Lake Charles native becomes youngest Catholic bishop in America
BY MEGAN WYATT Staff writer
WASHINGTON, D.C. — He was prepar-
ing a homily for evening Mass at Howard University when the call came in.
The chaplain, then-Rev. Robert “Robbie” Boxie III, was to become a bishop.
Thoughts raced through his mind. The Lake Charles native told the ambassador for Pope Leo XIV that he was too young for such a rank and he hadn’t even been a parish pastor yet. But when the pope’s representative asked if he accepted, Boxie offered a hesitant “Yes?”
“I hung up the phone and I grabbed my pillow and I just screamed in my pillow for the next five minutes,” Boxie said “It’s like, what just happened? What did I agree to? What’s going on?”
He had just agreed to be the youngest Catholic bishop in the United States, a 45-year-old at the helm of the Archdiocese of Washington. He would also be one of just a few Black bishops in the country
The idea of priesthood first appealed to Boxie in the third grade.
After learning about saints in school, he decided he wanted to be one Upon discovering how involved that process was, he settled for “the next best thing” becoming a priest.
“But as any 8-year-old would do, you change your mind,” Boxie said. “It’s kind of like the flavor of the month.”
His mother, Roxanne Boxie, remembers that phase fondly While on vacation in Disney World, she asked her son if he wanted a stuffed Mickey Mouse souvenir Instead, he asked for a statue of the Blessed Mother for his bedroom altar
“He would play with the kids in the neighborhood,” Roxanne Boxie said “And sometimes they didn’t want to play with him because
ä See BISHOP, page 5A
Murrill
files
suit in hunt for N.O. records
BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer
A lawyer for Attorney General Liz Murrill sued Wednesday to force Orleans Parish Attorney Jason Williams and special prosecutor Laurie White to dig harder for emails and other communication about Murrill’s short-lived criminal indictment.
Attorney Blake Arcuri filed the petitions in Orleans Parish Civil District Court claiming Williams and White both failed to respond properly to public records requests filed in conjunction with Murrill’s defense to the 16 felony charges she faced of public intimidation and malfeasance in office. The filings are the latest indication that Murrill has no plans to let her abort-
ä See MURRILL, page 4A
Hopefuls vie for Congress
begins
BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer
As qualifying begins for the November open primary for Louisiana’s congressional districts, two seats are wide open for anyone to take — and they are drawing quite the array of candidates.
But, after the first day for candidates to sign up to run passed Wednesday, one big mystery remained: Will state Sen. Blake Miguez run for one of those seats? And, if so, which one?
Miguez, a Republican from New Iberia, was running for the 5th District until Louisiana’s maps got redrawn in the spring. He won President Donald Trump’s endorsement for the seat, a powerful boost in the race.
But candidates had to requalify after the redistricting, and Miguez has been mum about whether or where he will run. He could now run in the 5th District in northeast Louisiana or in the 6th District, which was redrawn to be a majority-White district in the Baton Rouge area that will likely elect a Republican.
It was formerly a majority-Black district represented by U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, a Democrat who decided not to run after the district was redrawn.
Miguez represents and has lived in the New Iberia area, but he owns a property in Baton Rouge The possibility that he would run in a district different from the one he has long represented has prompted barbs from fellow legislators.
Miguez did not return requests for comment Wednesday
Despite the uncertainty over whether the state senator will make a bid for Congress, one of his potential opponents — and a colleague in the Senate — fired shots at Miguez
ä See HOPEFULS, page 5A ä Candidates qualify for Lafayette races.
Schwartz confirmed as director of CDC
BY MIKE STOBBE Associated Press
NEWYORK The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Dr Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, placing her in charge of a public health agency beleaguered by political meddling and low morale. Schwartz was confirmed in a 5144 vote. The 54-year-old becomes the 22nd leader of the Atlantabased CDC, which is charged with protecting Americans from preventable health threats, and the agency’s first confirmed director in nearly a year Her resume includes medical and law degrees, a stint as deputy surgeon general, and a leadership position at the U.S. Coast Guard. Schwartz’s nomination appeared
to be on shaky ground after a hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee last month. The chair, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, and others questioned whether she would be willing to stand up to Republican President Donald Trump’s health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., if he ordered CDC to do something unsupported by science and good public health practice.
But weeks later Cassidy said he had spoken with Schwartz after that hearing and with others who knew her, and said he had gained confidence in her U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials did not immediately respond to questions
See CDC, page 4A
ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO
dr Erica Schwartz testifies during a Senate committee confirmation hearing to be the director of the Centers for disease Control and Prevention on July 15.
PROVIdEd PHOTO
The Most Rev. Robert Boxie III is pictured during his July 7 bishop ordination ceremony in Washington, d.C.
U.S. offers$25Mfor leader of powerful cartel
MEXICO CITY The U.S. governmentonWednesday offereda $25 million reward for information leading to the capture of Juan Carlos González,or “Pelón,” scaling up pressure on aU.S. citizenwho hasemerged as thefigurehead of Mexico’s mostpowerfulcartel.
The rewardwas bumped up from $5 million. The Trump administration offered atotal of $100million in rewards for various leaders of theJalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG, and restricted the visas of family membersand business associatesofcartel members
U.S. officials said the rewards, along with newly unsealed charges against fiveother highranking leaders, were aimed at crippling the organization’s leadership while President Donald Trump has ramped up pressure on Mexico and other Latin Americannations to carryout hissecurity agenda. CJNG is among eightMexican cartelsdesignated as a foreignterrorist organization. Thegroup was dealt ablowin February when leader Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes,or “El Mencho,” was killed by the Mexican military.The U.S. provided intelligence for the operation,which resulted in aburst in violence in the state of Jalisco. González, OsegueraCervantes’s stepson andadual Mexican and U.S. citizen, is reported to have takencontrolof the cartel, which is involved in everything from avocado production to drug smuggling Drone with explosives found at Germanairport
BERLIN Adrone with explosives wasfound at Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airportand the device was defused, authorities said Wednesday,inanincident that the country’stop security official said posed a“new quality of danger.”
Both the runwaysatthe major freight hub were closed and several flights, including one passenger plane,were diverted to other airports after aflyingobject was sighted nearby shortly before midnight Tuesday.An anti-explosives robot wasdeployed to check an object near the south runway
Regional police and prosecutors later said an airport employee discovered adrone near the south runway with “an unknown explosive device,” and the object was examined by police. They removed its detonator
That the drone was carrying explosives “is anew quality of danger,” German Interior Minister AlexanderDobrindt told reporters at the airport.
“Drone sightings, drone threats including in ahybrid context, are something we know from the past,” he added. “That adrone armed with explosives is at an airport is anew threat scenario.”
Clerkwon’t have to pay Murdaugh’slegal fees
COLUMBIA, S.C— Afederal judge has thrown out alawsuit by Alex Murdaughseeking $600,000 in legal fees by the former court clerk whosemisconduct led his murder convictions to be overturned on appeal.
Murdaugh sued Becky Hill in May saying she violated his right to afair trial in the deaths of his wife and son.
Ajury found Murdaughguilty, but the state Supreme Court overturned the convictions and life sentences earlier this year sayingHill’scommentstojurorssuggested the once-prominent lawyer was guilty and his testimony in his own defense couldn’tbetrusted.
The problem with Murdaugh’s legalreasoning is he would have had to spend the money anyway because it wasn’tHill who investigated or pursued justice againsthim, Judge Richard Gergelwrote in his ruling Wednesday. Murdaugh’sattorneys filed anotice to appeal about two hours later Investigators said Murdaugh was addicted to opioids and his complex schemes to stealmoney from clients and his family’s lawfirm were starting to unravel so he killed hiswife andson to divert attention and buy time to find away out of his problems.
Deal will hingeonU.S.blockade
Iran insistsonsomecontrol of Strait of Hormuz
BY ELENA BECATOROS, SAMY MAGDYand DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press
CAIRO— Iran saidWednesday it is in the “finalstage” of drafting an agreement with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz,and U.S.President DonaldTrumphas said adeal could be announced this week. That could potentially reopen the critical waterway, ease pressure on the world economy and help bring an end to thewar Butthe agreement is likely to be contingent on the U.S.lifting its blockade on Iran’sports. The Trump administration has previously ruled out any deal that would cement Iran’sgripover thestrait, which wouldamount to amajor loss for the U.S. and abreak with global norms. Iran hasinsisted on some mea-
sure of control over the strait,saying it will not go back to being an open internationalwaterway, as it was before thewar
The U.S., along with Israel, launched thewar on Feb. 28, citing various goalsincluding toppling Tehran’sgovernmentand ending its nuclear program.Those have not been achieved, and the conflict hasdevolved intoafight over the strait as Iran’s assertionofcontrol andattacksonshipping have ground traffic to anear-halt.
Closure of thestrait, through which afifth of theworld’straded oiland natural gasoncepassed hasdriven up the price of fuel and basic goods, roiling theglobal economy.Trumpisalso under mounting pressure to end an unpopular war ahead of U.S.congressional elections
Iran’sForeign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei,said that theagreement withOman is in the “final stage” of drafting, and that
ajoint statement will be issued “if certain parties do not obstruct this process,” apparently referring to theU.S. Iranian and Omani negotiators have finalizedthe draft deal to reopen the strait andawait final approval fromIran’sSupreme Leader AyatollahMojtaba Khamenei, two regional officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Khamenei is believed to have been wounded in thewar’sopening strikes andhas not been seen in public since then.
Theofficials, who were briefed on the negotiations, portrayed the potential deal as atemporary solutiontothe dispute over the strait. Theysaiditistied to an agreement reached between the U.S. and Iran in June that aimedatendingthe fighting andreopening the waterway but ultimately collapsed.
Theofficials, whospoke on conditionofanonymity to discuss the private talks, said the potential deal will pave the wayfor the U.S. and Iran to resume negotiations on
Border wall contractors told to stop drilling wells
BY MIKELLASCHUETTLER Associated Press
PHOENIX TheTrump administration hasordered construction crews on aborderwalltostop drilling wells in droughtstrickenNew Mexico after ranchers said pumping groundwater needed to make concrete could threaten their livestock.
The order comes as crews acrossthe southern border race to complete one of PresidentDonaldTrump’shighest domestic priorities —barriersthat span fourstates and received over $46 billion in federal funding. Controversieshave sprouted up in Texas andCalifornia, with border-town residentsand environmentalists reportinga wide variety of issues with construction
U.S. Customs and BorderProtection, which oversees border wallconstruction, hassaidwater is needed to make concretefor roads, wall construction and dust suppression. Cattle ranchers in the area say thedrought has already forced them to reduce their herd size.
“It would put us in an immediate catastrophe and having to do something with our livestock. Imean, it could potentially put some people out of business, us included,” said Russell Johnson, acattle rancher whose property runs along the border Johnson raised the issue at apublic meeting in July after noticing an industrial well, whichdrilling crews told him wouldpump300 gallonsa minute,on landheleases for grazing. Johnson has roughly 12 wells across his ranch, which pump between threeand seven gallons aminute.
Aspokesperson forCBP said on Mondaythat borderwall contractors in New Mexico have been instructed to stop drilling new wells,but did not comment on whether the wells already drilled could be pumped. The agency said they would collaborate with New Mexico and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop agroundwater strategy.
“CBP is committed to working collaboratively with local landowners to ensure that construction activities do not adversely impact their water needs,” read the statement.
The federal contractors building the wallinNew Mexico —Caddell Construction Co. andFisherIndustries —did not respond to emails or phone calls seeking comment. Messages left with receptionists for Barnard Construction and Spencer Construction Co., the contractors building near Johnson’sranch, were not
immediately returned.
Agency says contractorsdrilled illegally
The New MexicoOfficeofthe State Engineer,which monitors andapproves wells across thestate, saidstaff have countedeight wells drilledwithout the office’spermission along the southern border, butcautioned there could be more. Staff visited two wells in July and reported they were pumping 200 gallons per minute.
“All nontribalwells in NewMexico, whether they are drilled on state or federal land, musthave permits from the state engineer before they can be drilledorwatercan be pumped from them,”the Office of the StateEngineer said in astatement.
The wells for border construction wereall drilled on afederally owned strip of land 18 miles wide thatextends just northofthe border called the Roosevelt Reservation. CBP did not respond to follow up questions about whether the federal government has aright to pump groundwater on federal land without stateoversight.
Cattle ranchers report cullingherds
TomPatterson, president of the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association, sayswater is the No. 1concernfor ranchersand thatifwells start to go dry, it’s already too late. During wallconstruction in Trump’sfirst term, Patterson said, contractorsbought water from farms, ranches, or municipalities in the area, which meant theamountofwater being pumped from nearby basins didn’t increase during construction.
“Why do they need allthiswater?” said Patterson. “And why can’tthey buy it as they have in thepast from farmers, ranchers, or even from Luna County?”
Johnson said the moratorium on future well drilling is astep in theright direction,but he’sstill worried after acontractortold him the well near his ranch could eventually be pumped if crews ended up needing the water.Though beef prices are up, Johnson has been forced to reduce his herd to one third its original capacity. He cites the drought, which has left less grassfor cattle to graze on,as themain reason for the drop.
Before the first borderwall went up, Johnson remembers seeing at leastone truck of people crossing his ranch every week. Now,hesays illegal crossing hardly ever happens on his ranch. As a former Border Patrol agent, he supports theborderwallbut doesn’tbelieve it should cost him his livelihood.
Tehran’snuclear program
Earlier,they had said the potential agreement would have ships enterthe Persian Gulfthrough an Iranian-controlledroute and exit through aroute controlled by Oman. Servicefees would be chargedfor providing security and preserving the maritimeenvironment, the officials said.
TheU.S.has said it is strongly opposedtoany arrangement that would see Iran charge fees. Trump wasasked on Tuesday evening by reporters about areport on the Axios newssite that an announcement on the straitcould be madeonWednesday “Itcould happen. Tomorrow or the next day,” Trump said. “A lot of progress has been made.”
The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemenclaimed Wednesday they had fired ballistic missiles toward aSaudi oil tanker on the Red Seaoff theSaudi port of Yanbu, without providing evidence. There wasnoimmediatecommentfrom Saudi Arabia.
BY MIKESTOBBE Associated Press
NEWYORK— Parasitic illness cases in 15 states have been linked to iceberg lettuce, U.S. health officials said Wednesday Cyclospora caseshave been reported in at least 47 states this year, and investigators havecontinuedto probe howmanycould be linked to acommoncontaminated source. TheCenters forDisease Control andPrevention said the number of states tied to the deadly outbreak had grownfrom nine to 15. Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire and North Carolina were added to alist that previously included Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky,Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Investigators initially narrowed in on lettuce served at Taco Bell. Federal officials subsequently said they are focused on Taylor Farms as thesource, and the company has recalled iceberg lettuce grown in
central Mexico. There are several reasons cyclospora outbreaks canbehardtoinvestigate and contain, said Dr.Juan Luis Marquez, medical director of the Washtenaw County andLivingston Countyhealth departments in Michigan. It can take weeks between whensomeoneis exposed to the parasite and whenthey comedown with symptoms; it’shardertoanalyze the parasite in laboratories; and it’salot of work to interview everyone who is sickand clearlyidentify common exposures, said Marquez, an adjunct public health professor at the University of Michigan. Also,“therehavebeen staffing cuts at alllevels of public health —federal, local,state —sothere are less resources and capacity generally available,” Marquez said in astatement. Cyclospora is amicroscopic,spherical parasite that commonly causes watery diarrhea “with frequent and sometimes explosivebowel movements,” according to the CDC.
Customer Service: HELP@THEADVOCATE.COM or 337-234-0800
PROVIdEd PHOTO By RUSSELLJOHNSON Construction crewsdrill wells for border wall construction in July in LunaCounty,N.M., along the U.S.-Mexico border
El-Sayed win is breakthrough
defined its early months.
BY JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press
DETROIT Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health official who harnessed Democratic frustration with the party establishment, narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s U.S Senate primary, setting up a crucial test for progressives in a key battleground state
El-Sayed will face Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman, in November in a race that will help determine control of the Senate His first challenge will be unifying Democratic factions after a bitter primary that offered divergent visions for a party desperate for a path back to power
The margin was extraordinarily close. El-Sayed walked off the stage at his Tuesday night election party without declaring victory, and the race was not called until early Wednesday, after nearly all ballots statewide had been counted. At the time The Associated Press declared him the winner, El-Sayed led Stevens by 14,893 votes just under 1 percentage point — out of more than 1.5 million ballots counted, the most in recent state history
The political significance of the result, however, extends well beyond the slim margin.
“Abdul’s victory was, in my opinion, the most extraordinary victory that I can think of in modern American politics,” Sen. Bernie Sanders, a leader of the progres-
sive movement who was an early supporter of El-Sayed’s candidacy said Wednesday El-Sayed, 41, has never held elected office and entered the race seven years after losing Michigan’s Democratic gubernatorial primary by more than 20 percentage points This time, running on an unapologetically progressive agenda, he overcame more than $60 million in outside spending and an opponent backed by many of Michigan’s top Democrats, including Gov Gretchen Whitmer and outgoing Sen. Gary Peters.
Extraordinary trajectory
El-Sayed was joined on Wednesday by state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, a former opponent in the Senate primary, and Curtis Hertel, chair of the Michigan Democratic
Man arrested at
By The Associated Press
— A California
LOS ANGELES
man who was arrested at President Donald Trump’s Los Angeles-area golf course was pretending to be part of the security detail preparing for Trump’s visit and had a stash of illegal weapons in his car and home, authorities said.
Jeanine John Taele, 38, was due in court Wednesday on a federal weapons charge but the hearing was canceled. He is being held at a downtown LA jail on state charges, according to booking records and not yet in federal custody, said a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office.
Taele was arrested Sunday at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, two
Party It was an initial step toward a unified front after a bitter primary, and it reflected El-Sayed’s extraordinary political trajectory in less than a decade.
After losing the 2018 Democratic primary for governor to Whitmer El-Sayed retreated into the political wilderness. He started a podcast, wrote a book and became a regular presence on YouTube and television, slowly building a following while waiting for a political opening he did not know would come.
It arrived when Peters made the surprise announcement that he would not seek reelection, creating an open Senate seat in one of the country’s most competitive states.
El-Sayed launched his campaign in April 2025 with a staff of four. In his victory speech Wednesday, he recalled the small rooms that
“Back in April, I remember talking to a room of five people,” he said. “It was an opportunity for us to share an honest conversation about pain and about purpose. And I’ve been able to have 500 more of those discussions over the past 15 months.”
El-Sayed said he visited 110 cities and hosted more than 500 events. His volunteer network grew alongside the campaign, eventually reaching 12,000 people, according to his campaign.
The campaign also embraced a media strategy that reflected El-Sayed’s years outside elected office, aggressively pursuing attention across traditional outlets, podcasts and online platforms. Some appearances, including multiple interviews with controversial streamer Hasan Piker, drew swift backlash.
‘Movement of the many’
On July 5, McMorrow ended her campaign, leaving a two-person race between El-Sayed and Stevens. Soon after, El-Sayed stood before door-knocking volunteers in a Grand Rapids park and declared that “we have a chance of winning this election.”
“More importantly, we have a chance at winning our politics,” ElSayed said. “What we’re doing is building a movement of the many against the money.”
In the final days, El-Sayed leaned even further into the strategy that had helped build his campaign. He marched through downtown Detroit alongside social media influencers, then attended a private pool party with content creators, including Piker
On election day El-Sayed did three interviews with content creators at Detroit’s Eastern Market before doing three more with traditional news organizations, including The Associated Press and MS NOW Hours later, the campaign that had once struggled to fill small rooms packed Detroit’s Majestic Theatre for an election night party. Progressives see a test
El-Sayed’s victory gave progressives something they have been seeking — evidence that their politics could prevail not just in deep-blue cities and congressional districts, but in a Democratic primary in one of the nation’s premier swing states.
“Abdul El-Sayed is now the tip of the spear for the theory that shakeup-the-system economic fighters can win in swing states,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, who campaigned alongside ElSayed in the final days.
The November race against Rogers, Green added, is “put up or shut up time” for the movement.
El-Sayed campaigned on “Medicare for All,” ending military aid to Israel and campaign finance reform. He had support from progressive leaders including Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who framed the race as both a grassroots movement and a broader fight against the establishment and big-money spending.
Outside groups backing Stevens ultimately spent more than $60 million, including more than $30 million from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and its affiliates.
Trump’s golf course faces weapons charges
days before Trump visited for a fundraising dinner
Taele was first seen on the property Friday walking throughout the course wearing an earpiece and taking photos and videos of federal agents’ activities as they conducted a security assessment, according to a federal criminal complaint. Taele drove away but then returned to the course Sunday He approached federal agents and said he was employed by the State Department and was there for a security detail. Taele said he had a loaded weapon in his vehicle and was arrested after it was searched, according to federal officials. Authorities also found a 16-round magazine with ammunition in his pocket He already appeared in
court on state weapons charges and a second-degree robbery charge for an unrelated incident.
Taele is charged federally with possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle that was found at this home, authorities said. The complaint alleges the firearm is an illegally modified ARstyle rifle with a barrel that was cut down to 10 inches from 14 inches.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said a search of his pickup truck in the club parking lot turned up a loaded 9 mm pistol, binoculars and a badge that read “security protection agent,” according to federal prosecutors.
La w enfo rce men t searched his home in the nearby city of Downey on
Influencer killed during livestream
BY MEGAN JANETSKY Associated Press
MEXICO CITY
— A gunman killed a social media influencer during a livestream in Mexico’s volatile northwestern state of Sinaloa, authorities said Wednesday, a public killing that underscored ongoing violence targeting social media personalities in the Latin American nation.
The influencer, César Gastélum, was killed on Tuesday night in the Sinaloa state capital of Culiacan, officials said. Mexican authorities implied the killing of the young man was linked to cartel violence but did not blame any particular group
A video of the moment of his death, which was viewed by The Associated Press, shows him laughing with two other men in a parking lot when two men pull up on a motorcycle. One is seen pulling out a gun and shooting Gastélum. The attackers then flee the scene. The attack was carried out just blocks
away from the local prosecutor’s office during rush hour
Gastélum had more than 650,000 followers on TikTok, and more on Instagram and other social media platforms and would regularly post comedy videos and content layered over Mexican regional music. He at times referred to himself in his videos as “bélico,” a term often used in subcultures in Mexico to imply a connection to cartel culture.
Sinaloa has in recent years been ravaged by warring between two factions of the Sinaloa Cartel. At the height of the fighting, dead bodies would be left across the city marked with a faction’s signature. One of them, Los Chapitos would regularly leave a pizza or a pizza box on a dead body The other, Los Mayos, would leave behind a sombrero, and it soon became dangerous to wear the hats in Culiacan as it could signify allegiance to one group.
On Tuesday night, Gastélum was filmed wearing a white sombrero.
Scientists certain SpaceX rocket hit moon
BY MARCIA DUNN AP aerospace writer
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A SpaceX rocket that launched a pair of lunar landers slammed into the moon as predicted on Wednesday after drifting off course for the past year, scientists reported.
Although no one observed the actual 5,400mph collision, a telescope in Chile spotted what astronomers have identified as the debris plume resulting from the crash Space tracking experts said it was inevitable that the leftover rocket segment plowed into the moon.
SpaceX’s Julianna Scheiman said this week that the company is working with NASA to avoid future wrecks, stressing that this projected crash was not deliberate A combination of solar activity and gravity accidentally put it on a collision course with the moon, she said.
Boston University’s Carl Schmidt said he is “100% certain” that his team’s observations revealed signs of the lunar crash The
European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope detected a stream of sodium and lithium stretching for miles into space for at least five to 10 minutes following the impact, he added.
“We don’t have images of the impact” but there’s telescope evidence, Schmidt said in an email.
Even before signs of the debris plume were spotted by the telescope in Chile, retired astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell noted that observations of the dead 4-ton upper stage on Tuesday night showed it heading straight for the moon. The anticipated crash site was a dusty, barren patch near Einstein Crater on the moon’s sunlit western limb — near the edge of the near and far sides, which is especially difficult to observe from Earth.
“There’s no doubt in my mind” that the rocket “is now in teeny, little pieces scattered over the moon near Einstein Crater,” McDowell told The Associated Press.
“As a physicist, I know that what goes up must come down,” he added.
Monday and found a rifle and other firearms, magazines and ammunition, body armor and notebooks with “concerning statements,” federal authorities said. No details about the statements were released.
“Mr Taele’s troubling behavior at the President’s public golf course merely days before the President was expected to arrive raised serious red flags for law enforcement,” Patrick Grandy the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles office, said in a statement.
In brief remarks about Taele’s arrest to Fox News on Tuesday, Trump said “only consequential presidents” are targeted, “and I am definitely consequential,” which he said brought him “a little solace.” Taele was a corporal in the U.S. Marines who was deployed to Iraq in 2008 and Afghanistan in 2010 and worked as a warehouse clerk, according to the U.S. Marine Corps. He earned numerous commendations, including an award for good conduct.
Continued from page 1A
he wanted to play Mass, and they didn’t want to play Mass.”
Boxie attended St. Louis Catholic High School in Lake Charles, where his classmate Amanda Papania Hardie described him as kind and generous.
His classmates and teachers sensed he was special, she said. He was at the top of his class academically, but not everyone knew that because he was quietly driven, unassuming and humble.
“He just was good, but it wasn’t like a teacher’s pet kind of favorite thing,” Hardie said. “He really was like that That’s just how he was all the time.”
Once he graduated high school, Boxie studied music and chemical engineering at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. He expected to eventually return to his hometown to work in the petrochemical industry
But his plan changed after he studied abroad in Florence, Italy, which opened his eyes to interests outside of math and science.
Boxie took a year off to teach English in France, then enrolled in Harvard Law School.
He would go on to earn his law degree, clerk for a federal judge in the Washington, D.C., area and accept a position at a law firm.
That time was formative for his future calling, said the Rev Henry Mancuso, who served as head of St. Louis Catholic High School and later as pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church where Boxie grew up.
“He lived for about 15 or 16 years in a predominantly White world,” Mancuso said. “To go to Washington probably really renewed his whole sense of being a man equal to all, but also to cherish his Black experience and to be proud of it.”
By worldly standards, Boxie had it all: a high-paying job, a girlfriend, a supportive family, the ability to travel the world
But he still felt like something was missing.
His childhood dream came back to him and he decided to go to seminary
“It seemed like the priesthood was calling him very strong,” his mother said. “And he finally listened. He couldn’t tell God no anymore.”
Time in D.C., Rome
Boxie began his seminary formation in 2010 by studying philosophy at the Theological College at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He later studied theology in Rome.
The Rev Aaron Qureshi met Boxie in D.C. when both men were considering seminary While Qureshi worked in information technology, Boxie was at the law firm.
There was a sense among Boxie’s peers in the seminary in Rome that Boxie was bishop material, Qureshi said, “When the news came, I don’t think it was a surprise to too many people,” Qureshi said. “A lot of us were kind of like, ‘Yeah, that checks out.’” Hardie, his childhood classmate from Lake Charles, also said Boxie’s journey to become a priest “made complete sense.”
During his time in seminary, Hardie and her children prepared
Continued from page 1A
after filing to run for the 6th District.
“I’m not new to this district, and I’m not new to fighting for the people of this district,” state Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, told members of the media at the Secretary of State’s Office. Miguez “is not from here,” Edmonds said. “He doesn’t understand our communities and issues.” Edmonds said he had spoken with the White House and was confident Miguez would not get Trump’s endorsement in the 6th District; Miguez did not respond to questions about that claim.
But Edmonds also said he was unsure whether Miguez was running, or whether he would choose the 5th or 6th District. Because of last-minute changes to the voting maps, the congressional races will be open primaries. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party, will head to a runoff in December
Who qualified?
On Monday four Republicans and one Democrat filed
care packages to send to him. Later, when she traveled to Rome, he scheduled tours of the Vatican, showed her a rooftop view from the seminary that he loved and invited her to a Thanksgiving meal with him
During a difficult divorce, he would break from his other responsibilities to hear her struggles and would regularly let her know he was praying for her
“I’ve been around people with very impressive résumés that do not impress me,” she said. “And he’s the complete opposite. When you hear him speaking, you know he’s intelligent, but he’s very unassuming.”
When Boxie returned from Rome, he was assigned as the parochial vicar at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Largo, Maryland, just outside of D.C., for three years.
Boxie spent the next six years as the Catholic chaplain at Howard University in D.C., which he described as “the best job in the Archdiocese of Washington and even the entire United States.”
It’s also a rare gig: With over 100 historically Black colleges and universities in America, only about a dozen have Catholic ministries on campus. Of those with Catholic ministries, just six have a priest on campus.
“I was one of those six in the country,” Boxie said. “It is quite special to serve a young adult Black Catholic community on a college campus, especially at a place like Howard University — perhaps the premier HBCU in the country.”
When Boxie was appointed as a Catholic chaplain at Howard University, it was during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when only a handful of students would attend Mass in person. Now, the services are standing room only
“They’re very inquisitive — they want to know why, why, why,” Roxanne Boxie said. “And he’s taught them why.”
‘My life changed in a week’
Boxie didn’t think anything of it when he saw Cardinal Christophe Pierre, known as the nuncio, call his number late this spring. A couple days before, he’d taken his students from Howard to meet Pierre.
to run in the 5th District, and four Republicans filed to run in the 6th District
The better-known contenders for the 5th District included three state legislators. Two are Republicans from Monroe: state Sen. Stewart Cathey Jr and state Rep. Michael Echols. Rep. Gabe Firment, R-Pollock, also signed up to run Misti Cordell, the chair of the Board of Regents, has also announced her candidacy but did not qualify on Wednesday Qualifying runs through Friday
The newly-drawn 5th District covers northeast Louisiana and is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow who is running for U.S. Senate. She won the Republican primary and is heavily favored to win the general election in November.
Also running in the 5th District is Austin Magee, a Republican from Franklinton, and Dan McKay a Democrat from Bunkie. In the 6th District, Edmonds is the heaviest hitter in the field so far Charlton Meginley secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, is considering entering the race, though he has not announced a decision yet, a spokesperson said
After Boxie thanked Pierre for the opportunity for his students, the nuncio asked if Boxie was sitting down. He was.
“And then he says, ‘Pope Leo has named you the new auxiliary bishop of Washington,’ ” Boxie said “And I stand up. I’m like, ‘Are you sure?’”
Boxie remembers shaking his head no as he continued to insist that there must be older, more seasoned, more qualified priests for the job. But the nuncio spoke of Boxie’s work at the university and how he’d come highly recommended by his brother priests in the diocese.
“I’m just there shaking my head the whole time,” Boxie said. “Like, this is not real. This is not happening. I’m too young. Like no. And so then he point-blank asks, ‘Do you accept?’”
Boxie gave a hesitant “yes.”
Then he went back to trying to finish writing the homily for Howard’s final Mass of the semester
He couldn’t yet share the news far and wide. He rescheduled his weekly Zoom call with his mom, dad and sister
Four days later, when he finally hopped on the video call with his family Boxie was nearly in tears.
“He’s getting ready to tell us, and we’re like, ‘Oh my God. What’s happening?’” Roxanne Boxie said. “We were very, very surprised because we did not expect that at all. He always told us that he wanted to be a parish priest and to be among people.”
At one point, his father asked Boxie if he could say no to the appointment.
Boxie responded, “You don’t tell God no.”
A week later, the announcement became public on May 1.
“My life changed in a week,”
Boxie said. “The one word that just keeps coming up is ‘tremendous.’ There’s been an incredible outpouring of support, not only locally here from family, friends, acquaintances, the university but really from all across the country.”
‘This is extremely significant’ Boxie is now the youngest bishop in the United States. He’s also one of just a handful of active Black bishops in America.
Monique Appeaning, a Republican from Baton Rouge who served as an aide to Mayor-President Sid Edwards but departed after she was put on leave for being accused of bullying employees and using slurs, also filed to run.
Larry Davis III, a Republican from Denham Springs who declined to say where he worked, citing “ethics,” also is running.
Another Republican candidate is Michael Mebreur, of St. Francisville. Mebreur has worked as a traveling medical professional and is obtaining a master’s degree in financial economics from LSU, according to his website.
Other races Louisiana’s other congressional seats are held by strong incumbents — and some of the biggest names in politics, such as U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who represents the 4th District, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who represents the 1st District. Both are Republicans, as is U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins who holds the 3rd District seat. None of those candidates are likely to be unseated. Nor is U.S. Rep. Troy Carter a Democrat who represents the 2nd District.
said Johnson, who is also Black.
“And so he’s going to be able to bring that voice as a young priest and as a Black priest to the table, which is super important.”
Mancuso said that approach was already on display during Boxie’s ordination Mass.
“He certainly spoke out very clearly for Black Catholics, for those who had been alienated from or hurt by the church and those that were searching for a place inviting them to come back,” Mancuso said. “He spoke with such power and strength but also with warmth.”
Boxie said he realizes his appointment is a big deal for Black Catholics across the country
“This is a real sign of hope, a sign of encouragement, a sign that the church has not forgotten about Black Catholics,” he said.
‘He’s very normal’
Boxie said he is now one of two active African American bishops in the United States. The other is Archbishop Shelton Fabre, a New Roads native who was the bishop of the Diocese of HoumaThibodaux before becoming archbishop of Louisville, Kentucky
There are two other active Black bishops in the United States, one from Uganda and another from Haiti, Boxie said.
The Archdiocese of Washington also was home to America’s first Black cardinal, Wilton Gregory, until his retirement last year
“This is extremely significant,” Boxie said. “There haven’t been very many, and there certainly aren’t very many active ones right now.”
In the 1980s and 1990s, the U.S. had about a dozen active African American bishops, he said, but that number has dwindled through the years. That’s due, in part, to the number of Black priests also decreasing, which Boxie attributes to the history of racism in the Catholic Church. Black men at one point could not enter seminary, and Black women could not join religious convents. The first Black priests who were ordained could not even celebrate Mass.
“That’s not how the church is now, but that memory is still pretty apparent in a lot of people’s minds,” Boxie said. “So parents don’t want to give their sons or daughters over to that because they don’t want them to be treated like that.”
Boxie’s childhood was shaped by his small, predominantly Black church parish in Lake Charles. Without Black leadership in the church, he said the problem of racism will persist.
“Black folks don’t feel as though they have a voice in the church,” Boxie said “Therefore, is this church really for me? Does this church really speak for my experiences and my situation? Because I don’t see anyone who’s in leadership.”
Boxie’s life experiences differ from many other bishops, which should help him connect with members of the church, said his longtime friend and Baton Rouge priest the Rev Josh Johnson.
“A lot of times decisions are made by leaders in the church by people who aren’t Black or young,”
That area is now the state’s only majority-Black district and expected to be the only Democratic seat after the state Legislature redrew the
Mancuso’s advice to Boxie after his appointment was to get adequate sleep and to know deeply what he believes. As the youngest American bishop, Boxie will get invitations to speak around the world, along with diverse opinions on how to approach his new role, Mancusco said.
“I always have called him Robbie,” Mancuso said. “And when I spoke to him after the announcement, he said it made him feel good that I still called him Robbie, rather than Bishop Robbie or anything like that. That shows his humanness.”
Boxie’s friends said his vulnerability helps him to resonate with others.
“He’s not afraid to be vulnerable, to be open with others about maybe places where he has questions or is unsure and to rely on others for advice, for counsel, for encouragement,” Qureshi said.
“Sometimes, as a priest, I might look at another priest and say, ‘Is this the sort of priest that I would want as my mom’s pastor?’ And I think when you look at someone like Bishop Boxie, the answer is 100% yes.”
Johnson, who met Boxie during seminary and travels annually with him, believes Boxie will be successful in his new role because of his dedication to prayer. He’s also a great friend.
“He’s very intentional, very positive as a person,” Johnson said. “He’s very caring, and so he’s always been concerned with things that are going on throughout the world. He has a big, empathetic kind of heart, but he’s also just a smart guy. He’s very studious, likes to cut up. He’s fun to be around. He’s very normal. He’s very human.”
As the auxiliary bishop of Washington, Boxie will split duties with the Most Rev Gary Studniewski. Among his tasks: developing a plan to revive, staff and resource Black parishes in the archdiocese.
Although he has considered returning to southwest Louisiana over the years, Boxie said serving as a priest in the nation’s capital has been a better long-term fit.
“I love my hometown,” he said. “It is the place that formed me and introduced me to the faith, but I have been able to grow and be challenged in Washington and have had a number of unique experiences that I wouldn’t have had in Lake Charles.”
Boxie has just one request of the community that shaped him: “Pray for me.”
6th District. Carter, Higgins and Johnson all qualified Wednesday Scalise has not yet officially signed up to run.
and Randall Arrington,
Republican, signed up to run against Scalise.
PROVIdEd PHOTO
The Most Rev. Robert Boxie III, third from left, is pictured with, from left, his sister Robyn Boxie; mother Roxanne Boxie; and father, Robert Boxie Jr., at St Mary’s Church in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Christmas Eve.
Lauren Jewett, of Metairie, a Democrat,
of Ponchatoula, a
Some
Firefighters gethandleonSpokane wildfires
BY MANUEL VALDES, MARTHA BELLISLE andGENE JOHNSON Associated Press
SPOKANE, Wash. Firefighters have taken advantage of cooler weather to begin getting ahandle on wildfires that have displaced tens of thousands of people around Washington state’s secondlargest city, but hotter,drier and breezier days lieahead Officials reported Wednesday that firefighters had established containment lines around the perimetersof all three fires affecting Spokane and that they were focused on reinforcingthose lines. Temperatures were expected to climb from the 80s the past twodays into the upper 90s, with less humidity,late this week.
The fires —one of which authorities say was deliberately set by aman who was arrested and charged with arson —have destroyed about 850 buildings and forced the evacuation of around 67,000 peoplesince they erupted last weekend. Damage assessment crews have yet to tally exactly how many houses have been lost or damaged. No deaths have been reported.
The other two fires were also startedbypeople, though not necessarily deliberately,investigatorshave said. They remain under investigation. Those fires, the AutumnLaneand Fairview fires,startedindependently of the arson-caused Old Trails Fire, they said Some evacuees were allowed to returnhome, but officials did notimmedi-
ately say how many.Others remained in ashelter set up in aSpokane convention center,athotelsorrentals, or at thehomes of friends or relatives, withnoidea of how soon they might go back —ifthey have ahouse to return to.
“Wefigureditwould be a day or two, not four or five. It’s notthe best situation,” saidDebra Curran, who has
been staying at the convention center since Saturday with her husband, whohas ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’sdisease. Their house survived, but her husband would need to be transported by ambulance, which officials won’t do untilthe fire risk in theirneighborhood drops.
Among those underevacuation orders arepatients and
stafffrom the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane. When thefire approached on Saturday,the staff moved27patients to local hospitals and temporary shelters, said Bret Bowers, a spokesperson forthe center The medical center wasnot burned in the fire but several stafflost their homes. Adam Wilson, acommunications officer at the Washington State Auditor’s Office, fled Saturday with his wife and three children, ages 9, 14 and 16. They had moved into their Spokane home alittle over amonth earlier and were still unpacking, he said.
Sincethen, they’vestayed at ahotel 90 minutes to the south and with hisfather in Idaho. This weekend, they’ll move again, to arental home in Spokane thattheir insurance is covering.
Theirhouse is fine,Wilson said, despite flames that leveled an entire cul-de-sac just two blocks away,leavingonlychimneysstanding in some cases.The neighborhood remains underan evacuation order.Evenif they could return, there’s no power andnointernet service, and no information about how soon either will
be restored. “Whatyou reallywantto hear,nobodycan tellyou,” Wilson said. “It is oddly emotional anddisorienting. We did not lose any property.From the outside it looks like afamily trip —‘Hey, kids, we’re going to go visit Papa fora week, pack your bags.’. Andyet youfeel like something isn’tright.” In Washington, there are 16 uncontainedwildfires burning more than 672 square milesand being foughtbymore than 7,000 fire personnel, said Thomas Kyle-Milward, aspokesman for the Washington DepartmentofNatural Resources. The man charged with startingthe Old Trails Fire, Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, of Spokane, was expected to be arraigned Thursday According to court documents, he was arrested after aresident reported him being in the area where the fire began. He denied having started it when questioned by deputies. Authorities said they previouslycontactedhim during twofire investigations last year,including one in astate park that prompted evacuationnotices,though he wasn’tcharged in either
BY JOSH KELETY Associated Press
Three people have been charged with threateningajudge, awitness and local officials connected to the investigation into the death of Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-yearold found dead after aJuly Fourth boattripwith friendstoanisland offMississippi’sGulfCoast
None of the three appear to know Wells, his family or the boating group, or be part of the investigation. The threats came amid rampant speculation and scrutiny of the investigation, deepenedinpart by uncertainty surrounding Wells’ finalhours, distrust of law enforcement and the state’slong history of
racist violence. Theteenager,who was Black, had traveled to theuninhabited island with agroup of friends from high school, all of whom were white. He did notreturn with his friends to the mainland that evening. Hisbody was found two days later off the island’scoast. Authorities have not madeany arrests or named anysuspects. An independent autopsy commissioned by Wells’family found the 18-year-old’s cause of death to be “undetermined”pending further investigation. Attempts to reach thedefendants for comment were unsuccessful. Phone numbers listed for some of the defendants in af-
fidavits weren’tactive and acall to another number wentunanswered.Emails sent to addresses listed in an affidavit for one of the defendantswent unanswered. It is unclear if they have attorneys yet.
One of the defendants, Edward James PorterofIllinois, allegedly called an unnamed witnessonJuly 31 and threatened to kill them and theirfamily,accordingtoanaffidavit. Porteralso allegedly told another personinMississippi in a phone call that he would cutthem up andput them “into asuitcase. Porter was charged on July31in federal court for the Southern District of Mississippi for thethreat Porter threatened two members of the family of Bart Edminston
Jr a21-year-old who knewWells and provided aid to the boat the group used on July Fourth, said family attorney RussellLatino Latino said that one of the family members who Porterthreatened is awitness in the investigation.
An Ohio woman was also charged with allegedly placing bomb threats at the George County Chancery Clerk’sOffice and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office on July 23. The woman, Michelle Francine Edwards, allegedly called the clerk’soffice 21 times andsaid, “the clock is ticking,” according to an affidavit. ACalifornia man, Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce, wascharged on July 14 forallegedly sending a
threatening Facebook message to aJackson County Chancery Court judge with ties to the Wells investigation. According to an affidavit, aFacebook userbelievedtobe Dumarce sent amessage to the judge’saccount that constituted a“threat thata bomb would be mailed to the judge’soffice.” Judge Ashlee Cole posted a screenshot of Dumarce’sthreatening messageonFacebook on July 9. Cole wroteinanearlier Facebook post that her son last saw Wells on July Fourtharound 3p.m. anddecided to “stay
Qualifying for Nov. 3 election begins
Lafayette Parish’s races get first entrants
BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer
Candidates began qualifying Wednesday for the Nov 3 elections which, in Lafayette Parish, include 15th Judicial District judges, district attorney and mayors, councils and police chiefs in several municipalities.
Qualifying continues through Friday
Judgeships in the 15th Judicial District Court that includes Lafayette, Acadia and Vermilion parishes are on the Nov 3 ballot in those parishes.
Qualifying as of 4 p.m. Wednesday were: n
n
I
n Division K incumbent Michele Billeaud n Division M — incumbent Susan Theall. Two qualified for district attorney in the 15th Judicial District: incumbent Don Landry and former Judge Kristian Earles, who resigned his judgeship to run for district attorney
Roya Boustany was the only person to qualify Wednesday for Lafayette City Court Judge, Division A.
Three people qualified in the City Court Division B race, vacated with the retirement of Judge Doug Saloom. Candidates include:
n Ryan Harris n James Klock n Emilia Pardo.
ä See QUALIFYING,
Woman sentenced for embezzling from clinics
Stolen funds used for personal expenses
Staff report
A former Arnaudville woman was sentenced in federal court for embezzling more than $500,000 from her medical clinic employer in Lafayette and Baton Rouge. Brooke Miller (Tauzin) Duck, 31, who now lives in Midland, Texas, was sentenced on July 31 to 22 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays in Lafayette, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. She also was order to pay $539,451 in restitution.
Duck pleaded guilty on March 16 to embezzling the money from her employer and using the stolen funds for personal expenses and luxury items, including a $15,000 payment on a timeshare vacation property and new cars Duck was employed as a manager by two medical clinics with offices in Lafayette and Baton Rouge and had access to the clinics’ credit cards and bank accounts Between May 2020 and October 2023, Duck used the clinics’ credit cards for purchases and personal expenses. She then allegedly used money drawn from the businesses’ bank accounts to pay off the credit cards associated with her purchases.
Horse jockey Robby Albarado dies at 52
Lafayette native became one of nation’s best
Staff report
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. “Rob by was a great friend, and there was nobody better on a horse tha Robby Albarado. He needs to be in the hall of fame.”
Albarado, who retired in 2021, underwent a procedure 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 career moments of of Albarado, who road Swiss Skydiver 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 extreme-
ly difficult,” Churchill Downs Racetrack President Mike Anderson said in a statement.
“The Churchill Downs family is saddened by this devastating 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 TimesPicayune in 2024 that he listed Albarado as being among his role models. In 2016, Albarado was on the
ä See ALBARADO, page 4B
St. Martin Parish deputies search for mother, daughter
Pair last seen in Butte La Rose
Staff report
The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help locating a missing East Feliciana Parish woman and her 10-year-old daughter who investigators believe may be in St Martin Parish. Danielle Escue Lea,
before his arrest there on unrelated charges.
The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police and the Baton Rouge Police Department are investigating the case. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Danielle or Alayna Lea is asked to contact
STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK
The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office seeks public assistance in locating danielle Escue Lea and her 10-year-old daughter reported missing from Baton Rouge.
PROVIdEd PHOTO
Drew Brees’ accomplishments on thefootball
field will culminate Saturday when he isformally enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, as the firstNew OrleansSaint to be elected on the first ballot.
Brees’ ascendance to thesport’smost hallowed ground was assured years ago. His Saintsrecord reads like video game statistics: five 5,000-passingyard seasons, sixtimesasthe NFL’s completion percentage leader,seven times passingyard leader and the mostconsecutive gameswitha touchdown pass in league history
During his 15 years leading the Saints’ offense, the team won 62% of its games, made theplayoffs nine timesand capturedthe franchise’s only SuperBowltitle.
His brilliance didn’tjust reveal itselfinconsistency andlongevity.Italsoshone through in individual moments and games: his 62-yard toss to Tre’Quan Smith that set the NFL passingyards record in 2018; a40-yard touchdown passtoDevery Henderson in 2012that set the record forconsecutivegames with atouchdown pass; his511-yard, seven-TD game against the Giants in 2015.
Saturday,wewill join the rest of the football world in celebrating Brees’ gridiron accomplishmentsduring the traditionalkickoff to theNFL season.
But we will also celebrate much more thanjust that.It’salmostimpossible to understate thepsychological importance of what Breesdid in theaftermathofthe worst disaster Louisiana hadseen in generations. When he arrived, he —and new coachSean Payton—tookover afranchise whose moribund status was treatedasagiven. They were aperfect matchfor acityand astate devastated nearly a year before by Hurricane Katrina. Indeed,Brees, himself recoveringfrom aserious shoulderinjury,has said that one reason he chose theSaints was because he sawthe devastation and wanted to be part of acivic rebuilding effort.
Payton’scoaching brilliance and Brees’ transcendent skillpaid immediate dividends, notjust in the emotional win over the hated Falcons in the famed Domecoming game, butinexcellence every singleday.The team’srenaissancegave NewOrleansreasontobelieveinitself again
The ensuing years saw theteam growever closer to agoal once thoughtimpossible:aSuper Bowl. The cityimproved,too, with thetwo feeding off each other in asymbiotic relationship Thewhole time,Brees remainedrelentlessly competitive, upbeat and committedtothe team andLouisiana. When heled theSaints to the title, it signified not just achampionship for asports team but the recovery of the state against what had seemed likeimpossible odds. Off the field, too, Brees’ contributions arelegendary. Throughout Louisiana, Breesfamously financed facilities at some 50 schools, plus residential wards for cancer patients, child-care services and more.
So, thank you, Drew.Ofcourse we’re celebrating your on-the-field accomplishments, andwill rejoice to see your enshrinement,complete with Payton’ssure-to-be-emotional introduction. But we are eternally grateful, too, forall you did beyond the playing field. Youwill always be aSaint.
TheJuly 20 issue of the newspaper contained two items connected by thewriters’ insightsabout building a stronger nation. Wayne Parker’sletter cautions against oversimplifying thecontroversial term “socialism.” Jay Lapeyre’sop-ed columnencourages civic engagement. Iwriteto expand on the emotionally charged term“socialism.”
Oneform of socialism is practiced in two of the least democratic countries of the world: North Korea and Cuba. However,another form of socialism is practiced in some of themost progressive democratic countries.
Think Norway,Sweden, Denmark, Finlandand manyother countries in Europe and elsewhere.
These social democracies combine practices of capitalism withemphasis on free and fair elections, civic participation, social cohesion and reducing inequalities in accessto healthcare, education and housing. We can learn from countries like these. Look at any nonpartisan ranking of the world’scountries in theareas of life expectancy,infant mortality,crimeand overall life
satisfaction. Many countries that practice social democracy appear in the top 10 of one or moreofthese categories. Unfortunately,the United States is not ranked in the top 10 in any of these categories. However,the U.S. is ranked in the top 10 in the category of millionaires per capita. So are Switzerland, Australia, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Canada —all governed by aform of social democracy Ironically,some of the mostpopular U.S. government programs are similar to those practiced in social democracies.The nonpartisan opinion polling company YouGov surveyed across-section of Americans, asking about five federal programs. Here are the programs and the percentage of respondents favoring funding at current or higher levels: Social Security(78%); Medicare (76%); Medicaid and Children’s HealthInsurance Program (72%); Supplemental NutritionAssistance Program (69%); and the Women,Infants &Children Program (70%).
DAVID SABRIO
Metairie
The proposed SpaceX launchpad on Pecan Island is adirect assault on Louisiana’scoast. Our state leaders preach about protecting our vanishing coast, yet they are willing to hand over afragile ecosystem to launch rockets. They are swapping decades of oil pollution from ExxonMobil for the destructive impact of rocket launches.
Worse still is the corrupt push to shield SpaceX from accountability.The state is stripping constitutional rights from the taxpayers by giving SpaceX immunity from lawsuits. Louisiana must stop sacrificing its citizens to play landlord to billionaires. We must reject the Pecan Island launchpad and demand that our laws protect taxpayers, not corporate balance sheets.
Banning foreignrobotics only dullsthe abilityof U.S. to compete
Have themoney to buy anew car?
How about aluxury Cadillac Escalade, baseprice $91,000, withhigh performance variance as much as $170,000 each? How many are our tax money purchasing? Quantity 250, so the Secret Service “can ride in style” and Trump said “he’ll look good in it.” How big amotorcade is he gonna have? Can’tthe Secret Service carpool some? Even base price will cost $23 million.
Important expenditures: for changing the name to Gulf of America, replacing highway signage, maritime markers, updating state textbooks and maps —estimated anywhere from half amillion to $200 million or more Vital, really important one: changingthe name of the Defense Department to “Department of War. Internal updates, signs, digital assets and stationery —anestimated $125 million. Fora gaudy military parade to satisfy and stroke his ego, more mil-
lions. As muchas$2billion aday fora war to get anuclear deal we had that included inspections, camerasand enrichment levels. If your neighbor’shome is on fire, what would you do? Trytohelpthem? Or sue because you don’t like the smoke? It’sthe United States’ No.1 trading partner.Why is he picking a fight with Canada?
Cost to Americans for food andeverything else because of chaos caused by his tariffs thatwe’re notsupposed to be paying ourselves. Gas prices because of his foolish aggression that’s igniting arapidly spreading Mideast war.Denying healthcare to children, plus food aid to Americans and starving people worldwide. Nero, the Earthisonfire, andhere’s $500 millionfor aballroom to throw another “Great Gatsby” party.That is not my vision of making America great.I’d prefer the word “shameful.”
TERRYGRUNDMANN Kenner
Recentactions by theFederal Communications Commission to block foreignmade advanced robotics (see your recent article, “U.S.bansforeign-made humanoidrobots”) underthe guiseofnational security represent atroublingslide into protectionism. While shielding domesticfirmsfrom intense pricecompetition may offer short-term comfort, it inflicts afar more damaging, long-term cost on theAmerican economy:the loss of theabilityto learn through competition Capitalismthrivesonthe relentless pressure to adapt, innovate andoutcompete rivals on an open field. When international competitors command the vast majority of theglobalmarket and drive rapid technological iteration, erecting tradebarriers does not foster true resilience. Instead,itcreates an insulated bubble that deprivesdomesticdevelopers of therigorous, real-worldbenchmarking necessary to sharpen theircapabilities. Just as military strategists warnagainst compressing decision cycles to thepoint of blindness, we must recognize that artificially slowing down market exposure to globalinnovation does not protect us. It isolates us True economicstrength is forged notby hiding behind walls,but by engaging with the world’smost advanced technologies andcultivating thecapacity to out-learn andout-compete them.
PRESTON C. RODRIGUE
NewOrleans
MONICA KEESE Mandeville
STAFFFILEPHOTO By dAVId GRUNFELd Retired quarterback drewBrees celebrates his 2024 induction into the Saints Hall of Fame. On Saturday, he will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the first NewOrleans Saint to be elected on the firstballot.
Armstrong’sbirthdaya call to action forLa. jazz lovers
Thefirst time Iever saw my father cry was when he heard Louis Armstrong died. It wasn’tobvious: He was pretending hisglasses were just foggingup, necessitating use of ahandkerchief near his eyes. Still, he couldn’thide some tears running down his cheek.
Dad pulled an LP from the shelf and beganplaying it. Ilooked at the album’sback cover,and either there or on theTV news Idistinctly remember aphoto of Armstrong on his New York front steps, playing his trumpet with some children. If this guy was cherished enoughto make my father cry,and ifhewas nice enough to hang out with neighborhood children, Ifigured Ishould givehim a listen. And, well, wow:I’vebeen nearly obsessed, eversince, withtraditional New Orleans jazz. These memories return because this past Tuesday was Louis Armstrong’s 125th birthday.(Is there anamefor that? If “hemi” is ahalf, wasithis hemi-semiquincentennial?)Weknow theexact day because, 38 years ago, NewOrleans music historian TadJones dug up Armstrong’s baptismal records listing his birth date as Aug. 4, 1901, rather than the July4,1900, that the great jazz musician long had claimed (As an aside: Ididn’tknowJones, butIrandomly found myself sitting next to him at the breakfast bar of the old Bluebird Café on Prytania Street in 1988 and striking up aconversation that naturally turned to jazz —at which time he asked if Icould keep a secret, and he told me he was just aday or threeawayfrom making “a big announcement”about Armstrong’sbirth. To say the least, his announcement certainlymade bignews.)
Of course the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival made ahuge celebration of the centennial of Armstrong’s birth in 2001 (I stillhave theT-shirt). Andlast weekend the 26thannual
Satchmo Summerfesttook place at the New OrleansJazz Museum. Moreover, allweekendlong, on Frenchmen Street andBourbon Street and elsewhere aroundtown,traditional jazz bands were plying their trade. The Palmetto Bug Stompers, playing with verve at DBA New Orleans, were particularly fun.
Coincidentally,the birthdateitself saw an announcement that the documentary City of aMillion Dreams,” about jazz funerals and the city’smusic culture, is now gettinganationwide release on public television. It will air on WYES in New OrleansonAug. 13 at 7:30 p.m. andAug.15at4p.m., and on Louisiana Public BroadcastingonAug. 18 at 8p.m.The documentary’sfilmmaker,New Orleanian Jason Berry, also was Jones’ co-author (1986) of the acclaimed Louisiana music history called “Up From the Cradle of Jazz.” Small world —and, as Armstrong would say,“What aWonderful World, as well. Now: Apologies if all the informa-
tion above may seem atad disjointed, but then again, this is acolumn about jazz, where individual musicians can improvise in unexpected directions but only while still staying tethered to, and returning to, acentral theme.
If you haven’tfigured it out yet,the central tune here is that New Orleans traditional jazz is atreasure, as is the particular legacy of Armstrong.
Yetwhat should worry all of us is that this signature music of the state —which, according toessayist Gerald Early,joins the Constitution and baseball as this nation’sthree mostenduring gifts to civilization —seems always on the verge of dying out. Maybe I’m missing something,but no matter how hard Ilook, Ican never seem to find anyone under 50 years old who regularly plays the real, true thing.
Yes, there are bands and musicians semi-rooted in traditional jazz of the sort played by Armstrong, King Oliver and Buddy Bolden, but mostofthem are brassier,funkier,less subtle, less wedded to acentral melody in each song. They may be playing great music, but it’s not really traditional New Orleansjazz. Yetwemust,weabsolutely must, ensure that our native music doesn’tdie. It is heartening, though, to see key institutions devoted to the music’scontinuance. There’sthe aforementioned jazzmuseum,and of course there’sthe Preservation Hall Foundation, and the New OrleansJazz and Blues Market, along with numerous clubs that still host themusic. Andthere’salso the ambitious, forthcoming LouisianaMusic and Heritage Experience, which will be agrand, museum-plus establishmentinthe city’sRiver District. Through all these outlets, and more, all of us should want to transmit our musical heritage tonew generations. Let’srenew our dedication to this task—both as abirthday present to Satchmoand so my late father won’tbe shedding tearsofloss in heaven. Email QuinHillyer at quin.hillyer@ theadvocate.com
Theera of peak socialisminAmerica
States was at war with Germany and its alliesinWorldWar I.
The emergence of the Democratic Socialists of America and their political victories, from NewYork City across the fruited plains of Michigan andWisconsin allthe way to Colorado, strikes many as anew thing in U.S. politics. Previous movements have, in fact, increased, sometimes significantly the size and scope of government.But it has been their opponents who have accused them of “creeping socialism,” while advocates have avoided the S-word
Some major policies of Franklin Roosevelt’sNew Deal —Social Security most of all —remainpart of the fabric of American life, and elements of the social safety net have been expanded quietly but effectively enough that, as former Sen.PhilGramm has argued, the governmenttransfer payments have effectively equalized the incomesofthose on thebottom 60% of theeconomic ladder
But virtually no attention, so far as Ican see, has been paid tothe period in U.S. history when the government took maximum controlofthe private-sector economy,including the dissemination of information and communication of opinion.
That moment came more than 100 years ago, before the emergence not only of the internet but also of radio and talking motion pictures. It lasted only briefly,and its implications have mostly been glossed overbyhistorians. It has been chronicled recently, however, and with the helpofartificial intelligence, by the iconoclastic economist Arnold Kling. The centerpiece is the policies adopted by Woodrow Wilson’sadministration and an acquiescent Democratic Congress during the 19 months from April 1917 to November 1918, in which the United
This creation of an American state thatwould “seize the railroad, ration the coal,set the price of wheat,conscript four million men, and prosecute the printed word” was the work of progressive reformers convinced that experts could do better than seemingly chaotic markets in running the economy
Wilson’sWar Industries Board, headed by Wall Street speculator Bernard Baruch, set out “to decide, for the wholenation,what got made, from what materials, in what quantities, at what price, and in what order of priority.” His food administration, headed by mining engineer Herbert Hoover, pushed for “meatless Tuesdays and wheatless Wednesday (and) victory gardens,” and doubled theprice of wheat so that U.S.farmers could feed allies in Europe.
Thegovernment seized therailroads in December 1917, and Treasury Secretary WilliamMcAdoo (who was also Wilson’sson-in-law) “set theschedules, the rates, thewages, unified the equipment,and cut the competitive duplication.” It ran thesystem “imperfectly,expensively,but it moved the troops and thecoal,” the essential fuel thenfor both heavy industry and home heating.
The fueladministration enforced “heatless Mondays,” theNational War Labor Board set theeight-hour day and the WarFinance Corporation built an emergency fleet. In November 1917, the 35-year-old AssistantSecretary of the Navy Franklin Roosevelt imposed astrike settlement on BethlehemSteel’s Fore River Shipyard manager,a29-year-old bank president named Joseph P. Kennedy
This socialist America was anything but friendly to civil rightsand civil liberties. Wilson imposed racial segregation on the federal workforce and shut down German cultural orga-
nizations.His government prosecuted and jailed the Socialist presidential candidate Eugene Debs for defending men imprisoned for obstructing the militarydraft
“Everything,”Kling writes, “so far has described astate expanding seizing, planning, rationing, prosecuting, persuading. The last movement is theone thebuildup does not prepare you for,and it is theheart of the matter:how fast nearly all of it came apart.”
The WarIndustries Boardvoted to dissolve itself on New Year’sDay 1919, less than two months after the Armistice; the WarLabor Boardlapsed; the food and fuel controls ended; Congress (Republican after the November 1918 election) returned therailroads to privateowners in theTransportation Act of 1920. Wilson’sDemocratic Party was punished in thepresidential election that year.The Democratic ticket of James Cox and Franklin Roosevelt got 34% of the popular vote. The Republican ticket of Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge got 60%, thehighestpercentage in any election up to that date. Youcan find elements of Wilson’s wartime socialism in some selfdescribed experimentswithin Roosevelt’sNew Deal. Butwhen war came, he didn’tchoosetonationalize the railroadsand industries. Instead, he got William Knudsen to enlistexecutives in moving toward wartime production If you listen to atape of Roosevelt’s speech toCongress on Dec. 8, 1941, theloudest applause, cheers and rebel yells cameafter he said, “The American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.” Socialism,heevidently thought, was not theway to get there.
Maybe there’sa lesson there for the public today
Michael Barone is on X, @MichaelBarone.
“A Face in the Crowd” is the prophetic 1957 movie abouta charismatic drifter “discovered”inanArkansasjail. The face belongs to “Lonesome”Rhodes, ascoundrelwhose folksy act catapults him to nationalprominence. “Lonesome” (Andy Griffith) abuses women, but the crowdonly sees alovable spinnerofdown-home yarns. He deflatesafter getting caught on an open mic mocking his followers as idiots andfools. Maine’s Graham Platner was a face in the crowd, sold to Democratsasa salt-of-the-sea oysterman who actually came from aprivileged background. The senatorial candidate survived his sordid history of mistreating womenuntil aplausible accusation of rape finally did him in.
American politicsfeasts on stories of candidatesfromhumble backgrounds who know what it means to be aworking stiff. Some suchcontenders areuncovered as bums or phonies. But some arethe real thing. Theywould include DanOsborn of Nebraska.Heisthe steamfitter and former union organizerfromOmaha running for the Senate as an independent against RepublicanSen Pete Ricketts. Osborn nowhas adecent chance of prevailing in November. His is notanew face. He hadrun in 2024 as an independent who did surprisingly well against Republican incumbent DebFischer. Osborn lost by only 7points in astate thatDonald Trump carried by about 21 points. Osborn clearly has appeal. Afterthe election, Osborn launched aPAC calledthe Working Class Heroes Fund. Its statedmissionistosupport candidates like him, regardless of party label. With Ricketts an heir to afamily fortune exceeding $1 billion, Osborn haspredictably framed the race as between the “billionaire class” and the working class.
One of his challenges, though, is to minimize the extent to whichDemocrats openly want him to win. Nebraska Democrats arenot running their owncandidate andurge their contributors to back Osborn. To prevail in aconservative state like Nebraska,Osborn needssupport fromdisaffected or moderate Republicans. If elected, he vows nottocaucus with either party.And he criticizesDemocrats for their focus on white-collar professionals.
Working in his favor is the fact thatmany Nebraska Republicans are nothardright. Omaha Rep. Don Bacon, for example, is aRepublican moderate known for often criticizing Trump. His is aswing district, nationally known as the “blue dot.” Seeing himself at a disadvantage among MAGA Republicans and Democrats desperate fora win, Bacon decidednot to seek another term
Former Nebraska Sen. BenSasse is atraditionalconservative known for his intellect andcourteousmanners. Sasse wasone of only sevenSenateRepublicans who votedtoconvictTrump for inciting the Capitolriot. He is nowbravely confronting Stage 4pancreatic cancer
Trump’sjob approval rating in Nebraska is evenly dividedorslightly underwater.And so aworking manfixed on pragmatic solutions would seem aserious challenger
Arizona Democrats have Katie Hobbs running forreelection as governor.The product of amiddle-class family,Hobbs put herself through college.While secretary of state in 2020, she earnednational renown for defending Arizona’s election results against phony claims of voterfraud.
As governor,she hasluredbusiness to her state,whichexplains herdirecting adstoward Republicans andindependents. Many Arizonans, meanwhile,remain incensed at Trump’sshabby treatment of the late Republican icon JohnMcCain.
McCain’swidow, Cindy McCain, has publicly endorsed Hobbs against her Republican opponent, Andy Biggs. Tied hand andfoot to Trump, Biggs triedtooverturn the results of the 2020 election.
Moderate Democrats do have agood shotat winning this November.Electorates may have grown wearyoffaces in the crowd, entertainersoffering colorful talesand little more.
Follow Froma Harrop on X@FromaHarrop.
TIMES-PICAyUNE ARCHIVE PHOTO young Louis Armstrong
Froma Harrop
Michael Barone
Quin Hillyer
EBRschools leader chargedwithcorruption
Grandjury indictsColeon severalcounts
BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer
East Baton RougeParish schools
Superintendent LaMont Cole was indicted Wednesday,accused of taking part in abriberyscheme involving city-parish contractors while he was amember of the parish Metro Council.
Aspecial grand jury charged Cole with two counts of conspiracy to commit public bribery,two counts of money laundering,and a count of malfeasance in office.
As of Wednesday evening, the court had not yet released probable causedocumentsthatwould include details about the charges levied against Cole.
In astatement Wednesday afternoon, Cole briefly acknowledged the indictment but thenwrote about theupcomingnew school year,which starts Thursday
“By now,many of you have likely
seen the news. Iplan to release a personal statement once Ifeel we are fully prepared forthe first day of school,” Cole said.“For now, my focusremains exactly where it has always been, on our students and ensuringthey have an outstanding starttothe school year.”
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’soffice declined to comment beyond issuing abrief statement.
“These are very serious charges. It was based on alengthy investigation by the grand jury,” Murrill said in astatement.“This investigation is continuing, so we have no further comment at this time.”
Contractorsalsoindicted
The grand juryalsocharged Terral“TJ” Jacksonand his wife, Erica Jackson, with the same two charges of conspiracy to commit public briberyasthe onesCole faces, plus two separatecountsofmoney laundering.
City-parishrecords show TJ Jacksonand his company —Broad Innovation Market Firm —were
paid hundreds of thousands of dollarsbetween 2021 and 2024 through various contracts, including some related to former MayorPresident Sharon Weston Broome’sscrutinized “Safe, Hopeful, Healthy BR” program. According to multiple sources, Cole andTJJacksonhave long been close friends and are members of the same fraternity.
Jacksonalso hadcontracts for “Blight Community Outreach,” in which he was paid to identify blighted propertyinCole’s council district each month.
TheJacksonswerecharged earlier this year withtheft and conspiracy to commit theft related to Baton Rouge transit system contracts that prosecutors say were fraudulent.
Arrest warrants have been issued for all three.
Awideninginvestigation
Cole, 52,isthe latest to be indicted as part of awideinvestigation by Murrill’soffice into alleged corruptioninBaton Rouge government
Current council member Cleve Dunn Jr.was chargedinJanuary on aslewofcorruption andconspiracy charges, including bribery,money laundering, theft and others.
Dunn entered anot guilty plea in BatonRouge court on July 1.
Courtney Scott, whowas atop stafferfor Weston Broome, was indicted in February alongsideVeronica Mathis, who was acontractorpaid funds from the mayor’s Safe, Hopeful, Healthy initiative. Scott is accused of receiving nearly$200,000 in kickbacks from Mathis.She alsohas pleaded not guilty On Tuesday, aweekafterThe Advocate reported that he was the subject of agrand jury investigation,Cole addressed the matter at the school district’sannual back-toschool convocation gathering, callingit“oneofthe most challenging times of my life.”
Sources familiar with the investigation say the grand jury has been reviewing evidence against Cole for several months.
Themayor weighs in East Baton Rouge Parish May-
or-President Sid Edwards released his ownstatementhours after Cole was indicted andsaid he believes everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence and full due process.
“Allegations should be decided in acourt of law,not in the court of public opinion,” Edwards said. “At the same time,moments like this understandably test the public’sconfidence in government.”
Themayor noted that the matters under investigation took placebeforehewas in officeand said he is trying to make sure his constituentshaveconfidenceon how local government is currently operating.
“The people of East Baton Rouge Parish deserve agovernment they can trust,” Edwards said. “My administration will continue doingeverythinginits power to ensure thattheir government operates with integrity transparency,and accountability every single day.”
Email Patrick Sloan-Turner at patrick.sloan-turner@ theadvocate.com.
Former N.O. floodauthority leader sues agency over contract
BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer
Joshua Rondeno, the former superintendent of police at New Orleans’ flood protection authority,who was fired in June, sued the agency last week alleging his termination was in violation of an employment contract that Rondeno drafted himself.
The lawsuit, filed on July 28 in the Civil DistrictCourt for Orleans Parish, centers on aseries of changes to Rondeno’semployment contract that Rondeno claims the board never approved. The lawsuit asks the court to declare the termination invalid andseeks Rondeno’s reinstatement, as well as back and future pay,lost retirement benefits and damages for reputational harm and emotional distress, plus attorney’sfees under Louisiana’swhistleblowerlaw
Theboard didnot publicly voteonany version of his employment contract, and the board president told lawmakers that Rondeno drafted one version himself.
ALBARADO
Continued from page1B
verge of his 5,000th victory when he spoke about acareer that spanned nearly three decades.
“You have alot of wisdom and knowledge about racing now,” he said that year “Physically,I’m able to do what Iwas 20 years ago. People who were 20 years ago, like valets, come up to
QUALIFYING
Continued from page1B
Incumbent Lafayette City Marshal Reggie Thomas was the lone candidate to qualifyWednesdayinthat race.
Carencro Mayor Charlotte Stemmans Clavier qualified for reelection Wednesday. She faces at least two opponents: Don Chauvin, a retired local firefighter and Carencro city manager and CAO, who lost to Clavier in 2022, and Eric Knight.
Incumbent mayorsofseveral Lafayette Parish municipalitieshad no challengers qualify on Wednesday
They include:
n Broussard Mayor Raymond Bourque Jr
n Scott Mayor Jan-Scott Richard
n Youngsville Mayor Ken Ritter
n Duson MayorJohnny Thibodeaux.
The city of Scott will be electing anew police chief Nov.3asincumbent longtime Police ChiefChad Leger is retiring. Qualifying
Rondeno’sattorney, Suzette Bangeris, said Wednesday that Rondeno was terminated for tryingto fixproblemsatthe agency
“Webelieve himtobea protected whistleblower who was fired on the basis of retaliation ,” she said. “Wedo also believe that his contracts were breached.”
did saythe agency hadnot been served andhehad not reviewed the lawsuit as of Wednesday.
The Southeast LouisianaFlood Protection Authority-East oversees thesystemoflevees andpumps that protect the eastbankofthe New Orleans region from another HurricaneKatrina. The authority also has a smallpoliceforce whose primary job is to physically protectthe area’sflood control infrastructure, but also performs community policing duties in ahandful of neighborhoods on the shorelineofLakePontchartrain.
The president of the agency’sboard, Peter Vicari said he could notcomment on pending litigation but
me andsay,‘Man, you’re riding the best I’ve seen you since you’ve been here.’ I used to win five aday here, andthey never said that.” Trainer Kellyn Gorder praisedAlbarado for his approachasajockey
“I’ve always been abig fan of Robby’s,” Gorder told TheAdvocate in2016. “He hardly ever makes amistake,and he rides hard and winsfor me alot. Oneofthe things Ireally like about him is he can give youa lot of in-
for police chief on Wednesday wereCaleb Lege’ and Kert Thomas. Youngsville Police Chief Jean Paul “JP” Broussard qualified for reelectionand has one opponent so far, JohnMelvin Trahan Jr Incumbentpolice chiefs from other LafayetteParish municipalities whoqualified and,sofar,facenoopposition, include Broussard Police Chief Vance Olivier and Carencro Police Chief David Anderson.
The following people qualified Wednesday to run for Scott City Council: n At Large— BlaineRoy n District 1—Jakob Goodwin n District 2—Terry Montoucet and Sherie Stutes Sonnier n District 3— Lee Domingue. In Duson, voters will be electing fivealdermen. Only two people qualified Wednesday: John “Johnny” Lagneaux IIand Andrew “Maxis”Malaxonis.
Youngsville voters will be electingits City Council members on Nov.3.Qualifyingsofar are:
Statelawmakers had questioned Rondeno’semployment contract in the months preceding his termination at theflood agency, where he oversaw theagency’s50policeofficers.Aninitial version of his contract, signed by Rondeno andVicari in January,stated that he could only be fired by asupermajority vote of theboard— andwould have granted him four years’ pay with built-in annual raises totalingupto$910,000, as severance if he were fired withoutcause.
TheLouisianaLegislative Auditor’sOffice hasdeemed any severance payments forstate employeestobean unconstitutional donation of public funds.
Rondeno was at that point making$208,000 per year
By law,the floodagency’s police chiefcannotmake more than the superintendent of theLouisianaState
put after arace that actually helps.”
In 2008,the jockey founded the Robby Albarado Foundation, which helped underprivileged kids in the Louisville, Kentucky,area.
“WhenIwas ayoung kid Igrew up in avery poor area,” Albarado told BloodHorse.com in 2008. “I got acouple of chances froma few people who helped me in racing —and if Ican make achange like thatinsomeone’slife, thenthat’swhat
n Division A— incumbent
Sharon Bares
n Division B— incumbent
“Lindy” Bolgiano and James “Bubba” Savell
n Division C—incumbent
MattRomero
n Division D—incumbent
Nick Niland
n Division E—incumbent
Simone Champagne.
Carencro’sCityCouncil election is on the Nov.3ballot. Fivepeople are to be elected.
Qualifying on Wednesdaywere incumbentTaylor James,Damian Glover and Alex Savage. Broussard voters also will be selecting their City Councilmembers.Qualifyingso far are:
n District 2— Charles Sharmaand Trey Smith
n District 4— incumbent
Heather Girouard
n District 5— incumbent
David Forbes
n District 6— incumbent
Kody Allen
The Lafayette Parish
School BoardDistrict 2seat vacated with the resignation of ChadDesormeaux, who wasarrestedfor shoplifting, is up for grabs.Stasia
Police, who at the time made about $207,000.
That caused Sen. Kirk Talbot, R-RiverRidge,toquestion the contract, which he said on Wednesday clearly violatedstate law
Vicari told Talbot at a hearing in May that the contract was justified because Rondeno was“taking abeatinginthe media,” whichVicaricalled“fake news.”
Through his attorney, Rondeno quibbledwith Vicari’saccount of how the contract was drafted.Rondeno said it was Vicari’s idea to addthe severance clause, not Rondeno’s.
The contractwas rewritten in February to remove the severance clause. But it maintained thatRondeno couldonlybeterminated by amajority vote of the board.
Then, in May,Rondeno and Vicarisigned athird document, voiding the second version of hiscontract because“aCommittee of theState Legislatureexpressedconcernssurroundingthe circumstances underwhich theEmployment
I’m looking forward to.” Albarado recorded his first win in 1990 at Evangeline Downs in Opelousasand graduallybuilt areputation as one of the best jockeys in the nation. He won hisfirst Triple Crown race in 2007 aboard Curlin in thePreakness. Curlin was named Horse of the Year in 2007 and 2008.
Albarado finished hiscareer withearnings of $221.6 million over 34,113 mounts, according to Equibase.
Herbert-McZeal of Carencro qualified Wednesday Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.com.
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Agreement wasconfected.”
It states that Rondeno will continue to serve in his role as an at-will employee.
Rondeno’sattorneysaid if theFebruary contract was voided, thenthe January version, which includedthe severance clause, should remain in force.
Then,inearly June,Rondenowas placed on leave pending an investigation into allegationsthathesent inappropriatemessages to awoman who was his subordinate at the agency according to sources with knowledge of the investigation whowerenot authorized to disclose information about it. Rondeno was firedonJune 26.
“He responded to an Instagrampostwitha fire emoji,” Bangeris said of the allegation. “Any suggestionthatMr. Rondeno was accused of sexual harassment is inaccurate and defamatory.”
The lawsuit also claims that Rondeno fixed administrative problems at the agency thatexposedthe policetopotential litigation, and that he helped lead an
effort to rectify racial pay disparities.
During histenure as police chief, the board expanded his role and approved budgets that increased spending on policeand theflood control agency.Spending increased from around $8 millionper year to nearly $14million Afifthofthe flood agency’s operating budget is now spent on policing.
Blair duQuesnay,who leadsCitizens for1 Greater New Orleans, aflood protection watchdog group, said there was a“direct link between this lawsuit andpolitical interference with flood protection governance.”
“The governor’shandpicked board president admitted he signed an employment contract that he believed to be written by thepolicechiefhimself,” she said. “He did so without consulting with the flood protection authority’sattorney, andwithout seeking theadviceofthe board.” Email AlexLubbenat alex.lubben@theadvocate. com.
Rondeno
Cajuns DL West grateful
BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer
It didn’tlastverylong, butthere wasa tense week or so forthe UL Ragin’ Cajuns after former Lafayette Christian standout Fitzgerald West entered the transfer portal.
“I remember that,” UL defensive coordinator Jim Salgado said at Tuesday’sUL media day at Russo Park. “Hebrought backa bad memory there foralittle bit of asecond until we endedupgetting him back.”
Momentsearlier,West was among the UL players scattered around the room talking to area media members with ahugesmile
on his face and the brief scare behind him
“I’m better off, oh yes sir,”Westsaid. “I wasbetter off in the middle of it, to be honest with you.
“Everyone knew what was going on, even the coaches. My D-line coachwas in contact with me almost everyday,making sure I was straight.”
In fact,Westsaid the wayhis coaches handled thetense situation largely led to his decision to stay
“Thataffected me coming back too —just the support Iwas getting even while Iwas in theportal,” West said.
The seniordefensive lineman hadcreated so much goodwill through hismany relation-
ships on the team that he earned such support.
“Whata great young man,” Salgado saidof West. “A leader in that front and alocal kid right from downthe road here.
“I remember calling him when that whole thing went downand trying to talk to him.I wanted what was best forhim.”
Last season,West had23tacklesand two sacks, butdelivered hugestops in bigmoments.
“I’m just very thankful that it ended up working outthathecameback, because he’s going to help this football team
BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer
Kellen Moore didn’thave to think too hard about his first memory of Julian Blackmon in aNew Orleans Saints uniform.
His memory was assisted by where he was standing. Addressing reporters from the corner of the Saints’ indoor practice facility, Moore was standing maybe 15yards away from where Blackmon, about ayear earlier, made amemorable interception near the end of his first practice withthe team.
“I don’teven know if he knew whatour coverages were,” Moore said. “Hejust hopped in and played ball.”
That particular memory is two-sided.
Theunfortunate part is that New Orleans did not have much else to go off of when considering Blackmon as aplayer.Heappeared in one game with the Saints last year as the starting safety before tearingthe posterior labrum in his right shoulder —his second consecutive season that required surgery on that shoulder Then again, it is plays like thatone Blackmonmade in his first training camp practice —plusmany more throughoutcamp last year —that made the Saints comfortable betting on everything Blackmon can be in their defense despite therecent injuryhistory “The coaches felt like Idid enough, they saw enough to know that if Icame backand was able to get afull season, thingswould be really good and it would benefitthe whole team,” Blackmon said. “Weliketosay,‘together,weeat.’ I’m excited for my opportunity this year, becauseIfeel likewecan do that with me on the field.” Blackmon looked like the ideal complement to Justin Reid in their brieftime together last season. In Reid, the Saints have a safety whose primary missionistomakehis opponents remember his physicality.They pair him with Blackmon, who can takeaway awhole halfofthe field with his range and
BY JON BLAU Staff writer
Lane KiffinstrolledintoLSU’s team meetingroomat 11:41 a.m. on Wednesday, afull fourminutes before he was originally scheduled to speak with the media following his first preseason camp practice as head coach. There was no need to spend another four minutes in the92-degree heat of Baton Rouge, whipping the Tigers into shape,when the season will beat on themplenty Practice started at around 10 a.m., and it was done in about 90 minutes.
“We’re followingkindofa ramp-upprogram to prevent injuries,one that we kind of started lastyear (at Ole Miss), just looking at being freshatthe endofseason andinjuriesinthe first five days,”Kiffinsaid. “There’s
not much workout there, but that’sreally long-term thinking.”
Theopener against Clemson is just one month away, along with aseason of immense expectations, but Kiffin didn’t wantthe Tigers going too hard, too fast.
Therewere certainly intense periods in the10minutes of practice media members were allowed to observe. Would-be tacklers chased ball carriers in unison in apursuitdrill as assistant coaches barked. Defensive tackles jarred asled with the palmsoftheir hands and tossed it aside as coaches barked somemore.
But it was aquick in and out on Day 1, for the media and the Tigers alike.
“Wehave alot of really good pieces. We got achance
Lane Kiffin is no longer the wunderkind of football.
It’s been 20 years since Al Davis made the then-31-year-old Kiffin head coach of the thenOakland Raiders. Now 51, Kiffin is probably as lean as he was thenthanks to allthe hot yoga, though he has afew more lines in the still boyish face. Certainly,above all, he’salot wiser For LSU, that’sa good thing At one point during Wednesday’s news conference after LSU’sfirst preseason practice, Kiffin dropped into theconversation that he had along talk Tuesday night with his mentor andone-
time boss Pete Carroll. It was about as casually as one might mention cribbing arecipe from afriend. Carroll isn’t credited for being as big an influence on Kiffintaking
STAFF PHOTO By dAVId GRUNFELd Saints safety Julian Blackmon runs adrill during training camp on Wendesdayatthe team’spractice facility in Metairie. Blackmon is looking to makeanimpact in his return from shoulder injury.
STAFF PHOTO By PEARL SPURLOCK
Preakness will run on a Sunday
BY STEPHEN WHYNO
AP sportswriter
A big change is coming to horse racing’s Triple Crown, with the Preakness Stakes moving to three weeks and a day after the Kentucky Derby and being run on Sunday for the first time.
Maryland Gov Wes Moore and the Maryland Jockey Club announced the decision Wednesday No Triple Crown race has ever taken place on a Sunday in the century-plus-old history of the series. The shift marks a major change on the horse racing calendar, following significant debate and speculation. Except for 2020 during the pandemic, the Preakness has been on the third Saturday in May, two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, since 1950.
Maryland Jockey Club CEO Bill Knauf acknowledged the tradition while also calling this the time to move the Preakness back. The Preakness will be run on May 23
“It’s been discussed for a very long time (and) we recognized the different trends and training methods recently,” Knauf told The Associated Press. “We entered the discussion maybe even saying, ‘Hey, is two weeks the right amount? I think the week was the right placement. It still gives an incredible test for a horse and a champion to go through that, even at three weeks.”
The aim is to get more Derby horses to participate in the second leg of the Triple Crown. For decades, it was normalcy but has become increasingly rare in recent years.
Two consecutive and three of the past five Derby winners have bypassed the Preakness to aim for the final jewel, the Belmont Stakes in June Of the 95 horses who ran in the Derby dating to 2022, just 13 have gone to the Preakness (13.7%) with just one winner in that group.
“We are going to move it back to be able to ensure that the winner of the Kentucky Derby will then be prepared to compete in the second leg of the Triple Crown,” Moore said at a news conference in Annapolis. “By moving the day, you’re then providing additional time and
and other
second from
aj
space for our horses and the people who compete in the Derby to be able to then now compete to be able to be part of that Triple Crown.”
For at least next year, it has the chance to produce the opposite effect, with the Belmont scheduled for June 5, as announced Monday Going from a three-week to a 13day gap between the Preakness and Belmont could force owners and trainers to choose between them, given that modern 3-year-old thoroughbreds typically get significantly more time off.
Knauf said it was a decision made for the long-term future of the Preakness.
Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who with American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018 is the only trainer to win the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978, said in a social media post Monday that if he has the right horse from the Kentucky Derby, he will continue to go to the Preakness annually That was in response to the unveiling of a new championship series of races at Churchill
Downs in Louisville, Belmont Park on Long Island and Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York and does not — for now — include the Preakness.
Future changes to the schedule are always possible beyond 2027. The shift does put the Preakness on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend beginning in 2028 and running through ‘31.
“We believe this creates tremendous excitement for our local economy and businesses,” Knauf said.
“Baltimore will become the place to be on Memorial Day weekends, as the spotlight of the racing world descends on Pimlico.”
The change comes with an extension of the media rights agreement with NBC Sports through 2032. The Preakness as well as the BlackEyed Susan Stakes for fillies on the third Saturday in May — will air on NBC and Peacock for the next six years. NBC Sports President of Acquisitions of Partnerships Jon Miller said at the news conference that
the network as far back as 10 years ago broached the idea of pushing the Preakness back at least a week, but previous ownership was not interested.
“It’s a success factor for everybody by moving it to the eight days later,” Miller said. “The idea of doing it Saturday-Sunday quite honestly, was to create a weekend celebration and not just have it be a one-day event in the middle of a Triple Crown series.”
Moving the Preakness coincides with its return to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore as part of a $500 million reconstruction project, after a one-time stop at Laurel Park.
Next year, there is expected to be limited capacity, with the full, new Pimlico scheduled to be completed by the spring of 2028.
“It’s something business has been a huge champion of,” Greater Baltimore Committee President and CEO Mark Anthony Thomas told the AP “And so people are very enthusiastic around the state’s investments.”
Acadiana area filled with top prep QBs
Here’s 10 to watch during the 2026 season
BY MIKE COPPAGE
Contributing writer
From teams that rarely throw the ball like Southside to the vertical attacks of St. Thomas More, Carencro and Lafayette Renaissance, good quarterback play is essential in high school football
Here is a list of the top quarterbacks in the Lafayette area (in random order):
Richmond Saunier, Lafayette High
A Dartmouth commitment who chose the Ivy League over the Sun Belt, Saunier threw for more than 1,100 yards last year while sharing snaps with John Carney
The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder will be throwing to a new batch of receivers, which means the dual-threat senior will likely carry the ball and hand off to Comeaux transfer Jaden Celestine often.
Carson Gurzi, Carencro
The top-ranked junior quarterback in the state (Prep Redzone), Gurzi led the area with nearly 3,000 yards passing with 32 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He also rushed for close to 400 yards and has two good backs to keep defenses honest in Cardaye Batiste and DaMarion Green.
The 6-2, 215-pounder has 4.8 speed in the 40-yard dash.
Parker Dies, Southside
The Sharks’ option quarterback was among the area’s top rushers with nearly 1,300 yards and 18 TDs. A college baseball prospect, Dies averaged almost 10 yards per carry while running with more authority than you might
expect from a 5-10, 170-pounder
He passed for close to 500 yards for an offense that totaled close to 5,000 yards rushing.
Noah Antoine, Westgate
The Tigers figure to be in the mix for the Division II state title the next two years with Antoine directing an offense that features a bevy of receivers including Cayden Lancelin. As a sophomore, Antoine was the area’s sixth-leading passer with 2,100 yards, 19 TDs and only five interceptions.
The 6-1, 170-pounder, who has offers from North Alabama and Grambling, led the Tigers to their second consecutive undefeated championship at STM’s 7-on-7 tournament.
Aaron Tillman, Jeanerette
This could be the year the Tigers make their first appearance in the state championship game as Tillman returns for his junior campaign with a fantastic group of skill players, including receivers Nysir Jackson and Kobe Gage.
Listed at 6-2, 185 pounds, Tillman helped the Tigers to the Division IV nonselect semifinals in 2025 and is being recruited by some colleges as a running back.
Kennan Brown, Lafayette Renaissance
As a junior, Brown was first in the area in completions (200) and touchdown passes (34) while throwing for 2,600 yards. Although the Tigers graduated their top receiver (Ja’Courey Duhon), all the other leading receivers are back for an offense that will face one of the state’s best secondaries in John Curtis, as well as juggernaut Edna Karr
Zade Prejean, Westminster-Lafayette
The 6-3, 180-pounder threw for 600 yards in a run-first split-back veer offense His favorite target could be younger brother Zeph, who started as an eighth grader Prejean also averaged close to 5 yards per carry for a program that
Announcer Vitale optimistic despite 5th cancer diagnosis
NEW YORK Longtime college basketball announcer Dick Vitale says he is making positive strides after announcing in April that he had been diagnosed with cancer for the fifth time.
The 87-year-old Vitale said on social media Wednesday that recent blood tests came back “very good” and that the immunotherapy treatments that he has been receiving are “very effective in wiping out the cancer.”
Vitale was first diagnosed with cancer in 2021, when he revealed that he had melanoma. He also was diagnosed with lymphoma and, after being declared cancer-free, learned in 2023 that he had vocal cord cancer The following year, Vitale was diagnosed with lymph node cancer, and he underwent surgery to help treat it.
Scottish police look into missing athletes reports
GLASGOW, Scotland Police in Scotland said they had received reports that “several” athletes were unaccounted for following the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow Ugandan sporting news website NBS Sport said four members of the nation’s boxing squad had reportedly gone missing in Scotland and did not rejoin the rest of the delegation before the team’s scheduled return to Uganda on Tuesday
The Pakistan Today newspaper also reported a missing boxer from the Pakistan team.
There have been numerous cases of athletes seeking asylum following previous Commonwealth Games, including 2018 on the Gold Coast in Australia and in 2014 when hosted by Glasgow again.
Center Washington transfers to Tennessee following injunction
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Former Vanderbilt basketball player Jalen Washington has transferred to Tennessee, announcing his new school less than a week after a judge in Colorado granted a preliminary injunction giving student-athletes who graduated from high school in 2022 another season of eligibility for the upcoming year
The decision from U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney last Friday came hours after I’Ashea Myles of the Davidson County Chancery Court issued a temporary injunction to Washington and 18 other players to retain their eligibility Washington was the lead plaintiff in a complaint filed July 6 by the Texas Trial Group seeking the injunction.
appears ready to make the next step after winning its first playoff game in 2025.
Landen DeRouen, Erath
The 6-2, 210-pounder, one of the state’s best shortstops and a top pitcher for the baseball team, will bring a cannon to coach Eric LeBlanc’s backfield after serving as a tight end as a junior DeRouen is a fierce competitor who had some huge receiving games for a team that posted a perfect regular season. When he tucks the ball under, DeRouen will be difficult to tackle
DJ Kelly, Teurlings Catholic
The Rebels haven’t announced a starting quarterback between Kelly Austin Calandra and Will Fontenot in the race to replace Alex Munoz, now at UL. All three possess the athletic ability to make an impact at multiple positions, with Kelly playing a pivotal role as a receiver in Ascension Episcopal’s deep Division IV select playoff run before transferring to Teurlings. He is a dangerous dual-threat signal-caller with small-school offers who could get opportunities from bigger schools.
Collin Rideau, Opelousas
As a junior, Rideau accounted for 2,200 total yards and 33 touchdowns, throwing for 1,500 yards while rushing for 700 more. He was a 10-for-10 through the air in one game for the Tigers, who are entering their second season under coach Harry Coleman.
Others to watch: Dace Fuselier (Iota), Grant Bertrand (Church Point), Chaise Dupre (Northwest), Kaleb Joseph (Northside), Nathan LeBlanc (New Iberia), JP Robison (Catholic New Iberia), Christian Gedward (St. Martinville), Cohen DiBetta (Acadiana), Layne Champagne (Cecilia), Jayden Hargrave (Kaplan).
Georgia to debut all-white uniforms vs. Western Kentucky
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia announced Wednesday the Bulldogs will debut a new all-white look as an alternate uniform when they play Western Kentucky at home on Sept. 12.
Georgia’s uniform traditionally emphasizes its primary colors, red and black, with silver trim. The new uniform will feature white helmets, with red and black stripes, white jerseys with black numbers and red trim, and white pants.
Georgia players said they were shocked when two veterans, tight end Lawson Luckie and defensive back KJ Bolden, were selected to unveil the new uniform in a team meeting.
Georgia finished No. 6 in the AP Top 25 after winning its second consecutive SEC championship last season.
Corning Classic returns to LPGA schedule after 18 years CORNING, N.Y The Corning Classic is returning to the LPGA Tour schedule in 2027 after an 18-year absence going from a popular small-market event in western New York to offering a $5 million purse that ranks among the richest outside the majors.
The tournament had a 31-year run through 2009 until it did not renew because the economy was in a downturn and LPGA leadership at the time was demanding more from its sponsors.
Now it will be known simply as “The Classic” when it gets back its familiar spot on the calendar the last week in May Corning, New York, is about two hours southeast of Buffalo with a population of about 11,000.
Yani Tseng won
of
ASSOCIATEd PRESS FILE PHOTO By JULIA dEMAREE NIKHINSON
Mahal,
right,
horses compete during the 151st Preakness Stakes on May 16 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRAd BOWIE
Carencro’s Carson Gurzi is pursued by the Acadiana’s dante Chavis during a first-round playoff game on Nov 14 in Scott.
who is at his best when the ball is in the air
Beyond their physical skillsets, Reid and Blackmon are similar personalities who think about the game in a similar way — something that is evident while watching them communicate on the field.
But the Saints barely got a glimpse of it. Blackmon made seven tackles and recorded a pass breakup in 66 defensive snaps against Arizona in the opener last season. He went to dinner with his agent after the game and felt good about his debut performance, even if it came in a loss.
Then he woke up the next morning and felt something off in his shoulder Imaging showed the problem, and Blackmon’s 2025 season was suddenly over
“It was just hard to hear, especially with the anticipation of being back after having been hurt the year before,” Blackmon said His contract added to the uncertainty While Blackmon has been productive when he’s been on the field, he had to wait until the start of training camp to land with a team last year because he’d played through his first shoulder injury (suffered in Week 1 of the 2024 season) and put off surgery until after the season was over He signed a one-year “prove-it” deal with the Saints shortly after Tyrann Mathieu’s sudden retirement last July. Now he was staring at free agency again, only this time he was coming off back-to-back injuries. The Saints were there
a
during training camp on Wednesday in Metairie.
again, but Blackmon knows he only has so many chances to show who he is.
“I feel like, mentally, I’m very locked in which I’ve got to be,” Blackmon said “It’s another prove-it year, it’s another oneyear contract, and it’s another chance for me to get out there and play a full season.”
Even when he wasn’t on the field, Blackmon added value. He played through his injury in 2024 because he felt compelled to be there for a young secondary to lean on.
When he couldn’t be on the field last season, he put on his “coach’s hat” and helped then-rookie Jonas Sanker where he could.
Sanker turned in a strong rookie season filling Blackmon’s spot in the lineup, and has since shifted over to the “Star” position in Brandon Staley’s defense — a transition Blackmon has helped ease based on his own experience playing as a nickel safety
“He took me in and taught me the way he watches film, the way he approaches game day, everything,” Sanker said Blackmon said he did not know how his shoulder would respond until he was out of surgery, but this recovery went smoother than the last and he feels a more comfortable range of motion in the joint than he did after his first surgery
Which is good for a lot of reasons — one of them being that he and Reid have a lot of unused celebrations in the bank already, and they’re planning on using them a lot this season.
“You don’t know how many handshakes we came up with, and we didn’t get to use any of them, bro,” Reid said. “We got a whole armory of celebrations we’re going to be throwing out this season.”
LSU
Continued from page 1C
to be really good. But everybody wants to know ‘How many wins is that?’ ” Kiffin said. “That’s all outcome, and there’s so many variables in that We’ve got a lot of work to do with these pieces, get them to play together well, get them to play as a team together.”
There’s urgency but also a pace to that work.
LSU had a morning practice Wednesday but will return in the evening, around 6:35 p.m., on Thursday Then a lighter walkthrough Friday
Another morning practice follows Saturday, then no practice at all on Sunday
Continued from page 1C
tremendously,” Salgado said. “Not just the physical part of it, but I think his leadership, and, you know, the experience that he has, and the energy that he plays with.
“Guys have seen it, and that rubs off onto the other guys, and it’s somebody our younger new players can look at, no matter what position you are, and learn from that guy, watching him play.”
O-line better off
What UL’s offensive line went through last season was tough to live through.
A season-long flurry of injuries on that unit that reached double figures created different lineups each week throughout the 2025 season. The good news is the experience gained from so many should help the Cajuns this time around.
“Now that we’re on the back end of it, you can see a lot of good things that come out of it,” Desormeaux said. “(Senior) George Jackson is back, right?
He got a year back and he’s back He’s lost about 35 pounds from last year and he looks incredible.”
Also, redshirt junior Matt Broussard got far more playing time than he thought and so did sophomore Jakoby Isom, among others
“We were able to grow some depth and certainly confidence in that room,” said Desormeaux,
Alternating morning and eve-
ning practices will follow on Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday with a walk-through between them on Wednesday
Things will get harder toward the middle of the month when consecutive practices are followed by scrimmages on Aug. 15 and Aug. 22. But this first week will fly by, because Kiffin wants to avoid softtissue issues at all costs.
“Those happen, and they linger, and then we fall behind,” Kiffin said “It’s usually receivers, DBs — and then we can’t practice the way we want to, and the quarterbacks’ timings can be off.”
LSU needs to sync things up between a new quarterback, Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt, who missed most of spring practice, and a completely revamped
who said the unit is at eight and “hopefully by the end of camp, we can get to nine or 10 that you feel really good about.”
QB camp plan
Things are very different when it comes to the quarterback position heading into camp that began Wednesday For most of Desormeaux’s five seasons as coach, there’s been a starting quarterback battle.
This time, everyone knows Lunch Winfield is the team’s leader and most of the camp can revolve around his progress.
“They won’t be live in fall camp,” Desormeaux said of the quarterbacks “What it does is it allows the starter to get really my plan right now is he’s taking 100% of the one reps.”
The whole goal is to get Winfield as ready to play as possible. With that said, backups Carter Coleman, Daniel Beale, Sam Altmann and Alex Munoz will also get opportunities to impress.
“Hopefully it’ll be about 90% where you can start working some of those other guys in there,” he added “Coleman and Daniel will take all the twos split those and split them evenly Let them continue to work and continue to battle. They’ve both done some really good things.
“Then with Sam and Alex getting here, Sam will take most of the third group reps. He knows the offense and can run it Alex needs to get him too and get himself ready So it’s still a good spread the way that we have it.”
SAINTS CAMP OBSERVATIONS
Position battles heating up
BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer
The longer training camp lasts, the more the New Orleans Saints have started to experiment with their starting lineups.
Coaches across the NFL say there is competition at every position, and New Orleans’ Kellen Moore is no exception. But some spots are less locked down than others.
Through six practices, the team’s position battles have begun to crystallize — with two or three starting spots in particular that could be up for grabs. All of them, coincidentally, reside on the defense.
Linebacker Danny Stutsman took a series of first-team reps ahead of Pete Werner for the second straight practice Wednesday, while defensive tackle John Ridgeway took snaps over veteran Nathan Shepherd. Two days earlier, the Saints also rotated in Isaac Yiadom in place of Quincy Riley Moore said Monday that the changes were “no big deal,” adding that the Saints would rotate guys in “different capacities” as camp progressed. And that might be true, in some instances. It would be surprising, for instance, if Riley was ultimately relegated to a lesser role after a promising rookie season.
But the swaps do matter to the players involved, particularly for those eager to prove they’re capable of starting in the NFL.
“That’s a dream,” Stutsman said when asked how badly he wants to be a starter “That’s kind of why you wake up. That’s motivation. At the end of the day, you want to contribute as much as you can for the defense to do as much as I can.
“There’s a respect between everyone in the room, but it’s the kind of job that you want to win. Every day you’re fighting out there and putting your best thing on tape.”
Injuries stacking up
After putting the pads on earlier this week, the Saints are now dealing with the aftereffects of the ramped-up physicality. Running back Kendre Miller (back), rookie defensive lineman Christen Miller (toe), rookie guard Jeremiah Wright (shoulder) and defensive lineman Keeshawn Silver (calf) were sidelined for
receiving corps. But there are enough “offseason training activities,” or OTAs, in college football now that Kiffin doesn’t see the need to overdo it.
“Looking at last year,” Kiffin said, referring to a Rebels squad that made a run to the College Football Playoff semis, “we were as healthy as any team going into the playoffs, if not healthier than anybody I think a big part of that was because of our change of practicing less and less.”
Kiffin began really focusing on practice schedules when he arrived at Ole Miss, wondering how he could gain any possible edge over “big schools” like Georgia and Alabama that “traditionally has better players.”
“Monday, the traditional (Nick) Saban, Kirby (Smart) thing, they
RABALAIS
Continued from page 1C
college and pro. All that experience should make LSU fans glad Kiffin didn’t get the job when it hired Brian Kelly four years ago, or certainly before that.
“Going back over things (with Carroll), you remember how little you knew,” Kiffin said. “I equate it to parenting. The first time you’re a parent compared to if you had six kids now It’s my sixth job.
You’ll probably do a better job.”
Kiffin had the Tigers easing into practice Wednesday morning. He said the goal is to ramp up gradually reducing the potential of injuries and to be fresher in the long run.
Fresher goal strongly implied — for the College Football Playoff. The way he said Ole Miss was last year when Kiffin first embarked on this workload management stratagem.
Injuries will happen, sometimes in the most mundane of ways. Ask the Saints about losing star defensive tackle Bryan Bresee to a season-ending non-contact ACL tear the first day of training camp. But Kiffin is out to tip the odds in his favor
“We’ve got to control,” he said, “what we can control.”
Kiffin isn’t naïve about the LSU job, maybe his biggest pressure cooker since the Raiders. Expectations are arguably higher even than they were when he was head coach at USC. In SoCal, they demand excellence from their Tro-
Wednesday’s practice, Moore said. Moore downplayed the significance of Kendre Miller’s latest injury, which naturally drew curiosity given the fourth-year back’s lengthy history The coach, however, said he did not know the severity of Christen Miller’s toe injury such as whether it was turf toe.
“I don’t think (so), but we’ll see,” Moore said.
Otherwise, the Saints had their usual attendance, with Bryan Bresee (ACL), Mason Tipton (leg) and Zxavian Harris (foot) still sidelined.
Play of the day
While this section is usually reserved for action that happens in team drills, there’s an exception that is going to be made for Vernon Broughton’s first rush during one-onone pass rush drills.
Lined up against guard Cesar Ruiz, the second-year defensive lineman drove the 316-pounder back roughly 10 yards in a manner of less than two seconds. The rush even elicited an “oh my God!’ from a fan sitting in the stands.
Broughton’s second rep against Ruiz could have also qualified here, too. On the second time around, the former third-rounder used a spin move to shed Ruiz off him and climb up the pocket to get to the stand-in quarterback (played by assistant defensive line coach BrianYoung).
Odds and ends
n After having their best prac-
start practicing, which is fine; it’s won a lot of championships,” Kiffin explained at a Georgia Football Coaches Association event. “That same practice those guys do, we just walk through it. I’m conscious of legs and body and tear, and I think it pays off at the end of the year.”
Kiffin favors an Olympic-style ramp, full pads on Tuesday, halfpads on Wednesday, then a 200play walk-through on Thursday That last part came from former Oregon coach Chip Kelly, who just seemed to have a fresher, faster team in the fourth quarter
“Our last physical practice is Wednesday, done at noon,” Kiffin told his fellow coaches. “Alabama, Georgia their last is Thursday at 6 p.m.” Friday, however, isn’t a day Kif-
jans, sure. But if USC doesn’t win, their fans can go to the beach. Or the mountains. Or the beach and the mountains in the same day In Louisiana, LSU football is a 24/7/365 all-consuming passion.
“Expectations are high,” Kiffin said. “I knew that when I came here.”
He is clearly confident he can deal with them because he has his systems well-established. Ole Miss fans won’t want to hear this, but Kiffin’s six years in Oxford were a touring company-like rehearsal for the Broadway theater that is being on the LSU stage. Why is he vilified so by the Ole Miss folks? Sure, he left them on the eve of the CFP, perhaps undercutting a trip to the national championship game.
But Kiffin is also vilified there for the same reason Saban was reviled at LSU when he returned to college football at Alabama three years after leaving Baton Rouge in 2004. They’re worried, rightly so, that Kiffin has perfected his craft. Or at the very least polished it to a high gloss.
Kiffin is confident in himself, confident in his plan, confident in his staff. He spoke about how he was recently able to deal with some transfer portal issue instead of having to shepherd the offensive staff meeting because he knew offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., who followed Kiffin from Ole Miss, had things well in hand. That he will do things the Kiffin way He doesn’t feel he has to drop in and monitor the defensive staff
tice of camp Monday, the firstteam offense had a quieter outing Wednesday Tyler Shough went 10-for15, but many of his throws were on the shorter side. His best pass of the day was when he hit Chris Olave on a comeback route about 12 yards for the first down.
n The Saints love to run situational drills and Wednesday’s practice concluded with a scenario in which the offense was down 3 with 1:15 left, starting from the opposite 35-yard line. Run by both the 1’s and 2’s, neither quarterback got a satisfying result. Shough’s drive settled for a 51-yard field goal when the signal-caller was jumped by a trio of defenders for the sack. Spencer Rattler‘s unit also had to settle for a field goal after a costly delay of game on thirdand-1 led to an incompletion.
n Tanner Brown, competing to unseat kicker Charlie Smyth, went 5-of-6 during the period of practice dedicated to field goals. The UFL product missed from 39 yards, making him 15-of-17 in camp.
n Barion Brown is quickly becoming a fan favorite. The sixth-round wide receiver had another noteworthy day with three impressive catches in 1-on-1 drills. And during the Saints’ situational period, Brown hauled in a dime from Rattler, stayed in bounds and took off for 36 yards down the sideline. After practice, quarterback Zach Wilson raved about the energy the rookie brings.
fin wants his team resting. He prefers a “Fast Friday” practice where his players “rev up” with a short, but full-speed practice, typically centered around special teams work. He isn’t at Ole Miss anymore, but Kiffin’s formula doesn’t appear to have changed much at LSU. There are games to be won, but he wants his team prepared for a 12-team playoff that continues well into January
No need to overdo it in August.
“There’s always outside circumstances and things that happen in games and injuries that have a lot to do with your season’s winloss total,” Kiffin said “We’ve got to control what we can control, which is working really hard and getting the players used to playing together.”
room because Blake Baker, who stayed as LSU’s defensive coordinator instead of leaving for any of several mid-major head coaching jobs, is running the show It’s very early days. The promise of LSU, a team of “really good pieces” as Kiffin called it, is counterbalanced by questions. Questions about quarterback Sam Leavitt’s health (Kiffin said the Arizona State transfer looked the best he’s looked, though reporters only saw him during two practice periods) and the enormous job of turning this 112-piece band of players into a symphony orchestra are reflected in the Tigers’ No. 13 ranking in the preseason coaches’ poll. The promise is there. The Kiffin factor, shall we say If you haven’t found Kiffin as brash as you thought you would when he arrived at LSU, you’re not alone. While he’s been tweaking fewer noses at LSU than in past years, he still found room for a bold prediction on this first day of camp for his first season:
“I know as good as we are now we’re just beginning,” he said. “Next year, we should have a better roster We had to sign a (high school) class in a week, then sign a portal class with half our coaches going back and forth (to Ole Miss). We should be in a better position.”
That’s the voice of experience talking.
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ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By GERALd HERBERT Saints wide receiver Trey Palmer, right, and cornerback Isaac yiadom run through drills on Monday during training camp in Metairie.
Last year didn’t go as well as St.Thomas More would have liked, although the Cougars finished 8-4 overall and reached the second round of the division I select playoffs.
While they know each year presents its own challenges, the Cougars are again expected to be contenders in district 3-5A and a state championship.
If the Cougars are going to live up to those expectations, they’ll rely on their defense — at least early on.
Led by seniors Landon Ortte at safety and Walker Pugh and Tristan Klock at inside linebacker the Cougars have a good foundation to build around.
“We have three all-district players returning on defense,” offensive coordinator Shane Savoie said.
The middle of our defense is solid The talent in those positions in the middle is something that we are going to be able to lean on.
Ortte is a UL commitment with a high football IQ Pugh returns as the leading tackler and Klock has proven to be quite versatile.
The strength of the defense goes beyond just those three players, as STM returns a total of five starters and a handful of others who got playing time
With Ortte leading the way, the Cougars’ secondary is viewed as a strength. Ortte’s complemented by Owen Giglio, who earned a starting spot midway through his junior year, and John david whose speed and competitiveness make him a strong cover option.
The defensive line is led by senior defensive end Hayden Hemard, who has established himself as a disruptive force up front.
Seniors Adian Robinson,Austin Macicek and Owen daniel also figure into the defense. If the defensive line can hold up and develop into a strength, the defense could go from being good to great.
What we don’t know
There’s a lot to like about the Cougars’ offense this season.
Not only do they have an offensive line with returning
starters in tackles Jayden Brown and Max Mason guard
Tyler Ritz and center Alex Hebert, they also possess a talented backfield headlined by senior running backs
Owen Bailey and Landyn Craft.
Bailey had only 60 carries last season, but averaged 6 yards per attempt.The 212-pound Craft gives the Cougars a between-the-tackles runner that is tough and physical
Quarterback is the one starting role still undecided. In a competition that began with as many as five candidates — Greyson Hemard, Preston Pellerin, Eli Clark, Michael LaCour and Mark Guthrie — the Cougars haven’t yet decided on a quarterback.
“The quarterback battle has been hard to pick,” Savoie said.“We have about four to five guys in the mix for the job and they’ve been shuffling around all summer But the work they’ve all put in has been productive.
Although there isn’t a firm timeline on when the Cougars will name a starting quarterback, Savoie knows what he’s looking for.
“We’re looking for someone who is an elite decisionmaker,” Savoie said.“The entire offense relies on them. Our quarterback has to be able to decipher information under pressure and deliver.”
How we see it
The Cougars should be right in the thick of things this season.
They have talented players, but they are also a welloiled machine both offensively and defensively defensively, the Cougars are going to be stout, and that unit will only get better as the season progresses. STM will not only have a chance to win every game they play this season because of their defense, but there will be times that the defense will be the reason the Cougars win.
There’s a lot of senior leadership throughout the roster but to make a run at the division I select state title, STM will have to develop depth on the defensive line and solidify the quarterback position.
If the quarterbacks develop as Savoie expects and the Cougars’ defensive line holds up, STM will make another deep playoff run.
Eric Narcisse
SCOREBOARD
Walker Pugh
LB, 6-1, 215, Sr.
A three-time wrestling champion in the heavyweight decision, Pugh led the Cougars in tackles last season. Pugh has great instincts,diagnosing plays quickly and is a fierce tackler when he meets the ball carrier
Landon Ortte
FS, 6-2, 195, Sr.
A three-year starter in the secondary, Ortte has a good combination of size and speed.The UL commitment is a physical presence who is strong against the pass and tough in run support
Jayden Brown LT, 6-3, 260, Sr.
Fresh off a productive junior season,Brown was the Cougars’ highest-graded lineman last season. Brown,a former basketball player,is long and athletic.He’s excellent in pass protection.
Jared Quoyeser
WR, 5-8, 160, Sr.
The Cougars’most proven receiver Quoyeser is STM’s most explosive player on offense.Although he only played in five games as a junior because of injury,Quoyeser displayed his game-changing abilities whether in the slot or as a returner He has good speed, which enables him to stretch defenses both vertically and horizontally
Tyler Ritz
RG, 6-4, 290, Sr.
A big and physical guard,Ritz does a great job of moving bodies and resetting the line of scrimmage on run plays.A threeyear starter,Ritz is a vital part of the Cougars’offensive front.
Hightower
STAFF PHOTO By ERIC NARCISSE
St. Thomas More defensive standouts include, front row from left, Aidan Robinson, John david and Tristan Klock. Pictured back row from left are Landon Ortte, Hayden Hemard and Walker Pugh.
Glazed swordfish, saladpair forsummer perfection
BY LINDAGASSENHEIMER
Here’s asimpleyet
aswordfish fillet and bake until perfectly cooked. Paired witha crunchy,refreshing summer vegetable salad, this quick and satisfying meal is
vor,it’sacomplete dinner that comes together in minutes.
Glazed Swordfish Yields 2servings. Recipe is by Linda Gassenheimer
6tablespoons Dijonmustard
4tablespoons orangemarmalade
¾pound swordfish Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2tablespoons orangezest (optional garnish)
1. Preheat ovento350 F.
2. Add mustard and marmalade to asmall bowl and stir to completely combine the ingredients. Set aside.
3. Line abaking tray withfoil or parchmentpaper andadd the swordfish.Sprinkle bothsides of the fish with saltand pepper to taste. Spread the mustard sauce on top of the swordfish
4. When the oven reaches 350F,place the baking tray on themiddle shelf and bake10 minutes. Ameatthermometer should read123 F.
5. Divide in half and place on two dinner plates. Sprinkle the orange zest on top.
NUTRITION INFO PER SERVING: 343 calories (22 percent from fat), 8.4 gfat (2.0 gsaturated,3.6 g monounsaturated),66mgcholesterol, 35.5 gprotein, 30.2 g carbohydrates, 2.2 gfiber, 666 mg sodium.
When my oldestchild went to college, he asked me to create a book of our most loved family recipes. He said he wanted to have away to cook all the dishes that we made the most during his childhood years. Ihate to admit this, but my son graduated last spring and all of our well-worn recipe cards still sit on my desk waiting tobeput in alogical format. There is comfort that comes from the meals we share around our family tables.Itisvery nostalgic to thinkback on cooking and baking with my children as they grew up in our home. Acompilation of favorite family meals is awonderful gift because it provides thearomas,tastes and memories from homeeven when that homeisonly adistant memory. This month, Ipicked threemorerecipesfrom“Cooking Up AStorm: Recipes Lost and Found from the Times-Picayune
See FAMILY, page 6C
GRETCHEN McKAY
PHOTOSByLIZ FAUL
TNS PHOTO By LINdAGASSENHEIMER
Glazed Swordfish with Crunchy Zucchini Salad
By The Associated Press
Today is Thursday, Aug 6, the 218th day of 2026. There are 147 days left in the year
Today in history:
On Aug. 6, 1945, during World War II, the U.S. B-29
Superfortress Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, resulting in an estimated 140,000 deaths.
Also on this date:
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting
Rights Act, prohibiting racial discrimination in voting. In 1991, the World Wide Web made its public debut as a means of accessing webpages over the internet. In 2025, a U.S. Army sergeant shot and wounded five fellow soldiers at Fort Stewart in Georgia before being tackled by other troops Quornelius Radford was later sentenced to life in military prison with the possibility of parole after being convicted of attempted mur-
Crunchy Zucchini Salad
Yields 2 servings. Recipe is by Linda Gassenheimer.
1
der at a court-martial.
Today’s birthdays: Actor-director Peter Bonerz is 88. Actor Dorian Harewood is 76.
Actor Leland Orser is 66.
Actor Michelle Yeoh is 65.
Basketball Hall of Famer David Robinson is 61. Movie writer-director M. Night Shyamalan is 56. Singer
Geri Halliwell Horner is 54.
Actor Vera Farmiga is 53.
Actor Soleil Moon Frye is 50. Actor Leslie Odom Jr is 45. Actor Ty Simpkins is 25.
Singer Nessa Barrett is 24.
1. Add the zucchini, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, yellow bell pepper cubes and cannellini beans to a small bowl
2. Add the vinaigrette dressing and toss well.
dressing
2 cups washed, ready-to-eat arugula
Eggplant Fritters
3. Divide the arugula in half and place on two dinner plates Spoon the zucchini mixture over the arugula NUTRITION INFO PER SERVING: 2.5 calories (11 percent from fat), 2.5 g fat (0.4 g saturated, 0.6 g monounsaturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 12.1 g protein, 36.3 g carbohydrates, 9.0 g fiber 25 mg sodium.
Tartar Sauce
Makes about 6 servings. Recipe is from the cookbook “Cooking Up A Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from the Times-Picayune of New Orleans,” edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker
Recipe is from the cookbook “Cooking Up A Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from the Times-Picayune of New Orleans,” edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker
ripe summer
to serve with the fritters.
1. For the sauce: In a bowl, add the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, chopped onion, lemon juice, hot sauce and Creole seasoning and mix together until combined into a smooth sauce. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
2. For the fritters: In a heavy pan, over medium heat, add the cubed eggplant and just enough water (about 1⁄8 cup) to keep the eggplant from sticking to the bottom. Stir the eggplant, and cook until it is tender. Once the eggplant is soft, remove it from the heat, mash well with a fork and let it cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggplant, baking powder, flour, sugar, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and salt. Mix well.
Rosemary Cookies
4. Heat about 4 inches of oil in a deep, heavy pot or electric fryer to about 360 F Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, drop the eggplant mixture into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels. You can season the fritters with more salt if you wish.
Makes 12-15 cookies Recipe is by Mary Youngblood Cooper, from “Cooking Up A Storm:
Recipes Lost and Found from the Times-Picayune of New Orleans,” edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker ½
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F 2. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the butter, flour, confectioners sugar rosemary and lemon juice
3. Spoon the dough by the teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, about 1½ inches apart. Press the dough flat with a cookie stamp or the bottom of a small drinking glass dipped in granulated sugar 4. Bake the cookies until light brown around the edges, about 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container
FAMILY
Continued from page 5C
Pomodori con il Riso
Serves 6. You need to turn on the oven for this dish from a forthcoming book, “Rome: Classic Recipes from the Eternal City” by Lucia Tersigni and Audrey Cosson (Michael Beazley, $33). But the upside is the finished dish doesn’t have to be eaten hot; it’s just as tasty cold, making it the perfect dish for a quick summer lunch.
12 ripe tomatoes
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
Leaves from 1 small bunch of basil
Pinch of dried oregano or 1 fresh oregano sprig
12 tablespoons long-grain or basmati rice Salt and freshly ground black pepper Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Line a baking dish with parchment that has been dampened and any excess water shaken off. (I put the tomatoes directly into the pan.)
3. Wash and dry tomatoes. Slice off the top one-third of the tomato and set aside the caps. Scoop out the flesh inside with a spoon, making sure not to split the skins.
4. Put the pulp in a sieve to drain
the juice, then place the pulp (without juice) in a food processor with 2 tablespoons oil (I picked out most of the seeds.)
5. Add garlic, basil and oregano and season liberally with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, then remove to a bowl.
7. Once the rice filling is ready, stuff the tomatoes with the mixture Replace the tops of the tomatoes and arrange in the pan.
8. Drizzle the tomatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then cover with foil.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes, or until tomatoes are tender and jammy 10. Allow to cool slightly and serve with grated Parmesan cheese on top.
6. Add rice to the tomato puree and mix well. Refrigerate for around 1 hour to allow the rice to soak up the flavor (Don’t skip this step or the rice will be hard and separate from the pulp.)
Tomato Cracker Salad
Serves 4-6. Some takes on tomato cracker salad call for dicing the tomatoes and combining them with mayonnaise and crackers for one homogenous bite. This old-school recipe from Southern Living builds a salad with sliced tomatoes on top of seasoned mayo. However you make it, it’s essential to eat the salad right away, while the crackers are still crunchy. Raw sweet corn adds a crisp and juicy finish.
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place crackers in a single layer on the sheet.
3. Brush tops of crackers liberally with melted butter and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of garlic salt. Bake until golden brown and
platter Arrange tomato slices on top of mayonnaise mixture, overlapping slightly
TOMATO
Continued from page 5C of New Orleans” that I could serve together as one meal with a range of tastes and textures. First, I made eggplant fritters that had crispy edges and tender centers. Also, because I had a perfectly ripe farmers market tomato on my kitchen counter, I sliced it thin and served it under the eggplant fritters and topped each fritter with a dollop of tartar sauce. Next, I made the chicken and sausage jambalaya.
a meaningful amount of vitamin C plus lycopene, a plant compound prized for its antioxidant properties.
Below we dish up two recipes in which tomatoes take center stage. The first is a crunchy, deconstructed take on a tomato sandwich. Made with just a handful of
4. Meanwhile, stir together mayonnaise,
pantry ingredients, tomato cracker salad is a summer classic in the South. The second is an Italian dish from a forthcoming cookbook featuring authentic recipes from Rome. Pomodori con il riso is usually made with risotto-style rice that is par-cooked in the tomato pulp just long enough to get rid of its raw, hard bite, but this version made with basmati opts for simply
6. Season tomatoes with pepper to taste and sprinkle with corn. Coarsely crush crackers over salad; sprinkle with basil.
soaking the rice in the pulp for about an hour in the fridge to soften it. I added a generous dusting of Parmesan before serving. For a more substantial meal, add a few chopped potatoes that have been tossed in oil and chopped fresh rosemary to the pan. Just make sure it’s a small dice so they cook at the same rate as the tomatoes. The recipe can easily be halved for smaller appetites.
This one-dish Louisiana classic is a favorite meal to serve to a crowd. My husband often says, “Jambalaya is the perfect meal.” My daughter recently requested that we make jambalaya for her graduation party The chicken and sausage recipe in “Cooking Up A Storm” was easier than the version that I usually make and it tastes just as good. There are many ways to make jambalaya. The key is to find the right balance between rice, fluid and flavor This recipe worked
great. I garnished it with green onions and a dash of hot sauce for extra texture and spice. I served it with sweet slices of summer cantaloupe. The sweet and salty combination is a winning one.
Finally, I made the rosemary cookies. When I read that this is one of “the most requested cookie recipes since it was published in The Times-Picayune in September 2000,” I wanted to try it myself. I have only made these cookies twice, but they are already a favorite that I will add to our family cookbook.
LEo (July 23-Aug.22) Balance is what's important,and learning andliving life happily requiresequality and the ability to live up to your expectations, notwhat others want from you. Be brave
VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Plans to look and feel your bestwill be met with people whohave their own ideas of howyou should proceed. Don't trust those who paint apretty picture with no rhyme or reasonbehind theirpromises
LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Ditch replaying things in your head; moveon. It's time to cut your losses and to make your way in adirection you truly believe in. Entertain thethought of immersing yourself in something that fascinates you.
scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Reduce, simplify, declutterand free your body, mind and soul of all that torments you. Your energy needs to be strategically aimedatapurpose or what matters to you. Dig deep
sAGIttARIUs (nov.23-Dec. 21) Throwyour energy in adirectionthatlightens your heart, fills your home with happiness andallows youtolet your creative spirit take over.Lovelooms.
cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Speak on behalf of those who can't. Wrap your mind around how and what to enforce to make adifference in how you live, thinkand move forward. Don't wait until it's toolittle, toolate.
AQUARIUs (Jan. 20-Feb.19) Get the facts before youact. Overthinking or overdoing will lead to mistakes. Put your emotionsand egoaside anddowhat's
best for everyone, andyou'llfulfill your desire to make peace with yourself and thoseyou careabout
PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Trust your instincts. Takeyour time and use your intelligencetosortthrough your options and consider the consequences. Time hasa way of healing what is meant as alesson.
ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Takeadeep dive intoyour creative psyche and seewhat transpires. Reinventing yourselfortrying something new will inspire you to be good to yourself and make adifference.
tAURUs (April 20-May 20) Make your space comfortable and convenient. An opportunitytobring in extracashfrom ahome-basedbusiness doing something youenjoy will be uplifting andhelpwith confidence and personalgrowth.
GEMInI (May 21-June 20) If you don't like something, change it. Look over your personalpreferences andput ato-do list together.Take control of your life,and put what you need to reach your goal in place.
cAncER (June 21-July 22) Gravitate toward those whoare transparent. Take aunique approach to producing authentic answers to solutions. Specialize in being yourself and offering others your very best
Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotationsbyfamous people, past and present.Each letter in thecipher stands for another.
toDAy'scLUE: ZEQUALs y
beetLe bAILeY
Sudoku
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers1to9 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’sPuzzle Answer
THewiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS
CurTiS
Bridge
By PHILLIP ALDER
We have been looking at declarer’s planinno-trump when he has only one stopper in the suit ledattrick one. But how does his strategy change whenhe has two stoppers in thatsuit?
It depends upon the number of opposing high cards declarer has to drive out before running forhome. If he will lose thelead only once, he should takethe first trick, give the opponents thetrick they are due, and claim. However, if he has two losers to drive out, usually it is right to duck (lose) trickone
In this example deal, West leadsthe spade four against three no-trumpand East puts up his jack. How should South plan the play?
Southstarts with only five top tricks: two spades and three diamonds. He can getthreewinners from clubs, so also needs ahearttrick. He has to concede trickstobothrounded-suitaces.Therule recommends ducking the first trick.
Let’sassume East returns his second spade. South wins and plays on clubs Easttakes his ace, butdoesn’t have another spade to lead (and if he did, the suit would be 4-3).
Note thatifSouthtakes the first trick and leads aclub, East wins andreturns his second spade, establishing West’s suit while Weststill has an entry in the heartace. Or, if South plays ahigh heart at trick two, Westwins with his ace
wuzzles
andEastdrops thejack,the top of his sequence whenhecannot win the trick. Then West should lead his secondheart, which would defeat the contract Finally, yes, if East, when giventhe first trick, shifts to his heart jack at trick two,Southhastoguesstoplaylow,which is notclear-cut.
Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOONGOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON
Previous answers:
word game
InstRUctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Wordsthat acquire four letters by theaddition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” maynot be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words arenot allowed.
toDAy’s WoRD LEsIons: LEE-zhuns: Injuries; harm.
Average mark19words
Time limit 30 minutes
Can you find 25 or more words in LESIONS?
yEstERDAy’s WoRD —IMPRoBIty
import
obit omit orbit brim brio brit tomb topi torii trim trio trip tromp troy typo tyro
loCKhorNs
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
garfield
B.C.
PiCKles
hidato
mallard fillmore
BRIEFS
FROM WIRE REPORTS
Appeals courtmay refuse defamation suit
SCARBOROUGH, Maine Afederal appeals court signaled thatitmight not allow alawsuit brought by fishing industry businesses and trade groups against aCalifornia aquarium to proceedbecause of the case’s potential impact on free speech.
The New England-based plaintiffs sued the Monterey Bay Aquarium for defamation after the aquarium’sSeafood Watch conservation program placed American and Canadian lobster on its do-not-eat“red list” in 2022.The Boston-based 1st U.S. CircuitCourt of Appealsisdeciding whether the lawsuit can go forward.
One of the appellate judges, Judge Seth Aframe, said during oral arguments on July 27 that it doesn’tstrike him as adefamationclaim and that he finds thecase troubling “from aFirst Amendment perspective.”
“The more you broaden the class of people that fall within this, the more it feels like everybody can sue,” Aframe said Seafood Watch placed lobster on its list of seafoodtoavoid because of the threat posed to rare whales, such as the North Atlantic right whale, by potentialentanglement in fishing gear Electronic Arts closes $55 billion sale
CHICAGO Video game giant Electronic Arts officially has newowners.
The California-based makerof popular titles like “Battlefield” and “The Sims” announced Tuesdaythat it closed the $55 billion sale of its business to Saudi Arabia’ssovereign wealth fund PIF,investment firm Silver LakePartners andAffinityPartners,which is runbyU.S. President Donald Trump’sson-in-law Jared Kushner
The acquisition’sprice tag is the largest-ever for abuyout fundedbyprivate equity
And wider shifts to the gaming world could be on the way now that the deal is complete In astatement, CEO Andrew Wilson said EA and its new owners would“invest boldly,accelerate innovation, and build the nextgeneration of games and experiencesfor the hundreds of millions of players and fans who inspire us every day.” AndTurqi Alnowaiser,deputy governor and head of international investments at PIF —which already held aminority stake in EAfor five years —also pledged to “invest heavily in EA’s growth,” including through the use of artificial intelligence in game development.
Japan’sHonda reports robust results
TOKYO— Honda’sprofit forthe fiscal first quarter more than doubled from ayear ago, as the Japanese automaker continues to tackle aturnaround from the first full year loss in its history Tokyo-based Honda Motor Co. said Wednesday its AprilJune profit totaled 456.9 billion yen($2.9 billion), up from 196.6 billion yen for the same period ayear ago. Quarterly sales rose13.5% to $38 billion, as vehicles sold well in the U.S. and India, according to the maker of the Accordsedan,Fit subcompact and Super Cub motorcycle Honda previously recorded a $2.7 billion loss for the fiscal year ended in March, acknowledging heavy costs for its electric-vehicle plans, which didn’tmeasure up to the original ambitions, partly because of U.S.President Donald Trump’spolicies.
Analysts say many consumers weren’tready to go electric. Honda has abandonedmany of its plansfor EV models.
The Trump administration has pulled back on incentive programs for EVs and withheld money to states wanting to add moreEVcharging stations, even as gas priceshave soared over the war in Iran. Trump’stariffs on imported autos and auto parts, lowered to 15% from the initial 25%,also workedtodent Honda’sprofitability.
BUSINESS
THEADVOCATE.COM/news/business
Wall Street expects profitgrowthof50%
BY DAMIAN J. TROISE Associated Press
NEW YORK Stocks meandered to a mixed finish on Wall Street Wednesdayand remained close to theirrecords, while oil prices held steady
Theuncertain trading on Wall Street followed twodays of big gainsthatgave theweek and August astrong start. Several big
technology companies slumped, though, ultimately weighing down themarket.
“The coiled spring investors have been waiting for has finally released,with the S&P 500 Index surging to record highs for the first timeintwo months,” said Mark Hackett, chief market strategist at Nationwide, in areport.
Themarket hasbeen generally rising as companies head into the closing stretch of theirlatest round of earnings reportswith sharp overallgains. Three-quar-
tersofthe companies within the S&P500 havereported results so far, andWallStreetexpects profit growth of 50% whentheyare all finished.
The Walt Disney Co. rose 3.6% after easily beating Wall Street’s profitforecasts, helpedbya $1 billion box office haul from “Toy Story 5” andtheme park revenue.
Booking Holdings jumped 6.6% after reporting that strong travel demand drove profit and revenue growth duringits most recent quarter
ElonMusk’sSpaceX fell 13.6% following the releaselateTuesdayofits first quarterlyreportas apublic company, whichshowed thatitsharply boostedspending on artificial intelligence. The company did help give semiconductor giant Nvidia a3.4% boost after announcing it would exclusively use that company’schips for its artificial intelligence technology Treasury yields slippedinthe bond market. The yield on the 10year Treasury slipped to 4.61% from 4.63% from late Tuesday
Rising temperatures couldkeep more flights from taking off on time
Clearblueskies don’t always mean smooth flying
BY RIO YAMATand M.K. WILDEMAN Associated Press
LAS VEGAS Airline passengers knowto expect possible flightdelays when weather forecasts callfor thunderstorms,heavy snow or strong wind. The omens are less obvious onahot summer day with clear skies. Yetextreme heat also disrupts flights and travel plans. On thehottestdays, thinner air can makeitharder for aircraft to get off the groundsafely.Airlines mayhavetolighten theload by removing passengersorcargo, or carryingless fuel.
The snag iswell knownatairports in desertclimates around the world, from the U.S. Southwest to theMiddle East.But even less extremeheat can create similar challenges at airports with higher elevations or shorter runways. Researcherssay human-caused climatechange could make suchdisruptions more common With heatwaves searing partsofthe United States andEurope this summer,Las Vegas illustrated howextreme heat caninterfere with air travel. American Airlinesoffered compensation to customers who voluntarily gave up their seatsona July 24 flight from Harry Reid International Airport after temperatures reached 114 degrees Fahrenheit.
Theairline described reducing aplane’s weight as astandardindustry practice in hot-weather destinationswhen conditions require it to ensure asafe takeoff. The explanation comes down to physics.
Hot airisthinner than cool air,making it harder for aplane’swings to generate lift and for jet engines to generatethe thrust needed fortakeoff, explained RossAimer,a retiredUnited Airlines captain andCEO of Aero ConsultingExperts.
“There is ascience behind all this,” Aimer said. “You can’tdenythe scienceofflight and what it takes for an airplane to operate.”
Airplanesstruggleinhot,thinair
Aimer likens the effect of high temperatures on airplane performance to athletes competingathigh altitude. During this year’s World Cup, foreign teams competinginMexico City —located morethan 7,300 feet above sea level —had to contend with thinner air that can leave playersfatigued morequickly
“Just like human beings, jet engines require lots ofcool, dense air to perform well,”
Aimer said.
Before every departure, pilots andairlines determinewhetheranaircraft cansafely takeoff by calculating severalkey factors, includingthe airplane’sweight, the airport’s elevationand theoutside temperature, said AlanPrice, aretired DeltaAir Lines captain. Aircraft at higher elevations are already operating in thinnerair,sotemperatures don’thave to climbashigh to affect takeoffperformance. Denver,for example, sits
morethan 5,000 feet above sea level
Runway lengthalso matters. Airlinersneed room to build enough speed for takeoff when temperatures soar,and shorterrunways leave less distance to do that, Price said.That’sone reason airportssuch as New York’sLaGuardia andWashington’sReagan National can be more likely to face takeoffrestrictions or weight limitsduring very hot weather
If thepilot’s preflight math shows an aircraft cannotsafely depart as planned,airlines may choosetoreduce cargo, carry less fuel and make arefueling stop later,wait for cooler temperaturesorask passengers to volunteer for alater flight.
But there comes apoint when removing weight isn’tenough to makeasafe takeoff possible.
“At some point,the numbers just don’t make sense,” Aimer said. “You could roll down arunway as long as you want, andyou still can’ttake off.”
Delays couldbecomemorecommon
The Federal Aviation Administration does not set asingle maximum temperature for takeoff. Instead, the FAAsays, operating limits vary basedonanaircraft’smake and model, its weight and the airport’saltitude.
A2017 study by researchers from ColumbiaUniversity,NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies and theLogistics ManagementInstitute projected that someairports could see weight restrictions on 10% to 30% of flights departing during thehottest part of the day by midcentury if greenhouse gas emissions continued to rise. The study examined 19 airports around the world and found thatairports with short runways, high elevations and hotter climates would be affected most. Amorerecent study concludedthatcurrent climateprediction modelsindicated
planes taking offfrom four European airports would have to shed the weight equivalent of 10 passengers per flight by 2065.
While triple-digit temperatures come with desert living, the kind of hot days that might affect flights are becoming morefrequent in both Phoenix and Las Vegas.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has averaged 43 days each year since2020 when the temperature reached at least110 F, according to an analysis of weather station data by The Associated Press. The numberofsuchdaysincreased gradually over several decades before surging in the 2020s to more than triple the average during the middle of the last century
At Harry ReidInternational Airport in Las Vegas, temperatures reached that threshold an average of about 18 days ayear between 2020 and 2025 —more than double the annual average during the1940s through1960s, the AP analysis found.
Safety determines when to reduce weight Airlineshavedealtwiththese issuesfor years. During astretch of scorching heat in June 2016, American canceled several round-tripregional flights between Palm Springs, California,and Phoenix. The following year,the airline canceled dozens of regional flights in Arizonaastemperatures in Phoenix climbed toward 120 F. In July 2018, some airlines bumped passengersatDenverInternational Airport to later flights as temperatures reached 98 F, KDVR-TV in Denver reported.
DeltaAir Lines also asked forvolunteers to step off aplane in Las Vegas during an excessive heat warning in July 2023 because of weight restrictions tied to the extreme temperatures. That flight was ultimately canceled afterpassengers spent hours aboard the aircraft in the heat.
Regulators to consider newsafetyrequirementsfor electric doors
BY CHASE HUNTER
The MercuryNews(TNS)
Nearly twoyears afterthree young peopledied of smokeinhalation inside aburning Tesla Cybertruck in Piedmont California, as a friend struggled to open its doors, federal regulators are considering new safetyrequirements intended to prevent occupants from becomingtrapped when electronic latches lose power
TheNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced last week that it hadgranted aNovember petition asking the agency to consider anew federal standard requiring a“robust and obvious” door egress system in allmotor vehicles. The decision begins a rulemaking process but does not
guarantee that the agency will ultimately adopt anew standard.
“Itisimperative thatNHTSA moves swiftly through the rulemaking process to develop and implementnew federal door egress safetystandards that will protect future vehicle occupants,” said Andrew McDevitt, the attorney for the Nelson family whoseson Jack diedinthe Piedmont crash.
“But thesewill arrive far too late to save thelives of Jack Nelson, Krysta Tsukahara, Jeffreyand Michelle Bauer, and so many otherskilledand seriously injured by Tesla’scompletely inexcusable door design.”
TheBauerswereamongfive people killed in aNovember 2024 Tesla Model Scrash in Wisconsin. McDevitt also representstheir family
Tesladid notrespond to questions from the Bay Area News Group regarding the federal agency’sreview Since 2018, NHTSA has received more than 140 complaints about Tesladoors becoming stuck, failingtoopenorotherwise malfunctioning. NHTSA’s OfficeofDefects Investigation also opened an investigation in September 2025 into approximately174,000 model-year 2021 Tesla Model Yvehicles after receiving nine complaints that exterior doors became inoperable when the vehicles lost low-voltage power. Thecomplaints generally involved parentsgetting outoftheir vehiclesand then being unable to reopena door to reach achild in the back seat. In four cases, an owner
broke awindow to regain entry NHTSA found that current federal standards do notregulate the placement or labeling of manual releases andconcludedthatfurther investigation was unlikely to establish asafetydefect.The agency said the broader issue was better addressed through the separate rulemaking process. Rep. Robin Kelly,D-Ill., introduced the legislation in January It would require new vehicles to have accessible manualreleases for each door,establishlabeling requirements and ensure first responders can enter vehicles after aloss of power
The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the bill in May,sending it to the full House forpossible consideration
