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‘U visa’ probe rooted in La. widens

Agents in 20 cities tracking down 800 applicants BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

Two years ago, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials started to notice a strange phenomenon along a central Louisiana roadway: A section of La. 165 seemed to have become one of the most violent sectors in the country. Triggering their concern was a yearslong wave of applications

Races for Congress draw crowds 5th, 6th district hopefuls qualify

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Races will be crowded this November for Louisiana’s two wideopen congressional seats: after qualifying ended Friday, 10 candidates had signed up to run in the Sixth District and nine were competing in the Fifth District. And state Sen. Blake Miguez, RNew Iberia, finally answered the long-standing question of whether he H H H H H H would run by qualifying Friday as a candidate in the Sixth District. His decision sets up a showdown with state Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, and the two have already taken shots at each other on the campaign trail. “Hear me clear: I will win this congressional race,” Miguez told members of the press at the Secretary of State’s Office, where qualifying takes place. Also on Friday, state Rep. Pat Moore, D-Monroe, surprised at the last minute by qualifying for the Fifth District, which covers northeast Louisiana. She faces an uphill battle in the heavily Republican area. Misti Cordell, chair of the Board of Regents, who announced her candidacy long ago, officially filed to run in the Fifth District, too. Miguez was a candidate in the Fifth District earlier this year, before redistricting transformed the race. He faced criticism from fellow lawmakers because the area he represents and has lived in was not in the district, though he owns a property in Baton Rouge, which was part of it; his district is not in the newly-drawn Sixth District, which includes Baton Rouge, either. Miguez said Friday that he has lived between New Iberia and Baton Rouge his entire adult life, referencing his time at LSU as an undergraduate and as a law student at Southern University. Miguez, who is a professional sharpshooter and owns a marine transportation company, also said he spends time in the Baton Rouge

for special “U visas,” which the government grants immigrant crime victims who help police investigations. The applications all contained police reports describing hundreds of violent robberies along La. 165 near Oakdale, population 6,500. “You’d think people would notice and wonder, ‘What the heck is going on in Oakdale?’ ” said Adam Parks, a senior U.S. Homeland

Security Investigations agent who is involved in the probe. “It looked like the most violent place in the world.” The sleepy area was hardly the hub of lawlessness conjured by the visa applications. Federal prosecutors last summer secured 62 criminal counts against an Oakdale businessman and four local lawmen, charging them with a yearslong kickback and bribery scheme that

produced the flow of fabricated reports later used on U visas applications. Now, ofﬁcials say the probe has widened into a nationwide search for hundreds of immigrants accused of paying to obtain the fraudulent reports and later submitting them with visa applications to the federal government. Homeland Security agents in more than 20 U.S. cities are tracking down about 800 applicants who ﬁled the reports, according to estimates from investigators — a

TOP IT OFF

Rules for Meta’s power needs debated La. leaders seek to balance household costs, data centers

Staff writer

STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK

ABOVE: The steeple on the new Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic Church on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus is moved into place on Friday. TOP: Workers help guide the steeple into place.

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BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN

ELECTION

WEATHER HIGH 92 LOW 75

staggering ﬁgure that has not been previously reported. The new focus signiﬁcantly widens an investigation that unfolded as President Donald Trump’s administration launched its crackdown on illegal immigration. The administration has focused largely on apprehending entrants at the southern border and deporting people here without authorization, including those have sought residency through formal avenues.

A pledge by tech companies. An executive order. A state law. Stricter contracts between utility companies and industrial users. As Meta sets out to build one of the world’s largest data centers in north Louisiana, a project known as Hyperion, political leaders all say they want to protect household customers from paying for the power needed for that project and others like it. But there is political wrangling over the best “Meta pays way to achieve that goal. The its own way, tension centers both for around how to the power protect ratepayand the ers while also infrastructure ensuring the state stays atwe use. Our tractive to Meta agreement and other large with Entergy investors. is built to In Louisiana, guarantee which has some of the most af- we pay those fordable eleccosts, not tricity in the Louisianans.” c o u n t r y, t h e Public Service META STATEMENT Commission is responsible for regulating electric rates and greenlighting Entergy’s proposals to build and acquire new infrastructure needed for industrial projects such as data centers. Backers of the Hyperion project, including Meta, Entergy and some public officials, have been adamant that ratepayers will be protected, and that Meta’s investment will lower rates for everyday Louisianans. “Meta pays its own way, both for the power and the infrastructure we use,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. “Our agreement with Entergy is built to guarantee we pay those costs, not Louisianans.” Some politicians have also brushed off concerns about who

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Police raid smashes smuggling network

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS — An international police operation led by Spanish authorities dismantled a major criminal network involved in trafﬁcking migrants, drugs and weapons across the Western Mediterranean, the European Union police agency Europol and Spain’s Civil Guard announced Friday. Spanish authorities described the network as one of the “largest criminal organizations specializing in maritime human trafﬁcking in the Mediterranean.” Europol said the network it helped to dismantle “arranged storage, transport, refueling, maritime transfers, vessel maintenance, and counter-surveillance services” for other smuggling gangs. The agency headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, supported and helped to coordinate the operation that Spanish authorities launched in 2023 involving Spain’s Civil Guard and National Police, as well as French, Polish and Portuguese law enforcement and Europol. The arrests came as a result of an “action day” on June 16, Europol said, that led to 77 arrests in Spain and one in Algeria and the seizure of 18 motorboats, including high-speed vessels, drugs, satellite phones, a handgun and more than $29,000 in cash.

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Hamilton confirmed to lead FEMA

Senate clears more than 70 other Trump nominees BY GABRIELA AOUN ANGUEIRA

Associated Press

The Senate on Friday conﬁrmed Cameron Hamilton as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, returning the former Navy SEAL to the embattled agency he led temporarily last year only to be ﬁred after he publicly opposed eliminating it. Hamilton was among a group of 74 nominations approved by the Senate, including President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Transportation Security Administration, David Cummins, and his choice for ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Perez. Upon his swearing in, Hamilton will take over an agency whose future has been uncertain since Trump threatened to get rid of it days into his second term. Hamilton’s nomination signaled that Trump may be moving on from

that idea, but his Republican administration is still promising drastic changes in how the government handles disasters. Hamilton will have to shepherd that overhaul while stabilizing an agency of more than 20,000 employees recovering from Kristi Noem’s chaotic tenure as Department of Homeland Security secretary, during which FEMA saw mass staff departures, disruptions to grant programs and delays of disaster aid. While her successor, former Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, has worked to reverse some of the upheaval, Democrats are accusing Trump of politicizing disaster relief. Trump has approved 80% of disaster requests from Republican governors but only about 60% from Democratic governors, a July analysis by The Associated Press found. In his June hearing before a Senate committee, Hamilton pledged to advocate for FEMA and its

workforce while promising to ensure FEMA is “objective, is fair and reasonable, follows the law, and is consistent in the approach to how we adjudicate and process claims and requests for disasters.” He also maintained that the agency is burdened by bureaucracy and cannot be expected to respond to every disaster. “We would need to strike a new balance to encourage cost reasonableness and cost savings,” he said.

Senate approves 74 nominations Other nominees confirmed included Cummins as head of the Transportation Security Administration, an agency also facing persistent challenges, particularly after this year’s record partial government shutdown left TSA employees working for weeks without pay. The funding lapse prompted thousands of ofﬁcers to call out of work and about 1,100 to quit.

Thailand officials: Student kills at least 7 BY TIAN MACLEOD JI Associated Press

Police: Teen dressed as a clown fatally stabs man EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — A teenager accused of dressing as a clown and randomly stabbing a man to death at a bus stop in the St. Louis area has been charged with murder, authorities said. Video of the 15-year-old suspect showed him dressed in a clown costume, Illinois State Police said. Police in East St. Louis, Illinois, found the body of 78-year-old John W. Allen of Jennings, Missouri, in a street Monday. Jennings is also in the St. Louis area. Allen’s relatives told media outlets in St. Louis that he was a Navy veteran, a retired bus driver and an active churchgoer. They believe he was in East St. Louis to visit family members when the attack happened. The teenager, whose name has not been released, was charged with ﬁrst-degree murder Thursday. He appeared in juvenile court Thursday and will be detained until at least his next hearing, said Chris Allen, a spokesperson for the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Ofﬁce. The prosecutor’s office is seeking to move the case out of juvenile court so that it can prosecute the teen as an adult.

Judge orders county to replace school names ROANOKE, VA. — A federal judge has sided with the Virginia NAACP in its lawsuit against a county school board’s reinstatement of Confederate military names to two schools, saying the decision discriminated against Black students and ordering the board to change the schools’ monikers again. In an opinion filed Thursday in U.S. District Court of Virginia, Judge Michael F. Urbanski said the school board in Shenandoah County violated Black students’ rights under the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, which forbids racial discrimination in state-supported institutions. The decision also violates the Equal Educational Opportunities Act, the court found. Confederate army officers’ names are “vestiges” of Shenandoah County’s segregationist history that required separate schools for Black and White students. “The Confederate names were restored with complete awareness of their historic legacy and ongoing discriminatory impact,” Urbanski wrote. “In the court’s view, the affirmative act of reinstating these vestiges of segregation is far more problematic than a passive failure to remove a long-standing name or symbol.” The judge ordered the board to settle on new school names “on a racially nondiscriminatory basis with all deliberate speed.” Unlike memorials named after Confederate figures, schools are places where children should have an “educational environment free of vestiges of racial discrimination,” Urbanski added.

Cummins is a former senior vice president at the government contractor Serco, which runs air trafﬁc control towers at 60 American airports. He is taking over as the Trump administration seeks to expand private airport screening and cut thousands of TSA jobs. The Senate also conﬁrmed Perez, a close friend of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a former speaker of Florida’s House of Representatives, to be the next U.S. ambassador to Brazil. Perez has been central to an ongoing diplomatic dispute between the Trump administration and the government of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Earlier this week, the State Department said the Brazilian government’s refusal to accept Perez’s appointment was a main reason for its decision to revoke the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to the United States. International diplomatic protocols demand that host countries approve any foreign ambassadors before they can take their posts.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DARKO VOJINOVIC

Smoke emerges from a forest during a wildfire in Deliblatska Pescara, near the village of Sumarak, on Friday.

Serbia races to contain wildﬁres amid drought Europe’s blistering heat wave grips the Balkans

BY STEPHEN MCGRATH and JOVANA GEC Associated Press

BELGRADE, Serbia — Thick gray smoke drifted over a wooded area in northeast Serbia on Friday as authorities raced to contain a major wildfire, while multiple other blazes raged across the country amid extreme heat and prolonged drought gripping the Balkans. Firefighters used helicopters to drop water on the blaze sweeping through pine forests near Deliblatska Pescara, a protected nature reserve about 40 miles from the capital, Belgrade. Another major fire raged near the central town of Kraljevo. The blistering heat wave bearing down on Europe in recent weeks has set national temperature records in multiple countries, led to droughts that have strained national energy systems and fueled wildfires from Western Europe to the Balkans.

Serbian fires rage close to settlements Fires in Serbia rage close to the settlements of Cardak and Sumarak in the Deliblatska Pescara area. Regional television reported that villagers from Sumarak have been asked to leave their homes as a precaution. Authorities said that no houses had caught ﬁre and no ca-

sualties had been reported. Days of dry weather and scorching heat reaching 104 F have worsened the wildfire risk. Strong winds across the Balkan nation on Friday complicated firefighters’ efforts to contain the blazes. After an emergency meeting Friday, Serbia’s Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said the army had been brought in to help emergency efforts. The government urged all state companies to provide any equipment and human resources they can spare to help tackle the blazes. Dacic added that despite nine wildfires affecting various parts of the country, the situation was “not critical.” Firefighters were also tackling blazes on Friday in neighboring Montenegro near the town of Cetinje, and other locations in the Adriatic Sea nation.

Severe droughts hit major rivers Prolonged droughts have left major European rivers such as the Danube River and Rhine River at significantly low water levels, and multiple Central and Eastern European governments are facing energy emergencies as a result. On Friday, Romania continued an operation to sink four rock-laden barges into the Danube near the Bala Canal to redirect water downstream toward its state-owned Cernavoda nuclear plant, which relies on river water to cool its reactors. The aim is to buy more time before the second reactor is likely forced offline after its first reactor was shut down last week.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan sign a key defense agreement BY SUZAN FRASER and MUNIR AHMED

Associated Press

ANKARA, Turkey — Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a defense agreement on Friday that would treat an attack on one as an attack on all three, ofﬁcials said, solidifying cooperation between the three regional powers at a time of growing security concerns. The agreement was signed in the Saudi holy city of Mecca by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to statements from all three countries. The so-called “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” between the three Sunni

Muslim-majority states brings together oil-rich Saudi Arabia and nuclear power Pakistan as well as Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army and a rapidly growing defense industry. It would increase cooperation and deterrence at a time of increased regional uncertainty and threats from the war in Iran. “The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all,” the statements read. “It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defense cooperation among the three States,” the statements said.

NONTHABURI, Thailand — A student opened fire at a high school outside Bangkok on Friday, killing at least five people and wounding more than 20, according to authorities, who said he also appeared to have killed his two grandparents at the family home earlier in the morning. The 14-year-old shooter took his own life at the school, ofﬁcials said. Five school staff members, including teachers and administrators, died in the shooting around 10 a.m. at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province northwest of Bangkok, Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee said at the scene. The boy also killed his grandparents at the home he shared with them prior to the school shooting, Polapee said. Bangyai Hospital, about 3 miles from the school, said 23 people were wounded, of whom 10 were in critical condition, with most suffering gunshot wounds.

Earlier reports gave conflicting casualty numbers. A witness said students hid inside a classroom while they heard gunshots from another building before police officers knocked on the door and cleared a way for them to leave the building. Amporn Niamfuang, who owns a restaurant 160 feet from the school, said there was the sound of a single gunshot and then a pause. “And then there were multiple continuous shots,” Amporn said, recalling the narrow road outside the restaurant filling with fleeing students. “Students were running scared and pouring onto the street. Young girls were holding each other’s hands and crying. I went inside to hide.” Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, speaking after touring the school, confirmed reports that the shooter was 14 and had killed himself. He said the student had shown signs of stress connected to school. The gun, described by police as small and compact, was legally registered to his grandfather, he said.

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Administration moves Senate passes sweeping ahead with efforts to fire Russia sanctions legislation Federal Reserve governor who had just returned And she warned that every time Bill was negotiated Graham, from Ukraine, died suddenly the the U.S. backs away from tough acnext day, likely from an aortic tear. tions, Russia ramps up its attacks. by the late The bipartisan package allows “If we can’t shut down the fundSen. Lindsey Graham the president to impose tariffs on ing for the war machine that Rus-

BY MARY CLARE JALONICK and LISA MASCARO Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Senate overwhelmingly approved a punishing Russian sanctions package Friday, the result of a yearlong campaign by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham to reinforce U.S. support for Ukraine and try to force President Vladimir Putin’s hand as the grinding war drags on. The bipartisan legislation, which passed 86-11, would penalize countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports seeking to deprive Putin of revenues fueling the war. It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Capitol last week following Graham’s funeral, met with senators from both parties and watched from the gallery as the Senate took the ﬁrst procedural votes. “Today, President Zelenskyy is watching from Ukraine — and Putin is watching from Moscow,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who had worked with the late South Carolina senator on the package. “I would like to think Lindsey Graham is watching, too,” he said. “Today we say to the people of Ukraine: You are not alone. And today we say to Vladimir Putin: You will not conquer Ukraine.” The sweeping show of force from the Senate is the most substantial move yet during President Donald Trump’s second term to shift the dynamic of the four-year war, which has now churned longer than World War I. Congress has struggled to ensure the ﬂow of U.S. funding and munitions to Ukraine, but Trump has given a nod to the package, which includes his push for sanctions on Iran, pressuring the House to pass and send it for his signature. Graham and Blumenthal had announced a deal with the White House on the sanctions legislation on July 10 after more than a year of negotiations with the White House.

the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas, including China and India. It provides exceptions for countries that import less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and are taking steps to reduce those imports. The legislation also includes sanctions on Putin, senior Russian political and military leaders, Russian financial institutions and Russian energy projects. It would expand U.S. sanctions to target older, reflagged oil tankers that Russia uses to circumvent existing U.S. sanctions on Russian oil and energy revenues. The bill also allows the White House to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that it’s in the national interest. Democrats and some Republicans have been wary of giving Trump broad authority to slap tariffs on imports that have spiked prices for goods, worried about inflationary costs for Americans. Those voting against the final package were mostly progressive Democrats. Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., who was appointed by the state’s governor to fill her brother’s seat, said she was honored to carry on his work. “This legislation hits Putin where it hurts,” she said.

sia is using against Ukraine, then they’re going to keep at it,” she said. Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha expressed gratitude to the Senate in a post, and said that with U.S. support, “Together, we are bringing a lasting peace closer.”

Too much tariff power

The Senate defeated an amendment by Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon that would have removed the new tariff authority for Trump. Paul says it would be too costly for taxpayers, while Wyden and other Democrats say they don’t want to give Trump any new authority to impose tariffs. “We’ve got folks who are walking an economic tightrope here in America,” Wyden said. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who had held up passage of the package over the tariff authority, said he received a written commitment from the Trump administration through U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer that ensures guardrails. The tariffs would be lifted once the countries are no longer on the lists of those purchasing Russian oil and gas, or helping to evade sanctions, he said. “We should not have to choose between putting a check on Putin’s Bill sends ‘a moral signal’ aggression and putting a check on Zelenskyy told senators during this president’s tariffs regime,” last week’s private meeting at the Warnock said. If Trump “oversteps Capitol that Ukraine is making gains his power, we will see him in court.” in the war, but still needs more help from the U.S. He publicly thanked Package next goes to the House them for the sanctions package. While the Senate momentum Republican Sen. Todd Young of puts pressure on the House to act Indiana, who attended the meet- as soon as lawmakers return to ing, said the sanctions legislation session at the end of August, top “is important as a moral signal to Democrats still warn against handa country that is weary and tired, ing Trump too much power in the though holding its own.” Russia sanctions package. New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne ShaRep. Gregory Meeks, the top heen, the top Democrat on the For- Democrat on the House Foreign eign Relations Committee, said ad- Affairs Committee, said the bill as vancing the legislation now, ahead is gives Trump too much authority of Russia’s own elections, will put to “weaponize” tariffs in ways that pressure on Putin to seriously re- do little to deter Russia, but hurt visit prospects for a peace deal. Americans back home.

White House Ballroom construction continues Wednesday at the White House in Washington. ASSOCIATED PRES PHOTO By TIERNEy L. CROSS

Appeals court rules no ballroom without approval Congressional okay needed to continue construction

BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE and MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A divided federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration must stop construction of the $400 million White House ballroom because Congress has not approved the project, a decision he blasted as “unjust” while vowing to appeal it to the nation’s highest court. Trump doesn’t have the unilateral authority to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom where the White House’s East Wing stood before he ordered its demolition last fall, according to the decision by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The Republican president said on social media that the administration will immediately appeal what he called an “unjust decision” to the U.S. Supreme Court. Friday’s ruling marked the second time this week

that the Trump administration has made headlines for construction plans that have been called into question. An assessment by the National Park Service found that a 250-foot-tall triumphal arch that Trump has proposed building could compromise the historical significance of dozens of sites near its planned location on a trafﬁc circle between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. In a 2-1 decision on the ballroom, the appeals court sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction of the massive structure, which has begun to rise above ground on the east side of the White House, according to the most recent aerial photos of the site. The court said it would stay its ruling for two weeks to give the administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court. “Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” the court wrote. “This holding has nothing at all to do with whether the proposed ballroom is desirable, or not, as a matter of policy. This ruling does not even necessarily mean that the Defen-

dants may not ultimately construct the ballroom. “What it does mean,” the court continued, “is that the Defendants may not do so during the district court’s expeditious litigation without securing Congress’s authorization, as the Constitution and laws require.” The president reacted to the ruling with a lengthy post on social media in which he quoted from a dissenting opinion issued by Judge Neomi Rao, whom he nominated. He also described the plans for the facility to include bomb shelters, a hospital and medical facilities, “Top Secret Military Facilities” and other security features. “The Military and Secret Service are viewing this horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful ruling as a National Security threat to our Nation in that the entire Complex is being built for the protection of our Country and, additionally, all future Presidents,” Trump wrote. After the lower court earlier this year ordered a halt to aboveground construction, the president argued that permission from Congress was unnecessary because public money was not being used to pay for it.

one in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Supreme Court had one in Atlanta — as “primary residence.” Homebuyers can get allowed Lisa Cook to lower mortgage rates or smaller keep her job down payments on their primary

BY ERIC TUCKER and PAUL WISEMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is moving ahead with its efforts to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, two months after the Supreme Court allowed her to retain her job while she fights the president’s effort to terminate her over mortgage fraud allegations that she has denied. The justices in a 5-4 decision in June said Cook, who was nominated to the Fed’s Board of Governors by President Joe Biden, could remain in her post at least as long as her lawsuit challenging her firing goes Cook on. The Trump administration is appealing a lower-court ruling in Cook’s favor. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in a footnote in his opinion that nothing forbids President Donald Trump from “trying again” to fire Cook provided she is given proper notice and a chance to contest it. Trump indicated after the opinion that he would do just that, vowing to “take appropriate action immediately.” In a letter this week obtained by The Associated Press, White House aide Dan Scavino told Cook that Trump was “considering removing you from your position” but cited the Supreme Court’s requirement of proper notice in giving her until August 26 to challenge it. The attempt to fire Cook is rooted in a criminal referral made last August by Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, that accused her of committing mortgage fraud by declaring two different homes —

homes compared to second or vacation homes. Cook has aggressively defended herself against the allegations, saying the president had attempted to oust her “on a manufactured pretext because I refused to bow to political pressure and continued to set interest rates based only on what would best serve the American people.” Her lawyer, Abbe Lowell, argued in a November letter that Cook has mostly lived in the Ann Arbor property since first purchasing it in 2005. As a result, it was accurate for her to refer to it as her “primary residence” in a June 2021 application to refinance its mortgage, the letter said. A month later, she purchased a condominium in Atlanta and, in a July 2021 document, also referred to it as her “primary residence.” Lowell said that it was an “isolated notation” that did not reflect an intent to defraud. An earlier mortgage application to the same lender in May 2021 had referred to the Atlanta condo as a “vacation home,” Lowell said. Cook also referred to it as a second home in federal filings during her confirmation process to become a Fed governor. The latest White House letter largely rehashes the year-old allegations. “These allegations are as baseless now as they were a year ago when President Trump tried to remove Governor Cook and interfere with the independence of the Federal Reserve,” Lowell said in a statement. “No matter what President Trump tries to do next, this much is clear under the facts and Supreme Court precedent — there is no valid cause for removing Governor Cook. As we did before, we will challenge this latest pretext and preserve her position and the historic role of the Fed,” he added.

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would pay for power if Meta decided to leave the state. “The Public Service Commission has a constitutional duty to protect customers, and I have every conﬁdence they will continue to do that,” Gov. Jeff Landry, who has championed the Meta project, said in a statement. “Even in the unlikely event Meta ever left, Louisiana would still come out ahead. We’d have new power generation to meet our growing demand, much of it already paid for by Meta.” Many companies, including Meta and Entergy, have also signed President Donald Trump’s “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” to pay for their own power, and Landry signed an executive order requiring companies to pay for power to receive state incentives. But some state officials have balked at the idea that a Meta withdrawal wouldn’t affect ratepayers and want more guarantees — especially after news broke last month that Meta was seeking to more than double the size of Hyperion. They have, for example, questioned whether the Public Service Commission ought to go further by establishing tougher rules for data centers, instituting rate caps or making Meta pay more. Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis, a Democrat, questioned whether Trump’s pledge was adequate, saying that pledges “don’t actually force the utility to do anything.” And during the recent legislative session, state Rep. Rodney Schamerhorn, RHornbeck, unsuccessfully sponsored a bill that would have codiﬁed protections for household customers into state law. “I wish I would have pushed it more,” he said of House Bill 922. “I didn’t want (Meta) to finance it and be able to pull out and make all the ratepayers responsible for that debt, you know. Because let’s face it, that area will never grow enough to be able to use the infrastructure that the data center’s going to use.” Schamerhorn said he was not certain he would sponsor such a bill again next year, but he promised to keep an eye on the situation. Such a measure likely would require a constitutional amendment, meaning it would have to go to the voters. That’s because the constitution gives the PSC authority over utility rates. The PSC in 2025 approved Entergy’s proposal to build three new natural gas power plants that it needed to supply Hyperion, with the caveat that Meta agreed to pay for those plants for at least 15 years. Now, the PSC must consider Entergy’s proposal to build seven more natural gas power plants to accommodate Meta’s planned expansion, which would more than double the size of Hyperion, increasing its computational capacity to 5 gigawatts.

If the project comes to fruition, Hyperion would be more than four times the size of New York City’s Central Park.

Official defends deal Eric Skrmetta, a longtime public service commissioner who will leave office next year because he is term-limited, vehemently defended how the commission handled Entergy first proposal related to Hyperion and expressed confidence that the project will benefit the state. In Meta’s first deal, the company agreed to a 15-year contract with Entergy. Yet the power plants associated with the arrangement are 30-year assets, prompting some to worry that ratepayers will be left to foot the bill if Meta does not renew its contract in 15 years. But Skrmetta said Entergy has power plants that are set to retire around that time. If Meta leaves, he said, the state will still need the plants associated with the data centers — and Meta will have borne much of the cost already, meaning ordinary Louisianans will get them at a discount. With other economic investment projects coming to the state, Skrmetta also doesn’t “see a future where we’re going to need less electricity,” he said. And with the United States in a race to dominate the artificial intelligence industry, Skrmetta does not believe Meta will be leaving anytime soon. “We’re going to have a very long and beneficial relationship with Meta,” Skrmetta said. “It’s going to provide massive economic input for the state.” Less friendly terms for the tech giant could prompt it to say, “well I’ll just go to Mississippi or Utah, and goodbye Louisiana,” Skrmetta added.

Other perspectives Skrmetta is a conservative Republican. His colleague,

Lewis, one of the most progressive voices in Louisiana politics, had a different take. Lewis acknowledged Entergy’s first proposal for Hyperion was lower risk. But, he said, the expansion is riskier, and Entergy is less likely to be able to absorb the costs of the new infrastructure if Meta walks out, meaning they could get passed to ratepayers. If Meta needs a 30-year asset, Lewis argued, the company should either have a 30-year contract or pay the full 30-year cost of the asset over its shorter contract. Lewis also said it is difficult to know how long the high demand for data centers will last, and that it would be easy for a tech company to abandon a data center once they no longer need it. Still, Lewis said, Meta’s first contract with Entergy contains some excellent benefits, and Louisiana has a strong set of protections in place for residential ratepayers because it has long been dealing with large industrial users such as petrochemical plants. But “I think we need to go harder,” Lewis said. The PSC is likely to vote on Entergy’s most recent proposal in December, he added. Next year, the PSC will have new members to influence how Louisiana handles big projects going forward. State Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, R-New Orleans, won the Republican primary for Skrmetta’s seat and is expected to win the general election in November, since District 1 leans Republican. Hilferty said she would be open to changing the commission’s rules to protect ratepayers. “My approach is simple: trust, but verify,” she said in a statement. “Louisiana leaders need to fight for and win investments that create jobs and spark economic growth, but the PSC has the responsibility to make sure every promise made by a

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STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Construction continues on the Meta data center in Holly Ridge.

utility is backed up in the ac- raise their rates,” Brandon tual orders and agreements Scardigli, a spokesperson approved.” for Entergy, said in a recent statement. “This is because Other approaches Meta will not only be coverThough the Public Service ing the incremental costs Commission has primary au- of the resources needed to thority over utility rates in serve them but also contribLouisiana, other politicians uting billions of dollars behave shared different ideas yond that.” for how to keep residential In their statement, a rates low — such as HB922, Meta spokesperson promSchamerhorn’s bill from the ised that the company was spring. “committed to the longThat proposal faced oppo- term vitalities of commusition from Entergy during nities” that are home to its a committee hearing where data centers. But assurances that data a company spokesperson said it would send a “bad centers will only benefit message” to Meta. Brandon ratepayers have faced skepFrey, executive secretary ticism. In June, The Advoof the PSC, shared similar cate | The Times-Picayune concerns at the time — and reported that an analyst for he argued that HB922 was the PSC advised that Enunconstitutional. tergy’s proposal to acquire “We disagree strongly that a $1.8 billion power plant legislation such as HB922 is in Cottonwood, Texas, was necessary to protect Louisi- needed mostly for Hyperana electricity customers; ion. Meta and Entergy have in fact, it would more likely vehemently disputed that

analysis. The Texas power plant would cost average ratepayers approximately $8 a month, according to records. On the heels of that report, Landry issued an executive order saying data centers must have their beneﬁts “evaluated and balanced” against their use of electric generation, water and land. It requires the Louisiana Economic Development Ofﬁce to come up with criteria to evaluate companies to protect ratepayers. This week, Entergy sought to delay the Cottonwood proceedings before the PSC while it works with the commission to “identify ways to lessen the initial bill impacts of the proposed Cottonwood acquisition.” Email Meghan Friedmann at meghan.friedmann@ theadvocate.com.

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Saturday,August 8, 2026 ● 5A

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PROBE

Continued from page 1A In Oakdale, federal agents untangled what officials called a far more cunning form of unauthorized immigration: one that targeted the immigration system’s official pathways through years of sophisticated fraud. “What we have here is public corruption on a pretty epic scale,” said Zachary Keller, the U.S. attorney for Louisiana’s Western District. “This is a program that was built to help violent crime victims, people who are living in the shadows of our communities and may be afraid to report to police.” The plan’s mastermind, local Subway franchise owner Chandrakant Patel, pocketed $20,000 from each applicant, he admitted in court papers this spring, then turned around and paid the lawmen $5,000 for each false report they generated. All five defendants in Oakdale have since pleaded guilty, many of their conversations captured by a wiretap. They are awaiting sentencing. Investigators are now working to identify and “make contact” with each U visa applicant allegedly involved in the scheme, plus their family members, some of whom authorities believe applied for immigration-related benefits available to relatives of crime victims, said Charlotte Green, another HSI agent assigned to the case. Little is known about the immigrants themselves. Officials declined to offer further details, citing the ongoing probe. Key questions, such as how Patel apparently developed a nationwide reputation among Indian immigrants as a man to call to secure a U visa, remain under investigation, the officials said. Patel’s attorneys did not respond to a request for comment.

RACES

Continued from page 1A area for business. The Sixth District race — and all of Louisiana’s other races for Congress — were set to be closed primaries but were halted just before the planned May election after a Supreme Court ruling found the state’s map unconstitutional, prompting the state Legislature to redraw its congressional districts to get rid of a majority-Black district. The change meant candidates had to qualify again to run in the new districts, and Miguez kept quiet about his plans. It also means the congressional races will be open primaries instead of closed primaries. Candidates will run against one another regardless of party, and unless someone gets more than 50% of the vote in November, the top two vote-getters will head to a December runoff.

Miguez, Edmonds spar The Sixth District was previously a majority-Black district that stretched from Baton Rouge up to Shreveport. The seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, a Democrat, who opted not to run again after the district was redrawn to center around suburban Baton Rouge and favor a Republican. Both Edmonds and Miguez are conservative Republicans and have said they are seeking President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Trump endorsed Miguez to run in the old Fifth District, but has not weighed in on the new map. After Edmonds filed paperwork to run Wednesday, he said he had spoken to the White House and was certain Miguez would not be getting Trump’s blessing. Edmonds, a pastor with a home in Baton Rouge, also said he was far better equipped to represent the Sixth District, having represented Baton Rouge in the Louisiana Legislature for 12 years, first as a representative and then as a senator. Miguez fired back at Edmonds on Friday, noting that Edmonds preaches to a congregation in Mississippi. “I’m disappointed that my opposition has launched that campaign in such a negative manner, specifically a pastor,” he said. “But that pastor

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

A large mural adrons the building on the corner of East Sixth Avenue and Ninth Street in Oakdale.

‘Flashing red light’ The inquiry that yielded last July’s bombshell indictment began in 2024 with a referral from USCIS’ Fraud Detection and National Security unit, which noticed the surge of U visa applications containing reports of crimes happening in and around Oakdale. “There were a lot of the same scenarios, and responding ofﬁcers, over and over,” said Green. Many reports came from people without connections to Louisiana who said they had been road-tripping far from home, all claiming to have been robbed in the same stretch of remote rural land. It amounted to what Green called a “ﬂashing red light.” From there, the case relied heavily on the court-approved wire-

has to go back to Mississippi this weekend and preach to his congregation. And he’s going to have to face them. I hope he’ll repent and he’ll come back with a more positive attitude next week.” He also said he was going to work hard for Trump’s endorsement and would not speak for the White House, another barb at Edmonds’ earlier statements. “I am honored to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ every Sunday. It is my great privilege to preach the truth,” Edmonds said when asked to respond. “Apparently when you speak the truth, the truth stings.” A White House spokesperson did not answer inquiries about whether Trump would endorse a candidate. Besides Miguez and Edmonds, Republicans Larry Davis III, Monique Appeaning, Michael Mebruer and Stephen Wagley filed this week to run in the Sixth District. So have Democrats Pat Forbes, whom former Gov. John Bel Edwards endorsed; Lindsay Rubia Garcia, who was endorsed by the Louisiana Democratic Party to run in the Fifth District before it was redrawn; and former East Baton Rouge Metro Council member Chauna Banks. Libertarian Rufus Craig also ﬁled to run.

Fifth District crowded The Fifth District seat is open because Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Baton Rouge, is running for Senate, having ousted Sen. Bill Cassidy, RBaton Rouge, in the GOP primary. That race is shaping up to be the most competitive, with four state lawmakers and the chair of the Board of Regents running. Cordell, the board chair, pitched herself as a candidate who could build bipartisan agreement to get things done, saying that leadership was about “people coming together, solving problems and taking care of each

tap that captured conversations among the ﬁve primary suspects, according to court records and the two ofﬁcials. Last July, hundreds of FBI and Homeland Security SWAT agents fanned out to arrest Patel at his home in Oakdale, along with several of the police chiefs at a law enforcement conference in Baton Rouge. As the investigation broadens, officials have not publicly disclosed arrests of visa applicants now in the probe’s crosshairs. Court records and some public documents from the case, though, show those people spanned the southeastern and eastern United States. A map of the applicants’ residents generated by investigators shows dozens of them clustered in Georgia, Tennessee and

other.” She also said she was seeking Trump’s endorsement. The field also includes state Sen. Stewart Cathey and state Rep. Michael Echols, both from Monroe, and state Rep. Gabe Firment of Pollock, who are all Republicans. They qualiﬁed Wednesday. Moore, the Democratic state representative, qualified late Friday afternoon, just before the deadline. Moore entered the race because “the people entrusted me in District 17 to represent them” and she could do the same at the federal level, she said, referencing her Louisiana House district. Though she is a Democrat running in a Republican district, she said she was focused on representing everyone in the district, regardless of party, and that her votes would align with their interests. Othe candidates running in the race include Republicans Omar Dantzler and Austin Magee and Democrats Dan McKay and Antonio Wilson.

Other races Races for the other four districts are expected to be less competitive because the incumbents are not facing any established candidates. But some lesser-known candidates did sign up. In the First District, Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, who signed up Friday to run, faces Randall Arrington, a Republican, Lauren Jewett, a Democrat, and E. “Liddy” Glass, of no party. That district covers suburban New Orleans and parts of the coast. In the Second District, Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, faces Republican Peter Williams, Libertarian Lisa Ballay, and no-party candidates Rocky Beach and Renada “Honey” Collins. The state’s sole remaining majority-Black

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Kentucky, with others scattered around Florida and across the east coast. Only one appeared to have applied from Louisiana: Patel, whom authorities have previously said was the recipient of a U visa.

Far-flung destinations After the indictment was unsealed, The Times-Picayune obtained police reports penned by Glenmora Police Chief Tebo Onishea, one of the four lawman accused of taking bribes from Patel to produce bogus police reports. Onishea, former Forest Hill Chief Glynn Dixon, former Oakdale Chief Chad Doyle and former Oakdale Marshal Michael Slaney have since pleaded guilty. Onishea’s reports listed 22 purported crime victims, ranging

district, the Second District stretches from New Orleans up through communities along the Mississippi River to urban north Baton Rouge. In the Third District, Republican Rep. Clay Higgins,

from 25 to 46 years old and hailing from Lithonia, Georgia; Frankfort, Indiana; Louisville, Kentucky; Tennessee; and Queens, N.Y. Nearly all of them had the last name Patel, among the most common on the planet. The reports repeatedly describe Onishea investigating carloads of men who stopped to fix flat tires or other mechanical issues, then said they were accosted by armed thieves. Onishea’s attorney, Lester Gauthier, declined to comment beyond saying that his client served in the Louisiana Army National Guard and deployed to Iraq. Attorneys for the other former lawmen declined to comment. The other police agencies declined requests to provide copies of the reports. Three of the agencies last week directed a reporter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana, which declined to provide the records, citing the defendants’ pending sentencing hearings. Parks emphasized that the estimate of 800 visa applicants thought to have been involved in the scheme is a fluid figure. The total number who may have benefited could be nearer to “a couple thousand,” he said, because family members of U visa applicants also qualify for certain benefits from the federal government. The four lawmen admitted in court papers filed with their guilty pleas to certifying a total of 279 fraudulent reports between 2020 and in 2025. In news releases and news conferences, the Justice Department has cast the crackdown on fraudulent visa applicants as part of the administration’s commitment to tamping down on benefits fraud and illegal immigration alike. This spring, the department highlighted indictments of 10 people near Boston accused of running a plot to stage armed convenience store robberies to fraudulently secure U visas.

R-Lafayette, faces a Republican, Kate Cotten, three Democrats — John Day, Priscilla Gonzalez and Caleb Walker — and a no-party candidate, Tia LeBrun. That district covers Lafayette and southwest Louisiana.

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Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Benton, faces three challengers in the Fourth District: Republicans Mike Nichols and Gordon Heslop, and Democrats Conrad Cable and Matt Gromlich.

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6A ● Saturday,August 8, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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TODAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Partly sunny

A p.m. t-storm in the area

A stray afternoon thunderstorm

Humid with a stray t-storm

A couple of t-storms; humid

A couple of morning showers

HIGH

LOW

92° 75°

LOW

90° 76°

LOW

89° 77°

90° 77°

Beaumont 91/76 Port Arthur 90/77

Baton Rouge 93/75

Lake Charles 92/76

New Orleans 91/77 Houma 91/75

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

Hattiesburg 96/73

Alexandria 93/74

Lafayette 92/75

10s

20s

30s

40s

50s

92° 76°

60s

70s

80s

90s 100s 110s

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

YESTERDAY

TODAY

READING 52 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

AUG 12

City

Austin Boston Dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami Nashville

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

HIGH

4:21p 9:48a 3:55a 6:49a 6:06a 5:20a 7:14a

FT.

AUG 19

99 88 101 68 89 112 89 92 89

TODAY Lo

75 74 79 50 77 90 72 81 74

FULL

LAST

AUG 27

s t s c sh s t t t

SEP 4

98 92 100 71 89 113 90 92 91

SUN. Lo

78 70 79 52 77 88 75 80 72

LOW

0.02” 0.96” 1.35” 41.75” 38.77”

FT.

HIGH

0.8 3:51a -0.1 1.8 10:46p -0.3 2.1 5:18p -0.7 2.1 9:40p 0.0 1.6 5:52p -0.2 1.9 4:12p -0.5 1.9 6:54p -0.3

6:31 a.m. 7:56 p.m. 1:41 a.m. 4:41 p.m.

FIRST

MODERATE

PRECIPITATION

89°/75° 93°/75° 93°/76° 102° in 2023 61° in 1923

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

NEW

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

LOW

93° 77°

TEMPERATURE Jackson 93/73

Many 93/72

LOW

Lafayette through 5 p.m. Friday

Longview 97/75

-0s

LOW

Monroe 94/74

Shreveport 95/75

-10s

HIGH

Well, today will be a typical summertime day in Acadiana and across Louisiana. Expect a mostly sunny to partly cloudy, hot and humid day with a light breeze and a few scattered showers and storms. Temperatures this afternoon will rise to about where they should be, in the low to mid-90s. The humidity will remain high, so heat index or “feels-like” temperatures will rise to 103 or higher and the UV index will be at the very high level this afternoon. Also, keep the umbrella with you, scattered rain is expected tomorrow.

s pc s c sh t s t t

FT.

---------------

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

LOW

---------------

FT.

---------------

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

Today 7:57a Sunday 8:55a Monday 9:52a Tuesday 10:48a Wednesday 11:43a Thursday 12:11a Friday 1:04a

City

New Orleans Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Raleigh St. Louis San Diego Tampa

91 92 93 113 84 92 90 81 90

1:41a 2:39a 3:36a 4:33a 5:29a 6:23a 7:16a

TODAY Lo

77 76 76 91 67 73 75 70 77

8:29p 9:27p 10:23p 11:18p 12:10p 12:36p 1:28p

t t t s t t pc pc t

GOOD

91 94 93 112 86 94 92 79 91

2:13p 3:11p 4:08p 5:03p 5:56p 6:48p 7:39p

SUN. Lo

79 76 73 90 67 73 77 70 79

t t s t s t pc pc t

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

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

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

FRI. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

-0.80 20.10 22.80 9.20 5.40 3.97 3.60

+0.13 -1.03 -1.20 -0.90 -0.40 -0.29 +0.11

16.31

+0.33

-1.43

+0.12

18 29 8

-1.13 10.72 1.84

-0.02 +0.56 +0.10

13 15

1.46 0.95

+0.01 +0.02

47 34 29 20 12 6

8.83 5.85 4.33 4.34 3.50 1.60

-0.61 -0.43 -0.30 -0.22 -0.60 +0.02

data as of 7 a.m. Friday

ICE body camera footage policy Lindsay Clancy murder trial focusing on her could keep public in the dark

psychiatric hospital stay

Guideline says videos determined in agency’s ‘best interests’ would be released

BY JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press

BY RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is moving to equip officers with body cameras in the next two months but the agency’s policy gives it broad control over what footage will be made public by specifying any releases must be in its “best interests.” After years of delays, ICE said its field officers nationwide will have body-worn cameras by the end of September. The rollout comes after recent fatal shootings by officers enforcing President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown have intensified pressure for accountability that the cameras could provide. But the agency’s body-worn camera policy could mean taxpayers who are pitching in tens of millions of dollars to pay for the cameras may be kept in the dark about some high-profile confrontations, at least in their immediate aftermath. The policy says ICE will promptly release video of shootings and other encounters in which its agents cause death or serious injury only after determining “it is in the best interests of the agency” to do so. That gives its director discretion to release recordings that reflect well on the agency’s image while working to keep others secret, experts on body camera policies said. Such selective releases are routine in some law enforcement agencies but usually not so clearly contemplated in policy, according to professor Christopher Schneider of Brandon University in Canada, a co-author of the book “Police Body-Worn Cameras: Media and the New Discourse of Police Reform.” “In some ways, ICE is saying the quiet part out loud,” he said. “Body-worn cameras are being used as contemporary image-work

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By ERIC THAyER

An ICE Special Response Team member stands guard outside the Metropolitan Detention Center while protesters gather outside to denounce U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in June 2025 in downtown Los Angeles.

tools to present the police to the of-force incidents within 60 days. public in the most favorable way In Philadelphia, the police departpossible.” ment very rarely uses its discretion to release video and has no Policy allows withholding policy for when to do so. Even when footage is released, ICE’s policy requires officers to activate cameras during routine ICE’s policy will require redacting enforcement activities, including all officers’ identifying features while making arrests, executing such as faces, names and badge search warrants and responding numbers to preserve their privacy. Schneider, who has studied to emergencies. After shootings or other seri- body cameras since their use beous confrontations, a committee gan spreading a decade ago, said that includes top ICE officials and he does not expect ICE to release lawyers will review footage and footage of fatal shootings like recommend whether to release it those last month. promptly, according to the policy He noted ICE’s sister agency, Cusissued in February 2025. toms and Border Protection, has If the answer is yes, the record- not released footage of the January ing could be released within 72 shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapohours. But if ICE’s director finds lis even though it was captured on “specific and compelling circum- agents’ cameras. CBP Commissionstances” justify withholding the er Rodney Scott told lawmakers in video, they have the authority to February that the video and other block or indefinitely delay the re- materials were under investigation and would be made public “when it’s lease, the policy says. The policy does not elaborate appropriate.” Katherine Hawkins, senior legal on such circumstances, and ICE did not respond to a question from analyst at the nonprofit Project The Associated Press about how it On Government Oversight, said that while it’s better to have bodywould make such decisions. Practices vary widely in the worn camera footage than not — U.S. In Chicago, a police watchdog because courts could demand it for agency routinely releases video of review — ICE’s policy makes such shootings and other serious use- recordings “virtually useless.”

Lindsay Clancy‘s murder trial zeroed in Friday on the nearly ﬁve days that the Massachusetts mother spent in a psychiatric hospital a few weeks before she killed her three children. Her stay is a key chapter in both the prosecution and defense narratives about her mental state when she strangled the children in their suburban home and then jumped out a second-story window. In questioning one of her McLean Hospital psychiatrists on Friday, a prosecutor underscored that Clancy denied to hospital clinicians that she wanted to hurt anyone else or planned to kill herself. Clancy’s lawyer, meanwhile, aimed to ﬂesh out the defense’s claim that she sought mental health help for months, wasn’t properly diagnosed as she went from provider to provider, and was put on a series of medications that left her worse off. Clancy has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the January 2023 strangling deaths of Callan, Dawson and Cora Clancy, who ranged from 8 months to 5 years old. They were found in the basement of the family’s home in coastal Duxbury, Massachusetts, and their mother was lying, badly injured, in the yard. She remains paralyzed from the waist down. Prosecutors argue that Clancy, a 35-year-old former labor and delivery nurse, was an intentional killer who attacked her children after getting her husband out of the house by asking him to run errands. The defense doesn’t dispute that she killed the children but says she shouldn’t be held criminally responsible, contending that she was so mentally ill that she heard voices telling her to kill them and herself. In the criminal trial and a medical malpractice lawsuit, Clancy’s attorneys say she had bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis — a break with reality that a small fraction of women have

after childbirth — that weren’t fully diagnosed until after the killings, though one of her outpatient providers considered bipolar disorder in 2022. Clancy recounted that provider’s opinion and disagreed with it after she checked herself into McLean early on New Year’s Day 2023, psychiatrist Dr. Alia Goodheart told jurors Friday. When Goodheart joined Clancy’s lineup of providers that Jan. 3, the patient expressed concerns about an antipsychotic medication she’d previously been prescribed to help with insomnia, and about feeling numb, which can be a side effect of that drug, Goodheart said. She diagnosed her with insomnia with a mental health condition and tapered down the medication. Clancy then reported she could sleep, was eager to go home in time for a long-planned belated birthday party for Cora, and booked herself follow-up outpatient care, the psychiatrist testiﬁed. The hospital discharged her that Jan. 5 with prescriptions for an antianxiety drug and a sleep aid. “She had never stated that she had any thoughts of harming anybody else,” Goodheart told jurors. And although Clancy said she’d had suicidal thoughts, she denied having them in the moment and indeed said she had reasons not to take her own life: “her children and her family, her mother,” Goodheart recalled. When defense lawyer Kevin Reddington had his turn to question the psychiatrist, he emphasized that the hospital care team didn’t do various tests — Goodheart said they weren’t necessary — or learn that she had called a suicide hotline that fall. Nor did the providers talk to various outpatient clinicians who had treated Clancy over the prior months, though they did speak to her husband. “She was very sick, wasn’t she?” Reddington asked at one point. “I don’t know what you mean,” Goodheart responded.

METRO

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

S at u r d ay, au g u S t 8, 2026

1BN

High-profile incumbents reelected Unopposed Lafayette Parish races won’t be on ballot

BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

The three-day candidate qualifying period for the Nov. 3 election ended on Friday. Many of Lafayette Parish’s high-proﬁle incumbents running for reelection are running unopposed and will not be listed on the ballot. Instead they will automatically be elected to serve in the position. Those include Youngsville Mayor Ken Ritter, Broussard Mayor Raymond Bourque,

Scott Mayor Jan Scott-Richard, and Lafayette City Marshal Reggie Thomas. Ritter was first elected as Youngsville mayor in 2014 and has never had an opponent for the position. In 2022, a Republican, Kenneth Champagne initially qualiﬁed to oppose Ritter but ultimately withdrew. Many 15th Judicial District Court incumbents also were reelected due to a lack of opposition, including Scott Privat, Valerie Gotch Garrett, Royal

ELECTION H

Colbert, Michelle Breaux, David Smith, Laurie Hulin, Angela Wagar, Michele Billeaud, and Cynthia Simon Spagoni. The only incumbent judge in the 15th Ju-

U.S. Senator dicial District Court to draw a n Jamie Davis (Democrat) challenger was Susan Theall in n Julia Letlow (Republican) District M, who will be opposed by Republican Dyan Schnaars. U.S. Representative, 3rd Congressional Additionally, Shawn Eller, who District n Kate Cotten (Republican) is running to serve as judge for n John Day (Democrat) Division H for the ﬁrst time, did n Priscilla Gonzales (Democrat) not draw a challenger, and will be n Clay Higgins, incumbent (Reelected to serve in the position. A full list of candidates who publican) n Tia LeBrun (No Party) qualified to run unopposed can n Caleb “With a C” Walker (Dembe found on the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Voter Portal listed ocrat) 15th Judicial District Court Judge Division I under Candidate Inquiry. n Will Keaty II (Republican) The following is a complete list n David Way (Republican) of races in Lafayette Parish that had multiple qualiﬁers and will ä See BALLOT, page 2B be included on the Nov. 3 ballot.

SUPPLY DRIVE

8 heatrelated deaths reported Most victims older than 65

Staff report The Louisiana Department of Health reported eight heat-related deaths in the state so far this year on Friday. Seven of the deaths were people 65 years old or older. Between 2023 and 2025, LDH recorded 172 heat-related deaths in Louisiana. “Adults ages 65 and older accounted for 38% of those deaths (between 2023 and 2025),” LDH said in a release. “Approximately 60% of the people who died were in a residential setting, and 15% had no or limited air conditioning.” The ﬁrst Louisiana heat-related death was in the Acadiana region, a man older than 65 who died in June from hyperthermia.

ä See DEATHS, page 2B STAFF PHOTOS By BRAD KEMP

ABOVE: Volunteers load supplies on a school bus during the United Way of Acadiana’s Stuff the Bus teacher supply drive at Hancock Whitney Bank in Lafayette on Friday. The initiative focuses on providing classroom essentials that teachers often purchase with their own money, especially ﬁrst-year teachers who are starting from scratch. BELOW LEFT: Renee Frank, a Ochsner Health registered nurse, brings donated supplies to the school bus during the United Way of Acadiana’s Stuff the Bus teacher supply drive. BELOW RIGHT: Volunteers load supplies on a school bus on Friday.

Landry’s homeless services plan in limbo Court halts release of federal funds

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE

Staff writer

State officials’ application to manage homelessness funds in New Orleans is in limbo after a court halted the release of federal funding for the effort. The court order applies to every agency that was hoping to receive funding through the effort, including homeless service providers in New Orleans. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy comes as a blow to

ä See LIMBO, page 2B

Five local nonprofits join together for event Cajundome community donation drive set

BY JA’KORI MADISON

Staff writer

Give Acadiana Day, a collaborative community donation drive, brings together ﬁve local nonprofits for one big day of giving. On Saturday, Catholic Charities of Acadiana, Gifting Grace Project, Goodwill Acadiana, Lafayette

Habitat for Humanity and Second Harvest Food Bank are collaborating for the ﬁrst-ever Give Acadiana Day. The Cajundome will serve as the primary donation site with on-site volunteers, music, and more from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. under the porte cochère. “When local nonproﬁts collaborate, our whole community wins,” said organizers in a statement. “So do the neighbors each of our organizations serve.” Satellite drop-off sites will be available at Goodwill Acadiana

locations in Breaux Bridge, Crowley, New Iberia, Opelousas and Youngsville. Donors can simply drive up, drop off their donations, mention Give Acadiana Day, and drive away.

packs and school supplies • Goodwill Acadiana: clothes and household items • Lafayette Habitat for Humanity: appliances and furniture • Second Harvest: shelf-stable food (canned or nonperishable). Learn more about the five local nonproﬁts to understand their missions and how your donations • Catholic Charities of Acadiana: make a local impact. Visit www. 25-foot professional-grade tape giveacadianaday.org to learn more measures, 8-ounce Styrofoam cups about the event. and gallon-size liquid laundry deEmail Ja’kori Madison at jakori. tergent • Gifting Grace Project: back- madison@theadvocate.com.

Requested items:

STAFF FILE PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Give Acadiana Day, a collaborative community donation drive, brings together five local nonprofits for one big day of giving.

2B ● Saturday,August 8, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

LIMBO

Continued from page 1B Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration plan to take over as much as $50 million in federal homeless services funds in an effort to overhaul the homeless services system in New Orleans. The ruling settled a lawsuit brought in July by national housing nonprofits and local governments in response to a plan by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to

shift an estimated $1.2 billion nationwide away from permanent housing programs and into temporary programs that emphasize treatment in its latest annual funding competition. McElroy’s ruling cancels the funding competition, arguing that HUD did not engage in the required process of collecting public comments while drafting its rules. The ruling is a win for housing advocates who want the Trump administration to follow years of HUD precedent by provid-

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ing federal funds to municipalities to pay rents for people with disabilities through a program called Permanent Supportive Housing. It is unclear how or whether the annual funding competition will proceed following the judge’s ruling. After a judge canceled the 2025 funding competition over similar concerns last year, Congress required HUD to renew all existing grants. Under Landry’s nowpaused plan, a large share of the funds would have

been used to create a new several hundred-bed homeless shelter outside of downtown New Orleans. New permanent housing slots would have been prioritized for people who had completed mental health and drug treatment programs, according to a Landry administration ofﬁcial who had knowledge of the state’s proposal but who was not authorized to speak on the record. A spokesperson for Landry declined to comment on the judge’s ruling on Friday.

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BALLOT

Continued from page 1B 15th Judicial District Court Judge Division M n Dyan Schnaars (Republican) n Susan Theall, incumbent (Republican) District Attorney 15th Judicial District n Kristian Earles (Republican) n Don Landry (Republican) Lafayette City Court Judge Division B n Ryan Harris (Republican) n James Klock (Republican) n Emilia Pardo (Republican) Carencro Mayor n Charlotte Stemmans Clavier (Republican) n Don Chauvin (Republican) n Eric Knight (Democrat) Scott Police Chief n Caleb Lege’ (Republican) n Kert Thomas (Republican) Youngsville Police Chief n Jean Paul “JP” Brous-

DEATHS

sard, incumbent (Republican) n “Art” LeBreton Jr. (Republican) n John Melvin Trahan Jr. (No Party) Scott City Council District 1 n Jakob Goodwin (Republican) n Nahia Simon (No Party) Scott City Council District 2 n Terry Montoucet (Republican) n Sherie Stutes Sonnier (Republican) Scott City Council District 4 n Bob Boudreaux (Republican) n Allyson Soeseno Richard (Democrat) Youngsville City Council Division B n “Lindy” Bolgiano, incumbent (Republican) n James “Bubba” Savell (Republican) Youngsville City Council Division D n Nick Niland, incumbent (Republican) n Todd Istre (Republican) Carencro City Council (5 to be elected) n Danielle Capritto (Republican) n Damian Glover (Republican) n Taylor James (No Party)

n Todd “Todd-O” Olivier (Republican) n Stasia Herbert-McZeal (Republican) n Alex Savage (Republi(Democrat). can) n Alfred “AL” Sinegal (Democrat) LOTTERY n Terrance St. Julien (No Party) THURSDAY,AUG. 6, 2026 n Carlos Stout (RepubliPICK 3: 6-5-8 can) PICK 4: 3-1-5-7 Broussard City Council District 1 PICK 5: 3-5-2-5-0 n Lori Landry (Republican) Unofficial notification, n Angel Racca, incumkeep your tickets. bent (Republican) Broussard City Council District 2 n Charles Sharma (ReFunerals Today publican) n Trey Smith (Republi- Fontenot, Sharon Fountain Memorial Funeral can) Cemetery, Lafayette at 10:00am. Duson Council (5 to be elected) n Glenn Cormier (Republican) n Blake Credeur (No Party) n Coby Duhon (Republican) n Steve Hanks (No Party) n John “Johnny” Legneaux II (Republican) n Andrew “Maxis” Malaxonis (No Party) n Carolyn “Pepe” RichPets ard (Republican) Lafayette Parish School Board District 2 n Robert “Ted” Davidson

THURSDAY

APRIL 9, 2020

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Additional jobless pay set to begin

$1.50

ELEC TION 2020 PRESIDENT

THE RACE IS ON

Unemployed to get $600 more per week from stimulus package BY SAM KARLIN

COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS: THE LATEST

CASES IN LA.

652 deaths

17,030 positive cases INSIDE ä Mnuchin:

Direct deposits to start next week, 2A

ä New data

provides clearer picture of early spread, 4A

ä La. nursing

home deaths up to 130, 6A

Staff writer

Louisiana is set to start doling out supercharged unemployment benefits of $600 more a week on Monday, providing the first wave of relief to a staggering number of residents seeking aid as the coronavirus rocks the state’s economy. But as benefits begin flowing and officials project no part of Louisiana is on track to run out of hospital beds or ventilators in the coming 10 days, Gov. John Bel Edwards warned Wednesday it will be a long time before things return to normal. Until there is a vaccine and medication that can treat the virus — prospects that are months or longer away — Edwards said people will likely not see “life as you knew it before COVID-19.” Although at some point restrictions will be loosened, it remains unclear exactly what that will look like, Edwards said. The state will rely heavily on the federal government and will need far more testing, along with contact tracing and isolation of patients who later test positive, he said. “I promise you no matter what the timeline looks like, it’s going to be quicker if everyone follows the stay-at-home order,” the governor said. In the meantime, as the order is set to keep thousands of businesses closed until at least April 30, the Louisiana Workforce Commission will start paying out the extra $600 per week benefit to unemployed Louisiana work-

OR Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a March campaign rally in Detroit.

BY WILL WEISSERT

BY WILL SENTELL Staff writer

Louisiana public school superintendents Wednesday asked Gov. John Bel Edwards to extend his schools closure order through the end of the academic year because of the coronavirus. The request significantly boosts chances that classrooms will remain locked for nearly 720,000 public school students

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders ended his presidential bid on Wednesday, making Joe Biden the presumptive Democratic nominee to challenge President Donald Trump in a general election campaign that will be waged against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic. Sanders initially ex- Sanders ceeded sky-high expectations about his ability to re-create the magic of his 2016 presidential bid and even overcame a heart attack in October. But he couldn’t convert unwavering support from progressives into a viable path to the nomination, with “electability” fears fueled by questions about whether his democratic socialist ide-

and that the school year will have effectively ended for many students on March 13. “By not having students return to school facilities this school year combined with social distancing intervention there could be lessening or even prevention of further community spread of the virus,” superintendents said in their request to the governor.

ä See SCHOOLS, page 6A

ology would be palatable to general election voters. “The path toward victory is virtually impossible,” Sanders told supporters Wednesday. “If I believed we had a feasible path to the nomination, I would certainly continue the campaign, but it’s just not there.” He called Biden a “very decent man” but didn’t offer an explicit endorsement of the former vice president. Sanders said his name would remain on the ballot in states that have not yet held primaries so he can gain more delegates and “exert signiﬁcant influence” on the Democratic platform. Biden, who is backed by much of the party’s establishment, told supporters at a virtual fundraiser that he had a “short conversation” with Sanders on Wednesday. “He didn’t just run a political campaign. He created a movement,” Biden said. “That’s a good thing for our na-

Acadiana ICU occupancy highest in state Hospitals lean on surge plans to meet demand

BY BEN MYERS Staff writer

Lafayette hospital officials said Wednesday they expect surge plans will meet rising demand for intensive care beds from critical coronavirus patients, as new state data showed Acadiana with the highest regional intensive care occupancy rate in the state. Officials with Lafayette General Health and Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center announced the previous day they had begun to enact phased surge plans to expand capacity. They elaborated on Wednesday, noting

Business ................... 4C Classified .................. 3B

that intensive care bed availability reported by the state does not account for maximum surge capacity. Surge plans phase in added capacity by converting parts of facilities not typically used for intensive care. Lafayette General’s four-phase surge plan, for example, increases its intensive care capacity from 46 to 78 across three campuses, according to Amanda Logue, the system’s chief medical ofﬁcer. Lafayette General, which is in its second phase of the surge plan, had 40 intensive care patients on Wednesday, meaning it has room for another 38 if it goes through the next two phases. But the state reported only 32 available intensive care beds were available across the seven-parish region. Still, the state reported 12 new admis-

Comics...................... 4D Commentary ............. 7B

in your web browser by visiting TheAcadiana Advocate.com and clicking E-EDITION

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTOS

President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a January rally in Washington, D.C.

Sanders drops out, leaving former Vice President Biden the presumptive Democratic challenger to Trump

ä See JOBLESS, page 6A

Superintendents want schools to stay closed

sions to intensive care, bringing the total to 143, along with a sharp rise in the number of newly reported cases. That means Acadiana’s existing intensive care beds were 82% occupied, the highest rate among the state’s nine regions. The 67 new cases reported Wednesday in Acadiana marked a 60% increase over new cases reported the day before. That reversed a one-day decline in the number of new reported cases. There were 42 new cases reported Tuesday and 54 the day before that. Daily case counts typically reﬂect positive results from tests administered several days prior. Logue noted that only a small percentage of newly infected people will require

Deaths ...................... 3B Living......................... 1D

ä See ICU, page 6A

Opinion ..................... 6B Puzzles ...................... 3D

tion and our future. His campaign has ended, but I know his leadership will continue.” Trump sought to foment the tension among Democrats by tweeting Wednesday that the party stacked the race against Sanders. The president said the senator’s supporters “should come to the Republican Party.” Sanders began his latest White House bid facing questions about whether he could win back the supporters who chose him four years ago as an insurgent alternative to Hillary Clinton. Despite winning 22 states in 2016, there were no guarantees he’d be a major presidential contender this cycle. But Sanders used strong polling and solid fundraising — collected almost entirely from small donations made online — to quiet early doubters. Like the ﬁrst time, he attracted widespread

ä See RACE, page 4A

Domestic violence advocates offering help Groups: Pandemic may put survivors at greater risk

BY KATIE GAGLIANO Staff writer

Advocates for survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and child abuse are raising the alarm in Acadiana communities that the coronavirus pandemic may put survivors at greater risk while home with their abusers for extended peri-

ods — and that help is available, virus or no virus. When Gov. John Bel Edwards announced a statewide stay-athome order on March 23, Faith House of Acadiana Executive Director Billi Lacombe said she immediately feared abusers would capitalize on the opportunity to exert control over their victims. Although the order was a needed step to protect communities and lessen the spread of the virus, she said, it has the unintended con-

ä See DOMESTIC, page 4A

Sports ...................... 1C Weather..................... 8B

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illness symptoms like dizziness, weakness or nausea. Continued from page 1B They also remind Louisianans to hydrate, find shade or a cool indoor space and LDH urges residents to rest after being in heat for look out for heat-related too long.

Thank you to all of the ﬁrst responders for keeping us safe in this time of crisis.

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Notice is hereby given that the assessment list‐ ings for the year 2026 have been completed and values have been established on all taxable property in the Parish of Lafayette. The values thus ﬁxed will be open for inspection at the As‐ sessor’s Ofﬁce Monday through Thurs‐ day from 8:00 A.M. – 4:30 d id f

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y P.M. and on Friday from 8:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. from August 17, 2026, through August 31, 2026. Any taxpayer desiring to examine their assess‐ ment is requested to come to the Assessor’s Ofﬁce during this period.

All information concern‐ ing the value of your property must be sub‐ mitted to the Assessor before the deadline for ﬁling an appeal. Failure to submit such informa‐ tion may prevent you from relying on that information should you protest your value.

Any taxpayer may protest the value fixed by the Assessor to the Lafayette Parish Council. Appeal forms must be filed with the Lafayette Parish Council Office, 705 West University Avenue, Lafayette, LA 70506, by 3:00 p.m. on September 8, 2026.

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Mortgage rates rise for 5th straight week

CHICAGO — The average longterm U.S. mortgage rate rose for a fifth consecutive week to its highest level in just over a year, marking the latest strain for prospective homebuyers who are facing steep borrowing costs. The benchmark 30-year fixedrate mortgage rate rose to 6.69%, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday, up slightly from 6.66% reported last week. By comparison, the average rate was 6.63% at this time last year — and hadn’t been higher than its current level since late July in 2025. Higher mortgage rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting homebuyers’ purchasing power. As rates rise, that can lead prospective home shoppers to delay buying a home, one reason U.S. home sales have been sluggish this year. Meanwhile, borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages — which are often sought by borrowers looking to refinance a home loan — fell slightly this week. That rate averaged at 6.01%, down from 6.04% last week. A year ago, it was at 5.75%, Freddie Mac said.

FAA orders inspections for Boeing 737 Max jets CHICAGO — The Federal Aviation Administration this week ordered inspections for hundreds of Boeing planes, following reports of cracks in some older models. The now-ﬁnalized rule, which was unveiled Thursday and kicks in Sept. 10, applies to certain aircraft under three Boeing 737 Max models: the 737-8, 737-9 and 737-8200. The FAA estimates this covers 471 planes — and said it is using this directive to address “the unsafe condition” tied to prior reports. So far, no cracks have been found in these specific Max models. But when proposing the rule back in November, the FAA noted it had received reports of cracks in a forward bear strap for several older, “Next-Generation” 737 planes. Bear straps are metal sheets that reinforce areas on planes like doorways and emergency exits. The Max jets have “a similar design and build process” to the older models, “making those airplanes susceptible to the same crack condition,” the FAA wrote in November. The agency warned that the issue could “adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane” if not addressed. In a statement, Boeing said that it previously identiﬁed and reported this issue — and “has been working with operators on it over the past six years.”

Army opens test ranges to small companies CAMP GRAYLING, Mich. — The U.S. Army said Friday that it is opening up test ranges to private companies developing missiles, drones and other weapons in hopes of buying them more quickly for use on the battleﬁeld. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told reporters at a military testing range in Michigan that the effort will cut months and sometimes years of the red tape that typically stifles military contractors. He pledged to grant companies access to ranges in the U.S. or those belonging to allies abroad within 30 days of them making a request through an online marketplace that went live Friday. “It can take 12 to 18 months for a company that wants to go test the thing that can make a soldier’s life better, that can increase their lethality and that can keep them safer,” Driscoll said. “That is not sufﬁcient.” The announcement comes as warfare rapidly changes around the globe, from the swarms of Shahed drones that Iran launched against American forces in the Middle East to Ukraine’s innovations in drone technology while defending against Russia’s invasion. But the Army is also opening its ranges as the Pentagon grapples with the costs of the Iran war.

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Judge orders Meta to pay $567M Funds to address children’s mental health online

BY BARBARA ORTUTAY and WUFEI YU Associated Press

A New Mexico court has ordered Instagram and Facebook parent company Meta to pay $567 million to address harms to young people from its platforms in the second phase of a landmark trial. Judge Bryan Biedscheid said in a ruling late Thursday that the bulk of the money — $420 million — will be used for treatment services for young people. The rest will go toward awareness and prevention, screening services and other costs over the next ﬁve years. The new penalty is in addition to the $375 million in civil penalties that jurors ordered against Meta in March after determining the com-

pany knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms. In the second phase, prosecutors asked the judge to impose fundamental changes at Meta aimed at reining in addictive features, improving age veriﬁcation and preventing child sexual exploitation through default privacy settings and closer oversight. The total amount Meta is responsible for — $942 million — is a small fraction of its annual proﬁt, which was about $60 billion in 2025. Investors seemed to shrug off the ruling in after-hours trading Thursday, sending Meta’s stock down less than half a percent to $589.44. Still, the ruling is another setback for Meta, which faces an avalanche of lawsuits from thousands of families of children harmed by social media. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said it sends an unmistakable message that companies will be held accountable when their

product designs knowingly put children at risk. “Today’s decision is a victory for every parent who has worried about what social media is doing to their child and every child who deserves to grow up safer online,” he said in a statement. Meta vowed to appeal. “We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content,” the company said in a statement. “We remain conﬁdent in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts.” The judge ordered Facebook and Instagram to build banner and informational screens to clearly explain its protection features, best practices and tools to address inappropriate comment, for example, and display them regularly. Those changes and an educational campaign in New Mexico would be sub-

ject to review by the state. The court said federal children’s privacy laws prevent Meta from applying age-verification tools to children under 13. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA, means it cannot order Meta to request children to submit personal data or be passively tracked online, even for age verification purposes. The court also noted that ordering verification of children’s ages only for Meta and not other social media companies would be “inequitable and unduly injurious” to the company. Instead, the court ordered Meta to continue to improve its age assurance tools in New Mexico, which include using artificial intelligence to determine people’s age based on signals such as who their friends are and what types of content they post and consume. Meta must also attempt to develop a dedicated “under-13-years-of-age prediction model” in the next two years.

Job market stalled in July Employers cut 23,000 jobs

BY PAUL WISEMAN and JOSH BOAK Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The U.S. job market stalled unexpectedly last month, delivering a political blow to President Donald Trump three months ahead of midterm elections and complicating decision-making for the inflation fighters at the Federal Reserve. Employers cut 23,000 jobs in July. And Labor Department revisions slashed 103,000 jobs from May and June payrolls. The unemployment rate fell but for the wrong reason: Thousands of people dropped out of the labor market so fewer people were competing for work. The July jobs numbers from the Labor Department Friday marked a sharp setback for the American labor market and for Trump less than three months before his Republican Party seeks to keep full control of Congress in the midterm election. Forecasters had expected job creation to approach 100,000 last month. Local public schools cut 50,000 jobs in July, restaurants and bars 26,000, retailers 19,000. The 4.1% unemployment rate was the lowest since June 2025 — but it only fell because 264,000 people dropped out of the labor market last month. The share of those working or looking for work fell to 61.4%, the lowest since February 2021. “We can’t really put lipstick on a pig here,” said Daniel Zhao, chief economist at the jobs website Glassdoor. ”This is not a great report for July.” The Trump administration, which has imposed massive tariffs in an attempt to protect American industry and create manufacturing jobs, noted that jobs were up 22,000 at construction companies and 5,000 at factories. “The Trump industrial resurgence is on schedule,” said White House spokesperson Kush Desai. “Manufacturing and factory construction jobs grew again in July even as government payrolls continued to significantly shrink.” Trump has long bragged that jobs have been increasing for native-born citizens in his economy, but that talking point was undermined by

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By NAM y. HUH

Friday’s jobs report shows employers cut 23,000 jobs in July. the July numbers. The White House declined to comment on why Friday’s report showed that employment for native-born Americans dropped by 720,000 over the past 12 months. Those numbers can be quirky. They’re not adjusted for seasonal changes and are not seen as a reliable measure of total native-born employment. But the administration had latched onto them as evidence that Trump’s immigration crackdown was benefiting people born in the United States. Policymakers at the Federal Reserve have been divided over whether to start raising interest to combat inflation that has exceeded their 2% target for more than five years. The Fed kept rates unchanged at its meeting last week — but three officials dissented from that decision in favor of a rate hike. Wall Street traders were expecting rate hikes later this year. Friday’s report may at least delay higher rates. “The Fed has to consider the health of the job market as they debate whether a hike is justified, said Glassdoor’s Zhao. ”The softness in today’s report is going to have to give the Fed a little bit of pause. July wage gains were modest. Average hourly pay was up 3.2% last month from July 2025, the smallest year-over-year increase since May 2021. The smaller wage gains are coming at a time when American families are squeezed by the high cost of living. “This is a bleak jobs report,” said Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. “The U.S. labor market is stalling again and that is going to make the Federal Reserve’s job harder and life for

job seekers rough.” Women lost 32,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department reports, accounting for all the job losses in July. But that marked a reversal in women’s fortunes: They still gained 321,000 jobs over the past 12 months; men lost 5,000 over that period. Economists noted that private payrolls continued to grow in July and that the big drop in public school payrolls might have been a statistical glitch caused by seasonal adjustments. Hiring had rebounded this year from a lackluster 2025 in the face of the conflict in the Persian Gulf that has sent energy prices surging and put a strain on family budgets. Job growth had been solid, if unspectacular. Some businesses are having trouble filling vacancies. Others are using technology to do the work humans used to do. Americans who have jobs are enjoying unusual job security. Layoffs are low by historical standards. Companies, scarred by the surprise labor shortages that followed COVID-19 lockdowns a few years ago, don’t want to risk giving up the staff they have. One week in July the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits dropped to the lowest level in more than 50 years. The jobless rate tumbled to 4.2% in June, the lowest in a year, and is expected to have stayed there last month, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet. But Americans who have lost their jobs — or are seeking to bust into the job market for the first time — are struggling to catch a break.

Upped security in Mexican state halts avocado exports to U.S. BY MARÍA VERZA Associated Press

MEXICO CITY — Mexico began sending 1,500 more troops to the western state of Michoacan on Thursday, a day after the U.S. announced the suspension of government operations in that region — including halting avocado inspections required for their export — because of a nonspeciﬁc threat to U.S. interests. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the increase of security in avocado production areas to spur the resumption of the exports as soon as possible and to prevent any serious impact on Mexico’s economy or U.S. supply. The United States is a major consumer of Mexican avocados:

More than 80% of the avocados consumed come from its southern neighbor, amounting to $3.7 billion in sales for Mexico in 2025. But before export, U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors verify the quality on-site to prevent pests from entering the country. Without inspections, imports stop and prices in the U.S. may increase. These agricultural inspections were suspended on Wednesday for security reasons in Michoacan, the main avocado producer and an area with high cartel activity. It’s not the ﬁrst time the exports have been halted — a pause in early 2022 on the eve of the Super Bowl lasted a week, though it didn’t impact game day guacamole consumption because those avocados had already been shipped.

Numerous cartels operate in Michoacan, which is the main state exporting avocados to the United States and one of just two states authorized to do so. In Michoacan, the cartels produce and traffic drugs and engage in violence and extortion across multiple industries, including the avocado industry where payments to the cartels can impact prices of the fruit. Previous pauses on exports were triggered by violence against U.S. inspectors — in 2024, two USDA employees were assaulted and temporarily held by assailants in Michoacan. This time, no speciﬁc incident was reported, and Michoacan authorities stated that the suspension was “preventive” due to recent arrests linked to extortion cases. The California Avocado Com-

mission, which supports the state’s avocado industry, called for stronger monitoring of fruit headed to the U.S. after a pest was reported at a Mexico packinghouse and said cartels shouldn’t be allowed to intervene in the industry. “The Trump administration is right to protect American personnel and confront the cartels,” Ken Melban, the commission’s president, said in a statement, adding that “cartels cannot be allowed to exploit the United States-MexicoCanada Agreement to undercut American growers and destroy domestic production.” Avocado consumption has soared in the United States in recent decades, and California grows only a fraction of the avocados needed to meet that demand.

4B ● Saturday,August 8, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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

OUR VIEWS

Is an anti-incumbent wave sweeping the country? A big majority of voters are unhappy with the direction of the nation. Normally, this would indicate trouble for incumbents seeking reelection. But politics today is anything but normal. To determine whether an anti-incumbent wave is building ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, let’s examine how congressional incumbents are faring so far. In Senate elections, 24 incumbents are seeking, or sought, another term. Two have already been defeated in Republican primaries by candidates endorsed by President Donald Trump: Louisiana’s Bill Cassidy and Texas’ John Cornyn. Notably, two incumbent senators losing party primaries in one election cycle is unusual. Until this year, no incumbent had lost a primary since 2012. Ron Of the 22 remaining Senate incumbents, Faucheux four are considered potentially vulnerable, based on the latest ratings from the Cook Political Report. These four senators are Republican Jon Husted in Ohio, Republican Susan Collins in Maine, Republican Dan Sullivan in Alaska and Democrat Jon Ossoff in Georgia. Ohio, Maine and Alaska are rated toss-ups, meaning either party has a good chance of winning. Georgia is rated lean Democratic, meaning one party has an advantage but the race is still considered competitive. In this year’s House races, 377 incumbents are seeking, or sought, reelection. So far, nine have lost primaries, six Democrats and three Republicans. That’s already far more than in 2024, when four House incumbents lost primaries, but fewer than in 2022, when 14 were knocked out by their own party. Currently, 30 House incumbents have tough races. Of those, 17 are toss-ups, eight lean Democratic and five lean Republican. How does all this compare with past elections? OpenSecrets also reports that U.S. House reelection rates since 2000 have ranged from 85.4% to 95.7%. If half of the potentially vulnerable incumbents lose, the 2026 House reelection rate would be almost 94%, nearer the high end of the historical range. OpenSecrets also reports that U.S. House reelection rates since 2000 have ranged from 85.4% to 95.7%. If half of the potentially vulnerable incumbents lose, the 2026 House reelection rate would be about 93%, nearer the high end of the historical range. Setting aside hypothetical scenarios, we must now answer the big question: Has an anti-incumbent wave begun? So far, the evidence is mixed. This year’s primaries have produced a relatively high number of incumbent defeats. Yet most of those losses reflect unique circumstances — redistricting, Trumpbacked Republican primary challenges and ideological battles within the Democratic Party — rather than a broad rejection of incumbents. The general election will be the real test. It’s possible we’ll see a wave against one party, now that the electoral system has fallen into such a deep partisan divide, with incumbents caught in the shuffle. In the end, only a small number of races will tell the tale. Even so, the vast majority of incumbents will be reelected this November. The deeper question: Why? There are three main reasons. First, redistricting. Although House incumbents don’t draw their own district lines, they usually have a big hand in how their districts are drawn by legislatures. They know which voters support them and which don’t. In effect, they pick the voters before the voters have a chance to pick them. Second, money. Incumbents have more fundraising muscle. While there are significant exceptions — selffunding challengers with deep pockets and incumbents who’ve been targeted for defeat by national parties and interest groups — incumbents often have many more campaign dollars to spend than do their rivals. In the 2024 elections, on average, House incumbents raised $3 million and challengers raised $467,000; that’s a 6-to-1 edge. Senate incumbents raised an average of $31.2 million and challengers raised $2.8 million, an 11-to-1 disparity. Third, name recognition and media exposure. Incumbents have already won statewide or districtwide elections, and that gives them a head start. Throughout their terms of office, incumbents are covered by the media on a regular basis, while their opponents are largely ignored. That may seem unfair, but it’s a fact of life: The media has a responsibility to report what House and Senate members are doing in their public jobs. There will always be ins and outs in elections, and a wide range of reasons why most ins win and fewer lose.

YOUR VIEWS

Is Meta’s public relations push Sunday paper’s undermining tough coverage? ‘Inspired’ As Meta signiﬁcantly invests in North Louisiana, the public deserves more than fawning promotional coverage. Over the past few days, The Times-Picayune/NOLA.com has featured Meta’s public relations efforts across its news platforms and social media. Multiple videos showing Meta’s community engagement in Richland Parish have appeared on the NOLA.com Instagram page, with the comment function disabled. Even the inimitable Nell Nolan was called away from the busy start of debutante season to plug the recent “Meta Platforms Dinner” in the Society column. Many of the listed guests at the dinner were politicians with inﬂuence on the project’s scope. Simultaneously, investigative reporting from this and other local media outlets shows that Meta has

required public officials involved in the project to sign nondisclosure agreements. These NDAs limit public officials (possibly including the governor) from speaking on certain details of the immensely consequential project. At best, these agreements’ legal status can be described as murky. The local press should be asking difficult questions about incentives and the propriety of requiring elected officials to sign NDAs, not amplifying a corporate message. It should not be acting as an external PR department. This is not an argument against economic development. Louisiana should compete aggressively for investment. But economic development and government transparency are not mutually exclusive. They both depend on public confidence.

ALEX KLEINMAN New Orleans

Liz Murrill could have confronted charges against her, but instead pulled strings In her remarkable display of political cowardice, Liz Murrill has forever branded herself as the sitting attorney general who was indicted by a grand jury and ducked rather than confront the charges. That she eschewed simply defending the case on the merits — either by a motion to dismiss or a trial — and instead resorted to calling cronies and using political inﬂuence to get rid of the matter will forever haunt her reputation. In short-circuiting the normal process and the rule of law, Ms. Murrill has simply added legiti-

macy to the charges against her. If there were no merit to Murrill’s indictment, laws already in place are more than capable of handling such a situation. Courts do that all the time. Murrill’s recent embarkment with our feckless governor on a “revenge tour” in the manner of their Dear Leader (who will always be a convicted felon) has done nothing to enhance her position. In that respect it is, indeed, “not over.”

section will be missed

Since its addition to the Sunday Advocate, I have read the Louisiana Inspired section with hope and gratitude. Formerly, I would read the Sports section ﬁrst, but my habit changed to reading the Inspired section ﬁrst, in its entirety, every Sunday. I would often share parts of it with out-of-town family and friends. Imagine my dismay to learn that this uplifting and informative section was being dropped. Yes, the Sunday Advocate will continue to include Jan Risher’s column, and one story about an inspiring person or event, now in the Living section. And every other Sunday, I will be able to read a page about faith, beliefs and spirituality. But instead of being able to grab a single four-page section to be inspired, I will have to retrain myself to look in other sections of the Advocate. Imagine the outcry if this were to happen to the Sports section, and readers were directed to the Metro Section op-ed page to read a Scott Rabalais opinion piece on LSU football and to a different section to read the results of MLB games. (And it took me all day to discover that Danny Heitman’s Sunday column was on the front page of the Aug. 2 Metro section.) I read the printed edition of the Advocate daily.

BARBARA HOFFMAN Baton Rouge

WILLIAM SNEIRSON New Orleans

Tulane grad wants more coverage of Green Wave sports

Don’t squander the precious right to vote I believe I saw one of the most informative pieces of news in the paper recently. It was the 90 pages of inactive voters in Orleans Parish, provided by Nancy Landry, Louisiana secretary of state. Why is that so important? To break it down into simple numbers, each page has three columns of names with 190 names in each column and 570 names per page. That amounts to a total of 51,300 names, and that’s a lot of non-

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

voters! That begs the questions: Where have they gone, and why aren’t they voting? The privilege of voting is also a responsibility. There are people living in many countries who do not have an opportunity to vote. Don’t ignore this gift that you have been given. If you don’t use it, you will lose it.

LORRE LEI JACKSON River Ridge

I am a local resident and a graduate of Tulane University, class of 1971. Since Hurricane Katrina, your coverage of Tulane sports has steadily declined. As the local major university, Tulane deserves more, and I miss the coverage provided in the past. Please give more coverage to TU sports.

GERALD “JERRY” HANAFY Metairie

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THEACADIANAADVOCATE.COM • SATURDAy, AUGUST 8, 2026

HALL OF FAMER DREW BREES PRESENTED By

2C F Saturday, August 8, 2026 F theacadianaadvocate.com F The Acadiana Advocate

As Hall of Fame beckons, the essence of Drew Brees’ greatness is on full display BY JEFF DUNCAN | SPORTS COLUMNIST

ew people have embodied the maxim “How you do anything is how you do everything” more than Drew Brees. He strived for excellence in every role he played: father, son, husband, CEO, quarterback. This exacting mindset propelled Brees, an undersized, overlooked high school football prospect from Austin, Texas, to the NFL and eventually to the halls of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, where he will be immortalized Saturday as the fifth New Orleans Saint to earn football’s most prestigious honor. So it should surprise no one that Brees attacked the challenge of writing his Hall of Fame acceptance speech with the same rigor he did game plans as an NFL player. He watched videos of other Hall of Fame speeches to try to understand the emotion of the moment. He sought counsel from fellow Hall of Famers on timing and delivery techniques. He kept a diligent notes file in his computer with important reminders to reference throughout the months-long writing campaign. It was a literary version of the famous walk-through rehearsal he performed before games during his legendary playing career. “Honestly, I started writing (the speech) five years ago,” Brees said during a phone interview from his home in suburban San Diego. “I feel like I’ve written about a thousand of them and just keep going back to it. It’s tough.” Brees’ diligence is understandable. The job of distilling his extraordinary career into the small window of time allowed for the speech is no easy task. Brees is limited to eight minutes, not much time to, as he said, “acknowledge all the people and moments that got you to this point.” It’s especially tough for someone wired like Brees, a Type A perfectionist who is blessed — or cursed, depending on your viewpoint — with “the healthiest case of OCD ever,” as former teammate Zach Strief described it. In the downtime between parental duties, preparing for another season of analyst work at Fox Sports and his myriad business obligations, Brees’ speech-writing campaign has consumed his daily life. “I’ve thought about it nonstop for about six months,” Brees said. “I’m going to go through this a thousand times in my head before I ever step up there (at center stage). And honestly, a lot of it is just so I can keep my emotions in check. Usually, I get emotional about things, especially when you start thinking about the people that helped you get here. I love and care for those people so much, and some of them are no longer with us. So it makes it even more emotional. So look, I’ve shed tears. I mean, I’ll sit there and I’ll start writing and then next thing I know, I’m crying on the page and then I’ve got to pause for a second.” Brees won’t be the only one misty-eyed on Saturday. His former coach, Sean Payton, broke into tears when the star quarterback asked him to serve as his presenter for the weekend events in April ril. He broke down again this week when discussing the distinguished honor and his h former star pupil. “I’m sure (the ceremony) will be emottional, and I’m sure it will be exciting,” said Payton, who teamed with Brees for 15 magical seasons in New Orleans. “We’re all looking forward to it.” None of Brees’ teammates and coache es doubt he will rise to the occasion when he takes the stage. During D his 20-year playing career, they witnessed firsthand his ability to perform in the clutch. Likewise, none of them are surprised to t learn he’s worked overtime on his speech. Brees’ single-miinded pursuit of excellence, after all, is one of the reasons he earned e a bust in Canton, they said. “That he’s doing scout work for his spe eech should surprise no one,” said Jon Stinchcomb, who w played right tackle with Brees from 2006-2010. “This was a guy who could have written the playbo ook for the Sean Payton offense by himself. And yett 10 years into his career, he would take the most notes n of anyone in the entire offense during meetings like he was still a wet-behind-the-ears rookie e.” “It’s the essence of his greatness,” Pay yton said. Brees said his speech will be a mix of tributes, acknowledgements and anecdotes. He sa aid he will spice the speech with a little humor to entertain the crowd at Tom Benson Stadium, which w is expected to include hundreds of Brees’ former f teammates, coaches hes and support staff. staff “We all know (h his speech) is going to be b great,” said Saintts assistant tight ends co oach Josh Hill, who pla ayed with Brees for his final eight seasons in New N Orleans. “It’s Drew w.” For Brees, the Hall of Fame inductio on represents the most m prestigious achiev vement of his storiied career and further burnishes his legacy y as the greatest and most m decorated player r in Saints history. A ré ésumé that includes 13 Pro Bowl appearances s, two All-Pro honors, two t Offensive Player of the Year awards, the e 2006 Walter Payton Man M of the Year awar rd and a Super er Bowl MVP award will now be b punctuate ed by footb ball’s highest honor. Brees headline es a five-man Class of 2026 that include es Roger Cra aig, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and d Adam Vinatieri. Brees is i the first pllayer in Saints history to earn inductiion on his first ballot. He H will join Morten M Andersen, Rickey y Jackson, Sam Mills and Willie Roaf R as the only o Saints Hall of Famers. “He’s so deserv ving,” forme er Saints running ba ack Mark Ing gram said. “You’re talk king about a guy who exemplifies what it is to be a first-ballot Halll of Famer bo oth on the field and in n life; that’s what Drew is.” The weekend in n Canton willl serve as a celebration for one of the most m prolific c passers in NFL hiistory and on ne of the league’s great underdog storie es. The Saints sign ned Brees as a free agent in 2006 6, only a few weeks after he ha ad undergone e reconstructive su urgery on his s throwing shoulde er and just months after the city had been devastated by b Hurricane Katrina. What followed stands among the greate est trans-

formations in NFL history. In 2006, Brees led a Saints team that finished 3-13 the year before to a division title and the first NFC championship game in franchise history, just months after the city had been devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Over the next 15 seasons, Brees and Payton built an offensive powerhouse. The Saints led the league in yardage more than any team in NFL history across that span. They captured seven division titles, became annual playoff contenders and made their run to a Super Bowl XLIV championship in 2009 — the only Super Bowl title in franchise history. In the 39 seasons before Brees arrived, the Saints won 40% of their games, two division titles and one playoff game, while making 43 national television appearances. In Brees’ 15 seasons, the Saints won 63% of their games, seven division titles and nine playoff games, while making 55 prime-time television appearances. “He had that rare trait of bringing out the best in everyone, and that was a gift,” Payton said. “We are all better for it.” Teammates and coaches marveled at Brees’ preparation, consistency and attention to detail. He was often compared to Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux — a master technician who thrived not by overpowering opponents but by dominating them with precision and command.

“

But they saw something in me, believed in me, and it empowered me to be the best that I could be. New Orleans was looking for a quarterback then. But I promise you I needed New Orleans more than New Orleans needed me. – Drew Brees –

“

– F O O T B A L L I M M O R TA L D R E W B R E E S –

“He was the heart and soul of thiis team,” said Taysom Hill, the team’s star utility back during Brees’ final four seasons. “He always wanted to be prepared. He was going to do everything he could to allow himself — and everyone around him — to be successful.” aden Elliss tells the story of his rookie season, To that end, linebacker Ka when Saints defensive coorrdinator Dennis Allen took him and defensive end Carl Granderson to spy on Brees during his pregame walk-through rehearsal in the team hotel on the eve of their preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings. Thrrough a crack in the door of an empty conference room, they watched d a solitary Brees going through the script of the upcoming gam me. Alone in the room, he worked through the game plan, pllay by play, dropping back, sorting through his progression ns and throwing imaginary passes with a towel in his hand d. “Dennis Allen told us, ‘You want to be great, this is oing to take,’” Elliss said. “Drew was in his what it’s go 19th seaso on, and he was doing this for a preseason game. That was D Drew.” Statistica ally, Brees’ résumé is overwhelming. He retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards, comnd touchdowns. He owns five of the league’s pletions an 5,000-yard d passing seasons — more than any quarterback in hiistory. No other quarterback has more than two. He rremains the most accurate passer the league has eve er known. His 67.7 career completion percentage is tthe highest of any quarterback in NFL history. He le ed d the NFL in completion percentage six times, in pa asssing yardage seven times and posted an almost unfa ath homable 12 consecutive 4,000-yard seasons. His 53 ga am me-winning drives rank third behind only Tom Brad dy and Peyton Manning. He holds the record for most co onsecutive games with a touchdown pass at 54. “He ew was the first quarterback who made the game look liike ke e it was Ma Madden,” Payton said. “He never thew incomp ple etions, neve er threw interceptions and never took sa ack ks. He was elite in every way.” Th T he numbers tell only part of Brees’ story. Brrees becam me the face of not just a team, but of a city’s resu urgence. He and the Saints became a beacon off hope, pride and competence for New Orleanians. Suddenly, an accomplished, accountablle leader was wearing the Fleur de Lis and doing things the city had never seen before. His confident, fearless approach resonated d with Gulf Coast residents, who had been accu ustomed to incompetent, unaccountable lead ders over the years. In Bree es, New Orleanians saw a mirror image of tthemselves — someone who endured crisess and fought back from adversity. d He H e was the su uperstar they’d longed for, the leader th hey needed d at a time when competent leadership was scarce. “He p po ossessed alll the traits that embody great leaders,” Sttin nchcomb sa aid. “What stands out most was his selflesssn ness and wo ork ethic. You just couldn’t outwork the guy.” Now w, a as Canton b beckons, the magnitude of Brees’ journe ey y is evident.. His legacy isn’t simply measured in reco ords or cham mpionships. It is defined by the standa ard he set — for quarterbacks, for community leaderrs and for any yone searching for hope. “I’ll be e honest, I still don’t know if it’s hit me,” Brees said off h his Hall of F Fame enshrinement. “None of this is possib ble withoutt the Saints believing in me at a time when itt was kind o of hard for me to believe in myself, comin ng g off that in njury. But they saw something in me, believ ve ed in me, an nd it empowered me to be the best that I co ould be. Ne ew Orleans was looking for a quarterbac ck k then. But I promise you I needed New Orleans more tthan New Orlleans needed me.”

OFFICIAL NEWS PARTNER OF THE LOUISIANA RAGIN’ CAJUNS

SPORTS

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

Saints making waves at camp

S at u r d ay, au g u S t 8, 2026

Enshrinement • Canton, Ohioo

3CN

111 a.m. Saturday • ESPN, NFLN

‘THE G R E AT E S T SAINT EVER’

Ranking under-the-radar players after six practices BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

Every summer, across every training camp in the NFL, there are a handful of under-the-radar players on each roster who can’t stop making plays. These players provide hope. “If this is what they look like now, just imagine what they’ll do in the fall,” you tell yourself. And they become yours. You were there from the beginning, liking the band before they were cool. Sometimes, the breakouts are legitimate. The New Orleans Saints famously traded Dante Stallworth in 2006 because a littleknown, seventh-round wide receiver named Marques Colston couldn’t stop working his way up the depth chart. But more often than not, they become nothing but a tease, a fun summer fling for fans. Diehards of the black and gold remember the names. Emmanuel Butler. Adrian Arrington. Onome Ojo. The list goes on and on. With that in mind, let’s take a look at who could become this year’s camp darling. Here are the Mason Tipton All-Stars — named after the Saints wide receiver who would have won this award for each of the past two seasons. When the Saints signed Brown back in June, the move was seen as New Orleans bringing in serious competition for incumbent Charlie Smyth. That hasn’t exactly panned out so far as Smyth has looked sharper through the first week. But there’s still time for Brown, whose story alone instantly generated intrigue among the Saints’ fanbase. He is, after all, the only player in football history to make two field goals of at least 60 yards in the same game. And some of the league’s best kickers — Dallas’ Brandon Aubrey and Detroit’s Jake Bates — have used the UFL as a pipeline to reach stardom. Maybe Brown, who played for the Louisville Kings, will be the latest.

4. Jayden Price • CB Speaking of UFL standouts, Price joined the Saints last season following stints with the Birmingham Stallions and Arlington

ä See SAINTS, page 3C

Saints tight end Moliki Matavao STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

5. Tanner Brown • K

Brees ready to cap Canton week with emotional HOF enshrinement BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

CANTON Ohio — Football’s most famous Election Day is here. And Drew Brees will celebrate his CANTON, enshrine ement to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday with a massive group of friends, family a and supporters. Brees’ entourage includes nearly 500 friends, family members, former teammates, coaches and supp port staffers, who made the trek here to see the former New Orleans Saints star join the sporrt’s most exclusive fraternity. Brees will deliver his Hall of Fame acceptance speech to the sellout crowd at Tom Benson Stadium m at approximately 1 p.m. during the three-hour ceremony, which begins at 11 a.m. “This iis my opportunity to express my gratitude to all the people that have been part of this journey and really made it possible,” Brees said. “That’s what I’m most looking forward to, is all the people I’m going to have a chance to see and let them know just how valued they are.” ä See BREES, page 5C

LSU making necessary but definite gamble with athletics future LSU’s administrators haven’t officially So now we know where LSU is heading with this alternative financial plan stuff first set this plan into motion. But the door has most definitely been opened. Once the figuunveiled in a July letter to top boosters. A source, according to some intrepid rerative Mike the Tiger steps through, there is no going back. porting by our Alyse Pfeil and Jon A few thoughts, starting with that Blau, says LSU is working on a plan letter, which in self-congratulatory to build an entity around its athletic fashion said this opportunity is the broadcast rights that would gener“first of its kind nationally and could ate even more money. That entity, quite possibly change the future separate from the university, would of college athletics.” It is indeed a be able to make investments and Scott novel approach to try to generate — this is the big part — allow what Rabalais more money from broadcast rights, will start as a 9% stake in the busiwhich is as close to a sure-thing ness worth $100 million that could eventually include up to an 11% stake from revenue stream as LSU has. And it sounds more palatable than what has been done other private investors. at schools like Kentucky, which recently If this isn’t private equity but private investment, as LSU will surely couch it, it ä See RABALAIS, page 5C is close.

The Golden Band from Tigerland marches on the field before a game against South Carolina on Oct. 11 at Tiger Stadium. STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

4C ● Saturday, August 8, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV

MEN’S AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL 10 p.m. Gold Coast at G.W. Sydney FS2 1 a.m. (Sun.) Collingwood at West Coast FS2 4 a.m. (Sun.) Carlton at St. Kilda FS2 AUTO RACING 9:55 a.m. FIM MotoGP: G. Britain Grand Prix FS1 11 a.m. Indy NXT: Practice FS1 11:35 a.m. O’Reilly Series: Qualifying CW Noon NTT IndyCar: Practice FS1 1:05 p.m. NASCAR Cup: Practice TRUTV 2 p.m. Indy NXT: Qualifying FS1 2:10 p.m. NASCAR Cup: Qualifying TRUTV 4 p.m. O’Reilly Series: HyVee Perks 250 CW 6 p.m. NTT IndyCar: Qualifying FS1 BEACH VOLLEYBALL 7 p.m. AVP: League Week 8 CW BOXING 9 p.m. MVPW-05: Main Card ESPN CFL 6 p.m. Hamilton at BC CBSSN CYCLING 8:30 a.m. Women’s Tour de France NBCSN GOLF 8 a.m. USGA: U.S. Women’s Amateur Golf 11 a.m. LIV: Third Round Fox

Noon 2 p.m. 2 p.m.

PGA: Wyndham Championship Golf PGA: Wyndham Championship CBS USGA: U.S. Women’s Amateur Golf GYMNASTICS 11:30 a.m.USGA: U.S. Championships NBCSN 3 p.m. USGA: U.S. Championships NBC 3:30 p.m. USGA: U.S. Championships NBCSN MEN’S HOCKEY 1 p.m. Hlinka Gretzky Cup: TBD NHLN 6 p.m. Hlinka Gretzky Cup: TBD NHLN HORSE RACING 10:30 a.m.Saratoga Live FS2 4 p.m. Whitney Stakes Fox 6 p.m. Saratoga Live FS2 MEN’S LACROSSE Noon Denver vs. New york ABC WOMEN’S LACROSSE 4:30 p.m. California at Boston ESPN2 LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL 2 p.m. World Series: TBD ESPN2 5 p.m. World Series: TBD ESPN2 MLB 3:10 p.m. Athletics at Boston FS1 6:15 p.m. Cleveland at White Sox Fox NFL 11 a.m. Pro Football HOF Enshrinement ESPN

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

RODEO PBR: Team Series — Day 2 CW SOCCER 6:55 a.m. Chelsea vs. Milan CBSSN Noon Ferencvaros vs. Real Madrid CBSSN 4 p.m. Inter Toronto FC at Pacific FC FS2 7 p.m. Cavalry FC at FC S.D. Québec FS2 8 p.m. C.D. Guadalajara vs. FC Dallas FS1 9 p.m. New Mexico at Monterey Bay CBSSN 10 p.m. Leagues Cup: Toluca at LAFC FS1 WOMEN’S SOCCER 3 p.m. Utah at Denver ION 5:30 p.m. North Carolina at Washington ION 7:45 p.m. Kansas City at Houston ION SOFTBALL 6 p.m. Team Kowalik vs. Team Ricketts ESPNU TENNIS 11:30 a.m.Canada-ATP/WTA Tennis WNBA Noon Las Vegas at Minnesota CBS 2:30 p.m. Indiana at Chicago ABC 7:30 p.m. Seattle at Portland NBATV YOUTH BASEBALL 1 p.m. Nike Boys Senior Champ. MLBN 9 p.m.

LSU coach, Olympian set to enter HOF McCool Griffeth to be inducted Saturday BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer

How big a part of her life has gymnastics been for Courtney McCool Griffeth? The LSU assistant coach, former Olympic medalist and Georgia gym great put it this way: “It’s my favorite language. “It makes so much sense to me,” Griffeth said. “To continue to grow in the sport and be a coach — to be an Olympian and a college athlete, to win national championships with my team, stand on a podium with silver medals around our necks, I’m just grateful for all the seasons of gymnastics I’ve been blessed to be a part of.” Soon, Griffeth will add one more accomplishment to her illustrious gymnastics career. She is one of seven members of the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Class of 2026. The McCool Griffeth inductees will be honored at a ceremony Saturday in Phoenix, being held in conjunction there with the U.S. Gymnastics Championships. Courtney and her husband, Garrett Griffeth, are both associate head coaches at LSU, joining head coach Jay Clark’s staff before the 2022 season after the couple pre-

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU associate head coach Courtney McCool Griffeth hugs Tigers gymnast Nina Ballou following Ballou’s floor routine on Jan. 2 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. viously coached together at Texas Woman’s University, Arkansas and Utah. The Griffeths have three daughters: Raelynn, Blakey and Ryleigh. The oldest, 10-yearold Rae, is already a gymnast. Griffeth was recruited to and was coached at Georgia by Clark, where she helped the GymDogs to three straight NCAA championships from 2007-09 as well as winning the 2008 NCAA individual ﬂoor title. Before that, the Lee’s Summitt, Missouri, native became an elite

“She didn’t have the best experience as an Olympian,” Clark said. “Her spirit was down a little bit, and she didn’t really understand college gymnastics. But it grew on her and she found a real love for the college experience.” That love for the sport has continued as an assistant at LSU, where Griffeth coaches floor and handles choreography for the Tigers’ routines. Since she’s been on staff, LSU has ranked first nationally on floor in 2024 and 2026 and third in 2023 and 2025. Despite her success competing in and coaching floor, balance beam was always her favorite. The event even has a move named after her: a front handspring onto the beam called, coolly, the McCool. “Gymnastics is the best thing ever,” she said. “It’s literally straight-up life skills. “To learn through your favorite thing and then I get to teach it every day. There are moments I’m so grateful, when I think, ‘That’s my job?’ ” The rest of the Class of 2026 includes 2016 Olympian Logan Dooley (trampoline gymnastics), two-time world team champion Kara Eaker (artistic), 2020 Olympian Camilla Feeley (rhythmic), Tim Klempnauer (coach and competitor), and the championship acrobatic gymnastics team of Maren Merwarth and Jessica Renteria.

gymnast training at GAGE gymnastics, which also produced LSU greats Sarah and Aleah Finnegan and former Tiger Alexis Jeffrey. From there, Griffeth went on to earn a team silver medal with the U.S. squad in the 2004 Athens Olympics. “She was a heck of an athlete,” Clark said. “A real pleasure to coach.” Griffeth arrived at Georgia with a wrist injury that threatened her For more LSU sports updates, collegiate career and kept her sign up for our newsletter at from ever competing on vault. theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

Drugs killed Grizzlies F Clarke, authorities say

LOS ANGELES — Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke died in May from the effects of heroin and cocaine, authorities said Friday. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said the 29-year-old basketball player’s death was accidental. Clarke was found dead inside a home near Los Angeles on May 11. A person familiar with the terms of the investigation told The Associated Press after the Grizzlies announced Clarke’s passing that drug paraphernalia was found at the residence. About six weeks before he died, Clarke was arrested in Arkansas on charges of speeding, reckless driving and possessing a controlled substance. He was with Memphis for all seven of his pro seasons after completing his college career at Gonzaga.

Judge dismisses Harden’s misdemeanor gun charge

A misdemeanor gun charge against All-Star Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden in Texas has been dismissed after he completed an alternative resolution program allowing him to avoid a criminal record, court records show. Harris County Criminal Court Judge Alex Salgado in Houston dismissed the criminal charge Thursday at the request of the Harris County district attorney’s ofﬁce following Harden’s completion of an alternative resolution program. Such programs allow defendants to avoid a criminal conviction by doing community service. Harden was arrested June 13 in Houston after police found a handgun in his vehicle. Texas law makes it a misdemeanor to have a gun “in plain view” in a vehicle without a license.

Mississippi native Ellis named Alcorn State GM

LORMAN, Miss. — Alcorn State on Friday announced it has hired former NBA guard Monta Ellis as general manager of the men’s basketball program. Ellis is a native of Jackson, Mississippi, and Alcorn State’s main campus is in Lorman, Mississippi. Ellis was drafted by Golden State in 2005 out of Lanier High School in Jackson, where he won two state championships. Alcorn State described Ellis as “One proud Mississippi son” in its announcement. Alcorn State ﬁnished 9-23 overall and 7-11 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference under ﬁrst-year coach Jake Morton last season. Ellis, 40, averaged 17.8 points in his 12-year NBA career with Golden State, Milwaukee, Dallas and Indiana.

Richard surges to lead at U.S. men’s championships Texas Tech signs two who By The Associated Press PHOENIX — Fred Richard put himself in position to win his ﬁrst U.S. national gymnastics championship, surging to the lead during night one of the men’s competition Late Thursday night. Thursday Richard, a key member of the 2024 U.S. men’s Olympic team that earned bronze in Paris,

posted an all-around total of 84.326 to give himself a narrow 0.153-point lead over Daniela Leykin heading into Saturday night’s ﬁnal. The 22-year-old, looking to bounce back this year after failing to make the U.S. men’s national team or world championship team in 2025, began the competition with a stellar parallel bars routine and remained in front despite taking a pair of neutral

deductions. The ﬁrst was intentional. Richard was docked three-tenths of a point for a uniform violation, something he has chosen to do for well over a year while opting to swap out stirrup pants for compression leggings. The judges on pommel horse also knocked three-tenths off his score after he failed to salute properly following his dismount. Richard will be challenged by

the 19-year-old Leykin and 2020 Olympian Shane Wiskus, who is in third about a point behind the leaders going into Saturday. Pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik, whose performance in the team ﬁnal in Paris assured the Americans a bronze, scored a 14.958 on his signature event as he tries to come back from multiple injuries that have limited his training over the past year.

Hossler takes 1-stroke lead into third round at Wyndham By The Associated Press GREENSBORO, N.C. — Beau Hossler made an 11-foot birdie putt on his final hole Friday for a 3-under 67 that gave him a one-stroke lead in the Wyndham Championship, which might have been the least consequential development in the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season. Hossler has never won on the PGA Tour and needs nothing short of victory at Sedgefield Country Club to be among the top 70 in the FedEx Cup who advance to the postseason. He was at 12-under 128 and led by one shot over Ben James — who had the 36-hole lead in the Canadian Open and finished out of the top 50 — and Jordan Smith of England. The first step was making the 36-hole cut, and there was plenty of drama. Keegan Bradley, who is at No. 72 in the FedEx Cup, was well outside the projected cut until making birdie on three of his last six holes for a 67 to finish at 3-under 137.

It came down to the final few groups. At one point, Christiaan Bezuidenhout had a 20-foot birdie putt and Ben Kohles had a 15-foot birdie putt on his final hole. Either one would have knocked out Bradley, Andrew Putnam (No. 73) and Austin Smotherman (No. 76). Both missed, and those players are on the bubble eventually got a little breathing room when Davis Chatfield bogeyed his last hole to move the 3-under number to a tie for 64th. The top 65 and ties make the cut. “I hope I get a shot this weekend to go out there and shoot some low scores and make the playoffs,” Bradley said when he finished, unaware of how it would finish. “I was really, really nervous coming down to the end, like ‘to win the tournament’ sort of feel. So that was fun.” Also getting in was Jordan Spieth at No. 55, though he already is set for the postseason and is hopeful of making progress toward moving into the top 50 after the first playoff event and locking up all the

$20 million signature events. As usual, Spieth brought the drama. He was on the cut number playing his ﬁnal hole when he put his tee shot well right into the trees and could barely get enough club on the ball to punch back into the fairway. His wedge was 25 feet long, and he holed the putt for par to make the weekend. Among those missing out was Jason Day, who had reached the postseason 18 straight years. Day was at No. 75 in the FedEx Cup and was never under par at any point during the tournament, missing the cut by seven shots. “It was a good streak obviously, but I would have loved to keep the streak going,” Day said. “You’re not going to keep everything going forever. Best to kind of take some time off, get my body sorted and try and come out next year and play well.” More crushing than Day was Mac Meissner, who was No. 71 in the FedEx Cup. He was one shot inside the projected cut at 4 under when he missed the 18th fair-

way, got it back to the fairway, hit wedge to just inside 45 feet and three-putted for double bogey to miss by one shot. Jackson Koivun, who turned pro in June and won in his third start at the 3M Open, made the cut with two shots to spare. He is at No. 70 in the FedEx Cup. Hossler was unconcerned with all this. He knows only a victory will get him into the playoffs, and he’s been around long enough to realize the tournament is halfway over. James was in that spot in his professional debut in Canada and went 77-69 to tie for 54th. James holed out for eagle on his first hole Friday and played 1 under the rest of the way for a 67, which puts him in the final group on the weekend for the second time in three months. Smith shot a 64 and was one shot behind. He is at No. 68 in the standings and gave himself a boost. Brooks Koepka (No. 86) shot a 66 but was tied for 21st. He can only advance if no more than three players finish ahead of him.

were granted 5th season

LUBBOCK, Texas — Darrion Williams has signed with Texas Tech to play a fifth season of basketball, taking advantage of a recent court ruling that granted some players one more year of NCAA eligibility. He is returning to the Lubbock campus after being North Carolina State’s leading scorer last season. The Red Raiders on Friday announced the signings of Williams, a 6-foot-6 forward who played for them from 2023-25, and 6-8 transfer forward Jamichael Stillwell from UCF. Williams and Stillwell were high school Class of 2022 athletes who became eligible for a fifth season after a U.S. District Court judge in Colorado last week ruled that all players in that class who exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility this spring are eligible for a fifth season this school year.

Norway’s soccer federation calls on Infantino to resign

MANCHESTER, England — Norway’s soccer federation wants Gianni Infantino to step down immediately, piling more pressure on FIFA’s embattled president Friday. Infantino is facing a revolt after his failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup. The Norwegian federation held a meeting on Thursday and president Lise Klaveness said the decision had been made to ask Infantino to resign. “When trust is gone, leadership must also be assessed. We therefore believe that Gianni Infantino’s time as FIFA President should be over, and ask him to resign,” Klaveness said via translation.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Saturday,August 8, 2026 ● 5C

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SAINTS

RABALAIS

Renegades. After spending a year on New Orleans’ practice squad, Price has had a nice start to camp. He has primarily played on the inside with the second unit, which could make him the next man up if Jonas Sanker gets hurt. Price, at 5-foot-11, plays with good physicality. He has had several pass breakups over the ﬁrst week, especially in one-on-one drills. The latter is even arguably more impressive since that work typically puts the cornerback at a severe disadvantage. Price could be making a solid case for a roster spot, especially given how thin the Saints’ depth appears to be at cornerback.

housed its entire athletic department within an LLC; or Utah, which two months ago finalized a deal with sports-based equity firm Otro Capital for $100-500 million in investment. But there are plenty of questions, starting with control over the athletic department. Even if investors have only a 20% stake in this new entity, could they make demands about who coaches teams or even which sports LSU puts on the field or court? LSU is supposed to maintain control, but if an investor threatens to pull funding, then what? And what of the tax ramifications for said investors? Also, investing in other things, as this new entity would be empowered to do, comes with inherent risk. They’re not going to be buying savings bonds, so where would the money go? Real estate? Fast food franchises? Car tinting shops? Nail salons? Marijuana dispensaries? Then there is the matter of evergrowing financial need, which is the basis for creating this entity in the first place. Southeastern Conference broadcast rights are expected to increase substantially when its current deal with ESPN/ ABC/Disney is reworked in 2034. What if it isn’t enough? An expansion of the College Football Playoff from its current 12-team format to 16 or 24 would increase broadcast rights revenue further, especially if LSU can make a CFP run or two. But any SEC football coach will remind you, the CFP was already supposed to expand this year, concurrent with the league’s move to nine regular-season conference

Continued from page 3C

3. Moliki Matavao • TE

Continued from page 1C

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints rookie Barion Brown is celebrated by guard William Sherman and others after catching a touchdown pass on Thursday during training camp at the team’s practice facility in Metairie.

Repeatedly, Heldman has won clean off the line of scrimmage to create havoc in the backfield. He has yet to be elevated from the third unit, but it might be worth seeing what he can do if his production continues. Heldman, too, isn’t the Saints’ stereotypical pass rusher. At 6-foot-3, he is the team’s shortest edge rusher — ahead of only 6-foot-2 Anfernee Jennings. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote before the draft that Heldman was like a “MAC-level version of Joey Bosa,” which could explain the Saints’ interest in him as defensive coordinator Brandon Staley coached Bosa with the 2. Michael Heldman • DE Chargers. He had a breakout, 10 1/ 2 There have been a few instanc- sack season as a fifth-year senior es over the last week in which last fall. reporters — including this one — covering the Saints have said, 1. Barion Brown • WR ‘Wait, who is No. 63?” That has This is what training camp is all turned out to be Michael Held- about. Take a peek at social media man, an undrafted defensive end the last few days — or simply lisout of Central Michigan. ten to the crowd any time Brown If this list was made at the conclusion of OTAs and mandatory minicamp, Matavao would have been the clear winner. Taken in the seventh round out of UCLA last year, the 23-year-old was almost impossible to ignore. The ball seemingly always went to him, even when he got first-team reps with quarterback Tyler Shough. The production has cooled off a little since then. But there’s still a lot to like about Matavao’s game. “He’s a big dude,” teammate Noah Fant said, referencing the tight end’s 6-foot-6 frame. “He can catch the ball really well, too.”

catches a pass — and the sixthround rookie has quickly become a fan favorite. Few — if any — saw this coming. When the Saints drafted Brown with the 190th overall pick, the expectation was that the LSU product would be a return specialist. And even then, there was no guarantee he’d make the roster. Perhaps the initial vision for Brown still shakes out. But the exciting part of camp is that the 22-year-old seems like he’s capable of so much more. Maybe that’s an overreaction. But Brown looks like a real receiver. At least in practice, Brown’s 4.4 speed has translated to the ﬁeld — not only in one-on-one drills, but also in 11-on-11 work. The number of his eye-catching plays appears to be increasing by the day, all while ﬁring up his teammates. The hype train is starting to take off. Now it’ll be on Brown to keep delivering.

BREES

Continued from page 3C Former Saints head coach Sean Payton, who teamed with Brees for 15 magical seasons in New Orleans, will serve as Brees’ presenter. His pre-recorded video address will be played before Brees takes the stage to deliver his speech. Brees said multiple times this week that he expects to get emotional during his speech, which he said will extend beyond the 8-to12-minute time limit officials have suggested. “(The speech) is a 20-chapter book that gets condensed into one chapter,” he said. “I’m just going to roll, because if I don’t, then I’ll get emotional.” Even that might not help. While working on his speech for the past six months, Brees said he wept “no less than 50 times” while reflecting on his legendary 20-year career. “I’ve tried to put myself in the moment, and I get super emotional, so I’m trying to get it all out of the way so that I can be a nice, smooth speech and not make everyone too uncomfortable.” The sellout crowd at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium will be filled with thousands of Saints fans, who migrated to Canton by the thousands this week to celebrate Brees, who led the Saints to their one and only Super Bowl title in 2009. Hundreds of them crowded the streets outside the Hall of Fame on Friday to cheer Brees as he and the rest of the Class of 2026 made the traditional Hall of Fame walk to the front of the museum for the traditional group photo. All three of the Saints’ living Hall of Famers — Morten Andersen (2017), Rickey Jackson (2010) and Willie Roaf (2012) — will be in attendance, as well. (Former Saints linebacker Sam Mills was enshrined posthumously in 2022.) “It’s wonderful for Drew to get in, and there was no doubt that he was a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Roaf said. “He’s the greatest Saint ever. I’m looking forward to his speech, and I’m looking forward to the fans showing him a lot of love.” Among the notable supporters in Brees’ contingent will be Saints-

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS By DOUG BENC

2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees, from left to right, Luke Kuechly, Drew Brees, Roger Craig, Adam Vinatieri and Larry Fitzgerald pose for a photo with past inductees during the ofﬁcial Hall of Fame portrait on Friday in Canton, Ohio.

He’s the greatest Saint ever. I’m looking forward to his speech, and I’m looking forward to the fans showing him a lot of love.” WILLIE ROAF, Saints Hall of Fame tackle ing of Brees’ bust in the adjacent Hall of Fame. Many of them are expected to atHall of Fame inductee Drew Brees reaches out to shake the hand of Jim tend the ceremony and after-party Porter, president and executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, at a local country club, where the contingent will be divided into four on Friday in Canton, Ohio. groups, with memento-filled rooms Pelicans owner Gayle Benson, for- team, led by general manager dedicated to the primary stages of mer Saints special-teams standout Mickey Loomis, also made the trip Brees’ life: n Austin, Texas, where Brees Steve Gleason and three former on Benson’s private jet, which left teammates who are on the current New Orleans on Friday afternoon. starred as a youth sports sensation After the enshrinement cer- and led Westlake High School to its Saints roster: Cam Jordan, Alvin Kamara and Zach Wood. Several emony, Benson and Loomis will first state football championship. n Purdue University, where members of the Saints’ executive join Payton at the official unveil-

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games. What if the CFP remains locked at a dozen teams? Then there is the matter of congressional oversight for college athletics, either through the Protect College Sports Act, which recently gained SEC and Big Ten support, or through some other legislation. The PCSA is intended to rein in current runaway spending, which is why LSU and every other athletic department is seeking more revenue. But what if there is no oversight and costs related to student-athlete compensation continue to spiral? Many questions. Many risks. Still, LSU must do something. “Something” could mean trying to lead the rest of the SEC and college athletics toward meaningful and mutually beneficial reform without legislation that is sure to come with unintended consequences. That’s a big ask, of course. As it stands, LSU is looking out for its own best interests in a hyperinflationary time for college athletics without, as other schools have done or considered, cutting Olympic sports that do not generate enough revenue to cover their costs. If broadcast revenues grow as expected, this could prove to be a worthwhile gambit. And not one just any school could pull off. In December, CNBC calculated the valuation of the top 75 college athletic programs and pegged LSU’s at $1.05 billion, ranking a robust 12th nationally. LSU has a lucrative brand. It just really needs Lane Kiffin to win big in football. This plan does not solve all of LSU’s financial concerns. And it is vastly uncharted territory to relinquish even a piece of something to outsiders that LSU has always controlled. To quote a Chinese proverb, “It is difficult to ride on the tiger’s back.”

Brees developed into a recordsetting Heisman Trophy candidate and put himself on the national map by leading the Boilermakers to the school’s first Rose Bowl in decades. n San Diego, where he earned the first of his 13 Pro Bowl invitations and led the Chargers to their first division title and playoff berth in almost a decade. n New Orleans, where he changed the image, perception and fortunes of the Saints organization by leading the team to seven division titles and the club’s first Super Bowl championship in 2009. “I did it this way because each one was so instrumental in this honor,” Brees said. “I wouldn’t be here without all of them and all of them together.” Brees said he plans to acknowledge as many people from the four groups as possible at the after-party. He reflected on his four-part journey during a press briefing with reporters at a promotional event in Canton on Friday, citing the championships he and teammates won at each stop along the way. “It’s been five years since my retirement, so I’ve had a chance to convey my gratitude to so many of those people that may not get mentioned by name in the speech, just because there’s only so much time.” Brees said. “This week for me in Canton is really all about showing my gratitude to all the people who helped me on this journey and my appreciation to all the Hall of Famers who paved the way for us to be able to play this game in the environment that we did, under the circumstances that we did.” Brees and his fellow Class of 2026 classmates shared a special bonding moment during the traditional Hall of Famers toast in the bust gallery at the Hall on Thursday night, where they were celebrated by officials and the 117 gold-jacketed Hall of Famers who were in attendance. “I’m just trying to take it all in, and every moment, it becomes just a little bit more real,” he said, adding that the Hall of Fame toast was particularly resonant. “All of a sudden you’re clinking glasses with Lawrence Taylor, and you’re like, ‘Whoa, that just happened.’ It’s pretty special.”

ONE great state FOUR great apps

6C ● Saturday, August 8, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Westgate

2026 SCHEDULE Date Opponent Sept. 4 Liberty Sept. 11 Southside Sept. 18 JENA Sept. 25 OPELOUSAS Oct. 2 CARENCRO Oct. 9 Open date Oct. 16 Northside Oct. 23 TEURLINGS CATHOLIC Oct 30 LAFAyETTE RENAISSANCE Nov. 5 ACADIANA RENAISSANCE

PLAYERS TO WATCH Jimmy Huynh

OL, 6-foot, 280, Sr. After missing much of last season with an injury, Huynh will be the center for an offensive line that returns starters at the other four spots. Huynh Coach Antoine said the senior is a typical “Westgate kid,” meaning he’s tough, gritty and shows up to work every day.

HOME GAMES IN ALL CAPS

Keiyon Reno

PAST FIVE YEARS 2025: 7-5 2024: 9-3 2023: 6-4 2022: 10-4 2021: 13-2 (state champions)

PHOTO By MIKE COPPAGE

Westgate’s defensive standouts include, from left, Rahim Alem, Karter Michael, Shadon Lee, Zyier Stokes and Chance Archangel.

PROJECTED STARTERS Offense WR Cayden Lancelin (6-0, 185, Jr.)* WR Joshua John (5-8, 160, Sr.)* WR Jackilon Roberson (5-11, 170, Sr.)* LT Lloyd Vital (6-2, 225, Sr.)* LG Jimmy Huynh (6-0, 280, Sr.) C Ashton Mitchell (6-1, 300, So.)* RG Keiyon Reno (6-3, 290, Sr.)* RT Amanni Williams (6-3, 235, Sr.)* QB Noah Antoine (6-0, 170, Jr.)* RB Caemon Crockem (5-10, 185, Jr.)* RB Lewald Vallot (5-10, 165, Sr.)*

Defense DE Chance Archangel (6-4, 265, Jr.)* DE Jason Domingue (6-0, 250, Sr.)* DT Keary Joseph (6-1, 230, So.) DT Javius Lewis (6-2, 265, Jr,) LB Bam Curl (6-0, 255, So.) LB Keyon Colbert (5-10, 180, Jr.) LB Kartar Michael (5-9, 180, Sr.)* CB Zyier Stokes (5-9, 170, So.)* CB Shadon Lee (6-2, 175, Jr.)* FS Dashawn White (6-0, 165, So.) SS Rahim Alem (6-3, 185, Jr.)

* RETURNING STARTER

COACHES Head coach: Ryan Antoine (97-83 record) Assistant coaches: Randall Antoine (OC), Tyrunn Walker (DC), Josh Edison (QB), Deon Wiliams (RB), Edwin Pierre (OL), Marcel Winston (OL), James Wallace (DL), Tommy Balom (TE), Donald Lewis (LB), Damian Francis (DB), and Marcus Benjamin (DB).

What we know

Westgate’s offense, which returns nine starters, has a surplus of receivers with four-star junior Cayden Lancelin heading up a group that includes Joshua John and Jackilon Roberson. Together, the trio amassed 1,600 yards receiving in 2025. Rahim Alem, whose primary job will be at safety, combined with LJ Vallot and Brock Mitchell for another 600 yards receiving. “We don’t call ourselves receivers or quarterbacks,” said coach Ryan Antoine, who will play Mitchell at quarterback in addition to junior Noah Antoine (2,000 yards passing). “We call ourselves football players. Ryan Antoine We can put a lot of players in different spots where they can go out there and have fun.” Westgate has so much depth on offense that Mitchell (6-foot-3, 195, Jr.) isn’t listed as a starter. He’ll be on the field frequently, however, mainly lining up at tight end, H-back and receiver. Vallot, who will also be the kicker, will play running back and receiver, while Mitchell is the punter. “(Mitchell) is position-less,” Antoine said. “He’s our Swiss Army Knife, a real athletic kid we can put all over the place.” The secondary will be a strength, with elite cornerbacks in Shadon Lee and Zyier Stokes teaming with speedy safeties DaShawn White (qualified for state track meet as freshman) and Alem, who was among the nation’s best baseball hitters as a sophomore. “That’s a good, athletic crew,” Antoine said of his secondary. “Rahim is a big, physical safety who can also play in the box.” Stokes is ranked as the No. 7 sophomore in Louisiana by Prep Redzone.

class by one publication. “We’re asking Chance to be dominant. He’s been around top-quality talent all summer, working out at big-time SEC camps.” Antoine, who also returns starting defensive end Jason Domingue, is looking for tackle Keary Joseph and linebackers Bam Curl and Keyon Colbert to have big preseason camps. “Right now, we’re still trying to figure out who can play,” Antoine said. “We had a good summer. Now it’s just putting it all together. We know this is a long road.”

How we see it

The Tigers will be a factor in Division II nonselect after the Class 4A school spent recent years competing with 5A schools in the playoffs. Westgate’s junior class has been heralded for its unusually large number of college prospects, but Antoine said his coaching staff must harness that talent. “The biggest thing with talent is it’s got to be developed, play together, be structured and organized,” he said. Westgate kicks off the season with games at Liberty and Southside, which won last year’s matchup in New Iberia. Six of its last seven games are at home, including matchups against Carencro and 2025 Division III runner-up Jena, as well as key district games against Teurlings Catholic and Lafayette Renaissance. The large junior class will spearhead the effort against a rugged schedule. “The biggest thing is they work,” Antoine said. “They just want to work. They want to be around each other.” Noah Antoine, who has scholarship offers from North Alabama and Grambling, should have a stellar season at quarterback. Lancelin, who caught a 93-yard TD pass last year against Southside, will anchor the return game What we don’t know and play some safety. The defensive front seven must replace Lenord Howard, Receiver Kohl LeBlanc and defender Joseyer Evans will David Antoine, Makai Wells and Trandin Benjamin, who also be in the mix. will be all on college football teams this fall. With its loaded roster, Westgate expects to be playing “We lost a lot,” said Antoine, who will lean on four-star football in December for the next two years. junior Texas A&M defensive end commitment Chance Archangel, ranked as the state’s No. 1 player in his Mike Coppage

OL, 6-3, 290, Sr. The natural-born leader and four-year starter is the voice of the offensive line, making the checks and calls at the line Reno of scrimmage. His teammates have great trust in the senior, who could move to the defensive line in college.

Ahmad Walker

LB, 5-10, 195, Sr. Described as the X-factor on defense, Walker is a special teams star who does all the dirty work, Antoine said. He plays several Walker positions and specializes in blitzing off the edge. Walker will have a chance to assume a similar role as Trandin Benjamin, last year’s leader in tackles and interceptions.

Joshua John

WR, 5-8, 160, Sr. John draws comparisons to former Tigers receivers Amaaz Eugene and Dedrick Latulas, who played on the 2021 Class John 4A championship team. “He’s Mr. Everything on offense,” said Antoine, who will move John from the slot to the outside and running back.

Caemon Crockem

RB, 5-10, 185, Jr. Oregon State has offered Crockem, who led the team in rushing last year and is an exceptional student. Every year, Westgate’s five Crockem players to watch list is dominated by seniors, which tells you a lot about Crockem’s leadership ability. Mike Coppage

SCOREBOARD Hole-in-one

at MIAMI -163 LA Angels +135 at PHILADELPHIA -159 Toronto +132 at MILWAUKEE -150 Minnesota +125 Chicago Cubs -170 at KANSAS CITY +149 Houston -112 at SAN DIEGO -102 Detroit -132 at SAN FRAN. +116

Matthew Diment Course: Beaver Creek Hole, yardage: No. 8, n/a Club selection: Wedge Witnesses: Avery Thibodeaux, Curtis Brooks

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Odds

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Thursday, Aug. 13 FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at CINCINNATI 3½ 3½ (38) Detroit at PITTSBURGH 1½ 1½ (37½) Green Bay at NEW ENG. 1½ 1½ (38½) Indianapolis at HOUSTON 1½ 1½ (38½) LA Chargers at LAS VEGAS 1½ 1½ (39½) Arizona Tennessee 2½ 2½ (37½) at SAN FRAN. Friday, Aug. 14 FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at WASHINGTON 1½ 1½ (36½) Miami Denver 3½ 4½ (36½) at ATLANTA Tampa Bay 1½ 1½ (35½) at NY JETS Saturday, Aug. 15 FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Minnesota 1½ 1½ (38½) at NY GIANTS at BUFFALO 1½ 2½ (37½) Carolina at CHICAGO 1½ 1½ (38½) Cleveland Jacksonville 1½ 1½ (38½) at N.O. at KANSAS CITY 1½ 1½ (36½) LA Rams Philadelphia 2½ 2½ (36½) at BALTIMORE at SEATTLE 2½ 2½ (37½) Dallas

Atlanta Indiana New York Washington Chicago Toronto Connecticut

College football Saturday, Aug. 29 FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at TCU 6½ 7½ (48½) No. Carolina at USC 35½ 38½(59½) San Jose St. at VIRGINIA 5½ 5½ (54½) NC State at N. DAKOTA ST. 8½ 7½ (48½) J’ville St. at E. MICHIGAN 7½ 8½ (53½) Sacra. St. at STANFORD 3½ 4½ (50½) Hawaii at FLORIDA ST. 30½ 31½(52½) New Mex. St. at UNLV 3½ 6 (57½) Memphis

Major League Baseball American League

LINE UNDERDOG -225 Athletics -128 at WHITE SOX -144 Baltimore -120 Tampa Bay

FAVORITE at PITTSBURGH Cincinnati at ST. LOUIS LA Dodgers

LINE UNDERDOG LINE -141 N.Y Mets +117 -143 at WASHINGTON +120 -161 Colorado +133 -173 at ARIZONA +143

FAVORITE Atlanta

LINE UNDERDOG LINE -134 at N.Y YANKEES +112

Interleague

L 11 12 13 12 19 21 23

WESTERN CONFERENCE Minnesota Las Vegas Golden State Dallas Los Angeles Portland Phoenix Seattle

W 25 22 21 19 12 12 12 6

Thursday’s games

L 7 9 9 12 18 19 20 27

Pct .633 .613 .594 .586 .387 .323 .233

GB — ½ 1 1½ 7½ 9½ 12

Pct .781 .710 .700 .613 .400 .387 .375 .182

GB — 2½ 3 5½ 12 12½ 13 19½

Las Vegas 86, Indiana 84, OT Los Angeles 89, Minnesota 82 Portland 97, Toronto 83

Friday’s games

Atlanta at Washington, n Phoenix at Connecticut, n Golden State at Dallas, n

Saturday’s games

Las Vegas at Minnesota, noon Indiana at Chicago, 2:30 p.m. Seattle at Portland, 7:30 p.m.

Major League Baseball American League glance

FAVORITE at BOSTON Cleveland at TEXAS at SEATTLE

National League

W 19 19 19 17 12 10 7

LINE +185 +107 +127 -100

East Division Tampa Bay New York Boston Baltimore Toronto

Central Division Chicago Cleveland Minnesota Detroit Kansas City

Houston Texas Seattle Athletics Los Angeles

W 59 57 56 45 44

Thursday’s games

WNBA glance

NFL

West Division

L 57 58 60 70 71

Pct .509 .496 .483 .391 .383

GB — 1½ 3 13½ 14½

L 46 51 51 59 62

Pct .596 .557 .553 .487 .466

GB — 4½ 5 12½ 15

W 59 57 57 56 48

L 55 59 59 59 68

Pct .518 .491 .491 .487 .414

GB — 3 3 3½ 12

Los Angeles Arizona San Diego San Francisco Colorado

W 69 61 60 48 45

Thursday’s games

L 46 55 56 67 70

Pct .600 .526 .517 .417 .391

Cincinnati 6, Athletics 5 L.A. Angels 4, Baltimore 1 N.Y. Mets 13, Cleveland 6 Chicago Cubs 3, Toronto 2, 11 innings Detroit 11, Seattle 0 Minnesota 4, Kansas City 3 Boston 12, Chicago White Sox 11, 13 innings

Cincinnati 6, Athletics 5 N.Y. Mets 13, Cleveland 6 Milwaukee 5, Pittsburgh 2 Chicago Cubs 3, Toronto 2, 11 innings Philadelphia 7, Washington 3 Atlanta 11, Miami 3 San Diego 5, Arizona 1

Toronto at Philadelphia, n Atlanta at N.Y. Yankees, n Athletics at Boston, n L.A. Angels at Miami, 6:10 p.m. Cleveland at Chicago White Sox, n Minnesota at Milwaukee, n Chicago Cubs at Kansas City, n Baltimore at Texas ,n Houston at San Diego, n Tampa Bay at Seattle, n Detroit at San Francisco, n

N.Y. Mets at Pittsburgh, n Toronto at Philadelphia, n Cincinnati at Washington, n Atlanta at N.Y. Yankees, n L.A. Angels at Miami, n Minnesota at Milwaukee, n Chicago Cubs at Kansas City, n Colorado at St. Louis, n Houston at San Diego, n L.A. Dodgers at Arizona, n Detroit at San Francisco, n

Friday’s games

Atlanta (Sale 12-6) at Yankees (Cole 5-5), 2 p.m. As (Jump 4-7) at Boston (Bennett 7-4), 3:10 p.m. L.A. Angels (Ureña 7-7) at Miami (Alcantara 12-6), 3:10 p.m. Toronto (Scherzer 1-4) at Philadelphia (Nola 3-9), 5:05 p.m. Chicago Cubs (Holmes 4-4) at Kansas City (Lugo 4-7), 6:10 p.m. Minnesota (Bradley 9-4) at Milwaukee (Gasser 3-4), 6:10 p.m. Baltimore (Bradish 7-10) at Texas (deGrom 7-7), 6:15 p.m. Cleveland (Williams 11-6) at Chicago White Sox (Kay 8-5), 6:15 p.m. Detroit (Jobe 0-0) at San Francisco (Roupp 7-10), 6:15 p.m. Houston (Lambert 8-5) at San Diego (King 6-8), 6:15 p.m. Tampa (Jax 6-9) at Seattle (Kirby 8-9), 8:50 p.m.

East Division

Atlanta (Sale 12-6) at N.Y. Yankees (Cole 5-5), 2:05 p.m. L.A. Angels (Ureña 7-7) at Miami (Alcantara 12-6), 3:10 p.m. Toronto (Scherzer 1-4) at Philadelphia (Nola 3-9), 5:05 p.m. N.Y. Mets (Stock 0-1) at Pittsburgh (Chandler 4-8), 5:40 p.m. Cincinnati (Burns 13-1) at Washington (Alvarez 2-3), 5:45 p.m. Chicago Cubs (Holmes 4-4) at Kansas City (Lugo 4-7), 6:10 p.m. Minnesota (Bradley 9-4) at Milwaukee (Gasser 3-4), 6:10 p.m. Colorado (Freeland 3-10) at St. Louis (Liberatore 5-8), 6:15 p.m. Detroit (Jobe 0-0) at San Francisco (Roupp 7-10), 6:15 p.m. Houston (Lambert 8-5) at San Diego (King 6-8), 6:15 p.m. L.A. Dodgers (Yamamoto 11-7) at Arizona (Pfaadt 6-1), 7:10 p.m.

Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York

W 70 62 58 56 50

L 45 54 58 61 66

Pct .609 .534 .500 .479 .431

GB — 8½ 12½ 15 20½

Pro football

Milwaukee Chicago St. Louis Cincinnati Pittsburgh

W 72 67 57 56 57

L 43 49 58 58 60

Pct .626 .578 .496 .491 .487

GB — 5½ 15 15½ 16

Detroit at Cincinnati, 6 p.m. Green Bay at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m. Indianapolis at New England, 6:30 p.m. Arizona at Las Vegas, 7 p.m. L.A. Chargers at Houston, 7 p.m. Tennessee at San Francisco, 8 p.m.

Central Division

GB — 8½ 9½ 21 24

Friday’s games

Saturday’s games

National League glance

W 68 64 63 56 54

West Division

Preseason glance Thursday’s game

Carolina 33, Arizona 30

Thursday, Aug. 13

Friday, Aug. 14

Denver at Atlanta, 6 p.m. Miami at Washington, 6 p.m. Tampa Bay at N.Y. Jets, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 15

Carolina at Buffalo, noon Cleveland at Chicago, noon Minnesota at N.Y. Giants, noon Jacksonville at New Orleans, 3 p.m. L.A. Rams at Kansas City, 3 p.m. Philadelphia at Baltimore, 6 p.m. Dallas at Seattle, 7 p.m.

Golf Wyndham Championship At Sedgeﬁeld Country Club; Greensboro, N.C.; Purse: $8.5 million; Yardage: 7,131; Par: 70

Second round

Beau Hossler Benjamin James Jordan L. Smith Michael Brennan Doug Ghim Max Greyserman Rico Hoey Billy Horschel Alex Noren Matti Schmid David Skinns Alex Smalley Sahith Theegala Eric Cole Tom Hoge Tom Kim Denny McCarthy Chad Ramey Jackson Suber Davis Thompson

61-67—128 -12 62-67—129 -11 65-64—129 -11 66-65—131 -9 64-67—131 -9 65-66—131 -9 66-65—131 -9 65-66—131 -9 66-65—131 -9 64-67—131 -9 66-65—131 -9 67-64—131 -9 62-69—131 -9 63-69—132 -8 65-67—132 -8 65-67—132 -8 64-68—132 -8 66-66—132 -8 67-65—132 -8 64-68—132 -8

Transactions FOOTBALL

NFL ATLANTA FALCONS — Signed WR Kristian Wilkerson to a contract. Released LB Troy Andersen. CLEVELAND BROWNS — Signed T/G Jack Conley and CB Jeadyn Lukus to contracts. Waived/injured WR Jamari Thrash. Waived LB Reid Carrico. Placed G Kendrick Green on injured reserve. Claimed DT Patrick Jenkins off waivers from the N.Y. Jets. DALLAS COWBOYS — Signed RB Jashaun Corbin to a contract. Waived RB Dominic Richardson. DETROIT LIONS — Waived/injured CB De’Shawn Rucker. Signed DL Ben Stille. CHICAGO BEARS — Signed DB Xavier Woods to a contract. Placed DB Dallis Flowers on injured reserve. HOUSTON TEXANS — Activated WR Jaylin Noel from the NFI list.

The Acadiana Advocate F theacadianaadvocate.com F Saturday, August 8, 2026 F 7C

– F O O T B A L L I M M O R TA L D R E W B R E E S –

What we learned and appreciated most about Drew Brees BY JEFF DUNCAN AND ROD WALKER | SPORTS COLUMNISTS Drew Brees will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, becoming the fifth New Orleans Saint to earn football’s most prestigious honor. We asked prominent New Orleanians what the former Saints quarterback meant to them and the city during his legendary 165 year tenure with the team. Drew Brees gave so much more to our organization than extraordinary football. He brought leadership, integrity, humility, and an unwavering belief in what the New Orleans Saints — and our entire community — could become. He helped restore hope and pride during one of the most important chapters in our city’s history, and he did so with grace both on and off the ﬁeld. Tom and I will always be grateful for everything Drew, Brittany, and their family have meant to our organization and to the people of New Orleans. His place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a ﬁtting honor for a truly remarkable player, leader, and person.

Gayle Benson

owner/CEO New Orleans Saints In sports, like in music, a lot of guys think they’re that and don’t handle it and realize they’re not. Drew was who we thought he was. After 42 years of futility, it ﬁnally all came together for us. And San Diego’s lack of faith was our gift.

Branford Marsalis

Drew Brees means so much to New Orleans because he gave this city far more than championship football. He’ll always be remembered as the quarterback who led the Saints to their first Super Bowl victory, but just as importantly, he’ll be remembered for how deeply he and Brittany embraced this community and gave back to it. I first met Drew and Brittany years ago when I was a television reporter, and they were exactly the kind, genuine people everyone says they are. Their commitment to New Orleans has always felt authentic. One of my favorite moments as mayor was having the opportunity to recognize Drew’s upcoming Hall of Fame induction and toast him from Gallier Hall during Mardi Gras this year. In true Drew fashion, he immediately broke into a Saints chant, leading the crowd that enthusiastically joined in. It was another reminder that his bond with New Orleans extends far beyond football, it’s something truly special. Drew Brees didn’t just bring New Orleans its first Super Bowl. He helped this city believe again, and that’s a legacy that will last far beyond football.

Helena Moreno

New Orleans mayor

Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Drew brought hope and leadership to New Orleans when it needed it most. The city was having its resurgence throughout the city, and he was vitally important in that moment. I was at that ﬁrst game (Sept. 25, 2006). I remember it well, tears and all. The emotion. He held that light for us to follow through those dark moments.

Donald Link

chef, Link Restaurant Group Drew Orleans, baby. He meant everything to the city. Everything you think a quarterback should be, he was, without the electric monikers as they come. He was as efficient as they come. He was the best version of himself. He gave everything he had to the game. As a teammate you couldn’t be more proud of him.

Cam Jordan

Saints multi-time Pro Bowl defensive end Not only does he love/eat/enjoy charbroiled oysters, but with his hard work, determination and dedication, Drew Brees has made a lasting impact on New Orleans by supporting youth sports, education and families through charitable donations and his volunteer work. His commitment inspires myself and others to use our success to make a positive difference. The Saints and New Orleans were blessed to have Drew Brees as captain of team NOLA.

Tommy Cvitanovich owner, Drago’s Seafood Restaurants

HALL OF

DREW

Drew Brees was the Ted Williams of the NFL. He did one thing better than anyone who ever played the game. He was the most accurate passer that ever lived. We were all fortunate to get to watch him.

James Carville

longtime political analyst

Drew won New Orleans over right from the start with his decision to come to the city at its lowest point. Even for a wealthy professional athlete, the city presented real everyday challenges. Joining us in that struggle to recover said a lot about Brees the man. He took to New Orleans quickly and earnestly, with a keen understanding of how much the team meant to its fans, especially at such a dark time. He made us believe right from the start: if he had the ball in his hands, the Saints had a chance. And he delivered, leading the Saints to their first NFC championship game in his first year, and then that glorious Super Bowl championship 3 years later. With his pinpoint accuracy, committed leadership and tireless work ethic, Brees helped to transform a franchise, and a city. He was a winner, and by extension, made all of us winners, too. He gave Who Dat Nation a decade and a half of thrills and cherished memories that will last a lifetime. And now, the bust that reflects his pro football immortality will reside in Canton for all of time, and the accomplishments that sent Drew there will live in the hearts and minds of Saints fans, myself included, forever

Stan Verrett

former ESPN anchor

FAMER

BY THE

BREES

I always admired Drew’s leadership style. He was able to inspire his teammates through his work ethic, preparation and competitiveness. People follow leaders who are deeply committed to the cause and care about you as a person. Drew was someone his teammates didn’t want to disappoint, which is how great leaders inspire people to be the best they can be. Those years with Drew and Sean (Payton) were Camelot.

Drew’s drive for excellence still inspires our work at the Sports Foundation. His pre-game ritual of going through his receiver reads is a lesson to all of us about the mental preparation necessary to succeed. I have always been fascinated by how athletes like Drew are able to dig deep and ﬁnd the motivation to be the absolute best, year in and year out. Lucky for us he was driven by love of the game and a special love of New Orleans.

Doug Thornton

President & CEO, Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation

Jay Cicero

longtime Superdome manager When I break down quarterbacks, the three most important things are accuracy, processing and toughness. Drew checked every box. Height was never a factor. Drew proved that. And off the ﬁeld, Drew understood what being the Saints quarterback meant to the city (of New Orleans). He did a great job there.

Archie Manning

former star quarterback for Ole Miss and the Saints The standard he set every day -- ﬁrst one in, last one out. Everything was elite with Drew. Elite preparation. Elite (practice) reps. Elite leadership. You see that every day from somebody — Every day elite pursuit of greatness — you have no choice but to try to emulate that or just get the hell out of the way.

Terron Armstead

former Saints Pro Bowl tackle What I appreciate about Drew Brees the most is his love of his family. Besides being a great champion and warrior, he’s a great husband and father. I’m proud to call him a friend.

Harry Connick Jr.

Grammy Award-winning pianist First ballot Breezy. As a person, as a football player, as a husband, as a father, he was first-ballot in all those ways. You talk about a guy who exemplifies what it is to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, both on the field and in life, that’s what Drew is.

Mark Ingram

former Saints Pro Bowl running back The example that he set is invaluable to the athletes going through difficulty or just going through the process of trying to play this game. He came at a time when we were looking for something very positive. He brought that to the table. Again, the overcoming aspect of his demeanor permeated through our community and won him a very special place in the heart of New Orleanians. Obviously his play was inspiring. You’re looking at a guy who theoretically shouldn’t have played in the league. He was too short. He didn’t run very fast. But he had great mental capacity and vision and that allowed him to be successful. He didn’t allow his negatives to overcome his positives. And the rest of it is history.

Besides being a great athlete, Drew’s commitment to the New Orleans community, the fans and the team was exceptional. And, also, he’s just a great human being.

Emeril Lagasse

chef, Emeril’s Restaurant Group I’ve learned a lot from Drew Brees over the last 20 years. And, I look forward to continuing to learn from him for many years to come. When Drew first came to the Saints in 2006, I don’t remember having any expectations. In my mind, he was just another quarterback. What I do remember is a moment during those mundane offseason check in activities. Drew reinforced the philosophical outlook I followed as a little white dude in the NFL. Success was less about size and strength, and more about mindset, preparation, and how you trained. The medical training room was crowded. The staff was checking players’ height, weight, blood pressure, joint issues, and all the other glamorous details of professional football. Then, Drew walked in carrying a jump rope. The details are a little foggy, but I remember guys immediately questioning him. “Hey, Drew, recess is over, buddy boy. Unless you wanna play some Double Dutch!” Naturally, things became competitive. Guys started wondering how many double jumps Drew could do. I told him, “I’ll bet you dinner you can’t do 25.” With everyone watching, he gathered himself, and busted out 25 double jumps. But, he didn’t stop. He kept rolling. As he finished his 50th, he looked at me, and said, “I like sushi, Gleason.” That dinner was the start of a friendship I’m enormously grateful for. It was also one of my first lessons from Drew Brees. He never needed to tell you how prepared he was. He showed you. And, if you underestimated him, you might end up buying dinner. What I appreciate most about Drew is that he puts people, brotherhood, and solidarity over individual performance. When Drew and Coach Payton arrived in New Orleans, it was a welcome shift. Drew didn’t simply lead a team. He forged a brotherhood. Drew has taught me that anything is possible. And, through his friendship over the past 15 years, he’s helping me continue to live that way. I love Drew.

Steve Gleason

former Saints special teams captain

J.T. Curtis

legendary high school football coach at John Curtis Christian School

NUMBERS

BY LUKE JOHNSON | STAFF WRITER

62.3%

While Brees served as the team’s starting quarterback from 20062020, the team won 62.3% of the regular-season games Brees started (14286). In the span of time Brees was in New Orleans, the Saints ranked fourth out of 32 NFL teams in win percentage, behind only the Patriots, Packers and Steelers. Before Brees arrived, the Saints had a 40.2% historical winning percentage as a franchise. Since he retired following the 2020 season, that number has dipped back to 42.4%.

33,355

That is the gap between the career passing yardage of Brees and Fran Tarkenton, who threw for the secondmost yards ever for a quarterback who stood 6-feet or shorter. To put that in perspective, the gap between Brees and Tarkenton is roughly the same as the gap between Tarkenton and Sid Luckman (13,850 yards), No. 14 on the list. That gap accounts for more passing yards than 2024 NFL MVP Josh Allen has put up in eight seasons as a starter (30,102). Brees redeﬁned what was possible for a league that has long cast aside quarterbacks who didn’t meet certain height requirements.

300/100/3 There are some statistical benchmarks that typically signify a good day by the quarterback: 300 yards passing, a passer rating north of 100, three passing touchdowns. Brees hit all three of those benchmarks in a single game 58 times — more than anyone else in NFL history. Tom Brady had 57 of them; nobody else had more than 40. The current active leader is Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers, at 39.

5x5,000

This is a well-known fact, but it merits mentioning: Brees threw for 5,000 yards in a single season a remarkable ﬁve times in his career. The only other NFL quarterbacks who have done it more than once are Patrick Mahomes and Brady, both of whom did it twice. The feat has only been accomplished 15 times in league history, and Brees was responsible for a third of them — all racked up before the league went to a 17-game schedule.

Eighteen players in NFL history have recorded at least one season with a completion percentage north of 70% (minimum: 200 attempts). Only one player did it more than twice — Brees, who hit the benchmark seven times. Brees accounted for the two best seasons ever by an NFL passer in terms of completion percentage, which he did in consecutive years at the back end of his career, in 2018 and 2019. He led the league in completion percentage six times.

Brees famously broke Johnny Unitas’ 52-year record of consecutive games throwing a touchdown pass in 2012, then extended the record another several weeks before it ﬁnally ended at 54 games. Immediately after being held out of the end zone against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 13 of the 2012 season, Brees began another touchdown streak of 45 games — just shy of Unitas’ old record (47) and the ﬁfth-longest streak in NFL history. Brees threw at least one touchdown in 207 of his 228 games with the Saints. He also holds the NFL record for most consecutive games with at least 300 passing yards — nine games, a feat he accomplished twice, between the 2011 and 2013 seasons.

8C ● Saturday, August 8, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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A LEGACY

NOW ENSHRINED.

Some careers change the record books. Some careers change a community. Yours did both. Congratulations, Drew, on your induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Proud to call Drew our client and ambassador

LIVING

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

S at u r d ay, au g u S t 8, 2026

1dN

Terry Robinson FAITH MATTERS

Historic BR churches to host forum on America’s 250th, religion Three historic Baton Rouge churches are joining forces to lead a community forum on the enduring role faith has played in our nation and how it can shape the future. Mount Zion First Baptist Church, St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and Wesley United Methodist Church will present “America at 250: From Faith to Formation” from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 11 at the Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd., Baton Rouge. Participants Brown will include pastor Rene Brown, historian Adell Brown and minister Melvin I. Britten IV, of Mount Zion; Pastor J.C. Martin Richardson, of Wesley United Methodist; Walter “Kenny” Williams of St. Francis Xavier; and LSU professor Lori Martin. Richardson “I think it creates a space for all of us to come together,” he said. “Regardless of whether it’s the Black church, White church, Muslims or the Jewish community, this thing is true that as Americans, we either go up together or we go down together, but it’s going to be together. ...Let’s be together, listen to each other and hear each other, so that we can get to a place where we can make loving each other easier.” Adell Brown said the theme “Faith to Formation” reﬂects the vital role the church can play to help unite a nation marked by deep divisions. One word that should guide the conversation is reconciliation, Richardson said. “We need to lean more toward Christian wisdom, which

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Owner Paul Claxton grabs a THC seltzer from the refrigerator shelf at Rad Dad Alternative Wellness on Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge.

WIPE OUT

As a federal ban nears that would put THC seltzers at risk, one Baton Rouge company considers its options

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

October 2025, a few weeks before a federal funding bill passed that bans hemp-derived cannabinoid products, Paul Claxton and his wife signed a lease on a 1,100-square foot building in Baton Rouge to expand their THC and CBD business. The plan was to open a second location of Rad Dad Alternative Wellness. The Claxtons eventually opened the second store in January, but in four months, the business may be no longer. “On Nov. 13,” Claxton said, gesturing toward his coolers of THC seltzer drinks, “90% of these products will be classified the exact same as heroin — Schedule I.” Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., led legislation in November 2025 that will ban certain THC products, scheduled to take full effect Nov. 12 this year. Seltzers with THC, which are for sale in grocery stores, liquor stores and bars in Baton Rouge, are among the products on the list to be banned. Rad Dad is just one of the retail businesses in the city that is expected to take a hit once the ban goes into effect. The provision in the November 2025 bill bans the sale of any “hempderived cannabinoid product” with more than 0.4 milligrams of total

ä See FORUM, page 2D

When Rad Dad launched, its main product was gummies, but in the last few years, seltzers have become 22% of the business — stocking multiple brands and between 70 and 80 flavors. THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, per container. In addition to THC drinks, the ban will prohibit the sale of edibles, gummies, tinctures and vape cartridges containing hemp-derived THC. “When the ban comes, it’s going to wipe out everything,” Claxton said. “The low-dose THC and CBD combo is what we provide, and it helps so many people.”

A risky business The Claxtons saw a need for an upscale store for adults looking

for alternative solutions to treat sleep problems, chronic pain and anxiety. They opened the ﬁrst Rad Dad Alternative Wellness store in Mid City, at 2558 Government St., in November 2023. “Everybody comes in here to solve problems, and that’s our approach,” Claxton said. “There was nobody doing a great job of this, which is why we saw the opportunity. There’s very little competition because there is risk associated with this industry.”

ä See SELTZERS, page 2D

FROM MID CITY TO DOWNTOWN Maybe as you walked out of the ﬁrst Ice Water round, it hit you. Maybe it was a door that opened — or one that didn’t. Maybe it wasn’t until the next year when you were on the other side of the process. It could have been a moment standing in a hallway, waiting, that you can still describe in detail years later. We’re inviting readers who went through sorority recruitment — recently or decades ago — to tell us about it: What’s the speciﬁc moment from Rush week you still think about? And what did Rush teach you that you didn’t expect? Send your response to jan.risher@theadvocate.com by 2 p.m. Monday.

BR coffee pop-up opening brick-and-mortar store The new brick and mortar location of House Brew is located at 278 North St.

STAFF PHOTO By JOy HOLDEN

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

After bouncing around to various locations in Baton Rouge through pop-up stands and food trucks, Manning Bergeron is gearing up to open the brick-andmortar version of House Brew. In 2024, Bergeron started the coffee shop from a truck on Florida Street and the Mid City bar Pelican to Mars — operat-

ing from there for the last two years, except for a brief stint parked in front of Oxbow Rum Distillery. Now, House Brew will soft launch its new location at 278 North St. on Aug. 11. The grand opening will be Aug. 15. Bergeron has shifted from the Mid City crowd and returned to downtown clientele on the corner of North Street and Third Street,

ä See COFFEE, page 2D

2D ● Saturday,August 8, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Giving up relaxing hot baths

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Owner Paul Claxton stands behind a cabinet full of THC seltzers at Rad Dad Alternative Wellness on Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge.

SELTZERS

Continued from page 1D Last summer, the Claxtons were watching Texas legislation closely, as Louisiana lawmakers often follow in Texas’s footsteps, because there was a proposed ban on THC products. Popular seltzers like Howdy by 8th Wonder and Beach Break are made in Houston. Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed the Senate bill, so the Claxtons signed the lease for a second location in Baton Rouge, at 8210 Jefferson Highway. A few weeks later, the THC ban in the federal funding bill was passed. McConnell’s ban is expected to wipe out 95% of the hemp industry’s $37.5 billion retail market. In Louisiana, that will be “detrimental” to the industry, Claxton said. The state’s revenue collections from hemp products include a 3% excise tax which is deposited into the Early Childhood Education Fund. In the 2023 ﬁscal year, collections for consumable hemp products generated approximately $992,000 in excise tax collections, $1.5 million in state sales tax collections and $1.7 million in local sales tax collections.

Growing market Claxton says he has never seen a product explode quite like consumable hemp products, especially seltzers with THC and CBD. When Rad Dad launched, its main product was gummies, but in the last few years, seltzers have become 22% of the business — stocking multiple brands and between 70 and 80 ﬂavors. Ben Jones, the co-owner of Bin Q liquor store in Baton Rouge, said he carries between 15 and 20 brands of

COFFEE

Continued from page 1D the former home of Social Coffee, which closed in May 2024. “When we had our pop up on Florida Street, I got to really see what downtown was like, and that this is the kind of crowd I want to be around,” Bergeron said. “Downtown has this hustle bustle vibe, and everyone is working. They’re in and out. It’s easier to plan for.” House Brew has grown from 600 square feet at Pelican to Mars to 900 square feet at the new location — from eight seats to 34 seats. The new location is cozy yet spacious with casual seating options and large windows overlooking North Street. Bergeron wants House

FORUM

Continued from page 1D I think is exempliﬁed by the language of reconciliation, the language of peacemaking, the language of meekness,” said Richardson, who has been the pastor at Wesley for nearly four years. “This event indirectly and directly consciously and subconsciously will allow and provide for reconciliation to occur.” While the forum is open to the entire community, Adell Brown said it will especial-

THC seltzers which make up about 15% of the store’s total sales. “The THC seltzers are our best selling category by volume in the store,” Jones said. In the last three years, both Claxton and Jones have seen a dramatic increase in the popularity of THC seltzers. When Bin Q opened in 2023, Jones said the seltzers were the smallest category sold, but they quickly grew in popularity. As the non-alcoholic category continues to gain momentum, so does the THC seltzer portion of that market. Claxton sees social gatherings as a major reason for the uptick in seltzer sales. “We humans are social creatures, and this has really exploded because it offers such a diversity. It ties in the social aspect of the hemp products,” Claxton said. In the three years since Rad Dad opened, the store has garnered nearly 7,000 customers, and Claxton said the business is averaging between 180 and 200 new customers every 30 days — mostly in the 45 to 55 age range. “The demand is there,” he said.

Pessimistically optimistic

touches taxation and state commerce, it has to move through four different committees in a span of about three weeks. The best thing we can hope for is a twoyear delay for the ban.” Bin Q has ﬂiers throughout the store that announce the upcoming ban with a QR code customers can use to contact their representatives. Total Wine & More sent out an email to its customers that described the ban and encouraged them to tell their “member of Congress to keep low-dose THC beverages legal in a responsibly regulated market.” “I’m pessimistically optimistic. There’s going to be a real uproar if they take away full-spectrum CBD,” Claxton said.

Impact on Louisiana If the ban does take full effect, Claxton said Rad Dad is in peril. “We would either close both locations or dramatically consolidate,” he said. Businesses in Baton Rouge, Lafayette and New Orleans produce several THC drinks and other consumable hemp products. Cypress Hemp in Baton Rouge has its own seltzer, Hiatus, which Claxton says is a popular seller. One can has ﬁve milligrams of THC and 125 milligrams of CBD. Indigo Hemp is another company in Baton Rouge that makes several THC seltzer drinks. “The solution is in the numbers,” Claxton said. “The drink category continues to grow, and if our state senators aren’t paying attention to the fact that their constituents are business owners that make this, it will be detrimental.”

In July, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Mn., and Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., introduced a bill called the Lawful Hemp Protection Act that sets up a clear regulatory framework for hemp and hemp-derived THC products. Claxton thinks it could help delay the ban. Claxton said there is supposed to be a similar bill from Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mt., in the Senate. “The issue with that is we’re running out of time,” Email Joy Holden at joy. Claxton said. “Because it holden@theadvocate.com.

Brew to be a reliable, convenient spot for area state workers and downtown customers on the weekdays and a place for social gathering on the weekends. Although opening a brick-and-mortar store has its challenges with permits and licensing, Bergeron is delighted to have a permanent space. “I feel so spoiled because I was working with a space that was like a quarter of counter space. We have our own dishes and everything,” Bergeron said. The cobalt blue mugs, both in 12- and 16-ounce sizes, stand out as a colorful addition in the minimal space.

Vision beyond coffee Bergeron’s vision for House Brew transcends coffee and pastries. The menu will include housemade paninis with Italian ﬂavors like caprese chick-

ly recognize the role of the Black church as the “primary institution that helped form African Americans as a people.” “Through faith in Jesus Christ, it became the place where we learned not only how to worship together, but how to live together, lead together, serve together and build communities together,” said Brown, a retired Southern University professor. That perspective resonated with Martin, a professor in the Department of African and African American Studies at LSU. “This program is impor-

en, roasted chicken pesto, Italian classic, Mediterranean veggie and turkey pesto melt. “We want to make it almost like a bodega, where you can go in and grab a couple items like a Coke and a sandwich, and then maybe get your coffee as well,” Bergeron said. With our paninis, we want to create that option where this is a lunch place during the week and on Sunday after church.” One of the murals on the walls at House Brew states that “Caffeine is the Dream,” and Bergeron will also sell energy drinks, tea and sodas. “I think coffee culture is one of those things where you ﬁnd a little sense of community every time you walk into a place, and you look around and you see things that you identify with,” Bergeron said.

tant to me because it explores the challenges Black people have faced, the resiliency they have shown, and contemplates what is needed for the next 250 years of America’s ongoing experiment called democracy,” she said. “Faith institutions and leaders have played important roles in Black history and the history of America. This program will challenge participants to think about what that looks like going forward.” Contact Terry Robinson at terryrobinson622@gmail. com.

Dear Heloise: Up until my But a slippery tub is just too 50s, nothing was more dangerous for me and thourelaxing than reading in a sands of others. — Heloise very hot tub of waEuropean beds ter. However, since then, there is no Dear Heloise: I was way that I can get reading a letter out of the tub, even about the lady with grab bars. whose mother had Now I just take a trouble getting out Hints from of bed due to the shower and accept Heloise height of the bed. that I’m getting old. I’m in my 80s. — When we lived in Donna, in The Villages, Florida Germany, all the beds were Donna, have you tried a lower. They don’t “do” box shower stool? You can sit springs. They had a ﬂat down and relax while getbottom cover that went over the slats and then had ting clean. Like you, I, too, the regular mattress. enjoy the feeling of hot waIt made so much sense, ter ﬂowing down my back.

as it was so easy to get in and out of the bed. It didn’t sacriﬁce any comfort. As a matter of fact, I found it more comfortable than all the American beds I’ve ever slept on. — Sandy Doerr, via email Sandy, if possible, it’s always good to go to a mattress store before buying a bed and test as many options as possible. I never thought that I’d like a platform bed, but I tried one and liked it. It’s what I ended up buying! — Heloise Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

RELIGION BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS

Church celebrates 110th anniversary

family to its Church Anniversary Service on Sunday, Aug. 16, at 2 p.m. The guest speaker will be Greater Mount Carmel Baptist Church, 1414 Sora Pastor Samuel C. Lofton Jr., St., will celebrate its 110th of New Hope and Second Church Anniversary this Baptist Churches in Baton Rouge. All are welcome. Sunday at 10:45 a.m. The anniversary theme is “Celebrating God’s Faithfulness... Continuing the Legacy: 110 Years of Faith, Fellowship, and FaithfulMagnolia Children’s ness.” The guest speaker Group invites the Baton will be Dr. Renee F. Brown, Rouge community to its inpastor of Mount Zion First augural Magnolia Gala: An Baptist Church. Evening of Hope Under the The public is invited to Stars at 6 p.m. on Thursday, join this special celebra- Sept. 24, at Church of the King, 2037 Quail Drive. tion. The fundraising gala will feature dinner, live entertainment, inspiring stories, a silent auction Freeman Baptist Church, and opportunities to sup4628 La. 955 W., Ethel, cor- port Louisiana children in dially invites you and your foster care. Proceeds will

An Evening of Hope Under the Stars

Anniversary service at Freeman Baptist

beneﬁt Magnolia Children’s Group’s mission to create trauma-informed foster care communities and expand support for children and families. For tickets, sponsorship opportunities or more information, visit magnoliachildrensgroup.org/magnolia-gala.

Public invited to worship service Nathaniel Baptist Church, Highway 33 South, Centreville, Mississippi, invites you and your family to its Ushers Worship Service at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 9. The guest speaker will be Pastor Rodriques Hendricks, along with the Mount Carmel Baptist Church family. All are welcome.

TODAY IN HISTORY By The Associated Press Today is Saturday, Aug. 8, the 220th day of 2026. There are 145 days left in the year. Today in history: On Aug. 8, 2023, a series of wind-driven wildfires broke out on the Hawaiian island of Maui, destroying the town of Lahaina and killing more than 100 people. Also on this date: In 1814, during the War of 1812, peace talks between the United States and Britain began in Ghent, Belgium. In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte set sail for St. Helena to spend the remainder of his days in exile. In 1876, Thomas Edison received a patent for his electric pen — the forerunner of the mimeograph machine. In 1908, Wilbur Wright made the Wright Brothers’ first public flying demonstration, at Le Mans racecourse in France. In 1911, President William Howard Taft signed a measure raising the number of U.S. representatives from 391 to 433, effective with the next Congress, with a proviso to add two more when New Mexico

and Arizona became states. In 1963, Britain’s “Great Train Robbery” took place as thieves made off with 2.6 million pounds in banknotes. In 1969, photographer Iain Macmillan took the iconic photo of The Beatles that would appear on the cover of their album “Abbey Road.” In 1974, President Richard Nixon, facing damaging new revelations in the Watergate scandal, announced he would resign the following day. In 1988, Chicago’s Wrigley Field hosted its ﬁrstever night baseball game; the contest between the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies would be rained out in the fourth inning. In 2000, the wreckage of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley, which sank in 1864 after attacking the Union ship Housatonic, was recovered off the South Carolina coast and returned to port. In 2009, Sonia Sotomayor was sworn in as the U.S. Supreme Court’s ﬁrst Hispanic and third female justice. In 2022, FBI agents executed a search warrant for former President

Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida; over 13,000 government documents, including 103 classiﬁed documents, were seized. Today’s birthdays: Actor Nita Talbot is 96. Actor Dustin Hoffman is 80. Actor Connie Stevens is 88. Actor Larry Wilcox is 79. Actor Keith Carradine is 77. Movie director Martin Brest is 75. Radio-TV personality Robin Quivers is 74. Percussionist Anton Fig is 73. Actor Donny Most is 73. Rock musician Dennis Drew (10,000 Maniacs) is 69. TV personality Deborah Norville is 68. Rock musician The Edge (U2) is 65. Rock musician Rikki Rockett (Poison) is 65. Rapper Kool Moe Dee is 64. Rock singer Scott Stapp is 53. Country singer Mark Wills is 53. Actor Kohl Sudduth is 52. Rock musician Tom Linton (Jimmy Eat World) is 51. Singer JC Chasez (‘N Sync) is 50. Actor Tawny Cypress is 50. R&B singer Drew Lachey (98 Degrees) is 50. R&B singer Marsha Ambrosius is 49. Actor Lindsay Sloane is 49. Actor Countess Vaughn is 48. Actor Michael Urie is 46. Retired tennis player Roger Federer is 45.

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zodIAC LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Think big, but live within your means. Having integrity and following your passion will lead to something meaningful. Choose to address what concerns you and to make a difference. VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Revisit stats, facts and how people react. Don't take anything or anyone for granted. Be willing to meet in the middle when you want to get things done. LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Trying to push through an agenda that doesn't sit right with you will not live up to your expectations. Alter your surroundings to make your life manageable and your promises doable. scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Trust your instincts, research and be observant. Your highest returns will come from obtaining as much information as possible and moving forward in a direction that serves you best. sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) You have more going for you than you realize. Take advantage of whatever comes your way. Don't let laziness set in when accomplishment is what you should be striving to achieve. cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Measure your achievements by how they make you feel, not by how others respond. Taking care of your needs will help build confidence and encourage you to trust your instincts. AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Take a deep breath, release it and begin again. It's up to you how you take care of yourself.

You have plenty to offer and to gain if you are true to yourself and to what concerns you. PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Easy does it. You'll be tempted to join in a change someone suggests for the wrong reason. Refuse to let your heart dictate what you do next. Partnerships may not be as even as you think. ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Impatience is your downfall, and letting others talk you into premature action will leave you in an unstable position. You're better off evaluating, looking inward and taking care of your wellness. tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Judging others will lead to regret. Weigh the pros and cons before you make a commitment. Address your financial situation and how you earn and handle your cash. Now is not the time to upset your stability. GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Positive change is heading your way. Be ready to take advantage of an opportunity to expand your mind and your wisdom and to beef up your credentials. Your effort will surpass your expectations. cAncER (June 21-July 22) Recap before you move on. It's important to understand what went wrong and what went right before you launch something new. Learning is half the battle when you're trying to make your way forward. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

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beetLe bAILeY CeLebrItY CIpher Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

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4D ● Saturday,August 8, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Sudoku InstructIons: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday. Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

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Bridge By PHILLIP ALDER Alvin Toffler, a writer and futurist who coined the term information overload, said, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” That is an interesting thought — but do you agree? First, look at today’s West hand. What would you lead against three no-trump? This auction must be by far the most common that ends in a game contract. Length and majors rule in this situation. So West should lead a spade. But since his suit contains no honor, he should choose the nine, top of nothing when the top two cards are touching. (With, say, 9-7-6-4 of spades, he would lead the seven, second-highest.) Now look at the North and East hands. How should East plan the defense after declarer calls for dummy’s spade four? East, reading the lead, should realize that South has the spade jack and queen. So, there is no point in winning with the ace and playing another spade. There won’t be time to establish and run the spades. After taking the first trick, East should shift to the heart queen. And as you can see, that works rather well, resulting in down two. Finally, did you notice South’s one chance? At trick

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one, under East’s spade ace, he should drop his jack or queen, trying to look like someone who started with queenjack-doubleton. Then East will be sorely tempted to return his spade 10, which lets the contract make. Declarer should try to make the defenders misread the deal. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

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word game InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

toDAy’s WoRD — ADDItIonAL: uh-DIH-shun-ul: More than is usual or expected.

Bizarro

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Average mark 27 words Time limit 50 minutes Can you find 41 or more words in ADDITIONAL? yEstERDAy’s WoRD — FIELDER feed feel felid field file filer fire fled flee flier free

freed fried idle idler eider elder elide leer lied life deer

defer defier defile dele deli diel dire reed reef reel refile

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loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “Be you my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: you have given commandment to save me; for you are my rock and my fortress.” Psalms 71:3 Trust in the Lord. Lean on the Lord. He can take care of you. — G.E. Dean

6D ● Saturday, August 8, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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