms of the Bid Bond, Performance Bond and Payment Bond, and other bidding docu‐ ments may be down‐ loaded from the City of Zachary Plan Room as hosted by Central Bid‐ ding https://www.cen tralbidding.com (subject to fees and conditions).

For any questions re‐ garding the website call Central Bidding at 225810-4814.

Prospective Bidders are solely re‐ sponsible for obtaining the most up-to-date bid‐ ding Documents from the designated website. Bids will be received by mail and/or hand delivery to the location as stated above. In addition to paper bids, electronic bids and electronic bid bonds for the following project will be accepted by the City of Zachary.

Electronic bids and elec‐ tronic bid bonds must be submitted through the City of Zachary Plan Room as hosted by Cen‐ tral Bidding https:// www.centralbidding.com prior to the electronic bidding deadline. Begin‐ ning at 10:00 a.m. (local time) on August 26, 2026 all bids will be down‐ loaded. No bids will be accepted after the said date and time.

Jefferson Parish strongly encourages the involve‐ ment of small busi‐ nesses, minority busi‐ nesses, women's busi‐ ness enterprises, and veteran-owned busi‐ nesses to stimulate par‐ ticipation in procurement and assistance pro‐ grams. work in accor‐ dance with the specifica‐ tion with no additional cost to the owner.

Contractors submitting bids shall be licensed under LA R.S. 37:21502164, Highway, Street and Bridge Construction. The bidder shall show his li‐ cense number on the bid and on the sealed enve‐ lope submitting the bid.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause; such actions will be in accor‐ dance with Title 38 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes.

In accordance with R.S. 38:2212 (A)(1)(b), the pro‐ visions and requirements stated in the Bidding Documents shall not be waived by any entity.

Each Bidder must de‐ posit with his/her bid, security in the amount of at least five percent (5%) of the total bid price, provided on the specified form and subject to the conditions provided in the Information for Bid‐ ders. Sureties used for obtaining bonds must appear as acceptable on the U. S. Department of Treasury Circular 570.

No bidder may withdraw his/her bid within fortyfive (45) days after the actual date of the open‐ ing thereof.

OWNER CITY OF ZACHARY BY: /s/ DAVID MCDAVID, MAYOR PUBLICATION/DATES The Advocate Wednesday, July 29, 2026 Wednesday, August 5, 2026 Wednesday, August 12, 2026 195512-jul 29-aug 5-12-3t $196.96 PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS EVENT BID NO. 55 Sealed Bids will be re‐ ceived electronically through our E-Procure‐ www. ment site at jeffparish.gov/supplier until 2:00 p.m., August 13, 2026. At no charge, bid‐ ders may submit via Jef‐ ferson Parish’s electronic procurement page by visiting www.jeffparish. gov/supplier to register for this free site.

Bids will be accepted and received through Bridge until 2 p.m. The public bid opening will be held at the West Bank Pur‐ chasing Department at 200 Derbigny Street, Suite 4400, Gretna, LA 70053 beginning at 2:30 p.m. on each bid opening date for the following project: PRE-PLACED EMERGENCY CONTRACT FOR THREE (3) YEARS FOR OXYGEN CYLINDERS AND SUP‐

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Renny Simno Director Purchasing Department Misty A. Camardelle Assistant Director Purchasing Department ADV: The Baton Rouge Advocate: July 29 and Au‐ gust 5, 2026 For additional informa‐ tion, please visit the Pur‐ chasing Webpage at https://www.jeffparish. gov/464/Purchasing or you may call 504-3642678.

195441 July 29, Aug. 5, 2026 2t $80.36

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS The Port of South Louisiana hereby adver‐ tises for bids for:

Project: Port of South Louisiana Project Name: Riverplex Megapark Heavy Haul Road and Construction Bridge Location: Ascension Parish, LA

NOTICE: Pursuant to La. Stat. Ann. § 38:2215, pub‐ lic notice is hereby given that for this project the funding will not be read‐ ily available at the times the bids are received and therefore the statutory time periods for holding bids, issuance of work orders and to commence work shall not be applic‐ able as the contract is to be financed by bonds which are required to be sold after opening of bids on the contract, or the contract is to be fi‐ nanced in whole or in part by federal or other funds which will not be readily available at the time bids are opened. By submitting a bid, prospective bidders ac‐ knowledge this notice The Port of South Louisiana shall incur no obligation to the bidder until the Contract Be‐ tween Owner and Con‐ tractor is fully executed.

Description of Basic Work: Scope of work con‐ sists of the construction of: A. Mobilization and De‐ mobilization 1. Mobilization and de‐ mobilization of all equip‐ ment, manpower, and all other items necessary to complete the work out‐ lined in the attached documents.

B. Site Clearing 1. Contractor shall be re‐ sponsible for clearing and grubbing the project site in accordance with the Project Drawings and as delineated in the Technical Specifications.

C. Survey 1. Contractor shall be re‐ sponsible for all survey and layout work neces‐ sary for the construction of the Marine Offloading Facility, Heavy Haul Road, and Mega-Bridge Structure in accordance with the Project Draw‐ ings and as delineated in the Technical Specifica‐ tions.

D. Marine Offloading Fa‐ cility 1. Contractor shall be re‐ sponsible for the design, procurement, fabrica‐ tion, and installation of the temporary Marine Of‐ floading Facility, includ‐ ing steel pipe piles, castin-place concrete pile caps, and removable steel frame bridge pan‐ els in accordance with the Project Drawings and as delineated in the Technical Specifications.

Contractor shall be re‐ sponsible for monitoring the river elevation pro‐ jections and adding or removing the temporary spacer frames and deck panels as needed for op‐ erational purposes. +15’ at Donaldsonville gage E. Heavy Haul Road 1. Contractor shall be re‐ sponsible for the con‐ struction of the tempo‐ rary earthen Heavy Haul Road, including procure‐ ment and installation of fill material and fabrica‐ tion and installation of the concrete abutment in accordance with the Pro‐ ject Drawings and as de‐ lineated in the Technical Specifications.

F. Mega-Bridge Structure 1. Contractor shall be re‐ sponsible for the design, procurement, fabrica‐ i d i ll i f

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Complete Bid Documents may also be examined by emailing publicworks@ forteandtablada.com or at the Office of the Engi‐ neer for the contract; Forte and Tablada. lo‐ cated at 9107 Interline Avenue, Baton Rouge, La 70809; (225) 927-9321.

Hard copies may be ob‐ tained at this office upon payment of a deposit of $150.00. This deposit will be refunded upon re‐ quest in accordance with R.S. 38:2212.

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

p tion, and installation of the temporary MegaBridge Structure, includ‐ ing support piling , steel beam framing, steel decking, and guardrail in accordance with the Pro‐ ject Drawings and as de‐ lineated in the Technical Specifications.

G. Mooring and Breasting Dolphins 1. Contractor shall be re‐ sponsible for the pro‐ curement, fabrication, and installation of two (2) mooring dolphins, in‐ cluding all mooring hard‐ ware, and three (3) breasting dolphins, in‐ cluding fenders, in accor‐ dance with the Project Drawings and as delin‐ eated in the Technical Specifications. Contrac‐ tor shall also be respon‐ sible for the fabrication and installation of a tem‐ porary floating pontoon for barge breasting as shown in the Project Drawings.

H. Maintenance of Heavy Haul Road 1. Contractor shall be re‐ sponsible for the peri‐ odic maintenance of the earthen heavy haul road for a period of three (3) years after completion of construction. Contractor shall perform monthly in‐ spections of the heavy haul road and add fill material as needed to maintain the design ele‐ vation and side slopes as shown in the Project Drawings, particularly after high river periods.

Contractors shall also provide adequate drainage for heavy haul road.

y signature on the bid is that of any member of a partnership, limited lia‐ bility company, limited li‐ ability partnership, or other legal entity listed in the most current busi‐ ness records on file with the secretary of state.

Description of Alternate No. 1: _________N/A_______ Description of Alternate No. 2: ___________N/A______ Sealed Bids must be re‐ ceived by the Port of South Louisiana, 1720 Louisiana Highway 44.

Reserve, Louisiana 70084, either by mail, hand de‐ livery or electronic bid, NO LATER THAN AUGUST 26, 2026 at 2 PM, local time, Attn: Julia FisherCormier, Sealed Bid En‐ closed- [project name], Contractor’s License Number and Contractor’s name should be printed outside of the sealed bid.

Promptly thereafter, the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the Port of South Louisiana, 1720 Louisiana Highway 44. Reserve, Louisiana 70084.

Electronic bids are ac‐ cepted on the Central Auction House Bidding www.central Website: auctionhouse.com Complete Bidding Docu‐ ments may be examined at the Port of South Louisiana, 1720 Louisiana Highway 44, Reserve, Louisiana 70084 or at www.centralauctionh ouse.com upon deposit of twice the actual cost of reproduc‐ tion for each set of docu‐ ments. Deposits on the first set of documents furnished prime bidders shall be fully refunded upon return of the docu‐ ments no later than ten days after receipt of bids. On other sets of documents furnished to bidders, the deposit less the actual cost of repro‐ duction shall be re‐ funded upon return of the documents no later than ten days after re‐ ceipt of bids. Contact in‐ formation shall be pro‐ vided by persons re‐ questing bidding docu‐ ments including email, mobile phone, fax num‐ ber and physical address information for the pur‐ pose of addenda distrib‐ ution. by either facsimile transmission, e-mail, other electronic means, by hand, or by overnight delivery using a nation‐ ally recognized carrier.

All bids shall be accom‐ panied by bid security in an amount of five per‐ cent (5.0%) of the sum of the base bid and all al‐ ternates. The form of this security shall be as stated in the Instructions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

The successful Bidder shall be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond written as described in the Instruc‐ tions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

In accordance with La R.S. 38:2212 B. (5) Written evidence of the authority of the person signing the bid for public works shall be submitted at the time of bidding. The authority of the signature of the person submitting the bid shall be deemed suf‐ ficient and acceptable if any of the following con‐ ditions are met: (a) The signature on the bid is that of any corpo‐ rate officer listed on the most current annual re‐ port on file with the sec‐ retary of state, or the i h bid i

(b) The signature on the bid is that of an autho‐ rized representative as documented by the legal entity certifying the au‐ thority of the person. (c) The legal entity has filed in the appropriate records of the secretary of state of this state, an affidavit, resolution, or other acknowledged or authentic document indi‐ cating the names of all parties authorized to submit bids for public contracts. Such docu‐ ment on file with the sec‐ retary of state shall re‐ main in effect and shall be binding upon the prin‐ cipal until specifically re‐ scinded and canceled from the records of the office.

See the Contract Docu‐ ments for Certificates of Insurance requirements.

BID PROTEST PROCEDURE By submitting a bid, bid‐ ders agree that any and all disputes arising from or connected with the bidding on or award of the contract for this pro‐ ject shall be resolved by way of the following which bidders acknowl‐ edge as the available ad‐ ministrative remedy: 1. Any and all bidders' in‐ formation shall be avail‐ able upon request as a public record, either no sooner than nine (9) working days following the bid opening or after the recommendation of award by the public en‐ tity or the design profes‐ sional, whichever occurs first, and the requester shall pay reasonable re‐ production costs.

2. Any protest of the re‐ sponsiveness of a bid or responsibility of a bidder shall be submitted in writing and received by the Port of South Louisiana and the design professional of record within fourteen (14) working days following the bid opening. Any protest of the award of the contract shall be submitted in writing and received by the Port of South Louisiana and the design professional of record within three (3) working days following the award.

3. A written protest shall fully identify the reasons and the evidence offered to support the protest.

4. At the discretion of the Port of South Louisiana, either an informal hear‐ ing will be conducted or a decision on the protest will be issued within three (3) working days of receiving the protest.

Disqualification of a po‐ tential bidder or as the low bidder on grounds that such bidder is not a “responsible bidder” shall be conducted pur‐ suant to La. Stat. Ann. § 38:2212 X. A MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD On Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at 1:00 PM at the Port of South Louisiana / Administra‐ tive Building / Board Room 1720 LA-44, Reserve, LA 70084.

All prospective bidders shall be present at the beginning of the pre-bid conference and shall re‐ main in attendance for the duration of the con‐ ference. Any prospective bidder who fails to at‐ tend the conference on time or remain for the duration may be disqual‐ ified as a bidder or pro‐ hibited from submitting a bid for the project.

Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under La. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification of High‐ way, Street, and Bridge construction, Heavy con‐ struction.

No bid may be with‐ drawn for a period of forty-five (45) calendar days after the actual date of opening thereof except as provided by La R.S. 38:2214(C). The par‐ ties may mutually agree to extend the bid for ad‐ ditional days.

Pursuant to La R.S. 38:2214(B) the Owner re‐ serves its right to reject any and all bids for just cause. In accordance with La. R.S. 38:2212(B) (1), the provisions and requirements of this Sec‐ tion, those stated in the bidding documents shall not be considered as in‐ formalities and shall not be waived by any public entity.

Julia Fisher-Cormier Executive Director

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Port of South Louisiana Advertisement Dates: July 22, 2026 July 29, 2026 August 5, 2026 END OF DOCUMENT 194586-jul 22-29-aug 5-3t $448.75 PUBLIC NOTICE --Bid #3161 Southern University at New Orleans is soliciting an Invitation to Bid (ITB) to provide Dumpster Rental and Garbage Dis‐ posal Services. Rental services include dump‐ sters on both the Main and Park Campus. A Mandatory Pre-Bid Meet‐ ing will be held on Mon‐ day, August 0, 2026 at 10:00 am and the Open‐ ing Bid Conference Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2026 at 10:00 am. Both meet‐ ings are located at 6400 Press Drive, New Orleans, LA 70126 in the Emmitt Bashful Building (Admin.

Bldg.) 3rd Floor, Rm. #306. Sealed bids will be received by Southern University at New Or‐ leans in the Purchasing Department, Emmitt Bashful Bldg. Rm. #202 up to 10:00 am August 25, 2026.

To be shown in the newspaper: July 22, July 29, and August 5, 2026 Contact Person: Marilyn Gilmore-Manuel, Purchasing Director mmanuel@suno.edu or (504) 286-5020 194555 July 22, 29, Aug 5, 2026 3t $42.15

PUBLIC NOTICE --PROPOSALS TO BE RECEIVED: September 1, 2026 at 2PM NOTICE TO PROPOSERS Notice is hereby given that sealed proposals will be received by City of Baton Rouge and the Parish of East Baton Rouge until September 1, 2026 at 2:00 PM local time in Room 826 of City Hall, 222 Saint Louis Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802 for:

RFP SOLICITATION NO. 2026-11-7731 – Janitorial Services for Environmental Services Building A mandatory pre-pro‐ posal conference and job site visit will be held in person on August 14, 2026 at 9:00 AM. The mandatory pre-proposal conference and job site visit will be held at the Environmental Services Building, 12422 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70802. A company repre‐ sentative must be in at‐ tendance at the pre-pro‐ posal meeting and job site visit to receive an award for this project.

Copies of the Request for Proposal may be ob‐ tained from LaPAC (https://wwwcfprd.doa. louisiana.gov/osp/lapac/ dspBid.cfm?search=dep artment&term=102), Central Bidding (http:// www.centralauctionh ouse.com) or by email re‐ quest to:

RFP2026117731JanSer‐ vEnv@brla.gov. *Note: The City-Parish has elected to use LaPAC, the state’s online electronic bid posting and Central Bidding noti‐ fication system, in addi‐ tion to its standard means of advertising this requirement. LaPAC is resident on State Pur‐ chasing’s website at https://wwwcfprd.doa. louisiana.gov/osp/lapac/ pubmain.cfm and is available for vendor selfenrollment. NOTE: This RFP is not available to submit online via Central Bidding; submissions MUST be mailed or hand delivered to the address mentioned in the RFP. In that LaPAC and Central Bidding provides an im‐ mediate e-mail notifica‐ tion to subscribing bid‐ ders that a solicitation and any subsequent ad‐ denda have been let and posted, notice and re‐ ceipt thereof is consid‐ ered formally given as of their respective dates of posting. Though not re‐ quired if receiving solici‐ tation and addenda no‐ tices from LaPAC and Central Bidding the CityParish will email ad‐ denda to all vendors con‐ tacting our office and re‐ questing to be put on our office Vendor Listing for this solicitation.

The deadline for receiv‐ ing written inquiries is August 18, 2026 at 5:00 PM CST.

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Proposals received after the above specified time will not be considered.

right to reject any and all Bids, to negotiate the terms and conditions of the Bids, to waive irregu‐ larities and/or formali‐ ties, and to make an award in a manner deter‐ mined to be in the Port of South Louisiana’s best interest.

The right to reject any and all proposals and to waive irregularities and informalities is reserved.

The City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge has established a Socially and Economi‐ cally Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (SEDBE) program in ac‐ cordance with Revised Statute RS 33:2233.4. It is the policy of the Parish to ensure that Eligible Business Enterprises EBE’s, certified in accor‐ dance with the Parish program, have an equal opportunity to receive and participate in parish contracts.

For this project the EBR Parish Purchasing office has directed a review of the scope of work and participation is strongly encouraged but not re‐ quired.

The City-Parish is an equal opportunity em‐ ployer and encourages the participation of Dis‐ advantaged Business En‐ terprises (DBE) in all of its projects.

Pro‐ posers/Prospective Con‐ tractors are strongly en‐ couraged to make posi‐ tive efforts to utilize mi‐ nority subcontractors for a portion of this project.

Proposers are requested to include in their pro‐ posal a description of plans for minority partic‐ ipation under this Con‐ tract as suppliers or sub‐ contractors.

All questions concerning the Solicitation and Con‐ tract Documents MUST be received in accor‐ dance with the Schedule of Events cited in section 1.3 of the Solicitation documents and as further defined in section 1.7.2 Proposer In‐ quiry Period of the same document.

Though not required if receiving solicitation and addenda notices from LaPAC, the City of Baton Rouge, Parish of East Baton Rouge will e-mail or mail addenda to all vendors contacting our office and requesting to be put on our office Ven‐ dor Listing for this solici‐ tation.

195457 July 29, Aug. 5, 12, 2026 3t $199.26 PUBLIC NOTICE --REQUEST FOR BID FOR AVIATION FUEL SUPPLIER FOR EXECUTIVE REGIONAL AIRPORT (APS) Notice is hereby given that the Port of South Louisiana is soliciting Bids for a contractor to supply aviation fuel to Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Air‐ port (APS or herein re‐ ferred to as “Airport”) for up to a period of ten (10) years. This Bid also in‐ cludes the supply of re‐ lated delivery equipment at APS. Bids will be received until August 26, 2026, 11:00 AM Central Time in the Port of South Louisiana Administration Building located at 1720 LA Highway 44, Reserve, LA 70084 and thereafter opened and publicly read for the following: “Avia‐ tion Fuel Supplier for Ex‐ ecutive Regional Air‐ port”.

Each bid must be con‐ tained in a sealed enve‐ lope, and each envelope must be clearly marked as applicable: BIDS: Aviation Fuel Supplier for Executive Regional Airport by [Vendor name] Bid Documents may be picked up at Port of South Louisiana, 1720 Highway 44, Reserve, Louisiana 70084 or viewed at portsl.com.

Bidders also have the op‐ tion to review bid docu‐ ments and submit bids electronically by visiting www.centralbidding. com. You must register directly with Central Bid‐ ding to utilize this ser‐ vice. You may also con‐ tact them at 1-833-4125717.

All questions must be submitted in writing by email to cwatson@ portsl.com by August 14, 2026 at 5PM Central Time.

Preference is hereby given to materials, sup‐ plies and provisions, pro‐ duced, manufactured or grown in Louisiana, qual‐ ity being equal to articles offered by competitors outside of the state.

All bidders are afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in re‐ sponse to this invitation.

The Port of South Louisiana reserves the

Julia Fisher- Cormier Executive Director Advertisement 7/29/26, 8/5/26,8/12/26 195474 July 29, Aug. 5, 12, 2026 3t $92.76

PUBLIC NOTICE --REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR FLIGHT SCHOOL OPERATOR AT PORT OF SOUTH LOUISIANA EXECUTIVE REGIONAL AIRPORT (APS) Port of South Louisiana (POSL) is the owner and operator of POSL Execu‐ tive Regional Airport (APS). POSL is aware of the shortage of profes‐ sional pilots and aircraft mechanics, and with a focus on workforce de‐ velopment, it is POSL’s goal to provide students and residents of the River Paish Region with a pathway to meet the de‐ mands of the industry.

Currently, the Airport of‐ fers some independent flight instruction.

The operator shall pro‐ vide quality Federal Avia‐ tion Regulation (“FAR”) Part 61 and/or Part 141 flight instruction at APS, either as a primary or FAA-approved satellite base of operations. A co‐ ordinated program of in‐ struction by the opera‐ tor, at a minimum, shall result in completion of the Private Pilot, Instru‐ ment, Commercial, and Flight Instructor courses under FAR Part 61 and FAR Part 141. It is ex‐ pected that the syllabi for both programs em‐ ployed in the training by the operator to include scenario-based and in‐ corporate human factors training throughout the course of instruction.

The operator may setup and operate, within a ne‐ gotiated timeframe, a FAA-approved testing center for FAA written knowledge tests, includ‐ ing at a minimum, for Pri‐ vate Pilot, Instrument, Commercial, Flight In‐ structor, Airframe and Powerplant certificates.

Aircraft utilized by the operator may be either owned by the operator or under a leaseback/mar‐ keting agreement with another owner. POSL has potential facilities avail‐ able as well as open real estate for development.

Operator would enter ap‐ propriate real estate (lease) and/or operating agreements as required

by FAA, State and/or local laws or regulations.

POSL and the successful Proposer shall enter into negotiations for a re‐ spective operating and/or lease agreement.

Sealed Qualifying Ques‐ tionnaires will be ac‐ cepted until 10:00 am, August 31, 2026 at 1720 Highway 44, Reserve, Louisiana. Please mark all envelopes “Sealed Ap‐ plication –‘Flight School” – Attention: Chanse Wat‐ son, Airport Director. Ap‐ plications may also be submitted electronically at www.centralbidding. com.

Qualifying Question‐ naires may be picked up at the Port of South Louisiana’s Administra‐ tion Building, 1720 High‐ way 44, Reserve, Louisiana 70084 or ac‐ cessed at www.central bidding.com.

The Port reserves the right to accept or reject any questionnaires, whole or in part and waive any formalities.

If you have any questions about the proposal process, or for technical questions and/or to schedule an on-site visit, please contact Mr. Chanse Watson at (985) 536-1999, or cwatson@ portsl.com.

Julia Fisher- Cormier Executive Director Advertisement 7/29/26, 8/5/26,8/12/26 195471 July 29, Aug. 5, 12, 2026 3t $118.47

PUBLIC NOTICE --River Parishes Commu‐ nity College is seeking bids for a 40005-FY27-012, 2026 48 ft Dry Van Trailer – CDL Training Program (Qty 2). To obtain bid package, please visit https://wwwcfprd.doa. louisiana.gov/osp/lapac/ dspBid.cfm?search=dep &

8D ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate Public Notices Bids/Proposals p artment&term=4.

p

The following bids are open: #4005FY27-012 195319 July 27-Aug. 10 15t $86.40

PUBLIC NOTICE --Sealed Bids for the Cool‐ ing Tower Renovation will be received at the Jackson Barracks 6400 Saint Claude Bldg. 3022 New Orleans, Louisiana.

70117 until 11:00 a.m. CT on Wednesday, Septem‐ ber 2, 2026.

ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODA‐ TIONS SHALL NOTIFY JOHN WALKER OF THE TYPE(S) OF ACCOMMO‐ DATION REQUIRED NOT LESS THAN SEVEN (7) DAYS BEFORE THE BID OPENING. Complete Bid Documents for this project are avail‐ able in electronic form.

They may be obtained without charge and with‐ out deposit from Louisiana Military De‐ partment (CFMO) (318) 664-4558. Printed copies are not available from the Designer, but arrangements can be made to obtain them through most repro‐ graphic firms. Plan hold‐ ers are responsible for their own reproduction costs. Questions about this procedure shall be directed to the Designer at 420 F Street, Pineville, Louisiana 71360. Atten‐ tion: John Walker, E-Mail Address: John.F.Walker3. ctr@army.mil or via phone (318) 664-4558.

A Mandatory Pre-Bid conference and site visit is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT on, Wednesday, August 12, 2026, Jackson Barracks Jackson Bar‐

lll

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

racks 6400 Saint Claude Bldg. 3022 New Orleans, Louisiana. 70117 . Atten‐ dance at this Conference is mandatory. Prospec‐ tive bidders must attend the entire mandatory Pre-Bid conference in order to submit a bid.

The Pre-bid conference shall be conducted within current appropri‐ ate guidelines concern‐ ing COVID-19. The Mili‐ tary Department and CFMO point of contact is John Walker, Email: John.

F.Walker3.ctr@army.mil , Bldg. 420 F St., Room 233, Pineville, LA 71360.

amount, including Addi‐ tional Bid Items (ABI), if required.

g to the Contractor until the Contract between Owner and Contractor is fully executed.

Ziler, Email Address: jim@zilerarchitects.net or via phone (337) 2696326.

BIDS SHALL BE ACCEPTED ONLY FROM CONTRAC‐ TORS THAT ATTEND THE ENTIRE MANDATORY PREBID CONFERENCE. ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODA‐ TIONS SHALL NOTIFY JOHN WALKER OF THE TYPE(S) OF ACCOMMO‐ DATION REQUIRED NOT LESS THAN FIVE (5) DAYS BEFORE THE MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE. All Bids must be accom‐ panied by Bid Security equal to five percent (5%) of the Base Bid and Additional Bid Items (ABI) and must be in the form of a certified check, cashier’s check or bid bond.

Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under LA. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification of Building Construction. Bidder is required to comply with provisions and require‐ ments of LA R.S. 38:2212(B) (5).

The successful Bidder will be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond written by a company licensed to do business in the State of Louisiana, equal to 100% of the Contract

No Bid may be with‐ drawn for a period of forty-five (45) days after receipt of Bids except under the provisions of LA R.S. 38:2214.

Electronic Bid Docu‐ ments may be submitted

by Contractors to the Construction & Facilities Management Office by submitting their bid along with their bid secu‐ rity to https://www.cen tralauctionhouse.com/.

Electronic bids must be submitted to be posted prior to 11:00 a.m. CT on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. Hard copies of the contractor’s elec‐ tronically submitted packet must be sent to Construction Facility Management Office, ATTN: John Walker, 420 F Street, Camp Beaure‐ gard, Pineville, LA. 71360, telephone (318) 664-4558.

Contractors MUST attend the mandatory Pre-Bid conference scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT on Wednes‐ day, August 12, 2026., at the above listed location in order to submit an electronic bid.

The Owner reserves the right to accept or reject any and all Bids for just cause. In accordance with directives and guid‐ ance published by Facil‐ ity Planning and Control, the Louisiana Revised Statutes, the provisions and requirements of those stated in the ad‐ vertisement for bids and those required on the bid not be form shall waivered. The Louisiana Military Department Deputy Director for Con‐ tracting and Purchasing and the State Contract‐ ing Officer do not pos‐ sess authority to waive any informality inciden‐ tal thereto. The Owner shall incur no obligation h il

FREE ESTIMATES

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The Louisiana Military Department is a partici‐ pant in the Louisiana Ini‐ tiative for Small Entre‐ preneurships (SE) Pro‐ gram (the Hudson Initia‐ tive) and the VeteranOwned and Service-Con‐ nected Disabled VeteranOwned Small Entrepre‐ neurships Program (the Veteran Initiative). Bid‐ ders are encouraged to consider participation.

193112-jul 22-29-aug 5-3t $204.37 PUBLIC NOTICE Sealed Bids for the FMS 9 Sustainment will be re‐ ceived at the FMS 9 facil‐ ity, 1806 Surrey Steet Lafayette, Louisiana 70508, until 10:00 a.m. CT on Wednesday, Septem‐ ber 9, 2026.

ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODA‐ TIONS SHALL NOTIFY PAUL RICCARDI OF THE TYPE(S) OF ACCOMMO‐ DATION REQUIRED NO LESS THAN SEVEN (7) DAYS BEFORE THE BID OPENING. Complete Bid Documents for this project are avail‐ able in electronic form.

They may be obtained without charge and with‐ out deposit from Ziler Ar‐ chitects LLC. Printed copies are not available from the Designer, but arrangements can be made to obtain them through most repro‐ graphic firms. Plan hold‐ ers are responsible for their own reproduction costs. Questions about this procedure shall be directed to the Designer at 101 Calco Blvd # 101, Lafayette, Louisiana 70503.

Attention: Jim

A Mandatory Pre-Bid conference and site visit is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. CT on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 1806 Sur‐ rey Street, Lafayette, Louisiana 70508. Atten‐ dance at this Conference is mandatory. Prospec‐ tive bidders must attend the entire mandatory Pre-Bid conference in order to submit a bid.

The Pre-bid conference shall be conducted within current appropri‐ ate guidelines concern‐ ing COVID-19.

The Louisiana Military De‐ partment and Camp Beauregard point of con‐ tact is Paul Riccardi, Email: richard.p.riccardi. nfg@army.mil, Bldg. 420 F St., Room 233, Pineville, Louisiana 71360.

BIDS SHALL BE ACCEPTED ONLY FROM CONTRAC‐ TORS THAT ATTEND THE ENTIRE MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE. ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODA‐ TIONS SHALL NOTIFY PAUL RICCARDI OF THE TYPE(S) OF ACCOMMO‐ DATION REQUIRED NO LESS THAN FIVE (5) DAYS BEFORE THE MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE. All Bids must be accom‐ panied by Bid Security equal to five percent (5%) of the Base Bid and Additional Bid Items (ABI) and must be in the form of a certified check, cashier’s check or bid bond.

Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under LA. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification of BUILD‐ ING CONSTRUCTION. Bid‐ der is required to comply i h i i d

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

q py with provisions and re‐ quirements of LA R.S. 38:2212(B) (5).

The successful Bidder will be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond written by a company licensed to do business in the State of Louisiana, equal to 100% of the Contract amount, including Addi‐ tional Bid Items (ABI), if required.

No Bid may be with‐ drawn for a period of forty-five (45) days after receipt of Bids except under the provisions of LA R.S. 38:2214.

Electronic Bid Docu‐ ments may be submitted

by Contractors to the Construction & Facilities Management Office by submitting their bid along with their bid secu‐ rity to https://www.cen tralauctionhouse.com/.

Electronic bids must be submitted to be posted prior to 10:00 a.m. CT on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. Hard copies of the contractor’s elec‐ tronically submitted packet must be sent to Construction Facility Management Office, ATTN: Paul Riccardi, 420 F Street, Camp Beaure‐ gard, Pineville, Louisiana.

71360, telephone 318-2905859. Contractors MUST attend the mandatory Pre-Bid conference scheduled for 10:00 a.m.

CT on Wednesday, Au‐ gust 26, 2026, at the above listed location in order to submit an elec‐ tronic bid.

The Owner reserves the right to accept or reject any and all Bids for just cause. In accordance with directives and guid‐ ance published by Facil‐ ity Planning and Control, the Louisiana Revised Statutes, the provisions and requirements of h d i h d

Legal Notices

Legal Notices

q those stated in the ad‐ vertisement for bids and those required on the bid not be form shall waivered. The Louisiana Military Department Deputy Director for Con‐ tracting and Purchasing and the State Contract‐ ing Officer do not pos‐ sess authority to waive any informality inciden‐ tal thereto. The

p p y be submitted within 30days from the date of this publication to Terra‐ con, 11555 Clay Rd, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77043; 713-329-2529; Ashley.

Broadhurst@terracon. com. Reference Terracon Project No. 1000017099.

1:00 PM until 4:30 PM, In Zachary on Wednes‐ day, August 5, 2026, at the following location: Zachary City Hall 4700 Main St. Zachary, LA

Owner shall incur no obligation to the Con‐ tractor until the Contract between Owner and Con‐ tractor is fully executed.

PUBLIC NOTICE Qualifying of candidates for: District Judges, Family Court Judges, Juvenile Court Judges District Attorney, Justices of the Peace, Constables School Board Members: (East Baton Rouge Parish, Baker, Central and Zachary) Central Mayor, Central Chief of Police, and Central Council Members Zachary Mayor, Zachary Chief of Police and Zachary Councilmen Baker City Court Judge

The Louisiana Military Department is a partici‐ pant in the Louisiana Ini‐ tiative for Small Entre‐ preneurships (SE) Pro‐ gram (the Hudson Initia‐ tive) and the VeteranOwned and Service-Con‐ nected Disabled VeteranOwned Small Entrepre‐ neurships Program (the Veteran Initiative). Bid‐ ders are encouraged to consider participation.

195268 August 5, 12, 19, 3t $205.21

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE: Cellco Partnership and its con‐ trolled affiliates doing business as Verizon Wireless (Verizon Wire‐ less) is proposing to in‐ stall an in-building telecommunications sys‐ tem within an existing building (not to exceed 65 feet in height) located at 900 North 3rd Street, Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana 70802 (30° 27' 25.68" North, 91° 11' 14.14" West). Public comments regarding potential ef‐ fects from this site on historic properties may b b i d i hi

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Call 225.925.0610 Reasonable Rates for Quality Work!

DOUG WELBORN CHIEF ELECTION OFFICER PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE 194263 Aug. 4, 5, 2026 2t $72.94 PUBLIC NOTICE --The Louisiana Office of State Parks is requesting proposals for a PublicPrivate Partnership pro‐ ject to design, construct, and operate a high-qual‐ ity recreational vehicle campground and related amenities. For more in‐ formation go to opportu‐ nitiesinlouisiana.com.

192994-jul 2-aug 15-45t $207.90

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222 St. Louis St., Room 179 Baton Rouge, LA 9050 Airline Hwy., Ste. 100 Baton Rouge, LA In addition, qualifying will be conducted from 8:00 AM until 11:30 AM, In Central on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at the fol‐ lowing location: Central City Hall 11530 Sullivan Rd. Central, LA In addition, qualifying will be conducted from

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Home Repairs

DRYWALL CARPENTRY

• Doors • Tile • Painting • Windows & Door Awnings • Pressure Washing • Bathroom & Kitchen Repairs • Porch Roof and Metal Patio Covers

CUSTOM LANDSCAPING DRIVEWAYS BATHROOM RENOVATIONS

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will be conducted by the Clerk of Court’s office from Wednesday, August 5, 2026, until Friday, Au‐ gust 7, 2026. The election will be held on November 3, 2026. Candidates may qualify from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM, daily, at the following locations:

Please call the Clerk of Court Election Depart‐ ment at 295-4765 if there are any questions.

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196381 Aug. 5, 1t $104.54

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To advertise here, please call 225-383-0111 or visit us at servicedirectory.theadvocate.com See more CLASSIFIEDS, page

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, August 5, 2026 ■ 1S

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When the Power Goes Out,

Life Goes On.

Keep your home powered during any outage.

Install Now & Receive

12YR

PowerPlus

WA R R A N T Y Exclusive Offer Valued at $1,499

TURN-KEY INSTALLATION

Plus get $500 off installation Generac Automatic Standby Generator

12-YEAR WARRANTY INCLUDED

FINANCING AVAILABLE

Louisiana’s #1 Full Service GENERAC Dealer

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU BETTER

Covington | Scott | Baton Rouge | Kenner

Free In-Home Quote

225.245.7377 OptimizeGP.com

2S ■ Wednesday, August 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Our 12-Year Power Plus Warranty picks up where other warranties end.

How You Benefit from 12-Years of Full Coverage: • Longest full coverage warranty in the industry • Transferable coverage if you sell your home • Backed by trusted local experts • Faster repairs with no long delays • Peace of mind for years to come

Warranty FAQ’s: Q: What does “full coverage” mean.

A: Full coverage means parts, labor, travel, and major components are included.

Q: Do I need to pay extra for this?

A: We give you 12 years with no additional cost.

Q: What products does it cover?

A: The 12-year warranty is included on all Generac Air Cooled unit purchases.

Q: How do I keep my warranty active?

A: For all manufacturer and dealer warranties, generators must have maintenance performed every year. Our warranty requires that we perform the maintenance to ensure proper upkeep and protect your investment.

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU BETTER

Covington | Scott | Baton Rouge | Kenner

Free In-Home Quote

225.245.7377 OptimizeGP.com

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, August 5, 2026 ■ 3S

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easy application 18 MONTHS 0.00%

SYNCHRONY 37 MONTHS 5.99% FINANCING 88 MONTHS 7.99% Schedule Your Free In-Home Informative Quote

Meet with our Optimize team.

Get the specific information and recommendation for installation on your home: Safe Generator location, required clearances, kW size/NEC load circulation, install details, Optimize install process, and receive your specific quote.

1

Meet With an Install Designer & Complete the In-Home Assessment • Location of generator • Size required • How it works • How install happens • Qualify for financing • Answer questions • Location of generator • kW sizer report • Install details • Total Price

Schedule Installation

Air Cooled Generators (Most Common) Ai

• Reliable backup power for essential home systems • Coverage for a typical-sized home during occasional outages

steps to completion

Receive a Written Quote

Not All Home Standby Generators Are The Same

Best for homeowners who want:

GENERATOR INSTALLATION

Air-cooled standby generators make up about 90% of the systems Airinstalled inst in our area. They use an engine similar to what you’d find in a lawn law mower or motorcycle.

• Pick install date • Pay Down Payment • Sign Agreement

Permits & Engineering

Air-cooled units run at 3600 RPM and are designed for emergency use lasting days to a couple of weeks. During extended outages, they may consume more oil and require more frequent oil checks.

2

• Engineering Review • Apply for permits • Contact Utilities • Get Approvals Required

Installation Day

Liquid Cooled Generators (Premium Heavy-Duty Option)

Liquid-cooled generators are a higher-performance option built with larger, heavier-duty engines, similar to a small truck engine with a radiator cooling system like a car.

Best for homeowners who have: • Larger homes with heavy electrical loads • Homes running two AC systems or more

Liquid-cooled units come in both 3600 RPM and 1800 RPM models.

The 1800 RPM models are widely considered the most durable and reliable standby generators available, designed for longer run times, quieter operation, and reduced wear.

• Install Pad or Stand • Install Transfer Switch • Install Gas Lines • Install Generator • Complete electrical • Complete gas work

After installation Day • Have inspections done • Inform utilities • Gas meter upgrade by utility • Schedule final walk through

We specialize in stocking premium 1800 RPM models for homeowners who want the very best.

Final Walk Through

Not sure which type is right for your home? Our team can size the perfect generator based on your electrical load, lifestyle, and outage history. Call us today.

If you have...

Recommended Type

Typical home, occasional outages

Air-Cooled

Large home, multiple AC units

Liquid-Cooled

Rural area with long outages

Liquid-Cooled (1800 RPM)

Budget-focused backup power

Air-Cooled

Maximum longevity + quiet operation

Liquid-Cooled

3

• Load test generator • Explain basics • Deliver paperwork • Offer maintenance • Collect balance

Full Service Dealership • GENERAC Warranty Repair • Maintenance Group Plans • Full Service After Storms • Dedicated Repair Technicians • Dedicated Maintenance Technicians • After Hours - On Call Service

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU BETTER

Covington | Scott | Baton Rouge | Kenner

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225.245.7377 OptimizeGP.com

Awarded Top Service Dealership in North America for 2021 & 2024 by GENERAC

OPTIMIZE has been the largest Louisiana Generator Dealership since 2019 and now is Nationally recognized as among the Top 5 Largest GENERAC Dealerships.

OPTIMIZE is 100% Focused on Home Standby Generators.

Install, Maintenance & Repair.

4S ■ Wednesday,August 5, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Before Mother Nature throws her worst,

give your home the best.

TURN-KEY INSTALLATION

12-YEAR WARRANTY INCLUDED FINANCING AVAILABLE

Keep your home powered during any outage.

Install Now & Receive

12YR

PowerPlus

WA R R A N T Y Exclusive Offer Valued at $1,499

Plus get $500 off installation Generac Automatic Standby Generator

Louisiana’s #1 Full Service GENERAC Dealer MULTIPLE LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU BETTER

Covington | Scott Baton Rouge | Kenner Offers cannot be combined and are not valid on previous purchases. Must be presented during sales consultation. Limit one per household. Financing subject to qualification. Warranty included with purchase of Generac air-cooled system and maintenance plan. Terms and conditions apply and subject to change. See dealer for details. Must be installed by 9/30/2026.

Get a Free In-Home Quote

225.245.7377 OptimizeGP.com