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Vermilion Parish ponders impact of SpaceX

THE MAN, THE MYTH,

THE LEGEND

Drew Brees enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Residents look to Texas, Florida for clues to what future might hold BY ALEX LUBBEN and STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writers

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS By DAVID DERMER

Former Saints quarterback Drew Brees poses with his bust during the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday.

As Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration ﬁnalizes a deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to build a spaceport in coastal Vermilion Parish, residents of the remote area are trying to make sense of what the unprecedented project might mean for their community. Recent comments from Musk and other SpaceX ofﬁcials offer a sense of the company’s plans to expand its launch capabilities, and some close watchers of the aerospace industry say the Vermilion site likely aligns with those goals. Additionally, there are two other areas that could serve as a guide for what the future holds: Boca Chica, Texas, where SpaceX has built its Starbase headquarters; and Florida’s “Space Coast,” the region around Cape Canaveral along the Atlantic Ocean that has been the site of NASA’s space launches since the Apollo program. In Starbase, Texas, formerly Boca Chica Village, SpaceX incorporated

ä See SPACEX, page 4A

BY JEFF DUNCAN | Sports columnist

CANTON, Ohio — Drew Brees brought New Orleans Saints fans to their feet countless times during his legendary playing career.

ICE facility at Angola ending first year

He did it again Saturday. This time, though, Brees inspired them with his words rather than his work on the football ﬁeld. “New Orleans. … ,” Brees said to a Saints-heavy crowd at his Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony at Tom Benson Stadium. “You accepted me. You embraced me. You believed in me. But more importantly, you entrusted me with the soul of the city. And I would have died to protect that calling!”

‘Louisiana Lockup’ detainees cost feds $275 daily

Brees punctuated his words by raising his voice and right arm, stirring throngs of Saints out of their seats and spurring them to thrust their arms above their heads and chant “DREEEEEEWWWWWW!” in unison. It was the highlight moment in a day of memorable scenes and emotional passages for Brees and his legion of fans, who came by the thousands from far and wide to honor the most decorated and beloved player in Saints franchise history. Brees gave them ample opportunity to cheer and celebrate during his emotional 29-minute address that at times felt more like a pep rally or campaign town hall than an enshrinement ceremony. Brees’ speech went well over the suggested 12-minute limit, but few in the crowd seemed to mind on this muggy, overcast afternoon. “It is impossible to properly articulate or encapsulate all the feelings, emotions, and appreciation that comes along with a 20-year NFL career in the time we have,” said Brees, who complemented his gold Hall of Fame jacket with a black-and-gold tie and light blue dress shirt. “But I will do my best to entertain and enlighten you with the stories,

ä See BREES, page 7A

BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

Former NFL player Drew Brees reacts after placing his bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Camp 57, the controversial ICE detention center that Gov. Jeff Landry set up inside the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, is nearing its ﬁrst anniversary ﬂush with federal funding and showing little sign its population is waning. If anything, immigration advocates see occupancy rising at the privately run detention center, also dubbed “Louisiana Lockup.” The feds pay a $275 daily rate for a minimum of 208 ICE detainees, state records show. Louisiana reports paying $116 daily for a typical state prisoner at Angola, where about 4,000 are held.

ä See FACILITY, page 6A

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2A ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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FROM WIRE REPORTS

Turkey: Defense pact not aimed at any country

ANKARA, Turkey — A defense agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey is not aimed against Iran or any other country, Turkey’s foreign minister said Saturday, describing the pact as an important step toward regional stability. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the agreement in the Saudi holy city of Mecca on Friday. It states that an attack on one would be considered an attack on all three. The “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” brings together oilrich Saudi Arabia and nuclear power Pakistan as well as Turkey, which has NATO’s secondlargest army and a rapidly growing defense industry. It deepens cooperation and deterrence at a time of increased regional uncertainty and threats from the war in Iran. In an interview with Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan insisted that the three countries do not view any particular state as an adversary unless they take hostile action against them. “We don’t have anything written down — nothing we’ve signed — that deﬁnes a common threat,” Fidan said. “Any country that does not attack us is not a target for us.” The Turkish minister described the agreement’s clause on mutual defense as being “technically the same” as NATO’s Article 5, under which an attack on one of the 32 members is considered an attack on them all.

2 drones spotted flying over German base

BERLIN — Two drones were spotted ﬂying over a German military base in the western part of the country earlier this week, just two days after a drone carrying explosives was found at a key cargo airport, the German Armed Forces said on Saturday. Security surveillance at the Bundeswehr base in Mechernich reported seeing two drones around 10 p.m. on Thursday, according to a statement from the German Joint Force Command. The sightings were confirmed and military police forces deployed to the site. The military said the Euskirchen police department has opened an investigation. The police did not immediately respond to a request for comment and the military did not release additional details. Recently, drone sightings over civilian and cargo airports have been more widely reported. Last year, mysterious drone flights over the airspace of European Union member countries alarmed the public and authorities, and also prompted the cancellation of dozens of ﬂights that stranded thousands of passengers. Thursday’s sighting of the two drones came after a drone with explosives was found at Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport shortly before midnight on Tuesday. The device was defused but German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the incident posed a “new quality of danger.”

Girl dies after Thailand school shooting

BANGKOK — A schoolgirl died from critical wounds on Saturday after a student opened fire at a high school and his home outside Bangkok the day before, bringing the death toll from the attack to at least eight people. The 14-year-old opened fire at about 10 a.m. Friday at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province northwest of the Thai capital before apparently taking his own life. He also appeared to have killed his two grandparents at his family home earlier in the morning, officials said. The girl, 12, died after hospitalization, the Health Ministry said. The school had posted a message on Facebook Friday seeking blood donations for two students, including the girl, who was in seventh grade. Fourteen people remain hospitalized, of whom seven remain in critical condition Saturday, according to Thailand’s Health Ministry. Most of those wounded were between 12 and 14 years old.

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Iran says Hormuz deal close But Tehran says its conditions must be met

BY PATRICK SYKES, SARA GHARAIBEH and CAM KETTLES

Bloomberg News (TNS) Iran said it’s “very close” to a deal with Oman on a new maritime transit route in the Strait of Hormuz, even as the Islamic Republic renewed a list of demands for the U.S. to agree to before the waterway would open. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that negotiators are closing in on temporary maritime transit route for ships entering and exiting the Persian Gulf. He cautioned that any agreement won’t result in an immediate reopening of the strait, signaling that any respite for energy supplies may be limited. “The opening of the Strait is subject to other conditions, including the compensation for the U.S.’s violations of the Islamabad Agreement,” Araghchi added. He was referring to the now-lapsed memorandum of understanding signed in June, which lasted less than a month before collapsing over disagreements about control of Hormuz. Besides compensation, Iran wants the U.S. to lift the naval blockade and withdraw military forces from around Iran, remove U.S. sanctions on Iran, and unconditionally release frozen assets among other

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By VAHID SALEMI

People walk through Tehran’s traditional main bazaar in Iran on Saturday. things, according to Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, a hard-liner who heads Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Oman said separately, in a post on X, that negotiations are progressing in “a positive and constructive atmosphere” and called for a halt on actions in the strait to avoid impacting diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement on navigation. It’s unclear how Washington will respond to a ﬁnal agreement. President Donald Trump has said for months that open navigation through Hormuz must resume, threatening fresh attacks on Iran if it fails to reopen the strait. Vice President JD Vance suggested there has been some progress in the last few days but that it’s not clear yet whether the ﬁnal result will be satisfactory for the U.S.

“I try to remind people that we’re really in the middle of the game here,” Vance said in an interview on Fox News on Saturday. The question is whether Iran will be able “to give the things that are necessary for us to be happy, for us to feel like we’ve gotten what we need out of this particular engagement.” He also said Iranian mines laid in the strait earlier in the war must be cleared and Tehran must commit not to ﬁre on commercial vessels transiting Hormuz. “What we’re really working through now is how you can actually set up a trafﬁc scheme so that the ships that pass can pass through safely.” Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. said missiles targeted one of its vessels while transiting Hormuz early on Saturday, the United Arab Emirates’s state-run WAM

news agency reported. The attack caused no injuries and the situation has been brought under control, it added. Three other ships from the UAE’s biggest oil producer were attacked this week. The incident highlights the ongoing risks for shippers attempting to make the crossing during the conﬂict. “Deals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz remain elusive, with investors teetering in the balance,” said Rob Haworth, senior investment strategy director at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. “For now, trafﬁc remains low and the path to a durable deal remains unclear.” Washington has repeatedly suggested that it’s part of negotiations over the management of Hormuz, which Iran disputes. The U.S. will walk back its restrictions enforced by the blockade

once a deal between Oman and Iran to restore commercial shipping is announced, citing a U.S. official. Oil prices have swung between gains and losses this week, as traders monitored the prospects of a deal that’s expected to clear the way for millions of barrels of supply from the Persian Gulf to be restored. Brent settled above $83 a barrel, notching a third straight weekly loss. Traffic through the choke point has been largely blocked since the start of the war, but some ships have continued to ferry cargoes through as part of a shuttle program involving help from the U.S. military. Many have done so turning off their transponders, making trips harder to track. Any deal for the Strait of Hormuz will need to be approved by Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Iranian officials have said that it takes time to reach him, potentially delaying any announcement. There’s no indication as yet over whether Khamenei has given his assent to current plans. Clashes between the Iranbacked Houthi militants and the Saudi-aligned, internationally recognized government in Yemen also threaten to further escalate tensions in the Middle East. Yemen said on Saturday its armed forces carried out a military operation overnight against the Houthis, who control much of the country, marking the first known retaliation to attacks this week.

Ukraine’s leader visits Moscow-friendly Serbia BY JOVANA GEC and VOLODYMYR YURCHUK Associated Press

BELGRADE, Serbia — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced Russia’s latest deadly attacks on Kyiv on Saturday as he visited Serbia, one of the few European countries that has maintained friendly relations with Moscow throughout its invasion of Ukraine. Four people, including a child, were killed in the overnight strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region. Ukrainian forces hit Russian oil facilities. Zelenskyy arrived in Belgrade on Friday for his ﬁrst ofﬁcial visit to Serbia. Speaking at a news conference in Belgrade with Zelenskyy, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic described Ukraine as a “friendly nation” and said he was honored to welcome the Ukrainian leader — the first visit by a Ukrainian president in eight years.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DARKO VOJINOVIC

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shakes hands with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic on Saturday at the Serbia Palace in Belgrade, Serbia. The two leaders discussed their countries’ efforts toward joining the European Union, bilateral ties and ways to expand cooperation. Kyiv’s residents face regular drone and missile barrages that Ukraine’s depleted air defenses are struggling to counter amid Moscow’s 4-year-old fullscale invasion, while repeated Ukrainian strikes on oil facilities have caused

fuel shortages and rattled Russians. Vucic, who has maintained close ties with Moscow and refused to sanction Russia over the invasion — drawing pressure from the EU to change course — reiterated that Serbia respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity and said that position would not change. “The situation in Ukraine is difficult,” Zelenskyy

ICE says it expects to equip officers with body cams by end of August By The Associated Press WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Saturday it expects every officer and agent in the ﬁeld to be equipped with a body camera by the end of August, a rapid expansion that could provide an unprecedented visual record of the federal government’s immigration enforcement operations. But whether the public will get to see that footage remains largely up to ICE. The agency defended its body-worn camera policy amid questions about provisions allowing ICE leadership to withhold or indeﬁnitely delay footage after serious injuries or deaths in custody.

Acting Director David J. Venturella said the restrictions are intended to protect investigations and privacy and are consistent with federal law and policies at other federal law enforcement agencies. Venturella’s statement came in response to an Associated Press report on ICE policy, including a provision calling for the expedited release of footage after a serious injury or death in custody when doing so is determined to be in the “best interests of the agency.” Venturella said the AP “mischaracterized” the policy by conflating that provision with ICE’s broader authority to release body-camera

footage. He said the policy clariﬁes that footage should not be released when doing so could compromise investigations or privacy. The AP report did not say the provision governs every release of body-camera footage. It focused on ICE’s policy for releasing footage after some of the most consequential encounters with the public: those involving serious injury or death. The AP sought comment from ICE before its initial story on Friday. The agency provided partial responses, without addressing the provision that footage would be released when in its “best interests.”

said at the news conference. “There was another missile strike last night — ballistic missiles targeting our infrastructure. There were also attack drones.” Zelenskyy said that deliveries of Patriot air defense interceptors — the sole air defense weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal able to shoot down ballistic missiles — have slowed compared with a year ago.

“There are fewer of these missiles in 2026. In 2025 there were more, I’ll tell you honestly, in terms of monthly supplies,” he said. Zelenskyy said Washington has agreed to let Ukraine manufacture its own Patriot air defense interceptors, but that they are “stuck dealing with paperwork.” “The process for some of these licenses is also taking a long time,” he said.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ 3A

4A ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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SPACEX

Continued from page 1A

To Lafayette

White Lake its own municipality with about 5,000 residents. It has its own mayor. In less than a decade, the company has built rockets and launchpads there, as well as a company-run elementary school. And it is permitted to launch 25 rockets a year. Local elected officials say it has been a boon to the regional tax base. But the frequency of rocket launches has increased with Musk’s growing quest to put more rockets carrying his Starlink satellites into orbit. Environmental groups have called attention to the impacts that those launches have had on nearby wildlife refuges. In Florida, residents in Titusville and Cape Canaveral have lived near active launch sites for decades. Residents there say they have seen changes in recent decades as commercial space companies have increased the number of rockets launched. “These people in that rural area in Louisiana, they better understand what’s coming,” said Rene Medrano, 66, who has lived in Brownsville, Texas, 15 miles from Starbase, since the launch site there was built. SpaceX has declined to specify its plans for Louisiana, which according to sources familiar with the deal includes the state’s settlement of a coastal lawsuit against ExxonMobil that involves about 130,000 acres of land in Vermilion Parish, which could then be transferred to the commercial aerospace company. The Landry administration has also declined to comment. Sources with knowledge of the deal say that the state is attempting to figure out how to streamline the permitting process for SpaceX to allow the company to move quickly when the deal with Louisiana is finalized, which could come as soon as this month. Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser said he had no direct knowledge of the deal. But his office had been contacted about an archaeological review of the site. “There’s going to have to be reviews of grave sites or Indian burial grounds,” Nungesser said. “And a call was made to our office.” The ExxonMobil tract that is key to the state’s deal with SpaceX includes some 200 square miles in and around Pecan Island, a tiny community of hunting camps lining the two-lane rural La. 82, and Freshwater City, a remote area about 10 miles farther south. Any launch site is unlikely to be located directly next to the hunting camps along La. 82, but will likely be closer to the coast, according to those familiar with the site. The land there, surprisingly, is a couple of feet higher and more stable than farther inland. The site makes sense for other reasons, too. It’s immediately adjacent to a deep water bayou that runs from the Gulf and connects to the Intracoastal Waterway. And it has an abundance of natu-

Property currently owned by ExxonMobil

Vermilion Bay

Pecan Island Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge

3147 Freshwater City Rd.

LOUISIANA

Lafayette

Audubon Wildlife Refuge

Potential SpaceX development area

Baton Rouge New Orleans

The Gulf

DETAIL AREA

Staff graphic

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIC GAy

The sun rises behind SpaceX’s mega rocket Starship as it is prepared for a test flight from Starbase, Texas, on July 24. ral gas. “They can easily tap into the pipeline and put in a small LNG facility on-site to power their rockets,” said Eric Smith, a director at Tulane University’s Energy Institute. “It’s a relatively easy, established technology.”

Accelerating space race The number of launches in the U.S. has increased dramatically over the past decade as SpaceX and commercial aerospace companies have gotten into a business that once was the purview solely of NASA. Last year, there were 181 orbital rocket launches in the U.S., more than 90% of which were conducted by SpaceX. The company is planning to ramp up its capacity, so it needs more spaceports and launchpads. SpaceX has said it aims to put data centers in space. Doing that will take millions of satellites, the company has said in federal regulatory ﬁlings. SpaceX wants to perform “a launch every few hours somewhere,” said Jonathan McDowell, a retired astrophysicist who worked at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics until earlier this year and tracks rocket launches worldwide. “Whether they can do that is a really open question, but that’s the kind of scale they’re talking about.” More importantly, the site’s southward-facing location on the Gulf Coast is

an ideal spot from which to launch into polar orbit — an orbital path that circles the planet from north to south. SpaceX wants to put its AI satellites into that kind of orbit because they could get continuous sunlight on their solar panels, providing a consistent source of power, according to regulatory ﬁlings. But right now, the company only has spaceports from which it can launch its Starship rockets east into an orbit that would have its satellites circle the Earth in a pathway parallel to the equator. From the site in Vermilion Parish, “you’re not going to want to launch east because you’re going to ﬂy right over New Orleans, and that will make you unpopular,” McDowell said. “But you’ve got a nice long stretch over the Gulf of Mexico to go south,” perfect for launching satellites into polar orbit. McDowell said the site makes sense for SpaceX. “Given the market today, it’s a decent choice for a launch site,” he said. It’s also at least as isolated from large human populations as the Boca Chica launch site in Texas or NASA’s Cape Canaveral launchpads in Florida. McDowell said a spot along Freshwater Bayou is the likeliest spot for a SpaceX launch site, and the company could ship in rockets by barge. Most launch sites are right on the coast, so rocket stages can drop off

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into open water. SpaceX itself has fueled speculation about that site, responding to a post on social media that included a map highlighting it. “It’s no secret that we intend to launch Starship a lot,” the company said on X, the social media site that Musk also owns.

‘A juggernaut’

plex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, NASA sent Americans to the moon in 1969. “I grew up watching the rockets go up and loved it,” said Bill Fisk, 72, a retired funeral home director and later FEMA ofﬁcial who now serves as president of the Space Coast Audubon Society. “People here peacefully coexisted with NASA for years.” Still, the commercial rockets SpaceX and others now launch from the Space Coast complexes are happening with greater frequency. The company’s Starship rocket is louder and more powerful than NASA’s historic Saturn V rocket, which carried astronauts to the moon. “I can feel the rumbles now,” said Fisk, who lives nearly 60 miles from Kennedy in a community called Palm Bay and has worked to gather evidence of environmental harm caused by the launch activity. McDowell said that within a 1-mile radius of a launch site, the rocket blasts are likely to kill most birds. At 5 miles away, a launch is unlikely to break glass windows, he said — unless a rocket explodes on a launchpad, in which case it might. The closest residential area in Pecan Island is about 10 miles away from the likely launch sites along the coast. “You will deﬁnitely hear it from 10 miles,” McDowell said. “It’s not deafening. It’s probably like when a jet goes overhead.”

In Texas, some local officials have been upbeat about SpaceX’s presence, noting that the company has brought in local revenue and a demand for skilled labor. John Cowen, Jr., the mayor of Brownsville, Texas, near Starbase, called SpaceX “a juggernaut for economic growth,” according to the Rio Grande Guardian. He said the company had brought $13 billion in economic benefits, including 4,000 permanent jobs, and $99 million in tourism-related windfalls from visitors who come to see launches. Local government leaders in Louisiana are also hopeful that SpaceX is considering their area for a spaceport. But Medrano, who lives near SpaceX’s Boca Chica launch site, has grown to oppose it. He can watch the rockets rise over the tree line from his back deck, and while he was initially supportive of the company, trafﬁc and other disruptions are now a burden, he says. “It rocks our house on all the launches,” he said. “We never thought it would get out of hand the way it is.” On the other side of the Gulf, on Florida’s Space Coast, rocket launches have Email Alex Lubben at been taking place for de- alex.lubben@theadvocate. cades. From Launch Com- com.

Here’s how a summertime health plan review can pay off during fall open enrollment

By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com This article is brought to you by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana.

The final weeks of summer are a time for many families to plan for a new school year, fall festivals and the return of sporting events. It’s also one of the best times of the year to take stock of your health, your insurance coverage and the financial decisions that could affect the months ahead. Because most health insurance plans operate on a calendar-year schedule, deductibles and out-ofpocket maximums reset each Jan. 1. That makes late summer and early fall an ideal opportunity to review healthcare needs before the year ends, said Mike Bertaut, a healthcare economist with Louisiana Blue. Here, Bertaut shares more about what steps people can take now to prepare for health plan re-enrollments or new plan selections this fall and to ensure they receive the care they need from their preferred providers. What aspects of their current health insurance plan should people evaluate now? Most health plans cover annual checkups at a high percentage, sometimes even 100 percent. This is a good time to see if you have had a checkup this year and schedule one if you still need to. Also, if you have health conditions that might require testing or medication, it’s good to address it now. You will reach your deductible sooner, and the doctor has time to review test results and the effectiveness of medications. In addition, if you have health insurance through your employer and they offer discounts if you reach certain wellness goals, this is a good time to check your progress. You still have a few months this year to achieve those goals and receive those discounts or incentives. What are some key timelines for people to remember about enrolling for health insurance for 2027? Medicare open enrollment will run from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. Many employers have enrollment for 2027 plans in October and November. The HealthCare.gov marketplace will be open from Nov. 1 to Jan. 15, 2027. But, people should plan to make a choice on HealthCare.gov by Dec. 15 to have coverage starting Jan. 1. If you wait until Dec. 16 or beyond, you won’t have any healthcare coverage until Feb. 1, 2027. You want to avoid any gaps and stay covered. What materials or documents should people keep track of now so they aren’t rushing to find them during enrollment season? I advise people to keep records of their healthcare spending this year, the medications they take and their

preferred doctors and hospitals. You want to be able to select a plan where those doctors and hospitals are in network and you don’t have to change providers. If you know now that you will have a medical procedure in 2027, you can start checking to see if the doctor and facility would be covered under your current plan or whether you may need to make changes. Most insurance cards have information on your deductible. That’s a number to keep in mind because you want to have a good sense of your financial obligations before you start looking at plans for next year. Louisiana Blue customers can use the MyLABlue digital platform to look at their healthcare spending year to date, see the benefits covered on their health plan and look for providers or facilities in network for their plan. If you have any questions, you can securely message our Customer Service team through MyLABlue. I also remind people to monitor their mailbox and open anything that arrives with the logo of their health plan or Medicaid. It might be something you legitimately need to review or respond to. Even in today’s digital era, a lot of insurance communication still happens via mail. What should Medicaid recipients do now to maintain coverage? It’s so important to be diligent about eligibility requirements and enrollment because that has changed a lot with Medicaid in the past few years. Starting next year, Medicaid recipients will need to show proof of having a job or looking for work, receiving education or training, or that they are medically frail or taking care of a young child. You may have to prove that in the next six to nine months to remain eligible for Medicaid, so you want to have the documentation readily available. Also, if you are on Medicaid, check your mail regularly, especially for anything from the Louisiana Department of Health. That may have important information on your eligibility. If you find out you’re being dropped from Medicaid, make sure the state has your updated information. In several cases, people have been dropped because of administrative issues like not submitting paperwork on time. If you truly no longer qualify for Medicaid, you can call 1-844-GET-BLUE and work with a licensed, experienced agent who can help you find plans through HealthCare.gov. You may qualify for financial assistance to help you pay for your plan. There’s no cost to work with an agent and no obligation to enroll just because you speak with one.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ 5A

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6A ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

FACILITY

Continued from page 1A “We were up there a couple weeks ago. They were moving the guys into the other dorms” at Camp 57, said Tania Wolf, southeast advocacy manager for the National Immigration Project. “We were just told they were renovating.” State corrections officials did not respond to questions about Camp 57, its funding or its future. Landry’s office declined to comment. Official figures placed the average daily population of the detention camp at 176 as of July 9, slightly lower than the 182 reported in April, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. There’s room to grow. Officials have placed the capacity of Camp 57 at 416 detainees.

The former ‘Camp J’ The center occupies a former compound of solitary confinement buildings called “Camp J” that was shuttered almost a decade ago at one end of the 18,000acre prison grounds in West Feliciana Parish. The unusual ICE lockup added capacity in a state that houses the most immigration detainees outside of Texas. The July figures show about 7,700 ICE detainees in Louisiana, including Camp 57, which took its name from Landry’s turn as governor — he’s Louisiana’s 57th. “Louisiana Lockup” opened after Florida’s much larger “Alligator Alcatraz” as an alliterative response by states to President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Indiana was another, launching “Speedway Slammer.” Officials touted Alligator Alcatraz as a powerful cudgel due to its inhospitable natural environment for escapees. Then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem boasted similarly of Camp 57, playing up the notorious history of the maximum-security prison at Angola, a former slave plantation.

Feds pay big for ICE beds Built from scratch on a remote airstrip, Florida’s operation cost $1.2 billion, or about $3,500 per detainee per day in all, according to an analysis by CBS Miami. Reports of inhumane treatment and abuse surfaced, along with lawsuits. It closed in June, with DeSantis saying it had “served its purpose for the time.” Meanwhile, the scores of immigrants being held at Angola are among the most expensive in Louisiana. The $275 bed rate the feds pay is more than previously known and equates to $100,000 a year for each ICE detainee. It’s more than four times the cost to house state prisoners in parish jails. It’s also well above the $150 per day that the state agreed to pay the private operator of Camp 57 as a base fee in a contract obtained by The Times-Picayune and The

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Advocate. The feds also reimburse the operator for outside medical care and transportation for those detainees. They also paid $10 million to repurpose the complex, records show. All told, the feds spent at least $27.7 million to bankroll Camp 57 over its first nine months, according to records produced by the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. The figures come from monthly invoices, detainee counts, a spreadsheet of money transfers and other records provided by GOHSEP, which distributes funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for the detention camp. The records also show several hundred dollars invoiced monthly at $1 per day under a “voluntary work program.” The state did not respond to questions about the work. Uncertain in the figures is just how Louisiana comes out in the bargain. While incomplete, the records offer the clearest view to date of the direct cost to taxpayers. Even so, the GOHSEP figures may undercount the money spent on Camp 57. The state Legislative Fiscal Office has reported that GOHSEP funneled $34 million from ICE last fiscal year for the detention camp. That figure has swelled to $46.3 million budgeted for the current fiscal year. At the minimum of 208 detainees, that would equate to more than $600 per detainee per day in all. Advocates for immigrants and other critics argue that it’s wrong to play up the punitive nature of the camp and that there shouldn’t be so much hidden about how the facility is run and paid for. “It’s part of this administration trying to feed into that narrative of this criminality of the immigrant community,” Wolf said. “There’s a massive amount of funding, and now Gov. Landry and this state is trying to get into the money pot. …Where is it going? It’s murky. Things like this shouldn’t be murky.” In response to detailed questions, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a statement arguing that ICE funding is being used to protect U.S. citizens. “Every day, DHS is conducting law enforcement activities across the country to keep Americans safe. It should not come as news that ICE will be making arrests in states across the U.S. and ensuring we have resources to carry out President Trump’s mission,” it read. “ICE is targeting criminal illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, criminals, gang members and more. Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE has new funding to expand detention space to keep these criminals off American streets before they are removed for good from our communities.” The agency attached mug-

Gov. Jeff Landry, center, gathers with officials at the end of a tour of Camp 57 at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola on Sept. 3. STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

shots and criminal histories of ﬁve men it described as “some of the public safety threats arrested by ICE in Louisiana.” None appears to be held currently at Camp 57. GOHSEP general counsel Clayton Revere referred questions to the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. That agency’s press secretary, Falon Brown, directed questions to the Governor’s Ofﬁce, which did not respond to emailed questions.

Deep roots The contract for the facility was signed in August 2025 by state corrections Undersecretary Bobby Lee Jr. and William K. McConnell, founder of LaSalle Corrections LLC, which operates several private lockups for ICE detainees in Louisiana, along with private prisons in other states. It lists the operator of Camp 57 as Ice 47 Processing Center LLC, based on an earlier naming idea. Previous signage called it “Camp 47,” presumably for Trump’s second term. State business records show the company was formed a year ago this week and shares a Ruston address with LaSalle Corrections, as well as top executives. LaSalle Corrections officials Ryan Horvath and Wesley McConnell are listed as its managers, online records show. Neither could be reached. William McConnell did not respond to email interview requests. Related companies operate other ICE detention facilities in the state. At one, Richwood Correctional Center, the day rate for detainees was recently $101, records show.

she said. But they also may not require the same vocational services. Advocates acknowledge some benefits for ICE detainees held at Camp 57 compared to several more remote detention centers across western and northern Louisiana. Readier access to lawyers is one. And Camp 57 resides in the federal Middle District of Louisiana, where judges have been more receptive to pleas for relief from ICE detainees, and where the backlog of habeas corpus petitions isn’t as severe as in the Western District of Louisiana. According to TRAC, the Western District had the third highest rate of habeas corpus filings in the U.S. per capita from October to March — four times the national rate. It’s a system set up for detainees to give up, said Nora Ahmed, legal director of the ACLU of Louisiana. “You have an administration that’s abusing the legal process knowing the courts are going to be drowning in habeas corpus petitions and people will not be able to be released timely,” Ahmed said. “By the time you hit three months, people lose their marbles.” Camp 57, “more than other facilities, they do have people with prior criminal records,” she said, but often years have gone by since their releases. A majority have lived in the U.S. for decades, said Ahmed, who argued that the facility “ex-

ists as a form of punishment, which is illegal on its face.” A report released in January by the ACLU of Louisiana described a troubled start to Camp 57, with a lack of medical support, adequate hygiene or dedicated recreational space. “Water at the facility contained metal shavings, which meant that the only potable water available to them was limited amounts of bottled water,” the report said. Advocates reported a hunger strike by some detainees in the ﬁrst month, but ofﬁcials said it never happened. Ahmed said judges in multiple states have opined that what’s going on at Angola has crossed a line. She said ongoing concerns include family visitations, with prison security running ID and warrant checks for entry. “Why is that a problem? Because this is civil detention,” she said.

Court fights ongoing Some federal judges in Louisiana have sided with detained immigrants, to

Landry’s chagrin. The Republican governor recently requested federal legislation to move West Feliciana Parish into the Western District, while criticizing “liberal judges” in Baton Rouge. U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow filed a bill in March for the move. A Letlow spokesperson, Matt Smith, acknowledged “it may be tough to get it across the finish line” this year. “Congresswoman Letlow continues to support the Camp 57’s mission of housing criminal illegal immigrants, and is pleased to see Governor Landry and President Trump working to enforce our immigration laws and protect public safety,” Smith said. In the meantime, court fights over people detained there endure. In February, U.S. District Judge John deGravelles ordered four of its detainees released after finding they’d been held unconstitutionally too long. Each was detained past a six-month federal limit, he found. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a statement calling deGravelles an “activist judge” and describing the decision in all caps as a “LAWLESS ABOMINATION.” The government has continued to try to remove one of those detainees, Ibrahim Mohammed, through a third-country removal process despite orders from deGravelles. The judge, who was nominated to the federal bench by former President Barack Obama, held a contempt of court hearing last week against federal authorities. He has yet to rule.

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Hidden costs questioned Andrea Armstrong, a law professor at Loyola University in New Orleans, called the setup in Louisiana with Camp 57 “completely unique,” as a privately run ICE detention center within a state prison. Armstrong said it leaves questions about possible hidden costs to the state — for perimeter security, food, mail service and medical care, for instance. “It’s unclear to me whether LaSalle is essentially using those services free or reimbursing (the corrections department) for those services, or what,” Armstrong said. An immigration detention center might have “slightly different costs” from prisons, to include more language services for example,

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2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame

Enshrinement Ceremony • Canton, Ohio Drew Brees greets Saints owner Gayle Benson during the induction ceremony.

Drew Brees walks the gauntlet of Hall of Famers before receiving his gold jacket during the Pro Football Hall of Fame gold jacket dinner in Canton, Ohio, on Friday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAVID DERMER

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SUE OGROCKI

“Words cannot express my love and appreciation for you. I often ask myself, how in the world did I play 20 years in the NFL? Yes, it was for the love of the game. Yes, it was a relentless attempt to master my craft. Yes, it was the grind and challenge of preparation and the thrill of game day. But you want to know what it really was: for the love of my teammates. I would wake up every day with a burning desire to commit, sacrifice and command in a way that would give them everything they deserved.” DREW BREES, former Saints quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee

BREES

Drew Brees, left, unveils his bust with former Saints coach Sean Payton during the Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday.

Continued from page 1A the places and people who shaped my mindset, directed my trajectory and defined my career. We may laugh, we may cry, but most of all, I hope we leave with a greater love, respect and reverence for the virtues of this game.” Brees’ speech was the main event during the 21/2-hour ceremony that also included acceptance addresses from fellow Class of 2026 enshrinees: Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri. But Hall officials scheduled Brees last for a reason, and he delivered with an intensely personal and heartfelt speech that was framed as a love letter to New Orleans and the Who Dat Nation. Famous during his playing days for his almost superhuman ability to remain calm in the moment, Brees was unable to keep his emotions in check as he reflected on his life while acknowledging and thanking dozens of people who influenced him during his historic playing career. On multiple occasions, he choked back tears or paused to bite his lips and contort them to the side while trying to gather himself. Brees choked back tears when he mentioned his family, especially his mother, Mina Ruth Akins, who died in 2009 just weeks before the Saints began their historic run to the Super Bowl XLIV championship. He called her “the most competitive person I’ve ever known” and said, “so much of her lives inside of me.” “I know how proud she would be, even more so of her grandchildren,” he said. Some of Brees’ most emotional moments came when he recognized Sean Payton, his head coach for 15 seasons in New Orleans and his designated presenter for the ceremony. “Coach, you were brilliant,” Brees said. “I saw myself as an extension of you on that field. I always had something to prove to you, and I always wanted to make you right. And I know you trusted me, and that allowed us both to be great. “You always had a plan and vi-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SUE OGROCKI

sion for every player you coached. I’m not sure if this is how you envisioned my journey or how big a role you would play in it, but I love you for it.” Brees was also overcome by emotion when recognizing his former teammates, dozens of whom were in the crowd after making the trip to Canton to show their support. Among them: Taysom Hill, Michael Thomas, Jimmy Graham, Steve Gleason, Zach Strief, Scott Fujita, Luke McCown, Willie Snead, Wil Lutz, Marques Colston, along with current Saints, Cam Jordan, Alvin Kamara and Zach Wood, who were excused from training camp practice on Saturday so they could attend the event. “Words cannot express my love and appreciation for you,” Brees said, looking down at the gathering of teammates in the crowd to his right. “I often ask myself, how in the world did I play 20 years in the NFL? Yes, it was for the love of the game. Yes, it was a relentless

attempt to master my craft. Yes, it was the grind and challenge of preparation and the thrill of game day. But you want to know what it really was: for the love of my teammates. I would wake up every day with a burning desire to commit, sacrifice and command in a way that would give them everything they deserved.” Brees also shared a few lighthearted stories that drew smiles and chuckles from the crowd. He laughed when recounting one of his ﬁrst welcome-to-New-Orleans moments, the day his neighbors, Steve and Kathy Price, cooked a batch of red beans, rice and cornbread for him and his family shortly after they moved into their Uptown home in 2006. The meal became a Monday night tradition for the families during Brees’ entire 15year tenure. “This is no exaggeration, for 15 straight years, whether it was their house, our house or with great friends like Trombone Shorty, it

was what we all looked forward to together,” Brees said. “It was the perfect representation of what New Orleans is all about.” Among the more than 100 current Hall of Famers in attendance were all three of the living Hall of Famers in Saints franchise history: Morten Andersen, Rickey Jackson and Willie Roaf. (Former Saints linebacker Sam Mills was enshrined posthumously in 2022.) “Playing all those years and playing as well as he did, Drew was a no-doubt ﬁrst-ballot Hall of Famer,” Jackson said before the ceremony. “He’s the greatest Saint ever. He took my spot.” Kuechly, Brees’ fellow Class of 2026 inductee and longtime nemesis on the Carolina Panthers, called Brees “the best player I ever played against” during his speech early in the ceremony and drew a laugh from the partisan Saints crowd by adding, “If I ever hear that song again, ‘Stand Up and Get Crunk,’ it ruins my mood; I can’t

stand it!” The line drew a chuckle from both Brees and Payton, who was seated onstage on the front row of chairs to Brees’ left. During Brees’ speech, Payton was seen nodding and wiping his eyes. Earlier, during Payton’s prerecorded video presentation speech, he called Brees “an elite leader” and “the smartest player I’ve ever coached.” “We were better coaches when he was our starting quarterback, and we were a better team when he was our leader,” Payton said. ‘It has been an honor to have a front-row seat watching you play quarterback for the Saints at such a high level. You made my job easy.” Payton spoke for many in the crowd when he thanked Brees for his efforts on and off the ﬁeld, saying, “All of us are better for having been a part of this with you.” Email Jeff Duncan at jduncan@ theadvocate.com.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAVID DERMER

Former NFL player Drew Brees stands with his family during the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday.

8A ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Senate narrowly confirms Todd Blanche as AG BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and LISA MASCARO

Murkowski announced early Friday that she would join Collins in opposing Blanche’s nomination, saying the country needs an attorney general “who will check the worst impulses of this administration.” A former federal pros-

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general in a vote early Saturday, cementing the command of President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer at a Department of Justice that Trump has sought to bend to his will. The Republican-led Senate voted 50-49 to make Blanche the second confirmed attorney general since Trump returned to the White House last year with a stated desire to use the law enforcement agency to investigate his political enemies. While Blanche has already been leading the department in an acting capacity, his confirmation could free him to pursue the administration’s agenda even more aggressively. Blanche said on social media that he was “deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me,” adding that he was “grateful” to senators for working late to confirm him. The vote followed a tumultuous confirmation fight that exposed deep concerns — from some Republicans as well as Democrats — about installing Trump’s close ally atop a Justice Department that historically prided itself on its independence from the White House. In the end, Blanche was confirmed by the narrowest of margins, opposed by two Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins, of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska — and by every Democrat. The path to confirmation for Blanche was unusually rocky, due in large part to Republican concerns about a controversial settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS. Under pressure, Blanche publicly promised in writing that the department would abandon Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund for the president’s allies,

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MANUEL BALCE CENETA

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks June 11 during a news conference on unaccompanied children at the Justice Department in Washington. The Senate confirmed Blanche as attorney general early Saturday. including those who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and rein in another piece of the settlement designed to shield Trump and his family from IRS tax audits. His appeals were enough to win over Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, the decisive vote who threw his support behind Blanche on Friday morning. Cassidy said no other nominee may be able to run the department better under Trump and suggested Blanche’s role as Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer can make him more effective at pushing back on the Republican president’s demands. “This is not a referendum on President Trump. It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very speciﬁc circumstances,” said Cassidy, who lost his primary this year to a Trumpbacked challenger. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said conﬁrming Blanche would be a “serious mistake.” He begged his colleagues not to be on the “wrong side” of history. “If there is ever a moment in history when we need an Attorney General above reproach, who is clearly dedicated to ending corruption, even at the highest level of our government, it’s right now,” Durbin said.

The vote capped off a bruising conﬁrmation ﬁght, with Blanche’s loyalty to Trump at the center of the stalemate. Blanche was elevated to the top Justice Department post in an acting capacity after Trump fired Pam Bondi in April. Blanche moved swiftly to advance the president’s interests, accelerating investigations into Trump’s perceived foes and announcing the settlement that created the $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate people who feel mistreated by the criminal justice system and provided Trump and family members with immunity from tax audits. The controversial settlement threatened to torpedo Blanche’s nomination until he formally rescinded the fund in writing under pressure from Republican Sens. John Cornyn, of Texas, and Thom Tillis, of North Carolina. The deal reached between the senators and the department unlocked a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which advanced Blanche’s nomination earlier this week Even after the deal, Blanche faced opposition from some Republican senators concerned with the settlement fund and the tax audit immunity.

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ecutor in New York, Blanche rose to public prominence as a lead attorney on Trump’s defense team, including during the Republican’s hush money trial in New York. He also defended Trump against criminal charges in the two federal

cases brought by the Biden administration’s Department of Justice — an experience Blanche has said provided him a ﬁrsthand look at what he contends was the weaponization of the criminal justice system against Trump.

The Ripple Effect: How major industrial investments impact Ascension communities

By Stevie Cavalier Licciardi | stevie.licciardi@theadvocate.com This article is brought to you by Ascension Chamber of Commerce.

Ascension Parish has long been a center for industrial manufacturing in Louisiana, and according to the Ascension Economic Development Corporation, which leads the parish’s business attraction and expansion efforts, the current project pipeline includes 29 active projects totaling $22 billion in potential investment and creation of 1,472 jobs. “When you look at a $6 billion investment, it’s easy to see the effect it has on that industry, but the positive impact it has on the quality of life cannot be overstated,” said Clint Cointment, Ascension Parish President. “It has a huge ripple effect throughout the community. There are better jobs, better parks, better drainage, better roads—industry helps support growth in these areas.” Ascension Parish public schools had the highest percentage of students achieving mastery or above on the standardized LEAP test in spring 2026, solidifying the parish’s status as having one of the top-performing school systems in the state.1 The parish is also frequently recognized among Louisiana’s healthier parishes.² Louisiana Health Facts reports differences in cancer incidence rates between areas inside and outside the state’s industrial corridor, with rates inside the corridor reported as 5.5% lower than the average rate outside the corridor.³ Additionally, Ascension is ranked as one of the fastest-growing parishes in Louisiana.4 “To me, it is no coincidence that Ascension Parish, which is one of the most industrialized parishes in Louisiana with approximately 40 manufacturing plants, is a leader in education, health outcomes, and more,” said David Cresson, President and CEO of the Louisiana Chemistry Association. “It is consistent with the level of investment being brought into the parish by our industry partners.” Generating Momentum The Ascension Economic Development Corporation reports continued industrial and economic development activity within the parish: • $357 million in new project announcements year-todate, including investments in energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure. These projects are expected to generate 146 new jobs, with infrastructure projects, particularly water-related improvements, serving as a key area of focus. • Existing project activity remains significant, with $15.6 billion in announced projects and nearly 2,000 jobs tied to projects under construction or in pre-construction phases. • Business attraction efforts remain active, with 49 project leads year-to-date driven by manufacturing, logistics, and emerging energy sectors. • Since 2006, Ascension Economic Development Corporation reports an impact of $28 billion in investment, 5,574 jobs, and $387 million in annual wages, associated with a reported return of $3,396 for every $1 invested. Major projects, including the Hyundai Steel manufacturing facility announced in 2025, are expected to contribute to future economic activity in the parish. The facility is expected to create approximately 1,300 direct jobs.5 CF Industries Holdings, Inc., also announced a $4 billion final investment decision to construct a low-carbon ammonia facility in Donaldsonville.6 “In addition to the jobs associated directly with the investors, the expanding tax base allows for more government employees to be hired—teachers, law enforcement officers, judicial system employees,” President Cointment said. “Businesses needed to support the industry are also able to expand and hire additional personnel due to increased demand for services. These employees then have disposable income that can be spent at local shops, including restaurants, retail stores, and recreational activities.” The Ascension Chamber of Commerce helps connect these major industrial projects to the local business community through networking events, leadership programs, workforce initiatives, and advocacy efforts. These collaborations help ensure businesses of all sizes are positioned to participate in and benefit from the parish’s continued growth. Impacting Education “A successful partnership between a school district and industry exists when schools prepare and train students for the workforce, and industry provides meaningful career opportunities for graduates,” said Dr. Edith Walker, Superintendent of Ascension Parish Schools. From BASF’s TECH Academy, a free week-long summer program for rising high school juniors and seniors, to a new River Parishes Community College (RPCC) training facility being built in Donaldsonville and research

initiatives led by Louisiana State University, industry partnerships are supporting education and workforce development throughout the region. While the Hyundai Steel manufacturing facility is scheduled to begin operations in 2029, workforce training efforts have already begun. Trade classes are currently offered through RPCC on Donaldsonville High School’s campus, bringing training opportunities closer to residents while the new RPCC training facility is constructed. Evening classes are also available to adults on the high school campus, expanding access to educational and training opportunities. “While many people think first about financial contributions, our industry partners give so much more. They volunteer in our classrooms, help beautify our campuses, mentor students, and serve as positive role models,” Dr. Walker said. “When we launch a new initiative, our industry partners are often the first to ask how they can help. That spirit of collaboration is one of the reasons Ascension Public Schools continues to be successful.” Infrastructure Improvements With continued development in the area, Ascension Parish is expanding infrastructure projects and improving public services. According to Parish President Cointment, increased revenue from economic growth has allowed the parish to invest in government services and capital projects. “We have been able to fund a number of different roundabouts on our roads to help the flow of traffic,” President Cointment said. “We have also had the opportunity to initiate a collaborative effort with the Department of Transportation and Development on a new extension of State Highway 3127 that will direct increased traffic around Donaldsonville.” Additional infrastructure improvements include the wheelchair-accessible parking lot at Duplessis Park, walking paths, sports field turf improvements, and continued maintenance of the levee system that protects parish residents from regular flooding. Community Collaboration Communication between community leaders and industry partners remains an important part of industrial development in the region. Members of the Louisiana Chemistry Association host community advisory panels that meet regularly with residents to share information about facility operations and hear community concerns. According to Cresson, representatives of the Louisiana Chemistry Association work daily alongside local and state officials to support safety efforts and economic development opportunities in Louisiana. “When companies are considering coming to Louisiana, we play a role in helping to attract them to the state, knowing it is going to benefit our communities,” Cresson said. “We pride ourselves on being a unified voice for the chemical manufacturing industry in Louisiana.” Looking Ahead Ascension Parish is well-positioned for a decade of growth and expansion, with several major projects on the horizon and additional opportunities being pursued. “There is a lot of planning that goes into attracting and developing these opportunities, but our team is one that is never satisfied,” said President Cointment. “We come to work every day looking at how we can build a better parish and how we can create a better quality of life for our residents. Things are always changing in this world, and we always have to be looking to adapt and change with it as a parish.” Sources The Advocate. Ascension Parish Schools Top State on LEAP Tests. Page Last Reviewed or Updated July 6, 2026. Accessed Jul. 30, 2026. 2 NOLA.com. Louisiana Parish Health Rankings. Page Last Reviewed or Updated Dec. 10, 2024. Accessed Jul. 30, 2026. 3 Louisiana Health Facts. How We Compare. Page Last Reviewed or Updated n.d. Accessed Jul. 30, 2026. 4 NOLA.com. Census 2020: South Louisiana Parishes Grew, While Northern and Rural Parishes Decline. Page Last Reviewed or Updated Aug. 12, 2021. Accessed Jul 30, 2026. 5 Louisiana Economic Development. “Louisiana Wins Again,” Governor Jeff Landry & LED Secure $5.8 Billion Hyundai Steel Mill. Page Last Reviewed or Updated Mar. 24, 2025. Accessed Jul. 30, 2026. 6 Louisiana Economic Development. Another Louisiana Win: CF Industries, JERA and Mitsui Announce $4 Billion Final Investment Decision to Construct World’s Largest Ammonia Facility in Ascension Parish. Page Last Reviewed or Updated Apr. 8, 2025. Accessed Jul. 30, 2026. 1

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ 9A

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Senate OKs funding bill to avoid shutdown BY KEVIN FREKING and LISA MASCARO Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Senate in an overnight vote Saturday approved a short-term measure to fund federal agencies into early December and avoid a potentially chaotic government shutdown during the middle of campaign season. The late-summer action on a funding fix is unusual. Normally, Congress waits until the final days or hours of a funding deadline to pass short-term patches, but this time senators acted nearly two months before the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. The 90-6 vote showed lawmakers are still smarting from the two historic shutdowns that occurred this past year and want to avoid another before voters go to the polls. Senate Majority Leader John Thune wanted the funding dealt with before senators went home for the next five weeks to focus on their reelection campaigns and

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALLISON ROBBERT

Birds fly Tuesday near the U.S. Capitol in Washington. other matters. It got caught up with other issues that pushed votes into the night, but the bill had broad bipartisan support. The House will also have to approve the measure when members return from their August recess before it can go to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature. The bill generally funds the federal government at current levels though Dec. 11, but includes a variety of exceptions that senators negotiated with the White House. Democrats secured lan-

guage to ensure no money could be transferred to the Border Patrol. They also rejected the White House’s request of $1 billion for early work on a new “Trump-class” battleship that the administration announced on Dec. 22. “The only person who wants these golden ships is Donald Trump so he can slap his name on them,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said. The bill also includes language delaying a national ban on most intoxicating hemp products. That one-month de-

Hunter Biden says his father’s prostate cancer causing him pain By The Associated Press LONDON — Former President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has spread to other parts of his body and is causing him pain, even as he continues to speak out on public issues, his son Hunter said in an interview. In a wide-ranging interview with the BBC broadcast late on Friday, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he discussed his father’s condition, describing it as very sad to watch. “The cancer has spread, metastasized into his bones and further,” he said. “It’s very painful and it’s very de-

bilitating in many respects.” Joe Biden, 83, was the oldest man to serve as U.S. president and his age was a source of concern for much of his four years in ofﬁce. He and his White House advisers have faced intense criticism for allegedly concealing the extent of his problems, especially after he was forced to abandon his bid for reelection after a disastrous debate with his eventual successor, Donald Trump. The former president revealed his cancer diagnosis in May of last year, less than four months after he left the White House.

lay prompted outrage from some Senate Republicans who say that too many such products are falling into the hands of often unsuspecting children. The packaging of the products often relies on bright colors and intentionally mimics popular snack brands to attract consumers. Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., said that since 2017 there has been nearly a 10-fold increase in cannabis-related emergency room visits by minors in his home state. “This is a public health crisis that deserves this Senate’s immediate attention,” Budd said. “Our children should never be the testing ground for an industry willing to exploit a loophole in federal law for proﬁt.” But the hemp industry said the delay buys time for Congress to craft legislation that protects hemp farmers and

businesses while also putting in place safeguards to protect children. Trump himself has called Budd to discuss the issue, though the president did not speciﬁcally ask the senator to drop his effort, Budd’s spokesman said. “Senator Budd had a friendly phone call with President Trump discussing the legislative efforts regarding THC,” said spokesman Christian McMullen. He said the senator outlined his concerns about “any delay to closing the hemp loophole.” Budd tried to strip the hemp delay from the bill, but the Senate turned aside his effort. Democratic lawmakers, along with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, also got language in the bill that would block, for the duration of the funding patch, new regula-

tions on federal grants. The regulations would require a senior political appointee to review grants before they are awarded to ensure, among other things, that they advance the president’s policy priorities. Democrats worry it’s an effort to kill grants destined for Democratic-leaning states. “They are not interested in making our tax dollars work better — they just want them to work for Donald Trump,” said Sen. Patty Murray, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. The White House Office of Management and Budget says its effort is about improving accountability to ensure taxpayer dollars aren’t wasted or misused. The issue is sure to be a topic of future negotiations on a full-year spending measure.

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Hunter Biden said the diagnosis had been tough on the family. “It’s really sad to watch,” Biden said. “The only thing that I’d say about my dad, about his health right now, is I wish he would complain more, because it’s not good.” But Biden said his father remains “out there,” speaking publicly about the issues that are important to him. “He’s still doing his thing,” he said. “He so believes in this country.” The former president will publish a memoir, “Promise Me, America,” after the midterm elections.

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10A ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Lake Mead hits historic low water level Colorado River struggles

BY TY ONEIL and DORANY PINEDA Associated Press

BOULDER CITY, Nev. — Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, has plummeted to its lowest water level since it was ﬁlled some 90 years ago, another sign of the crisis plaguing the Colorado River system. Water levels at the reservoir, which straddles the Arizona-Nevada border outside Las Vegas, hit 1,040.4 feet above sea level on Friday, according to federal data. That’s just below the record set on July 28, 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. “It’s extremely signiﬁcant and extremely concerning. You have three-quarters of the population of the Colorado River Basin, some 30

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By Ty ONEIL

A tourist takes a photo of Lake Mead on Friday near Boulder City, Nev. million people, who are directly impacted by risks to Lake Mead,” said J.B. Hamby, chairman of the Colorado River Board of California and a board member of the Imperial Irrigation District, the largest user of the river’s water. Hamby said it is vital for

states that use Colorado River water to reduce water use. Drought and dry conditions have stretched along the length of the Colorado and are particularly intense at its source in the Rocky Mountains. Melting snow provides im-

portant water for the river. This past winter, however, saw the worst snowpack on record for the Colorado River Basin, adding more stress on farmers, industry, wildlife and hydropower producers, as well as the 40 million people across seven U.S. states, tribal nations and Mexico who rely on the waterway. Years of overuse combined with drought and rising temperatures have been depleting Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the country’s secondlargest reservoir. Both are the lowest they have been in nearly seven decades. To protect the strained system’s ability to produce hydropower, federal ofﬁcials said Thursday that they will not release cool Lake Powell water from Glen Canyon Dam in northern Arizona to protect a threatened native fish, the humpback chub,

whose habitat is between the reservoirs. Federal ofﬁcials recently announced a short-term proposal to stave off a crisis in the beleaguered waterway, after states that rely on it — California, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming and Utah — failed to reach an agreement on how to share the dwindling resource in the long term. The federal proposal called for the Lower Basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada to take less water. The Bureau of Reclamation, which released the plan, said it was ﬂexible: Deeper cuts could happen in drier times, while states would have more time to collectively agree on how to manage the scarce resources. Severe drought in 2022 on Lake Mead, which is held back by Hoover Dam, exposed human remains and

forced water ofﬁcials in Las Vegas to pump water from deeper within the reservoir to continue to supply water to millions of people. Levels at Lake Powell have dropped so much that it has become difﬁcult to descend far enough to reach the water. Boat ramps have had to move, shut down or be built anew. Lake Mead and Lake Powell are not alone. Of the 54 Western reservoirs tracked by the Bureau of Reclamation, nine recently recorded their lowest levels in the last three decades. Federal officials do not believe the record will stay where it is. According to modeling done in July, Lake Mead is forecast to continue dropping through much of the rest of the year. Associated Press writer Michael Phillis in Washington contributed.

Dangerous blaze keeps crews from reaching helicopter crash in Utah BY JOSH FUNK

AP transportation writer

A large Utah wildﬁre kept emergency responders from safely reaching the remote site of a helicopter crash on Saturday as other fires burned across several Western states, including one that closed part of Mount Rainier National Park. The Friday morning crash of a Sikorsky Skycrane helicopter in Utah’s Fishlake National Forest ignited a new ﬁre that spread to connect with the existing blaze that has now scorched nearly 174 square miles. Officials battling the fire said Saturday afternoon that they decided not to place ad-

ditional lives at risk until the fire is more under control, so they have not been able to confirm the status of the two people aboard the helicopter. The National Interagency Fire Center said the pilot and crewmember were fatally injured in the crash, but they didn’t respond immediately to questions about the source of that information. “The site is now inside the fire perimeter itself,” the fire incident management team said Saturday afternoon. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the helicopter crash once their team can examine the wreckage. Offi-

cials urged the public not to speculate or spread rumors about the cause at this stage. It will likely take the NTSB a year or more to determine that. In Washington state, the National Park Service closed down access to the Sunrise and White River areas of Mount Rainier National Park after a new wildfire burned less than a third of a square mile. Firefighters were working to gain control of that fire on Saturday. The larger fires near Spokane have now burned more than 15.63 square miles, but firefighters have constructed more than 75 miles of containment line to help control those flames.

Fast-moving wildfire forces more than 20,000 to evacuate in Canada By The Associated Press VANCOUVER, British Columbia — British Columbia declared a state of emergency Saturday as a fast-moving wildﬁre destroyed homes, trapped residents and forced more than 20,000 people to flee communities along Okanagan Lake in western Canada. Premier David Eby announced the emergency as more than 100 wildﬁres burned across the province, nearly half of them out of control in hot, windy weather and prolonged drought. The entire community of Summerland, home to about 12,000 people, was ordered evacuated overnight, along with about 8,000 people in and around nearby Peachland. Officials had not determined how many homes were destroyed. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they

are investigating a possible wildfire death near Summerland, but hazardous conditions have prevented authorities from confirming the fatality. Eby said some residents became trapped and had to be rescued, while searchand-rescue crews continued looking behind the fire lines for anyone else who may have been caught. “I know many families are facing an unimaginable day today,” Eby said. “People have lost their homes. And many people have been displaced. Others are waiting for news about loved ones.” Cliff Chapman, director of wildfire operations for the BC Wildfire Service, said firefighting helicopters were diverted to rescue people who could no longer escape by road. He said the outcome would have been significantly worse without

cooperation among agencies responding to the fire. The Bald Range wildfire was first reported on Friday evening but grew to about 19 square miles within hours, overwhelming the smaller community of Faulder and covering the roughly 9 miles to Summerland at extraordinary speed. Chapman described fire conditions across British Columbia as “explosive” and warned that other communities could face fires similar to the one that forced the evacuation of Summerland. British Columbia Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene said the state of emergency gives the province additional powers, including the ability to restrict travel and secure accommodations for evacuees that might otherwise be unavailable.

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Darline Graham tests value of famous name in S.C. Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., leans over to hear a reporter’s question on Saturday in Florence, S.C., following a candidate event for hopefuls vying in a special Republican primary to replace her late brother Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on the November ballots.

BY MEG KINNARD Associated Press

FLORENCE, S.C. — Few people have anything bad to say about Darline Graham, who was catapulted from obscurity last month when she was appointed to replace her late brother Lindsey Graham in the U.S. Senate. “I think Darline’s wonderful,” said Kathy Bustos, of Mount Pleasant, after attending a Republican forum last week. But that doesn’t mean Bustos wants to vote for her in the state’s special primary on Tuesday. “I think it’s a very nice gesture for her to have the rest of his term to complete, but I’m not sure that she’s really qualiﬁed or ready to be elected to the Senate,” she said. It’s a common sentiment among Republican voters pondering an unexpected decision about replacing Lindsey Graham, who was nominated for a ﬁfth term before he died from a tear in his aorta. Darline Graham was often by his side throughout his career, but she remains largely unknown in South Carolina’s clubby political circles. President Donald Trump has endorsed her, and she’s backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is running television advertising to support her candidacy. However, Graham has been largely absent from the campaign trail, spending most of her time in Washington as an interim senator. Her appointment to the role, instead of giving her a leg up over the competition, may ultimately hold her back by preventing her from getting to know voters during a weekslong sprint to Tuesday. She is up against several well-known Republicans, including Representatives Russell Fry and Ralph Norman, as well as former Gov. Mark Sanford. The crowded field makes a runoff more likely, and it would be held

on Aug. 25. All of them spoke at a Friday meeting of the Fourth District Republican Club in Greenville, but Graham sent a video message, saying she was “in Washington working hard for you.” She promised to be “a great friend and ally” to Trump and that she wanted to “earn your vote.” And at a candidate event in Florence on Saturday, where Graham spoke, some of her supporters said they backed the interim senator’s decision to stay in Washington, even if it meant not campaigning. “She committed to not missing votes or not being there to push forward with those bills,” said Teresa Castrinos, who made the hourslong drive from Bluffton to see Graham. “I feel like she’s putting South Carolina ﬁrst. She’s wanting to fulﬁll her time as a senator right now, so I really admire her for that.” While Lindsey Graham was single and well known around the world, his sister lived a relatively quiet life with her husband and daughters in Lexington, South Carolina. She spent years in state government, working with people with disabilities and as agency head of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind.

Before participating in a candidate forum Saturday in Florence, her only public campaign event had been a candidate forum in Lexington. Charles Brentnell of Greenville County, who was still considering his options, said he liked her decision to stay in Washington when the Senate was in session. “Let’s keep the Senate at the Senate instead of taking a month off for no good reason,” he said. Appearing alongside other contenders Saturday, Graham apologized for reading from notes from a lectern, pointing to the Senate votes that kept her in Washington until just hours before she headed to meet voters in South Carolina. “Yes, I have some notes. You know why? Because I haven’t slept in two days, so I’m going to keep my thoughts straight,” Graham said, adding that she opposed Senate recess but lost out to others who wanted to end votes and go home. “I wanted to stay there, and I wanted to get things done.” Graham also participated in one of two televised debates, where she backed Trump’s plan to change filibuster rules to make it easier to pass strict proof-ofcitizenship voting legislation. While other candidates

cious late brother, Graham has not spoken with reporters in Capitol Hill hallways or fielded questions on the stump. She’s spoken at length to Fox News personalities Sean Hannity and Trey Gowdy, both of whom eulogized Lindsey Graham at memorial services last month, and granted two interviews to local news outlets. On Saturday, in her first gaggle with reporters, Graham addressed some of voters’ concerns, reiterating her commitment to do Senate ASSOCIATED PRESS work when the chamber is in PHOTO By MEG KINNARD session. “I feel like my job is to be in D.C. working for everyone right now. I hate that I can’t came to speak to the media be here. I want to be here,” gathered afterward, Gra- she said. “That’s why I left ham skipped the session and and didn’t sleep at all last merely gave a thumbs-up night, so I could attend tooutside when asked how she day’s event.” felt the debate had gone. As to the skepticism in In contrast to her loqua- sending Graham to Wash-

ington for six years, Graham cited her state government experience, plus the past several weeks she’s had serving as interim. “Trust me, I have learned a lot already, so I think I have experience,” she said. A second debate took place while Graham was in Washington on Tuesday, a date her campaign pointed out had been scheduled despite the senator’s conﬂict. Gigi Bray, of Charleston, said the idea of Darline Graham serving in the interim makes sense, but electing her to a full term does not. “I think it’s a great honor for her to hold her brother’s spot till November, but it’s time for a change,” said Bray, who backs Sanford. “I don’t think she has a lot of government experience, and I think right now, with the state of our country, I think it’s very important that somebody has experience.”

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12A ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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LOUISIANA POLITICS

Louisiana redistricting gives Republicans a boost But Democrats expected to take House in midterms

WASHINGTON — Louisiana knew Friday who was running for the U.S. House as qualifying ended for the Nov. 3 congressional midterm elections, which will determine whether two LSU grads will continue to lead the lower chamber. Louisiana Republicans are expected to do their part to help the GOP maintain its majority by flipping the Baton Rouge-based seat presently held by a Democrat, thereby sending five White Mark Republicans and Ballard one Black Democratic representative to Capitol Hill. Nationwide, however, the quest for continued GOP dominance is more up in the air. Voter frustration over inflation, tariffs, war and controversial changes to the social safety net are showing up in poll after poll — along with historically high disapproval numbers for President Donald Trump. Balancing that unpopularity, Trump has successfully altered the electoral landscape by launching a nationwide scramble to redraw congressional election districts along party lines. Republicans are likely to net five more GOP-leaning seats from Democratic incumbents — including Rep. Cleo Fields, who opted not to seek reelection after Louisiana legislators redrew the Baton Rouge-based Sixth Congressional District to include mostly White Republican voters. Despite the Republicans’ structural advantage, political handicappers still predict Democrats will retake the majority and send House Speaker Mike Johnson,

Cassidy votes ‘yes’ on Blanche

Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, voted Friday in favor of Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, as the Senate narrowly conﬁrmed him. Cassidy’s vote had been closely Capitol watched in the SenBuzz ate, where RepubSTAFF licans hold a slim REPORTS majority, because several GOP members had expressed reservations about the nominee. Cassidy is among the few Republicans who are seen as potentially willing to buck the president; Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Baton Rouge, ousted Cassidy in the party primary Cassidy earlier this year with Trump’s support. Blanche’s nomination stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and John Cornyn, R-

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

A group of voters follow the signs to the polling location on May 4 at the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge. R-Benton, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, into less powerful posts when the 120th Congress convenes in January. It’s a prediction both Johnson and Scalise don’t share. “We’re going to win the midterms,” Johnson told “This Week on Capitol Hill,” hosted by Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, a former Baton Rouge legislator. “I’m very bullish about the outcome.” Scalise is spending the August recess on the road shoring up GOP incumbents and challengers in 10 states. Johnson, who also has a busy campaign-travel schedule, is try-

ing to focus voters on the theory that Democratic candidates are embracing communism because of recent elections in which younger progressive candidates who argue that more liberal policies, including some embraced by democratic socialists, have been beating more traditionally moderate Democrats. Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City and, in Democratic Party primaries just this past week, Abdul El-Sayed, who supports Medicare for all and labeled Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide,” narrowly defeated a more moderate Democrat to run in November for a Michigan seat in the U.S. Senate. Former chef

Texas — both of whom will soon leave Congress — refused to vote for him due to concerns about an “anti-weaponization” fund that the Trump administration wanted to create to pay people who said they had been unfairly targeted for legal action. The two senators relented after Blanche said in writing there is no such fund; Democrats argue the administration could still bring back the idea. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, opposed Blanche’s nomination. That meant Cassidy’s vote was likely decisive. In a speech on the Senate ﬂoor before the vote, Cassidy acknowledged that Blanche “is not perfect,” but said no one is. He suggested a different nominee might be no better. “This is not a referendum on President Trump,” Cassidy said. “It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very speciﬁc circumstances.”

member, was installed last week as president of the National Bar Association, the country’s largest group of predominantly Black attorneys, judges and legal professionals. Carter is managing partner for trials and mass torts and a member of the board of directors of The Cochran Firm. He is also a commissioner for the Port of New Orleans. “I accept this responsibility with a clear understanding of what the National Bar Association has represented for generations of Black lawyers and for the communities we serve. Our next century requires courage, discipline and practical action,” Carter said in a news release. “We will strengthen civic activism, defend access to the ballot, advance ﬁnancial independence, and address the conditions that affect the health, and safety of our communities.” Carter is the second person in the association’s 101-year history to serve as president while living in Louisiana, the release said. Revius Ortique Jr., the ﬁrst Black justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, previously held the position.

N.O. attorney to lead national bar association James J. Carter, a New Orleans attorney and former City Council

Francesca Hong, who promotes free higher education and an increased minimum wage, is one of the Democratic candidates for Wisconsin’s governor. “But can Republicans make this election about Mamdani and socialism instead of gas prices and a deeply unpopular President Donald Trump? I’m doubtful,” wrote handicapper Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. On the other hand, famed Democratic pundits like James Carville, of New Orleans, who helped elect Bill Clinton president, say the struggle for the Democratic Party’s platform is missing talking points about bettering

Marcelle to run for justice of the peace

Louisiana state Rep. C. Denise Marcelle, D-Baton Rouge, announced Wednesday that she is running for justice of the peace in the Capital City. Marcelle, who was ﬁrst elected to the House in 2015, is termlimited. She is a prominent Democratic voice in the Legislature, often Marcelle taking a leading role in questioning Republicansponsored legislation her caucus disagrees with. She previously served on the East Baton Rouge Metro Council. Marcelle is running for the District 4 seat. Justices of the peace settle disputes involving less than $5,000, handle disputes between landlords and tenants, perform marriage ceremonies, and other legal duties.

Trump approves Tropical Storm Arthur aid President Donald Trump has approved all of Louisiana’s requests

people’s lives that could persuade voters who had wandered over to Trump’s camp. “We’re having a race in Michigan and we’re talking about Palestinian self-determination. We’re having a race in Wisconsin, we’re talking about whether we should tax Harley-Davidson 17%,” Carville said in a July 31 interview with MS NOW. “We’re not meeting the moment.” It’s basically mathematics. In the current 119th Congress, Republicans hold a bare majority in the 435-seat House, with 218 seats and an independent who votes with the GOP. Democrats have 212 seats and four are vacant. Handicappers balance statistics and polls with recent electoral turnouts and history to predict how that district’s voters will cast their ballots. For example: who have those voters backed in the past, particularly in districts that backed the other party’s presidential and statewide candidates? Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball, for instance, wrote that Republicans would appear to have the edge, with 213 seats that are safe or leaning Republican, 207 for the Democrats and 15 districts that are “toss-ups.” But a closer look using the latest data indicates a more accurate prediction would be 208 seats for the Republicans, 207 for the Democrats and 20 “toss-ups.” “Our best guess at this point would be Democrats winning a majority in the low-to-mid 220s,” according to the Crystal Ball, which is part of the Center for Politics that is afﬁliated with the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. “The door is not closed on Republicans holding the majority, even as Democrats are better-positioned thanks to the overall political environment and broader midterm trends.” Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.

for more federal help for parishes affected by Tropical Storm Arthur, according to a joint news release from Gov. Jeff Landry and U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Baton Rouge. Governments and nonproﬁts in those parishes are eligible for Public Assistance grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In addition to covering all help requested for Avoyelles, Pointe Coupee and St. Landry parishes, the president expanded the aid to include St. Charles and Winn parishes, the release said. “This support will help our local governments recover more quickly, restore critical infrastructure, and continue moving Louisiana forward,” Landry and Letlow said in a statement thanking Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. The June storm dumped record rainfall on the affected parishes, causing widespread ﬂooding, and generated multiple tornadoes across southeast Louisiana. Landry requested and Trump approved a request for $8.6 million in direct aid to the state to help cover its response to the storm.

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Car-bomb attack targets southwestern Colombia Blast comes a day after new president takes office

BY ASTRID SUÁREZ and GABRIELA MOLINA Associated Press

CALI, Colombia — A car bomb exploded Saturday in southwestern Colombia, the army said, a day after conservative political neophyte Abelardo de la Espriella was ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SANTIAGO SALDARRIAGA sworn in as Colombia’s new president. A soldier walks through a toll plaza along the Pan-American The army alleged the at- Highway damaged in a explosion Saturday in Santander tack was carried out by de Quilichao, Colombia, that the army blamed on FARC two dissident groups of the now-defunct Revolutionary dissident groups. Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. The groups did not ago with the Colombian gov- a toll plaza on the Pan-Ameraccept the peace agreement ernment. ican Highway, the main road that FARC signed a decade The explosion took place at in the country’s southwest.

Spain imposes border checks on Italian travelers in tit-for-tat move By The Associated Press

MADRID — A diplomatic spat between Spain and Italy over the rush of tens of thousands of migrants to the Spanish territory of Ceuta escalated on Saturday after the government in Madrid announced border controls on Italian travelers in response to Rome’s decision to impose sanctions on visitors from Spain. Italians arriving at Barcelona airport were subject to random police checks after the controls were put into effect overnight, according to Spain’s state news agency EFE. The Spanish government said the controls would stay in place for at least a month after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni rejected Spain’s warning on Friday that it would take “propor-

tionate measures to protect the interests and dignity of its citizens” if Rome didn’t lift its own restrictions by an Aug. 9 deadline. Italy began enforcing air and sea border controls on Spanish citizens on Aug. 1 following Meloni’s scathing criticism of the progressive migration policies of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The feud was triggered after the sudden arrival of 72,000 migrants from Morocco at Spain’s North African territory late last month. Although most of the migrants have since gone back, more than 80 migrants died, including some who drowned or were trampled in a stampede to cross a breakwater barrier, according to Spanish and Moroccan authorities. The migrant rush on Ceuta

also reignited the immigration debate within the European Union, whose leaders criticized Sanchez for policies that they suggested were responsible for the massive inﬂux. Hawkish EU leaders like Meloni pointed to such policies, including a Spanish government decision to carry out an amnesty for immigrants without residency permits who could prove they had been living in the country for at least five months and arrived before Jan. 1 this year. Over 1 million people applied before the window closed at the end of last month. The 27-member EU bloc has a visa-free travel area known as Schengen that allows citizens of most EU countries to travel easily across borders for work and pleasure.

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The army said two security guards suffered minor injuries in the attack. One of the guards told authorities that the explosion was caused by a vehicle that had been abandoned by an individual who ﬂed on a motorcycle. The affected road connects the departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca, whose capital, Cali, hosted Friday’s swearing-in ceremony for de la Espriella. During his inaugural speech, he outlined his security policy and warned illegal groups that “they have two paths: submit to the rule of law or confront the security forces.”

The army on Saturday said on social media that soldiers were securing the area and using trained dogs to search for other explosive devices. Scattered around the toll plaza were parts of the vehicle, including the charred chassis. The explosion woke up families who live in houses located a few yards from the crime scene. Elizabeth Zapata, 57, said she felt the blast wave “lift them out of bed” and the windows shattered. Her family members, who live with several children, “arrived with shards of glass embedded in their backs.”

Cauca Gov. Jorge Octavio Guzmán told reporters he believes the attacks are intended to isolate the department in order to maintain control over thousands of hectares. “This is not an isolated incident; it is systematic,” he said. Minister of Transportation Elsa Noguera condemned the attack and said work was underway to restore trafﬁc in the area. “Colombia will not kneel before violence, nor will it allow the destruction of the infrastructure that connects our regions,” she wrote on social media.

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14A ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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EDUCATION

At colleges, AI boom ups interest in computer science

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MORIAH RATNER

Faith Maeba, a student at Virginia Commonwealth University, shares an assignment she completed for her Practical AI Synthesis course on July 20 at her home in Stafford, Va. Purdue University. In freshman writing classes, Harvard University is teaching students how large language models work, plus exploring AI topics such as copyright and disinformation. And Ohio State University has an AI fluency requirement that includes hands-on workshops. Meanwhile, AIfocused undergraduate and even graduate degrees are proliferating. At Northwestern University, noncomputer science majors had interest in taking classes in the department even before ChatGPT launched in 2022, but sometimes there wasn’t enough room, said Samir Khuller, the chair for computer science. That’s because computer science, then seen as a golden ticket to a high-paying job, was exploding in popularity. But recently, the number of incoming computer science majors has started to shrink. Now Northwestern’s computer science staff, which

had doubled in size to meet the demand, is teaching more students from other majors. The school, which already has a popular AI minor, is adding an AI major. It’s also streamlining prerequisites to make it easier for nonmajors to take an AI or machine learning class. “Overall, classes are going to be a lot more accessible moving forward,” Khuller said. The department is so busy, he’s trying to hire three more computer science professors. Among other changes across the university, Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music is offering a certificate in music and artificial intelligence. Nationwide, enrollment in computer and information sciences continued falling this spring, down more than 8% at four-year institutions from the spring of 2025, according to the latest data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research

Center, a dip that came as job postings for software developers dropped. Interest in attaining at least a bare-bones understanding in computer science — and particularly AI-enhanced coding — has exploded across different majors. Music students, for instance, are discovering tools that can easily do tasks such as editing or generating drum tracks. At Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, assistant music professor Benjamin Guerrero is co-teaching a class next year with a computer scientist. Musicians, artists, theater and digital media majors will learn alongside math, computer science and electrical engineering students. The goal, he said, is to create people who can work at the intersection of art and technology. “In my mind, AI is no more disruptive than the record player, the radio, the metro-

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With no background in coding, Faith Maeba, a psychology major, was reluctant when her mother first suggested she enroll in classes on artificial intelligence. But the senior at Virginia Commonwealth University began to see it differently as she looked into graduate psychology programs that explore human behavior in the workplace, which is quickly being upended by machine learning. Maeba, 21, is now pursuing a minor in AI. “It’s giving me an edge and standing out,” she said. Hiring has cooled for entry-level software developers — work increasingly done by AI agents — and college enrollment in computer and information science programs has been declining. Yet at campuses across the country, many professors are finding themselves busier than ever teaching students from a range of majors about artificial intelligence. Colleges are responding to changes in student demand, but they also recognize that new graduates — regardless of their field — are facing questions about their AI skills from potential employers. “We have to democratize it,” said Peter Stone, the chair of computer science at the University of Texas at Austin, who recently developed an introductory course on AI essentials for noncomputer science majors. “In the same way that everybody needs some degree of math, reading and writing, I think everybody needs a degree of AI literacy,” he said. Schools like VCU are standing up AI minors targeting students outside computer science. There’s a new AI graduation requirement at

a non-credit “vibe-coding” class to teach nontechies to create working software. “What AI does is shrink that distance between a complete novice and an expert,” said Grant Carlson, program coordinator for workforce development and continuing education at Johnson County Community College. The Kansas City-area college also offers an AI certificate and is making plans to tailor AI classes to specific occupations, such as human resources and medical careers. At VCU, it used to take a year and a half to design a course and get it approved for students to take, said Andrew Arroyo, senior vice provost of academic affairs. “Now we’re doing things really in a matter of months and in some cases weeks,” Arroyo said. An online graduate certificate program in applied AI is being added this year, he said. More than simply creating programs, professors must try to prepare students for widely differing goals for using AI in their careers. In courses for VCU’s AI minor, Althea Pappas said she’s exploring AI not to use in her career, but to help her answer philosophical questions. “What happens when we create actual life, or how do we even make that distinction?” asked Pappas, a music composition major entering her sophomore year. Meanwhile, what fascinates aspiring neurologist Makenzie Stovall is the idea that AI is trying to emulate the brain — an organ whose inner workings continue to leave researchers dumbfounded. “If I am going to try to make people’s brain the best it can be, well, then,” the 20-year-old VCU biology major asked, “why not study AI?”

AP education writer

nome, the synthesizer or the computer,” said Guerrero, who has helped organizations including the National Association for Music Education develop plans to incorporate AI. Even before this latest surge in interest, STEM majors — like physicists and biologists — often took computer science classes to learn how to code for data-heavy research. But the learning curve was steep until new AI tools came along, said Murtaza Ali, a doctoral candidate at the University of Washington whose research focuses on computer science education. Yet, he said, AI also is stirring anxiety. The concern, he said, is that even if the AI is just being used to write code, it’s going to encroach so much that eventually some college graduates won’t understand the basic concepts in their ﬁeld. “When you ask the AI to do it for you, on the surface it might just seem it is writing the code,” he said. “But under the hood, it’s actually also doing the understanding of the task for you.” Despite those concerns, the pace of change is remarkable for a sector infamous for moving slowly, said Paul LeBlanc, a visiting scholar at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, who studies AI’s impact on higher education. “It’s impossible to keep up with the technology, but that’s true for every organization in the world right now,” said LeBlanc, formerly president of Southern New Hampshire University, a prominent player in online degrees. Community colleges that want to offer non-credit classes are able to move especially fast, because the approval process is less cumbersome. One in suburban Kansas City recently offered

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Shark caught off Mass. could be sign of warming waters BY PATRICK WHITTLE Associated Press

Nate Rouette and his brother Nelson went shark fishing on Cape Cod hoping for an exciting catch, but were shocked by what they reeled in — a tropical species of shark with a reputation for eating everything it can swallow. The brothers, longtime sport fishermen who live in Massachusetts, released a juvenile tiger shark in late July after catching it from a beach. The five-foot shark is far more common in warmer, southern waters such as the Caribbean Sea, and scientists said its appearance off Falmouth, Massachusetts, is an indicator of warming seas caused by climate change. Nate and Nelson said the late-night catch was a thrill after hours of seeking far more common brown sharks. “And I saw those horizontal lines, indicating it was a tiger shark, which was super cool,” said Nate, who is the social media manager for On The Water magazine. “Im-

though unprovoked fatal bites are rare. Juvenile tiger sharks have been spotted more often in northern waters in recent years, said John Chisholm, adjunct scientist at the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life in Boston. Rising temperatures of global seas appear to have made the Atlantic Ocean off New England more hospitable to them, he said. Young tiger sharks are historically less common than adults in northern waters, which makes the brothers’ discovery even more surprising, Chisholm said. “Maybe they are comPHOTO PROVIDED By NELSON ROUETTE ing up here because conditions are right. There’s food, Nate Rouette holds a young tiger shark that he and his brother caught on July 23 off there’s warm waters,” he Falmouth, Mass. said. “Maybe it’s becoming a nursery — that’s one of the mediately I started yelling pounds. Tiger sharks eat a stomachs. The adults are also issues that we will investito my brother, ‘It’s a tiger, it’s wide array of other ocean more dangerous to humans gate.” a tiger shark!’ And he was in life, including fish, crusta- than most shark species, Tiger sharks are among disbelief.” ceans and birds, and are faThe Rouette brothers mous for sometimes eating caught a young specimen man-made items such as of a shark that can grow to old license plates and shoes more than 15 feet and 1,400 that are later found in their

many kinds of sea life that have been trending north in recent years as seas have warmed, and other sharks have done the same, scientists have said. Sightings of great whites off Cape Cod have been increasingly frequent, and the big sharks have also been seen off of New Hampshire and Maine. Scientists have attributed the shift in great white sightings to factors including a higher abundance of seals, which the great whites prey on. Other sea animals, including black sea bass, appear to be moving north because of the warming of the ocean. For the Rouette brothers, the encounter with a tiger shark provided a thrill they won’t forget. Nate said the discovery was a reminder of that warming. “People are deﬁnitely seeing more species that indicate that,” Nate said.

Ancient mummy DNA provides evidence colonization brought smallpox to Americas BY ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN

AP science writer

NEW YORK — Ancient mummy DNA recovered in Chile has yielded the ﬁrmest evidence yet that European colonization brought smallpox to the Americas. Smallpox was one of the deadliest diseases in human history before it was eradicated in 1980, largely thanks to vaccination. For centuries, the virus had killed about one-third of the people it infected and left most survivors with deep and sometimes disﬁguring scars. Outbreaks struck Asia and Europe and eventually spread to the Americas, where colonial writings, administrative records and missionary reports documented how it killed millions and devastated Indigenous populations who had never been exposed to the virus. Now there’s scientific evidence for the spread: An

analysis of Chilean mummies provides the strongest genetic link yet to the virus as it existed outside of the Americas, and provides a better picture of how it reached remote populations through colonization, said geneticist Shigeki Nakagome with Trinity College Dublin. In the new study, Nakagome and colleagues examined 13 bone samples previously collected from an archaeological site at Camarones, in northern Chile. Researchers found evidence of two smallpox infections in ancient DNA from the leg bone fragments of an adult man and woman. From dating the remains and peeking at the genes, scientists concluded the two likely died between 1492 and 1631. Scientists also compared the genes in this version of smallpox to other versions and ﬁt it neatly between European strains from medieval times and

later versions. This was important molecular evidence, suggesting that the strains of smallpox infecting people in the Americas evolved ﬁrst from Europe. “Nobody would ever question that smallpox came to this hemisphere from colonization, but this proves it,” said Patricia Foster, a biologist at Indiana University. She had no role in the new research, which was published recently in the journal Science. Exactly which population brought smallpox to the Americas from the Old World remains unclear, said the study authors. European settlers came in different waves to the Americas following the explorations of Christopher Columbus in the Caribbean in 1492 and Amerigo Vespucci along the South American coast about a decade later. The disease also could have passed through Africa as part of the introduction and expansion of the slave trade.

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THE GULF COAST

La. natives in Miss. neighborhood adapt to floods BY MARTHA SANCHEZ Staff writer

JOURDAN RIVER SHORES, Miss. — The roads are still sandy, and debris carried by the water that rushed through these streets remains scattered throughout the woods. The historic floods that deluged southern Mississippi earlier this summer are forcing some in the Jourdan River Shores neighborhood — home to many Louisiana transplants — to consider selling their properties and escape the risk for good. But others are growing more determined to stay, even as the threat rises. “People don’t know how much longer they can ﬁght the water,” said Hollis Kelly, a veteran from Monroe who moved here almost 10 years ago. “Is it a pain in the neck sometimes when it floods? Yeah. But we love it.” The water that swamped this small and growing community about 50 miles east of New Orleans surprised even residents who understand the gamble of living on low-lying land. Between 45 and 50 inches of rain fell across the northern half of the county during May and June, according to the National Weather Service. The downpour swelled rivers, drowned cars and is now raising difficult new questions in an era when flood risks across the Gulf Coast are rising. By the time Tropical Storm Arthur dropped about a foot of rain over three days in June, the ﬂoodwaters had washed out roads and damaged more than 500 homes in neighborhoods across the southern half of Mississippi. Holly Bilbo, who leads the local emergency management agency, said the storm caused nearly $1 million in damage across Hancock

that cannot keep up. Ali Rellinger, an assistant professor who studies coastal resilience at Mississippi State University, said many new building developments are still based on old rainfall standards. That means even some new infrastructure may not be strong enough to handle the amount of rain scientists are predicting could fall over the next few decades. The recent flood, she added, led to discussion among some residents around the region about whether they should move to higher ground. “The biggest question was why,” she said. “People are just surprised, and wondering the likelihood of this stuff happening again.” STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER During Arthur, many George Castoe drives a boat on Wednesday on the Jourdan River in Kiln, Miss. residents in Jourdan River Shores measured at least 5 feet of water under their County alone. homes, which are raised on “It was just so much rain stilts. The National Weather in such a little amount of Service said the river was time,” she said. about 9 feet above normal It was also an example of — the third-highest crest a growing dilemma unfoldever recorded, second only ing across the region, where to Hurricane Katrina and a climate change is increasing 1995 flood. the risk of torrential rain, Most neighbors here are storms and sea level rise. used to occasional flooding. Three summers ago, heavy But now they are also learnrains combined with higherthan-usual tides in parts ing new ways to cope. of coastal Alabama and Many say any forecast stranded many in deeper of heavy rain now makes floodwaters than they could them nervous enough to remember. Residents of Isle retrieve belongings from de Jean Charles have moved under their homes or stay to higher ground in recent awake at night to watch the years as part of the first fed- A worker removes the sand piles on Wednesday along the weather. Boaters are adapterally-funded relocation of a side of the road in the Jourdan River Shores community in ing to new sandbars in the community impacted by cli- Kiln, Miss. river formed by the surge. Castoe just bought a lot on mate change and rising seas. Kelly nodded. “We get higher ground nearby so he Scientists say extreme might as well move out,” rainfall events like this said George Castoe, who more efficient with every can store cars there during floods. summer’s are also becoming was born and raised in Bu- flood,” he said. more common. But in Jour- ras and has lived in Jourdan ‘Not going to give up’ dan River Shores, the chal- River Shores for six years. ‘The biggest question’ lenges are only toughening He motored his pontoon Researchers say part of Many say they may leave, down the river, passing the problem — aside from one day. many residents’ resolve. “If you say, ’Oh, woe is chairs and plastic bags stuck the sheer amount of rainfall “I say to myself, ‘Maybe me’ every time it floods, you on the banks. — is outdated infrastructure I’ll sell and move up the

road a ways,” said John Rogers, vice president of the Jourdan River Shores Property Owners Civic Association. “And then I go, ‘Nah, I wouldn’t enjoy it much. I kind of like going out and feeding the fish.” “I figure one day I’ll leave, I just don’t know when,” said Dolly Lee, another neighbor, who lost two cars during Arthur. Every time it floods, she added, residents “gripe and moan and complain and then sit here and watch the sunset and see it ain’t that bad.” Others keep moving in. A few for sale signs dotted the neighborhood this week. Residents say after each new flood, some homes get listed and new owners arrive, usually from Louisiana. “They’re calling this whole area now little New Orleans,” Kelly said. The surge is leading to a few complaints. Some fulltime residents avoid the river on weekends, when it is crowded with visitors and speedy boaters. Others grow frustrated when out-of-town homeowners leave trash beneath their properties during floods, which sweep it into the river. Some neighbors are still jumpy. Castoe is careful to secure everything under his home before he leaves town on vacations, just in case. Taking no chances, Lee moved her car to higher ground when Tropical Storm Bertha skirted the Gulf Coast a few weeks ago. “Makes you a little gunshy now,” she said. But some of the frustrations are already fading as the neighborhood returns to its usual rhythms. “I’ve got a few more years in me,” Castoe said this week. He picked up some speed on the pontoon. “I’m not going to give up.”

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Fauci contempt vote reflects enduring politics of COVID BY ALI SWENSON Associated Press

NEW YORK — Dr. Anthony Fauci is sitting before Congress, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is on TV debating COVID lockdowns and Americans can’t agree on what science to trust. You might think it’s 2020 again. Six years after COVID-19 thrust the world into the fear and uncertainty of a global pandemic, Republicans in power aren’t leaving it in the past. Instead, they’ve returned its familiar political arguments to center stage for new scrutiny, demanding accountability for the scientists and media ﬁgures whom they feel deceived and mistreated Americans years ago. The efforts ramped up last week, when a Republican-led Senate committee chaired by Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul subpoenaed the now-retired, 85-year-old Fauci to testify about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The former National Institutes of Health immunologist repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment, after accusing the lawmakers of trying to coerce him to perjure himself to justify criminal charges. In response to his choice, on Thursday, the committee passed a vote to hold Fauci in contempt, a stunning move that could motivate the Justice Department to initiate an investigation. Separately, Kennedy, a politically independent former anti-vaccine activist who now serves as the Republican President Donald Trump’s health secretary, spent part of his weekend in a combative live debate with CNN host Dana Bash about the pandemic’s management and the media’s role. Political scientists and historians say the focus on COVID grievances half a decade after the virus’ peak demonstrates how some wounds it opened have nev-

er been closed. Democrats, meanwhile, have slammed the federal government’s blaming of Fauci as a performative distraction that’s not based in facts. While both Paul and Kennedy have spent years airing their frustrations about COVID, the Republican takeover of Congress and the White House last year created a new platform for them to steer how America remembers the pandemic, and who is held responsible for it, according to Matt Dallek, a political scientist at George Washington University. It’s also allowed them to use the administration’s resources to surface new information. “The response to COVID has become a touchstone for Trump’s Republican Party,” Dallek said. “They’re using their power now to argue they were right all along.” When the coronavirus began spreading widely in 2020, under Trump’s first administration, groups of Americans revolted against requirements imposed by local authorities and businesses telling people to wear masks and stay at home to control the spread of the virus. Vaccines supercharged those sentiments. Figures like Kennedy, then a leader of the anti-vaccine movement, accused the federal government of trampling on personal liberties by supporting vaccine mandates and social media takedowns of dissenting ideas. While Trump has long expressed pride in his ﬁrstterm Operation Warp Speed effort to disseminate COVID-19 vaccines quickly, saving millions of lives, his second administration has taken a different tone. Under Kennedy’s leadership, U.S. regulators have limited the availability of COVID-19 vaccines for Americans. Kennedy on CNN on Sunday questioned whether the COVID-19 vaccines pro-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALLISON ROBBERT

Dr. Anthony Fauci departs on July 29 after appearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing at the Capitol in Washington. tected children, even as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on its website that they “help keep children from getting really sick from COVID-19.” Frances Lee, a Princeton University political scientist, said debates over COVID-19 have erupted on the fringes for years. Now that some of the leaders of those debates are in power, they’re hashing it out on the national stage — something she said needed to happen eventually. “There are aggrieved parties, people who have a sense that they were done wrong during the pandemic and that there’s never been an accounting for that,” Lee said. “Most people don’t want to think about this topic, but nevertheless there are constituencies — so Congress is speaking to those constituencies.” Lee said Kennedy’s decision to surface numerous diary entries that Fauci had made on a government computer — and Paul’s decision to publicize them last week — created an opening for “the ﬁrst real showdown” in years around the pandemic’s handling. While some of the entries — including Fauci’s uncer-

tainty in the pandemic’s earliest days about how best to curb the virus — already were reflected in a 2024 memoir and in interviews at the time, they have nonetheless drawn attention from people who blame Fauci for policies they believe infringed on their rights as hundreds of thousands of people were dying. Also discussed at Fauci’s hearing last week was whether NIH-funded research in China played a role in how the pandemic started. The day of the hearing, Trump’s White House also directed social media followers to a federal website that used to feature information on COVID vaccines, testing and treatment that now promotes the theory that the pandemic originated with a lab leak. Many scientists believe the virus most likely emerged in nature and jumped from animals to people, coming to light when it spread at a wildlife market in the Chinese city of Wuhan. There’s no new scientific evidence supporting the theory that the virus might instead have leaked from a laboratory, a theory Paul champions. A GOP-led subcommittee that studied the question in 2024

found no evidence linking Fauci to wrongdoing. Fauci has long said publicly that he was open to both theories but that there’s more evidence supporting COVID-19’s natural origins. Republican lawmakers aren’t stopping at the contempt vote. Sen. Ron Johnson said Thursday that Kennedy’s department had given a subcommittee he chairs a copy of Fauci’s cellphone from his time in government. Johnson indicated he intended to investigate it. “Hopefully, this device will address many of the questions he refused to answer at last week’s hearing,” he wrote on social media. As Republicans hold up scrutiny of Fauci as important accountability, Democrats have called it disingenuous. Paul said Thursday he’d invited Fauci to appear for a private, transcribed interview, but Democrats accused him of not allowing the full, bipartisan committee to be present for it. Paul also referred the committee’s contempt vote directly to the Justice Department, instead of to the full Senate. He said he did not “want to waste time” with that route, while Democrats

insisted all senators should get a chance to vote. Last week’s hearing, at which Fauci pleaded the Fifth, came after the immunologist had repeatedly appeared before Congress over the years and talked about his thinking in the beginning of the pandemic and how it changed over time. Critics have raised concerns that the ordeal surrounding him will deter scientists from taking government jobs for fear of being similarly targeted. Paul has long argued that Fauci should be criminally investigated, based on his belief that the scientist has been dishonest to Congress about National Institutes of Health-funded research and COVID’s origins. Fauci’s attorney last week called Paul’s accusations about the scientist “false and disgraceful.” More than 150 infectiousdisease experts also came to Fauci’s defense, writing that “no credible evidence has been produced to support these absurd charges.” Norm Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute said the hearing didn’t represent legitimate truth seeking. “They were looking for a platform in which they could attack him, and he would not respond, and he would say ‘plead the Fifth’ over and over again,” Ornstein said. He said while some Republicans are likely true believers that Fauci committed crimes, bringing him to the forefront serves a dual purpose in a midterm election year — distracting voters from less favorable headlines, including on the economy and foreign conﬂicts. Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota, said there are real lessons to learn from the pandemic, including more deeply examining which efforts to contain the virus worked and didn’t work. But he said Republicans in Congress aren’t chasing those.

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Zachary hospital lays off 14, cuts services Lane Regional Medical Center facing financial strains

BY IANNE SALVOSA

Staff writer

A Zachary hospital facing ﬁnancial strains has laid off employees and discontinued services such as allergy and asthma care. Lane Regional Medical Center laid off 14 employees, including doctors, medical staff and ad-

ministration, as it battles high operational costs, diminishing reimbursement rates and rising labor costs, according to a release. The layoffs come after Lane Regional announced it is in search of a partner that can help expand the hospital’s staff and services, though the organization said at the time it was ﬁnancially stable.

Lane Regional also discontinued its allergy, asthma and immunology services due to low patient volume. Those who received care in those areas will likely have to seek services from Baton Rouge’s Health District providers or The Allergy, Asthma & Sinus Center on Airline Highway as the next closest options.

The layoffs took effect Thursday, and the services will be discontinued effective Sept. 4. “These were extraordinarily difﬁcult decisions, and among the most challenging we have faced as an organization,” Frank Corcoran, Lane Regional Medical Center CEO, said in a release. “We recognize the impact these actions have on dedicated employees who have faithfully served our patients and community. We are deeply grate-

ful for their contributions and are committed to supporting them with dignity, compassion, and respect.” Lane Regional will remain operational while it navigates the ﬁnancial challenges, the release states. Jon Hirsch, the hospital’s marketing director, said the organization is responding to challenges as they come to prevent making one large

ä See LAYOFFS, page 2B

ASCENSION

Council proposes rules for data centers Several residents raise concerns about water, power

BY ANNAKATE FREELAND

Staff writer

The Ascension Parish Council is moving to create new rules for data centers, even though no company has currently proposed building one in the parish. The parish leadership approved a resolution Thursday to develop guidelines for where data centers could be located and how they could be built if one should be proposed in the future. Council member Chase Melancon said the parish is trying to establish the rules before a company submits an application. “We do not know of a data center that wants to build anywhere in the parish,” he said. “But we have to get black-and-white guidelines on, if you apply, what that data center looks like, where it can be built, what’s the proper zoning. We don’t have a data center inside of our zoning right now. Those are all things we want to do before anyone even tries to apply.” Melancon said any proposed regulations will go through the parish’s Planning and Zoning Commission before returning to the council, which will hold a public hearing before taking ﬁnal action. During Thursday’s public comment period, several residents spoke against allowing data

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

THROUGH THE WICKET The Red Stick Croquet Club plays at the croquet field at BREC’s City-Brooks Community Park in Baton Rouge on Wednesday and Saturday mornings and holds a ladies day on Monday mornings. ABOVE: Inez Cancienne starts her swing at the field on Friday. LEFT: Maria Read lines up a shot at the croquet field.

ä See RULES, page 2B

Prairieville hospital set St. George defends proposed to break ground on a rezoning of land at center of suit $4.6 million expansion Legal wrangling is for the 5,868-square-foot Emergency, recovery mits addition, according to AscenParish permit records. services to grow sion Construction is expected to

BY ANNAKATE FREELAND Staff writer

Less than a year after opening its doors in Prairieville, Rise Community Hospital is preparing to nearly double its size with a $4.6 million expansion to accommodate growing demand. The facility operates as a fullservice emergency room that also offers addiction recovery services. Rise recently applied for per-

begin following a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for Aug. 25. “We realized there was a need for it, so that’s why we are expanding because it’s been busy so far,” Regional Director Austin Sheppard said. The addition will expand the hospital’s emergency department and recovery services while creating space for more specialized

ä See EXPANSION, page 2B

politically contentious

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer

The city of St. George is defending its proposed rezoning of land at the Pecue Lane interchange at Interstate 10, which is at the center of a politically contentious lawsuit. The city filed a memorandum Tuesday opposing a temporary restraining order, signed in July, that prevents it from adopting or enforcing a proposed ordinance to rezone a nearly 60-acre parcel, which is the basis of a lawsuit from LRK LLC.

The same lawsuit also calls into question the incorporation date for St. George, with LRK asking a judge to legally declare a date. This part of the lawsuit prompted the Baton Rouge city-parish government to request to join the suit and in turn caused an internal political battle to erupt. The latest ﬁling this week by St. George addresses only the zoning aspect of the lawsuit, as there is a motion hearing Aug. 11 regarding the rezoning temporary restraining order. LRK claims the city’s rezoning action would be an instance of downzoning, which can restrict future size and density of development, and is asking a judge to declare any restrictive zoning to

the tract as “unconstitutional and unenforceable” and that any action before an incorporation date is “null and void.” The plot is part of the Kleinpeter family’s land. Attorney Mary Erlingson, on behalf of St. George, argues that LRK’s request is based on “speculative future injuries” and emphasizes that no development permit or site plans have been rejected. “Any alleged injury depends upon future development plans, future permitting decisions and future market conditions,” the ﬁling states. On April 28, St. George approved a complete overhaul of its zoning

ä See LAND, page 2B

2B ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Hard Rock Hotel settlement finalized $106 million deal resolves more than a dozen lawsuits

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

Nearly seven years after the Hard Rock Hotel collapsed on Canal Street while under construction, the hotel developer and 20 other defendants have ﬁnalized a $106 million settlement with the nearly 500 workers, bystanders and business owners who claim they were harmed by the disaster. The agreement, signed by Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Kern Reese on Thursday, settles more than a dozen lawsuits over the 2019 disaster and marks an end to one of the most painful chapters in the city’s recent history. The massive structural failure caused the top three floors of the $85 million building to pancake and collapse, killing three workers, injuring hundreds of others and shutting down commerce on surrounding city streets for months. “I am absolutely ecstatic,” said attorney Mark Glago, who represented 200 victims of the disaster and cochaired the committee that negotiated the settlement. “This is a signiﬁcant amount of money. It doesn’t bring the deceased workers back but hopefully this money will go to the families and bring some solace.” The settlement comes just two months before the seventh anniversary of the

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

The collapsed Hard Rock Hotel site continues to sit on Rampart Street in New Orleans in April 2020. The developer and 20 other defendants have finalized a $106 million settlement with nearly 500 people harmed by the disaster. Hard Rock collapse. In the wake of the disaster, more than 130 lawsuits were ﬁled against developer 1031 Canal Development, which is owned by Mohan Kailas and his family; Citadel Builders, the general contractor; dozens of subcontractors; and their insurance companies. The cases were eventually consolidated, and settlement talks began in 2023. A tentative agreement was reached last fall between the plaintiffs and 1031 Canal. In the months since, all the other suits have also been resolved. “This wraps up every single one of the outstanding cases,” said attorney Walt Leger II, who co-chaired the committee representing the victims. “It is over.” An attorney for 1031 did not respond to a request seeking comment.

a complex web of lawsuits alleging blame and pointing ﬁngers at those involved in the project. 1031 Canal was at the center of the litigation, a defendant in some suits and a plaintiff in others. As a result, it will be financially compensated from the settlement, Leger said. He could not say how much the company will receive, citing conﬁdentiality of the agreement. But he said it will not come out of the $106 million. “That money is strictly for the 490 victims — the injured workers, the family members of the deceased workers, the local business owners,” said Leger, whose clients include the Saenger Theatre, which was shut down for months after the collapse. It is too soon to say how long it will be before setSettlement details tlement checks go out. A The settlement resolves special master appointed

Authorities ID 2 killed in Bogalusa plane crash BY MARTHA SANCHEZ Staff writer

A Texas couple died Thursday after their small plane crashed near the George R. Carr Memorial Airport in Bogalusa, authorities said. The plane crashed around 10:50 a.m., killing William “Bill” Day, 68, and his wife, 69-year-old Tommie Day, according to the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Ofﬁce. The couple died at the scene. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, an independent federal agency that determines the probable cause of civil aviation accidents. The agency said in a statement on Thursday that the plane “impacted terrain under unknown circumstances shortly after takeoff.” The couple from Seguin, Texas, were the only people inside the Beech H-35 airplane, authorities said. They crashed near the small airport, which is owned by the city and has a runway that is over 5,000 feet long. An NTSB investigator is

scheduled to arrive in Bogalusa by Friday morning, according to the agency. The investigator will document the scene, examine the plane and review information including flight track data, recordings of air traffic control communications, aircraft maintenance records and witness statements, among other evidence that could determine the cause of the crash. The NTSB said a preliminary report on the crash will be available in 30 days. A final report that determines the probable cause of the crash is expected to be released within two years. Airport management declined to comment on Thursday. Denise Fussell, chief of staff at the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office, said in a text Thursday afternoon that the agency had released “all the information we have.” The NTSB is asking witnesses and anyone with surveillance video to contact the agency at witness@ntsb. gov. Staff writer Marco Cartolano contributed reporting.

BR police investigating homicide on Plank Road where 53-year-old Baton Rouge poChad Hawkins was lice detectives are CRIME investigating a fatal BLOTTER found suffering from gunshot injuries. He shooting that ocstaff was pronounced curred early Thursdead at the scene. day morning on reports Anyone with inPlank Road. According to a poformation is encourlice statement, about 2 a.m., aged to contact Crime Stopofficers responded to the pers at (225) 344-7867 as the 7400 block of Plank Road, investigation continues.

RULES

Continued from page 1B centers in Ascension Parish. Residents raised concerns about the potential use of water and electricity and the facilities’ impact on the environment. “Donaldsonville alone is a small community. We have shouldered our burden of

environmental items already,” Ascension resident Keeonkah Judson told the council. “We keep adding and adding, and we are way over where we need to be for the amount of chemicals in our air.” Council member Blaine Petite said some council members were able to attend training sessions with elected ofﬁcials who have data facilities nationwide.

to oversee the case, Baton Rouge attorney John Perry, will evaluate the claims and determine how much each is eligible to receive based on the nature of their injuries and loss. 1031 Canal’s share of the settlement will come from a separate fund made up of contributions from the various other defendants in the case — the contractor, subcontractors, steel company, architect and engineer among others — that 1031 Canal had blamed for the structural failure. It is not clear if 1031 has already received its share of the settlement.

Still grieving

provider Suncoast Projects and Citadel for their roles in the disaster and ﬁned the ﬁrms a collective $220,000. All three companies have since settled with the agency, according to records. In the years since, the former Hard Rock construction site, at the intersection of Canal and Rampart streets, has been cleared but never redeveloped. Nearby businesses that were shuttered for months have reopened. A new hotel next door to the site is up and running and much of the city has moved on. But the families of the men who died — Jose Ponce Arreola, Anthony Magrette, and Quinnyon Wimberly — continue to grieve. For some, Thursday’s settlement did not bring closure. “Justice has not been served,” said Angela Magrette, Anthony Magrette’s sister. “The guys are still gone.” The Magrettes and the other families of deceased victims are not technically affected by the settlement as they settled their own wrongful-death lawsuits in early 2024. The amount of the payout, which went to the children of the workers, was never disclosed. “I’m glad other victims will get some money,” said Magrette, who still works to keep her brother’s memory alive through public memorials and outreach. “But it’s still an open wound to me and my family every day.”

No criminal charges were ever ﬁled in connection with the disaster. But in April 2020, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration Email Stephanie Riegel cited building engineer at stephanie.riegel@ Heaslip Engineering, steel theadvocate.com.

Tempers flare as St. Landry leaders clash over finances

However, accusations said. Audit reports Moosa When asked about were levied against Bellard general fund owes whether the parish erred by Taylor that the parish’s transferring funds out overall financial situation roughly $1.8M inof the Road District 1 sales was misstated. Bellard was tax fund, Moosa said interfund loans are common among local governments but said the audit finding focused on the growing balance owed to the Road District 1 fund and the lack of repayment over multiple years. Taylor took issue with Moosa’s characterization of the loans as being “shortterm,” at point one saying that “if I had an accountant that treated me like you treat us, I would have fired you a long time ago.” Moosa defended the characterization: “These types of fiscal maneuvers are used by local governments all the time. Standard practices only state these loans should be paid back within a reasonable amount of time.” The first of these loans from the Road District 1 sales tax fund was taken out four years ago. As it pertains to the needs for the loans themselves, parish President Jessie Bellard has made clear his view that increasing costs owed to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office are primarily responsible for the general fund’s inability to be self-sufficient. Total money parish government has spent on inmate-related costs annually has increased dramatically in recent years, going from $1.277 million in 2024 to a budget appropriation of $4.562 million in 2026, due in large part to a line of credit the parish took out to cover growing medical and food costs.

peppered with questions from Taylor and others surrounding multiple different funds not pertaining to the Road District 1 sales tax loans. Taylor specifically focused on questions surrounding the Health Unit fund’s solvency and whether bonds taken out in 2025 were being repaid timely. Bellard argued Taylor was confusing deﬁcits the parish ran in the Health Unit fund and the cumulative balance held within those funds, which remains positive. “He should know the difference between a balance sheet and a budget, but evidently he doesn’t,” Bellard said in response. A similar incident occurred in discussion over the repayment of $2.9 million the parish was loaned from the Washington State Bank, of which Bellard says $1.6 million has been paid and a balance of $1.3 million remains. Bellard said Taylor was treating the outstanding bond balance as though it were due in a single ﬁscal year and that its failure to pay back the amount in full during the prior fiscal year represented an increase to the parish’ overall liability. “Take me Jesus!” Bellard said at one point during the exchange. The council took no action Wednesday. The parish still owes about $1.8 million to the Road District 1 sales tax fund, according to the audit.

panding across Louisiana, fueled in part by growing demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing. Meta announced its Hyperion data center project in Richland Parish in December 2024. In July, the company announced plans Data center boom to invest more than $50 bilThe council’s move lion in the project, which comes as large-scale data it said would expand the center projects are ex- campus to nearly 10 million

square feet and 5 gigawatts of IT capacity. Additionally, Amazon announced in February plans to invest $12 billion in data center campuses in Caddo and Bossier parishes to support cloud computing technologies, and Applied Digital announced in May plans for a $3.6 billion artiﬁcial intelligence facility in Rapides Parish known as Delta Forge 1.

BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

A St. Landry Parish Council committee meeting turned contentious Wednesday as council members and parish President Jessie Bellard clashed over a state audit that found the parish improperly used dedicated sales tax funds to help cover general fund expenses. The annual audit reported that the parish had taken short-term loans from the Road District 1 sales tax fund in order to cover costs in the general fund. According to the audit, the general fund currently owes roughly $1.8 million, around 20% of its annual budget, to the Road District 1 sales tax fund dating back to ﬁscal year 2022. Council members Harold Taylor and Ken Marks issued scathing criticisms of parish auditor Steven Moosa, who was in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting. Taylor initially requested Moosa provide a “written itemization of the funds including documentation, dates, and purposes of use for the funds that were removed,” to which he explained that the parish would have to request additional procedures be conducted from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Ofﬁce in order to receive such documentation. “We don’t look at every record and every detail in a standard audit,”

“It showed us that we’re not ready to even have the conversation,” he said. “That is what this is for: guidance for our parish to say, ‘If you even think of coming here, these are the rules, and we will not accept anything less.’ ”

EXPANSION

Continued from page 1B care. Sheppard said the project will add about 10 patient beds and require approximately 20 additional employees. Sheppard said he does not know when the project will be completed. Rise Community Hospital opened in August 2025 on Market Place Drive in Prairieville, occupying the former Prairieville Family Hospital location, which closed after the state revoked its license. The hospital is run by Rise Recovery Services, a Texasbased company founded in 2015. It has five locations near Austin and San Antonio. The Prairieville facility is the healthcare company’s ﬁrst in Louisiana and its ﬁrst venture out of Texas.

LAND

Continued from page 1B structure, which originally was outlined by the East Baton Rouge city-parish government. St. George officials took the 45 zoning districts previously used by the city-parish and consolidated them into 16. Following the overhaul, LRK argues that St. George assigned the landowner a more restrictive classification compared to its previous classification. LRK’s lawsuit also takes aim at St. George for conducting a zoning overhaul before completing the St. George 2050 Comprehensive Plan. In St. George’s filing this week, the city’s lawyer argues that the Louisiana statutes referenced in the lawsuit do not require adopting a “comprehensive plan” before zoning regulations and argues the city’s current zoning plan meets state statutes. “The fact that St. George is preparing a future longrange policy document does not mean St. George lacks a comprehensive plan as they serve different goals,” the filing states. LRK LLC submitted a reply memorandum Friday afternoon saying that before the court decides on the zoning issue, it has to answer, “whether St. George possesses the legal existence necessary to exercise any police power, including the power to zone, at all,” referring to the incorporation date question in the lawsuit. Email Claire Grunewald at claire.grunewald@ theadvocate.com.

LAYOFFS

Continued from page 1B change at once. Paying employees makes up 60% of hospital expenses, while total expenses outpace increases in costs of care, according to the American Hospital Association. Financial issues have plagued hospitals around the country, especially those serving rural communities — more than 100 rural hospitals have closed in the past decade, according to the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. Of the 14 employees laid off, two are physicians, two are directors and 10 are in leadership positions. Hirsch said the organization does not expect to continue layoffs at this time. There is no update on the hospital’s partner search. Email Ianne Salvosa at ianne.salvosa@ theadvocate.com.

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S&WB wasting three-quarters of its treated water Rate of loss is four times the national average BY BEN MYERS Staff writer

The New Orleans tap water system is stuck in a quagmire. The Sewerage & Water Board spends millions of dollars every year to capture, treat and distribute billions of gallons of Mississippi River water to residents and businesses. Most of that water seeps back into the ground through dilapidated pipes, an enormous waste that drives up costs and adds unnecessary strain on the infrastructure. The S&WB is now losing more than three-quarters of the water it produces, a staggering rate that is about four times the national average. “That’s just insane,” said H. Davis Cole, an S&WB board member who owns a civil engineering firm that works on water systems outside New Orleans. “The pumps run longer. The power costs significantly increase. The amount of chemicals that you have to go through is a great deal more,” Cole said. New Orleanians bear the added costs through higher water rates, but the rates don’t generate enough revenue to fix the system. The rates haven’t changed in six years, a long stretch by industry standards. But New Orleans water rates are already among the highest in the nation, making it difficult to raise them further. The longer pipes are neglected, the more water is lost, and the harder it is to pay for upgrades. Reversing that cycle is one of biggest challenges Mayor Helena Moreno’s administration and the City Council face as City Hall asserts more control of the S&WB. District A council member Aimee McCarron said the council eventually could consider rate hikes, after an audit of S&WB spending and a rate study outlining revenue needs. But any consideration of a rate increase will be complicated by the fact the S&WB can’t even hold on to most of the water it makes, she said. “How do you structure a rate when we have so much loss? How do you say to someone that you have to pay this certain amount, but their usage compared to the amount we’re losing is insignificant?” McCarron said.

$8 billion price tag The water system needs roughly $8 billion for repairs and upgrades for treatment plants, water mains and service lines, according to S&WB estimates. That scale of work typically requires bond financing, which is secured by rate revenue. But the S&WB’s roughly $115 million in annual rate revenue is consumed by the cost of treating, storing and pumping water to 140,000 customers, according to a

STAFF FILE PHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

A section of South Carrollton Avenue is closed while the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans works to repair a water main on the 1600 block of South Carrollton Avenue in New Orleans in July. 2024 consultant study. That leaves nothing to secure bonds. S&WB Executive Director Randy Hayman has pointed out in community meetings that Philadelphia — whose water system he ran for six years before coming to New Orleans a year ago — replaces water mains every year. “They have the ability and the funding to replace a certain amount of mileage of the drinking water pipe,” Hayman said at a community meeting in Lakeview on July 8. “We don’t have the funding to do that routinely.” In a statement, S&WB officials said “the high rate of water loss is a symptom of decades of underinvestment in our underground infrastructure.” “Addressing this challenge requires sustained funding to support a long-term capital improvement program focused on replacing aging water mains and modernizing our distribution system,” officials said. City officials acknowledge funding constraints have led to severely degraded infrastructure, but they also say opaque budgeting and capital planning have confused the public over what the S&WB would do with additional funding. The council and Moreno administration on Thursday passed new policies for the S&WB, under the authority of a new state law giving City Hall much greater control over the utility’s operations. One of the new policies will require council approval of budgets and capital plans. The council will also scrutinize professional service agreements, executive contracts and communications budgets, while the Louisiana legislative auditor is being asked to conduct a special audit of all S&WB spending. “We have no idea what is really going on, what’s part of the plan and what’s not,” said Andrew Tuozzolo, special counsel to Moreno, addressing the council on

July 30. Generally speaking, city officials want to align the standalone utility more closely with City Hall operations, perhaps even converting it into a city a department. How that shapes up will evolve over time, but, in the near term, Tuozzolo said merging the S&WB and city capital budgets will give the S&WB access to the city’s bonding capacity. “This is an integrated operation to keep people dry and the water ﬂowing through the pipes,” Tuozzolo said in an interview. “That’s a huge opportunity. Hundreds of millions of dollars of bonding opportunity for us to do infrastructure work that the city needs.”

Extreme loss

PHOTO PROVIDED By NEW ORLEANS SEWERAGE & WATER BOARD

Workers examine the original break in a 60-inch sewer force main in the St. Roch neighborhood. Some in the industry prefer a different measure, known as the “infrastructure leakage index,” because it more precisely assesses pipe conditions. A higher index indicates a leakier system, and most water systems have a leakage index below six, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The S&WB leakage index is 34, according to its recently completed Water Quality Master Plan. “This ILI score really emphasizes the extreme volume of physical losses in New Orleans,” Bondar said in an email. Billions of gallons of treated water leaking through pipes make up most of the S&WB’s loss rate. But a portion — it’s not clear how much, exactly — is water the S&WB gives away to City Hall and public schools, along with the Audubon Zoo, City Park and New Orleans Museum of Art under a decadesold state law. Free water made up about 15% of the S&WB water loss in 2022, according to an Ofﬁce of Inspector General report. Public records requests for more recent documentation of free water volumes have been outstanding since early June. Most utilities receive some type of compensation for the water they provide to public agencies, according to Ann Bui, senior managing director at Black & Veatch, a national consulting ﬁrm. “The concept is not to have free water. It does cost money to not only get that water, but also to treat it and deliver it to you,” Bui said.

Water rates should increase some amount every year to keep up with operating and capital costs, said Bui of Black & Veatch. Failing to increase rates could risk “stoppage of flow, simply because the infrastructure is broken,” she said, discussing the industry in general. But S&WB rates are already relatively high even without any recent increases. A 2024 rate study for the S&WB, completed by Black & Veatch, found New Orleans with higher rates than nine peer jurisdictions. New Orleans rates tripled those in Jefferson Parish and nearly doubled Baton Rouge, according to the study. Another Black & Veatch report in 2021, which looked at the industry overall and wasn’t commissioned by the S&WB, found New Orleans with the least affordable water rates in the country when considering local income. The S&WB said the rates reflect what it costs to produce and distribute water. “Costs of services is the determining factor in rate making,” S&WB officials said in their statement. Despite the relatively high existing rates, the Black & Veatch rate study recommended 7% annual increases over five years because the S&WB lacks revenue for capital financing. “There is a saying in the water industry, which is that the cheapest source of water is the water you don’t use,” Bui said. “Basically, it means that if you can reduce your water loss, then water becomes cheaper.”

All municipal water systems lose at least some treated water through leaky pipes. But new research shows how extraordinary the S&WB loss rate is compared to other water utilities. Bluefield Research, in a report last year, estimated U.S. water systems lose about 20% of the water they produce. The S&WB lost 76% of its treated water in the first six months of this year, according to quarterly reports to the City Council. A series of major water main ruptures earlier this year may have caused the rate to tick up a bit, but the S&WB average loss rate over the last decade is more than 70%, according to its financial reports. And the cost of treating water has spiked in recent years, S&WB financial reports show. That means the cost of waste is also increasing. The 73% of water lost in 2015 cost $7.5 million to produce. The S&WB lost about the same amount of water in 2024, but the cost of treating it doubled. Bluefield analyst Megan Bondar, who reviewed hundreds of water systems to estimate the national av- The rate challenge erage last year, said the S&WB’s loss New Orleans water rates haven’t rate “is among the highest, if not the changed since 2020, even as pro- Email Ben Myers at bmyers@ highest” she has encountered. theadvocate.com. duction costs have increased.

Search for missing Louisiana mom, 10-year-old daughter expands United Cajun Navy to assist authorities

a missing East Feliciana Parish woman and her 10-year-old daughter who investigators believe may have been in the Butte La Rose area. BY KRISTIN ASKELSON The volunteer search-and-rescue Staff writer organization said it is coordinating The United Cajun Navy is pre- with the family and law enforceparing to assist in the search for ment as it prepares to assist in the

search for Danielle Escue Lea, 39, and her daughter, Alayna Lea. The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office said the mother and daughter were reported missing in Baton Rouge on July 28. Investigators said they believe the two may be in St. Martin Parish.

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Authorities said the mother and daughter were seen in the Butte La Rose area in late April and possibly into May. Deputies said they were with James Michael Nona, 42, of Montgomery County, Texas, before his arrest on unrelated charges. Authorities have not identiﬁed Nona as a suspect in

the investigation. Anyone with information about Lea’s or Alayna’s whereabouts is asked to contact the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Ofﬁce or their local law enforcement agency. Email Kristin Askelson at kaskelson@theadvocate.com.

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Obituaries Barker, Almo

Almo Barker was one of God's greatest servants and most obedient son. He died May 23, 2026 at home.

Breaud, Billy Don

Billy Don Breaud, a man of profound faith, quiet strength, and fierce devotion, was called home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on August 4, 2026. He passed away at the age of 62, enveloped in the deep love and comfort of his family. His journey began on November 26, 1963, when he was born to Marjorie and William Breaud in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. From his earliest days in the Bayou State, Billy possessed an adventurous spirit and an undeniable grit. He was a man defined by his toughness, a resilience that was matched only by the gentleness of his heart when it came to those he loved. An avid and passionate sportsman, Billy thrived on the thrill of competition and the camaraderie of the game. He spent years tearing up dirt tracks, racing motocross motorcycles with a fearless intensity that mirrored how he approached life's challenges. When he wasn't on two wheels, he could be found immersed in the strategy and energy of wrestling, football and basketball, sports that fueled his competitive nature and brought him immense joy. Billy is survived by his loving of parents, William and Marjorie Kennedy Breaud; and sister, Bambi Lynne Breaud. Billy is preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Connie Floyd and Annie Bowen Kennedy; paternal grandparents, Fulton Jospeh and Alma Nettles Breaud; and Fulton's 2nd wife, grandma, Belle Root Breaud. Relatives and friends are invited to join the family for the visitation at Baker Funeral Home, 6401 Groom Road, Baker, LA, on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, from 9:00 AM until the Funeral Service at 11:00 AM. The Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Mausoleum in Baker, LA . The family extends their deepest thanks to the Palliative Care and Cancer Unit at Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center in Baton Rouge, LA. They are profoundly grateful for the compassionate care Billy received, with special thanks to Dr. Ellepsddi and Dr. Thompson for their dedicated guidance and support.

Chapple, Albert R.

Albert Rainwater Chapple of Baton Rouge literally and figuratively died at age 87 ½ of a broken heart on July 18, 2026. He battled heart trouble for 31 years and the heartbreak of losing his wife of 65 years and his beloved daughter 16 months earlier. Born in Cobbtown, Georgia, on Jan. 18, 1939, to Mary and Reverend William Edward Chapple II, Al was exceptionally smart, finishing high school at 17 and college at 20. He met the love of his life, Sylvia Dianne Higginbotham, at the University of Georgia; they married Sept. 12, 1959. After chemist and chemical engineering positions across the South, Al settled in Baton Rouge in 1969, working for Ciba-Geigy before founding a rental real estate company with Dianne. Al retired in his early 60s and traveled the world with Dianne, especially loving cruises, RV camping and their lake house in Granbury, Texas. Al was born to be a Pop Pop, and there was not much he loved more than holding a sleeping baby. Square dancing led to making a group of wonderful friends who camped, traveled, and played cards and board games together. Al loved playing rummikub. Despite failing health, he at-

tended his granddaughter Madison's wedding April 24, 2026, Dianne's birthday. A lifelong Georgia football fan, he was thrilled by the Bulldogs' back-to-back national titles. Al is preceded in death by parents Mary and William Chapple; brothers Billy and David Chapple; his wife Dianne Chapple (March 26, 2025); and daughters Karen Lynn Chapple (infant) and Kimberly Chapple Henney (April 5, 2025). He is survived by two sons, Chris (Laurie) and Matthew (Michelle); nine grandchildren: Andrew (Whitney), Alexander (Elizabeth) and Caroline (Alex) Chapple, Nicholas (Emily), Daniel, David and Tiffany Henney, Madison Chapple Blocker (Mason) and Mason Chapple; and nine great-grandchildren: Evelyn, Abram, Alister and Archer Chapple, James and Millie Chapple, Hazel, Ida and Gwendolyn Henney. A celebration of life will be held at noon Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Broadmoor United Methodist Church. Visitation from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Courtney, Gerald Wayne 'Jerry'

Gerald Wayne "Jerry" Courtney, a lifelong resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away at the age of 77. Jerry was born in Baton Rouge to Bill N. Courtney and Melda Hoover Courtney. Following high school, he pursued biblical studies at Delgado Community College, beginning a lifelong journey of faith. Throughout the years, Jerry served as a leader in several church communities. His faith became especially important during the last decade of his life, and he was a devoted member and spiritual leader at As One Church in Denham Springs. Jerry also served in the United States Army at Fort Polk during the Vietnam era. A true people person, Jerry rarely met a stranger and was always willing to help someone in need. He had a generous spirit and helped countless people throughout his life, whether through his time, talents, financial generosity, friendship, or encouragement. Jerry worked for Dow Chemical for many years before following his entrepreneurial spirit and starting Courtney Signs. He was proud of the custom signs he created throughout the Baton Rouge area. Over the years, he also managed the family RV park, owned and managed rental properties, and spent many years investing in and remodeling real estate. One of Jerry's greatest passions was fishing. He loved being on the water with family and friends, especially his father, brother Billy, nephew Landon, and in recent years, his fishing buddies Shawn Berg and "Captain T -Mike." He also treasured his long-time friendship with Anton La Grange. Jerry was proud of his fishing boat and his Mercedes, affectionately known as the "Cream Puff." Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Bill N. Courtney and Melda Hoover Courtney; and his beloved sons, Jeremy Courtney and

Corey Courtney. He is survived by his stepmother, Frankie Courtney; daughter, Vanessa Courtney Ladnier; son, Jordan Courtney; brothers, Kelvin "Kelly" Courtney (Debra) and Billy Courtney (Nancy); sister, Judy Courtney; grandchildren, Jayden, Baylor, and DeLaney Ladnier, and Elora, Gideon, Gemma and Elias Courtney; and greatgranddaughter, Blakely. Jerry also treasured his longtime friendships with Carla Mastronicola and Mike Pittenger. Carla's friendship, care, and support, especially her devotion to him during his final months, meant a great deal to him. Mike worked closely with Jerry for many years as a trusted righthand man in his real estate business and were close friends who saw each other almost every day for the last several years. Jerry will be remembered for his strong personality, generous heart, entrepreneurial spirit, love of fishing, and, above all, his faith and willingness to help others. Serving as pallbearers will be Jonathan Courtney, Daniel Courtney, Landon Courtney, Baylor Ladnier, Shawn Berg, and David Newchurch. Relatives and friends are invited to celebrate Jerry's life on Saturday, August 15, at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA 70816, beginning at 9:30 AM until the Funeral Service at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory.

ley, Sr. and Hysinth Leger Langley. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial, celebrated by Father Michael Miceli at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 12424 Brogdon Lane in Baton Rouge, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. Visitation will be held at the church beginning at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Resthaven Gardens of Memory, 11817 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge with rendering of Air Force Military Honors. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St Vincent DePaul. The family extends heartfelt gratitude to devoted caregivers Debra, Tyra, Irma, Amanda and Veronica whose compassionate care, spirituality and friendship meant so much to Jim and Char. Honorary Pallbearers include Leroy Slack, Buddy Weber. To view the extended obituary and leave a personal note to the family, please visit www.resthave nbatonrouge.com.

Maranto, Maurice 'Mickey'

Jefferson, Arthur L.

Arthur Jefferson Sr, 84, A resident of Baton Rouge, LA. entered into eternal rest on July 28, 2026. He leaves to cherish his memory his son, Arthur Jefferson, Jr.and daughterin-law, Roxanna; his daughter, Joy O'nae Davis; his sisters, Joyce Chambers and Rena Jefferson; his grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family friends, and neighbors. A memorial service will begin at 10:00 am on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Winnfield Funeral Home, 7221 Plank Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70811 Zoom Link: Meeting ID: 892 1232 Passcode: 133157

7065

Langley, James S.

Dr. James Sidney Langley entered into eternal rest on Monday, August 3, 2026, at the age of 89. Jim was born February 27,1937, in Kinder, Louisiana, to Isaac Lang-

Maurice "Mickey" Maranto, born July 26, 1949, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away on August 3, 2026 from Lewy Body Dementia. He was 77 years old. Mickey lived a life marked by service and commitment. He served in the Air Force during Vietenam, then went on to spend his career in public service, working with the Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office and the State Police. After retiring, he continued serving at the Attorney General's office as an investigator. Above all, Mickey was a family man showing a deep love for his children, his family and those closest to him. He was known for enjoying life, making people laugh, and bringing energy into every room he entered. As the life of the party, he will be remembered for his warmth, humor, and easy spirit. Mickey will be remembered with love for the life he lived, the service he gave, and the joy he brought to others. He is survived by his wife, Dawn Blackwood Maranto; his children, Scott Martin Maranto and Angelina Michelle Krail; his three grandchildren, Sophia Grace Maranto, David Michael and Jackson Riley Krail; and his siblings Charles, Patrick, Allison Sheridan and William Maranto. He is preceded in death by his parents, Maurice Anthony Maranto and Alice Katherine Maranto. And his brothers Doug, Jimmy, Tommy and Chris Maranto. Mickey was an avid Harley rider, had a love for collecting guns and good music. As a trooper, he competed on the competitive shooting team. Services will be held on August 10, 2026, at Greenoaks Funeral Home. Visitation from 12:00pm until service at 2:00pm. Relatives and friends are

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invited to visit www.green oaksfunerals.com to view and sign the online guestbook.

Robertson, Betty

Ourso, Lynwood Romauld 'Lynn'

Lynwood (Lynn) Romauld Ourso, Jr. died following a sudden illness on August 4 at the age of 84. Lynn was a life-long resident of Baton Rouge who graduated from Catholic High School and LSU. He was a singer, song writer, record producer and guitar player who played his first professional gig when he was 15 years old. He played with a long list of bands in college and professionally, including the Greek Fountains, John Fred and the Playboys, Wayne Cochran and the C. C. Riders, the Louisiana Hayride Band, and many others. He also served as founding Executive Director of the Louisiana Music Commission and a marketing representative in the Louisiana Department of Economic Development. Lynn is preceded in death by his parents, Lynwood, Sr. and Marguerite Pierce Ourso. He is survived by his wife, Sandy Thrasher Ourso, daughter, Caroline Elizabeth Ourso of New York City, and brother, Larry (Sherry) Ourso of Baton Rouge. A private Mass will be held at a later date.

Entered into eternal rest at her residence in Baker, Louisiana surrounded by her children on August 1, 2026. She was an 85-yer-old native of Zachary, Louisiana. Visitation will be held at Miller & Daughter Mortuary on Monday, August 10, 2026 from 4-6 pm; A Graveside Service will be held at Louisiana National Cemetery on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 1:00 pm conducted by Pastsor Dale Flowers. Survivors include her loving children, Donald Ray, Jacqueline and Gregory J. Robertson and Selena Harris; bonus son whom she loved, Robert Tate; 11 grandchildren; 12 greatgrandchildren; 10 siblings; preceded in death by her husband, Robert Robertson.

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How to place a Memorial Ad An “In Memory Of” ad, is a way to pay tribute to your loved one. This remembrance is often printed on the anniversary of a loved one’s death. The deadline is two days prior to the day you want your ad to appear. TO PLACE A MEMORIAL AD GO TO: obituaries.theadvocate.com, click submit an obituary and select create a memoriam.

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

OUR VIEWS

Elected officials should be wary of nondisclosure agreements The saying that “transparency is the soul of democracy” became a political maxim the way most maxims do: by being almost indisputably wise or true. In that light, it is presumptively a bad idea for elected officials to sign nondisclosure agreements, or NDAs, as a host of Louisiana officeholders have done. And even if the presumption is rebuttable, the exceptions should be rare and strictly limited in scope and duration. As the rulers in a representative democracy are the citizens themselves, government that operates in secrecy denies those citizens the information they need to exercise their authority with confidence and good judgment. Granted, NDAs are somewhat standard operating procedure in private-sector, big business negotiations, which is why some appointed state officials, such as Secretary of Economic Development Susan Bourgeois, might have good reason to join such agreements. Bourgeois sensibly has noted that NDAs can help Louisiana avoid “telegraphing” key information to competing states that might allow the other states to undercut Louisiana’s negotiating position. On the other hand, broadly written NDAs can make it far more difficult for the public to track information required by public records laws, which can be essential in unearthing details that impact surrounding communities, costs borne by the public or unethical, even illegal, activities. The subject arises because the administration of Gov. Jeff Landry has been particularly aggressive about demanding NDAs from government officials, including more than 100 state employees. More than three-fourths of state senators and at least 14 of 105 state representatives, including House Speaker Phillip DeVillier and several committee chairs, have also signed these agreements. Most of the NDAs involve negotiations for specific economic development projects, although many state senators apparently signed “blanket NDAs” that cover such projects in general. The recent flap about NDAs arose late last month when it became apparent that Landry had used NDAs in secret negotiations for the promising but controversial data-center project by Meta in Richland Parish. With public backlash growing against such secrecy, a handful of lawmakers from both parties asked to be relieved of the NDAs they signed. More ought to join them. “To give me detailed information that I can’t tell my public, it just doesn’t seem right to me,” said state Sen. Bob Hensgens, an Abbeville Republican, who declined to sign an NDA about a potential deal in Vermilion Parish, where SpaceX is in talks to build a giant spaceport. Again, even in the case of elected officials, short-term NDAs might be reasonable so that key lawmakers can be “read in” to sensitive information during industrial recruitment. Still, as their duty is to the public, and as public monies and benefits often are involved, the lawmakers should be quite wary of agreeing to block too much sunlight. That’s why NDAs should be the exception, not the rule, and should be narrowly tailored rather than broad in scope. The goal, always, should be to get a good deal — and an honest deal — not just a “done deal.”

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

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ANOTHER VIEW

Louisiana’s ‘great connector’ deserves praise It’s not often that one can offer unreThe effect on southeast Louisiana has been nigh on immeasurable. served praise for a piece of Louisiana “Throughout my lifetime, it’s been infrastructure. the great connector,” said Carlton DuBut when it comes to the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, the plaudits are frechou, for nearly 17 years now the well-deserved. head of the Greater New Orleans The bridge, dual strands of Expressway Commission, which concrete ribbon that stretch the operates the bridge. roughly 24 miles between JefDufrechou oversees an agency that has grown over the decades ferson Parish on the south shore to now include a 30-officer police and St. Tammany on the north, force and motorist assistance turns 70 on Aug. 29. It remains Faimon The Causeway is manned as much of a marvel today as it Roberts patrol. 24 hours per day, including with was the day it was completed. someone who can open the basThe Causeway is the longest continuous bridge over water in the cule, the drawbridge mechanism that world, and the longest bridge in the allows tall ships to pass through about United States. (Louisiana is a good place eight miles south of the north shore. for lengthy spans — four of the five lonFor frequent Causeway commuters, including me, the bridge lives in two gest in the country are here.) opposed mental realms. Yes, driving Its construction was a remarkable 24 miles in a straight line can be mindpiece of engineering and logistics numbingly boring. But it’s only boring born of a 1952 Louisiana constitutional amendment that authorized the two par- because it’s so consistent. Traffic moves, ishes to build the bridge without federal speed is monitored and incidents are handled quickly and efficiently. When support, financed through tolls. it’s foggy, cones and convoys may slow Construction on the first span began drivers down, but for the most part, in 1954 and was completed in just 19 months. Tolls were $1 in each direction. they keep them safe. It’s that last quality that makes A second span opened in 1969.

Dufrechou the proudest. Per mile, he says, it’s the safest stretch along the Gulf Coast, and perhaps across the nation. Railings on the older southbound span that were installed in 2021 have cut what Dufrechou refers to as “overboards” — crashes where a car goes into the lake — to zero. Between 1994 and 2021, there were 19 such crashes, including 13 fatalities. All but two were on the southbound bridge. In addition, safety pullover areas, installed at the same time as the new railings, have reduced annual crashes from about 180 to about 130, Dufrechou said. And though it’s 70 years old this month, Dufrechou said the regular maintenance and annual inspections have kept it in as good a shape as it was during the Eisenhower administration. “It’s as robust today as it was when it was opened,” Dufrechou said. And then, perhaps unintentionally, he echoed the thought of many a commuter just getting on the bridge. “It can go on forever,” he said. Email Faimon A. Roberts III at froberts@theadvocate.com.

Boy George’s free speech moment over Israel ’80s pop legend Boy George became the “He chose not to run,” Michael Marsubject of attacks and condemnation lowe recalled of his son. in the press and on social media. His Jake Marlowe was murdered at the now infamous Nova music festival in Is- offense? Writing a song with pro-Israel lyrics. rael on Oct. 7, 2023. He had been workThe uproar resulted in the singer siting as a security guard there and was one of 14 British citizens who ting out the remainder of his were killed by Hamas terrorists. performances as Herod in a LonSpeaking at a recent Nova Mudon production of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” While most comsic Festival Exhibition in London on what would have been Jake’s mentaries focus on character29th birthday, Michael shared izing Boy George as a genocide what he had come to learn about he says he’s simply for Kathryn “denier,” those last moments of his son’s peace, while also stating facts Jean life. Instead of ﬂeeing for safety, about the difﬁcult situation. IsLopez Jake worked to “save people.” rael’s neighbors don’t want the He was killed trying to help othcountry to exist and have many loud supporters in the West adding to ers. Since Jake’s death, his father has writ- the hostility and fear. “But if you’re ever confused, I stand ten about avoiding central London when with the Jews,” Boy George tells us in pro-Palestinian demonstrations are occurring: “I cannot bear to witness them the song “We Will Dance Again.” “I don’t feel brave, I just need to and what they stand for.” He calls them “hate marches”; “These people are sup- behave like a human,” are among the song’s most powerful lyrics. porting the killers of my boy, my son, “Creating art to express a feeling is my future,” he said. a kind of creative activism,” he wrote And it’s not just London that’s seen a days later. rising tide of antisemitism. Recently,

“Every day is like survival.” It’s those words of another Boy George song — familiar to many of us of a certain age — that take on a new meaning this summer. Decades after “Karma Chameleon,” Boy George has us looking at what exactly in our culture is killing us: a refusal to hear, listen to and encounter people you disagree with or who have other life experiences as fellow human beings before anything else. Boy George seemed beside himself for having to defend his declaration of solidarity with his Jewish friends. He’s not backing away. Regardless of whether he set out to be one, he’s a freedom-of-speech hero for a moment here. He’s speaking up and insisting that we protect Jewish people while remembering the ones who’ve fallen, like Jake Marlowe. Never again doesn’t only refer to a holocaust, but also to every single step along the way. Email Kathryn Jean Lopez at klopez@nationalreview.com.

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ARNESSA GARRETT STEPHANIE GRACE WILL SUTTON QUIN HILLYER FAIMON ROBERTS

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ 7B

lll

COMMENTARY Louisiana limits public unions; so should N.O. bargaining … cannot be transplanted into Government-worker unions should not public service.” exist at all. But when they do, their power Nonetheless, public-employee unions and privileges should be strictly limited. do exist, and they aren’t going away The current state government in Louisiana recognizes this, but the city of New Orleans anytime soon. At the very least, though, because they represent a special interest doesn’t. with direct access to the public fisc, such A new law in Louisiana puts wise restricassociations should not wield coertions on public-sector unions. New Orleans, though, which is making cive power. It’s one thing to say the admirable and effective efforts to unions can form and come to the neget its budget under control after gotiating table; but they shouldn’t be poor management by prior Mayor able to force workers to join, much LaToya Cantrell, could save even less to finance the union bosses’ pomore money if its union contracts litical activity. Quin weren’t so liberal. That’s what spurred Senate Bill Hillyer Let’s take those points one by one. 312 in this year’s legislative session, The reason unions in a constituwhich was duly passed and became Act 756. Authored by state Sen. Kirk Taltional republic should exist only in the private sector is that they possess what public- bot, R-River Ridge, and state Rep. Michael reform advocate Philip Howard, famed auMelerine, R-Shreveport, the new law that thor of “The Death of Common Sense,” calls took effect Aug. 1 requires that govern“extortive power.” As Howard explained, ment unions annually inform employees public-employee unions “hold vastly more electronically that they have a constitupower over government than private unions tional right not to join the union and pay over business,” as they would “hold the aufees to it. Furthermore, the worker has the right thority of the state in their hands, without at any time to make an electronic request having to honor market realities of affordto the employer that he does not wish to ability or efficiency.” be a union member or pay dues, and the Even longtime AFL-CIO union President demand shall be honored in time for his George Meany said it is “impossible to bargain collectively with the government,” and subsequent paycheck. This is eminently reasonable: Nobody should be compelled the iconic liberal President Franklin Rooby law to join any organization. sevelt said that “the process of collective

In ordinary parlance, this is called “freedom.” And as Gov. Jeff Landry and a majority of state legislators smartly seem to recognize, and as conservative think tanks long have argued and documented, the act of reining in outsized government-union power often has the effect of getting rid of administrative bloat. In other words, modest reforms such as Act 756 also should save taxpayers money. Saving money, meanwhile, is very much on the minds of New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno and the City Council. Especially with Landry vetoing city projects and the State Bond Commission acting supremely unhelpfully, city ofﬁcials continue to scramble to add to the $150 million in savings their austerity measures already have achieved. Their efforts are commendable. Yet if every penny saved is a penny earned, the city should look to amend an illadvised collective bargaining agreement it signed with the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, which took effect on June 23, 2025. Several of the agreement’s provisions allow workers who are union stewards or representatives to be paid (i.e., from taxpayer dollars) for the time they spend doing various union duties (instead of their actual job responsibilities). They also can be allowed up to ﬁve working days to at-

tend union conferences or conventions. As it happens, Sarah Harbison, the general counsel of the conservative Pelican Institute for Public Policy, filed public records requests on March 12 to learn how many hours and days union stewards and representatives have used, during “regular working time,” for such activities, and “the total amount of compensation” paid to employees for such union endeavors. On April 16, Harbison was notified that “the City does not have records responsive to your request.” If it doesn’t have such records, it ought to. Either way, taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for union functions. Granted, the savings from ending these arrangements probably wouldn’t be very large: Even the much broader worker furloughs implemented by Moreno, affecting 700 workers, have saved only about $4 million so far. Still, every dime matters, and taxpayers shouldn’t finance union activities. If Franklin Roosevelt and George Meany could recognize the dangers of publicsector unions, so should all public officials today. Curbing their excesses not only will help right-size government, but also put government in right relation to its duties. Email Quin Hillyer at quin.hillyer@theadvocate.com

Lomax will share fundraising secrets to select HBCUs has truly been transformative,” Guillory Dr. Michael Lomax became president told Lomax as she looked his way on the of Dillard University in New Orleans in 1997. He increased enrollment at the Jewel Georges Auditorium stage. “And entering HBCUs, and putting us on the table, on the of Gentilly by about 50%. Fundraising tripled. Some reports say private giving in- radar, in the conversation in a way that is creased 300% and alumni giving increased going to be your legacy.” Lomax is stepping down from 2,000%. That was highly unusual for the UNCF’s top job, but he’s going traditionally underfunded HBCUs, to stick around, at least for a year, then and now. during which he’ll introduce his While Lomax was at Dillard, the yet-to-be-named successor to key UNCF’s endowment was $60 mildonors, stakeholders and supportlion. When former U.S. Rep. Bill Gray was stepping down as UNCF ers and work on a $1 billion capital Will president and CEO, people woncampaign he started. Sutton As his next chapter continues, he dered who could succeed the afplans to “do a lot of what I want to fable, outgoing former U.S. House do, (which) is grounded in what I learned budget chair. Lomax was selected in 2004. to do here at Dillard…..I learned some Twenty-two years later, Lomax has led skills beginning here at Dillard that I think UNCF to $4 billion raised and an endowI’ve put to pretty good use.” ment of about $500 million. While at Dillard, he hired Therese Badon, The organization of private, four-year a Hibernia banker. He brought her in as HBCUs started with 27 schools before Lomax was born. There are 36 member insti- part of a program to build a new group of development officers. Today she’s a UNCF tutions today, as Lomax plans a June 2027 departure. During a recent Dillard Univer- senior vice president responsible for a $100 million annual fundraising campaign sity faculty semester kickoff, Lomax and for UNCF institutions. others joked that Dillard was the first stop “Fundraising is an art and a skill. You on his “legacy tour.” have to learn certain kinds of things to There are 23 UNCF regional offices, do it,” Lomax lectured to the attentive including one headquartered in New group of student leaders, faculty and staff. Orleans, which opened 50 years ago. Its members are Dillard, Xavier University of “You’ve got to learn here are the stages of Louisiana and Philander Smith University, fundraising, here’s how to write proposals, here’s how you do all that. But, at the end in Little Rock. of the day, it’s relationships. You have to Lomax lived in the president’s house on campus during his Dillard presidency, just learn how to build relationships.” He said UNCF has raised $6 billion in the off of Gentilly Boulevard, near Stern Hall 82 years of the group’s history, including and along the DU-famous Hall of Oaks. $4 billion in the 22 years he’s led the fund. Several Lomax-era DU faculty and staff There was a $100 million donation from the attended the program featuring three DilLily Endowment Inc. and $80 million from lard presidents, Lomax, Dr. Walter KimMcKenzie Scott. brough and President Monique Guillory. “If you want to learn how to hit the big “The amount of money that you’ve been able to raise in the name of our institutions numbers, you’ve got to learn how to do

PHOTO PROVIDED By DILLARD UNIVERSITy

Dr. Michael Lomax speaks on Tuesday during a Dillard University faculty and staff program on the Georges Auditorium stage. this, and the key is relationships. It’s not can you ask somebody. It’s not what’s a great proposal. It’s have you built a relationship of trust and conﬁdence where the individual with the money is going to trust you to do what they want with it.” Lomax isn’t retiring. He’ll keep an ofﬁce at UNCF headquarters and start some consulting. He won’t be responsible for helping 36 UNCF member institutions; that will be the new CEO’s job. But he will be helping a handful of HBCUs, likely three or four. “I’m not going to give away all of my secrets here, but I want to work with a small

group of presidents who are really ambitious for their institutions and talk with them about how you develop a strategy to raise $100 million, $200 million,” he said during his remarks. Some lucky HBCUs are going to gain an advisor, a conﬁdante, a ride-or-die friend and an expert fundraiser. HBCU presidents, start your engines, develop your best pitch, get in line and pray you can develop this relationship. Email Will Sutton at wsutton@theadvocate.com. He’s on Instagram at @editorwillsutton.

Even with one foot out of office, Bill Cassidy keeps caving I come here to, once again, voice deep about whether someone likes or dislikes disappointment that U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy the president, and therefore his nominee. declined to act on his legitimate, serious He acknowledged his fraught history with concerns over a deeply flawed Trump nomi- Trump but insisted that “does not matter one bit.” nee. He allowed that he had concerns over With the confirmation of former Trump Blanche’s actions as acting attorney genpersonal lawyer Todd Blanche to be attorney general basically in Cassidy’s eral, including his approval of the hands, I’d let myself hope for more slush fund that would have paid out from the rare GOP politician in federal money to those same riotWashington who’s shown he’s capaers who’d attacked the Capitol at Trump’s direction, the broad immuble of it. Even after the good doctor from Baton Rouge cast the pivotal nity granted to Trump and his family vote to allow Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from the IRS and the Department of Stephanie Justice’s to basically dismantle the federal targeting of the president’s Grace government’s health care agencies. political enemies, which Cassidy I couldn’t call Cassidy’s announcecorrectly noted undermines the rule of law. ment that he’d support Blanche’s nominaAnd yet, he made a case for confirmation. tion in a Friday morning Senate floor speech He said he has no doubt that Trump will shocking. This is a man who did everything continue to be “unrelenting” in pursuing he could, no matter how humiliating, to these matters, but argued that a Senate-conplacate Donald Trump after Cassidy’s 2021 vote to convict him for inciting the Jan. 6, firmed attorney general would have a better 2021 Capitol attack — only to watch the shot at pushing back than an acting apreinstated president gleefully recruit an un- pointee. He said Blanche should not be held questioning loyalist into the Louisiana GOP responsible for Trump’s terrible decisions, including his mass pardon of Jan. 6 crimiprimary and end the senator’s career. What got my attention was his framing nals. He noted that Blanche has focused of his dilemma, which seemed aimed at apresources on areas such as violent crime and fraud, and quoted respected U.S. Attorpeasing people who feel, well, like I do. Cassidy started off by saying this wasn’t ney David Courcelle of Louisiana’s Eastern

District saying Blanche has provided extra resources when asked. He contended that anyone else who could wind up in the job, confirmed or not, could be worse. In the alternate universe where Cassidy so clearly wants us to join him, maybe those arguments would be convincing. In reality, they fell utterly flat. Cassidy pulled out the tired both-sides trope, but he knows darn well that the DOJ’s reputation has already been obliterated on Blanche’s watch, first as deputy attorney general and now as acting AG. Thousands of experienced lawyers have left, some of whom had been ordered to pursue unethical investigations of protesters and Trump critics. In both civil and criminal cases, multiple judges appointed by presidents of both parties have slammed DOJ lawyers for amateurish, unprofessional or downright dishonest work. Cassidy credited Blanche for dropping the weaponization fund, but that only happened under pressure from other senators who were withholding their confirmation votes, and Blanche left the outrageous Trump family immunity deal intact. And then there’s his appalling handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, from his highly irregular interview with imprisoned sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell to his dismissive

attitude toward surviving victims. There’s no evidence to suggest Blanche would push back against Trump, or that if he did, he’d have any success. Maybe Cassidy’s right that another appointee could be worse, but things sure won’t improve with Blanche in charge. That’s one reason Cassidy’s vote cuts so deep. Here’s another: For his 12 years in ofﬁce, Cassidy was the reliable Republican he promised to be when he unseated Democrat Mary Landrieu, all while often doing good work on behalf of his whole state and his country — even when his party punished him for it. He wrestled over the Blanche and Kennedy nominations and ultimately chose the wrong side both times, but most of the Republicans who’ll still be there after he leaves in January didn’t appear to lose a moment’s sleep. As deeply disappointing as some of his votes have been, we’re still better off with people like Cassidy in the Senate than with him and a handful of other sometime skeptics banished. Call me crazy, but I think we’ll miss him when he’s gone. And boy, is that a sad state of affairs. Email Stephanie Grace at sgrace@theadvocate.com.

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8B ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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TODAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

An afternoon t-storm in spots

Humid; a p.m. t-storm in spots

Humid with a stray t-storm

Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm

Humid; a few morning showers

A t-storm around in the p.m.

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

93° 75°

LOW

HIGH

92° 74°

LOW

92° 76°

Beaumont 91/77 Port Arthur 89/78

Baton Rouge 93/75

Lake Charles 92/77

New Orleans 91/78 Houma 89/76

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

Hattiesburg 95/74

Alexandria 93/74

Lafayette 91/76

10s

20s

30s

40s

50s

LOW

HIGH

LOW

94° 77°

YESTERDAY

TODAY

READING 51 MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

Baton Rouge through 5 p.m. Saturday

Jackson 94/75 Many 93/72

HIGH

94° 76°

TEMPERATURE

Longview 97/75

-0s

LOW

Monroe 95/75

Shreveport 95/76

-10s

HIGH

94° 76°

Well, there’s more rainfall in the forecast, but I think your bigger weather issue today will be the heat. So expect a partly to mostly cloudy, hot and humid day with a light breeze and scattered showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures this afternoon will be about where they should be, in the low to mid-90s. The humidity remains high, so your “feels-like” temperatures could rise to 106 or greater. The UV index is at the very high level again today and rain chances will rise a little higher tomorrow.

60s

70s

80s

90s 100s 110s

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

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today NEW

AUG 12

City

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

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

94°/74° 93°/74° 92°/72° 101° in 1921 64° in 1990

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

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

HIGH

FT.

5:29p 10:57a 4:34a 7:30a 7:15a 6:28a 8:23a

AUG 19

91 98 91 91 81 99 98 94 110

TODAY Lo

74 77 69 73 71 80 68 77 89

FULL

t s pc t t s t t pc

SEP 4

MON. Lo

91 97 87 92 84 101 98 90 110

73 79 72 72 72 80 67 78 89

FT.

HIGH

t t pc t t s pc t t

FT.

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

City

Los Angeles 92 Miami 92 Nashville 93 New york City 90 Philadelphia 93 Phoenix 112 St. Louis 93 San Francisco 75 Seattle 77

2:35a 3:32a 4:29a 5:25a 6:19a 7:12a 8:04a

TODAY Lo

69 82 74 72 73 89 78 59 55

LOW

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

9:23p 10:19p 11:14p 12:06p 12:32p 1:24p 2:15p

s t t s s t pc s s

FT.

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

88 92 94 88 94 108 98 72 79

3:07p 4:04p 4:59p 5:52p 6:44p 7:35p 8:26p

MON. Lo

71 81 74 74 74 86 78 56 56

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

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34 48 48 35 27 22 17

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-0.40 19.30 22.10 8.70 5.00 3.88 3.50

+0.40 -0.88 -0.70 -0.50 -0.40 -0.09 -0.07

16.14

-0.17

-1.48

-0.05

18 29 8

-1.07 10.26 2.08

+0.06 -0.46 +0.24

13 15

2.62 0.95

+0.06 none

47 34 29 20 12 6

8.82 5.86 4.24 4.41 3.20 1.61

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data as of 7 a.m. Saturday

s t pc pc pc t pc pc s

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Today 8:51a Monday 9:48a Tuesday 10:44a Wednesday 11:39a Thursday 12:07a Friday 1:00a Saturday 1:52a

LAST

AUG 27

LOW

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0.9 4:46a -0.2 1.9 11:33p -0.4 2.1 6:19p -0.8 2.1 10:40p -0.1 1.6 6:50p -0.3 2.0 5:08p -0.5 2.0 7:52p -0.4

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

Southern O-line striving for excellence

S u n d ay, au g u S t 9, 2026

2026 Pro Football Hall of Famee

1Cn

Enshrinement • Canton, Ohio E

BY TOYLOY BROWN III

Staff writer

Donald Penn doesn’t only bark instructions. The Southern offensive line coach and former 13-year NFL left tackle puts his body on the line and demonstrates exactly what he’s looking for. “Hands on, man,” Southern assistant head coach Curtis Johnson said at Saturday’s preseason camp practice. “He’s in there, he’s mixing it up. I love Donald, man. Donald’s one of our better coaches. He has a great future, a really bright future. I love what Donald’s doing with those guys.” “Those coaches are off the chain,” Southern offensive coordinator Kenneth Merchant said. “(Donald Penn), (run game coordinator) Nick Williams. I learn something from them every single day, and so do the players. I can imagine how much the players are learning if I’m still learning stuff from them.”

ä See SOUTHERN, page 3C

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SUE OGROCKI

Former Saints quarterback Drew Brees speaks after unveiling his bust during the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday in Canton, Ohio.

DREW-PALOOZA Saints fans take over Canton, Brees’ HOF enshrinement ceremony

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU linebacker Jaiden Braker makes a move past defensive line coach Sterling Lucas during the third session of fall camp on Saturday.

Freshmen starters, LB changes part of LSU’s ﬁrst week of fall camp BY KOKI RILEY and JON BLAU Staff writers

Media viewing periods have been limited during Lane Kiffin’s first week of fall practices at LSU. Reporters have been granted access to LSU’s first three practices of the fall, but have only been allowed to watch for roughly 10-12 minutes on each day. During those viewing periods, the team hasn’t scrimmaged and has almost exclusively gone through individual position-group drills. Despite the limited access, The Advocate has still compiled some observations from Kiffin’s first three preseason practices. Here’s what we’ve noticed so far.

A look at first-team defense? The only time this week that media members saw anything other than individual position-group drills was on Thursday, when

ä See LSU, page 3C

BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer CANTON, Ohio — You had to feel for the Arizona Cardinals fan in Seat 4 of Row 15 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Saturday. His view of the ofﬁcial Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony was partially obstructed by the most unique and unusual of sightline blockers: a Pope’s mitre. His seat was directly behind Lionel Alphonso Sr., also known as “Da Pope,” the original Saints super fan, who was dressed in his traditional game-day attire: white cassock and mitre, brandishing a black ﬂeur-de-lis logo and “Bless You Boys” script. “I wouldn’t have missed it,” said Alphonso, a Violet native. “We all cried at the Super Bowl, and I think we’re going to cry again today.” The Who Dat Nation turned Drew Brees’ Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony into a de facto Saints road game. In a show of force to support the legendary quarterback, Saints fans dominated the crowd at the enshrinement ceremony and transformed Canton into a roiling, Who Dat-chanting sea of black and gold for days leading up to the event. Many turned the trip into a multi-day affair, taking in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and Major

ä See HALL OF FAME, page 4C

Saints super fan Lionel Alphonso, right, poses for a photo before Drew Brees’ induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday in Canton, Ohio. Alphonso is a Violet resident. STAFF PHOTO

By JEFF DUNCAN

Quantifying Brees’ greatness with free shots BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

The night before Drew Brees was enshrined in the Hall of Fame, Juan Parke bathed in the red glow emanating from the signature strings of Christmas lights hanging above his bar and demonstrated his distinctive connection to New Orleans royalty.

“You’re going to have a Jäger shot,” he said. The longtime bartender at the legendary Snake & Jake’s Christmas Club Lounge off Oak Street made his way to the middle of the bar, grabbed a bottle of Jägermeister and poured two shots. One barely covered the bottom of the glass, the other ﬁlled the plastic cup midway with the velvety brown liqueur.

The short pour, which Parke took for himself, is what most places call a “sliver.” The taller pour, which he handed across the bar, is a Snake & Jake’s sliver, effectively a full shot, and what Parke has given out to patrons for the past 15 years whenever the New Orleans Saints scored. From the time he started tending

ä See BREES, page 4C

SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY FAN FEST 2026 ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2026,

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV

AUTO RACING Noon NTT IndyCar: Warmup FS1 1 p.m. Indy NXT: Grand Prix of Portland FS1 2:30 p.m. NASCAR Cup: Iowa Corn 350 USA 3 p.m. IndyCar: Grand Prix of Portland Fox BIG3 BASKETBALL Noon Week 8 CBS CYCLING 8:30 a.m. Women’s Tour de France NBCSN GOLF 7 a.m. Ladies Euro: PIF London Champ. Golf 10 a.m. LIV: Final Round Fox Noon PGA: Wyndham Championship Golf 2 p.m. PGA: Wyndham Championship CBS 2 p.m. USGA: U.S. Women’s Amateur Golf GYMNASTICS 12:30 p.m. U.S. Gymnastics Championships NBC

3 p.m. 5 p.m.

U.S. Gymnastics Championships NBCSN U.S. Gymnastics Championships NBC HORSE RACING Noon Saratoga Live FS2 2 p.m. Saratoga Live FS1 LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL 1 p.m. World Series: TBD ESPN 3 p.m. World Series: TBD ESPN LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL 9 a.m. World Series: TBD ESPN 2 p.m. World Series: TBD ABC MLB 11:15 a.m. Cincinnati at Washington NBCSN 3:10 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at Arizona MLBN 7:20 p.m. Houston at San Diego NBC RODEO 11 a.m. PBR: Team Series CBS 1 p.m. PBR: Team Series CW

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

MEN’S SOCCER 8:25 a.m. AS Monaco at Liverpool CBSSN 5:50 p.m. CONCACAF U-20: U.S. vs. Mexico FS1 6:30 p.m. Leagues Cup: Cruz Azul at NyC FS1 9 p.m. Leagues Cup: América at Portland FS1 WOMEN’S SOCCER 3 p.m. Portland at Boston CBSSN 8 p.m. Angel City at Seattle ESPN SOFTBALL 7 p.m. Athletes Unlimited All-Star Cup MLBN TENNIS 11:30 a.m. Canada-ATP/WTA Tennis WNBA 11:30 a.m. Las Vegas at New york ABC 2:30 p.m. Dallas at Minnesota NBC 6 p.m. Golden State at Los Angeles ESPN

Byron hoping for more Iowa success BY JOHN BOHNENKAMP

NASCAR Cup Series Iowa Corn 350

Associated Press

NEWTON, Iowa — William Byron said there can be a good feeling when he returns to a track where he has won recently. Whether that changes his fortunes of this season remains to be seen. Byron is back at Iowa Speedway, where he won last year’s NASCAR Cup Series race. He has only won once since then, and doesn’t have a win this season. “I wouldn’t say that you come in here like, ‘Oh man, this is going to go so great because of last year,’ ” Byron said. “But yeah, maybe you just drive in feeling a little better about the place.” Byron, who will start 19th in Sunday’s 350-lap race, comes in ranked 12th in the season standings with 568 points. He has four top-five finishes and nine top-10s. Byron’s win last season came after he opened the year by winning the Daytona 500, then he didn’t win again until Iowa, a span of 21 races. He is now in a stretch of 22 races without a victory, dating to his win at Martinsville in the nextto-last race of last season. Byron paused when asked to describe this season. “I don’t know,” Byron said. “I mean, it’s just kind of under how we would want to perform. But I think the new car has been a learning curve, and we’re just trying to get a hold of it. We’re just trying to get it all figured out and get better.” Byron won last season’s race with fuel strategy, stretching his final tank of gas to lead the final 74 laps.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHUCK BURTON

Crew members perform a pit stop on driver William Byron’s car during a NASCAR Cup Series race on July 19 in North Wilkesboro, N.C. “It just worked out for us that it was fuel mileage and we had a pretty good car,” Byron said. Byron has three wins overall at Iowa Speedway — he won an O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race in 2017 and a Truck Series race in 2016. He ﬁnished second in the inaugural Cup Series race in Iowa in 2024. “I don’t know, but it sure seems like it’s been a good track for us over the years,” Byron said.

Hamlin’s struggles Points leader Denny Hamlin hasn’t had the best luck at Iowa Speedway — he has ﬁnished 24th in each of the ﬁrst two races. Those struggles continued during Saturday’s practice and qualifying, when he dealt with brake issues. Hamlin ran just 24 practice laps, then was 29th in afternoon qualifying.

After Saturday qualifying; race Sunday At Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa Lap length: 0.88 miles (Car number in parentheses) 1. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 134.191 mph. 2. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 134.088. 3. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 134.088. 4. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 134.025. 5. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 133.911. 6. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 133.786. 7. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 133.786. 8. (88) Connor Zilisch, Chevrolet, 133.758. 9. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 133.667. 10. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota, 133.503. 11. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 133.486. 12. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 133.480. 13. (21) Josh Berry, Ford, 133.463. 14. (38) Zane Smith, Ford, 133.378. 15. (4) Noah Gragson, Ford, 133.333. 16. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 133.232. 17. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 133.175. 18. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 133.164. 19. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 133.125. 20. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 133.119. 21. (42) John H. Nemechek, Toyota, 133.119. 22. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 133.057. 23. (97) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, 133.012. 24. (33) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 132.984. 25. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 132.906. 26. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 132.861. 27. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 132.811. 28. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota, 132.749. 29. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 132.565. 30. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 132.481. 31. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 132.342. 32. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 132.247. 33. (7) Daniel Suárez, Chevrolet, 132.087. 34. (51) Cody Ware, Chevrolet, 131.965. 35. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford, 131.447. 36. (41) Cole Custer, Chevrolet, 131.228.

Hamlin and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe both had brake issues. “The first five laps, I went out and everything was checking out,” Hamlin said. “Everything was OK. I thought the car had decent speed and had a good balance to it. Certainly better than what we’ve been here in the past, but track is scheduled to begin this unfortunately just didn’t get more week and the plan is for it to be finished by late fall. practice in that.” Next season’s race is scheduled A repave is coming for July 4. Parts of the track were repaved Iowa Speedway will undergo a complete repaving before next before the inaugural race in 2024, season’s race, and it’s something with the new surface in the botsome drivers think is long over- tom groove of the turns. “I just hope they really bank due. “Part of you as a racer is like, up the third and fourth lane be‘Man, why would you repave cause then I think it’s going to be somewhere?’ ” Ryan Preece said. a heck of a race track where it’s “But you can see the separation in not locked on the bottom with new some of the lanes, and it definitely pavements,” said Ryan Blaney, is going to need it.” who won the 2024 race. “So time The project at the 0.875-mile will tell.”

LSU recruits in contention at U.S. Championships BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer

55.000, putting her fourth behind Florida’s Skye Blakely and Utah commitment Claire Pease (55.600) and Charleigh Bullock (55.400). Esponda and Rivera were also tied for ﬁrst on vault with Blakely and Jade Carey with scores of 14.200. Esponda’s floor score helped propel her into sixth place in the all-around (54.100) behind Carey (54.400), a 2024 Olympic team gold-medal winner with Rivera in Paris. A third LSU commitment, Tatum Drusch, was in 14th place in the all-around with a 52.000. Her best mark was a 13.700 on vault. The women’s ﬁnal will be televised at 5 p.m. Sunday on NBC.

Reigning U.S. Gymnastics Championships all-around champion and LSU commitment Hezly Rivera was in fourth place heading into Sunday’s women’s final in this year’s championships being held in Phoenix. Rivera, who won the title in 2025 at the Smoothie King Center, was in first place after Friday’s competition on balance beam with a 14.300 in the international gymnastics open-ended scoring system. Rivera was also second on floor with a 14.000 behind fellow LSU commitment Reese Esponda, who had Friday’s highest individual score in any event with a 14.450. But Rivera’s all-around score was For more LSU sports updates, dragged down by a 12.500 on un- sign up for our newsletter at even bars. Her total score was theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Beau Hossler handled a half-dozen tough par putts and two rain delays Saturday for a 4-under 66 that gave him a share of the lead with Michael Brennan going into the ﬁnal round of the Wyndham Championship with postseason berths at stake. Hossler is No. 122 in the FedEx Cup, knowing his only mathematical chance to be among the top 70 to advance to playoffs is to win for the ﬁrst time on the PGA Tour. Brennan, who went from the PGA Tour Americas to a PGA Tour card by winning the Bank of Utah Championship last fall, made a birdie putt from 15 feet on the last hole for a 63. They were at 16-under 194, one shot ahead of Scottish Open winner Tom Kim (63), and two shots clear of 44-year-old Alex Noren

and Alex Smalley, who each shot 65. Such is the nature of the ﬁnal regular-season tournament — and the stakes — that nine of the top 10 players on the leaderboard shot 66 or lower on Saturday. Hossler was leading until a 30-minute delay because of storms, and returned to three-putt from 30 feet for bogey on the par3 16th hole, ending his streak of 31 holes without a bogey. He hit his tee shot into the rough on the 17th, and then came another delay of 1 hour, 20 minutes. The rough was even thicker and damper when he returned, and the greens were challenging as ever. Hossler saved par with three putts from 10 feet or long, and three others in the 5-foot range that looks even longer with the grain in the greens. “That might be the hardest

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro offensive lineman Lane Johnson said Saturday his 14th season would “probably” be his last. Johnson missed four days of training camp last week for personal reasons before returning Friday. Johnson, 36, was a first-round pick in 2013 and was a ﬁrst-team All-Pro in 2017 and 2022. He earned second-team honors in 2021, 2023 and 2024. He has been a pillar at right tackle and won a pair of Super Bowls with the Eagles. “I still feel like I can be a premier tackle in this league,” Johnson said. “My movement and everything feels good.” Johnson, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, said his potential retirement came into focus last season after conversations with his family and an injury-plagued season.

Ravens WR Flowers is ‘day to day’ with leg injury

BALTIMORE — Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers left practice early on Saturday with what coach Jesse Minter described as a quad contusion. Minter said the star wideout is considered “day to day.” At Saturday’s practice during the 7-on-7 period, Flowers collided with safety Jaylinn Hawkins while trying to catch a pass over the middle of the field. The injury came on an in-route when the fourth-year receiver turned toward a ball thrown from Lamar Jackson. Flowers, 25, signed a four-year, $140 million extension on Tuesday that made him the fourth-highestpaid receiver in the NFL and keeps him in Baltimore through 2031.

John says ‘goodbye’ on Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day NEW YORK — Tommy John bid an emotional farewell to Yankees fans before Old-Timers’ Day, issuing a statement through the team as he battles health issues from his Florida home. Saturday’s message didn’t specify John’s condition, but in 2024, the former left-hander announced he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer. The four-time All-Star is 83. “I want to thank the Yankees organization and the Steinbrenner family for giving me this opportunity to say goodbye. ... Thank you to all the fans who supported me and my teammates for 26 years. I’ll never forget you,” the message read. On Sept. 25, 1974, John underwent a then-unprecedented surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. The operation by Dr. Frank Jobe extended John’s career by more than a decade, marking a medical breakthrough that’s now commonplace.

White Sox option rookie pitchers, call up prospects

PROVIDED PHOTO By USA GyMNASTICS

LSU commitment Reese Esponda performs on balance beam in the U.S. Championships on Friday in Phoenix.

Hossler shares Wyndham lead, eyes postseason berth By The Associated Press

Eagles’ Johnson ‘probably’ playing his final season

two-putt on the PGA Tour right there,” Hossler said of the 18th green. “Was really glad to get that down in two and give myself a chance for tomorrow. But very chaotic day, and just glad to make it through.” Jordan Smith of England, at No. 68 in the FedEx Cup, helped his cause in many ways when he made a hole-in-one on the par-3 16th hole with a 9-iron. That also came with a million reward points from tournament sponsor Wyndham. Davis Thompson had enough drama to last a week. He is at No. 81 — a year ago he finished 71st after the Wyndham Championship and missed the postseason by five points — and holed out with an 8-iron from 186 yards for an albatross on the par-5 fifth hole. “Making an albatross usually helps get things going,” Thomp-

son said. The other par 5 at Sedgefield didn’t work out as well. Thompson noticed a crack in his driver on the 13th hole, and he had a spare driver head in his locker. But before it could be brought out to him, he reached the par-5 15th and had to hit 3-wood. He his 3-iron (instead of a mid-iron) into the bunker and had to settle for par. Even so, his 65 put him in a great spot to hold his own and advance to the postseason. He also was close enough to the lead — three shots — to think about winning. Hossler has no choice but to win if he wants to get into the lucrative postseason, that starts with a pair of $20 million tournaments. Brennan, at No. 105, could ﬁnish in a three-way tie for second and still have a mathematical chance at the top 70.

CHICAGO — The struggling Chicago White Sox optioned rookie lefthander Noah Schultz and rookie right-hander David Sandlin to Triple-A Charlotte, and recalled highly regarded prospects Hagen Smith and Tanner McDougal before Saturday’s game against Cleveland. The White Sox, who have lost four in a row and ﬁve of their last six, entered Saturday at 59-56, in ﬁrst place in the AL Central. Smith, 22, is rated by MLB.com as the No. 51 prospect. The lefty is 1-6 with a 4.32 ERA over 20 appearances and 58 1⁄3 innings with Charlotte this season. McDougal, 22, is rated by MLB. com as the No. 4 prospect in the White Sox organization. The righty is 0-1 with a 2.86 ERA over 15 appearances with Charlotte.

Vollering takes lead at Women’s Tour de France

NICE, France — Demi Vollering launched a blistering attack to win the eighth stage of the Women’s Tour de France and take the yellow jersey heading into Sunday’s ﬁnal stage. The Dutchwoman upped the pace on Saturday’s fourth and ﬁnal small climb, and Katarzyna NiewiadomaPhinney cracked with about four miles to go, sitting back down in her saddle as 2023 Tour winner Vollering surged ahead. Elisa Longo Borghini was second and Niewiadoma-Phinney was third, both 17 seconds behind. Vollering is eight seconds ahead of Niewiadoma-Phinney, the 2024 champion, in the overall standings.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ 3C

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College sports bill vote pushed back

PCSA moved to Senate’s September calendar BY EDDIE PELLS Associated Press

The Protect College Sports Act failed to reach a vote during an all-night, pre-recess session in the Senate that ended early Saturday, though the bill did gain a spot on next month’s calendar after the chamber comes back from its summer break. The measure has been touted as one that would put guardrails around an escalating spending spree in college sports as the industry struggles to adapt to a new model in which teams can pay players. “College sports is something that needs to be ﬁxed, they have a good solution,” said Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. “We got it teed up for next month.” The bill has been on a roller coaster since it was introduced in late May but quickly failed to gain support of the two biggest conferences: the Big Ten and SEC. Those conferences signed on and saved it from near death late last month after a ﬂurry of negotiations. But as quickly as it was revived, it

SOUTHERN

Continued from page 1C Whether it was Day 1 of preseason camp on Aug. 1 or the ﬁrst practice in full pads a week later, Penn is striving for excellence. Any mistake on the basics will be called out directly. “Come on big dog,” Penn said. “You done played too much football, man. This simple, elementary stuff.” The standard he is holding his position group to is due to the level of talent the staff believes exists. Merchant said it’s night and day how the position group has improved since the spring. “Behind quarterback, it’s the most important group,” Merchant said. “So we have

faced a reality check in the Senate, where lawmakers from SEC states, including Tommy Tuberville, RAla., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., were among its biggest skeptics. Then, as the bill neared closer to a vote, the Congressional Black Caucus and AFL-CIO also came out against it. Amendments dealing with issues that were never part of the bill also started coming up. All that, combined with a packed list of votes including on a shortterm funding bill and the narrow conﬁrmation of Todd Blanche for attorney general, pushed the PCSA toward the back of the Senate’s agenda. Bill co-sponsor Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said “my colleagues and I have worked hard to end the chaos” that surrounds college sports and predicted the bill would receive support of 60 or more senators to keep it on path to becoming law. Co-sponsor Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said she was grateful Thune put it on the calendar. “This bipartisan bill is how we protect women’s and Olympic sports,” she said. “I look forward to its passage in September.”

to continue to keep pushing that group and the sky’s the limit. We’re not just trying to be best in the conference. We’re trying to be the best in the country.” Johnson, a former NFL wide receivers coach, appreciates the offensive line’s size and physicality and also said that it has “a chance to be one of the better offensive lines in this conference.” Southern needs the position to excel to actualize the rushing attack it wants to unleash in the Go-Go offense. The offensive line has several new faces — of the 11 listed on the roster, six are transfers. One of the additions is 6-3, 310-pound redshirt sophomore Zuri Madison, who played at Arkansas

LSU

A rethinking of third-party NIL Among the bill’s biggest features would be a redeﬁnition of “thirdparty” NIL — the name, image, likeness sponsorship deals that most blame for spiraling costs. Under current rules, schools can share revenue of up to $21.3 million among all players across their athletic program. But there’s an uncapped amount of extra money to be made via these third-party deals, which are often brokered through multimedia rights companies labeled “associated entities” that sell a school’s promotional assets and move some of that cash to the players in exchange for their NIL. The law would presumably shift some of those arrangements under a newly expanded revenue share of up to $48.8 million while leaving open the possibility of “organic”

State last year after beginning his career as a redshirt freshman at Arkansas. “Looks real good,” Johnson said. “He’s playing two positions. I mean, he’s competing for the starting right guard, and I think he’s doing really well.” Another new addition is Riverside Community College transfer Trinidad Wilson. The staff was excited about the 6-5, 350-pound California native’s signing as he picked Southern over Oregon State. Southern could have at least three transfers starting along with returning guard Jeron Lewis. When Johnson was asked if there was any concern about lacking chemistry with several new pieces, he said it’s not a worry. “I think we got Donald

transfer Jaylen Brown, redshirt sophomore Kolaj Cobbins and redshirt freshman Damien Shanklin make up the rest of the room. The Tigers also have redshirt sophomore Gabriel Reliford, who would’ve competed for a starting spot had he not torn his ACL during the spring.

Continued from page 1C the first, second and thirdteam defenses participated in a pursuit drill. The first-team defense included Tennessee transfer Jordan Ross and Ole Miss transfer Princewill Umanmielen at edge rusher, senior Whit Weeks and Ole Miss transfer TJ Dottery slotting in at linebacker and sophomore DJ Pickett and junior PJ Woodland lined up at cornerback. Boise State transfer Ty Benefield was at safety, and junior Dashawn Spears played the Star position. Those eight players were expected starters, but these next three were not. Freshmen Deuce Geralds and Richard Anderson took first-team reps at defensive tackle, and Jhase Thomas — a redshirt freshman who played one snap on defense last season, per Pro Football Focus — was at the other deep safety spot next to Benefield. Geralds worked with the starters in the spring, but his position atop the depth chart in a deep defensive tackle room is notable. Same goes for Anderson, who had a quieter spring but was the No. 1 defensive lineman in the nation as a recruit, according to the 247Sports Composite. LSU loaded up at defensive tackle over the offseason, adding two notable transfers — Clemson’s Stephylan Green and Auburn’s Malik Blocton — and bringing back junior Dominick McKinley, who’s been a part of LSU’s rotation for the past two seasons. Thomas was briefly mentioned as a younger player who could earn more playing time on defense toward the end of last season — after Brian Kelly was let go — but interim coach Frank Wilson’s prediction never materialized. Thomas was the No. 12 recruit in Louisiana in the 2025 class and is battling for playing time in a deep room that also includes Ohio State transfer Faheem Delane and

If it passes the Senate, the bill still ﬁgures to face a steep climb in the House, which is more narrowly divided and tried for months to bring the less athlete-friendly SCORE Act to a vote and failed repeatedly.

Leavitt’s progress STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU defensive tackle Richard Anderson makes a move around a dummy during drills at spring practice on March 26 at the school’s football practice facility.

returning redshirt junior starter Tamarcus Cooley, who led the team in snaps on defense a year ago, per PFF.

A LB changes positions On all three days of practice, redshirt freshman linebacker Jaiden Braker conducted position drills with the edge rushers and not the linebackers. The 6-foot3 and 223-pound Braker only played seven snaps on defense last season, but arrived at LSU as the No. 11 linebacker in the country. Braker’s move to the edge is potentially a sign that LSU is more unsettled there than at linebacker, a position where the Tigers have plenty of depth. After Weeks and Dottery, the Tigers still have junior Davhon Keys, redshirt sophomore Tylen Singleton, redshirt freshman Zach Weeks, redshirt freshman Keylan Moses, sophomore CJ Jimcoily and sophomore Charles Ross. Keys, Zach Weeks and Singleton all earned playing time last season (at least 40 snaps on defense), with Keys starting for Whit Weeks whenever he was unavailable. Meanwhile, at edge rusher, the only healthy player returning who played more than 20 snaps — according to PFF — is redshirt junior Dylan Carpenter. Freshmen Lamar Brown and Trent Henderson, South Carolina

There hasn’t been an opportunity for the media to see the offense practice together as a unit, but starting quarterback Sam Leavitt has looked healthy through the opening three practices. The Arizona State transfer, who missed part of last season and most of spring following foot surgery, is throwing to receivers and has looked springy on his feet on dropbacks. He hasn’t rolled out or sprinted on a quarterback keeper while the media has been in attendance, but Leavitt could be seen on Saturday briskly jogging from one end of the ﬁ eld to the other as his receivers prepared to run routes in the opposite direction. He also hasn’t faced a defense while the media has been in attendance. However, his throws to open receivers have mostly been on target, and he isn’t wearing a wrap around his ankle or his surgically repaired foot.

Attendance report Weston Davis, LSU’s projected starting right tackle, was not at practice on Saturday after being present for LSU’s ﬁrst two days of fall camp. Davis started nine games last season, but allowed 30 pressures and four sacks, per PFF. Also absent, but for all three practice days, was Shanklin. The former fourstar recruit from Indiana had two sacks last season despite only playing 10 snaps, according to PFF. Email Koki Riley at koki. riley@theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate. com/lsunewsletter

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ABBIE PARR

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark dribbles down the court against the Minnesota Lynx on Aug. 2 in Minneapolis. third-party deals that don’t come from an existing arrangement with the school. A good example: Caitlin Clark got her sponsorship deal with State Farm because she was Caitlin Clark, not because she played for Iowa, which happened to have a deal with State Farm. (The Hawkeyes don’t have such a deal.) Sports leaders hope this new “retention pool” of money curtails runaway costs. The MMR groups

aren’t promising it will. “It’s going to continue to grow,” Christy Hedgpeth, the president of Playﬂy Sports Properties, said in an interview last week with The Associated Press. “We have a lot of data that proves that they don’t have to be nationally recognizable. On an average roster, you’re going to have far more than 20 (players) who are going to have several NIL deals.”

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Southern offensive linemen perform tackling drills during preseason practice on Saturday at A.W. Mumford Stadium. and Nick, two NFL guys, so they better have those guys blocking and playing well,” he said, chuckling. Before Williams became

The importance of blocking for an offense that could be run-heavy isn’t just being preached to the offensive line. Johnson, who also coaches the wide receivers, is emphasizing that to his position group. “You have to block,” he said. “For us to have big runs and have big plays in this offense, you got to block. The guys who’re going to play are the guys who’re going to block.” One wide receiver who won’t be an option anymore is UL transfer Charles Robertson. The redshirt senior, who had 15 catches for 250 yards receiving and a touchdown last year, is no longer with the team, Johnson said.

the Jaguars’ run game coordinator, he was the Jacksonville Jaguars offensive Email Toyloy Brown quality control coach from III at toyloy.brown@ 2022-24. theadvocate.com.

The

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2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame

Enshrinement Ceremony • Canton, Ohio

2026 class takes its place in Canton Brees, Fitzgerald, Kuechly, Vinatieri and Craig inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame BY ROB MAADDI

AP pro football writer CANTON, Ohio — Drew Brees stood on stage next to his bronze bust, in front of Who Dat Nation, and took his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Getting benched three times in the NFL helped him get there. “Marty Schottenheimer, one of the greatest coaches and motivators to ever coach this game and who belongs here in Canton,” Brees said Saturday. “Marty was my biggest fan. He would tell me all the time, even as he benched me three times and made me fight for my job every year with two greats, Doug Flutie and Philip Rivers. “The first two times I got benched, I deserved it. The third time, I still don’t think I deserved it, coach. Nonetheless, it lit more than a fire. It forced me to access a place in my mind and heart that I had not yet been. The adversity was not expected, but very necessary. I would never have reached the heights I did without it. I knew I needed to play better, but more importantly, I knew he believed I would play better.” Brees eventually left the San Diego Chargers and joined the New Orleans Saints, where he won a Super Bowl playing for coach Sean Payton and became one of the most prolific passers in NFL history, to the delight of fans who filled the Superdome with chants of “Who dat?” Brees has the second-most yards passing (80,358) and touchdown passes (571) in league history, behind only Tom Brady. He was a first-ballot selection and joined a class that includes Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri and Roger Craig.

‘It’s not just about excellence’ Fitzgerald was the ﬁrst player to have his bronze bust revealed on stage Saturday at Tom Benson Stadium. The 11-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, who played his entire 17year career for the Cardinals, was introduced by the oldest of his three sons, Devin. He finished his speech with a

HALL OF FAME Continued from page 1C

League Baseball games in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. Alphonso wasn’t the only Saints super fan at Tom Benson Stadium on Saturday. Also spotted in the Saints-heavy crowd were Mark “Mack the Quack” Cuenca, Leroy “Whistle Monsta” Mitchell and Larry “Sign Man” Rolling. The fans not festooned in blackand-gold feather boas, hats or sequins were proudly wearing No. 9 Brees jerseys. Among them, Kim Palmer of San Diego and Donna Kern of New Orleans, who made the trip to honor Palmer’s late husband, an ardent Saints fan who died three years ago. “Drew has been such an inspiration to so many families, and he did the hard work when it needed to be done (after Katrina),” Kern said. Added Palmer: “As soon as Drew got (announced as a Hall of Famer), I called (Kern) and said, ‘Can we go to see Drew get inducted?’ My husband would’ve gone wild.

BREES

Continued from page 1C bar in 2011, when the Saints were smashing NFL offensive records, to 2020, when Brees retired, Parke handed out a lot of free booze. So much that he started to worry he was handing out too much, so he began to keep a record of it to take to the establishment’s owner, Dave Clements. “I started to look at, OK, how many people are in the bar, how many points did we score, how many bottles did we go through,” Parke said. “I brought it up to Dave and I said, ‘We might need to stop this,’ and he said, ‘No f*****g way! This is what we do.’” There are a great many ways to quantify Brees’ greatness on the ﬁeld. He is one of the most proliﬁc passers in NFL history, with sta-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAVID DERMER

From left, former NFL players Drew Brees, Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri pose next to their busts during the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday. message to his boys that applies to everyone. “Don’t just pursue excellence for yourself,” Fitzgerald said. “Help other people pursue it, too. That’s the part of this story that matters the most. Not the likes. Not the fame. But the people you travel with. The values you uphold. In the end, it’s not just about the excellence. It’s about the people who help get you there.” Being drafted No. 3 overall in 2004 by Cardinals coach Dennis Green reunited Fitzgerald with the man who was Minnesota’s coach when he was a ball boy for the Vikings. “When coach Green hired me as a ball boy, I grew up watching legends being built right in front of me,” Fitzgerald said. “Hall of Fame players like John Randle, Chris Doleman, Randall McDaniel and Warren Moon, who taught me what it means to demand more of yourself than anyone else ever would. Plus, they saw me.” Fitzgerald is second on the NFL’s career list in receptions (1,432) and receiving yards (17,492). His 121 touchdown catches are sixth.

full-time placekicker to be inducted into the Hall, joining Jan Stenerud and Morten Andersen. He may have a new career in comedy. Vinatieri drew plenty of laughs and cheers with jokes about Bill Belichick, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. “And Peyton, thank you for generously donating your forehead for today’s teleprompter,” Vinatieri cracked. “A gigantic forehead means big brain and your football IQ is unmatched.” Manning nodded his head with a smile from his seat among the Hall of Famers. Vinatieri retired with NFL records of 2,673 career points and 599 ﬁeld goals. Only George Blanda (26) and Andersen (25) had longer NFL careers than Vinatieri’s 24 seasons. “When people hear the word greatness, they usually think about the biggest names on the biggest stages,” Vinatieri said. “But greatness isn’t created under bright lights. Greatness is built on empty practice fields when it’s below zero. Greatness ‘Character matters’ is sacriﬁcing temporary fun for Vinatieri became only the third meaningful outcomes. Great-

ness is turning doubt into belief. Preparation matters. Character matters.

‘The value of communication’ At 35, Kuechly became the second-youngest player inducted into the Hall. Chicago Bears running back Gale Sayers was 34 when he was inducted in 1977. Introduced by his father, Tom, Kuechly was inducted on the same field where he led St. Xavier High School to a state championship in 2007. Known for his intense study habits, Kuechly was a five-time All-Pro linebacker, the 2012 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2013 AP Defensive Player of the Year during his eight-year career with the Carolina Panthers. Kuechly decided to retire in part to preserve his brain health after suffering several concussions. “This game teaches you a lot if you’re willing to observe and listen,” Kuechly said. “It’s taught me resilience, consistency, toughness, the value of communication, how to find common ground, and most importantly how to enjoy it along the way cause often the best moments are the ones you are in.”

Former Saints quarterback Drew Brees poses with former coach Sean Payton during the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday.

This is our tribute to him.” It was difﬁcult to go anywhere in Canton or its surrounding environs during enshrinement week without seeing a fan in a No. 9 jersey or Saints gear. That was certainly the case at the traditional Hall of Fame walk on the Hall campus Friday morning, where Sharon and Jay Lonero of Metairie were strategically positioned in the front row of fans on Hall of Fame Drive. The Loneros have been ardent fans since 2009, when they presciently bought season tickets and followed Brees and the Saints on their magical run to the Super Bowl XLIV title. “We just love Drew, and he is such an exemplary human being,” Sharon Lonero said. “When the Saints won the Super Bowl, I told my friends, ‘Enjoy it, because it’s never going to happen again. It’s a unicorn.’” Not far away along the route stood the black-and-gold-clad mother-anddaughter team of Alyssa and Beth DiMarco, who trekked to Canton from New Orleans and Houston, respectively. Alyssa said she planned to wear her special jersey to the ceremony for the ﬁrst time since Brees

and the Saints won the Super Bowl in 2009. “I’m so excited,” Alyssa DiMarco said. “It’s like completing the circle.” Beth DiMarco echoed the sentiments of many fans this week in saying their devotion to Brees extends beyond the playing ﬁeld. “Not only did he make our team feel relevant, Drew did so much for the city and so much for the community and the city,” said Beth DiMarco, sporting a pendant of the New Orleans skyline on her necklace. “He changed everything.”

Janet Rodman and her son, Chris Kirchein, were among the ﬁrst of an army of Saints fans who attended a local promotional event for Brees in suburban Canton on Friday morning. They traveled from New York to show their support. “Drew was basically my whole life in terms of sports,” said Kirchein, who scrolled through a gallery of photos of his Saintsthemed room at home on his phone. “I grew up through high school, college (LSU) and then after I went to college, so Drew’s been part of my life in terms of

tistics that dwarf some of those belonging to all-time greats. But there may be no more uniquely New Orleans way to measure the tug of Brees’ gravity in this city than to see Parke’s logbook from Brees’ playing days. It all boils down to a simple human equation: Brees’ greatness brought people together. “They would come here, and the Jäger was the communion wine,” Parke said. “Nobody goes to church for the f*****g wine; it’s the community.” The Snake & Jake’s bartender is Harvard-educated and has a curious mind. He’s learning Hellenic Greek so he can read “The Odyssey” in its original text. Keeping a one-of-a-kind record of Brees’ career seemed appropriate to him as a sort of anthropological study of how a “player can become integrated into a culture in a micro way.” Parke’s notes included the day of

the game he worked, the score of the game, the amount of free Jäger he poured and often a personal memo about the size of the crowd in the bar. After one game against the Dolphins in 2012 — a 38-17 win in which Parke went through a bottle and a half — he jotted down, “we had a nice crowd, and man, Dave is going to go broke.” There was the 2018 game against the Rams when Brees threw for 346 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-35 win — that one stuck out in Parke’s memory because of how quickly he got through a second bottle. Appropriately, the record-setting day for the Christmas Club Lounge was Christmas Day 2020, a 52-33 drubbing of the Minnesota Vikings, when Parke went through three and a quarter bottles of Jäger. “We would just start to laugh and smile when he’s putting his helmet on to go out on the field,” Parke

said. “And you would have people in here like, ‘Eh, I think we’re going to get a drink.’ “He could make that feeling. And I’d be like, ‘No, you can’t … oh, that’s a touchdown.’ So I got in the habit of having the cups already ready when Brees was in.” The Brees days were the halcyon days of Saints fandom. What strikes Parke when he looks back through his old records isn’t necessarily the amount of Jäger he handed out. His notes are littered with the words “big crowd.” Parke knows what that means here, because he understands the way the city and the team are intertwined — even during the franchise’s darkest days. “I went in the ’80s when we were the ’Aints,” Parke said. “I found my paper bag up in my mom’s attic. I’m kind of proud of the fact that you might not be able to be more New Orleans, because it was

AP PHOTO

‘It’s overwhelming’ Craig, who revealed in a video speech that he has vascular dementia, became the ﬁrst player in NFL history to have 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in a season. Only Marshall Faulk and Christian McCaffrey have done it since. In 1985, Craig became the ﬁrst player in NFL history to have 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in a season. He was the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1988. “When I learned that Bill Walsh wanted me, that meant something because he saw something in me that others didn’t,” Craig said. “He didn’t just want a running back; he wanted a complete football player. He trusted me to do whatever the team needed. That’s why a 1,000-yard rushing, 1,000yard receiving season means so much to me. We weren’t chasing numbers. We were chasing wins. I didn’t realize I was making history.” “You spend your whole life trying to prove you belong and one day you’re told you’re one of the alltime greats. Man, it’s overwhelming,” Craig said.

sports. I think it’s more so my love for the city of New Orleans itself. I think New Orleans, I love New Orleans. We’ve been going down over 20 years. 2003 was our ﬁrst time going down.” “I love the fact of what he contributed to the community and how community oriented he is,” said Rodman, decked out in a No. 9 Brees jersey. “It goes beyond football for me with him because again, as a parent, I watch what he does with everybody and he’s all about New Orleans. Even though he doesn’t live there now, he’s still all about New Orleans.” Trey Swindle was not hard to spot in the crowd. The architect from Dallas sported a large black T-shirt emblazoned with the message “I MISS DREW BREES” and a head shot of the former Saints quarterback across the front. “I think we all miss him,” said Swindle, a Shreveport native. “I was always a Saints fan, and then he came along and I liked his story about how he came to New Orleans and, of course, the whole situation with Katrina and just kind of uplifting. We were spoiled (by Drew).”

a K&B paper bag. But we still went to the games, we still believed.” So that is the thing he reflects on when he thinks back on Brees’ career. Yes, there was a lot of free alcohol that ﬂowed from his hand, but that meant there were also a ton of mouths on the receiving end — something that’s been less true as he’s continued to track the Jäger output since Brees’ retirement. “I can show you exactly how much Jäger was given away by the bottle, but it was the crowd,” Parke said. “When he was here, more people cared. And yes, the slivers were truly lagniappe. But they came because they knew it was an experience — and we win.” The neighborhood dive bar never felt like such a neighborhood unto itself as the days when Brees roamed the sidelines. Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ 5C

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NFL

Raiders suspend A surprise switch-up for Ruiz Cousins, Crosby from team drills SAINTS OBSERVATIONS

QB Shough shines in latest camp practice

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

Cesar Ruiz was a standout center in college, but over the years, the position has largely passed the New Orleans Saints offensive lineman by. In a game, Ruiz hasn’t taken a snap at his former spot since Dec. 5, 2022 — when starter Erik McCoy was still on injured reserve and the team’s then-coaching staff shufﬂed the lineup. But for the most part, Ruiz has established himself in the NFL at right guard. That’s where he has become a full-time starter. That’s how he earned the four-year, $44 million contract that he signed back in 2023. So it was more than notable Saturday when practice began and Ruiz was lined up at center — with the second unit, no less. Ruiz remained with the backups for all of practice, even when Dillon Radunz — his replacement at guard — suffered a knee injury before team drills even began. Instead of turning back to Ruiz, or simply having him pull double duty, the Saints elevated William Sherman to play with the ﬁrst team. What gives? Saints coach Kellen Moore said the plan was put in place so Ruiz could get more “exposure” to center after not cross-training there last year. Moore added that Ruiz will continue to play center Sunday before the team moves him back to guard ahead of next week’s joint practice with the Jacksonville Jaguars. “Obviously we know his history,” Moore said. “Last year, we probably didn’t get him as much work in center during camp. So if something comes up, that’s a bigger transition when he hasn’t done a whole lot there.” Moore denied that Saturday’s switch was to send Ruiz a message that his play at guard hadn’t been up to standard. But Ruiz is coming off a season in which he didn’t play to his — and the Saints’ — usual standard. After general manager Mickey Loomis publicly said they needed “more” out of Ruiz, the 27-year-old said “challenge accepted” earlier in the offseason. Still, Moore’s explanation was plausible given the Saints have question marks at backup center. Luke Fortner, last year’s No. 2, is gone after signing with the Carolina Panthers in free agency. Beyond trying Ruiz there, the Saints have used Torricielli Simpkins, Joshua Kilty and Sherman at center with the second and third units. New Orleans understands the importance of center depth. McCoy suffered back-to-back, season-ending injuries over the last two years. The Saints used three different centers in 2024 following McCoy’s injury but only had to use Fortner last season when the same situation occurred. As for why Ruiz didn’t take his place back with the starters once Radunz went down, Moore said the Saints were trying to manage the lineman’s workload. “We’re still just conscious of

BY MARK ANDERSON AP sportswriter

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints center Cesar Ruiz and defensive lineman John Ridgeway run a drill during training camp on Saturday at the team’s practice facility in Metairie. reps,” Moore said. “I think also, you know, let him just focus on center. Obviously it’s a transition. Just let him focus on center for a couple days; get re-acclimated to that position. “Again, I think it’s really good work for him, and then we’ll transition back over to guard here shortly.”

Attendance The injury list is starting to become lengthy for the Saints: Running back Kendre Miller (back), running back Devin Neal (hamstring), defensive lineman Christen Miller (toe), linebacker Chris Rumph (ankle) and guard Jeremiah Wright (shoulder) all missed practice with injuries. Cornerback Rejzohn Wright (unspeciﬁed) was also not in attendance. Running back Alvin Kamara, defensive end Cam Jordan and long snapper Zach Wood also missed practice because they were in Canton, Ohio, for Drew Brees’ induction into the Hall of Fame. The Saints also saw Radunz and safety Julian Blackmon leave practice early with knee injuries, Moore said.

Shough shines Tyler Shough might be starting to quietly hit his stride in training camp. He was an excellent 8 for 9 in team drills, with his lone incompletion coming on a target to Chris Olave that cornerback KoolAid McKinstry appeared to defend well. His best connection has been with first-round wide receiver Jordyn Tyson. The quarterback found the rookie three times, including on a short curl that Tyson would have likely taken to the house had the whistle not been blown. The pair’s chemistry seems to be increasing by the day. They are far removed from the beginning of training camp, when two miscues — a pass that hit Tyson’s shoulder and another that was picked off

— led the rookie to claim responsibility for both.

Play of the day While Shough’s timing with Tyson stood out, the quarterback’s chemistry with Olave shouldn’t be ignored. In fact, Shough’s best throw of camp came Saturday when he ﬁred a 17-yard laser to Olave between three nearby defenders. The timing was perfect — and reminiscent of what made the quarterback so promising as a rookie. Shough’s touch and sense for the middle of the ﬁeld help create plays that others simply can’t. And on this play-action strike, Shough found Olave moments before Justin Reid leaped for the ball — causing the safety to tumble to the ground on a mistimed jump.

Odds and ends n Safety Jordan Howden replaced Blackmon (knee) for team drills, allowing Jonas Sanker to continue to be the Saints’ inside cornerback. n The Saints’ coaching staff donned “No. 9” T-shirts and hats for Brees’ enshrinement. n With Wood in Ohio, defensive tackle John Ridgeway served as the emergency long snapper. Tanner Brown went 4 of 6 on the day, with his two misses coming from 45 and 54 yards. n Moore said the Saints’ kicking competition between Brown and Charlie Smyth is “super close,” adding he expects it to last all the way to the end of camp. n The Saints continued to explore their combinations at linebacker, with Jaylan Ford taking several ﬁrst-team reps in place of Pete Werner. The Saints had spent two earlier practices with Danny Stutsman rotating reps with Werner. n In addition to signing linebacker Deion Jones, the Saints also signed defensive lineman Brien Taylor and edge rusher Malakai Williams, while waiving defensive lineman Zxavian Harris.

49ers coach Shanahan plans to coach exhibition opener following car crash BY JOSH DUBOW

AP pro football writer SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Saturday he is nearly fully recovered from the car crash that has limited him this summer and is ready to coach the team’s ﬁrst exhibition game on Thursday night. Shanahan has been working his way back to full speed since the car crash on July 14 that left him with a concussion, broken ribs, a broken nose, a broken hand and more than 40 stitches to close a cut over his eye. In his ﬁrst news conference of training camp, he said he has just a few remaining symptoms from the concussion. “I’m doing real good,” he said. “My body feels good. Just got to get this annoying cast off. My ribs feel good, except when I sneeze, and my head feels so much better. Concussions do linger a little bit. The only things I really deal with now is just headaches and fatigue. That’s why I’m not always exactly on the same

routine, but pretty damn close.” Shanahan has been at practice every day this summer and said that the loud music that bothered him at the beginning of camp is no longer an issue. He has only addressed the full team at meetings a few times and didn’t feel ready to hold a news conference until after practice on Saturday. But he said he has been doing the most important parts of his job and that he will be on the sideline for the exhibition opener against Tennessee. “One thing I haven’t missed anything of is ﬁlm,” he said. “I watch every single play with the coaches after with the players. I have had a few team meetings. Normally I do it every day. But I do lose a little when I do stuff, so I’ve just had to pick and choose a little bit more. But as far as the ﬁlm and everything, being out there for all the practice periods of going against each other, those are to me the most important things in my job. I’ve been able to do those every day.” The 49ers are entering a crucial

part of the summer with a joint practice on Tuesday with the Titans ahead of the exhibition opener. The Niners are scheduled to have another joint practice the following week with the Chargers before their second exhibition game and then wrap up the preseason on Aug. 27 against Las Vegas. The team the leaves the following week for Australia, where the 49ers will open the season on Sept. 11 against the Los Angeles Rams. Shanahan said he thought he would have been back at full strength sooner but is glad he has taken the extra time. He said being patient was easier because of the conﬁdence he had in acting coach Chris Foerster, along with coordinators Klay Kubiak, Raheem Morris and Brant Boyer. “It made it really easy for me not to worry about me having to do something,” he said. “Our guys are awesome. We have a pretty welloiled machine. We’ve been here for, this is our 10th year. Those guys made it very easy for me to not do anything stupid.”

HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins and defensive end Maxx Crosby were suspended from team drills at practice Saturday following their fight the day before, giving rookie QB Fernando Mendoza his first opportunity in training camp to run the starting offense. “We have very clear expectations about how we want to practice, how you go about our business,” coach Klint Kubiak said. “We violated that yesterday, so we held those guys out. That’s all I’m going to say about it. We addressed it with the team and we’re moving on.” Cousins and Crosby had to be separated by teammates after the fight. The 37-year-old quarterback appeared upset that Crosby tipped his pass, forcing an incompletion, and then charged the 6-foot-5, 256-pound defensive end, who is three inches taller and 42 pounds heavier. The Raiders are off Sunday before returning Monday morning, so their starting quarterback and star pass rusher will compete against each other again, though, Kubiak hopes, without any punches.

Mendoza has ups and downs With Cousins watching Saturday, Mendoza — the Heisman Trophy winner at Indiana who was taken ﬁrst overall in the NFL draft — threw touchdown passes to tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer and wide receiver Tre Tucker. He also had some misfires while facing the starting defense for the first time, but showed agility in eluding pressure to ﬁnd open receivers. “Fernando continues to improve, and the thing I think we’re very pleased about is from spring to the start of camp, there were some parts of this game we wanted him to improve upon and he has as we’ve added different layers and dimensions,” quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s not repeating mistakes, which is always a good thing. It’s a long process. We’re pleased with how he’s developing.” Kubiak has said Mendoza, brought to Las Vegas to be the

AP PHOTO By JOHN LOCHER

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins warms up during practice at the team’s training camp on Tuesday in Henderson, Nev.

franchise quarterback, would be able to run the ﬁrst-team offense at some point in camp. The timing of getting that chance Saturday probably doesn’t hurt, given that the Raiders open their preseason schedule Thursday night when they host the Arizona Cardinals. Kubiak hasn’t made any announcements on how he plans to use his quarterbacks, but Mendoza probably will at least see the ﬁeld early and possibly start. Cousins likely will be the starter when the season begins, but even then, Kubiak has made no promises. The Raiders are expected to turn to Mendoza at some point this season. “The visual and verbal communication he’s made, certainly the ability to take snaps under center, those are things we’ve seen him improve upon,” Sullivan said. “He’s going to continue to work on and we want him to still want him to be even better. But we’re pleased with where that’s at right now.”

Injury updates Wide receiver Jalen Nailor returned to practice after sitting out Friday with an unspeciﬁed injury, but defensive ends Kwity Paye and Keyron Crawford as well as wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. remained out. Caleb Rogers, who is competing with Jackson Powers-Johnson at right guard, appeared to injure his left arm or elbow, but wound up returning.

Jets rookie Bailey limps off with an ankle injury BY DENNIS WASZAK JR. AP pro football Writer

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets rookie edge rusher David Bailey injured an ankle in practice Saturday, but coach Aaron Glenn said the No. 2 overall draft pick should be OK. Bailey, who’s off to an impressive start to training camp, was rushing the passer during 11on-11 team drills when he went down. He got up slowly and walked with a slight limp as he gingerly headed to the sideline. The former Texas Tech star was looked at by trainers and jogged a few times, not appearing to be affected much by the injury. He later walked to the locker room with his teammates after practice ended. “He got up after the ankle,” Glenn said. “He’ll be ﬁne.” Glenn didn’t want to speculate on whether Bailey might be sidelined a few days. The Jets have Sunday and Monday off from practice, so that would give Bailey some time to rest before the team begins joint sessions with Tampa Bay on Tuesday and Wednesday. “Yeah, I would say he’s day to day, but let me make sure because he got up and I think he jogged off,” Glenn said. “So I would think he’d be that.” Bailey was the highest-selected defensive player taken in the NFL draft in Jets history. After transferring to Texas Tech, he

had 14 1/2 sacks last season — his combined total in three seasons at Stanford — with 52 tackles, 19 1/2 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles, all on strip sacks. He has flashed often during training camp, with multiple plays that would be sacks — there’s no contact on quarterbacks — throughout the summer. “There’s certainly plays where you’re like, ‘That’s what we thought it was going to be,’ ” defensive coordinator Brian Duker said Friday. “It’s good to see it. We expected that from him.”

Payne sidelined with injury Rookie safety VJ Payne, a seventh-round draft pick, will be sidelined about three to four weeks with what Glenn said is a “pretty good bone bruise.” Payne, a former standout at Kansas State, is competing for a backup safety role behind Minkah Fitzpatrick, Andre Cisco, Dane Belton and Malachi Moore. It wasn’t clear exactly where Payne was bruised, but the timeline mentioned by Glenn would suggest he could miss the entire preseason. “A player that was playing really well for us,” Glenn said of Payne. “He’s really building a role for himself, but he’ll be ﬁne.” Glenn said edge rusher Kingsley Jonathan bruised a thigh during practice, but should be OK.

6C ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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OUTDOORS

Holy mackerel

Is special season next for seemingly declining game fish?

BY JOE MACALUSO

Contributing writer

Is there another offshore fishing season in the offing for Louisiana’s deep-water anglers? Will king mackerel join the likes of red snapper, greater amberjack, gray triggerNotebook fish and a handful of grouper species with restrictive seasons, daily limits and minimum size regulations? After paying attention to catches from three major summertime fishing rodeos — the Swollfest and the Golden Meadow-Fourchon and Grand Isle Tarpon rodeos — the catches of king mackerel during the past four summers have dropped to nearly nothing. While the news from the Gulf Council is that king mackerel are not overfished, nor undergoing overfishing, what’s the concern? Well, through 2020, the leaderboards for these three heavily fished events were usually filled with the limit of three entries for kings, the heaviest bending the scales at 49 pounds. Since then, catches have dropped dramatically. Only the Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo filled three places on its board in any year since. And, from 2022 on, Swollfest’s five-year total is three kings — none this year nor last year. The Golden Meadow-Fourchon has had three in five years, including a 6-pound entry that topped the board in 2024. The Grand Isle Rodeo has had five entries in those five years, and three came in 2022. Again, a 6-pounder led the board in 2025. “We’re waiting on the (population) survey to come in next year to find out what’s going on,” state Wildlife and Fisheries marine biologist Jason Adriance said, adding a stumbling block to accurate Gulfwide data is waiting on a landings report from Mexico. He also wondered if removing abandoned oil and gas platforms from the Gulf have affected catches and said it’s possible king mackerel have had to find other locations to feed and spawn. For Nick Rauber, the Baton Rouge dentist heading up the increasingly popular Swollfest Rodeo, the explanations aren’t that simple. “We had 988 (fish) entered in this year’s rodeo and not one king (mackerel) was weighed in,” Rauber said. Rauber speculated that the effort to fish shallower water might not be the same as it was five years ago, and that most big-boat trips head to deeper water to fish for snapper and grouper. “Years ago when I first went offshore, it was exciting to see a king launch itself from the water,” Rauber said. “You’d think with all that activity, even if half of the registered fishermen went offshore over four days, and with the

RED SNAPPER SEASON TO CLOSE MONDAY; FALL INSHORE SHRIMP OPENING DAY SET With two weeks of fishing data to be compiled, state Wildlife and Fisheries managers decided to be cautious and announced the private recreational red snapper season will close at 11:59 p.m. Monday in state and federal waters. The move comes after weekly record-setting catches in late June and early July.Through July 19, this season’s catch total comes to 701,302 pounds of our state’s 882,439-pound annual quota.The declaration also indicated the season could reopen if there is a sufficient

number of pounds remaining in that allotment. The agency also announced the opening day and times for the fall inshore shrimp season with the primary target being white shrimp. All three shrimp zones will open at 6 a.m.Aug. 17 from the LouisianaMississippi line west to South Pass and from the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel west to the Louisiana-Texas line.There will be a 6 p.m. opening for inshore waters from South Pass to the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel. Joe Macaluso

CALENDAR MONDAY

RED STICK FLY FISHERS PROGRAM: 7 p.m., Bluebonnet Regional Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge. Open to the public. Email Brian Roberts: roberts.brian84@ gmail.com. Website: rsff.org

TUESDAY

LA. FINFISH TASK FORCE MEETING: 10 a.m., state Wildlife & Fisheries headquarters, 2000 Quail Dr., Baton Rouge.

WEDNESDAY

BUGS & BEERS: 6:30 p.m., Skeeta Hawk Brewing, 455 N. Dorgenois St., New Orleans. Casual fly tying. Open to public. Email A.J. Rosenbohm: ajrosenbohm@gmail.com. Website: neworleansflyfishers. com

THURSDAY

JUNIOR SOUTHWEST BASSMASTERS MEETING: 7 p.m., Seminar Room, Bass Pro Shops, Denham Springs. Boys & girls age-group bass tournaments for ages 7-10, 11-14 & 15-18 anglers. Call Jim Breaux (225) 772-3026.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BILL FEIG

Anthony Taormina of LaPlace was all smiles after taking this 35-pound king mackerel more than 10 years ago during the Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo. From 2015-20 the leaderboards on major saltwater rodeos were filled with king mackerel, but catches have been sparse during the past five years.

good weather we had, somebody system. would’ve caught a king.” The data could mean one more step to state management by the Amberjack five Gulf states for this species, a The Wildlife and Fisheries Com- plan similar to the one painstakmission passed a resolution during ingly developed for red snapper Thursday’s meeting to support recreational season. the agency’s application for an exempted fishing permit to allow High school stars further study for the recreational The Rayne High School Bass take of greater amberjack from Club team of Travis Meche and Chance offshore waters. Watson finished fifth among the 214 The permit will need approval teams competing the title in last from the Gulf Council and from week’s Bassmaster High School federal fisheries managers based Championship held on Kentucky in the Southeast regional office in Lake near Paris, Tennessee. In Atlanta. three days, the pair boated a nineState fisheries managers need bass limit (three each day) for a the exempted permit for 61 days 32-pound, 15-ounce total. — June 1-July 31 — more than the Another Louisiana team, Hunter Sept. 1-Oct. 13 recreational season Dickinson and Case Payton from the to validate catches through Loui- Central fishing team, finished 13th siana’s LA Creel data collection with a 30-pound, 1-ounce catch.

ONGOING

STATEWIDE TOURNAMENT & ANGLERS RODEO/S.T.A.R.: Through Sept. 7, Coastal Conservation Association’s summer-long ﬁshing event. Tagged redﬁsh, coastal/ offshore species categories & youth division. CCA membership required. Website: ccalouisiana. com/star

LOTTERY HUNT

BLACK BEAR DECEMBER SEASON: Application period ends Aug. 28 for 42 tags in seven areas plus secretary tag to be auctioned. If drawn, there’s a mandatory bear hunter training course. Applications website: wlf.la.gov with $50 application fee. Email David Hayden: dhayden@wlf.la.gov

AROUND THE CORNER

AUG. 18 — LAFAYETTE KAYAK FISHING CLUB MEETING: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Call (337) 232-5854. Website: www.lafayettekayakfishing.com AUG. 19 — FLIES & FLIGHTS: 7-9 p.m, Rally Cap Brewing, 11212 Pennywood Ave., Baton Rouge. Casual fly tying. Open to public. Email Chris Williams: thefatfingeredflytyer@gmail.com AUG. 20 — ACADIANA FLY ROD-

DERS PROGRAM: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Open to public. Email Darin Lee: at cbrsandcdc@gmail.com. Website: acadianaflyrodders.org AUG. 21-22 — NSCA SPORTING CLAYS EVENTS: Wilderness Club, Lafayette. AUG. 23 — SOUTH LOUISIANA HIGHPOWER CLUB MATCH: 8:30 a.m., Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Range, St. Landry Road, Gonzales. NRA XTC & F-Class match rifle or service rifle, 200-yard/50-rounds match course. Fee $15 members, $20 nonmembers, $5 juniors. $25 annual club (first match free) & Civilian Marksmanship Program membership (allows purchases from CMP). Call Mike Burke (337) 380-8120. Email: SouthLAHighPower@hotmail.com AUG. 23 — CLEAN OUT YOUR FREEZER DAY: 1-4 p.m., most of the 21 Louisiana sites and in Natchez, Mississippi. Collection of frozen game & fish for distribution by local food banks. A Hunters for the Hungry project. Website details: cleanoutyourfreezer.com

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Spring inshore season closed except for Breton/Chandeleur sounds; all outside waters open. OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Private recreational red snapper (final day Monday, Aug. 9); gray triggerfish; flounder; lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers & wenchmen among other snapper species; all groupers except closed for goliath & Nassau groupers in state/federal waters. CLOSED SEASONS: Recreational/ commercial greater amberjack (recreational season Sept. 1-Oct. 13); bluefin tuna; gag (Sept. 1-30 season), goliath & Nassau groupers in state/federal waters.

LDWF UPDATES

CLOSED: Hope Canal Road/boat launch (Maurepas Swamp WMA, levee construction); Reserve Relief Canal Boat Launch by order of Corps of Engineers (Reserve Relief Pump Station construction) with alternate launch locations at Pete’s Landing, the Akers boat ramp & Bonnet Carré Spillway boat launch. DRAWDOWNS: Saline Lake (through Oct. 5); Iatt Lake (through Oct. 5); Clear-Smithport Lake (Aug. 3-Nov. 16); Lake Bistineau (Aug. 12-Nov. 30); Henderson Lake (ends Nov. 2); Chicot Lake (Sept. 8-Jan. 4). EMAIL: jmacaluso@theadvocate.com

Horse racing’s Triple Crown not dead, but in trouble BY MARK STORY

Lexington Herald-Leader (TNS) LEXINGTON, Ky. — As the headlines attest, we are living through one of the most consequential weeks in the history of North American thoroughbred horse racing. “The Triple Crown Passes Away At 107” sat atop a column written by veteran turf writer Bill Finley for the Thoroughbred Daily News. “Horse racing’s Triple Crown may be dead” ran above a piece from Dan Wolken of Yahoo Sports. An Associated Press news story was titled “Big changes in horse racing create new questions about the future of the Triple Crown.” The projections of impending demise for the Triple Crown — the annual three-race series for 3-year-old thoroughbreds consisting of the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore and the Belmont Stakes in New York — were sparked by a pair of announcements this week. On Monday, Churchill Downs Inc., the company that owns the landmark Louisville racetrack, and the New York Racing Association announced joint sponsor-

ship of a new six-race series for 3-year-olds — which will include the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont, but not the Preakness. The following day, government ofﬁcials in Maryland said that the 2027 Preakness Stakes will move back eight days on the calendar. Rather than its traditional spot two Saturdays after the Kentucky Derby and three Saturdays before the Belmont Stakes, the Preakness will run next year on the third Sunday after the Derby. Over the course of 2026, the relationship between Churchill Downs, Inc., and the state of Maryland has seemed to grow increasingly fraught. On April 21, Churchill announced that it had agreed to pay $85 million to “acquire the intellectual property, including all trademarks and associated rights, of the Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes,” from the company, 1/ST Maryland LLC, which owned and operated those races. In June, however, the state of Maryland exercised an option it had previously been granted by 1/ST to match any offer for the sale of the Preakness and the Black-Eyed Susan. Had the original deal gone

COMMENTARY through, it’s hard to imagine that Churchill Downs, Inc., would have signed on to a new race series that did not include the Preakness. As it is, the new six-race series will be called the “Thoroughbred Championship Series.” It will begin next year with the Kentucky Derby (May 1); then include the Belmont Stakes (June 5); the Matt Winn Stakes (Churchill Downs in July); the Jim Dandy Stakes (Saratoga race course in late July or early August); the Travers Stakes (Saratoga, late August); and conclude with a championship race at Churchill Downs in September. According to Churchill Downs, Inc., the idea behind the new series is to “extend fan engagement beyond the Triple Crown by connecting six premier races across ﬁve months through a uniﬁed points system and a $5 million championship prize pool” that will be in addition to the individual race purses. In recent years, the Preakness has become increasingly marginalized. Many modern trainers prefer giving horses more time be-

tween races than the traditional two weeks between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Of the past five Derby winners, three — Rich Strike in 2022; Sovereignty in 2025; and Golden Tempo this year — have skipped the Maryland race. In response, there have been increasing calls to put more weeks in between the Triple Crown races. I have not been enthusiastic about switching those dates. To me, the prestige of winning the Triple Crown is largely tied to the achievement being the same for a future winner that it was for American Pharoah in 2015 and Secretariat in 1973. Nevertheless, now that Maryland has started us down the path of altering the Triple Crown race calendar, the obvious plan would be to run the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May, the Preakness on the first Saturday in June and the Belmont on the first Saturday in July. Maryland officials moving the Preakness Stakes back eight days with the idea it will attract more horses to the race seems unlikely to work unless the date of the Belmont Stakes is also

moved back. There has been no indication from the NYRA that it intends to do that. So, even as Baltimore’s Pimlico race course is undergoing a $400 million renovation, its marquee event appears to be stuck in a noman’s land. The Preakness did get a smidgen of good news this week with the announcement of a new deal with NBC Sports to telecast the Preakness and the Black-Eyed Susan (the companion race to the Preakness for 3-year-old ﬁllies) through 2032. NBC has incentive to help keep the Preakness from receding into irrelevancy. Maybe the Peacock Network, which has broadcast the Kentucky Derby every year since 2001, can help get Churchill Downs, Inc., and Maryland ofﬁcials onto the same page. Moving forward, the risk is that, with the lucrative new racing series from Churchill Downs and the NYRA coming online, it will become even more acceptable for trainers in future years to skip the Preakness. So, while it’s too soon to pronounce the death of Triple Crown, it is now very much in jeopardy.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ 7C

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PRO BASEBALL LOUISIANA PROS

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STANDINGS

Player Alex Bregman Dylan Crews Jake Fraley Jake Rogers David Fry Hunter Feduccia Tommy White Josh Smith

State ties LSU LSU LSU Tulane NW State LSU LSU LSU

Pos 3B OF OF C 1B C 3B 2B

Team (Organization) Cubs Nationals Rays Red Sox Guardians Dodgers Athletics Blue Jays

G 113 65 28 40 71 62 18 48

AB 448 240 82 98 143 144 72 142

R H 61 111 36 53 6 19 11 16 16 26 15 33 8 20 8 29

2B 23 9 7 2 4 7 2 3

3B 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1

HR 12 9 2 3 6 2 0 1

RBI 50 25 5 10 13 12 0 8

SB 3 7 3 1 0 0 0 3

Avg. .248 .221 .232 .163 .182 .229 .278 .204

OPS .722 .670 .690 .569 .639 .633 .603 .549

Minor league hitters Triple A

Name Drew Avans Jacob Berry Tre’ Morgan Hayden Cantrelle Julian Brock

State ties Pos Southeastern LF LSU 3B LSU 1B UL SS UL C

Team Albequerque (Rockies) Jacksonville (Marlins) Durham (Rays) Iowa (Cubs) Round Rock (Rangers)

G 77 73 44 81 54

AB 270 245 160 216 195

R 43 39 26 40 28

H 56 63 42 53 42

2B 7 15 7 9 9

3B 2 0 1 4 1

HR 1 5 13 3 5

RBI 34 35 32 22 32

SB 20 18 1 22 3

Avg. .207 .257 .263 .245 .215

OPS .575 .760 .911 .731 .668

Carson Roccaforte Kyle DeBarge Jacob Burke Edgar Alvarez Taylor Young Cade Doughty Jorge Corona Miguel Useche Luke Hill

UL UL U-High Nicholls La. Tech LSU La. Tech UNO Episcopal

OF SS OF 1B 2B 2B C C 3B

NW Arkansas (Royals) Wichita (Twins) Birmingham (White Sox) Knoxville (Cubs) Tulsa (Dodgers) New Hampshire (Blue Jays) Birmingham (White Sox) Knoxville (Cubs) Akron (Guardians)

101 90 72 82 49 44 45 60 56

401 352 255 263 168 136 144 200 191

76 101 56 74 48 64 40 47 34 54 22 35 24 33 39 55 43 49

17 20 14 13 14 7 4 7 16

5 1 2 1 0 1 1 1 1

27 11 5 9 3 3 7 11 11

72 39 25 32 29 18 21 35 45

20 25 15 1 11 3 0 6 9

.252 .210 .251 .179 .321 .257 .229 .275 .257

.859 .677 .698 .665 .876 .717 .723 .866 .914

Kyle Walker Daniel Dickinson Ethan Frey Teo Banks Colin Tuft Jared Jones

Rummel LSU LSU Tulane Tulane LSU

2B SS OF OF C 1B

Asheville (Astros) Wisconsin (Brewers) Asheville (Astros) Wilmington (Nationals) Frederick (Orioles) Greensboro (Pirates)

75 90 68 67 69 72

291 288 258 201 235 263

49 55 42 29 43 58

73 73 74 50 53 64

19 17 15 11 11 11

1 0 1 1 5 0

3 6 10 4 12 15

29 49 54 26 38 54

31 40 18 6 21 0

.251 .253 .287 .249 .226 .319

709 .789 .847 .699 .823 .955

Connor Rasmussen Brady Marget Conner O’Neal

Tulane SS Tulane 1B Southeastern C

Columbia (Royals) Charleston (Rays) Ontario (Dodgers)

64 63 60

201 220 207

37 47 29

56 79 47

11 17 10

3 0 0

2 5 7

28 60 33

10 1 1

.279 .359 .227

.796 .965 .728

Cardell Thibodeaux

Southern

FCL Braves

.190

.658

Double A

High A

Single A

Rookie

Major league pitchers Player Paul Skenes Seth Lugo Kevin Gausman Will Warren Aaron Nola Spencer Arrighetti Grant Taylor Jake Latz Brandon Young Gage Jump Hogan Harris Bryan King Alex Lange Grant Anderson Jaden Hill Phil Maton Cade Gibson Jacob Waguespack Will Dion

State ties LSU Centenary LSU Southeastern LSU UL LSU LSU UL LSU UL McNeese LSU McNeese St. LSU La. Tech La. Tech Dutchtown McNeese St.

Team Pirates Royals Blue Jays Yankees Phillies Astros White Sox Rangers Orioles Athletics Athletics Astros Royals Brewers Rockies Cubs Marlins Tigers Nationals

G 24 23 23 23 23 17 42 41 19 13 53 45 44 44 32 31 26 17 13

GS 24 23 23 22 23 17 4 1 19 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

IP 129.2 128.2 127.1 114.0 120.0 88.0 58.1 51.0 107.2 66.2 49.2 47.1 45.2 48.2 26.2 27.2 30.0 21.2 20.1

W-L 9-10 4-7 5-10 8-6 3-9 7-5 4-2 3-1 8-3 4-7 3-1 2-3 1-6 3-3 0-2 0-1 2-0 0-1 0-0

SV 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 21 0 0 9 6 10 0 2 0 0 0 0

H 109 134 128 119 132 68 41 24 103 67 44 48 44 36 27 34 32 10 24

ER 57 63 62 53 74 45 15 11 41 34 20 19 31 20 15 19 19 4 10

BB 36 45 36 37 41 50 19 12 38 31 32 16 26 18 17 16 13 8 4

SO 162 99 127 114 121 87 78 52 89 73 67 37 48 41 28 31 26 15 25

ERA 3.96 4.41 4.38 4.18 5.55 4.60 2.31 1.94 3.43 4.59 3.62 3.61 6.11 3.70 5.06 6.18 5.70 1.66 4.43

WHIP 1.12 1.39 1.29 1.37 1.44 1.34 1.03 0.71 1.31 1.47 1.53 1.35 1.53 1.11 1.65 1.81 1.50 0.83 1.38

Minor league pitchers Triple A

Player Grant Rogers Jackson Nezuh Chase Solesky Eric Reyzelman Tanner Rainey Paul Gervase Ricky Castro Kyle Keller Brendan Cellucci Cole Henry Aidan Anderson Brian Metoyer Eric Orze Cam Sanders

State ties McNeese UL Tulane LSU St. Paul’s LSU Tulane Southeastern Tulane LSU McNeese LSU-Alexandria UNO LSU

Team Buffalo (Blue Jays) Sugar Land (Astros) Louisville (Reds) Scr./W.-Barre (Yankees) Toledo (Tigers) Oklah. City (Dodgers) St. Paul’s (Twins) Worcester (Red Sox) Buffalo (Blue Jays) Rochester (Nationals) Round Rock (Rangers) Syracuse (Mets) St. Paul (Twins) Norfolk (Orioles)

G 21 17 23 29 38 27 24 23 36 18 24 36 6 27

GS 21 16 7 0 1 0 8 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

IP 96.0 80.1 54.1 35.1 40.2 33.2 55.2 31.1 40.0 17.1 35.0 40.1 6.0 29.2

W-L 2-9 2-2 5-6 2-2 5-3 2-1 5-1 3-3 5-2 1-0 1-1 2-1 0-0 0-3

SV 0 0 0 1 2 3 0 0 0 2 0 4 3 1

H 117 64 70 29 26 25 68 27 36 13 36 30 3 21

ER 63 37 41 23 11 20 30 14 17 7 18 19 2 11

BB 32 34 22 19 26 29 21 22 21 2 13 21 1 20

SO 59 99 52 59 56 43 63 39 41 12 21 62 4 50

ERA 5.91 4.15 6.79 5.86 2.43 5.35 4.85 4.02 3.83 3.63 4.63 4.24 3.00 3.34

WHIP 1.55 1.22 1.69 1.36 1.28 1.60 1.60 1.56 1.43 0.87 1.40 1.26 0.67 1.38

Kade Anderson Kenya Huggins Anthony Eyanson Fidel Ulloa Blayne Enlow Beau Blanchard Keagan Gillies Nathan Blasick Chandler Welch

LSU St. Augustine LSU LSU St. Amant ULM Tulane UNO Tulane

Arkansas (Mariners) Midland (Athletics) Chesapeake (Orioles) Hartford (Rockies) Columbus (Braves) Chattanooga (Reds) Chesapeake (Orioles) Hartford (Rockies) Biloxi (Brewers)

16 22 16 28 18 20 26 29 21

16 9 15 0 0 10 0 0 1

82.1 70.1 68.1 36.2 21.1 72.2 29.2 52.2 52.0

9-1 1-4 4-0 4-2 1-2 5-4 2-0 10-3 6-4

0 3 0 7 0 1 1 6 2

42 86 35 28 23 77 26 38 48

11 52 10 9 19 44 14 18 31

12 42 26 19 12 30 8 21 31

119 73 94 38 24 70 36 58 51

1.20 6.65 1.32 2.21 8.02 5.45 4.25 3.08 5.37

0.66 1.82 0.89 1.28 1.64 1.47 1.15 1.12 1.5

Justin Loer Tayler Montiel L.P. Langevin Jarret Whorff Christian Little Andrew Landry Chase Shores Jackson Lancaster Ty Floyd Jacob Mayers Dylan Carmouche

LSU Tulane UL La. Tech LSU Southeastern LSU La. Tech LSU LSU Tulane

Spokane (Rockies) Hillsb. (Diamondbacks) Quad Cities (Royals) Rome (Braves) Everett (Mariners) Hud. Valley (Yankees) Tri-City (Angels) Bowling Green (Rays) Dayton (Reds) Greenville (Red Sox) Win.-Salem (White Sox)

27 31 32 31 31 27 11 24 10 17 16

0 0 0 0 0 0 11 0 8 10 4

50.1 49.1 44.2 39.2 41.0 36.2 42.0 32.0 32.0 51.0 33.2

2-3 3-2 4-2 1-3 3-4 2-2 2-2 1-1 0-2 2-2 2-2

2 3 1 2 7 1 0 1 0 1 0

41 44 16 54 21 34 45 44 19 31 45

34 25 13 43 13 18 26 38 11 25 31

41 24 35 14 19 17 18 23 18 48 21

49 6.08 68 4.56 82 2.62 37 9.76 50 2.85 40 4.42 51 5.57 33 10.69 37 3.09 70 4.41 38 8.29

1.63 1.38 1.14 1.71 0.98 1.39 1.50 2.09 1.16 1.55 1.96

Michael Lombardi Brennan Stuprich Sam Brodersen Thatcher Hurd Logan Forsythe Kade Woods

Tulane Southeastern Louisiana Tech LSU La. Tech LSU

Columbia (Royals) Tampa (Yankees) Fredericksb. (Nationals) Tampa (Yankees) Augusta (Braves) Augusta (Braves)

19 10 20 11 23 21

14 7 0 11 5 0

76.2 41.1 25.0 43.0 42.2 21.1

2-3 2-2 1-1 1-5 2-1 2-2

0 0 2 0 1 0

59 37 29 25 33 28

27 21 15 19 20 17

46 13 21 25 39 22

109 38 32 53 46 22

3.17 4.57 5.40 3.98 4.22 7.17

1.37 1.21 2.00 1.16 1.69 2.34

Grifﬁn Herring LSU ACL Rockies 16 5 31.1 3-2 0 29 25 30 42 Luke Holman LSU ACL Reds 4 4 6.2 0-0 0 5 2 1 9 Note: For omissions and corrections to Louisiana Pros, please email the Advocate sports desk at sports@theadvocate.com

7.18 2.7

1.88 0.90

Double A

High A

Single A

Rookie

National League

American League

Major league hitters

East Division Tampa Bay New York Boston Baltimore Toronto

W 69 66 64 56 56

Central Division Chicago Cleveland Minnesota Detroit Kansas City

W 60 58 58 57 49

West Division Houston Texas Seattle Athletics Los Angeles

W 60 59 56 46 45

East Division

L 46 51 52 61 62

Pct .600 .564 .552 .479 .475

GB — 4 5½ 14 14½

Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York

L 56 60 60 60 69

Pct .517 .492 .492 .487 .415

GB — 3 3 3½ 12

Milwaukee Chicago St. Louis Pittsburgh Cincinnati

L 58 58 61 71 72

Pct .508 .504 .479 .393 .385

GB — ½ 3½ 13½ 14½

Friday’s Games

Central Division

West Division Los Angeles Arizona San Diego San Francisco Colorado

W 70 62 59 58 51

L 47 56 59 61 67

Pct .598 .525 .500 .487 .432

GB — 8½ 11½ 13 19½

W 73 68 58 58 56

L 44 50 59 61 60

Pct .624 .576 .496 .487 .483

GB — 5½ 15 16 16½

W 69 62 61 49 46

L 47 55 57 68 71

Pct .595 .530 .517 .419 .393

GB — 7½ 9 20½ 23½

Friday’s Games

Boston 13, Athletics 1 Toronto 5, Philadelphia 4 L.A. Angels 4, Miami 3 Cleveland 8, Chicago White Sox 2 N.Y. Yankees 3, Atlanta 2, 10 innings Minnesota 8, Milwaukee 6 Texas 2, Baltimore 1 Chicago Cubs 6, Kansas City 4 Tampa Bay 2, Seattle 1 Houston 6, San Diego 3 San Francisco 5, Detroit 2

Washington 5, Cincinnati 3 N.Y. Mets 6, Pittsburgh 4 Toronto 5, Philadelphia 4 L.A. Angels 4, Miami 3 N.Y. Yankees 3, Atlanta 2, 10 innings Minnesota 8, Milwaukee 6 Chicago Cubs 6, Kansas City 4 St. Louis 3, Colorado 2 Arizona 4, L.A. Dodgers 3 Houston 6, San Diego 3 San Francisco 5, Detroit 2

Saturday’s Games

N.Y. Yankees 5, Atlanta 4 Miami 7, L.A. Angels 0 Athletics 7, Boston 3 Kansas City 6, Chicago Cubs 3 Milwaukee 4, Minnesota 3 San Diego 3, Houston 2 Detroit 8, San Francisco 0 Texas 5, Baltimore 1 Toronto 7, Philadelphia 5, 11 innings Chicago White Sox 6, Cleveland 3 Tampa Bay at Seattle, n

N.Y. Yankees 5, Atlanta 4 Miami 7, L.A. Angels 0 Pittsburgh 9, N.Y. Mets 0 Washington 8, Cincinnati 2 Kansas City 6, Chicago Cubs 3 Milwaukee 4, Minnesota 3 San Diego 3, Houston 2 Detroit 8, San Francisco 0 Toronto 7, Philadelphia 5, 11 innings Colorado 8, St. Louis 6 L.A. Dodgers at Arizona, n

Sunday’s Games

Athletics (Ginn 8-6) at Boston (Sandoval 1-0), 12:35 p.m. Atlanta (Holmes 7-4) at N.Y. Yankees (Schlittler 10-6), 12:35 p.m. Toronto (Bieber 3-2) at Philadelphia (Luzardo 10-5), 12:35 p.m. L.A. Angels (Rodriguez 3-4) at Miami (Gusto 0-3), 12:40 p.m. Chicago Cubs (Boyd 7-1) at Kansas City (Dobnak 2-0), 1:10 p.m. Cleveland (Cantillo 8-7) at Chicago White Sox (Martin 9-6), 1:10 p.m. Minnesota (Prielipp 3-5) at Milwaukee (Misiorowski 11-5), 1:10 p.m. Baltimore (Povich 2-1) at Texas (Rocker 4-8), 1:35 p.m. Detroit (Melton 7-1) at San Francisco (Webb 7-7), 3:05 p.m. Tampa Bay (Seymour 8-3) at Seattle (Hancock 6-6), 3:10 p.m. Houston (TBD) at San Diego (TBD), 7:20 p.m.

Sunday’s Games

Cincinnati (Singer 5-10) at Washington (TBD), 11:15 a.m. Atlanta (Holmes 7-4) at N.Y. Yankees (Schlittler 10-6), 12:35 p.m. N.Y. Mets (Manaea 3-5) at Pittsburgh (Jones 2-3), 12:35 p.m. Toronto (Bieber 3-2) at Philadelphia (Luzardo 10-5), 12:35 p.m. L.A. Angels (Rodriguez 3-4) at Miami (Gusto 0-3), 12:40 p.m. Chicago Cubs (Boyd 7-1) at Kansas City (Dobnak 2-0), 1:10 p.m. Minnesota (Prielipp 3-5) at Milwaukee (Misiorowski 11-5), 1:10 p.m. Colorado (Lorenzen 3-10) at St. Louis (McGreevy 4-9), 1:15 p.m. Detroit (Melton 7-1) at San Francisco (Webb 7-7), 3:05 p.m. L.A. Dodgers (Wrobleski 11-3) at Arizona (Rodriguez 10-4), 3:10 p.m. Houston (TBD) at San Diego (TBD), 7:20 p.m.

BOX SCORES N.Y. Yankees 5, Atlanta 4

San Diego 3, Houston 2

Texas 5, Baltimore 1

Atlanta

Houston

Baltimore

New York

ab r h bi ab r h bi Baldwin c 5 0 1 0 Goldsch. 1b 3 0 1 0 Acuña dh 4 1 1 1 Ramos lf 4 0 0 0 Olson 1b 4 0 0 0 Rice dh 4 1 1 1 Harris cf 4 0 1 0 Rosario 3b 3 0 0 0 Albies 2b 4 0 1 0 McMahon 3b 1 0 0 0 Dubón lf 4 1 1 0 Grisham cf 4 1 1 0 Yastrzem. rf 3 2 1 1 Lombard ss 3 2 2 1 Riley 3b 4 0 1 0 Jones rf 3 1 2 2 Jarvis ss 3 0 1 1 Caballero 2b 3 0 0 0 Smith ph 1 0 1 1 Wells c 2 0 1 0 Thomas pr 0 0 0 0 Totals 36 4 9 4 Totals 30 5 8 4 Atlanta 000 020 011 — 4 New York 010 020 11x — 5 DP—Atlanta 2, New York 0. LOB—Atlanta 6, New York 6. 2B—Albies (22), Dubón (23), Yastrzemski (14), Grisham (16), Wells (5). 3B—Jones (1). HR—Acuña (12), Lombard (2), Rice (32). SB—Jones (4), Wells (2), Caballero (28). IP H R ER BB SO Atlanta Sale L,12-7 6 5 3 3 2 8 Mederos 1 1 1 1 1 2 Young 1 2 1 1 1 3 New York Cole W,6-5 7 6 2 2 0 9 2 Headrick H,17 ⁄3 2 1 1 0 0 1 Blackburn H,5 ⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 Bednar S,26-28 1 1 1 1 1 1 HBP—Mederos (Wells). Ejected—Weiss. Umpires—Home, Dan Merzel; First, Dan Bellino; Second, Derek Thomas; Third, Mark Ripperger. T—2:49. A—45,222 (47,309).

San Diego

ab r h bi ab r h bi Peña ss 4 0 0 0 Tatis rf 3 1 1 0 Alvarez dh 4 0 0 0 Cronen. 2b 4 0 1 0 Paredes 3b 4 0 1 0 Machado 3b 4 0 1 0 Altuve 2b 4 0 1 0 France 1b 2 0 0 0 Walker 1b 2 1 1 0 Merrill cf 4 1 1 2 Varsho cf 4 0 0 0 Campusan. c 4 0 0 0 Smith rf 3 0 0 0 Sheets dh 3 1 1 0 Trammell lf 2 1 1 1 Bogaerts ss 3 0 0 0 Diaz ph-c 1 0 1 1 Rengifo lf 2 0 0 0 Vázquez c 2 0 0 0 Bowen lf 0 0 0 0 Meyers ph-lf 1 0 0 0 Wade ph 1 0 0 0 Totals 32 2 5 2 Totals 29 3 5 2 Houston 010 000 001 — 2 San Diego 101 100 00x — 3 E—Peña (6), Cronenworth (5). DP—Houston 0, San Diego 1. LOB—Houston 7, San Diego 6. 2B—Paredes (20). HR—Trammell (7), Merrill (17). SB—Cronenworth (7), Merrill (23). IP H R ER BB SO Houston Lambert L,8-6 5 5 3 2 3 3 De Los Santos 2 0 0 0 0 2 B.King 1 0 0 0 1 0 San Diego M.King W,7-8 6 3 1 1 1 6 Estrada H,10 2/3 1 0 0 1 2 Morejon H,18 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 2 Miller S,29-30 1 1 1 1 0 1 HBP—Miller (Walker). WP—Miller. ABS Challenge—Alvarez (Strike-Conﬁrmed); Lambert (Ball-Conﬁrmed). Umpires—Home, Alex MacKay; First, Jacob Metz; Second, Roberto Ortiz; Third, Jim Wolf. T—2:38. A—41,937 (40,222).

Texas ab r h bi ab r h bi Henderson ss 4 0 0 0 Pederson dh 3 0 0 0 Alonso 1b 4 0 1 0 Foscue ph 0 0 0 0 Franklin pr-cf 0 0 0 0 Osuna pr-dh 0 1 0 0 Holliday 2b 3 1 2 1 Langford lf 2 1 0 0 O’Neill dh 2 0 1 0 Seager ss 4 1 1 3 Beavers lf 4 0 0 0 Nimmo rf 4 0 1 0 Taveras rf 4 0 0 0 Duran 3b 3 1 1 0 Enc.-Strnd 3b 4 0 1 0 Carter cf 3 1 0 1 Cowser cf 3 0 1 0 Burger 1b 3 0 1 0 Mayo 1b 0 0 0 0 Wynns c 3 0 2 0 Narváez c 3 0 0 0 Lopez 2b 3 0 0 0 Totals 31 1 6 1 Totals 28 5 6 4 Baltimore 100 000 000 — 1 Texas 020 000 03x — 5 E—Bradish (3), Henderson (14). DP—Baltimore 3, Texas 2. LOB—Baltimore 6, Texas 2. 2B—Holliday (6), Cowser (4), Alonso (22). HR—Holliday (6), Seager (11). IP H R ER BB SO Baltimore Bradish L,7-11 6 5 2 0 0 4 Garcia 1 0 0 0 0 2 Wolfram 1 1 3 3 2 3 Texas deGrom W,8-7 5 3 1 1 1 9 Gray H,8 12⁄3 2 0 0 1 1 1 Silseth H,10 1 ⁄3 1 0 0 1 0 Quantrill 1 0 0 0 0 0 HBP—Bradish (Langford). WP—Bradish. Pitch timer violations—Silseth (pitcher). Umpires—Home, James Hoye; First, James Jean; Second, Sean Barber; Third, John Libka. T—2:41. A—38,626 (40,000).

THIS DATE IN BASEBALL Aug. 9 1916 — The Philadelphia A’s ended their 20-game losing streak as Joe Bush beat the Detroit Tigers 7-1. 1939 — Red Rolfe of the New York Yankees started a streak of 18 consecutive games in which he scored at least one run. During those games, he scored a total of 30 runs. 1960 — Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox hit home run No. 511 to tie Mel Ott for fourth place on the all-time list. 1975 — Davey Lopes of the Los Angeles Dodgers stole his 32nd consecutive base without being caught in a 2-0 victory over the New York Mets, breaking Max Carey’s 1922 record. Lopes tacked on six more steals before being caught on Aug. 24. 1976 — John Candelaria became the ﬁrst Pirate pitcher in 69 years to throw a no-hitter in Pittsburgh by blanking the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-0. Candelaria’s no-hitter came at

Three Rivers Stadium. No Pirate ever threw a no-hitter at Forbes Field. 1981 — Baseball returned following the strike with the All-Star game in Cleveland before a crowd of 72,086. Gary Carter of the Montreal Expos hit two home runs to give the NL a 5-4 triumph over the AL. Vida Blue became the first pitcher to win an All-Star game in both leagues. His AL victory came in 1971 at Detroit. 1988 — The Chicago Cubs won the first official night game at Wrigley Field by beating the New York Mets 6-4. 1998 — Dennis Martinez became the winningest Latin pitcher in baseball history, breaking Juan Marichal’s record of 243 victories. Martinez pitched a perfect eighth inning and got the victory when Chipper Jones hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the ninth inning and the Atlanta Braves held on for the win.

2001 — Mike Hampton tied the NL record for pitchers with his seventh homer as the Rockies beat the Cubs 14-5. Hampton’s seventh homer matched the NL mark shared by Don Drysdale (1958, 1965) and Don Newcombe (1955). The major league record is nine by Cleveland’s Wes Ferrell in 1931. 2002 — Barry Bonds hit his 600th homer, becoming the fourth major leaguer to reach the mark. With a 421-foot, solo shot off Pittsburgh’s Kip Wells, the San Francisco Giants slugger joined Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Willie Mays in the exclusive club. 2007 — Failed pitcher Rick Ankiel hit a threerun home run to cap his debut as a major league outﬁelder in St. Louis’ 5-0 victory over San Diego. 2018 — Mookie Betts homered for Boston in the ninth inning to complete his ﬁrst career cycle, and Toronto held on to beat the Red Sox 8-5.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By yUKI IWAMURA

New york yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole reacts after Atlanta Braves’ Jim Jarvis strikes out during the seventh inning of a game on Saturday, in New york.

Cole outduels Sale as Yankees beat Braves BY LARRY FLEISHER Associated Press

NEW YORK — Gerrit Cole pitched seven strong innings and outdueled Chris Sale in a matchup of Cy Young Award winners as the New York Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves 5-4 Saturday. George Lombard Jr. hit his second career homer in the seventh to give the Yankees a 4-2 lead. The shortstop, who homered in his big league debut Tuesday, also drew a walk in the fifth following consecutive successful ABS challenges. New York rookie Spencer Jones drove two runs, with a single in the second and his first career triple in the fifth. Jones also scored the tiebreaking run on a balk by Sale in the fifth. Ben Rice added his 32nd homer in the eighth. Cole allowed two runs in the fifth and four of his six hits in the frame. He struck out nine and walked two in his third straight win. Cole, who was the 2023 AL Cy Young winner, became the 13th Yankee to reach 1,000 career

strikeouts when he got Matt Olson to end the fifth. Lombard opened the fifth with a walk against Sale. Jones tripled, scoring Lombard. New York went ahead when Sale was called for a balk by plate umpire Dan Merzel before throwing a pitch to Austin Wells. Sale appeared to have a slight hitch in his leg before starting his motion when he was called for his third career balk. Atlanta manager Walt Weiss argued the call before being ejected. Pitching on nine days’ rest, Sale allowed five hits and three runs in six innings, while striking out eight. He is 0-3 in three matchups with Cole. Mike Yastrzemski hit an RBI double, and Jim Jarvis had a run-scoring single in the fifth off Cole as the Braves dropped their second straight. Ronald Acuña Jr. homered off Brent Headrick in the eighth and Paul Blackburn retired Ozzie Albies to end the inning. David Bednar allowed an RBI single by Dominic Smith and earned his 26th save.

8C ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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SCOREBOARD Odds Sports Betting Line NFL Thursday

FAVORITE OPEN at PITT 1½ at CINCINNATI 3½ at NE 1½ at LAS VEGAS 1½ at HOUSTON 1½ Tennessee 2½

TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 1½ (37½) Green Bay 4½ (38) Detroit 1½ (38½) Ind 2½ (39½) Arizona 1½ (37½) Chargers 2½ (37½) at SAN FRN

FAVORITE OPEN Tampa Bay 1½ Miami 1½ Denver 3½

TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 1½ (36½) at NY JETS 1½ (36½) at WASH 4½ (37½) at ATLA

Friday

Saturday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at BUFFALO 1½ 1½ (37½) Carolina Minnesota 1½ 2½ (38½) at GIANTS at CHICAGO 1½ 1½ (38½) Cleveland at KANSAS CITY1½ 1½ (36½) LA Rams Jacksonville 1½ 1½ (38½) at N.O. Philadelphia 2½ 2½ (36½) at BALT at SEATTLE 2½ 2½ (37½) Dallas

MLB

Sunday

American League FAVORITE LINE at BOSTON OFF Cleveland -112 Baltimore -132 at SEATTLE -117 National League FAVORITE LINE at WASH OFF at PITTS -140 at ST. LOUIS -165 LA Dodgers -141 Interleague FAVORITE LINE at PHILA OFF at YANKEES -154 at MIAMI -155 at MILWAUKEE -241 Chicago Cubs -164 Detroit -118 at SAN DIEGO OFF

UNDERDOG LINE Athletics OFF at WHITE SOX -105 at TEXAS +112 Tampa Bay +103 UNDERDOG Cincinnati N.Y Mets Colorado at ARIZONA

LINE OFF +118 +138 +119

UNDERDOG Toronto Atlanta LA Angels Minnesota at K.C. at SAN FRAN Houston

LINE OFF +129 +130 +197 +137 -101 OFF

Pro football NFL Preseason Glance Thursday’s Games

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.

10 9 13 18 19 21 27

.688 .710 .594 .400 .387 .364 .182

3½ 3 6½ 12½ 13 14 20

Saturday’s Games

Minnesota 98, Las Vegas 87 Indiana 90, Chicago 86 Seattle at Portland, n

Sunday’s Games

Las Vegas at New York, 11:30 a.m. Phoenix at Washington, 2 p.m. Dallas at Minnesota, 2:30 p.m. Golden State at Los Angeles, 6 p.m.

Tennis

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.

Pro basketball WNBA Glance Atlanta Indiana Washington New York Chicago Toronto Connecticut

W 19 19 18 19 12 10 8

L 12 12 12 13 19 21 23

Pct .613 .613 .600 .594 .387 .323 .258

GB — — ½ ½ 7 9 11

Minnesota

W 26

L 7

Pct .788

GB —

Saturday, August 1

Saturday, August 8

ATP National Bank Open Results Saturday

At IGA Stadium Montreal Purse: $9,415,725 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Results Saturday from National Bank Open at IGA Stadium (seedings in parentheses):

Men’s Singles

Round of 16 Luciano Darderi (19), Italy, def. Nuno Borges, Portugal, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. Brandon Nakashima (28), United States, def. Arthur Rinderknech (23), France, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 7-5.

Men’s Doubles

Round of 32 Adam Pavlasek and Patrik Rikl, Czechia, def. Jan-Lennard Struff and Yannick Hanfmann, Germany, 6-1, 6-4. Albano Olivetti and Theo Arribage, France, def. Jakob Schnaitter and Mark Wallner, Germany, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 10-7.

Men’s Doubles

Round of 16 Daniil Medvedev, Russia, and Fabian Marozsan, Hungary, def. Edouard RogerVasselin, France, and Hugo Nys, Monaco, 7-6 (5), 6-4. Guido Andreozzi, Argentina, and Manuel Guinard (7), France, def. Lorenzo Musetti and Matteo Arnaldi, Italy, 6-3, 6-4. Harri Heliovaara, Finland, and Henry Patten (1), Britain, def. Andre Goransson, Sweden, and Casper Ruud, Norway, 6-4, 7-6 (6).

Houston 2, New England 0

Saturday, August 15

New York at Atlanta, 6:30 p.m. Columbus at Charlotte FC, 6:30 p.m. D.C. United at CF Montréal, 6:30 p.m. Cincinnati at Orlando City, 6:30 p.m. New England at Toronto FC, 6:30 p.m. LA Galaxy at Houston, 7:30 p.m. Miami at Nashville, 7:30 p.m. Sporting Kansas City at Colorado, 8:30 p.m. Minnesota at Real Salt Lake, 8:30 p.m. San Diego FC at Los Angeles FC, 9:30 p.m. St Louis City at San Jose, 9:30 p.m.

NWSL Glance

W L T Pts GF GA Gotham FC 12 3 4 40 24 12 Washington 11 5 3 36 29 17 Utah Royals FC 10 5 3 33 31 19 San Diego 10 7 2 32 24 20 North Carolina 9 6 3 30 32 26 Kansas City 9 7 3 30 29 25 Portland 8 6 4 28 28 25 Angel City 7 7 2 23 24 17 Seattle 7 7 2 23 20 21 Orlando 7 10 2 23 23 29 Denver Summit FC 5 7 5 20 22 23 Boston Legacy FC 5 8 5 20 19 24 Houston 5 8 5 20 19 25 Bay FC 5 9 3 18 18 24 Louisville 5 11 2 17 24 35 Chicago 4 13 0 12 9 33 NOTE: Three points for victory, one point for tie.

Friday’s games

Louisville 3, Orlando 1 Gotham FC 1, San Diego 0

Saturday’s games

North Carolina 4, Washington 3 Kansas City at Houston, n Utah Royals FC at Denver Summit FC, n

Eastern Conference

Saturday’s Games

Colorado 7 10 1 22 27 25 LA Galaxy 5 7 7 22 24 29 San Diego FC 5 7 6 21 32 29 Austin FC 4 9 5 17 22 36 Sporting Kansas City 4 12 2 14 18 46 NOTE: Three points for victory, one point for tie. Nashville 2, D.C. United 2, tie New England 2, CF Montréal 2, tie New York 3, Orlando City 2 Philadelphia 3, Atlanta 2 Los Angeles FC 1, Vancouver 1, tie Columbus 2, Miami 2, tie Chicago 2, Charlotte FC 1 Houston 2, Sporting Kansas City 0 San Diego FC 1, Minnesota 1, tie Real Salt Lake 1, St Louis City 1, tie Colorado 1, Austin FC 0 Cincinnati 4, San Jose 2 FC Dallas 0, LA Galaxy 0, tie Portland 2, Seattle 1

Connecticut 75, Phoenix 72 Washington 79, Atlanta 74 Golden State 94, Dallas 76

MLS Glance

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

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Friday’s Games

22 22 19 12 12 12 6

Soccer

Friday’s Games

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Las Vegas Golden State Dallas Los Angeles Portland Phoenix Seattle

Sunday’s games

Nashville Inter Miami CF New England Chicago New York City FC Cincinnati Charlotte FC New York D.C. United Orlando City Columbus Toronto FC Philadelphia CF Montréal Atlanta

W 12 11 9 9 7 7 7 7 5 6 5 3 4 4 3

L 2 2 6 6 6 6 7 7 5 10 8 7 10 10 12

T Pts 4 40 5 38 3 30 2 29 5 26 5 26 4 25 4 25 8 23 2 20 5 20 8 17 4 16 4 16 3 12

GF GA 35 14 45 32 28 23 32 23 31 24 45 44 29 27 29 39 26 29 30 47 26 28 24 32 25 33 24 35 19 33

Vancouver Los Angeles FC San Jose Houston Real Salt Lake FC Dallas St Louis City Portland Seattle Minnesota United

W 10 10 10 10 8 7 7 7 7 6

L 3 5 5 6 6 5 6 8 7 6

T Pts 4 34 4 34 3 33 2 32 3 27 6 27 5 26 3 24 3 24 6 24

GF GA 38 17 35 19 37 24 27 24 29 25 32 25 24 24 33 33 20 22 20 25

Western Conference

Portland at Boston Legacy FC, 3 p.m. Bay FC at Chicago, 6 p.m. Angel City at Seattle, 8 p.m.

Friday, August 14

Kansas City at Gotham FC, 7 p.m. Denver Summit FC at San Diego, 9 p.m. Chicago at Seattle, 9 p.m. Bay FC at Utah Royals FC, 9 p.m.

Saturday, August 15

Boston Legacy FC at Louisville, 5:30 p.m. Orlando at Portland, 7:45 p.m.

Alex Noren 66-65-65—196 Alex Smalley 67-64-65—196 Davis Thompson 64-68-65—197 Kevin Yu 65-68-65—198 Nicolas Echavarria 68-69-62—199 Harry Hall 69-66-64—199 Jordan L. Smith 65-64-70—199 Hideki Matsuyama 65-69-66—200 David Skinns 66-65-69—200 Sahith Theegala 62-69-69—200 Erik Van Rooyen 69-65-66—200 Zachary Bauchou 64-69-68—201 Billy Horschel 65-66-70—201 Benjamin James 62-67-72—201 Jackson Koivun 67-68-66—201 Kevin Roy 68-66-67—201 Matt Wallace 71-66-64—201 Tyler Collet 67-66-69—202 Joel Dahmen 68-66-68—202 Rico Hoey 66-65-71—202 Sungjae Im 67-68-67—202 Ben Kohles 66-71-65—202 Denny McCarthy 64-68-70—202 Chandler Phillips 67-67-68—202 Webb Simpson 70-67-65—202 Jordan Spieth 68-69-65—202 Jackson Suber 67-65-70—202 Justin Thomas 66-70-66—202 Christiaan Bezuidenhout 68-69-66—203 Rafael Campos 65-69-69—203 Eric Cole 63-69-71—203 Austin Eckroat 67-68-68—203 Doug Ghim 64-67-72—203 Andrew Novak 68-68-67—203 Brandt Snedeker 65-70-68—203 Hayden Springer 64-69-70—203 Bud Cauley 65-70-69—204 Patrick Fishburn 68-68-68—204 Joe Highsmith 67-67-70—204 Michael Kim 67-68-69—204 Justin Lower 69-67-68—204 Thorbjørn Olesen 69-67-68—204 John Parry 66-70-68—204 Chad Ramey 66-66-72—204 Austin Smotherman 66-71-67—204 Kevin Streelman 69-66-69—204 Ricky Castillo 67-68-70—205 Lee Hodges 66-70-69—205 Tom Hoge 65-67-73—205 Patton Kizzire 69-68-68—205 Andrew Putnam 69-68-68—205 Aaron Rai 69-67-69—205 Neal Shipley 69-67-69—205 Kris Ventura 69-67-69—205 Keegan Bradley 70-67-69—206 Davis Chatﬁeld 69-68-69—206 Trace Crowe 70-64-72—206 Tony Finau 71-66-69—206 Matthew McCarty 66-70-70—206 Matti Schmid 64-67-75—206 Danny Walker 69-65-72—206 Alex Fitzpatrick 66-68-73—207 Kensei Hirata 68-69-70—207 Mackenzie Hughes 68-67-72—207 Chris Kirk 69-67-71—207 Brooks Koepka 67-66-74—207 Maverick McNealy 67-67-73—207 Keith Mitchell 65-72-70—207 Kihei Akina 67-70-71—208 Rasmus Højgaard 68-68-72—208 Pontus Nyholm 69-67-72—208 Adrien Saddier 67-67-74—208 Max Greyserman 65-66-78—209 Taylor Pendrith 66-69-74—209 Nick Taylor 69-68-72—209 Cameron Young 71-66-72—209

Transactions

Sunday, August 16

Houston at North Carolina, 6 p.m. Washington at Angel City, 8 p.m.

Major League Baseball

Golf Wyndham Championship Saturday

At Sedgeﬁeld Country Club Greensboro, N.C. Purse: $8.5 million Yardage: 7,131; Par: 70 Third Round Michael Brennan 66-65-63—194 Beau Hossler 61-67-66—194 Tom Kim 65-67-63—195

-14 -14 -13 -12 -11 -11 -11 -10 -10 -10 -10 -9 -9 -9 -9 -9 -9 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -2 -2 -2 -2 -1 -1 -1 -1

-16 -16 -15

American League ATHLETICS — Agreed to terms with RHP Matt Sauer on a minor league contract. BOSTON RED SOX — Agreed to terms with RHP John Brebbia on a minor league contract. Selected the contract of LHP Raymond Burgos from Worcester (IL). Optioned RHP Greg Weissert to Worcester. CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Placed C Joey Bart on the 10-day IL. Placed LHP Chris Murphy on the 15-day IL. Recalled RHP David Sandlin and C Edgar Quero from Charlotte (IL). Released LF Austin Hays. CLEVELAND GUARDIANS — Placed RHP Slade Cecconi on the 15-day IL. Recalled RHP

Franco Aleman from Columbus (IL). HOUSTON ASTROS — Recalled CF Jake Meyers from Sugar Land (PCL). KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Recalled RHP Mason Black from Omaha (IL). Optioned LHP Aaron Bummer to Omaha. LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Optioned LHP Mitch Farris to Salt Lake (PCL). Recalled RHP George Klassen from Salt Lake. Claimed RHP Ryan Watson off waivers from Boston. MINNESOTA TWINS — Selected the contract of INF Kaelen Culpepper from St. Paul (IL). Designated RHP Taylor Rashi for assignment. Agreed to terms with RHP Cody Laweryson on a minor league contract. Placed RHP Joe Ryan on the 15-day IL retroactive to August 5. Optioned SS Tristan Gray to St. Paul. Recalled RHP Zebby Matthews from St. Paul. NEW YORK YANKEES — Agreed to terms with RHPs Edgar De Leon and Yefreiny De Paula on minor league contracts. SEATTLE MARINERS — Placed RHP Cole Wilcox on the 15-day IL. Recalled RHP Nick Davila from Tacoma (PCL). Sent CF Stuart Fairchild outright to Tacoma. TAMPA BAY RAYS — Placed 2B Ben Williamson on the 10-day IL retroactive to August 6. Recalled SS Carson Williams from Durham (IL). TEXAS RANGERS — Reinstated LHP Jordan Montgomery from the 60-day IL. Designated RHP Nolan Kingham for assignment. TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Placed 2B Luis Urías on the 10-day IL. Designated RF Rudy Martin Jr. for assignment. Selected the contract of CF Brett Bateman from Buffalo (IL). Optioned RHP Chase Lee to Buffalo. Activated RHP Matt Waldron. National League ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Recalled RHP Kade Strowd from Reno (PCL). Optioned LHP Kohl Drake to Reno. CHIGAGO CUBS — Sent RHP Jake Woodford outright to Iowa (IL). CINCINNATI REDS — Agreed to terms with LHP Kent Emanuel on a minor league contract. LOS ANGELES DODGERS — Sent C Chuckie Robinson outright to Oklahoma City (PCL). NEW YORK METS — Claimed 3B Gabriel Arias off waivers from Cleveland. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES — Agreed to terms with RHP Lou Trivino III on a minor league contract. PITTSBURGH PIRATES — Sent CF Oneil Cruz on a rehab assignment to Indianapolis (IL). SAN DIEGO PADRES — Agreed to terms with LF Dustin Harris to a minor league contract. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Selected the contract of RHP Trent Harris from Sacramento (PCL). Optioned RHP Tristan Beck to Sacramento. WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Optioned RHP Wyatt Mills to Rochester (IL). Released RHP Zack Littell.

FOOTBALL

National Football League 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 to a contract. 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. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Signed TE Pharaoh Brown to a contract. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — Signed LB Jahlani Taval to a contract. LOS ANGELES RAMS — Signed DE Daniel Rickert to a contract. MIAMI DOLPHINS — Signed S Tanner Wall to a contract. Claimed CB Ahmari Harvey off waivers from Pittsburgh. Waived QB Mark Gronowski. Waived/injured S Omar Brown.

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S u n d ay, au g u S t 9, 2026

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Jan Risher

Finding joy in a low-stakes, creative self-portrait I have never learned to draw. Growing up, I thought being able to draw was something you could do or you couldn’t — and no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn’t. For decades, I equated drawing well with being an artist. I’ve learned that I was wrong about both. So many people I trust have told me that anyone can learn to draw. I believe them. I’ve never taken a drawing class. Circumstances have always seemed to get in the way. I’ve also gotten a better sense of the Venn diagram between drawing well and being an artist.

Readers remember the teachers who changed their worlds — in their own words GETTy IMAGES ILLUSTRATION

STAFF PHOTO By By JAN RISHER

Jan Risher’s unorthodox selfportrait

What I do know is that I like making things, even when I have no idea what I’m doing. Making something badly can be surprisingly satisfying. In my latest art-ish effort, the paper goes over my face ﬁrst. Then I grab a pastel and use it to “draw” my face by feel — tracing the elements of my face through the paper. I’ve done three iterations of this self-portrait and have started with my glasses on each attempt. Then I work my way around my face: nose, eyebrows, mouth, jaw. Sometimes when I’m drawing from one side of my face to the other, I’m shocked at how far it is. I’ve become fascinated by what happens when I try to translate the three-dimensional shape of my face onto a ﬂat

ä See SELF-PORTRAIT, page 4D

Louisiana

INSPIRED

How one t e ac her in Mor g an Ci t y c hange d t he t r aje c t or y of a li f e 7D

COMPILED BY JOY HOLDEN and JAN RISHER | Staff writers

s. Frizzle in “The Magic School Bus.” Robin Williams in “Dead Poets Society.” Quinta Brunson in “Abbott Elementary.” Mr. Holland in “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” Morgan Freeman in “Lean on Me.” Fictional teachers earn their place in memory. So do the real ones. A line from a lecture. A note in the margin of a test — something a teacher said on a Tuesday outlasts the classroom by decades. As school starts again, we asked readers to tell us about their most memorable teacher. The responses show that south Louisiana schools and teachers have been and are still creating better versions of the kids who walk through their halls.

Robbie McHardy

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.

Byron Slosar didn’t hesitate to celebrate a teacher who made a difference in his life. He knew it was ﬁnally his chance to thank his first grade teacher, Robbie McHardy. Slosar wrote that he “dropped everything at work on a Monday morning” because he had been “trying to find a way for years to express his gratitude.” McHardy taught Slosar in first grade at the University Laboratory School in Baton Rouge from 1985 to 1986. He wrote that she taught him that making someone feel seen isn’t just a singular act of kindness, but it’s an investment that keeps paying forward. Today, Slosar is the founder and chief executive ofﬁcer of hellohive, a diversity recruitment and résumé technology company. “The work we’ve done at hellohive is, in many ways, an attempt to give thousands of students what she gave one six-year-old,” Slosar wrote. “By caring for me, she ended up caring for people she’ll never meet.” In his letter to McHardy, Slosar wrote that she is the reason he knows what it feels like to be seen. He re-

PROVIDED PHOTO

Robbie McHardy, left, stands with Byron Slosar, her first grade student from the University Laboratory School in 1985. Slosar credits McHardy with making the greatest impact on his life.

lie and the Stuffed Dog. Slosar wrote that he moved to Shreveport in third grade, and school was never the same. He measured every classroom against McHardy’s. He wrote that the best part of high school graduation was having McHardy in the audience. A few months ago, Slosar brought his son back to Baton Rouge and walked him into McHardy’s room. He took a picture of his son in the class. He wrote that he wants his son to know that he is loved more than anything in the world, and he credits McHardy for helping him feel that way at such a formative time in his life. “You did it with a garden, a book order, a book about a clown and a nickname. And it held for forty years,” Slosar wrote.

Ronald Nethercutt

Margaret Sharpe will never forget her teacher that wrote, “Reach for the stars,” in her ﬁfth grade memory book. She wrote that even though it was 60 years ago, those four words called Scholastic book delivery days, from Ronald Nethercutt still resonate being named Top Banana in class, with her. planting a garden, tasting kohlrabi for ä See TEACHERS, page 4D the ﬁrst time and writing about Char-

2D ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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COMMUNITY 20th annual Celebrity Waiter On July 22, participants gathered at the L’Auberge Event Center for the 20th annual Celebrity Waiter fundraiser benefiting the Baton Rouge Children’s Advocacy Center. Shown are, from left, Pointe Coupee Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux, The Golden Guys’ Andy Morris, Bruno Wiggins, Zach Wright, Ryan Bergeron, Payden Moore, Kevin Piper, Nicky Mines, Sharon Pol and Dr. Kendra Michael.

Sharon Pol, left, and Tanya Haase attend the 20th annual Celebrity Waiter fundraiser.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

LSU Golden Girls, cheerleaders, Pointe Coupee sheriff Tiger Girls, gymnastics head tops Celebrity Waiter tips coach Jay Clark, former LSU All-

Pointe Coupee Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux was the grand champion winner of the 20th annual Celebrity Waiter event on July 22 at the L’Auberge Event Center. The Golden Guys took home first prize, Baton Rouge Children’s Advocacy Center honoree Sharon Pol won second prize and Dr. Kendra Michael was third in the tip competition. As this was the 20th anniversary of Celebrity Waiter, the theme was “Roaring Twenties.” The prizes were engraved silver trays of varying sizes. Baton Rouge Children’s Advocacy Center Executive Director Tanya Haase presented Pol with a silver hourglass and engraved tray for her 21 years of service to the center as executive director, board member, Celebrity Waiter event coordinator and development director. Joe Sciortino, center board president, recognized the board and staff for their hard work with the event and the day-to-day work with abused children. The center works with children in the aftermath of abuse and violent crimes, so getting folks to volunteer to put on an apron and solicit tips from family and friends isn’t too hard. The tipping event was both virtual and in-person. More than a week in advance, waiters were encouraged to get donations via social media and these tips counted toward the ﬁnal tally. Also donning aprons at the event were East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Sid Edwards and WBRZ news personalities Madison Smith, David Hamilton, Leah Williams and Sara Gray Barr. Representing LSU were the

American gymnast Ashley Clare Kearney-Thigpen, former LSU basketball coach and former LSU/NBA player Tasmin Mitchell, former LSU and NFL player Eric Reid, 2026 LSU football Tiger Braden Augustus and LSU football teammates Lamar Brown, Brayden Allen, Deuce Geralds, Richard Anderson, Aiden Hall and Isaiah Washington; LSU Alumni Association’s Brittnay Ernest; and Miss LSU/ USA 2026 Kira Ekukpe. Also serving as waiters were The Guaranty Media Team of Michelle Southern, Brian Haldane, Chris Marler, Scotty Mac and Alondra Villarreal; Spanish Town royalty; Baton Rouge attorney Hayden Moore and her father, East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore; WAFB investigative reporter Chris Nakamoto and WAFB’s Greg Meriwether, Henry Blakes, Deon Guillory and Gabriella Mercurio; New Roads Mayor Theron Smith; St. George Mayor Dustin Yates; Oschner Health’s Cory LeDoux; and GymFit’s Josh Roberts. Representing law enforcement were Baton Rouge Chief of Police Thomas Morse; Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran; and Iberville Parish Sheriff Brett Stassi. The live auction conducted by Matt Deville and Henry Hays featured an alligator hunt and red fish fishing package with Thibodeaux, a Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, vacation donated by Robert Lucky, sports packages and an “LSU Blue Dog” signed by LSU head coaches. Insperity sponsored the always fun “Heads or Tails Contest.” There were door prizes and a “Bourbon and Diamond Raffle” sponsored by Lee Michaels. Chad Sabadie served as emcee for the night.

Garden Discovery Series Aaron Ashbrook, assistant professor of urban/peri-urban entomology at LSU, left, is shown with Anita Smith, board member, at the July Garden Discoveries event prior to his program about recognizing and managing common garden pests. The program was co-sponsored by the Baton Rouge Botanic Garden Foundation and the East Baton Rouge Parish Library.

Phi Mu Convention The National Phi Mu Convention was held July 1-5 in Atlanta. Collegiate members from LSU attended along with local alumnae. The alumnae chapter received several awards, including the Founder’s Circle award. The collegiate chapter also received numerous awards, including the highest CMN fundraising award, which supports OLOL Children’s Hospital, and the Carnation Cup honorable mention. Jordan Finney was recognized as the outstanding advisory council member honorable mention. Shown are, from left, front row, Kennedy Ordoyne; Mallory Gill, LSU Alpha Eta president; and Leah Paternostro, alumnae recording secretary; back row, Olivia Cedotal; June Byrd, Alpha Eta House Corporation President and alumnae chapter treasurer; and Sheila yellott, alumnae president.

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES The Community column runs Sundays in the Living section and accepts submissions for news of events that have taken place with civic, philanthropic, social and religious auxiliary organizations, as well as academic honors. Submissions should be sent by noon Monday to run in the upcoming Sunday column. Because of space limitations, organizations that meet monthly or more are limited to one photo per month. If submitting digitally, we prefer JPG files 300KB or larger. If taking a photo of a group, have them stand or sit shoulder-to-shoulder. If more than six people are in the photo, arrange them on multiple, distinct rows. Avoid strong background light sources. Identify those pictured by first and last names as viewed from left to right, row by row. We prefer emailed Community column submissions to features@theadvocate.com. We also accept submissions by mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge LA 70821. A phone number must be included.

ON THE ARTS & CULTURE SCENE At Red Magnolia

At UpStage Theatre Tickets are on sale for UpStage Theatre’s production of Clarence Holmes Jr.’s drama, “Bridge in the Distance,” at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 15 and 3 p.m. Aug. 16, in the Frank Hayden Theatre in the Frank Hayden Building, F Street, Southern University. Tickets are $27. Call (225) 924-3774 or visit upstagetheatre.biz.

At Sullivan Theater Tickets are on sale for the Sullivan Theater’s Youth Company’s production of the musical “Hadestown, Teen Edition” opening Aug. 13, in the theater 8849 Sullivan Road, Central. Tickets are $23-$29. Visit sullivantheater.com.

people gathering together. Visit louisianastatemuseum.org/ museum/capitol-park-museum.

Tickets are on sale for Red Magnolia Theatre Company’s production of Jaclyn Backhaus’ play, “Men in Boats,” opening Aug. 21 at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center, 233 St. Ferdinand St. Tickets are $25-$35. Visit redmagnoliatc.org.

At Capitol Park Museum

Ballet tickets

Capitol Park Museum, 660 N. 4th St., is showing the immersive media installation “We the People” through June 19. The show features nearly 200 photographs by Pulitzer Prizewinning photographer Steven G. Smith looped on two giant screens. The images move from rural landscapes to city streets, and from quiet portraits to joyful scenes of

Season tickets are on sale for the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre’s 202627 “Worlds of Wonder” season. Season subscribers will receive an 8% savings with no handling fees. In the season lineup are “Lagniappe: Classical Masterpieces & Contemporary Visions,” a mixed-bill performance complete with modern dance and the traditional ballet, showing on Oct. 1 at Baton Rouge Magnet High Auditorium; “The Nutcracker — A Tale from the Bayou,” Dec. 18-20, at the River Center Theatre; and “Mary Poppins and the Match-Man — An Original Ballet,”

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inspired by Pamela Travers’ 1926 story in April. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit: Visit batonrougeballet.org/eventsperformances/202627-season.

Reception date change

The Southern University Visual Arts Gallery in Frank Hayden Hall has changed the date of its reception for “Free As They Want to Be” to 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 19. Admission is free. Visit batonrougegallery.org.

Folk Art Gallery

The LSU Museum of Art in the Shaw Center for the Arts, 100 Lafayette St., is now showing its Folk Art Gallery, spotlighting the work of self-taught

American artists drawn from several distinguished collections. The gallery’s centerpiece is a one-year loan of six artworks from the American Folk Art Museum in New York — featuring works by Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Mose Tolliver, David Butler, Sam Doyle, Purvis Young and Mary T. Smith — made possible through Art Bridges’ Partner Loan Network. Visit lsumoa.org.

At NuNu

NuNu Arts & Culture Collective, 1510 Bayou Courtableau Hwy., Arnaudville, will open award-winning artist Aiden Beagal’s solo exhibit “Discovering Voice: A Consequence of the Collective” through Aug. 30. Admission is free. Visit nunucollective.org.

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TRAVEL

Walk on the dark side in 7 Southern states BY CHERÉ COEN Contributing writer

There’s a new term for tourists who long for dark skies, where stars fill our view of the heavens. Called noctourism, or the love of enjoying nature after dark, this trend has been growing throughout the world. A study by Booking.com found 62% of travelers in 33 countries consider visiting dark sky destinations. Wayfairer Travel reports nocturnal excursions were up by 25% in 2024. But where are these dark skies, places devoid of light pollution? Official dark skies are certified by DarkSky International, which helps to conserve starry sky parks, communities and more around the world. As we roll into mid-August and the annual Perseid’s Meteor Shower — peaking Aug. 12-13 and a great opportunity for a night of stargazing — we offer a few dark skies closes to home in the South.

Tennessee The Volunteer State offers quite a few choices when it comes to dark skies. Rise up to 6,000 feet above sea level in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where there’s limited light to view the heavens at the Newfound Gap Trailhead. Pickett CCC Memorial State Park was the first Southeastern state park designated as a Silvertier International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association. The park occasionally hosts star parties and is home to an astronomy field. Another stargazing hot spot certified by the International Dark Sky Association is Obed Wild & Scenic River National Park along the Cumberland Plateau. Visitors have raved of the unobscured views of stars and constellations, which are particularly magical at Lilly Bluff Overlook. Nearby Fall Creek Falls State Park hosts astronomy weekends and starviewing parties as well as cabins and campsites for those who wish to spend time on the Cumberland Plateau. The Tennessee Night Sky Trail

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The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge preserves hundreds of acres of wetlands in southeastern Georgia.

Cave. Since the national park is the longest known cave system in the world — 412 miles with more being discovered — it’s well lit so PROVIDED PHOTO By MARK TAyLOR guests on tours don’t stumble in Pickett CCC Memorial State Park in Tennessee was the first Southeastern state park designated as a Silver-tier the dark. But the UNESCO World Heritage Site has been working International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association. to combat light pollution above ground and achieved a bronze was established to make it easy dusk and a sky full of stars. Rang- Sky Park, the 26th National Park tier designation through the IDS. for tourists to find more darkness ers point out stars, planets and Service site to receive this desig- Ranger-led programs are offered in Northeast Tennessee. Stargazand telescopes are provided. constellations for a nominal fee, nation and the first in Arkansas. but there are also deer, lightning The park offers several night sky ers and outdoor enthusiasts may Georgia programs throughout the year. enjoy astronomical activities such bugs and owls in the nearby woods. as hiking trails, scenic overlooks Like the Atchafalaya Basin, Texas and a planetarium, including the Okefenokee National WildFlorida the Appalachian Trail and Roan One of the country’s darkest life Refuge preserves hundreds Mountain. Several locations on skies is also one of the most of acres of wetlands in southFlorida is home to two official the Tennessee Night Sky Trail are Dark Sky locations, Big Cypress remote. It’s in West Texas, as in eastern Georgia. The Stephen ADA Accessible with wheelchair way down in West Texas, but it’s National Preserve in South C. Foster State Park within the accessibility. Visit northeasttenwell worth the drive. Florida, which offers astronomy refuge earned a Dark Sky desThe Greater Big Bend Interna- ignation and the refuge recently programs in the winter, and the nessee.org/the-tennessee-night54,000-acre Kissimmee Prairie sky-trail for more information. tional Dark Sky Reserve consists was named a UNESCO World Preserve State Park in Central Heritage Site. The park has very of 15,000 square miles of rural Virginia Florida, the largest remaining little light pollution and offers area in both the United States tract of Florida dry prairie. and Mexico and includes the Mc- accommodations, although some Come for the dramatic natural cabins are being renovated this bridge carved out by Cedar Creek Donald Observatory near Fort Arkansas summer. and once owned by Thomas JefDavis and Marfa and Big Bend ferson, but don’t miss the rangerThe Natural State boasts of sev- National Park. The Reserve was led Dark Skies trek once the sun eral dark skies, particularly in the the first IDA-certified reserve in Want more places to visit? the world to cross an internationsets. northern region. This list is but a hint of what’s Rolling meadows and hiking The Buffalo National River al boundary and the largest Dark available, and the list grows as trails complete the rural park within the Ozark Mountains is more visitors demand Dark Skies Sky-certified place in the world. near Lexington, so the regular managed by the National Park in their destinations. Visit darkKentucky “Park After Dark: Night Hikes” Service, and its preservation sky.org for a complete and curallow visitors to see wildlife at earned it an International Dark It’s dark inside Mammoth rent list of Dark Sky locations.

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER By Christopher Elliott

Turo charged me $2,338 for car rental damage I didn’t cause I recently rented a car through Turo in Los Angeles. I delivered the car a day early because I had to catch an earlier flight home. The next day, I received a text from Turo saying the owner claimed I had damaged the car. sent photos, Christopher oneTuro of which showed a Elliott scratch on the fender and a small hole in the bumper. Fortunately, I had taken photos when I took possession of the car. I sent Turo my photos, which clearly showed the scratch was already there. Turo reviewed the evidence and told me the claim had been dropped because it was “normal wear and tear.”

A week later,Turo reopened the claim and charged my credit card $660. I was never shown an itemized bill.Then, earlier this month, it sent me another invoice for $1,678.Turo claims there’s now “hidden” damage to the car. It sent a photo of a larger hole that I have never seen before. This feels like a scam. I have disputed the charge with my credit card company, but I am not hopeful. Can you help me get my money back? — Georgina Montalvan, Birmingham,Ala. Turo should have stuck to its original decision. You had the evidence to prove that the damage was pre-existing, and the company correctly identiﬁed it as “wear and tear.” Reopening the claim and charg-

ing you $660 — and then piling on another $1,678 for “hidden” damage — was wrong. Peer-to-peer car rental platforms like Turo can be tricky. Unlike traditional car rental companies, you’re dealing with individual owners who may be very protective of their vehicles or, in rare cases, looking to have existing damage ﬁxed at a renter’s expense. The supplemental claim is a common pain point. This happens when a repair shop takes the car apart and ﬁnds more damage than was visible in the initial photos. While this is a legitimate industry practice, it can feel incredibly

unfair to a renter who has already left the state and has no way to verify the new damage. You did the right thing by taking photos of the car when you picked it up. That paper trail is your best defense against frivolous damage claims. It is unclear why Turo ignored your photographic evidence after initially accepting it. (The photos get uploaded to the Turo app, so it has access to them.) You could have also appealed your case to someone higher up at Turo. I publish the names, numbers and email addresses of the Turo executives on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.

Your case is a reminder to always take photos of the car at pickup and return. That evidence is the only thing standing between you and a massive repair bill. I contacted Turo on your behalf. The company reviewed your case again and dropped the claim. You have received a full refund of the $660, and the additional $1,678 invoice has been canceled. Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonproﬁt organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site.

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Former ‘The Voice’ contestant signs with Motown Gospel Abbeville is too small for Koryn came the first eliminated. Sawyer Hawthorne to win “The Voice.” Fredericks, a 16-year-old singer Those words from Hawthorne’s el- from New York with a strong social ementary school teacher in a 2015 media following, won the event. Fourth place has proven interview have stayed with to be a blessing. Now a conme all these years. Hawthorne’s powerful temporary Christian and R&B voice was seemingly gospel singer, Hawthorne crushing the competition in earned a gold record with Season 8 of the reality singher 2017 debut single, “Won’t He Do It.” ing competition on NBC. Herman The million-seller But votes from viewers Fuselier reached No. 1 on three ultimately decided the winBillboard gospel charts. ner. Folks in Hawthorne’s The hit stayed at No. 1 for 41 small, south Louisiana hometown weeks on Billboard’s Hot Gospel felt that put her at a disadvantage to big-city contestants. The teach- Songs chart, setting a record for er and a cast of family, friends and the longest reign at the top spot for a female artist. church members worked VermilSeven years later, the inspiraion Parish and the surrounding area for support. tional hit has 100 million views on Throngs of fans showed up for a YouTube and more than 60 million parade and celebration of Koryn streams on various online music Hawthorne Day, Mayor Mark platforms. Hawthorne’s career Piazza’s official proclamation on has included two Grammy nomiMay 6, 2015. nations and multiple music and Yet the small-town concerns beimage awards. She enlarged her territory in came reality. Hawthorne advanced July with a recording contract to the show’s final four, then be-

comes out Oct. 2. “His Favorite,” the project’s ﬁrst single, already has 54,000 views in less than two weeks on YouTube. Motown Gospel describes her voice as a “powerful bridge” between gospel, R&B and contemporary music. “What has always stood out to us is her ability to meet people where they are and make music that feels both personal and uplifting,” said Walter Thomas, executive vice president of Motown Gospel and TAMLA Records, about Hawthorne. The uplifting voice from Abbeville was too small to win “The Voice.” Now the whole world gets FILE PHOTO By TRAE PATTON/NBC to savor it.

Koryn Hawthorne, left, takes the stage with her coach, Pharrell Williams, on Herman Fuselier is executive the live finals of ‘The Voice’ in 2015. from Motown Gospel. Yes, that’s part of the landmark record label that gave the world Diana Ross and the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and other legends.

J. White Did It, who has produced No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 for Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, is the producer of Hawthorne’s ﬁrst project. The EP

director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. A longtime journalist covering Louisiana music and culture, he lives in Opelousas. His “Zydeco Stomp” show airs at noon Saturdays on KRVS 88.7 FM.

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TEACHERS

Continued from page 1D Sharpe wrote that although “Mr. Nethercutt was not a big man in music education. She went on to stature, he cast a huge, rich shad- become a teacher, a principal and a ow” in her life. He was the small curriculum supervisor. She wrote man on a tall ladder who directed that Nethercutt still “stands head and shoulders above” the Ponchatoula High the many outstanding School Band on Friday teachers that shaped nights. her career in educa“He was the band director who encouraged tion. scared, self-conscious fifth-graders to pick up these unfamiliar instruments and turn the squeaks and thumps into actual music,” MorganDee Hawkins, Sharpe wrote. a 2026 graduate from Sharpe remembered St. Joseph’s Academy, taking his cue, blowwrote that her chemising her whistle and try teacher, Courtney leading the band out Malbrue, took her unPROVIDED PHOTO der her wing during her onto the field to the lively strains of “Hey MorganDee Hawkins, junior year. Look Me Over” while left, stands with Hawkins wrote that the crowd sang and Courtney Malbrue, the she struggled in chemclapped along. istry because science Nethercutt took stu- teacher that made a and math had never dents to LSU football difference in her life at come naturally to her, games to see the Gold- St. Joseph’s Academy. but Malbrue never stopped believing in en Band from Tiger Land and dared them to dream that her. She displayed patience, enthey could be a part of something couragement and a willingso magical. ness to help Hawkins unFrom fifth grade to college at derstand the material. Southeastern University, Nether“More importantly, she cutt was an anchor for Sharpe in made me believe that I

Courtney Malbrue

SELF-PORTRAIT Continued from page 1D

piece of paper. I cannot see what I’m drawing as it’s happening — and that’s the whole point. The ﬁrst self-portrait was ridiculous. The second was slightly better. I like the third one a lot — maybe because it’s in my favorite shade of green. I’ve shared videos of all three attempts with friends. More than one has asked the same question: Why are you doing this? My answer is equally simple: “For no reason beyond entertaining myself!”

Frankly, it’s fun. The stakes are low. I never know what I’m going to get, and each attempt has taught me something. When I can’t see what I’m drawing, I can’t worry about whether I’m drawing it right. There is only the doing. I convinced my husband, who actually can draw, to try the ﬁrst attempt with me. Having been with me when I bought the supplies, he wasn’t surprised. He didn’t hesitate. For the most part, he has stopped resisting when I present him with one of my ideas, supplies in hand. That said, he shocked me when he began wadding the paper up

was capable of succeeding, even when I doubted myself,” Hawkins wrote. By Hawkins’ senior year, her bond with Malbrue had grown so strong that she became the student’s godmother. “She has been much more than a teacher — she has been a mentor, a role model and a constant source of support. Her belief in me gave me confidence both inside and outside the classroom, and I will always be grateful for the positive impact she has had on my life,” Hawkins wrote.

Jeanie Bastin Sadie Harris jumped at the chance to honor her fourth grade teacher, Jeanie Bastin, from Juban Parc Elementary School in Denham Springs. She wrote that Bastin “was a bright light” in her life. Harris wrote that Bas-

— more than once. He explained that wadding the paper would make it mold against his cheekbones and nose. I tried his technique on my second attempt, although wadding up perfectly good paper felt vaguely sacrilegious. The portrait was only marginally better. For my third attempt, I went back to perfectly good flat paper. Being asked why I’m doing this has made me wonder: Why am I doing this? I think it has something to do with the surprise. I never know what I’m going to find when I take the paper away. Most of what fills my week runs on the opposite instinct. There are

tin was stern, but in the best way possible. “She was kind, hard-working and did everything in her power to ensure her students received the instruction they needed. She taught me Science and Social Studies, and you could see her passion for education every day. She made coming to school fun,” Harris wrote. Bastin had fun science experiments, Harris remembered. She and Bastin still keep in touch 17 years later. Harris wrote that Bastin is the reason she wanted to become a teacher. “I have always looked up to her and always will,” Harris wrote. “I am now teaching ﬁfth grade in my hometown, and I hope to have the impact on my students that she had on me.”

deadlines — so many deadlines. There is research. There is reporting. There is writing. There is editing. There are stories that need to keep the readers reading. Most of what I make is supposed to work. Life is full of things that are supposed to turn out. This one isn’t. I don’t want fun and surprise to live only in the margins of everyday life. Maybe I like the repetition as much as anything. I put the paper up, I draw what I cannot see. There is no way to cheat it. I can’t see the drawing, so I can’t judge it while I’m making it. Low stakes and delight are not

the same thing, but I think they might be cousins. Nobody expects a blind portrait to be good. The green one surprised me. The jaw is roughly in the right place. It captures something of the way I look off to the side. It makes me smile. The third portrait sits on my desk right now, green face turned slightly away from the window. I’m going to frame it. If you want to try your own version of a blind self-portrait, please do! Send photos of your effort to jan.risher@theadvocate. com. Email Jan Risher at jan.risher@ theadvocate.com.

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FOOD As tailgate season approaches, add classic to repertoire BY MICHAEL DIRESTO

there was a large, commercial kitchen stainless-steel griddle. On one side, I fried dozens of eggs at a time, and on the other side, slabs of bacon to meet the morning rush for our breakfast sandwich special. I remember the long lunchtime line for our discounted “ham and cheese” sub (or hero in New York), with each sandwich requiring me to hand-slice the sub roll, then slice the ham and cheese extra thin in that contraption that looks like it might be used to extract secrets in a mob movie. It was the best summer job I ever had. These days, I still make lots of sandwiches. Since

Contributing writer

In all my previous food columns, typically about rich, saucy recipes, I ended with the plea to serve the meal “with good bread” for dipping. Given that this column is about sandwiches, that doesn’t make much sense. One could say that, like a sandwich itself, this column starts and ends with bread, with memorable ﬁlling in the middle. My recipe selection from “Cooking up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from the Times-Picayune of New Orleans” — the Tailgate Muffuletta — made fullcircle sense. First, because tailgating season is almost upon us, and this Louisiana classic should frequently be part our game day cast of characters. Second, because a muffuletta really does start and end with the right bread — a huge round Italian loaf with sesame seeds. Without it, you don’t have a true muffuletta. Luckily, in my search around Baton Rouge, I was able to discover Red Stick Bread and Board, run by a local couple who specialize in baking (my source for the Italian loaf) and creating charcuterie boards. And third, because the ﬁrst food I ever remember preparing on my own was a sandwich, and this underrated dish has been a staple of my diet ever since. I think I was around 5 years old when I encountered noticeably poor quality in my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. My mom, who instilled in me a frugal mindset to stretch both pennies and ingredients, applied this approach — wrongly, in my young mind — to making my PB&J. She would smear the

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Tailgate Muffuletta sandwich slightest trace of peanut butter on the bottom slice of white bread, then apply an equally pathetic blob of grape jelly atop the peanut butter with minimal spreading. What was worse, she would take the same knife she used for peanut butter to dip into the jelly jar — leaving bits of the former in the jar of the latter. Final effrontery: The sandwich was not sliced! I protested. On the next occasion, I took matters into my own hands. Mom, step aside. I applied a generous amount of peanut butter, spread evenly and across the whole slice of bread. The jelly, with a sep-

Tailgate Muffuletta sandwich Serving size 1/4 of whole sandwich as a meal, or cut in smaller wedges for a party or tailgate snack. Recipe inspired by the book “Cooking up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from the Times-Picayune of New Orleans” For the olive salad: 1 carrot, peeled and cut in 2-inch pieces 1 celery stalk cut in 2-inch pieces 2 ⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil 11/2 cup chopped pimento stuffed olives 1 cup chopped kalamata olives 2 tablespoons capers, drained 2 tablespoons roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and chopped 1/4 cup chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley 1 teaspoon dried (or fresh chopped) Oregano leaves 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar 2 garlic cloves, minced (optional) 1 peperoncini from a jar, drained and chopped (optional) For the sandwich: 1 round loaf Italian bread (8 to 10 inches in diameter) 1 ⁄3 pound ham, thinly sliced 1 ⁄3 pound mortadella, thinly sliced 1/4 pound Genoa salami, thinly sliced 1 ⁄3 pound provolone cheese, thinly sliced

arate spoon, done the same to the other piece of bread, then carefully put together and sliced diagonally. Imagine my pride in presenting a finished product far superior to anything my mom had previously prepared. It was only years later that it dawned on me that my mom may have purposefully flubbed the PB&J to inspire her youngest and most precocious child to do it himself. Now I picture her in heaven, looking down with her New Yorker knowing grin, gratified that from that day forward she never again had to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

1. Put carrot and celery pieces in a food processor, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and chop using pulse button until very ﬁnely diced. 2. Spoon mixture into a bowl, add remaining olive oil and all other olive salad ingredients, stir, cover and chill for 2 to 4 hours. 3. Cut the loaf of bread in half horizontally, and (optionally) if you want a little less bread on your sandwich, remove some of the soft inside from both the top and the bottom. 4. Brush the inside of the top and bottom bread shells with the marinade collecting at the bottom of the bowl of olive salad. 5. Stir the olive salad to blend again, then spoon half the mixture onto the bottom round of bread. 6. Arrange the ham slices over the olive salad, and then add the mortadella, salami and provolone cheese in layers. 7. Spread the remaining olive salad over the cheese layer and cover with top of the bread. 8. Wrap the sandwich in plastic wrap, wax paper, or cover with large bowl and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature (so the bread can soak up the olive salad juices). 9. Cut the sandwich into wedges for serving.

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But the lesson had been instilled. A sandwich should not be a thrown-together thing. The truth is that high-quality preparation, ingredients and enjoyment are paramount. Thank you, mom, for tricking me onto a path of seeking perfection in the humblest food preparations. Fast forward to one of my college summer breaks, when I got hired as a sandwich maker at a deli in Long Beach, New York. This is where I learned that it was not enough to be good, but also to be fast and good. Behind the deli counter

my wife is not as big a fan of them as I am, odds are, on nights when she is otherwise engaged with an outing with her friends, I will announce: “Yay, sandwich night!” My regular repertoire: an Italian (naturally), cheesesteak with mushrooms, meatball or chicken parm subs, and, of course, weekend breakfast sandwiches. The renowned American chef James Beard, for whom the culinary awards are named, famously stated that “too few people understand a really good sandwich.” As the jazz song says, “be in that number” — the few, the proud, the saint who marches in — using good bread.

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Why you need dental insurance in retirement. Many Americans are fortunate to have dental coverage for their entire working life, through employer-provided benefits. When those benefits end with retirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocket can come as a shock, leading people to put off or even go without care. Simply put — without dental insurance, there may be an important gap in your healthcare coverage.

When you’re comparing plans ...  Look for coverage that helps pay for major services. Some plans may limit the number of procedures — or pay for preventive care only.  Look for coverage with no deductibles. Some plans may require you to pay hundreds out of pocket before benefits are paid.  Shop for coverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits. Some plans have annual maximums of $1,000.

Medicare doesn’t pay for dental care.1

Previous dental work can wear out.

That’s right. As good as Medicare is, it was never meant to cover everything. That means if you want protection, you need to purchase individual insurance.

Even if you’ve had quality dental work in the past, you shouldn’t take your dental health for granted. In fact, your odds of having a dental problem only go up as you age.2

Early detection can prevent small problems from becoming expensive ones. The best way to prevent large dental bills is preventive care. The American Dental Association recommends checkups twice a year.

Treatment is expensive — especially the services people over 50 often need. Consider these national average costs of treatment ... $274 for a checkup ... $299 for a filling ... $1,471 for a crown.3 Unexpected bills like this can be a real burden, especially if you’re on a fixed income.

1 “Medicare & You,” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2025. 2 “Aging changes in teeth and gums”, medlineplus.gov, 4/17/2022. 3 FairHealth, Inc. National average dental fees. Data current as of July 2025; subject to change.

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BOOKS

La. author explores Acadian roots Through war and romance, book gives insight into expulsion

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

“Like Snow Before Sun” by Marianne Rabalais Sulser,Atmosphere Press, 323 pages. The novel “Like Snow Before Sun” by Marianne Rabalais Sulser is a fictional account of the AcaReview dians and Mi’kmaq tribe on the eve of the French and Indian War and the Expulsion of the Acadians. Sulser weaves a tale of redemptive love and brutal violence among the complex alliance of Acadians and Mi’kmaq as they encounter the British. Marianne Rabalais Sulser is an Alexandria native living in Colorado with her husband and three children. She is a graduate of LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication and the Paul M. Hebert Law Center. Sulser’s maternal ancestors were among the Acadians expelled from Nova Scotia in the 1750s, and she grew up hearing Cajun French and family stories that shaped her identity. After working on her own genealogical research, Sulser still had questions. As a lawyer, she found herself on a quest to uncover her ancestors’ stories from Nova Scotia. So she turned the exploration into a novel that illuminates the terror of the time through the eyes of an Acadian and Mi’kmaq woman. “Like Snow Before Sun,” which was released in June, brings this chapter of history to life through the story of a fierce young woman named Jeanne LeJeune who is caught between loyalty, love and survival as war reshapes her world. In 1755 Halifax, Jeanne LeJeune has always lived between worlds — the fierce daughter of a French merchant and a Mi’kmaw woman, she is torn between her village life

PROVIDED PHOTO

Marianne Rabalais Sulser, an LSU alumna, is the author of ‘Like Snow Before Sun.’ and her mother’s people. When her father is seized by English soldiers, Jeanne’s fragile peace shatters. To free her father, Jeanne agrees to guide an English ofﬁcer through Nova Scotia as he maps the land. Her choice entangles her in the coming war. With allegiances to the Acadians and the Mi’kmaq, Jeanne’s mission to free her father becomes a journey of danger, betrayal and passion. The character Jeanne is inspired by one of Sulser’s own ancestors — a woman of Acadian and Mi’kmaw heritage. Henry Young, Jeanne’s love interest, draws from an actual British

ofﬁcer who may have secretly helped Acadians escape deportation. “Like Snow Before Sun” is an intricate look at the Acadians, the Mi’kmak and the English in Acadia in 1755. The novel puts in perspective how ﬁerce the hatred was between the English Protestants and the French Catholics during the 18th century. Sulser covers political intrigue, ferocious violence and community tumult while cultivating an enemies-tolovers romance. Full of heartache and drama, the novel captures the unstable time for Acadians and Mi’kmaq

in a grounded story of family and the ﬁght for freedom. Sulser creates lush descriptions of the forest and the coast of the Northeast. Through her descriptions of nature and action, she builds an unforgettable world. Through familiar dialogue, Sulser draws a direct line from Acadians to Cajuns in their language and ways. The title of the novel comes from Chief Tecumseh, who said, “They have vanished before the avarice and the oppression of the White Man, as snow before a summer sun.” Sulser wrote that the quote

made her think of not only First Nations but also the loss of Acadiana and Louisiana Cajun culture. She hopes readers develop a deeper understanding of the resilience required to survive displacement and how Cajun culture has endured. Sulser will be at the Louisiana Book Festival in Baton Rouge on Oct. 31. To learn more from the resources Sulser used to research this novel, visit mariannesulser. com. Email Joy Holden at joy. holden@theadvocate.com.

At a celebrity bookshop in California, I found greatness on the shelf When my family and I visited Summerland, California, in May, I assumed that blue skies would be part of the mix. California is known for its sunny weather, and who wouldn’t expect a place called Summerland to offer endless sun? But our excursion unfolded during the area’s season of “May gray,” a local quirk of the weather that brings clouds and chill. Days like that make wide, clear windows all the more welcome to harness the subdued light. The thought came to mind as we browsed in Godmothers, a Summerland bookstore that opened two years ago in a restored gambrel barn. The shop’s broad banks of windows are a big part of its California feel. While some bookstores embrace a cloistered sensibility, this venue looks outward, connecting books with the world beyond its doorstep. There are other nods to California’s brightly casual vibe. Warm wood ﬂoors create an inviting mood, and along with the high bookcases, broad farm tables hold some of the stock, too. Other light touches, such as a small end table bearing a tiny stack of volumes, make Godmothers seem less like a store and more like a

Dannny Heitma an Danny Heitman AT RANDOM

home. The shop was the brainchild of high-proﬁle literary agent Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and popular beauty author Victoria Jackson. Various stories have credited Oprah Winfrey, a friend of the owners, with coining the shop’s name. Because it’s in Santa Barbara County, Godmothers attracts its share of celebrities. Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have stopped by. We didn’t see any stars on our visit, but when I go to a bookstore, I’m looking for greatness on the shelves. Luckily, Godmothers had an abundance of talent in its stock. One of the small pleasures of visiting a bookshop is being reminded of the good books already waiting for you at home. I was happy to see “Whistler,” Ann Patchett’s new novel, and Anne Fadiman’s “Frog: And Other Es-

says” at Godmothers. I was doubly pleased to know that I’d acquired them some weeks before for my to-be-read pile back in Louisiana. I headed upstairs to the shop’s spacious second ﬂoor, which included a lovely row of glass panes and a selection of books on art and design. My purchase for the day was “The World According to Vincent,” a bright yellow hardback that alternates some of Van Gogh’s best paintings with pithy excerpts from his writings. I’ve been so taken with it that I’ve explored an equally charming companion volume, “The World According to Matisse.” Visiting Godmothers reminded me that bookstores can be a great welcome mat for any community. That’s surely true of our own bookstore scene in Louisiana, as Steve Garbarino made clear earlier this year in “Big Easy Reading,” a celebration of New Orleans bookshops in Airmail magazine. Van Gogh said the secret of making beauty “is to a large extent good faith and sincere feeling.” The best bookshops, I’ve learned, offer both. Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com.

PHOTO PROVIDED By LEAH NORTON

The children’s section in Godmothers, a Summerland, California, bookshop, rests near a wide bank of windows that allows plenty of natural light.

THIS WEEK’S BESTSELLERS FROM PUBLISHERS WEEKLY HARDCOVER FICTION

1. “The Calamity Club” by Kathryn Stockett 2. “Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke 3. “Whistler” by Ann Patchett 4. “The Country Road Murders” by Patterson/Lupica 5. “A Forsaken Prophecy” by Stacey McEwan 6. “Cool Machine” by Colson Whitehead 7. “Prince of Swords” by Elise Kova 8. “Ransom” by Daniel Silva 9. “The Shampoo Effect” by Jenny Jackson 10. “Mad Mabel” by Sally Hepworth

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

1. “Regime Change” by Haberman/ Swan 2. “Strangers” by Belle Burden 3. “The Price of Becoming” by Ryan Hawk 4. “Communion” by JD Vance 5. “The Day After” by Brian Tyler Cohen 6. “Courage Can Save Us” by Rye Barcott 7. “The Land and Its People” by David Sedaris 8. “Revolution” by Eric Metaxas 9. “The King Is Coming” by John Bevere 10. “Cancel Me If You Can” by Dave Portnoy

TRADE PAPERBACK

1. “Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi 2. “Dungeon Crawler Carl” by Matt Dinniman 3. “The Divorce” by Freida McFadden 4. “Lorenzo” by Sadie Kincaid 5. “My Friends” by Fredrik Backman 6. “Murdoku” by Manuel Garand 7. “Dust to Dust” by Jen Wilkin 8. “Stolen by Shadows” by Elizabeth Helen 9. “The Housemaid’s Wedding” by Freida McFadden 10. “Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ 7D

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LOUISIANA INSPIRED

‘The content of their character’

How one Louisiana teacher changed the trajectory of a life BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer

Johnell Theriot was 5 years old when she crawled through a hole in the back fence on Freret Street in Morgan City. On the other side lived Alice Stansamore, a fourth grade teacher who would change the direction of her life. When the A LESSON newspaper asked FOR LIFE for letters and messages about teachers who changed lives, Theriot submitted a letter to Stansamore. The following letter is edited for length and clarity: Dear Ms. Alice, This letter is long overdue. Even though I have never had the privilege of being an ofﬁcial student of yours, I have been the recipient of your educational philosophy. As you remember, our families were neighbors on Freret Street in Morgan City in the early 1950s. You were a fourth grade teacher at Sumpter Williams School. I was a very active 5 year old who loved to go through the back fence to visit you, Maw Vic, Mert and Maw PeeMaw. As you prepared your schoolwork, I helped you to organize your papers. I guess we talked about the papers as we went. A seed was being planted into my active little brain. We moved, but I never forgot your family. As times passed, I decided that I wanted to be a teacher just like you. At the time, there were two educational systems in Louisiana, but things changed when I entered the teaching profession. I had the opportunity to be one of the ﬁrst teachers to educate an integrated

classroom. Maybe you couldn’t teach me when I was in school, but I had the opportunity to teach students of your race for 43 years. Those students were taught in accordance with our shared philosophy of teaching all students entrusted to us regardless of race, color, creed and academic ability. I never missed an opportunity to tell anyone that my inspiration for becoming a teacher was a neighbor, who was of a different race in pre-Brown vs. Board of Education, who taught an active 5 year old that you teach a student according to the content of their character, not the color of their skin. Thank you, Ms. Alice for planting that seed and helping me to become the woman that I am today. Sincerely, Johnell B. Theriot Theriot, 78, lives in St. Martin Parish, where she was a teacher for 43 years. Her husband is a retired colonel. Every Wednesday morning, she goes to the beautician. In December, she’ll celebrate another birthday. Though she’s at a point now where she can reﬂect on her life, the seed to her teaching career was planted when she was 5 years old in Morgan City, where she would sneak through a hole in the back fence of her rent house to meet a neighbor, Stansamore, a fourth grade teacher at Sumpter Williams School, which used to be called Morgan City Colored High School. Theriot’s dad was a concrete inspector who worked on the original ﬂood wall in Morgan City in 1947. The family wasn’t staying in the area long, so they rented a house on Freret Street in 1951, which is how Theriot came to know Stansamore and her mother. “My dad knew no strangers,” Theriot said. “They would make friends wherever they were. So we made friends with them next door. These ladies would watch over my mother and me when he was gone.” During the summer, Stansamore attended summer school. Theriot’s family helped their neighbor by

PROVIDED PHOTO

A postcard of Morgan City Colored High School, which was renamed Sumpter Williams High School packing lunches of sardines and crackers and Vienna sausages. In the afternoon, 5-year-old Theriot would slip through to Stansamore’s house and help her with paper work. “She would correct her papers, and instead of her getting up and going to put them away, she’d have me go and put them up. And that’s how I’d help her,” Theriot said of Stansamore, who was disabled. “I’d go home, and I’d tell Mom, ‘I wanna be like Miss Alice.’” At the time, Theriot remembers that Stansamore was in her 70s or 80s, and Stansamore’s mother, who Theriot called “Mama Vic,” was a little over 100 years old. This was in the early ’50s, when Brown v. Board of Education just passed and segregation was rampant. Theriot says her mother didn’t raise her to look down on anyone, no matter their skin color. Every adult had a title, whether it was mister or misses. Theriot and her family lived on Freret Street for about two years, then they moved to St. Martinville

in 1954. But they still went back and visited Miss Alice and Mama Vic for years. Theriot even sent them a high school graduation invitation. “Mama Vic had a coffee table in her living room, and she had all of her little grandchildren’s pictures,” Theriot said. “And right smack dab in the middle of all those pictures was my little graduation picture. I mean, it stuck out like a sore thumb, but that was Mama Vic — Johnell was one of her grandchildren, and that was it.” Theriot says it didn’t dawn on her when she was younger that she was helping someone who was less fortunate than her, because of Stansamore’s mobility issues. When Theriot decided she wanted to be a teacher, she minored in special education. Her ﬁrst year of teaching was at St. Martin Elementary in September of 1969, the ﬁrst year of elementary public school integration in St. Martin Parish. The high school integrated the following year. Sometime after the integration of

public schools, Theriot’s mother went to visit Stansamore. “Alice told Mama, ‘I’m just going to have to retire, because no White people are gonna want a Black crippled teacher to teach their kids.’ I think that I took over where she left off,” Theriot said. When asked about her educational philosophy, Theriot remembered Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech: “I judge a person not by the color of their skin, but the content of their character.” In her 43-year career, Theriot has taught every grade of elementary school. She retired in May 2006 but went back to the profession in 2013 for three years. Stansamore died in 1969, but if she were still here today, Theriot said she would tell Miss Alice this: “I taught my students just the way that I think you taught yours — teaching each child to make the most of themselves.” Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@theadvocate. com.

Powering Progress A New Home for Discovery, Research and Collaboration at LSU

Shell Research Laboratories

Pictured L to R: Rob Stuart, LSU Real Estate and Facilities Foundation President & CEO; Wade Rousse, LSU President; Rochelle Touchard, Shell, Corporate Relations Regional Lead; Colette Hirstius, Shell USA, President; Lee Stockwell, Shell, General Manager, Carbon Capture and Storage North America; Krista Raney, LSU Foundation President & CEO; Robb Brumﬁeld, LSU College of Science Interim Dean

“The opening of the LSU Our Lady of the Lake Health Interdisciplinary Science Building is a testament to the power of partnership and what can be achieved when industry and academia come together around a shared vision.

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8D ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Grandma’s not getting table manners hint Dear Miss Manners: I hosted a former colleague for a weekend. Like any proud grandmother, she wished to show me a video of her granddaughters singing, to which I happily consented. I was less pleased, however, when my houseguest proceeded to scroll endlessly through her Judith during our simple Martin phone repast at the dinner table, MISS searching for a specific MANNERS video to show me. After being shown several videos, only to be told, “Oh, no, it’s not that one,” I gently suggested that it might be easier to search for and enjoy the correct video after we had finished our dinner. My guest assured me she would certainly find the video very shortly. I sat patiently through several other videos, which she showed me from her phone propped up by a water glass. This woman comes from a politically prominent family and has traveled widely. She is often admired for her good taste. I was nonplussed that she did not catch the meaning of my gentle redirection.

Is there a polite way to ask a houseguest who is oblivious to a polite suggestion to cease and desist questionable table manners? Gentle reader: Better judgment may vanish when one becomes a grandparent. How else do you explain the gaudy toys and sugar binges that were strictly prohibited from one’s own children? Grandparents cannot be expected to show polite restraint. All you can do in a situation such as yours is to repeat the request to ﬁnish the task later, make a show of putting your own phone away or say that dinner is getting cold. But Miss Manners congratulates you on using the word “nonplussed” correctly. May you take comfort in that while you silently seethe at all the videos you were forced to watch. Dear Miss Manners: During several recent doctor visits, my “quiet” stay in the waiting room was disturbed by rude people dictating text messages out loud. The words were bad enough, but they also had to add the punctuation as they dictated. As a former English teacher, am I equally as rude by correcting their grammar in front of the other patients in the waiting room? Or are they fair

game, since they infringed on others’ air space? Gentle reader: Not equally rude. Somehow even more so. As Miss Manners’ gentle readers well know, one does not reciprocate bad manners. And between talking too loud and publicly correcting someone’s grammar, the latter is the greater offense. No matter how good the syntax with which it is uttered. Dear Miss Manners: One of my neighbors, a semi-sweet lady, has a Pomeranian that barks at everything and oftentimes nothing at all. This neighbor invited me to pet her dog and was offended when I declined. What’s a good way to let pet owners know I am not a kindred spirit? Gentle reader: Lest your neighbor deem you “unsweetened,” Miss Manners suggests you come up with a viable excuse. Perhaps, “Oh, thank you, but my hands are dirty,” which all hands not freshly washed may be assumed to be. (Note that saying, “I just washed them, so I’d better not,” would not have the same effect.) Send questions to Miss Manners at dearmissmanners@gmail.com.

One in four people can’t cook a basic meal Dear Heloise: I recently read that 1 in 4 Americans can’t make a basic meal, and I found this to be surprising. If you can read, you can follow instructions in a cookbook. If your mother cooked most Hints from of your meals, Heloise just ask yourself, “What did she make for dinner?” You don’t need a master’s degree to toss a salad. People who say that they can’t cook haven’t tried to cook. (And I’m talking to all you bachelors out there!) Don’t believe anyone who says they can’t cook. They may not be good at it, but anyone can make a basic meal. — Jason M., in Hillsboro, Oregon

A tried and true hint Dear Heloise: A friend of mine

had these remarkable wide rubber bands that she used to keep her cereal boxes closed. I asked her where she got them, and she said that when a pair of rubber gloves get worn out and have holes in them, she cuts along the cuff part of the gloves to form these large bands. When I mentioned how clever I thought she was, she told me that she had found this hint in your column. So, from both of us, thanks a million for all your wonderful hints! — Kelly and Isabel, in Mississippi

Pork roast poisoning Dear Heloise: My mother always left frozen meat on the kitchen counter to thaw out, and nothing bad ever happened … until now. We went to Mom’s place for Sunday dinner, and she served a pork roast. Everything was ﬁne until later in the evening,

when we all ended up in the emergency room. Turns out, we all had food poisoning from the pork roast. The physicians warned us to never thaw meat on a kitchen counter. We never had a problem in the past, but this one event was enough to make me sit up and listen to the doctor’s warning. My husband, my kids and I spent three days recovering. — Deborah E., in Eugene, Oregon

While you wait Dear Heloise: Most of us go through situations where we have to wait for a while. Instead of glancing through outdated magazines or staring at the walls, I take a crossword puzzle from a newspaper or a crossword puzzle book with me. Time seems to ﬂy by while I wait to see the doctor or while my son takes his piano lesson. — Anne R., in Marietta, Georgia

The healthiest nuts Dear Heloise: What are the healthiest nuts to eat as a snack? — Rachel K., in Renton, Washington Rachel, well, there really isn’t a “healthiest” nut because they all offer nutritional value. However, most dietitians usually rank pistachios, walnuts and almonds as their top picks due to their protein, fiber and antioxidants. n Pistachios are classified as a complete plant protein with all nine essential amino acids. n Walnuts are often called “brain food” and contain the highest plant-based omega-4 fatty acids. n Almonds have the highest fiber and protein per serving of any nut. They are also a very good source of vitamin E. — Heloise Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

TODAY IN HISTORY By The Associated Press Today is Sunday, Aug. 9, the 221st day of 2026. There are 144 days left in the year. Today in history: On Aug. 9, 1945, three days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, a U.S. B-29 Superfortress dropped an atomic device over Nagasaki; the bombing and subsequent radiation poisoning killed an estimated 74,000 people. Also on this date: In 1173, construction began on the campanile of Pisa Cathedral — better known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa. In 1854, Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden,” which described Thoreau’s experiences while living near Walden Pond in Massachusetts, was first published. In 1936, Jesse Owens won his fourth gold medal at the Berlin Olympics as the United States took first place in the 400-meter relay. In 1969, actor Sharon Tate and four other people were found killed at Tate’s Los Angeles home; cult leader Charles Manson and a group of his followers were later convicted of the crime. In 1974, Gerald Ford took the oath of office to become U.S. president after Richard Nixon’s resignation; in a speech afterward, Ford declared that “our long national nightmare is over.” In 1988, President Ronald Reagan nominated Lauro Cavazos to be secretary of education; Cavazos became the first Hispanic to serve in the Cabinet. In 2014, Michael Brown Jr., a Black 18-yearold, was shot to death by a police officer following an altercation in Ferguson, Missouri; Brown’s death led to sometimes-violent protests in Ferguson and other U.S. cities, helping fuel a national “Black Lives Matter” movement. In 2024, a passenger plane crashed in a gated residential community in Brazil’s Sao Paulo state, killing all 61 people aboard. The twin-engine plane operated by Voepass was en route to Sao Paulo’s international airport at the time. In 2025, Jen Pawol broke Major League Baseball’s gender barrier as the first female umpire to work a regular-season game; Pawol worked both games of a doubleheader between the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins. Today’s birthdays: Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Cousy is 98. Tennis Hall of Famer Rod Laver is 88. Actor Sam Elliott is 82. Singer Barbara Mason is 79. College Football Hall of Famer and former NFL player Doug Williams is 71. Actor Melanie Griffith is 69. Actor Amanda Bearse is 68. Rapper Kurtis Blow is 67. Hockey Hall of Famer Brett Hull is 62. Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is 59. Actor Gillian Anderson is 58. Actor Eric Bana is 58. Producerdirector McG (aka Joseph McGinty Nichol) is 58. NHL player-turned-coach Rod Brind’Amour is 56. Actor Thomas Lennon is 55. Actor Nikki Schieler Ziering is 55. Latin rock singer Juanes is 54. Actor Liz Vassey is 54. Actor Kevin McKidd is 53. Actor Jessica Capshaw is 50. Actor Ashley Johnson is 43. Actor Anna Kendrick is 41. Singer-rapper Kazuha is 23.

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Made of steel, concrete or composite, new utility polls — nearly 200 in all between Metairie Road and a Lakeview substation — were some of the first to be replaced nearly two years ago as part of Entergy New Orleans’ gridhardening efforts. STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

‘THAT’S KIND OF

LIVING PROOF’ With $900M spent since Ida, Entergy working to harden Louisiana’s grid

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

Drivers on Interstate 10 heading past Lake Lawn Metairie Cemetery might notice a line of utility poles along the service road that look a bit different than much of the rest of the grid. Made of steel, concrete or composite, the polls — nearly 200 in all between Metairie Road and a Lakeview substation — were some of the ﬁrst to be replaced nearly two years ago as part of Entergy New Orleans’ grid-hardening efforts. On June 18, as the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur sent a tornado tearing through the area, a large oak tree came down on a guy wire supporting one of the new poles. “Back in the day, that could’ve caused an outage easily,” said Dan Calamari, vice president of reliability operations for Entergy New Orleans. This time,

IDEAS &

INNOVATION

Dan Calamari, Entergy New Orleans vice president of reliability operations, stands below the new power lines near Lake Lawn Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans.

the pole held, and the power stayed on. “That’s kind of living proof that what we’re doing is working.” Five years after Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 storm that exposed the fragility of Louisiana’s electricity grid when it plunged more than a million households across the state in the dark for more than three weeks in some cases, Entergy and its two utilities that serve the region — Entergy New Orleans and Entergy Louisiana — say they’re better prepared for the next storm. Both utilities are more than halfway through the ﬁrst phase of their “accelerated resilience plans.” The plans — at a cost of $100 million over two years for Entergy New Orleans and $1.9 billion over ﬁve years for Entergy Louisiana — seek to harden the most vulnerable portions of the grid to withstand winds of 140 to 150 mph so that the power is more likely to remain on and the utility is less likely to seek a storm recovery surcharge, like the $2.5 billion in damage from Ida that Louisiana ratepayers will still be paying off in a decade.

ä See GRID, page 2E

In the shadows of LSU, off-campus student housing is big business BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL and IANNE SALVOSA

Staff writers

As students begin returning to LSU’s ﬂagship campus in Baton Rouge for the fall semester, thousands will be moving into high-end apartment complexes with some of the highest lease rates in the state and amenities — game rooms, ﬁtness studios and, in one case, a lazy river — that would have been unimaginable a couple of decades ago. Student housing has gone upscale — and gotten expensive in the process — fueling some of the hottest activity in the Baton Rouge multifamily market,

experts say. Occupancy rates for the 17 high-end apartment complexes that serve the LSU student market topped 96% last year, outperforming the national average for luxury student housing by ﬁve points. Lease rates averaged nearly $2 per square foot or $1,440 for a onebedroom unit — nearly 15% more than the average lease rate for apartments in downtown Baton Rouge and on par with what some of the swankiest apartments in downtown New Orleans command. And the seven student complexes near LSU that were sold last year generated more than 60% of the $584

million in total sales volume in the market, even though they represented fewer than one-third of the 23 properties that changed hands, underscoring the top dollar that out-of-state investors are willing to pay for the properties. Experts say a year-over-year increase in freshman enrollment at LSU for eight consecutive years is fueling the growth. Enrollment at the university’s ﬂagship campus increased 19.5% between 2019 and 2025, swelling to more than 34,500 last year. “It’s all driven by student demand,” said Craig Davenport, an appraiser

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

In July, the 277-unit Park Place Apartments, since rebranded The Grayson, on East Boyd Drive near the south gates of LSU’s campus sold for more than $82 million — more than $295,000 per unit or $110,000 per bed. Student housing has become big business nationwide for developers and investors who see it as a ä See OFF-CAMPUS, page 2E recession-proof investment.

2E ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Tips for spotting impostor scams “Michelle, I think I’ve been scammed.” That’s the first thing a member of the financial ministry I direct at my church said to me when answered Michelle Imy mobile Singletary phone last THE COLOR month. OF MONEy Her voice was shaky; her words sometimes jumbled, the lingering impact from a stroke. “What happened?” I asked. She told me that someone claiming to be from her bank’s fraud department instructed her to wire close to $50,000 to the IRS for safekeeping. “Hang up with me now,” I insisted. The words came out sharper than I intended. Glancing at the clock above my television, I saw it was just before 5 p.m. The 73-year-old widow had just returned home after visiting a local bank branch to request the transfer. I knew she had to act fast. Because the transaction happened near the end of the day, it was possible the wire transfer wouldn’t be processed until the next morning. “Call the bank immediately, then call me back and tell me the rest of the story,” I said. “And don’t use any phone numbers you were given.” Having covered consumer scams for decades, I knew within 30 seconds that she had fallen prey to an impostor scam. In these schemes, criminals impersonate an official from a trusted organization, such as a government, law enforcement agency or bank. The goal is to steal money, personal data or both. These scammers have become incredibly cunning at exploiting people’s fears. They make you believe you will be arrested or that your savings are not safe. They might claim that your Social Security number has been linked to a crime. This puts folks in a heightened emotional state, making it hard to think critically. Impostor scams topped the nation’s fraud reports last year, with more than 1 million complaints filed and $3.5 billion in losses, according to the Federal Trade Commission. In the first half of this year, people have already reported losing $1.8 billion to impostor scams. “These scams lured consumers through text, phone, email, social media, search engine results and other means,” the FTC said in a statement in June. “Some of the costliest impersonation scams start with a fake security alert, often from a bank. People are convinced to move money to ‘protect’ it, with their losses often limited only by their available funds.” The call from my church member was deeply unsettling. She agreed to share her story to alert others on the condition of anonymity because the thieves have her personal information. Her caution is wellfounded. Victims are frequently targeted again, sometimes in “recovery scams,” where con artists offer to retrieve stolen funds for an up-front fee. When she called me back, the news was a relief. Her bank had frozen all her accounts and placed a hold on the wire transfer. They told her to return to the bank branch the following morning to confirm what had happened. I knew she needed support, so I volunteered to go with her. When we arrived at 9 a.m. sharp, the bank associate mentioned she had already suspected something was off, which was confirmed when she received a red-flag alert

from the fraud department. Here is how the trap was set. My church member was trying to set up an online account for a dental insurance policy she was enrolling in. During the process, a high-pitched alarm flashed across her iPad screen. Then an automated man’s voice shouted, “Stop. Your computer is locked. Don’t close it. All systems are going to be deleted.” Worried about losing her data, she called a number that appeared on the screen. “For about an hour and a half, they were trying to unlock my computer,” she recalled. Then the person on the line said he was from her bank’s fraud department. Next came the scare tactics. She was quizzed about various transactions allegedly made at 4:40 a.m. — one for a $478.76 purchase in California and another fictional amount for $178.67. She lives in Maryland, so naturally, she panicked. The fabricated charges were just a ruse to make her concerned about her bank account. The scammer stressed that her account had to be put on “high security” for 24 to 72 hours. A portion of her savings, $48,500, had to be transferred to a supposed IRS “safeguard” account. She was told that an insider at the bank was trying to steal her money and that the wire transfer was a necessary security measure that could assist with an official fraud investigation. Specificity makes these scams feel real. If you or a loved one ever falls victim to an impostor scam, here are the immediate steps to take. Contact your financial institution: Call the fraud department directly using the number printed on your physical card, or look it up online. However, even then, you have to be careful not to land on a fake page. Freeze all compromised accounts. Ask for new account numbers. Change your passwords: Update your credentials for online banking, email and primary accounts. Enable two-factor authentication using an authenticator app. Disconnect remote access: If you allowed someone to access your computer or tablet, turn off your Wi-Fi connection immediately, uninstall the software, and have a professional inspect the device for hidden malware. Don’t answer calls you don’t recognize. Report the crime: You might feel ashamed or embarrassed, but still come forward and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI’s internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Contact local police and the DMV: Provide details of the scam and specify what information you provided, such as a copy of your driver’s license. Keep a copy of the police report number; state agencies and banks often request it. If your license information has been compromised, contact your state’s motor vehicle department. Freeze your credit file: Place a “security freeze,” also called a “credit freeze,” with all three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This blocks lenders from pulling your credit report, effectively stopping scammers from opening new credit cards, auto loans or personal loans in your name. Monitor your credit history: Regularly check your credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com. You can do this once a week. Email Michelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@ washpost.com.

GRID

Continued from page 1E Since work on the plans began in 2024, Entergy New Orleans has completed a little more than one-fourth of the projects on its to-do list, replacing hundreds of distribution poles and miles of power lines through neighborhoods across the city. Entergy Louisiana has tackled nearly one third of its projects, which also include replacing distribution equipment as well as the much larger transmission lines, poles and substations. “It’s not a guarantee that power won’t go off. It’s a promise that we can get it back on more q u i c k l y, ” said Entergy Louisiana CEO Phillip May. In minor storms, May he said, infrastructure is less likely to fail and repairs can be completed by smaller crews. “All of that means savings to the customers.” Despite the progress, a lot of work is yet to be done, and it’s unclear how the grid will fare if the region is hit by another Ida, or worse. Both utilities are already asking to expand their resiliency programs into the next phase, meaning they’ll seek more money, drawing skepticism from regulators with an eye on reliability. Meanwhile, basic maintenance of aging infrastructure, which is a separate matter from grid-hardening efforts, remains an ongoing problem in New Orleans, where power outages last year were the most frequent in eight years. “What we have seen is that (Entergy New Orleans) has consistently underspent on maintenance, just from their own reporting to us,” said District A council member Aimee McCarron, who chairs the council’s utilities committee. Some of the equipment now being replaced under the resilience program, she said, has not been properly maintained for years, a charge Entergy New Orleans denies.

Measuring ‘resilience’ The utilities say they are making progress, upgrading both the transmission lines that carry power from plants to substations and the distribution lines that reach homes and businesses. Ida damaged or destroyed about 500 transmission structures and knocked out all eight major lines into New Orleans. Entergy replaced them with what it says is sturdier infrastructure — some of the repairs customers are paying for via a storm recovery surcharge of more than $5 a month. More broadly under the resilience plans, the utilities

OFF-CAMPUS Continued from page 1E

with Cook, Moore, Davenport & Associates who compiled the apartment data. “To have almost 8,000 more students on campus in seven years is unprecedented growth.” Though LSU ofﬁcials said recently that enrollment will be down by “several hundred” students this fall as the university becomes more selective with its admissions, Davenport said he doesn’t expect demand for off-campus student housing to diminish.

Investors eye the SEC LSU is not unique. Student housing has become big business nationwide for developers and investors who see it as a recession-proof investment. In 2024, property sales volume in the student housing sector reached $8.5 billion, a 43% increase over 2023, according to Walker and Dunlop, a Maryland-based commercial real estate ﬁrm that tracks the national industry. Properties near universities in the Southeastern Conference were among the most desirable to investors, the report noted, because of “enrollment surges at the large, state-supported institutions.”

PHOTO PROVIDED By ENTERGy LOUISIANA

The Caminada Substation is an elevated electrical substation in Grand Isle. The utilities Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans say they are making progress on hardening the power grid, upgrading both the transmission lines that carry power from plants to substations and the distribution lines that reach homes and businesses. are swapping out older and more vulnerable equipment, poles and wires for new stronger ones. As of March 31, the latest date for which information is available, Entergy New Orleans had spent about 40% of its funding and upgraded about 800 structures, though company officials said it remains on track to finish more than 3,000 by the end of the year. Entergy Louisiana had spent about half the money allocated and hardened 23,000 of 70,000 planned structures, according to their filings with regulators. The monthly surcharge for the first phase of the resilience program for a typical Entergy Louisiana customer currently stands at $3.67 and is set to rise to $7 in 2029. The cost of Entergy New Orleans’ upgrades was defrayed with proceeds from a past settlement with the utility. Although the upgraded infrastructure has yet to be tested by a major storm, Entergy officials say the track record has been good so far. After Hurricane Francine in 2024, a Category 2 storm that made landfall near Morgan City, power was restored to 90% of the more than 400,000 customers that experienced an outage within a day. And earlier this year, when Winter Storm Fern coated much of North Louisiana in nearly an inch of ice, the utility reported only one of thousands of new, hardened poles failed. For customers, the value of the new infrastructure also appears in reduced restoration times for routine outages, according to Entergy. In Tangipahoa Parish, where about 425 poles and multiple transmission lines have been upgraded so far, outages that once lasted four hours or more can now get cleared in one, according to B.J. Couvillion, Entergy Louisiana’s customer service manager for most of the northshore. “There was a tree outside the right-of-way that broke,” Couvillion said. “It hit some wires and the outage was not that long because we didn’t have to deal with broken poles — we just had to pick up some wire.”

Still, part of the challenge in evaluating the effectiveness of Entergy’s resilience spending is that no one has agreed how to measure it, though company officials say they’ve run cost-benefit analyses to be sure to get the best bang for ratepayers’ buck. Before its spending plan was approved, Entergy Louisiana estimated it would save $1.2 billion in restoration and post-storm recovery costs. May said he suspects the benefits have exceeded those projections. The main way regulators can judge resilience spending is the “pole performance metric.” If more than 5% of newly replaced poles fail during a federally named storm, the utility would be on the hook for fines. No such “triggering events” have yet occurred. “There’s not really metrics developed right now for resiliency, if I’m honest,” said Davante Lewis, who represents parts of New Orleans and Baton Rouge on the Public Service Commission and voted against the plan.

To that point, two of the biggest sales in the multifamily sector in Louisiana last year, dollar-wise, were of student complexes near LSU. In July, the 277-unit Park Place Apartments on East Boyd Drive near the south gates of campus, since rebranded The Grayson, sold for more than $82 million — more than $295,000 per unit or $110,000 per bed. In December, the 137-unit Flatiron on West Parker, across the street from The Grayson, sold for $37 million, which comes to more than $268,000 per unit or $126,280 per bed. None of the nonstudent apartment complexes that sold in Baton Rouge last year came close to matching the per-unit price of the student complexes. The Gates at CitiPlace, a Class A property with 369 units, was the highest-priced non-student complex to sell. It fetched 40% less than Flatiron and 50% less than Park Place. Demand for student housing is also fueling new construction, a relative rarity across much of Louisiana due to inﬂation and persistently higher interest rates. Currently, two complexes are under construction near LSU. When completed in 2027, they will add more than 300 new units to existing inventory.

Between 2018 and 2025, 8,800 beds, 6,000 of which nearly 1,000 new units were are dedicated to freshmen, completed. could accommodate. In 2024, it offered incoming freshDifferent animals men from within a 30-mile Elsewhere in the state, the radius of Baton Rouge $3,000 student housing picture is to live at home with their more complicated to track, parents for the semester. University officials expect experts say. In New Orleans, both Tu- they’ll have a little more lane and Loyola universities breathing room this year are nestled in the middle given the dip in enrollment. “It’s not busting at the of the Uptown residential neighborhood, where hun- seams like it had been,” said dreds of two-family and Pete Trentacoste, executive multiplex homes in the im- director of the office of resimediate area have been dential life at LSU. converted in recent years to Late last year, LSU broke rental housing for students. ground on a new $200 million The dynamic has created student housing complex. its own set of challenges When completed in 2027, for near neighbors over the it will add more than 1,260 years and had ripple effects new beds to campus, which on the market, though there will enable the university to aren’t any large multifamily accommodate an estimated buildings in Uptown New Or- 2,500 upperclassmen. “Without question, with leans as there are near LSU so the impacts are more dis- more beds coming online for persed, according to broker fall ’27, we know we’ll have more beds available for the Larry Schedler. Recently, both universities upperclassmen,” Trentahave required more students coste said. to live on campus and are The new housing options building more dorms to ac- will be designed to accomcommodate them. modate the needs of today’s In 2018, LSU started re- students with workout faciliquiring full-time freshmen ties and food lockers for deto live on campus, returning liveries, though Trentacoste to a policy it had done away said the university is not in with in the 1970s. Not long an arms race with private after, enrollment numbers apartment developers. began to swell under then“We benefit by not having President William Tate. to reproduce all those ameniThe result was more stu- ties,” he said. “We have a lot dents than the university’s of that nearby.”

Smart spending?

last year, the highest level since 2017. Entergy New Orleans CEO Deanna Rodriguez denied the company has failed to maintain equipment in order to recoup more from capital expenditures via Rodriguez surcharges, and called the charges “misinformation.” Company spokesperson Beau Tidwell said more frequent outages are not necessarily a sign of poor maintenance, pointing to mylar balloons, cars crashing into poles and increased lightning strikes as reasons the grid goes down.

‘Investing for resilience’ Both utilities are now asking regulators to approve of the next phase of their gridhardening efforts. Later this year, Entergy Louisiana plans to file a scaled-down “Phase 1a” request for additional resilience money after 2028, though company officials have yet to reveal how much they’ll seek. Entergy New Orleans has already asked the City Council to approve another $400 million to continue its grid-hardening program for another ﬁve years starting in January. “We don’t invest just to invest,” Rodriguez said. “We invest for reliability. We invest for resilience. We invest in keeping affordability in mind.” McCarron said the utility won’t be getting more resilience funding until it improves reliability, pointing to data showing there was not a single day free of a power outage in New Orleans during the last quarter. “What I’ve told them consistently since I got into ofﬁce was: ‘Your reliability is still really bad,’ ” she said. “‘Until I see improvement, how do you expect me to authorize additional funding?’”

Critics contend that Entergy is favoring large-scale capital spending projects, the costs of which are paid by ratepayers through special surcharges, over prudently budgeting for maintenance, whose cost should be factored into regular electricity rates. Logan Burke, the executive director of the Alliance for Affordable Energy, said Entergy should be required to show how much money its grid-hardening investments have saved. “The Public Service Commission and the New Orleans City Council have a responsibility to not just approve it and forget it,” Burke said. “If you assume the cost-beneﬁt analysis as the budget, then you need to come back with the actuals.” She points to the fact that the number of outages in New Orleans has increased since the resilience plan began. According to data submitted to the City Council, equipment-related outages Email Jonah Meadows rose from about 250,000 in at jonah.meadows@ 2024 to more than 304,000 theadvocate.com.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ 3E

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TALKING BUSINESS A S K T H E E X P E RT S

Agency says downtown revival plans moving forward for brevity. District receives extra edited Now that Mayor Helena Moreno has esa Canal Street redevelopment czar $10M a year in taxes tablished to coordinate with the various overlapping

BY JONAH MEADOWS

authorities, what is your role in the revival of the corridor? We have a role as a partner in a Seth Knudsen, a native New lot of the specific priorities identiOrleanian with more than two fied in her executive order estabdecades of experi- lishing a point person at City Hall ence in local gov- to coordinate all of these different ernment, recently entities — there are many, but they completed his first do have unique and specific roles year as executive and responsibilities. When we’re director of the all working at our best, we’re comDowntown Devel- plementing each other and not duplicating the efforts. There are alopment District. The state-cre- ways good intentions around that, Knudsen ated business im- but sometimes it can be difficult if provement district is funded by there isn’t a single point of contact a property tax millage on every- that is charged with organizing thing within the 1.2 square miles and and structuring everything to bounded by the Mississippi River, enable all of the individual players Interstate 10, the Pontchartrain to play their best. And I think this executive order very much shows Expressway and Iberville Street. The district’s $10 million annual an appreciation for that and a spebudget is split between three ar- cific intent around making sure eas: sanitation, security and eco- that we are complementing and nomic development. About 40% leveraging each other’s efforts. How do you see Canal Street changing? goes to cleaning, pressure washing We’re here to enhance the city’s and graffiti abatement. Another 35% is devoted to public safety efforts. Really, in everything that and its staff of “public safety we do as a business improvement rangers,” armed private security district, we are an enhancer entity and off-duty police detail. The rest by definition. The good news is goes to its economic development that Canal Street is not vacant. We may have visions team and adminisof Canal Street of tration. yesteryear, and Knudsen, a maybe desires for former strategy a different tenchief at the New Orleans Redevel- EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ant mix, but the opment Author- THE NEW ORLEANS DOWNTOWN reality is that it’s a largely funcity now steering DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT the DDD through tional real estate its own strategy market, and so planning process, says maintain- the challenge that we have here ing a clean and safe environment is really more one of refining the will always be the foundation of market as opposed to building one, the organization’s work and a re- and there certainly are cities that quirement of economic develop- envy our level of occupancy on Cament. But all three elements of his nal Street and retail in downtown portfolio — making the Central more generally. Do you think that the downtown needs to Business District “cleaner, safer and stronger” — work together in have more residents? The short answer is yes. I do a virtuous circle. The following interview has been think that increasing the number Staff writer

Q&A WITH SETH KNUDSEN

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

A streetcar travels down Canal Street in New Orleans. of full-time residents downtown is something that would be very much helpful in continuing to build the strength of downtown as a neighborhood. However, I think it’s a false choice to say that we want that over ofﬁce or over tourism or hospitality. The reality is that we have some space, whether it’s in existing buildings or surface parking lots or you know a combination of those and other underutilized real estate assets. How big a deal is the Convention Center hotel and how is DDD involved in the whole project? We certainly participated in some of the public outreach activities and making sure that our board and our constituents are educated on the project. The project itself has a lot of potential to help us continue to grow as in as a location for events that we’re not currently competitive for. I think

there’s the direct job considerations of the hotel itself, but also the effects of more visitors that are going to be spending more in art galleries on Julia Street and restaurants in the Warehouse District and French Quarter and other locations, and it seems the experience in other places is that as new hotel of this scale is absorbed by the market. It’s going to take a few years, but ultimately, it builds some additional demand rather than sort of cannibalizing existing demand. For Tulane’s Charity downtown campus expansion, do you think that’s a last chancetype of situation to get the deal done? I wouldn’t characterize it as the “last chance” — I’m not that pessimistic — I think it’s our best chance we’ve had in the postKatrina era. And I think Tulane is uniquely positioned to be the anchor and driver for a project

of that scale, having that kind of institutional investment time horizon, thinking about what Tulane needs over the next 50, 100 years. I think it’s a unique opportunity for that whole quadrant of downtown. There is a lot of underutilized real estate over there, between buildings that aren’t fully occupied or completely vacant in some cases, as well as a lot of surface parking lots. Just as important to the success of that as an individual project is the spillover effect of having all of those new employees and research ventures that are spinning off businesses and bringing researchers downtown, bringing residents downtown. The vision for Charity as the anchor for the BioDistrict and the surrounding neighborhood is very compelling. Email Jonah Meadows at jonah. meadows@theadvocate.com.

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4E ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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ACROSS THE REGION

Major Shreveport property owner selling portfolio Company shifts focus to New Orleans BY LIZ SWAINE

Staff writer

Downtown Shreveport’s largest nongovernment property owner is selling all of its holdings in the city to focus on New Orleans. Over the past 16 years, Hakim family corporations have purchased some of the most important historic properties as well as a prominent high-rise office building in Shreveport. The properties are now listed by Marcus & Millichap, a Californiabased real estate company with offices across the U.S. The total square footage of the properties owned by Ed and Joseph Hakim, of Monroe, is more than 624,268 square feet. This is more than the roughly 500,000 square feet of the Regions Tower and Building, which takes up an entire city block, and more than the Shreveport properties currently owned by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. Beginning in 2010, the Hakims’ legal entities, through lawsuits and purchases, acquired the 17-story Slattery Building, 509 Marshall St.; a three-story parking garage at 416 Crockett St.; the 10-story Lane office building, 610 Marshall St.; the eight-story Johnson office building, 412 Milam St.; and the former Panos’ Diner, 422 Milam St. More recent purchases included the former SporTran bus terminal, 400 Crockett St., and the 15-story former Chase Bank building, 400 Texas St. Ed Hakim expressed frustration with the city, specifically in terms of parking and crime, reasons he blamed for ending his property rehab plans. “Somebody broke in this week and stole all the electrical copper,” he said of the long-vacant Johnson building. “It’s just no end what’s going on in Shreveport. And that’s what makes people not want to do anything.” While the Slattery, Johnson and Panos buildings and former Spor-

Property owner Ed Hakim said plans for the former downtown SporTran bus terminal were to turn it into parking for the nearby Johnson office building, which was eyed for redevelopment as upscale apartments. Downtown Shreveport’s largest nongovernment property owner is selling all of its holdings in the city to focus on New Orleans.

STAFF PHOTOS By JILL PICKETT

The 17-story Slattery Building in downtown Shreveport was once the tallest privately owned building in Louisiana. Tran bus terminal sat vacant, Hakim turned his attention to properties in New Orleans. His companies now own 17% of all ofﬁce space in the city’s Central Business District, including such landmarks as the 32-story Poydras Tower, 400 Poydras St.; the 20-story Orleans Tower, 1340 Poydras St.; and the 23-story DXC Technology Center, 1615 Poydras St. “We’re over 80%. We have the highest occupancy, I believe, in New Orleans because we really in-

vest money in it. We bring people in. They have great management and we ﬁll up everything we touch,” Hakim said. More recently, he has begun purchasing in north Dallas, where his company recently bought a 20-story building.

Initial downtown plans When the Hakims purchased the Johnson building for $100,000 in 2012, it was with the intention of turning the 1920s-era property into

upscale apartments. Hakim’s son Abraham began work on the ﬂoor plan and started gathering information for the historic tax credit submittals. In 2017, he purchased the former SporTran bus terminal within a block of the Johnson building and the 1924 Slattery Building, a property that was once the tallest privately owned building in Louisiana. It, too, came with no parking. “We purchased it for parking,” he said of the tented bus terminal, “because we couldn’t do anything with the Johnson unless we had parking.” Hakim said he “really overpaid” for the bus terminal, which sold for $1.2 million . Had there been a city garage to use, he would have followed through on the Johnson conversion and a planned conversion of the Slattery Building to market rate apartments, he said. “You don’t build a ship in dry dock if you can’t get to a body of water,” he said. “That ship sitting on dry land, you ain’t going to take a cruise nowhere. Unless you have a parking garage, the people can’t park to go into their house or ofﬁce.” Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Cedric Glover said more targeted parking is needed and is planning to launch an update on the DDA’s 2012 park-

ing study. The earlier study pointed to the need for two additional parking garages downtown to unlock the redevelopment potential of multiple vacant properties. Glover said there are several fronts in the efforts to reduce crime: getting a handle on open containers of alcohol, addressing panhandling and homelessness concerns, and deploying more cameras downtown. He said more than $50,000 was raised for additional real-time crime center cameras and license plate readers that “we will be deploying throughout the entirety of downtown.” “We’re looking for some outside of the box, innovative ways to be able to increase the security presence, the in-person security presence within downtown,” he said. “We’re presently working on that as I speak and should hopefully have a little bit more to share in the near future.” Hakim, though, isn’t inclined to wait. His properties have been listed with asking prices that range between $300,000 for the diner and $4.5 million for the former Chase Tower. “I’m 76,” he said. “I don’t want to pass it down to my children and have a headache.” Email Liz Swaine at Liz.Swaine@ theadvocate.com.

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NATION & WORLD

Taco Bell aims to rebuild its momentum Cyclosporiasis challenges chain hitting its stride

BY CAROLINE PETROW-COHEN Los Angeles Times (TNS)

Taco Bell was sitting solidly in the sweet spot for fast food in troubled times. The Irvine, California-based chain had developed a menu that was affordable enough for consumers worried about inflation and also fun enough for those looking for more than just hamburgers and pizza. Its sales and stock price were soaring. Then came cyclosporiasis. A massive parasitic outbreak has taken Taco Bell down a peg, and now it has to rebuild its momentum. “The brand has seen a meaningful near-term sales impact,” said Chris Turner, chief executive of Taco Bell’s owner Yum Brands, on a recent earnings call. “Our teams are acting quickly and transparently while keeping the safety and well-being of our consumers as the top priority.” Unfortunately for Taco Bell, it has become one of the biggest names associated with the outbreak. Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell in five states was the source of more than 1,600 cyclosporiasis infections. In comparison, an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s in 2024 infected around 100 people. In 2010, a salmonella outbreak tied to Taco Bell sickened 155 people. Still, the company reported samestore sales increased 7% in the second quarter, marking the ninth consecutive quarter of same-store sales growth that outpaced industry averages. Yum Brands, which also owns KFC and Habit Burger and Grill, saw operating profits increase 5% to $655 million year over year. Caused by the parasite cyclospo-

LOS ANGELES TIMES PHOTO By GINA FERAZZI

Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell in five states was the source of more than 1,600 cyclosporiasis infections. Before the outbreak, Taco Bell had found its stride — and analysts say its operational advantages could carry it through the rough patch. ra, cyclosporiasis can cause diarrhea, fatigue, cramping and weight loss. More than 90 people have been hospitalized as a result of the outbreak in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. How Taco Bell and others in the food industry touched by the outbreak recover will depend on how long it lasts, said Aneurin CanhamClyne, a reporter for the trade publication Restaurant Dive. “It’s a very large outbreak,” he said. “But if you look at chains that have really suffered in the long term from reputation harm from outbreaks, it usually takes repeated outbreaks, and it usually takes outbreaks that kill people.” Canham-Clyne predicted the brand will bounce back within six months. “I think a lot of people are going to be making jokes about getting parasitic diarrhea from Taco Bell for the next 20 years,” he said. “But

I don’t think it’s necessarily going to impact the chain’s sales long term.” On July 17, the same day the CDC announced the link to Taco Bell, the chain issued a release saying it had completed removal of affected Taylor Farms lettuce from its restaurants. Taylor Farms also issued a recall that day of all iceberg lettuce sourced from Central Mexico from a certain time period. According to Placer.ai, Taco Bell’s foot trafﬁc dropped 31% on July 17 and was down 30% the next day. Yum’s shares lost as much as 12% from its July peak. “Consumers would reasonably be wary about eating at Taco Bell for some time, even after the brand gives its all-clear,” Canham-Clyne said. “There’s reason to be immediately suspicious of the idea that a problem like that could be rectiﬁed in one day.” Taco Bell was founded by Glenn Bell in 1962 in Downey, California.

The company went public in 1970. Before founding Taco Bell, Bell drew inspiration from his friends and neighbors at Mitla Cafe in San Bernardino, California, to create his own version of a crunchy taco. Before the outbreak, Taco Bell had found its stride — and analysts say its operational advantages could carry it through the rough patch. Experts say Taco Bell’s secret sauce isn’t just one flavor — the brand has achieved cultural relevance, menu innovation and compelling value that keep customers coming back. “Taco Bell has long been known as a very strong brand and has managed to stay very relevant to younger consumers and to the culture, despite being 60 years old,” said Sara Senatore, a Bank of America senior analyst covering restaurants. Senatore also credited former

Taco Bell chief executive Brian Nichols for ramping up the restaurant’s digital presence and bringing more customers to its app for ordering ahead and rewards programs. Nichols served as chief executive for Taco Bell for three years before leaving in 2018 to fill the same role at Chipotle. In 2024, he was hired as chief executive for Starbucks. Fast food brands including Jack in the Box, Wendy’s and Carl’s Jr. have struggled under the pressure of several forces this year, including a low-income consumer group that’s squeezed by inflation, rising food and labor costs and increasing competition with fast casual and casual dining alternatives. “Anywhere you look, the belowaverage-income consumer has been pressured, and that’s a function of broader inflation,” said Brian Harbour, an equity analyst at Morgan Stanley. “More recently, it’s a function of gas prices.” Some of Taco Bell’s advantages come from its choice of cuisine. Mexican-inspired fast food can pack in more flavor than burgers and chicken sandwiches and offer more room for innovation. There’s also less competition and more opportunity for filling meals without expensive ingredients. “From a value perspective, Taco Bell just has always been known for very, very sharp value,” Senatore said. “Taco Bell can afford to offer price points of 99 cents or $1.99 because for something like a bean burrito, the cost is going to be much lower than a hamburger, and it can still be very satiating.” Taco Bell’s Luxe Value Menu offers 10 items for $3 or less, including a spicy potato soft taco for $1.69 and a cheesy bean and rice burrito for $1.89. It also has a customizable Luxe Cravings Box that comes with three items and a drink for $7.99. In comparison, the Jack in the Box medium Classic Smashed Jack Combo comes with a quarter-pound cheeseburger, fries and a drink for $12.29. Chipotle’s chicken burrito with rice, beans, cheese and salsa, plus a side of chips, totals $12.50.

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Tariff uncertainty, tax changes, and a shifting job market have recently hindered project momentum — but opportunity is on the horizon. Avident Advisors is ready to guide your site selection strategy as activity accelerates in 2026, fueled by growth in steel, shipbuilding, hydrogen, battery materials, aerospace, food processing, and data centers.

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Across industries, top site selection criteria remain consistent: power, infrastructure, workforce, and water. States are investing Tommy Kurtz heavily in site readiness, with Louisiana Not licensed recently announcing a $150 million initiative to practice law along with other US states. At the same time, incentive structures are evolving from direct disbursements to customized packages emphasizing infrastructure and workforce solutions tailored to speciﬁc industries. From site readiness programs to customized solutions, Avident Advisors is proud to help lead the way forward to secure competitive advantages in a changing landscape.

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NATION & WORLD

Once high-ﬂying PayPal becomes a takeover target Digital payments giant attempting turnaround BY QUEENIE WONG

Los Angeles Times (TNS) Digital payments giant PayPal was soaring high five years ago, riding the surge in online shopping after the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped people’s buying habits. Now the California fintech company has reportedly become a takeover target as it tries to get more people to click on the PayPal button to purchase items amid fierce competition. Stripe, a financial services platform that helps businesses accept and manage payments, and private equity firm Advent International made a joint offer to acquire PayPal for $60.50 per share, according to multiple news reports, citing anonymous sources. The bid values PayPal at roughly $53 billion. The takeover offer puts pressure on a business facing a critical juncture. PayPal has seen growth in branded checkout slow down and its stock plummet more than 25% over a year. PayPal’s new chief executive, Enrique Lores, who took the helm in March, has laid out a plan to help the company bounce back. In a recent call with analysts after PayPal reported its secondquarter results, Lores reiterated the company doesn’t comment on market speculation or potential merger and acquisition discussions. PayPal, he said, remains focused on maximizing long-term shareholder value and carrying out its turnaround plan. He added, however, that PayPal remains “open and objective in evaluating opportunities.” “If we see levers or a path that we believe would create superior value for our shareholders than executing our current strategy, we will, of course, carefully consider them,” he said. PayPal’s board is evaluating the bid but thinks it undervalues the

company while new leadership attempts a turnaround, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The offer could also face regulatory and financing hurdles. PayPal, Stripe and Advent International declined to comment. Analysts say a takeover could reshape the payments space, bringing together major fintech powerhouses. The merger could help lower processing fees, spurring more merchants and consumers to use online payment services. PayPal has seen growth in other areas. It owns Venmo, a payments platform especially popular among young people. The company also provides consumers with a Buy Now, Pay Later service so they can split the payment for items they buy over a longer period of time. Stripe would get access to PayPal’s Buy Now, Pay Later customers “and the lucrative business opportunity to start offering said consumers longer duration, interest-bearing loans,” a July 20 note from Mizuho Securities said. Founded in 1998, PayPal was a digital payments pioneer. Instead of having to write a check or fill out a money order, the platform enabled people to securely and quickly send money digitally using their email address. Dubbed the PayPal mafia, the company’s founders and early employees, such as Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, would go on to invest in or build successful Silicon Valley companies. Today, the digital payments space is highly competitive, with major tech companies such as Apple and Google enticing customers to use their payment services for online purchases. PayPal is trying to keep up. “We operate in markets defined by growth and rapid change,” Lores said in a call in May. “It is during this period that leading com-

DREAMSTIME/TNS PHOTO

Stripe, a financial services platform that helps businesses accept and manage payments, and private equity firm Advent International made a joint offer to acquire PayPal for $60.50 per share, according to multiple news reports, citing anonymous sources. The bid values PayPal at roughly $53 billion.

“We operate in markets defined by growth and rapid change. It is during this period that leading companies find ways to differentiate themselves by innovating, delivering new and superior solutions, and driving durable growth. This is where PayPal needs to focus.”

Under the new chief executive, PayPal also reorganized its business into three parts: Checkout Solutions & PayPal, Consumer Financial Services & Venmo, and Payment Services & Crypto. PayPal’s branded checkout is showing signs of improvement, with total payment volume in that area growing 2% in the second ENRIQUE LORES, PayPal chief executive quarter. The company expects digital identity and agent payments to panies find ways to differentiate over the next two to three years, become “increasingly meaningful themselves by innovating, deliv- Bloomberg reported in May. The contributors” to its business in the ering new and superior solutions, global company employs about future while advancements in AI and driving durable growth. This 23,800 people, including many in could also help the company betCalifornia. is where PayPal needs to focus.” ter personalize experiences for its In the second quarter, PayPal users, Lores told analysts. PayPal has been trying to cut costs through restructuring its reported a net income of $1.1 bil“While there is still significant business and accelerating artifi- lion, down 12% from the net in- work ahead, I have strong concial intelligence adoption. PayPal come of $1.26 billion the company viction in our direction and in plans to eliminate about 20% of its reported for the same period last our ability to execute,” Lores workforce or roughly 4,500 jobs, year. said.

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PEOPLE IN BUSINESS she will care for patients at the hospital’s Bluebonnet loSouth Louisiana business- cation. es and nonproﬁt groups reDr. Benjamin Barker has been cently announced the following promotions, new hires hired by Mary Bird Perand resignations. kins Cancer Center as Baton Rouge the newest member of Michael B.Victorian was named its supportthe new president of 100 Black Men ive and palof Metro Baliative care team. ton Rouge, An interfollowing in Barker the footsteps nal medicine of his father, doctor, Barker will see paMichael W. Vic- tients at the center’s Essen torian, who is and Gonzales locations. vice chair of M.B. Victorian Brent Johnson has been the national 100 Black Men of America. named LSU’s interim law liVictorian, an attorney with brary directhe law ﬁrm of Phelps Duntor while the university bar, succeeds Andre Harmon conducts as president a national of the local search for a branch. permanent pick. Dr. Aleysh AleJohnson jandro was re- Johnson spent a decently hired b y B a t o n cade as co-director of the Rouge Gen- Widener University ComAlejandro eral Obstet- monwealth Law School Lirics and Gynecology, where brary in Pennsylvania beStaff report

Fool’s Take: Consider Chevron

Given the world’s reliance on energy, you might want to invest in it. If so, consider one of the world’s largest energy companies: Chevron (NYSE: CVX). It’s diversiﬁed, with a global portfolio of assets. Motley It’s involved in the Fool entire energy value chain, including exploring for oil and gas; transporting, reﬁning and marketing them; and producing petrochemicals and additives. Chevron is run conservatively. That shows up on the balance sheet, given its low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. And it shows up in the dividend, which has been increased for decades despite the inherent volatility of the energy sector. On top of that, the dividend yield was recently an attractive 3.7%. The energy sector has always

Joan Coffman, president and fore joining the LSU Law Library faculty as associate CEO of St. Tammany Health director of public services in System in Covington, will serve as the chair-elect, and March. Jaf Fielder, president and CEO of Willis Knighton Health in Shreveport, will serve as treasurer.

Tenreiro

Sutton

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The Louisiana Hospital Association announced its 202627 ofﬁcers last month at its annual membership meeting. Edgardo Tenreiro, president and CEO of Baton Rouge General, will serve as board chair. Michele Kidd Sutton, president and CEO of North Oaks Health in Hammond, will serve as immediate past chair.

been volatile, and conﬂict in the Middle East has certainly caused disruption; Chevron is looking into building a pipeline to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. It’s also working with Microsoft to power one of its new artiﬁcial intelligence data centers in West Texas with natural gas, bypassing local electric utilities. These are promising new directions for the company, and evidence that it can pivot as needed to keep growing. For most investors in the energy patch, Chevron is a good choice. (The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Chevron.)

Fool’s School: Fund investing basics Many of us (perhaps most) don’t have the time, energy or skills to invest in individual stocks. That’s not a problem, though, because we can invest in stock funds instead. (There are funds that focus on bonds and other investments, as well.)

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have invested. Many good index funds have expense ratios of 0.05% or lower, costing you $0.50 or less for every $1,000 in the fund. Fees are part of the reason most stock mutual funds fail to outperform either the market average or their benchmark index. According to S&P Global, 90% of all U.S. large-cap stock mutual funds underperformed the S&P 500 index over the 15 years through December 2025. Given the underperformance of many mutual funds, consider just sticking with low-fee, broadmarket index funds. You might choose one that tracks the S&P 500 index (which includes hundreds of America’s biggest companies) or a fund based on a broader index, like one tracking all U.S. stocks or all world stocks.

Ask the Fool: Debts and death What happens to my debts after I die? — L.T., Murfreesboro,Tennessee

When people die, their debts are generally paid from their estate, which includes assets such as ﬁnancial accounts, a home and other property. Typically, a named executor or a probate court administrator manages the estate in accordance with probate rules. If the estate can’t cover your debt, it might go unpaid. Your survivors are generally not on the hook to pay off your debts unless they co-signed a loan or are a joint owner of a credit card account. (Authorized users of a card are not joint owners and are not responsible for debts.) Some states, such as community property states, do require a surviving spouse to repay certain debts. With mortgages, any co-borrower will be expected to keep making payments, and whoever inherits the property may have to pay — or sell. It’s worth looking into the terms of your various debts to know which rules apply. Note that the IRS will likely bill heirs of the estate for any taxes due.

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America’s New Orleans ofﬁce at the New Orleans Jazz Museum, succeed departing board members Lawrence“Boo” Mitchell and Anita Oubre.

Brad Guilmino has been hired as vice president of finance and innovative delivery by New Orleans the Port of New Orleans. Guilmino’s primary focus Emma Moppert has been hired b y J o n e s will be the completion of the Walker as planned Louisiana Internaspecial coun- tional Terminal. Odello Rothe sel. Rep Data, a New OrleansThe Ella Moppert Project, a based market research firm, was previannounced New O rously an the promoassociate leans-based attorney at pro bono tion of three Moppert Taylor, Wellegal and executives. business deAshley Burkardt lons, Politz & Duhe. was appointvelopment Henry Alexandra Cory has been proorganization ed chief focused on operating moted to arts and cul- Burkardt officer, Ricky senior manOdello was ager for outture, named t w o n e w promoted to chief revenue reach and members of officer and Ryan Rothe was partnerships its board of named chief growth officer. at the Louidirectors. siana Policy Travis Henry, Do you have personnel Institute for Verner an award- changes to share or other Children. Cory Cory, who winning filmmaker, and Petr ideas for our business joined the organization in Verner, director of operations coverage? Drop us a line at 2024 as an outreach and at the Jazz Foundation of biztips@theadvocate.com.

You probably know about mutual funds, which pool the money of many investors and are managed for them by professionals. A newer type of fund is the exchange-traded fund, which is very much like a regular mutual fund but trades like a stock. Both types encompass passively managed funds (like index funds) and actively managed funds. If you’re going to invest in one or more funds, don’t just choose those with the biggest recent gains. To some degree, a terriﬁc return isn’t the result of genius fund managers, but of good luck — at least over the short term. A huge return in one year may well be followed by a lackluster return the next. Also, be careful with big multiyear returns; they’re sometimes based on one unusually strong year, with the rest of the years less impressive. Focus on fees, too. You can look up funds at sites such as Morningstar.com, where you’ll ﬁnd each fund’s “expense ratio” (annual fee) listed. A ratio of 1.0% will cost you $10 annually for every $1,000 you

Y’all see Jan Risher’s new story?

partnership manager, previously worked as early childhood data manager at the Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ 9E

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BY THE NUMBERS Basic housing out of reach for nearly half of La. renters BY GRACE MAYER Staff writer

A new study that examines the cost of housing for lowwage earners across all 50 states underscores the affordability crisis facing roughly half of the nearly 600,000 renting households across Louisiana. According to the annual report, jointly produced by the National Low Income Housing Coalition and HousingLOUISIANA, renters in Louisiana need to earn $18.35 an hour, about $38,000 a year, to comfortably afford a onebedroom apartment, meaning no more than 30% of their income would go to rent. To afford a two-bedroom apartment, they would have to earn nearly $22 an hour, or more than $45,500 per year. About 45% of renter households in Louisiana don’t meet that threshold, earning 50% of the area median income or less — roughly $42,000 a year, the study found. “In Louisiana, it continues to be impossible to make the math work for some of the hardest working households in the state,” said Andreanecia Morris, execuMorris tive director of HousingLOUISIANA, a nonprofit focused on advancing housing policy and affordable housing projects around the state. “There are many people who are working in New Orleans, but can’t afford to live there.” The ﬁndings placed Louisiana 40th of the 50 states in the “Out of Reach: The High Cost of Housing” report. The annual study examines how much workers in all 50 states need to earn to afford

Annual income needed to afford rent in Louisiana metro areas

to work 21/2 jobs to afford a one-bedroom apartment or Louisiana workers need to earn the following in order to afford fair market rent, which means three jobs to afford a twobedroom apartment. paying no more than 30% of income on housing. “To afford a two-bedroom apartment you have to work One-bedroom Annual Two-bedroom Annual over 120 hours a week, but that’s fair market income fair market income not possible,” Morris said. rent needed rent needed Metro area In Louisiana, at least 2% of workers earn the minimum New Orleans-Metairie $1,113 $44,520 $1,331 $53,240 wage or less, according to a Slidell-Mandeville-Covington $1,130 $45,200 $1,331 $53,240 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics examining Baton Rouge $1,064 $42,560 $1,204 $48,160 data from 2024. Louisiana is Lafayette $898 $35,920 $1,019 $40,760 one of ﬁve states without its own minimum wage, which Shreveport-Bossier City $982 $39,280 $1,111 $44,440 means the federal minimum Acadia $671 $26,840 $880 $35,200 wage, which hasn’t risen since 2009, is the state’s deLake Charles $928 $37,120 $1,217 $48,680 fault. Alexandria $780 $31,200 $994 $39,760 At least, 643,206 people — or nearly 31% of all workers Monroe $793 $31,720 $1,026 $41,040 in the state — earn less than Source: National Low Income Housing Coalition Staff graphic $17 an hour in Louisiana, according to a 2024 report from Oxfam, a global nonprofit that focuses on addressing poverty and inequality, and provides humanitarian aid. Among Black and Hispanic workers, the percentages are even higher. These lower income workers are crucial to the local economy, Morris said. She noted how workers in lowerpaying fields, such as grocery clerks, delivery drivers and health technicians, were essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Every time there is a diSTAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER saster or crisis in this city Redevelopment plans for the former Navy base in the Bywater neighborhood of New and in this state, we continue Orleans include a mixed-use complex with 294 affordable housing units. to rely on these workers who we don’t pay enough to keep fair market rental rates, hour workweek needs to earn to than the current median a roof over their heads,” which the U.S. Department afford a modest apartment at wages of workers in some Morris said. “Those folks of the most common profes- may not be making as low as of Housing and Urban De- a fair market rental rate. The report found that, sions, including retail, fast- $7.25 an hour, but they’re also velopment deﬁnes as spending no more than one-third of across all 50 states, the calcu- food and custodial workers not making more than $18.” monthly earnings on rent and lated housing wage needed to who, in Louisiana, help susutilities — a federally recom- afford a one- or two-bedroom tain the state’s vital tourism Affordability solutions mended standard to avoid apartment was higher than sector. Morris believes the solurenters becoming cost-bur- the state’s minimum wage, tion to address this housing affordability gap lies in the dened by housing expenses. which in Louisiana is $7.25 Close to minimum wage The report then calculates an hour. According to the report, state developing more workThe report also found that Louisiana workers making force and affordable housa “housing wage”: the hourly pay someone working a 40- housing wages were higher minimum wage would have ing.

Working What’s

in Greater New Orleans business

A number of these types of projects are currently in the works in the area. In May, Hope Family Housing, a nonprofit focused on building affordable housing, unveiled its first two duplexes in Central City. The nonprofit plans to build a total of 40 affordable housing units. New Orleans is also working on turning a former military complex into a mixed-use complex with 294 affordable housing units. In the River District, developers are finalizing plans for the Rivanna Apartments, which will add 220 more units to the mix. Some 10,000 apartments and homes in Orleans Parish are vacant, about twothirds of which are available as rental units, Morris said, citing data HousingLOUISIANA has collected. Many of them are empty because they’re too expensive to rent in the current market, in large part because of high insurance and utility costs, she said. Morris would like to see state and city leaders prioritize making vacant units more affordable by investing in upgrades — adding fortified roofs, energy-efficient HVAC systems and resilient windows and weatherboards — to help drive down insurance and utility costs. Funding for such efforts could come from deploying the city’s housing trust fund and other public dollars, she said. “We’re not talking about substantial rehab. These are not blighted homes. These are occupyable apartments and homes today that are too expensive to operate and rent in this market,” Morris said. Email Grace Mayer at grace.mayer@theadvocate. com.

with Michael Hecht President & CEO GNO Inc.

Xavier University Named Top Five HBCU in USA Forbes recently released its ﬁrst-ever ranking of America’s Top HBCUs,, and Xavier University of Louisiana came in at #4 among private HBCUs nationwide. The ranking uses the same methodology as Forbes’ 2026 list of America’s Top 500 Colleges: student outcomes and return on investment. Xavier ranked behind only Howard, Spelman, and Morehouse. Xavier highlights include: •

•

Xavier produces more African American students who graduate from medical schools each year than any other university in the United States Xavier ranks as the #1 HBCU for upward mobility, showing a success rate of 79% where students rise from the bottom two income quintiles into the top three Mid-career graduates earn a median salary of $104,100

Xavier’s medical school pipeline is about to run deeper. Xavier is partnering with Ochsner Health to launch the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine, which will become the only HBCU medical school in the Gulf South and just the ﬁfth allopathic HBCU medical school in the country. The school earned candidate status from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education in late 2025, a key step toward accreditation, and will be based downtown at Benson Tower in New Orleans.

Writes Forbes: “Founded in 1925, the nation’s only historically Catholic HBCU has built an outsized reputation for sending Black students to medical school. Its best-known programs are in biology/pre-med, chemistry, pharmacy, physician assistant studies, medical laboratory science, neuroscience, health informatics and speech pathology. Famous grads include Regina Benjamin, a former U.S. Surgeon General who won a MacArthur “genius award.” Congratulations to Xavier leadership, faculty, and students!

You can read the full Forbes HBCU rankings here

A greater choice for business

gnoinc.org

10E ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Why Louisiana? The Risk and Reward Behind a $32 Billion Data Center Push

In less than 18 months, Louisiana has transformed from virtually no hyperscale data center presence to hosting three of the largest projects in the country, led by major digital leaders. A $10 billion campus in Richland Parish,1 a $12 billion investment across Caddo and Bossier Parishes,2 and a $10 billion River Bend facility in West Feliciana Parish1 represent a combined $32 billion commitment that places Louisiana at the center of the national data center boom. Construction is now underway. Developers chose Louisiana for good reasons. The state’s industrial

With conﬁrmed projects now spread across the northwest, northeast

contractors have spent decades building reﬁneries, chemical

and southeast of the state, underwriters are watching how that

plants and LNG facilities — complex, high-stakes work at scale.

geographic concentration accumulates across their books.

This expertise transfers directly to data center construction, and

Power and water draw are legitimate community concerns. Data

it’s a meaningful edge. Louisiana contractors are already building

centers consume both at a scale that strains local grids and utility

data centers across the country because they’re among the best

capacity. Some Louisiana power companies are already planning

at this type of work. Siting a project in the state keeps that talent

upgrades to support the new demand. Longer term, on-site

close, resulting in faster project delivery and tighter cost control.

generation, including small modular reactors, may reduce grid

Site selection also reﬂects a clear-eyed insurance calculation. Two of the three major projects sit in North Louisiana, near the Arkansas border. Locating away from the Gulf Coast hurricane corridor materially changes the underwriting math.

dependency for future builds. These aren’t unsolvable problems. But they need to be part of the project plan from day one.

Building success: What it takes to get it right Done right, projects of this scale bring lasting returns. The tax revenue will ﬂow into Louisiana communities over decades, into

“

These facilities are in North Louisiana because it’s more affordable to secure the coverage and limits required — it’s an insurance decision as much as a location one.

”

Troy Wagener, Area Executive Vice President, Gallagher

education, infrastructure and economic development, well beyond what direct employment from a data center operation alone would deliver. Louisiana moved early in this cycle and secured a strong position. Getting that right starts before ﬁnancing closes, with construction risk, supply chain exposures, power strategy and operational coverage all aligned from day one. That includes parametric triggers for business interruption — coverage that activates without a

The risk picture in Louisiana

physical loss — which matters when a grid failure or supply chain

Louisiana’s broader property and casualty market, by Wagener’s

delay can cost millions before a single claim is ﬁled.

current read, is stable. The insurance market is absorbing an

Gallagher’s Data Center Solutions team works with developers,

unprecedented volume of high-limit construction requests as data

contractors and operators across the full project lifecycle. To

center builds accelerate nationwide. Excess liability and commercial

connect with our Louisiana team, visit AJG.com/louisiana.

automobile liability for contractor ﬂeets — already under pressure in large construction programs — face genuine capacity constraints when a single site is worth $10 billion to $15 billion. In Louisiana speciﬁcally, those pressures are sharper: commercial automobile liability rates for construction rank among the highest in the country, and excess liability capacity for large industrial programs is genuinely constrained. That friction shows up in pricing, deductibles and what carriers will actually put on the table.

Troy Wagener

Area Executive Vice President

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Climate perils compound that scrutiny. North Louisiana avoids the worst of the Gulf Coast hurricane corridor, but major storms still push wind and rain well inland. Inland ﬂooding and severe convective storms are live perils across all three project locations.

1“Louisiana’s Growing Data Center Pipeline,” BIZ Magazine, 3 Mar 2026. 2“Amazon Selects Louisiana for $12 Billion Data Center Campuses in Major U.S. Expansion,” Louisiana Economic Development, 23 Feb 2026.

AJG.com/Louisiana | The Gallagher Way. Since 1927.

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Old Goodwood Landing • 7782 Lasalle AVE #15 Gated Condo in the heart of Baton Rouge near Towne Center. Ground floor 2 BR 2 Bath. Wood burning fireplace and new flooring. Unit is in the back with no traffic. $145,000

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CHARISSE HANCHEY,

REALTOR®,CRS, ABR,

225.315.0512

www.charissehanchey.com

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YOUR HOME

IS WORTH Call Today for an Expert Valuation and Make Your Next Move

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OF SELLING? A home evaluation is a great place to start

1-833-671-6632

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This website is a marketing and information program that sends all inquiries to state-licensed real estate professionals.

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FIND YOUR DREAM HOME

P1:R1 homes h o m e s .t h e a d v o c at e . c o m

PIRIE LANDING 6964 HUNTERS WAY, DENHAM SPRINGS, LA 70726

OPEN SUNDAY 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

MELISSA LANDERS 225-266-9441

$635,000.00

RE/MAX PROFESSIONAL 225-615-7755

Custom-built in 2023 and ideally located off 4-H Club Road in Denham Springs, this stunning home offers exceptional craftsmanship, designer finishes, and a highly functional floor plan. The spacious open-concept layout features 3 BR and 3 full BA on the main level, plus a dedicated office that can easily serve as a 4th BR and upstairs loft. White Oak flooring, custom cabinets, quartz counter tops.

Baton Rouge Real Estate For Sale AREA 2

NEWLY UPDATED! 6726 PINE ISLAND AVE. $245,000, Approx. P & I $1,480 Forest Heights S/D Off Mickens Rd, 3BR 2BA, w/Cent/H/A Freshly Painted Int./Ext. New Ceramic FLR thru out, & New Kit Countertop Enclosed Screen Patio, Rear Dbl Carport w/Storage Shed & F'd B.Y. Call Charles for Your Showing 225-266-4078 Roy Carter Realty 225-357-6436

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Selling Business only not building. Don't have enough workers to run. Has great potential in Reeve's shopping center. Has all equipment needed to boil crawﬁsh, fry seafood plates amongst other foods with warmer in front. Asking price 50k negotiable and rent is needed to negotiate with landlord. Call or Text Steve 225-341-9235 OPEN HOUSE BR AREA 4 OPEN SUNDAY 4 - 6 5520 LINDEN STREET, BATON ROUGE Welcome to Your Dream Home! You Must Go Inside to Appreciate this Beauty. 4Br/2Ba. Central A&H. Completely Renovated! Ted Major 225-235-9356. The Major Agency 225-357-2300.

Baton Rouge Rental

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APARTMENT AREA 5 1BR $600, 2BR $700 Tigerland. $500 Deposit. 225-475-1737

APARTMENTS 655 North St Subsidized Efﬁciency Apartments cpabr.org 225-383-5551 TDD/TTY 711 RELAY

MONICA C. JARREAU BROKER/REALTOR/OWNER

(225) 718-3025

monicacjarreau@gmail.com

JARREAU REALTY, LLC 3900 Oakland Road Lakeland, LA 70752 www.jarreaurealty.com

LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER IN LOUISIANA, USA

HOUSE 3Br/1Ba $950/month $700/deposit. 2571 72nd Avenue. Section 8 welcome. Call 225-355-6004

VILLAGE WOODS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

HOUSE Very quiet area. 1BR/1Ba, large Laundry room. $350/deposit. $650 per month. 225-802-8603 MOBILE HOME 1, 2 & 3 BR mobile homes, $675 & up 6061 Plank Rd. CALL 225-978-4653 ROOMS FOR RENT Furnished Rooms. $125/wk. $500/mo. 225-933-7560

2BR FOR SALE! 55+ Gated Condo Community, pool, clubhouse, guesthouse & planned social activities. Located between BR General and OLOL Hospitals.

WEEKLY BATON ROUGE AREA

RATES REPORTED AUGUST 6, 2026

MORTGAGE RATES

Rate column provided by Liberty Mortgage Information Service • Call 225-361-6565 to have your company added to “ad”

JUDE BRIDWELL

HANCOCK WHITNEY

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-603-1777 • Jude.Bridwell@hancockwhitney.com hancockwhitney.com/jude-bridwell • NMLS 92661

1-800-256-4636 HANCOCKWHITNEY.COM •

30 YEAR FIXED

6.625% / 0 points / APR - 6.81%

15 YEAR FIXED

6.0% / 0 points / APR - 6.39%

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-229-8783 • Bill.Holt@Hancockwhitney.com hancockwhitney.com/bill-holt • NMLS 148394

30 YEAR FHA - VA

6.125% / 0 points / APR - 6.54%

JARED GARY

ANGEL LEWIS

15 YEAR FHA - VA

5.625% / 0 points / APR - 6.24%

TIM DUBNANSKY

MICHAEL HEBERT

ADJUSTABLE

Jumbo sofr 10/1 Arm

SPECIAL

30RD - 5.125% / 0 / APR - 6.49%

CRAIG COLEMAN

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-664-1314 • Craig.Coleman@hancockwhitney.com HancockWhitney.com/Craig-Coleman • NMLS 684734

NATE BEECHAM

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-248-7428 • Nathaniel.Beecham@hancockwhitney.com HancockWhitney.com/Nate-Beecham • NMLS 115300

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-603-2505 • Jared.Gary@hancockwhitney.com HancockWhitney.com/jared-gary • NMLS 88626

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-252-6976 • Tim.dubnansky@hancockwhitney.com hancockwhitney.com/tim-dubnansky • NMLS 82027

JEREMY WEIMER

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-978-2592 • Jeremy.Weimer@hancockwhitney.com hancockwhitney.com/jeremy-weimer • NMLS 175288

BILL HOLT

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-413-6094 • Angel.Lewis@hancockwhitney.com hancockwhitney.com/angel-lewis • NMLS 700876

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-715-1133 • Michael.Hebert@hancockwhitney.com hancockwhitney.com/michael-hebert • NMLS 79769

DIRECT ACCESS: www.theadvocate.com CLICK HOMES >> THEN MORTGAGE RATES Quotes above are based on loan amount equal to or above $200,000 • Conventional loan max is $484,350; Jumbo loans exceed $484,350• NQ - No Quote • Special programs include BA (Balloon), B (Bond), CS (Construction), CV (Convertible), J (Jumbo), LL (Lot Loan), RD (Rural Development) • Quotes are not guaranteed and are subject to change daily • Info provided by LIBERTY MORTGAGE INFORMATION SERVICE - 225.361-6565 • Points listed do not include Origination Fee (normally 1% of loan amount) • Rates quoted are for 30 day lock • For additional information on mortgage programs, call the lender.

classifieds.theadvocate.com Search Search& &Place PlaceAds AdsOnline Onlineatatclassifieds.theadvocate.com classifieds.theadvocate.com* Call * Call -Friday Us Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM at 225-383-0111 8AM-5PM at 225-383-0111

Announcements Private Sitter, 6 Years Experience in Private Sitting with the Senior Citizens. Call for more information 225-379-0773. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of John H Thomas III and the Estate of Eleanor Marie Thomas please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 196622-Aug 8-10, 3t $83.80 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Kenneth Wayne Williams and the Estate of Reginald Jerome Williams please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 196609-Aug 8-10, 3t $81.70 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Seimone Anderson Kleinpeter, Joseph T Anderson and the Estate of Porter James Anderson please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 196626-Aug 8-10, 3t $88 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Tony L Washington please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 196620-Aug 8-10, 3t $67

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Yolanda Stills, Rajah Stills, Robert J Stewart and the Estate of Armer Nella(AKA Armernella) Green please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 196623-Aug 8-10, 3t $92.20

Employment EDUCATION Coordinator of International Programs & Student Wellbeing (Hammond, LA). Act as the primary advisor for the Int'l Student Union, coord communication for incoming int'l students & enhance campus engagemt & cultural aware‐ ness through program support. Bach in Educ, Health Educ & Promotion or re‐ lated field. 1 yr of higher ed exp in stu‐ dent devlpmt or program devlpmt & implementatn. Must send CV & cvr ltr to ryan.preatto@selu.edu or Ryan Preatto, Southeastern Louisiana Uni‐ versity, 303 Union Ave., Hammond, LA 70402 w/in 30 days, ref Job #2025-010. #LI-DNI #DNI GENERAL HELP The Diocese of B.R. Child Nutrition Pro‐ gram is seeking FT school Cafeteria Mgrs., Cooks, & Porters. HS Diploma or Equiv. and BG Check req. Apply at www.cnpbr.org/employment

Join Our Nursing Team For a complete list of opportunities and beneﬁts, visit BRGeneral.org/Careers or call Human Resources for more information at 225-381-6464.

BRGeneral.org/Careers

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Senior Manager, IT Risk, Data Privacy & Security – Baton Rouge, LA. Performing and reporting on assigned outsourced and/or Information Tech‐ nology audits; Documenting proce‐ dures performed, findings and/or other issues; Developing efficient AWS data pipelines, executing complex SQL queries, and creating Spark jobs for IoT processing; Streamlining application control testing workflows for a client's SOX Compliance audit; Conducting regular audits on AWS cloud, ensuring 100% compliance with industry stan‐ dards; Communicating results to ap‐ propriate management; and Assisting co-workers in the completion of tasks and assignments. Send resume to: Tammy Dehne, Eisner Advisory Group LLC, 2501 S Wayzata Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55405.

Merchandise Appliances for sale Black Frigidaire gas stove. Black Frigidaire refrigerator Cash only $185.00 for both. 225-284-3950 civello.email@gmail.com

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APPLIANCES Side by Side stainless steel Whirlpool Refrigerator, like new. 36"X 69". $500. Call 225-205-3316. All Metal Welded Bird Cage depth 18" x 24" width 27" tall overall height 54" all black original cost over 1,000. dollars $500.00 hank722@yahoo.com cage can seperate from base

Garage Sales GARAGE SALE PRESERVE AT HARVESTON ESTATE SALE 10746 TURNING LEAF DR. Thurs 2-7pm, Fri, Sat, Sun 8-5 ESTATE SALE PRESERVE AT HARVESTON ESTATE SALE 10746 TURNING LEAF DR. Thurs 2-7pm, Fri, Sat, Sun 8-5

CLASSIFIEDS WORK

Pets / Pet Services Directory

ONE great state FOUR great apps

PETS • SUPPLIES • SERVICES • OBITUARIES • LOST & FOUND

PLACE YOUR PET SERVICES INFORMATION IN THE PET SERVICES DIRECTORY TODAY! • IT IS FAST AND EASY! • CALL 225-383-0111 DOGS 3 Female German Shepherd puppies, S/W $350. 11wks old. 225-205-4311

DOGS Chihuahuas, Long hair, tiny, born 4/1/26, shots & wormed. Lafayette area 937-844-7271 PUPPIES For Sale! Adorable! 1/2 Pomeranian 1/2 Chihuahua $200, Full Blooded Toy Poo‐ dles $500 228-669-0077

CATS RAGAMUFFIN & RAGDOLL KITTENS www.CatsByFrancy.com/kittens $1500up! Reg. Shots & Guaranty 337-230-3150 MORKIES, SHORKIES, BISHON YORKIES, CKC YORKIES vet checked shot worming meet Gulfport $450 334 467-3416

TEACUP POODLES MALTIPOOS POMS YORKIES Miniature and Toy Goldendoodles UTD. S/W Please Call 504-259-2222 CKC Labradoodle F1B Puppies Chocolate, Blue Merle, Black, puppies 1st shots, hand raised, available August 6th $1,200.00 504231-9118 ben1.comer@gmail.com

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ 3F

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JOHNNIE BOYS

APPLIANCE REPAIR Window Air Conditioners, Washers & Dryers, Freezers & Refrigerators

ALL Work Guaranteed.

Thank You for Your Consideration

Call 225-301-7575

Doors & Door Hardware

Install & Repair Commercial • Residential Call Daniel 225-436-2759

INSURED Residential Rentals

Commercial Leasing

PROPERTIES & HOME CARE

Rooﬁng Replacement & Repairs Carpentry • Painting • Drywall Repairs Pressure Washing • Concrete Work Swimming Pool Fill ins • Decks & Fences CALL BILLY • (225) 445-3139 • 40 YRS. SERVING BR

Top of the Line Landscaping Lawn Service

LAWN SERVICES, Trim bushes, cleaning flowerbeds, landscape design, re-landscaping, lawn service maintenance. also do lighting & irrigation. licensed & Insured. 24 years experience. Theodore Smith, Jr. • Call/Text: 504-401-0661

1st Landscaping Job 5% off

FREE ESTIMATES

ON ALL TV’S THAT NEED REPAIR WHEN BROUGHT INTO THE SHOP!!

SHERWOOD TV & APPLIANCES SHERWOOD MINI-STORAGE

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We are your go to company for your Gutter and Patio Top installations

HEATH WISE

VETERAN OWNED

WISE GUY’S GUTTERS & PATIOS DENHAM SPRINGS, LA 70726 WISEGUYSGUTTERSANDPATIOLA.COM GOLDDOG3447@YAHOO.COM

CALL 225-305-3776 FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE

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• Doors • Tile • Painting • Windows & Door Awnings • Pressure Washing • Bathroom & Kitchen Repairs • Porch Roof and Metal Patio Covers

tree trimming/flower bed clean up/flower bed designs/irrigation/ lighting pathways/prune & mulch/weeding/drainage/sod/pergola deck/power washing/stump grinding/consulting available

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Holiday Lighting Now Available

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STOP ALL LEAKS! CARPENTRY & PAINTING Lic/Ins. 225-205-9537 *Senior Citizen Discount

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FIND AND FIX LEAKS ON ANY ROOF All work 35+ years of guaranteed experience No job to locally! big or small • Flashing • Gutters • Siding • Tree Pruning • Carpentry • Fences

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WE PAY CASH FOR YOUR UNWANTED VEHICLES!

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Cars • Trucks • RVs • Boats • Motorcycles • Golf Carts

CALL OR TEXT 225-715-4852

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4F ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate Public Notices

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --River Parishes Commu‐ nity College is seeking bids for a 40005-FY27-012, 2026 48 ft Dry Van Trailer – CDL Training Program (Qty 2). To obtain bid package, please visit https://wwwcfprd.doa. louisiana.gov/osp/lapac/ d id f h d

Public Notices Bids/Proposals g p p dspBid.cfm?search=dep artment&term=4. The following bids are open: #4005FY27-012 195319 July 27-Aug. 10 15t $86.40

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PUBLIC NOTICE --The Louisiana Ofﬁce of State Parks is requesting proposals for a PublicPrivate Partnership pro‐ ject to design, construct, and operate a high-qual‐ ity recreational vehicle campground and related amenities. For more in‐ formation go to opportu‐ nitiesinlouisiana.com. 192994-jul 2-aug 31-t

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UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA In re: § § Case No. 26-10678 CROSBY MARINE § TRANSPORTATION,LLC, § Chapter 11 § Debtors. 1 § SECTION: A § § (Joint Administration) § §( Complex Designation) NOTICE OF BAR DATE FOR FILING PROOFS OF CLAIM TO ASSERT A MARITIME LIEN NOTICE: Your rights may be affected. You should read these papers carefully and discuss them with your attorney, if you have one in this bankruptcy case. If you do not have an attorney, you may wish to consult one.

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PLEASE TAKE NOTICE on March 23, 2026 (“Original Petition Date”), Crosby Marine Transportation, LLC (“Transportation”), Crosby Tugs, LLC (“Tugs”), Crosby Dredging, LLC (“Dredging”), and Bertucci Contracting Company, L.L.C. (“Bertucci” and collectively, “Original Debtors”), as Debtors in Possession, each filed for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code thereby commencing these cases (the “Chapter 11 Case(s)”). PLEASE TAKE NOTICE on July 16, 2026, (“Additional Debtor Petition Date”), Crosby Inshore Marine Services, LLC, Crosby Marine Repair, L.L.C., Crosby Offshore Marine Service, LLC, Kurt Crosby, LLC, Tala Marine, LLC, Webb Crosby, LLC, Crosby Inland Marine, LLC, Crosby Real Estate, LLC, Tala Real Estate, LLC, and Crosby Enterprises, L.L.C. (the “Additional Debtors” and together with the Original Debtors, the “Debtors”), as Debtors in Possession also filed for relief under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, commencing the Additional Debtors’ chapter 11 cases. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Court has set August 29, 2026 (the “Additional Bar Date”) as the deadline for any person or entity that asserts a lien (a “Maritime Lien”) (other than preferred ship mortgage) under the Commercial Instrument and Maritime Lien Act (46 U.S.C. §§ 13101–13143 (“CIMLA”) against a vessel owned by an Additional Debtor as of the Petition Date (referred to as “Creditor” or “Creditors”) to file a Proof of Claim as modified by the Order establishing the Additional Bar Date. The Additional Bar Date applies only to those Creditors who assert

Legal Notices

a Maritime Lien against an Additional Debtor’s vessel. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that if you previously filed a proof of claim against an Original Debtor and are now asserting a lien against an Additional Debtor’s vessel, you must file an additional proof of claim and identify the information above. Further information, including how to file a Proof of Claim and all forms and attachments, is available at https://cases.stretto.com/ crosby/file-a-claim/. The website also contains a copy of the Order approving this Notice. IF YOU ARE NOT ASSERTING A MARITIME LIEN, THIS NOTICE DOES NOT APPLY TO YOU. _____________________________ 1 The Court entered an Order directing joint administration of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Crosby Marine Transportation, LLC [No. 2610678], as lead case, with the Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases of (i) Crosby Tugs, L.L.C. [No. 26-10679], (ii) Crosby Dredging, LLC [No. 26-10678], and (iii) Bertucci Contracting Company, L.L.C. [No. 26-10681], on March 24, 2026, [No. 26-10678, ECF Doc. 9; No. 26-10679, ECF Doc. 4; No. 26-10680, ECF Doc. 4; No. 26-10681, ECF Doc. 4]. The Court entered an Order directing joint administration of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Crosby Marine Transportation, LLC [No. 26-10678], as lead case, with the Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases of (i) Crosby Inshore Marine Service, L.L.C. [No. 26-11734], (ii) Crosby Marine Repair, L.L.C. [No. 26-11735], (iii) Crosby Offshore Marine Service, L.L.C. [No. 26-11736], (iv) Kurt Crosby, L.L.C. [No. 26-11737], (v) Tala Marine, L.L.C. [No. 26-11738], (vi) Webb Crosby, L.L.C. [No. 26-11739], (vii) Crosby Inland Marine, LLC [No. 26-11740], (viii) Crosby Real Estate, LLC [No. 26-11741], (ix) Tala Real Estate, LLC [No. 26-11742], and (x) Crosby Enterprises, L.L.C. [No. 2611743], on July 21, 2026. [No. 26-10678, ECF Doc. 663; No. 26-11734, ECF Doc. 10; No. 26-11735, ECF Doc. 9; No. 26-11736, ECF Doc. 9; No. 26-11737, ECF Doc. 9; No. 26-11738, ECF Doc. 9; No. 26-11739, ECF Doc. 9; No. 26-11740, ECF Doc. 9; No. 26-11741, ECF Doc. 9; No. 2611742, ECF Doc. 9; No. 26-11743, ECF Doc. 9].

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LA-22-13526

YOUR LEGAL COMPASS THROUGH

LIFE

FREE ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHOP 7 STUPID ESTATE PLANNING MISTAKES TO AVOID IN 2026

CALL

225-224-8099 TO REGISTER!

POCHE ESTATE PLANNING LAW FIRM 4960 Bluebonnet Blvd., Suite C, Baton Rouge, LA 70809

2S ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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ACT NOW TO PUT YOUR PLAN IN PLACE IN JUST 7-8 WEEKS Yes, knowledge is power, and the choice is yours. But you MUST ACT NOW to put your estate plan in place. It all starts by attending one of Laura Poche’s free educational events which makes it clear that regardless of your net worth, if you want to preserve your hard-earned assets or have people in your life you need to protect or have causes that you want to promote, EVERY PERSON NEEDS A LEGAL ESTATE PLAN. Let Laura Poche and her professional and knowledgeable staff make this process as easy as possible so you can live with PEACE OF MIND.

BATON ROUGE

Monday, August 24 Poche Law Office 4960 Bluebonnet, Ste. C 2:00pm - 4:30pm

REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED AFTER

BATON ROUGE

Tuesday, August 25 Poche Law Office 4960 Bluebonnet, Ste. C 11:30am - 1:30pm LUNCH PROVIDED AFTER

BATON ROUGE

Wednesday, August 26 Drusilla Seafood 3482 Drusilla Lane 5:30pm - 8:00pm

DINNER PROVIDED AFTER

BATON ROUGE

Thursday, August 27 Poche Law Office 4960 Bluebonnet, Ste. C 9:30am - 12:00pm LUNCH PROVIDED AFTER

CALL 225-224-8099 TO REGISTER!

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ 3S

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LAURA POCHE INVITES YOU TO ATTEND A FREE WORKSHOP TO LEARN ABOUT:

• How can I keep the government out of my estate settlement?

• What are the two biggest and most expensive mistakes families make when trying to avoid nursing home poverty?

• How can I keep my not-quite perfect son-in-law and my over-controlling daughter-in-law from having influence over my estate settlement?

• How can my family avoid estate tax, and other taxes they might face when I pass away? • How do I start the five-year look back period for nursing homes without having to give everything away to my family while I am alive?

• Why do most lawyers love Probate, and want my estate to go through it? • Should I have a Will or Trust (or both)? • Can my patchwork quilt of Wills, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, and Beneficiary Designations actually be a time bomb waiting to explode?

• How do I ensure that my estate won’t incur legal expense when I die, preserving 100% of my assets for my family?

CALL 225-224-8099 TO REGISTER! POCHE ESTATE PLANNING LAW FIRM 4960 Bluebonnet Blvd., Suite C, Baton Rouge, LA 70809

4S ■ Sunday, August 9, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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7 STUPID ESTATE PLANNING MISTAKES TO AVOID IN 2026 If you have ever wanted to eliminate worry because you don’t have a program in place to protect your estate and family, without a slew of untimely legal and tax problems, then this will be one of the most important workshops you ever attend. I am going to show you how to bulletproof what you have today, and what you leave your kids tomorrow. You’ll be able to take advantage of my estate planning legal strategies without you or your loved ones having to deal with Succession Courts, long estate settlement delays, Medicaid liens, nursing home poverty, and death tax. But before I do that, let me tell you a story of how we helped Mary.

MARY’S STORY “As a couple with an only child, we thought a Will was all we needed. WRONG! My husband died, and I had to go through Probate - a nightmare, and very costly. It also took over 9 months. I didn’t want our child to go through that, so I gave her an ad to a Poche’ Law Firm workshop, and she and her husband were impressed. They had Laura set up a particular kind of Trust that took care of their estate planning, but what about me? I decided to go to a workshop, and made my appointment. Laura answered all of my questions, and even got my financial advisor in on a conference call. I could not have been more pleased and relieved that my estate plan is now in order. Kudos to Laura and her professional staff. I highly recommend her for all estate planning needs.” Mary, Baton Rouge, LA

IMPORTANT GUIDELINES FOR OUR WORKSHOPS:

Workshops are open to FIRST-TIME ATTENDEES ONLY and are geared towards people who want or need your legal estate plan in place quickly. Please have your personal calendar handy at the workshop so you can choose to start your plan NOW! If married, both spouses must attend a workshop to ensure that all decision-makers are involved in your family’s coordinated plan. All people who attend will receive a FREE copy of the updated 2nd edition of Laura Poche’s Book, “Estate Planning Advice by a Woman for Louisiana Women: A Guide for Both Men and Women About Wills, Trusts, Probate, Powers of Attorney, Medicaid, Living Wills and Taxes.”

CALL 225-224-8099 TO REGISTER! POCHE ESTATE PLANNING LAW FIRM 4960 Bluebonnet Blvd., Suite C, Baton Rouge, LA 70809

What to know about energy drinks PAGE 3

DISCOVERy | INNOVATION | LIVING WELL

HEALTH

LOUISIANA

N O L A.C O M & T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

S U N D AY, AU g U S t 9, 2026

Molly Kimball 1N

SPOTLIGHT ON EAST CARROLL PARISH

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Cars park along Lake Street in Lake Providence in 2022. East Carroll, the northeasternmost parish in the state, ranks near the very bottom at 63rd or 64th out of 64 Louisiana parishes for overall health outcomes, depending on the year reported.

‘EVERYBODY CAN’T LEAVE’ Parish’s health lags behind, but community finds hope

‘Manpower behind their words’ Meet some of the people working to improve East Carroll’s health

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

LAKE PROVIDENCE — Wanda Manning, 62, is the oldest child of nine. Manning’s mother came from a large family, so did her father. There were always people around in East Carroll, in her house and in the neighborhood. “I grew up with that mentality to serve,” she said. Manning taught fifth grade science at Griffin Southside Lower Upper Elementary School in Lake Providence for 33 years. “I told all of my siblings, everybody can’t leave,” she said. “I chose to stay working in education. I feel like it was, well, I know it was my calling.” Now that she has retired, she spends a couple days out of the week with teachers and students “wherever (she’s) needed” as part of Together For Hope, a community service organization she runs herself. “Lake Providence has always been a beautiful place to me to live. I like the small town country feel. I like the small community,” Manning said. Although many of her siblings have since left the city, and some left Louisiana altogether, Manning chose to stay and help her city thrive in as many ways as she could. East Carroll, the northeasternmost parish in the state, ranks near

BY MARGARET DELANEY PROVIDED PHOTO

Jennifer Haymon, the regional manager in Northeast Louisiana for the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living, talks to students in East Carroll Parish. the very bottom at 63rd or 64th out of 64 Louisiana parishes for overall health outcomes, depending on the year reported. The area faces major challenges with high rates of adult obesity, limited health insurance coverage and socioeconomic hurdles. “If you can elevate the economic status of individual, the health outcomes are going to go up with it,” said Daniel Perea, the director of communications for the Northeast Delta Human Services Authority, an extension of the Louisiana Department of Health. “That’s always part of the bigger picture.” East Carroll Parish’s population is faring worse than other parishes for health and well-being, and worse than the average county in the nation. According to various reports from County Health Rankings: n 40% of East Carroll’s adult residents are obese.

Staff writer

n 28% of adults are physically inactive. n 8% of the parish is uninsured. n 33% of residents report food insecurity. n 12% report limited access to healthy foods. All things are connected. Low rates of cancer screenings, mammograms and annual doctor visits are connected to high rates of unreliable transportation and low rates of people with health insurance. High adult obesity and diabetes rates are connected to high levels of food insecurity, access to health foods and physical inactivity. Although the statistics and data paint a bleak picture for the parish, it is far from hopeless. There are many people — from inside Lake Providence or as far away as Chicago — who gravitate toward the

LAKE PROVIDENCE — At 10 a.m. in late July, it’s already 95 degrees and sunny outside. But the line to the food distribution awning is still going, and Theresa Sammons is still waiting to pass out boxes of pantry staples: shelf-stable milk, dry beans and canned goods. In other times of the year, there are fresh fruits and vegetables in the boxes, pastas and cheeses, ground beef, chicken and ﬁsh. Five years ago Sammons was a banker in Oak Grove in West Carroll Parish. Now, she’s the regional manager for Southern University Agricultural Center’s ﬂagship in East and West Carroll parishes. She spends three days a week here in East Carroll in downtown Lake Providence, sandwiched between First Presbyterian and First United Methodist churches and around the corner from the public library, managing events from food distribution with Lake Providence Community Action, preparing desserts for a bimonthly council on aging and short nutrition lessons (with quizzes) for East Carroll youth. Her focus: bring nutrition, food access and education to the area. “I did a pasta workshop (in East Carroll) in

ä See HEALTH, page 3X

ä See MANPOWER, page 2X

n 14% of residents have diabetes.

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HEALTH MAKER

Expert spreads healthy eating habits in East Carroll Q&A WITH CATHy AGAN

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

Cathy Agan grew up next to East Carroll Parish. Her life in Oak Grove, in West Carroll Parish, led her to pursue a degree in family sciences from the University of Louisiana Monroe, then to a master’s in family sciences at Louisiana Tech University. She stayed in north Louisiana. Now, she lives in West Monroe and works as an extension agent for LSU AgCenter in East Carroll. Her programs often take her to Lake Providence and the East Carroll Public Library to teach classes on food access, nutrition and more. Her latest class in June was a charcuterie board workshop where she showed East Carroll residents healthy snack options for hosting. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What brought you to work in East Carroll? I have very recently started doing work in East Carroll Parish. I began in January going over there to do programming with our LSU AgCenter Nutrition and Community Health

and frozen foods — I give tips for that. If you’re choosing canned, watch out for the sodium in vegetables or sugar in fruits. We talk about how you can rinse some of the sodium on canned vegetables if you can’t purchase the no-salt-added varieties. Choosing fruits canned with 100% fruit juice instead of the heavy syrup. We talk about healthy food-prep methods and healthier ways to cook rather than frying foods. We also talk about choosing healthier foods and snacks for get-togethers, how to make those moments healthier and within a budget, too. How do you get people interested in better health? Someone that’s coming to PROVIDED PHOTO the library and our classes Cathy Agan, a nutrition expert with LSU AgCenter, hosted a June workshop on healthy snacks already has a bit of an inat the East Carroll Parish Public Library. terest in improving their health. They are very recephome. Program. tive. They are a good group. ceries. But not everybody In East Carroll, there are I’ve been working with The library in East Carhas transportation. not a whole lot of options as the East Carroll ParWhat conversations happen to roll is almost like a hub of far as healthy food. There’s improve nutrition in your programs? the community. It is a wonish Library on nutrition only one full grocery store. We talk about different programs. A lot of them derful space, and people Most people travel outside healthy nutrition options focused on food preparacome there. They do chair of the parish to purchase that people can do. Someﬁtness on Wednesdays and tion skills … to be able to most of their food and groFridays, and they have a prepare healthy meals at times it’s choosing canned

great group that comes to exercise. There is interest in health. I just would like to have more partners where I can go and provide different programs to reach different audiences, because different places in the community may draw a different age groups and audiences. They all would be educational programs related to healthy eating, food safety, budgeting food dollars, food preparation skills. What are some of the biggest factors impacting health in the area? Poverty is a big one. I think also the lack of access to healthy foods. The adult obesity rate is at 51%, so it’s pretty signiﬁcant. Diabetes, hypertension. Those are all things that drive some of the health issues and a lot of those are tied back to diet and physical activity. The 4-H agent in East Carroll does tremendous programs for the youth that hit all kinds of things related to youth development. A lot of them are healthy living programs.

MANPOWER

Continued from page 1X June. We talked about pasta salads,” Sammons said. “Since I have had this job, I have developed a passion for this, and it’s been very enjoyable.” Her position with Southern University was previously grant-funded, but new federal policies ended the ﬂow of money. Now the community program receives alternate funding that extends it. Money for Sammons’ position should last until September. In the meantime, Sammons is still planning for the future, making arrangements for next summer’s nutrition camps, including rock-painting with My Plate charts, more strawberry jam jarring from Louisiana strawberries and workshops for cooking at home. Sammons is not alone in her vision and contributions to the area. Cathy Agan lives in Ouachita Parish, but makes the trek to Lake Providence for nutrition learning labs at the East Carroll Parish Public Library. Her family is originally from one parish over in Oak Grove in West Carroll. Agan works as with the LSU AgCenter is an extension agent with background in family and consumer sciences with the AgCenter’s Nutrition and Community Health program. “A lot of them focused on food preparation skills, trying to encourage people to have those skills to be able to prepare healthy meals at home,” Agan said. The learning labs focus on such subjects as healthy airfryer recipes, canning foods and making jams. “There’s not a whole lot of options there as far as healthy food,” she said. “Not everybody has transportation to go outside of the parish to be able to access healthy foods.” In 2024, over 18 million U.S. households reported being food insecure at some time during the year. At those times food-insecure households were unable to provide enough food to meet the needs of all their members because they had insufficient money or resources, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Between 2021 and 2023, an average 16.2% of Louisianans were food insecure, deﬁned as adults who reported that the food that they bought always, usually or sometimes did not last — and they didn’t have money to get more.

Theresa Sammons, right, teaches a nutrition workshop at East Carroll Parish Public Library. Sammons has made arrangement for next summer’s nutrition camps, including jam jarring with Louisiana strawberries.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Theresa Sammons, the regional manager for Southern University Agricultural Center’s flagship in East and West Carroll parishes, shows how to prepare food at the East Carroll Parish Public Library.

In a nutrition workshop hosted at East Carroll Parish Public Library in Lake Providence, participants learned healthy meals that can be cooked in an air fryer.

In East Carroll, more than half of parish adults reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that they were obese, and over 45% of residents reported food insecurity, in which their food purchases always, usually or sometimes did not last — and they did not have money to get more. “I think it’s not just an East Carroll Parish and Lake Providence issue,” said Wanda Manning, a retired teacher and leader of a community program Together For Hope. “I think it’s a national issue with obesity and good eating habits.”

learning labs. “People come there,” Agan said. “I am looking to expand to some other partners beyond the library to offer some of our healthy eating programs. I’m hoping to be able to expand what I’m doing there.” Sammons knows that East Carroll receives a lot of negativity, but knows the locals will never stop caring about their city. “It is a very poor parish. I will say that,” she said. “But we have people that work together and people that really want to make the parish a better place to live and a

‘A better place to live’ There is one family-owned grocery store in Lake Providence that is the primary destination for fresh produce in the city. Two discount stores also carry food, but not fresh fruits or vegetables. “It’s just a small town,” said Sammons. “But there are a lot of people in this parish that are willing to put the manpower behind their words.” Programs within the com-

munity and in-person workshops with both LSU’s and Southern University’s agricultural centers hope to make some waves in food access, food preparation and nutrition habits. “We’re talking about how to make things healthier within a budget,” Agan said. Most of classes Agan teaches are hands-on and involve making the food at the library and bringing home their wares to their families and homes. “Just to make it more meaningful and to help them get that sense of ‘Oh, I can do this at home too because I did it in class,’ ” Agan said. Manning, a lifelong resident of Lake Providence remembers canning peaches with her grandmother in the summer months in East Carroll. Here, she says, everyone shares — even the fruit from their trees. One of Manning’s fellow church members picked her some ﬁgs. Her sister planted ﬁve peach trees so she could can them. In her cousin’s yard, there’s a pear tree up for grabs, too. “That is so very impor-

tant,” Manning said “I thank God for my grandparents who taught me.” Now, 40 years later, the public library hosts annual classes to teach the younger generations the art of canning. Sammons teaches a class that makes strawberry jam, too. “I’ll tell you, it’s the best jam you’d ever have,” Sammons said. The library in East Carroll is a hub of the community. Every week there’s an event: STEM classes for kids who want to learn from a chemist, trash pickups in the city, art fairs, health fairs and

better place for their children to grow up. There’s a lot more community effort that goes on in this parish than is ever recognized.” Manning touts the tenacity she’s experienced throughout her life in East Carroll. “I see a lot of people donating, participating in this city,” Manning said. “I think we should support our own. We need to provided what we need and what the kids need to move forward and to thrive.” Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney @theadvocate.com.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state. This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and reexamining tried and true methods on ways to live well.

Health editions will also profile people who are advancing health for the state of Louisiana. Do you have a health story? We want to hear from you. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday,August 9, 2026 ■ 3X

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Eat Fit Live Fit B R O U G H T TO YO U BY

Molly Kimball RD, CSSD

Energy drinks: what to know before reaching for one

alk into almost any grocery store, convenience store or gym these days, and you’ll ﬁnd an entire cooler devoted to energy drinks. The category has exploded, with options promising everything from sharper focus to workout support and recovery. Not long ago, most energy drinks looked similar: lots of caffeine, lots of sugar and a long list of ingredients. Today, the landscape is much broader. Some newer options are taking a different approach, with moderate caffeine, little or no added sugar and ingredients like electrolytes, ketones or amino acids. So how do we choose? Caffeine? Sweeteners? Functional ingredients? Those questions matter. But before comparing labels, there’s an even more important question to ask ﬁrst.

Start With the Root Cause

Why do we feel like we need an energy drink in the first place? Maybe we didn’t sleep well. Maybe we’re mildly dehydrated. Maybe lunch was mostly refined carbohydrates and we’re crashing by mid-afternoon. Or maybe we’re simply trying to stay focused through another day of emails, meetings and notifications. Before reaching for an energy drink, ask whether better hydration, a proteinrich snack, a brisk walk or even stepping away from the screen might provide more benefit. Here’s an important distinction: energy isn’t the same as alertness. Caffeine doesn’t create energy the way food does. Instead, it helps you feel more awake by blocking adenosine, a brain chemical that promotes sleepiness. Caffeine can fit into a balanced diet, and beverages like coffee and tea offer the additional benefit of antioxidants along with the caffeine.

caffeinated electrolyte mixes may make more sense: LMNT Lemonade + Iced Tea provides 50 milligrams of caffeine plus 1,000 milligrams of sodium. That sodium level may be useful for heavy sweaters, prolonged workouts and Louisiana heat, but it is more than many people need for an ordinary day. Nuun Energy offers a middle ground, with about 80 milligrams of caffeine and 40 milligrams of sodium in a water-bottle tablet. Green tea contains about 35 to 50 milligrams of caffeine per cup, along with L-theanine and antioxidant polyphenols such as EGCG. Black tea generally provides 40 to 70 milligrams, while yerba mate (pronounced YAIR-bah mah-TAY) falls somewhere between tea and coffee. For comparison, an 8-ounce brewed coffee contains about 100 milligrams of caffeine, while a Starbucks Grande has about 160 milligrams. Most health organizations recommend staying below 400 milligrams daily for healthy adults.

Reading the Label

Once you’ve addressed the basics – sleep, hydration and fueling – the next step is choosing wisely. I look for moderate caffeine, little or no added sugar, relatively simple ingredient lists and, in some cases, functional ingredients that truly add value. Among straightforward energy drinks, my favorites

are CLEAN Cause and FITAID Energy. CLEAN Cause provides 160 milligrams of caffeine from yerba mate and green tea, no sugar and is naturally sweetened with erythritol and stevia. Sweetened with monk fruit and stevia, FITAID Energy provides 200 milligrams of caffeine from green tea, zero sugar and added vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. Popular brands like Celsius and Alani Nu are straightforward energy drinks sweetened with sucralose. Sucralose isn’t an automatic deal-breaker, but when comparable products are available without it, that’s generally my preference. Ketone-IQ is in a category of its own. Available with or without caffeine, it’s more of an energy shot centered on ketones as an alternative fuel source than a traditional energy drink. And lastly, for someone looking for only a small lift before or during exercise,

Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD, is a registered dietitian with Ochsner Health and founder of Ochsner’s Eat Fit nonproﬁt initiative. For more wellness content, tune in to Molly’s podcast, FUELED Wellness + Nutrition, and follow @MollykimballRD and @EatFitOchsner on social media. Email nutrition@ochsner.org to connect with Molly or schedule a consult with her team.

A Few Important Cautions

Energy drinks are not appropriate for everyone. Children and teens should avoid them, and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, have high blood pressure or heart rhythm disorders, are especially sensitive to caffeine or take medications that interact with stimulants should consult a healthcare professional before using them. Timing matters, too. Caffeine stays in the body for hours. An afternoon energy drink can interfere with sleep, leading to more fatigue the next morning and another round of caffeine. A practical guideline is to stop caffeine at least six hours before bedtime, and earlier if you are especially sensitive. If you choose an energy drink, put some thought into your choice. Take note of all sources of caffeine, and before opening another can, ask if what your body really needs is just hydration, nourishment or simply a rest and recharge.

For a deeper dive into energy drinks, caffeine, sweeteners and functional ingredients – including branched-chain amino acids, electrolytes and layered stimulant blends – listen to the full “FUELED Wellness + Nutrition” podcast episode, available wherever you get your podcasts.

BY THE NUMBERS

DATA COMPARES EAST CARROLL PARISH HEALTH TO U.S., LOUISIANA

East Carroll Parish has long been ranked near the bottom of Louisiana’s rankings for health outcomes including health risk behaviors, prevention practices, social needs and disabilities. In parish-level data reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, East Carroll had the worst health outcome for 30 of 39 collected data sets: n Among adults, the residents are the most lonely county in the nation. n It has highest percentage of adults without reliable transportation in the last year. n Adult residents are the second-highest percentage in the U.S. for people with frequent mental distress. n The northeast Louisiana parish is home to 6,829 people including 5,465 adults. Here are some highlights from the most recent adult health data collected by the CDC on East Carroll parish: Smoking rates are down in the parish, with 29% adults in East Carroll reporting current use in 2023.Although it’s still the highest rate in the state, major milestones in smoking cessation efforts have contributed to a significant decrease from 36% in 2021. Physical activity after working hours can decrease the risks of certain health outcomes like cancer, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. In East Carroll, 44.1% of adults had no leisure-time physical activity, significantly higher than the national county average of 27%. East Carroll Parish has the seventh-highest percentage of adults between 18 and 64 who lack health insurance compared to

HEALTH

Continued from page 1X parish and city to make positive change. Jennifer Haymon, the regional manager in Northeast Louisiana for the Louisiana Campaign for TobaccoFree Living, lives in Monroe now, but is originally from Chicago. She originally came down to Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina Haymon to help with recovery efforts, working with the National Alzheimer’s Association. Haymon makes the hour-plus drive to East Carroll multiple times a month, working with Healthy Community Coalition to oversee grants “that we’ve had there for various reasons.”

a dentist in the last year. Just over 80% went in for their annual checkups. Over 43% of residents over the age of 65 had lost all Comparing the most healthy and least healthy counties in the of their teeth. U.S. to East Carroll parish. Although annual visits are important to maintain health East Carroll Louisiana average U.S. average outcomes, 23.5% of parish residents reported unreliable transportation in the most recent year that data was reported, Least healthy U.S. county Most healthy U.S. county which kept them from medical appointments, meetings, work or from getting things needed for daily living. On top of that, 27.8% of East Carroll households reported utility service shut-off threats. Unreliable transportation More than half of parish adults reported to the CDC that they were obese (51.7%), and 46.8% of residents reported food insecurity, in which their food purchases always, usually Obesity or sometimes did not last, and they did not have money to get more. Over 46% of East Carroll adults received food stamps Frequent under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in the past mental distress year.That’s the third-highest county-level percentage of adults receiving SNAP benefits in the country. Food insecurity Over one in four East Carroll residents have “serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions,” the highest 0 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% percentage of adults with cognitive disability in the state. Additionally, 26.3% of East Carroll adults reported difficulty Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Staff graphic walking or climbing stairs, the 12th-highest county-level 3,144 counties in the U.S., with 16% of residents reporting a lack percentage of mobility disability in the country. of health coverage. Louisiana has the highest state average for The mental toll on health in the parish is also evident: non-insurance holders in this group with a state average of 10.2%. n 23.5% reported frequent mental distress Annual visits to both the dentist and routine checkups with a n 37.8% reported a lack of social and emotional support physician are recommended by the CDC for health prevention n 25% reported depression n 41.8% reported loneliness. and maintenance. Only 38.7% of East Carroll residents visited

East Carroll spotlight

“It’s a lot of supporting the people who live and work there, and providing resources to help support them to really move the needle on health issues that are so much more evident in East Carroll Parish,” she said. “Not having appropriate medical infrastructure is a big problem.” About 7,000 people live in East Carroll Parish. Primary care physicians in the parish see over 2,400 patients per year on average. For many in Lake Providence, the closest health resource is Jackson, Mississippi, where advanced screening technologies are available, but there are barriers for those without transportation or healthcare coverage out-of-state. Largely a rural area, accessible transportation has always been an obstacle for purchasing groceries, getting healthcare and education opportunities. The Northeast Delta Human Services Authority, an extension of the

Louisiana Department of Health in the region, began a mobile health clinic that moves throughout the area. “The long term goal is to be able to help people who can’t necessarily make regular appointments or can’t get important primary healthcare screenings,” said Perea. Dr. Martha Phillips, who practices medicine in Monroe, traveled in to the East Carroll Parish Library, a new hub for the community led by Kris Saunders. Phillips’ class focused on the perils of teen vaping and drinking at an early age. “When you get out of these rural areas like Lincoln Parish or East Carroll Parish, people sometimes lose faith in the system,” Perea said. “Region Eight [Northeast Louisiana], in general, is one of the most impoverished regions in the entire United States.”

‘You become part of a family’ Health outcomes as a whole,

however, do not change overnight. “We don’t go in and abandon people,” Haymon said. “People want to have quick answers. Understanding that these issues are so complex and intertwined that there isn’t just one simple solution to make it go away.” In 2013, CNN visited the parish highlighting the extreme wealth gaps in Lake Providence. While the piece explored income inequalities and brought attention to certain deﬁcits in the region, it didn’t bring lasting change. “It did bring in some people who had good intentions to try to help. Unfortunately, some people that came in may have been a little misguided about how to really address poverty and how you address systemic inequities,” Haymon said. “If we don’t address poverty, we’re going to continue to struggle in public health.” Many grants came, established programs for the city and left

when ﬁnances dried up. “People in Lake Providence grow weary of that,” Perea said. “It’s a bit of an uphill battle to let people know that we do care about them.” Moving the needle bit by bit is the goal in East Carroll. Improvements in the parish including physical activity levels, broadband access and smoking cessations are the result of years of community and governance efforts. Five years ago, Haymon would travel around the city through “dead zones” where her phone completely lost service. After half a decade spent amid a pandemic and countless storms, broadband is becoming more available in Lake Providence. Among the dedicated people who do stay in East Carroll and work to offer their help, Haymon said, “You become part of a family, because we’re all working on this solution together. That needle’s moving slow, but it’s moving.”

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wonderword

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directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

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.

For more information on tournaments and clubs, email NASPA – North American SCRABBLE Players Association: info@scrabbleplayers.org. Visit our website: www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com. Hasbro and its logo SCRABBLE associated logo, the design of the distinctive SCRABBLE brand game card, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United States and Canada. ©2026 Hasbro. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

cryptoquote AxyDLBAAxR iS LONgFELLOW One letter stands for another. in this sample, A is used for the three L’s, x for the two O’s, etc. Single letters, apostrophes, the length and formation of the words are all hints. Each day the code letters are different.

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todAY's Word — MArLine: MAR-lin: A covering for wire rope. Average mark 45 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 64 or more words in MARLINE?

Sudoku

ken ken instructions: 1 - Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 - The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 - Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

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 Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

hidato directions: Complete the grid so that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

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Los angeLes Times sunday Crossword puzzLe — Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis “a+ in FiLm sTudies” By Joe deeney aCross 1 Some latte orders 7 Enemy of ancient Athens 13 Alpaca kin 18 “Play slowly,” in music 19 Peanut butter and jelly 21 Keeps occupied 22 Public square that gets really sticky in the heat? 24 Would rather not 25 Biblical suffix 26 Sp. address 27 Quite the commotion 28 Ski lift 30 Actor Kilmer 31 Chuckle syllable 33 Founded, as a co. 36 “Don’t play,” in music 38 Phi __ Kappa 39 One who can only rasp quietly? 44 Title for Judi Dench 46 Fox or ox 47 __ monster 48 Spot in a store with toys, water bowls, and leashes? 51 Castle-breaching explosive 53 Sandbox visitor 54 Rapper Dr. __ 55 Matar paneer vegetables 57 Cause friction 60 Cookie whose website has recipes for cheesecake and empanadas 62 Derby-sporting Addams 64 Ancient hulled wheat 66 Old Jutland resident 67 “Fiddlesticks”

68 Warning before a particularly scary monster flick? 71 Lysol target 72 Chemist Mendeleev who created the periodic table 74 Castle trenches 75 Hit the slopes 76 Blackthorn berry 77 Beyoncé’s “I Am... __ Fierce” 78 In the mail 79 Blunder 81 Liberty Mutual’s bus. 82 Hybrid synth instrument 84 R-rated NASA event? 89 Pedal pushers 90 __ roll 92 “What fun!” 93 Oak trees? 99 Golfer McIlroy 100 Broadcast again 101 Hurdle for an aspiring JD 102 Halloween mo. 105 Off-rd. wheels 106 “Stranger Things” actor Wolfhard 107 Hoppy fave 110 Wireless std. 112 “Midsommar” director Aster 114 Minor flaw 116 Glass ceilingbreaking event? 121 Musical weakness 122 Invertebrate found in every ocean 123 Hackers’ shout of success 124 Go out for a while? 125 Beguile 126 Jaunty neckwear down 1 Broad valley 2 “Ethan Frome” novelist Wharton 3 Browser storage 4 In the past

5 Many Christmas trees 6 Fancy affair 7 NNW reversal 8 “Play very, very softly,” in music 9 Met highlight 10 Assessment 11 Lipton division 12 Curved cutting tool 13 “Nothing you say is true!” 14 Tennis do-over 15 Affectionate sign-off 16 Change genetically 17 Like molecules that cannot form permanent bonds 20 Nickname for Louis Armstrong 21 “There isn’t anything else!?” 23 Lettuce or cabbage 29 Neutral shades 32 Web design code 34 Warty amphibian 35 Paul of “The Batman” 37 Piercing tool 38 Tight squeezes 40 Listen to 41 Fix badly? 42 Texting tech 43 Put a name to 44 Natural history museum display 45 “M*A*S*H” star? 48 Not on the same page 49 Savanna antelope 50 Glam gala 51 Trails 52 Intro to many a newsreel 55 Calligraphy tools 56 Some city trains 58 As a departure from the norm 59 Snare 61 Without any planning 63 More family-

friendly 64 Walks or runs 65 Where some get tired quickly? 66 Movement while asking “How do I look?” 69 Junior 70 Rubber-stamped 73 Like a daisy 78 Shiny fabric 80 Sultry growl 83 Boston University

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athlete 84 Trivial objection 85 Product of incomplete combustion 86 Ship stabilizer 87 Noted times 88 “Um, think again” 90 Showy carp 91 From Cairo or Cape Town 93 Makes with skill 94 Medium for

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111 Short-horned bighorns 113 Some Tripadvisor recommendations 115 Buzzer? 117 “Told you!” 118 Washington’s Sea-__ Airport 119 Minecraft material 120 Battle of Helm’s Deep combatant

super Quiz Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

Use the fork, Luke!

North knew from the bidding that his partner was void in hearts, so he reasoned that his black suit “quacks” would be very useful. He was right. Should the trumps split no worse than 3-1, there could never be more than two losers and a winning diamond finesse would provide 12 tricks. South ruffed the opening heart lead and led a spade to dummy’s queen. The 4-0 split complicated things. If South took the diamond finesse and it lost, West would lead another heart, forcing South to ruff. It would then take all of South’s trumps to draw East’s trumps and East would eventually get a club and a heart. If South led a club instead of drawing trumps right away, East could win and lead another heart. South would then have fewer trumps than East and would have to lose a trump trick. South abandoned trumps for the moment. He led a low club from dummy and caught East on “Morton’s Fork.” Had East risen with his ace, South would have three club tricks to go with six trump tricks and two

deep-frying 95 California city near Santa Ana 96 Grams 97 Young hippopotamus 98 Capital west of Montreal 103 Brief appearance 104 Hair texture, e.g. 106 Dust jacket part 108 Ramona, per Beezus 109 Voting against

SUBJECT: STRAITS, CANALS, CHANNELS AND GULFS (Example: This Canadian gulf is the largest estuary in the world. Answer: Gulf of St. Lawrence.) FRESHMAN LEVEL 1. This channel separates Great Britain from northern France. Answer________ 2. This canal connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. Answer________ 3. This strait connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. Answer________ 4. This large gulf is to the south of the U.S. Answer________ 5. This canal connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. Answer________

diamonds. When East ducked his ace, South took the king and drew trumps. He then played the ace, king, and jack of diamonds, again having 11 tricks. It was a difficult problem, but South found a neat solution. Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny. 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2026 Tribune Content Agency

GRADUATE LEVEL 6. This strait is the narrowest part of the English Channel. Answer________ 7. This American gulf is part of the northern Pacific Ocean.

Answer________ 8. This strait is a vital waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. Answer________ 9. This Canadian bay is known for having the highest tides in the world. Answer________ 10. This bay borders France and Spain. Answer________ PH.D. LEVEL 11. This gulf is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea between Finland and Sweden. Answer________ 12. This strait separates the North and South islands of New Zealand. Answer________ 13. This gulf is enclosed on three sides by northern Australia. Answer________ 14. This Chinese canal is the longest canal in the world. Answer________ 15. This canal connects the Hudson River to Lake Erie. Answer________

ANSWERS TO ALL PUZZLES ARE ON NEXT PAGE

zodiaC LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Learn as you go, ask questions and try something new and exciting. Chance encounters will lead to a host of emotions that change your perspective regarding how and what you pursue next. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Helping others is admirable, but sometimes you need to pay more attention to your needs. A change of heart will be necessary if someone puts you in a vulnerable position. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Nurture, pamper and refuse to let emotional situations consume you. Put your energy into learning, personal growth or a new project that motivates you

to engage in what fascinates you most. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Read the room before you trust someone’s hype. Overindulgence and circumstances that can give someone control of a situation you find yourself in will require attention and discipline. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) You can make headway if you pay attention to investment opportunities and look at your options regarding professional opportunities and updating your skills and resume. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Take time to process information and

to consider how best to respond. A well-thought-out plan can save you from having to revisit a sensitive issue. Put your energy into physical activities. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) If you keep the momentum flowing, the rewards will help you pay the bills. A lifestyle change that allows you to use your physical skills as well as your intelligence will lead to a long-term investment. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Uncertainty will surface due to misinformation. Don’t offer personal information or sign up for subscriptions or something you don’t really want or need.

Deal with an emotional matter. ARIES (March 21-April 19) Problems will grow if you don’t pay attention. Use your intuition to assess and tame your fury. A change to how you earn your living or use your money will make a difference to what you pursue next. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Easy does it. If you take on too much, there will be a price to pay. Focus more on yourself and less on what others are doing. Being less critical and putting more onus on yourself will help you overcome flaws. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Change is in your DNA. You’ll thrive if

you engage in conversations and debates or pursue whatever grabs your attention. The outcome of your vast interests will help you find your purpose. CANCER (June 21-July 22) Emotional energy is mounting, and personal issues are better off being addressed sooner rather than later. Get more than one opinion, and surround yourself with people you trust. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

dustin / by Steve Kelley & Jeff Parker

Answers to puzzles super quiz 1. English Channel. 2. Panama Canal. 3. Strait of Gibraltar. 4. The Gulf of Mexico. 5. Suez Canal. 6. Strait of Dover. 7. Gulf of Alaska. 8. Strait of Hormuz. 9. Bay of Fundy. 10. Bay of Biscay. 11. Gulf of Bothnia. 12. Cook Strait. 13. Gulf of Carpentaria. 14. Grand Canal. 15. Erie Canal.

SCORING: 24 to 30 points — congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points — honors graduate; 13 to 17 points — you’re plenty smart, but no grind; 5 to 12 points — you really should hit the books harder; 1 point to 4 points — enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0 points — who reads the questions to you?

Cryptoquote Answer Saturday's Cryptoquote: Summer has filled her veins with light and her heart is washed with noon. — C. Day Lewis

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sudoKu Answer jumble Answer

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