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T u e s d ay, au g u s T 18, 2026

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Port container terminal clears major hurdle

Corps grants permits for $2.6B St. Bernard Parish facility

3 N.O. judicial candidates disqualiﬁed Rulings on tax filings trip up hopefuls

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

A rendering shows plans for the proposed Louisiana International Terminal in Violet in St. Bernard Parish. BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL

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The Port of New Orleans has secured a key federal approval for its planned container terminal in St. Bernard Parish, a major step forward in the yearslong effort to build a facility that will help the region remain competitive in global trade. In a release Monday, the port said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has granted permits authorizing construction of the Louisiana International Terminal, which will be located in Violet about 17 miles downriver of New Orleans. The facility, which is expected to cost at least $2.6 billion, according to the most recent estimates, is considered critical for Louisiana’s maritime economy because the giant container ships that account for a growing share

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Staff writer

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of world shipping are too large to journey upriver and safely pass under the Crescent City Connection bridge. “Today’s permit turns years of engineering, environmental review and partnership into forward motion,” Beth Branch, president and CEO of the port, said in a statement. “This is

not simply a regional port expansion; it is nationally significant infrastructure that will expand American export capacity and position Louisiana to lead the next generation of maritime commerce.” First conceived more than a decade ago, the project has been a top priority of local

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economic development leaders and, more recently, of Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration. Still, the project still has a long way to go, both ﬁnancially and logistically. And it continues to face stiff opposition on the ground in St. Bernard Parish from elected officials and community groups who are worried about its impact on trafﬁc, the environment and their quality of life. The terminal will comprise more than 600 acres with 3,600 linear feet of wharf and a container yard capable of holding more than 62,850 containers at any given time, according to documents from the corps. It also will have vehicle ramps, administrative buildings, an intermodal rail yard

ä See PORT, page 5A

national gaming company West Bank’s that owns Boomtown and Boomtown will also several other Louisiana casisaid Monday it plans to get new name nos, build a 140,000-square-foot

BY JULIA FRANKEL, SAMY MAGDY and WAFAA SHURAFA Associated Press

ä See GAZA, page 5A

WEATHER HIGH 97 LOW 80 PAGE 6B

ä See CANDIDATES, page 7A

Riverboat casino is headed ashore

U.S., Israel meet on Gaza ceasefire JERUSALEM — A marathon meeting Monday between U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left the fate of the Gaza ceaseﬁre unclear, with ofﬁcials signaling moderate optimism but offering no concrete commitment by Israel to the latest U.S.-proposed plan. Hamas has already agreed to the proposal. American negotiators appeared to acquiesce to Israeli demands that Hamas disarmament must come before

New Orleans Criminal Magistrate Judge Juana Marine Lombard was disqualified from the race to retain her seat after her opponent in the Nov. 3 election proved that she failed to file her state income taxes in 2023. Lombard, who is the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court’s chief judge, was one of three hopefuls removed from their respective races at the end of separate hearings at Orleans Parish Civil District Court on Monday. The others were Mark Lawes and Edward Lombard Washington. Lombard was the only sitting incumbent of the trio to be ousted after Civil District Court Judge Veronica Henry sided against her claims that she thought her accountant filed her tax return. Lawes “You can’t go through life filing extensions and not paying your taxes,” argued John Adcock, an attorney for Chanel Debose. Debose is challenging Lombard in the race. Immediately after Monday’s hearing, Lombard’s Washington attorney, Jerome Matthews, lodged a petition to challenge the ruling at the 4th Circuit Court of Appeal. Henry granted Lombard a stay while the appeal is underway so Lombard can continue to run her campaign at a crucial juncture when candidates are lobbying for endorsements. “We’re confident that we’re in the right and hopefully an appellate court will agree,” Lombard said as she walked out of the courtroom. Lombard said during the hearing that she believed she’d filed her taxes for the past five years, as required by law, when she qualified to run this month. That was in part because her accountant of the past 17 years submitted her 2023 state and federal returns at the same time after preparing

casino on land near the riverboat in Harvey, under the new name Hollywood Casino Staff writer New Orleans. The new casino will inBoomtown New Orleans Casino, a riverboat casino on clude 875 slot machines, 45 the West Bank, will relocate table games, a retail sportsto a $195 million land-based book, VIP lounge and severfacility under a new name, al restaurants and bars, inthe latest of Louisiana’s riv- cluding a steakhouse, penderboat gambling houses to ing regulatory approval. The come ashore in an effort to facility is set to open in 2029 expand amenities and grow next to the existing hotel and gaming revenues. ä See CASINO, page 7A PENN Entertainment, the

BY LARA NICHOLSON

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

The Boomtown Casino first opened on the Harvey Canal in 1994 and houses over 700 slot machines and 20 table games across three stories.

Business ......................6A Commentary ................5B Nation-World................2A Classified .....................7D Deaths .........................3B Opinion ........................4B Comics-Puzzles .....3D-6D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C

14TH yEAR, NO. 6

2A ✦ Tuesday, August 18, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Luigi Mangione’s state murder trial postponed

NEW YORK — Luigi Mangione’s state murder trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, which was slated to begin Sept. 8, has been postponed indefinitely as his lawyers seek to have the case thrown out on double jeopardy grounds following his guilty plea last week to federal charges. Judge Gregory Carro issued an order Monday canceling the trial and giving the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting the state case, until Oct. 9 to respond to the defense’s double jeopardy claims. A hearing will be held on Dec. 10, Carro said, about a week before Mangione is scheduled to be sentenced in the federal case. Mangione, 28, pleaded guilty Friday in Manhattan federal court to a pair of stalking charges and admitted trailing Thompson to UnitedHealth Group’s investor conference and gunning him down outside a Manhattan hotel in 2024. Federal prosecutors said they would seek life in prison when Mangione is sentenced Dec. 18, though federal sentencing guidelines call for a term of 24 to 30 years. “On the morning of Dec. 4, 2024, I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan, and he died,” Mangione said. Immediately after his plea, Mangione’s lawyers filed paperwork seeking to have the state case thrown out on double jeopardy and due process grounds. They described him as a “pawn in parallel prosecutions” and accused state and federal prosecutors of “trying to punish him twice for the exact conduct.” Mangione has pleaded not guilty in the state case, which also carries the possibility of a life sentence. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said in a statement that it would fight efforts to end the state case, in part because Mangione’s federal sentence isn’t yet known.

Congo’s Ebola outbreak deaths pass 2,300

BUNIA, Congo — Congo’s fastmoving Ebola outbreak has now killed over 2,300 people and become the deadliest outbreak of the disease on record in the Central African nation. The outbreak unfolding in one of Congo’s most vulnerable regions is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever, with 4,945 cases including 2,325 deaths, according to government data released overnight into Monday. It’s Congo’s 17th outbreak, with a toll that has eclipsed that of the country’s 2018-2020 outbreak when 2,299 deaths out of 3,481 cases were recorded. The latest data shows 101 new cases and 33 deaths reported in the previous 24 hours. Over 1,000 people have recovered, while 730 remain in hospitals or isolation. The outbreak has infected and killed more people at a greater speed than any other outbreak in history. The World Health Organization has said it is on track to surpass the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the deadliest on record with more than 11,000 deaths. Trish Newport, emergency coordinator with Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, said the limited community engagement in the outbreak remains a key challenge.

U.S. hiker struck by lightning, dies in Italy

MILAN — An American tourist was killed by a lightning strike on Sicily’s Mount Etna while hiking Europe’s largest volcano following a period of intense activity, Italian ﬁreﬁghters said Monday. The 29-year-old man from Kansas was rescued by helicopter after being struck Sunday evening in an exposed, barren area. He was later declared dead by medical personnel. His name was not released. The man was found at nearly 4,600 feet in the Rocca Capra area. Authorities have closed areas of the volcano’s slope to hikers due to the volcano’s prolonged activity — which forced the closure of the airport in nearby Catania for most of last week — but it was unclear if he was in such an area.

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U.S.-Iran peace prospects dim Trump says no timeline for ending war, threatens to bomb Oman

BY CATHERINE LUCEY Bloomberg News (TNS)

The prospects for peace in the Middle East suffered a fresh setback, with President Donald Trump reportedly saying he is in no hurry to end the war with Iran and fighting flaring anew in Lebanon. Trump told Fox News in a phone interview that a U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports is putting pressure on the country and he has no timeline for resolving the conflict. He also warned that if “Oman gets in the way we’ll bomb the s*** out of them,” without give any further details. He made a similar threat in May. Oman is negotiating with Iran on how the Strait of Hormuz should be managed, but the U.S. isn’t part of those discussions. The war with Iran has dragged on for nearly six months with no resolution in sight. Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding in June that was supposed to open a window for the warring parties to reach a more lasting peace deal

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By HUSSEIN MALLA

A woman mourns Sunday in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, during the funeral of Hezbollah member Ali al-Haj Hassan, his wife and four children who were killed the previous day by an Israeli airstrike. within 60 days. During that period, which expires Monday, the truce has been repeatedly violated and both sides have said the agreement is defunct. Iran said a “shipping map” had been finalized as part of a broader agreement with Oman on how to govern trafﬁc in the strait, but Tehran has warned that it won’t necessarily translate into a reopening of the crucial maritime route. Intensive talks are continuing, but reaching a deal has been time consuming because of secu-

rity complexities and the “obstructionist behavior of destructive elements,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told reporters on Monday. The price of Brent crude has gained more than 7% since the start of last week as the prospects further dimmed for a swift reopening of Hormuz, through which a ﬁfth of the world’s oil and gas transited before the war. The global benchmark rose at much as 1.3% on Monday to $89.68 a barrel.

Tensions in the Middle East were already on the rise over the weekend, when Israel’s military said it killed senior Hezbollah commander Abu Hassan Alaa in southern Lebanon. Eleven people died in the Israeli strikes on Saturday, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said were in retaliation for an attack by the militant group that seriously injured three soldiers. In recent days, Israel has also struck Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza, the Yemenbased Houthis have at-

tacked ships in the Red Sea, and several vessels have been hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz. Israeli settlers have meanwhile laid siege to Palestinian homes, drawing international condemnation. Netanyahu has downplayed that violence and blamed a small number of radicals. The renewed ﬁghting in Lebanon risks derailing a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that calls for Hezbollah’s disarmament, an eventual Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory and the Lebanese army taking responsibility for security. It will also complicate efforts to revive the deadlocked negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, with the 14-point memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran providing for a pause in hostilities “on all fronts, including Lebanon” and free passage through Hormuz. Trump did however tell Fox New that back channels with Iran remain open. Trump has struggled to ﬁnd an off-ramp to a war that’s increasingly unpopular in the U.S. and threatens to penalize Republicans in November’s midterm elections. Last week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. is preparing to announce new economic measures on Tehran “like have never been seen.”

Thousands in Indonesia await aid after quake Authorities say at least 58 killed

BY FIRDIA LISNAWATI and NINIEK KARMINI Associated Press

REO, Indonesia — Thousands of people waited for aid on the Indonesian island of Flores on Monday as the country marked its 81st Independence Day, two days after a powerful earthquake killed at least 68 people, injured more than 200 others and damaged thousands of homes. Many residents on Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province spent the day mourning victims while military teams tried to deliver food, clean water and clothing to inaccessible communities by plane. The Saturday morning quake left widespread damage, with buildings collapsed onto parked cars, homes shattered and trees and boulders blocking roads. “My house is just rubble now,” said Rasyid Jafar, a clothing trader in the village of Reo, the hardesthit area in Manggarai regency. “We need food, medicine and clean water urgently.” During Indonesia’s

on Flores camped outside metric tons of emergency collapsed homes under tar- aid. Nearly 5,400 food packpaulin tents overnight into Monday, sleeping outside ages, two field hospital tents, because of the danger of medicines and clothing were more aftershocks. being delivered to commuFor many residents, the nities across the disaster disaster revived painful zone, as logistical chalmemories of a powerful lenges slowed deliveries to earthquake and tsunami that some hard-hit communities, struck Flores in 1992, killing national disaster agency about 2,500 people. Deputy Chief Abdul Muhari As thousands of survivors said in a video statement. remain in need of food, shelAuthorities set up two ter and medical treatment, emergency field hospitals in the government said more the worst-hit town of Ruteng ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By FIRDIA LISNAWATI than 1,800 military and po- to treat earthquake victims lice personnel have been after local hospitals were A man examines a building that collapsed during deployed across the disas- damaged, with two crisis an earthquake in Reo, East Nusa Tenggara province, ter zone, supported by 10 management teams overseeIndonesia, on Monday. aircraft and several vessels, ing a health emergency opto distribute more than 100 eration center, Muhari said. Independence Day cer- Management Agency or emony in the capital, Ja- BNPB. The disaster also GET IN TOUCH karta, President Prabowo damaged 122 health faSubianto asked partici- cilities, 252 schools and 84 Customer Service: HELP@THEADVOCATE.COM or 504-529-0522 pants to pray for people places of worship. News Tips / Stories: NEWSTIPS@THEADVOCATE.COM The province’s governor affected by disasters in Obituaries: 225-388-0289 • Mon-Fri 9-5; Sat 10-5; Closed Sun East Nusa Tenggara and declared a 14-day state of Advertising Sales: 504-636-7421 • Mon-Fri 8-5 other parts of the country, emergency on Sunday. Classified Advertising: 225-383-0111 • Mon-Fri 8-5 The quake occurred at while leading a nationwide Subscribe: nola.com/subscribe moment of silence honor- a depth of 6 miles shortly E-Edition: nola.com/eedition Archives: nola.newsbank.com ing the nation’s indepen- before 6 a.m. Saturday, according to the U.S. Geologdence heroes. The Times-Picayune (USPS 18530) is published by Capital City Press at 840 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130 and at additional mailing offices. Periodicals postage paid at New Orleans, LA. ISSN: More than 4,500 homes ical Survey, and residents 2379-0008. Capital City Press, proprietor. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Times-Picayune, were damaged when fled in panic as tsunami Circulation Accounting, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588. Newspaper carriers are independent contractors and not employees of Capital City Press. the quake struck Flores warnings were issued but island early Saturday. later lifted. Authorities All home delivery subscription sales are non-refundable. Should you discontinue your Some 19,000 people were have since recorded 1,576 subscription during term, the subscription will end with the expiration date on your forced into temporary aftershocks into Monday, subscription, and there will not be a refund of a prorated amount. Subscribers who shelters and 213 people though only 54 were felt purchased their subscription before Feb. 1, 2023 and wish to cancel can request were injured, according by residents. a refund of a remaining balance at https://www.nola.com/app/forms/refund-request-form/. Refunds are considered on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of to the National Disaster Thousands of people

Justices again rebuff Trump’s push to toss $5M Carroll verdict BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday again rebuffed President Donald Trump’s push to throw out a jury’s $5 million ﬁnding that he sexually abused the writer E. Jean Carroll at a New York City department store in the mid-1990s and later defamed her. The Republican Carroll president’s lawyers had asked the justices to reconsider their refusal to hear his appeal. The court denied Trump’s petition along with several others. It’s unusual — although

not unheard of — for the court to grant such requests. Trump paid the judgment shortly after the court declined to take up his appeal in June. Trump and the Justice Department are also asking the high court to toss out a second Carroll verdict totaling $83 million. They argue he’s immune from being sued over comments he made about her in 2019, when he was president. The court has not yet acted on that appeal. Carroll is a longtime advice columnist and former TV talk show host. She testified at a 2023

trial that Trump turned a friendly 1990s encounter into a violent attack in the dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury retailer across the street from Trump Tower in Manhattan. The jury found Trump liable for defaming Carroll when he denied her allegation in 2022. Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, said they were pleased by the Supreme Court’s decision. “As a result, the jury’s unanimous verdict that Donald Trump sexually assaulted and then defamed E. Jean Carroll is now ﬁnal and cannot be challenged in any court,” Kaplan said in a statement. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.

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‘Heroes,’ ‘Nashville’ star Hayden Panettiere dies at 36 BY HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Associated Press

Hayden Panettiere, a onetime child star who soared to fame in the TV shows “Heroes” and “Nashville” while enduring struggles with alcohol addiction and depression, has died. She was 36. Police said Panettiere was found unresponsive in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday. Lifesaving measures were performed but she was pronounced dead at the scene. No cause of death has been determined and Panettiere’s death remains under investigation. An autopsy found no signs of trauma and police said ofﬁcers saw no signs of foul play. The television and film performer, who would have turned 37 on Friday, had been open about her private battles and wrote at length about them in the memoir, “This Is Me,” which came out in May. She described lifelong scars from her early fame, and acknowledged being addicted to alcohol and enduring postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter, Kaya, with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement provided

to ABC. “She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.” A publicist for Panettiere did not provide any additional details in response to inquiries from The Associated Press. Panettiere was one of two children born to Skip Panettiere, a former New York City ﬁre captain, and Lesley Vogel, a former soap opera star who had been the prime force behind her early career before the two became estranged. Panettiere began acting in commercials and soap operas, including as the evertroubled Lizzie Spaulding on “Guiding Light.” In “This Is Me,” she wrote that the traumas her character endured, from being kidnapped to killing her mother’s boyfriend, led her to associate “catastrophe with adoration.” “Grown-ups gave me positive attention when — as an actor — I failed, got sick, screamed and cried, killed, grieved, and suffered,” she wrote. “Is it any wonder why I’ve faced so many real struggles in my life? I’ve often wondered whether — unintentionally — I’ve brought on my traumas because I’m wired to think they’re good for me.” She had much warmer memories of her role as a

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By JORDAN STRAUSS

Hayden Panettiere arrives at the premiere of ‘Blonde’ on Sept. 13, 2022, at TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Panettiere, a onetime child star who soared to fame in the TV shows ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ while enduring struggles with alcohol addiction and depression, has died at age 36. cheerleader with supernatural powers in “Heroes,” which propelled her to fame in 2006. The series revolved around the mantra: “Save the cheerleader, save the world.” “I think ‘Heroes’ is really hot because it’s just a really great combination of everything that people love — they love reality, they love sci-fi and things like ‘X-Men’ where they get to dream of something bigger,” Panettiere told the AP in 2008. “And at the core of

it are these human stories that people can relate to, very rugged. And it’s just grabbed everyone in every age group.” She went on to win three Teen Choice Awards for that role and was nominated for a Grammy for a children’s spoken word album, “A Bug’s Life: Read-Along,” also voicing a role in the Disney animated movie. Panettiere later played a brash country upstart opposite Connie Britton on

“Nashville,” which aired on ABC for four seasons before being canceled and revived on CMT. She did her own singing in the show, which scored some hits on country charts, spawned U.S. tours and earned Panettiere two supporting actress Golden Globe nominations. Eleven songs that Panettiere recorded for “Nashville” appeared on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs charts during the show’s run, including two featuring Britton.

Panettiere’s daughter, now 11, began living with Klitschko full-time in Ukraine when she was 2. At the time, the actor was struggling with mental health and addiction. “I think there’s been this very common misconception that I just gave up my child,” she said in an interview with podcaster Jay Shetty in May. “That could not be farther from the truth.” She said she was in a “horrible cycle for years of battling depression and anxiety and alcoholism and substance abuse” while “just trying to find my way back, my way out of the darkness.” She entered rehab in 2015, while filming “Nashville.” “I was the one who put myself in the first treatment center. I was drowning,” she said in a 2023 interview with Women’s Health magazine. Panettiere had endured numerous family struggles, and tragedy. Her parents’ marriage was strained, and eventually ended. Her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, who was also an actor, died of a heart condition in 2023, at age 28. Years earlier, Hayden had made the painful decision to part professionally with her mother, who throughout her childhood had “defined and driven her” and watched her “struggle, learn, grow, fall apart, and triumph.”

Feds briefly pause border project in Texas’ Big Bend BY REBECCA SANTANA Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration said Monday it is temporarily pausing construction of a contentious border construction project in Texas’ Big Bend National Park while the head of the agency tasked with building the wall visits to do an “on-the-ground evaluation.” The project through the national park in southern Texas has faced fierce bipartisan opposition by critics who say it is marring the area’s pristine environment. They argue the region’s rugged and remote terrain already serves as a deterrent to migrants and smugglers. Border crossings in the area have historically been lower than other regions and have dropped even further over

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

The Trump administration said Monday it is temporarily pausing construction of a contentious border construction project in Texas’ Big Bend National Park. the past two years. “CBP is pausing all construction activity in Big Bend National Park while I visit and conduct a personal, on-the-ground evaluation,”

Rodney Scott, who heads Customs and Border Protection, said on X. Scott said over the next couple of days, he was going to “listen to local leadership, community

members and stakeholders” to address what he said were “real” national security threats while protecting the park. While it isn’t clear whether the brief suspension portended a more permanent halt to the construction in the area, it reﬂected the intensity of the bipartisan opposition and was a rare concession from the administration on a signature promise of the president’s that it has raced to complete. Congress gave the Trump administration $46 billion last summer to build a wall from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, and the administration has been charging ahead and waiving numerous regulations in an effort to swiftly build the wall. Scott has said he expects the ﬁrst layer of the wall to

be built by the end of next year. But the administration has run into fierce opposition in Texas, especially when it comes to construction in and near Big Bend National Park and a state park to the west. Customs and Border Protection earlier this year backed off plans to build a 30-foot-tall bollard wall through the parks but was still moving forward with other border protection measures such as a new road, lights, miles of barriers designed to stop cars from crossing the border and technology such as fiber optic cables to be buried under the fences. That has sparked opposition from Democratic and Republican sheriffs in the region, former national park officials, local residents who rely on the parks for their

livelihood and some Texas elected officials. Critics have said it will scar the rugged landscape that attracts tourists who raft down the Rio Grande and take advantage of some of the clearest night skies in the U.S. to gaze at stars. Last week, bulldozers were seen clearing land at the park, sparking even more concern and raising questions from one of the state’s Republican senators. At the time the bulldozers were seen, the Department of Homeland Security said on X that they were related to “survey and design work.” Sen. John Cornyn, who lost the Republican primary to the state’s attorney general, wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin over construction concerns.

ICE pitches legal insurance to help shield local police officers BY RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is pitching a plan to help shield local police ofﬁcers who make immigration arrests from possible ﬁnancial consequences if they are accused of on-duty misconduct. The agency is proposing to subsidize liability insurance for state and local of-

ficers who are trained and deputized to enforce federal immigration laws, according to a planning document published Friday. ICE’s partnerships with local departments have soared since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year and may get an additional boost with liability insurance by removing a hurdle that has made some local police departments re-

luctant to join. The Associated Press is the ﬁrst to report on this insurance proposal. Under the plan, officers would purchase insurance covering up to $500,000 in personal liability, which typically funds legal fees, settlements and judgments. Ofﬁcers would be reimbursed up to $250 annually — roughly what the insurance is expected to cost. One prominent critic of

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ICE’s immigration crackdown said the program would be yet another way for ofﬁcers to avoid personal accountability for misconduct. “The concern here is that ICE is going above and beyond to guarantee law enforcement does not have even the slightest risk of liability for violating Americans’ rights while helping ICE arrest people,” said David Bier, director of im-

migration studies at the Cato Institute, who has called on Congress to make it easier to sue ICE agents for wrongdoing. ICE outlined the plan in a document informing industry ofﬁcials that it is considering hiring a contractor to help provide outreach, training and communications support for its so-called 287(g) partnerships with local departments, which are named

for a section of a 1996 immigration law. The contractor would hire the insurance vendor and process the reimbursements, among other tasks. ICE has asked for industry feedback by Thursday. The proposed timeline for launching the program and its estimated cost are unclear. ICE had no immediate comment on the plan.

4A ✦ Tuesday, August 18, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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U.S. school vaccination rates inch down yet again

evenly distributed — con- coverage data in its ﬂagship shots for non- medical visits. cine against chickenpox. Exemptions reach withholding “The root cause of this is The rate held steady for centrations of unvaccinated publication, the Morbidmedical reasons. Exemptions increased in 41 states primarily because there’s so protection against hepatitis children are higher in some ity and Mortality Weekly record high and the District of Columbia. much chaos and confusion B. But that’s a vaccine giv- places than others, which Report. CDC officials usu-

BY MIKE STOBBE Associated Press

NEW YORK — U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to federal data posted Monday. The fraction of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 4.2%, up from 3.6% the year before. That’s an estimated 155,000 children nationally during the 2025-2026 school year. It’s the fourth consecutive year that the national average exemption rate has reached a record, and the vast majority are parents

Experts point to turmoil caused by federal health ofﬁcials. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was a leading voice in the antivaccine movement before President Donald Trump put him in charge of federal health agencies. In the last 18 months, Kennedy and other federal ofﬁcials have repeatedly tried to revise and reduce childhood vaccination guidance. Earlier this month, Trump called for revamped childhood vaccination recommendations that promote his discredited theory that childhood shots should be spaced out into separate

in vaccination recommendation systems in the last year or so,” said Dr. James Campbell, of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The CDC reported that 92.4% of 2025-26 kindergarteners got their required measles-mumps-rubella shots, down slightly from the previous year. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the vaccination rate was 95% — the level that makes it unlikely that a single infection will spark a disease cluster or outbreak. Vaccination rates also fell for polio, for the combination shot against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, and for the ﬁrst dose of the vac-

en shortly after birth, and it will take a few years before recent federal efforts to upend infant hepatitis B vaccine recommendations would appear in the vaccination rates of kindergartners, Campbell said. The vaccination numbers were posted as the U.S. experiences its worst year for measles since 1991. The numbers indicate that more than a quarter of a million children entering kindergarten are susceptible to measles, said Campbell, a University of Maryland researcher who is chair of the AAP’s infectious diseases committee. Those at-risk kids are not

helps explain why measles waves vary in intensity. The CDC data is coming out as school and health ofﬁcials across the country are encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated as the school year starts. “Back-to-school season is an important reminder that protecting our children’s health is both a shared responsibility and a shared goal,” North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai said in a statement. “Vaccines help keep our children and teens healthy and in the classroom.” In the past, the CDC has released the vaccination

ally speak to the trends and stress the importance of vaccinations. But since the Trump administration took office early last year, the agency has posted the data online. This year, the agency issued a three-sentence statement that noted a small decline in vaccination coverage among children entering kindergarten and said: “CDC continues to encourage parents to discuss vaccination options with their doctors.” Public health ofﬁcials focus on vaccination rates for kindergartners because schools can be cauldrons for germs and launching pads for community outbreaks.

Gang war, revenge plot led to Tupac Shakur’s slaying, DA says BY RICHARD WINTON Los Angeles Times (TNS)

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By OBED LAMy

Scott Conrad, from left, Joseph Workman, Ronan Carey and Kesley Patterson use a kayak to transport items from their flooded homes on Sunday in Indianapolis.

Flooding risk remains as storms move from Midwest to mid-Atlantic BY OBED LAMY and HOLLY RAMER Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana residents remained on alert while returning to their flood-ravaged homes Monday as repeated rounds of thunderstorms and heavy rain moved east from the Midwest into the mid-Atlantic and high heat scorched much of the South and Southwest. In central and east central Indiana, emergency operations were still ongoing after days of punishing storms, Gov. Mike Braun said at afternoon news conference, while other areas were shifting to recovery. He said the state had launched a disaster relief fund to provide $5,000 to individuals needing to buy basics such as clothing and food. “We’re tracking your needs, and we will get you resources,” he said. “We want displaced Hoosiers to have a hot meal, comfortable bed and get into air-conditioning.” The National Weather Service said heavy rain would continue one more day before a cold front sweeps the weather pattern off the East Coast on Tuesday. Meanwhile, much of West Virginia, southeast Ohio and northeast Kentucky were under a ﬂood

watch through Monday evening, with high water from the series of storms hiking the possibility of flash flooding. Elsewhere, hot weather posed more of a problem, particularly across the South and Southwest. The weather service issued extreme heat warnings for portions of Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina, Arizona, Nevada and California. In Indiana, where days of storms and flooding left at least seven people dead, floodwaters receded in Indianapolis’ White River and rains eased around the state Sunday. But a flood warning remained in effect Monday morning for part of Randolph County in east central Indiana, where thunderstorms had dropped between 1 and 2 inches of rain by 8 a.m., and residents of half a dozen counties were urged to stay off the roads except for essential travel. “While we have seen encouraging trends, the work is far from over,” said Jacob Spence, director of the Metropolitan Emergency Services Agency in Indianapolis, where city officials launched a website to support affected residents. Oliver Riggle, 33, said he had just moved into a camping trailer in Indianapolis a

few months ago after living in his car. “Just having privacy again was a huge deal. I mean, I had a door that locked. I had a roof that was mine,” he said. “No one was gonna take it from me, except for apparently Mother Nature.” A neighbor told Riggle the trailer nearly tipped over as it floated in the floodwaters. It was still full of water Sunday, but by Monday, the water had receded and he was busy throwing away waterlogged belongings. A handyman who works for a general contractor, Riggle said he hopes to help others salvage their own homes. “I’ve got tools that I can use to help be a part of the community,” he said. “We’re just gonna have to have faith that we’re going to be able to pull through because it’s not like we’ve got a safety net.” South of Indianapolis, officials in Madison Township said firefighters and others rescued 10 people from their homes Sunday night. Others had to be rescued from cars after attempting to drive through flooded roadways. A 4-year-old boy, three men and three women were among those who had died since the storms that began Aug. 11, said Liz Woods, a spokesperson for the state Department of Homeland Security.

Ukraine energy firm says facilities damaged after 13 Russian strikes BY HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine — Russia attacked facilities of Ukraine’s Naftogaz Group 13 times over the past week and has targeted its premises almost 300 times since the start of the year, the state energy company said Monday. Russia has repeatedly battered the Ukrainian power grid since its all-out invasion more than four years ago. Moscow hopes to sap Ukraine’s will to ﬁght by denying civilians light, heating and running water during the bitter winter months.

Ukrainian officials, who say Russia is “weaponizing winter,” fear Moscow will pursue its campaign through the coming winter, too. Russian drones and missiles struck facilities in several regions of the country, with one asset hit multiple times during the week, Naftogaz said, reporting serious damage to equipment and production capacity. No employees were hurt in the attacks, the company said. DTEK Group, a coal mining and power production company which says it is the largest private investor

in Ukraine’s energy sector, also said a Russian attack started a fire at one of its mines, killing a 52-year-old man. With troops largely bogged down by drones and robots along the roughly 780-mile front line, both Russia and Ukraine are expanding their aerial campaigns and devising new long-range weapons. Ukrainian long-range attacks on Russia killed seven people, while ﬁve civilians died in Ukraine after strikes by Moscow’s forces, ofﬁcials said Monday as they collated overnight attacks.

Nearly 30 years after Tupac Shakur was gunned down near the Las Vegas Strip in a killing that rocked the rap world, the trial of the man prosecutors allege did everything but pull the trigger got underway Monday with new revelations. Nevada prosecutors allege Duane “Keffe D” Davis, a one-time Compton gang member, killed Shakur as revenge for an attack on his nephew hours earlier and are using Davis’ own words in interviews and a book he co-authored as evidence. In opening statements, prosecutors said an ugly gang rivalry on the streets of Compton led to the slaying of Shakur, a famed rapper and actor, who died six days after he was shot. The Sept. 7, 1996, shooting, they said, was rooted in a war between Southside Crips-Burris Street, led by Davis, and Mob Piru, a gang long associated with Death Row Records. Shakur was closely associated with Death Row, and the record company’s boss, Marion “Suge” Knight, was inside his car the night he was attacked. The rivalry grew after the Southside Crips became the West Coast security for Sean “Diddy” Combs’ record label, prosecutors said. Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal said that bad blood came to a head at a Mike Tyson ﬁght that night in Las Vegas. He showed video of Shakur’s entourage attacking Davis’ nephew Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson. Lane, a Mob Piru, had spotted Anderson in the MGM Grand hotel lobby. Months earlier, Anderson stole Lane’s Death Row Records chain in the Lakewood Mall during an attack. “Let’s be clear, Duane Davis did not pull the trigger.

REUTERS PHOTO By STEVE MARCUS

Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis appears in court Monday during a murder trial related to the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur at Clark County District Court Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas. But he did plan the shooting in retaliation of the beating of his nephew,” Palal said. “Remarkably, you will learn that from Duane Davis himself.” Palai noted that Shakur’s shooting was followed by numerous murders in Compton, including that of an 11-year-old girl. “In this world, silence means survival,” Palal said. “The one person who has had a hard time being silent is Duane Davis.” The prosecutor played parts of an interview with a Los Angeles Police Department federal task force in 2008 where Davis acknowledged his role in the rapper’s fatal shooting. They also cited other interviews as well as his own memoir. The prosecutor said Davis got the gun from Eric Zip Martin, an East Coast drug dealer associated then with Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment. “He admits putting the gun he obtained that night in the back seat of the vehicle so the shooters could shoot,” the prosecutor said. “You will learn that Duane Davis got the gun ... you will learn that he got into a white Cadillac. You will learn when the opportunity presented itself for retribution, Duane Davis made sure that the shooter was

armed and ready to execute their revenge.” Palal said Davis and his crew set out in search of Knight and Shakur. In multiple accounts, including in his book “Compton Street Legend,” Davis wrote that they spotted the Death Row caravan stopped at a red light, with Shakur waving to female fans while hanging out of the BMW window. “Tupac, he gave himself away,” Davis said in the recording played in court. “Otherwise, they would’ve got away.” Davis was arrested in 2023 and indicted for masterminding the killing and providing the gun. Michael Sanft, Davis’ defense attorney, told jurors there will be no evidence linking his client to the shooting. “There are no facts to point to Keffe — not one,” he said. “You’re going to hear about this over and over again.” Sanft recounted decades of probes and noted that prior investigations did not take his client’s statements seriously because they were not credible. “He treats that book like it’s fact,” Sanft said of a lead detective in the case. The defense attorney, in an unusual move, repeatedly undermined his own client’s credibility.

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The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday,August 18, 2026 ✦ 5A

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GAZA

Continued from page 1A any reconstruction of the devastated Palestinian enclave. They did not publicly signal that Israel had made any commitments to withdraw from the 60% of Gaza that Israeli troops currently occupy. That’s a major sticking point in the plan and one that Hamas had pressed negotiators to compel Israel to fulﬁll prior to the meeting. The talks came days after Netanyahu rejected the 15-point, U.S.-backed road map to move the ceasefire deal forward, saying there would be no withdrawal without disarmament. A day earlier, Kushner met for two hours with Hamas’ leader in Egypt. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the director of the U.S.-created Board of Peace, Nickolay Mladenov, were also in the meeting with Netanyahu, according to a source familiar with the plans and a diplomatic source. Both spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a closed-door meeting. At stake are the lives of some 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, rebuilding plans and future control over the territory.

Netanyahu: Talks constructive In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said the talks were “deep and constructive.” Israel and the board agreed to establish two working groups — one on the disarmament and demilitarization of Gaza and another focused on public health issues for Gaza. Israel and the board agreed that the demilitarization “should be prompt and completed before any reconstruction,” the statement said. A Board of Peace official said they also agreed that the demilitarization must include “every weapon, light and heavy, and every tunnel.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door meeting. “Backed by President Donald Trump, the parties share clear goals: a fully demilitarized and deradicalized Gaza that poses no threat to Israel, and where Gazans can pursue prosperity and dignity peacefully,” the official said. Another Board of Peace official said the meeting was “very productive” and resulted in agreement on “a path forward.”

PORT

Continued from page 1A and a wharf extending out into the river with 10 cranes capable of loading and unloading two “ultra large” container vessels — which can hold up to 24,000 standard containers — at a time. Preliminary work on the site, including building access roads, clearing the ground and laying materials atop the soft Louisiana soil to support the heavy equipment and infrastructure could begin as soon as this fall. If all goes according to schedule, construction is expected to take ﬁve years, meaning the soonest the terminal could be up and running is late 2031. “I think we are comfortable enough with where we are now that we have a permit in hand to say ﬁve years from groundbreaking,” said Branch in an interview on Monday. “This really is a critical piece of authorization that allows us to construct.”

Funding stacks Permits have been in various stages of review by the Corps for more than four years. And while they are a key milestone for the project, other details still need to be finalized, including a final budget and ﬁnancing package. Branch said it will take another six or seven months for engineering and construction documents to be completed, which will determine whether the current working ﬁgure of $2.6 billion — already about 45% higher than the initial price tag — is still a reasonable estimate. Also unclear is where all the money will come from. Two private companies that are planning to operate the terminal through a long-term lease with the port, Terminal International Limited and Ports America, have agreed to put $800 million toward the cost of construction.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEHAD ALSHRAFI

Palestinians remove iron from the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes during the war with Hamas in Gaza City on Sunday. The iron is repaired and recycled for construction, building tents or selling it. “The Israelis are going to give this a chance. Now it’s up to Hamas to show if it truly intends to comply,” said the official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity. Asked if Israel had committed to the U.S. plan for Gaza, a spokesperson for Mladenov said it was a “work in progress.”

Kushner had talk with Hamas Kushner, who is Trump’s son-inlaw, met Sunday with Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya in Cairo on disarmament, according to a regional official and a Hamas official, who both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters. Officials from mediating countries Egypt, Qatar and Turkey also were there. The Hamas official said the Hamas leader demanded that Israel halt its attacks on Gaza and

“I think we are comfortable enough with where we are now that we have a permit in hand to say five years from groundbreaking. This really is a critical piece of authorization that allows us to construct.” BETH BRANCH, president and CEO of Port of New Orleans Another $500 million has been committed from state and federal sources. Still, that leaves the port short at least 50% of the remaining cost of the project. Branch said Monday that most of that money will come from bond debt that the port will assume and federal loan programs. “We need to build a capital stack out of all this,” she said. “But you don’t need all the money on day one.” Also still unresolved is the location of a highway that will connect the port to the interstate system, bypassing local roads. The St. Bernard Transportation Corridor, as it is called, is expected to cost at least $1 billion and is still in the early stages of a review process by the state that is expected to take up to two years. Financing for that phase of the project, which port ofﬁcials have said is critical to the overall terminal project, has not been ﬁnalized.

Not giving up the fight Economic development ofﬁcials have touted the beneﬁts of the project. Beyond keeping the region’s maritime sector competitive in global trade, they say it will create jobs and generate tax dollars in St. Bernard Parish. A study by Greater New Orleans Inc. estimates that once fully complete, the terminal will generate $100,000 in new tax dollars per day in the parish and increase employment by more than onethird. GNO President and CEO Michael Hecht, who was tapped by Landry to help

withdraw to the so-called “yellow line” dividing the territory before beginning implementation. The yellow line was never precisely deﬁned. Israeli forces have moved beyond it and now control about 60% of Gaza. In May, Netanyahu said the next step was to move to 70% control, with Israel “tightening the grip” on Hamas “from every direction.” Several regional powers including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates issued a statement Sunday condemning Israel’s rejection of the road map. They said Israel “now bears responsibility for obstructing the efforts to bring peace in Gaza.” Other signers included Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia and the ceaseﬁre mediators. The foreign ministers’ statement called on the Board of Peace and the U.S. to take “immediate and concrete measures” to keep any

party from obstructing the plan’s tee has not yet entered Gaza. implementation. But Hamas has linked the surrender of its heaviest weapons Talks spark hope and doubt to the creation of a Palestinian While some in Gaza hope that state, and the road map entails efforts to implement the road the creation of a “credible pathmap will bring an end to the war way toward achieving Palestinian sparked by the Hamas-led attack self-determination and statehood,” on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, something Israel’s current governothers are skeptical. ment rejects. Mohammad Abu al-Qombuz cast Until the road map is agreed to, doubt on all talks and visits cur- other elements of the ceasefire are on hold, including reconstruction rently taking place. “A conference here and there, it and the deployment of internationis all lies. We need a definitive so- al forces to separate Israeli forces lution that would work for every- from committee-controlled areas. Netanyahu faces a challenging body,” said Abu al-Qombuz, who lives in a Gaza City tent camp, part election on Oct. 27 as he tries to of the territory’s vast displaced hold onto power with a coalition that includes ministers taking population. Under the road map, Hamas a harsh line on Gaza, and it’s not would hand over weapons to the clear whether he will take decisive Palestinian technocratic commit- steps on the ceasefire before then. Also coming up is the annivertee meant to oversee daily operations in the territory. The commit- sary of the 2023 attack.

bring the project to fruition, said having the permits clears a key hurdle in the process. “While other elements must fall into place, having the permits gives (the terminal) undeniable political and practical momentum.” But St. Bernard Parish Council Chair Fred Everhardt, who is opposed to the project, and others say they will continue to fight to stop it. “They are trying to paint a picture to the public that they got their permits and it’s a great thing for the state and the country,” Everhardt said. “But it’s a bad thing for St. Bernard Parish.” Currently, three lawsuits challenging the terminal are making their way through state court. One takes issue with the location of an elementary school that will be impacted by the project. Another raises environmental concerns and a third questions the jurisdiction of Port NOLA to even build a facility in St. Bernhard Parish, which has its own port. Everhardt said the permits haven’t changed the facts on the ground and that “the battle is not won.” Branch said the Port NOLA has offered to work with the St. Bernard Parish School Board over the relocation of the school, W. Smith Junior Elementary School, and has offered potential alternatives. “We are hoping there is going to be a pathway forward,” Branch said. The School Board and parish District Attorney’s Office, which filed the suit, did not respond to requests seeking comment.

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6A ✦ Tuesday,August 18, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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BUSINESS N O L A.C O M/BIZ

DOW 53,459.78 -272.63 -0.51%

NASDAQ 26,644.91 -84.25 -0.32%

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Amazon makes it harder for class-action lawsuits

On Friday, Amazon sent its customers an email informing them that the company had updated its terms to include an arbitration agreement and class-action waiver. The new language reinstates a bulwark the company removed five years ago when it was overwhelmed by 75,000 arbitration claims from customers claiming its Alexa devices were recording them without consent. The change means customers generally cannot take Amazon to court before a judge and jury. Customers can still use smallclaims court and individual arbitration, but only after first trying to resolve complaints with Amazon directly. The company said it’ll pay “most of the cost” of arbitration. There’s no opting out, unless customers stop using Amazon. In its email to customers, the company said continued use of any Amazon service confirms someone’s agreement to the change. In an emailed statement, an Amazon spokesperson said the company continually updates its conditions of use to better serve its customers. “We determined that reinstating the arbitration clause will offer customers a fast, cost-effective way to resolve disputes while still giving them the option of going to small claims court,” she said. Lawsuits filed before Friday can generally still go through.

Stellantis recalls 955,000 vehicles Chrysler parent Stellantis NV said it’s recalling about 848,000 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles in the United States due to radio software that can prevent rearview cameras from operating properly. The glitch, which results in the rearview camera image not appearing on the media screen, affects various 2026 and 2027 model year Chrysler Paciﬁca, Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid and Voyager, Dodge Charger, Jeep Cherokee, Compass, Gladiator, Grand Cherokee, Grand Wagoneer and Wrangler, and Ram 1500, 2500 and ProMaster vehicles. An additional 107,000 vehicles are being recalled in Canada, Mexico and other markets, the automaker said in a statement from spokesperson Frank Matyok. The company said it’s unaware of any accidents or injuries. It said as customers await the repair, “drivers should remain aware of their surroundings and use their rearview and side mirrors when reversing.” The ﬁx involves an over-theair radio software update.

Japan’s economy manages 1.1% growth TOKYO — Japan’s economy grew at an annual rate of 1.1% in the April-June quarter even as private consumption stayed flat and the growth of exports declined, according to government data released Monday. Japan‘s real GDP, or gross domestic product, the sum value of the nation’s goods and services, grew at a seasonally adjusted rate of 0.3% from the first quarter to the second quarter of 2026, according to Cabinet Office data. The annualized rate shows what the growth rate would have been if it had continued for a whole year. It was 2.1% in the JanuaryMarch period. Private spending dipped 1.2% in April-June compared to January-March, while exports grew 0.5%. Exports for the latest period were driven by the global demand for Japanese autos and semiconductors. Japan is home to Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. and other top automakers. Global demand for computer chips is being powered by interest in AI, helping to support Japan’s exports. Government consumption rose 1.6%.

S&P 500 7,745.06 -40.70 -0.52%

EURO 1.1578 0.0019 0.17%

CRUDE OIL 84.50 2.10 2.55%

GOLD 4,417.80 37.40 0.85%

6-MO T-BILLS 3.92 0.0 0.0%

30-YR T-BONDS 5.32 0.06 1.12%

Bally’s issues warning over liquidity issues

early next year to stay in compli- and perhaps the city. tice Aug. 8 to the Chicago CommuConstruction paused by Bally’s operates three casinos in nity Builders Collective, a general ance with lenders for its revolving Louisiana: Bally’s Baton Rouge and contracting partnership overseefacility. at Chicago casino site credit Bally’s is looking to raise cash The Queen, both in downtown Ba- ing the casino complex construc-

BY ROBERT CHANNICK Chicago Tribune (TNS)

CHICAGO — Days after pausing construction on nearly all nongaming amenities at its $1.7 billion casino complex going up in Chicago, Bally’s Corporation issued a going concern warning related to liquidity issues. The warning, part of Bally’s second-quarter earnings ﬁling Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission, states that the Rhode Island-based company is pursuing “a number of ﬁnancing alternatives intended to enhance its liquidity”

through asset sales, an equity offering or debt financing, according to the SEC filing. “While the company is actively engaged in discussions on several financing alternatives, the conditions and events raise substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” Bally’s stated in the filing. Auditors are required to issue a going concern warning when they believe a company might default on its debt within 12 months. The warning is sometimes a prelude to a bankruptcy filing, and may be a growing concern for investors —

ton Rouge and Bally’s Shreveport. Bally’s said the ﬁnancing issues are connected to future developments and are unrelated to the Chicago construction slowdown, which was implemented as part of its escalating standoff with the city over video gambling terminals. “There has been no change to the status of Bally’s Chicago’s construction based off the company’s most recent 10-Q ﬁling,” the company said in a statement Sunday. “Bally’s Chicago remains well situated to continue delivering on its obligations.” Bally’s Chicago issued a reset no-

tion, putting everything from the 34-story hotel and events center to a number of planned restaurants on hold, citing the advent of VGTs as a violation of its agreement with the city. A group of 28 aldermen sent a demand letter to the casino company Wednesday calling for a public hearing and the resumption of the full development project. In addition to challenging the legality of the construction slowdown, the aldermen also questioned the ﬁnancial capacity of Bally’s to complete the $1.7 billion project as planned.

Mexico’s avocado pickers welcome return of country’s exports to U.S. But security fears remain amid extortion, violence BY MARÍA VERZA and ARMANDO SOLÍS Associated Press

SANTA ANA ZIROSTO, Mexico — It didn’t take long for Mexican avocado picker Francisco Isidro to get back to work after authorities announced the lifting of a U.S. security alert that temporarily halted avocado exports. Back on the job the morning after the alert was lifted, Isidro threw a rope over an avocado tree about 20 feet high and climbed up. Fifteen minutes later, he had ﬁlled a box with avocados bound for the United States. “Thank God ... and now we’re getting paid!” he shouted happily after several days without work. Eight days after the alert affecting Michoacán state and the deployment of more Mexican troops in the region, U.S. authorities fully lifted the restrictions that spurred producers to shut down operations, and exports resumed. Michoacán is Mexico’s main avocado-producing state and a region where four cartels designated by the Trump administration as terrorist organizations operate. By the weekend, orchards were operating again, packing plants were running at full speed and U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors had returned to certify the fruit and ensure it was free of pests before entering the United States. The workers were happy to get their daily wages back. Some producers hoped the increased security would reduce violence and extortion. Others feared the calm would not last long. “We’ll be safe for a while; we’ll see what happens next,” said Valentín Rodríguez, a longtime avocado industry businessperson. The U.S. alert caught Isidro high in a tree in an orchard in Santa Ana Zirosto, an area of green, low hills in western Michoacán where criminal groups are very active. There were no explanations, just the foreman’s shout to stop cutting. Isidro, 39 years old and with two decades of experience as a harvester, knew that this meant either starting to look for another job until the situation returned to normal — since they’re paid by the day — or supporting his family solely on what his wife earned from a small store. More than 90 miles away, in Tacámbaro, an engineer at an avocado packing plant received the alert in the early hours of the morning: The facility should be kept sealed and under quarantine. Some 200,000 people employed by Michoacán’s avocado industry were left in limbo. Authorities did not say what threat triggered the alert. But in a state where numer-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS By ARMANDO SOLIS

A farmhand harvests avocados at an orchard in Santa Ana Zirosto, Michoacan state, Mexico.

In March alone, Mexico shipped nearly 4,800 tons of avocados a day to the United States. ous local cartels make money not only from drugs but also from extortion, there are plenty of possibilities. Some growers have come to consider extortion an unavoidable production cost. A producer from Michoacán told The Associated Press recently that he pays 1 peso per kilo exported in extortion fees and exports about 90 metric tons a day, which amounts to more than $5,000 in daily payments. In March alone, Mexico shipped nearly 4,800 tons of avocados a day to the United States. Trucks loaded with avocados are also sometimes robbed on roads in western Michoacán. And some farmworkers have been stopped and beaten by armed men near the border with Jalisco without being told why, according to one worker who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. U.S. inspectors have been assaulted and temporarily detained in the past, triggering similar export suspensions. On some occasions, threats arose after inspectors detected

pests and were pressured not to report them, said an official familiar with their work who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons. The U.S. Embassy does not usually provide details about the incidents. Inspectors have less of a presence in the orchards, which are located in isolated hills where armed groups operate with little interference, and concentrate on packing plants. “If the United States says that it is suspending technical services for security reasons, it’s impossible to export. If it’s for a plant health, it’s the same,” said Rodríguez, who grows, packs and sells avocados. “We are at the mercy of whatever the U.S. market and government decide to do with the industry.” More than 80% of Mexican avocados are sold to the U.S. Thousands of tons of avocados travel daily to the United States, especially when demand for guacamole surges ahead of the Super Bowl. To keep that volume moving, certification is key. Isidro is a “certified” picker. He knows how to disinfect cutting tools before using them, handle the fruit quickly and carefully, and report any spots or damage. The orchards where he works are also certified, providing dining and bathroom facilities for workers. Jesús Méndez, his supervisor, inspected the boxes before they were loaded onto a truck with the tracking details. The trucks wait until all those in the area are ready before traveling in convoys to packing plants, accompanied by police patrols to prevent robberies. At the packing plants, inspections continue, checking quality, the fruit’s flesh and possible pests. Once labeled and sealed, the trailers head for the U.S. border. At the slightest security alert, every point along the route can be brought to a standstill.

Oil prices rise, pushing stocks further from record highs BY STAN CHOE Associated Press

NEWYORK — U.S. stocks edged further from their record heights on Monday after rising oil prices cranked up the pressure on inflation and financial markets. The S&P 500 fell 0.5% but remains near its all-time high set Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 272 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.3%. Wall Street’s losses solidified in the afternoon when oil prices accelerated upward. The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, rose 2.7% to $90.87. It’s been careening back and

forth because of uncertainty about what the war with Iran will do to the global ﬂow of crude. Last month alone, Brent zigzagged between $72 and $102 as hopes rose and fell that the United States and Iran could reach a deal that would allow oil tankers to freely exit the Persian Gulf again. Monday’s rally for oil prices sent Treasury yields in the bond market higher, which in turn raised the pressure on the economy and prices for all kinds of investments. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.72% from 4.68% late Friday. It has shot up from just 3.97% before the war with Iran, largely because higher oil prices are worsening inﬂation and upping the probability that the Federal

Reserve will have to hike interest rates. Higher rates could keep a lid on inﬂation, but they do so by intentionally slowing the economy. The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate has already jumped near its highest level in a year because of the rise in the 10-year Treasury yield, though reports last week said that inﬂation in July was not as bad as earlier in the summer. Usually around this time of year, anticipation is building on Wall Street to hear from the head of the Federal Reserve about where it may take interest rates. But the Fed’s new chairman, Kevin Warsh, may give little insight at this year’s economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, at the end of this

month, according to Thierry Wizman, a strategist at Macquarie Group Warsh has been adamant about giving Wall Street less guidance about the Fed’s plans for interest rates. Wall Street has run to records despite high inflation in large part because profits are booming for U.S. companies. Those in the S&P 500 index are on track to deliver growth of roughly 50% for earnings per share in the spring from a year earlier, according to FactSet. That’s much better than analysts expected and would be the best since five years ago, when the economy was erupting out of the chasm created by the COVID pandemic.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, August 18, 2026 ✦ 7A

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CASINO

Continued from page 1A will have 475 employees, the company said. Once the new casino opens, the riverboat will be vacated. “We’re proud to make this significant investment in Jefferson Parish and create a new destination that will serve our guests and the community for years to come,” Kathryn Jenkins, Boomtown’s vice president and general manager, said in a statement. Boomtown joins a growing number of state casinos that are investing millions of dollars to move on land, although PENN’s investment in Boomtown outspends most other recent constructions. Treasure Chest Casino in Kenner opened a new $100 million facility on land in 2024, and Belle of Baton Rouge moved its operations on land under a new name, Bally’s Baton Rouge, for $141 million late last year. Last month, Boyd Gaming’s CEO Keith Smith said in an earnings call they’d start construction to move Amelia Belle Casino near Morgan City to land by the end of next year. Boomtown draws roughly 60,000 to 70,000 visits per month, according to Louisiana State Police figures, and earned about $104.6 million in gross revenue between July 2025 and June 2026. It first opened on the Harvey Canal in 1994 and currently houses over 700 slot machines and 20 table games across three stories and 30,000 square feet of gaming space. The casino added its fivestory, 150-room hotel on land for $20 million in 2015. Local tax revenue generated by Boomtown is split between Jefferson Parish and the four West Jefferson municipalities. For the fiscal year ending in June, the casino generated a total of $22.5 million in local taxes.

CANDIDATES Continued from page 1A

them for her. Lombard, in fact, was granted a $374 income tax refund on the federal filing because she’d overpaid the IRS, she said. That made her rest assured that her state taxes had been filed as well, despite not hearing anything back from the Louisiana Department of Revenue. She said she files her income taxes routinely and thought she’d filed her 2023 state and federal taxes when she filled out her qualifying form to run. Lombard said she didn’t become aware of the lapse in state tax filings until Debose filed the civil lawsuit last Thursday challenging her candidacy. Before she was elected judge in 2020, Lombard served as state commissioner of Alcohol, Tobacco and Control under former Gov. John Bel Edwards, working under the Department of Revenue’s purview. She testified Monday she’s never had any tax issues before. Matthews offered up emails, text messages between Lombard and her longtime accountant as well as copies of her tax documents.

The on-land Hollywood Casino New Orleans will replace the Boomtown New Orleans Casino and its riverboat. “If the West Bank were a stock, I’d be buying right now, not because we have arrived, but because the signs of where we are headed are becoming harder to ignore,” Jefferson Parish Council member Timothy Kerner Jr., who represents the area, said in a text message.

Casinos moving inland The move from the water to the

“It goes to show her state of mind as to whether she falsely certified her taxes when she filed her notice of candidacy,” Matthews said. “She had a good-faith belief that her taxes had been filed.” After listening to testimony, Henry noted that election codes should be “liberally interpreted” to grant candidates as much leeway to remain on the ballot so voters have competitive elections. But Henry said Lombard’s defense that she was “simply under the belief that her accountant put her returns in the mail” was not enough to convince her. “After over four hours of testimony, the court considered the evidence and credibility of each witness and made the right decision,” Timothy David Ray, a spokesperson for Debose’s campaign, said in a statement. Debose, 55, is a native of the Calliope Housing Projects whose legal career dates back to 1999. For the past 10 years, she’s been a prosecuting attorney for the Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors and began taking on criminal cases as a conflict attorney for the Orleans Public Defender’s Office last year. Elsewhere, Civil District

shore seems to be paying off for casinos that have made the switch. Treasure Chest’s gross revenue for the fiscal year ending in June 2025, which is also about a year after the land-based casino opened, was 70% higher compared with the fiscal year before. Revenue increased by another 8% in the most recent fiscal year. The move to land is spurred by a 2018 law change that allowed for

Court Judge Omar Mason booted Lawes from the race for constable of 1st City Court. And Judge Monique Barial shot down Edward Washington’s bid to unseat Judge Jennifer Medley. Lawes was one of three candidates who qualified to challenge longtime Constable Lambert Boissiere Jr. He was vying for his fourth sixyear term, but announced his plans to retire at the end of the year when the field of competition sprouted up against him. Among his opponents were his deputy constable and cousin Kristi Boissiere August. Wanda Paul, an August supporter, filed the tax disqualifier against Lawes, alleging he didn’t file his 2021 tax returns. Lawes said he typically files his taxes as a married individual, separate from his wife, and claimed he didn’t have any taxable income in 2021 other than unemployment benefits. Mason said the $16,957 he received was enough to warrant a tax filing. “A candidate’s personal belief of filing status is insufficient to rebut a challenge,” Mason said in his ruling against Lawes. Lawes said he plans to appeal. Washington was the lone challenger to emerge against Medley. But he

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ﬂoating casinos to relocate within a quarter mile of the riverboat. Since then, legalized gaming and sports betting has exploded across local jurisdictions, stiffening competition and motivating casinos to invest in facility upgrades and expansions. There are 15 riverboat casino license holders across the state, including four others operated by PENN: L’Auberge Casino Hotel

didn’t ﬁle state taxes in 2021, 2023 or 2024, according to the suit that contested his candidacy. In disqualifying Washington, Morial ruled he failed to show why he didn’t do his taxes in the latter two years. Afterward, Washington said he wasn’t sure if he’d

IMAGE PROVIDED By PENN ENTERTAINMENT Baton Rouge, L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles, Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City and Boomtown Casino Hotel in Bossier City. PENN also owns Boomtown Casino Biloxi in Mississippi. The 15 Louisiana riverboat casinos altogether earned $1.9 billion in gross revenue for fiscal year 2026, according to state revenue reports.

challenge the judge’s decision, which he said “deﬁes reality and common sense. “Today, the Court effectively ruled that once a person earns enough income in any single year to potentially trigger an income-tax ﬁling requirement, that person is forever burdened with an

obligation to ﬁle a tax return — regardless of what happens in subsequent years and regardless of what the Louisiana Department of Revenue itself says,” Washington said. Email Matt Bruce at matt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

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8A ✦ Tuesday, August 18, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Former Make It Right executive testifies Brad Pitt nonprofit accused of building shoddy homes

Make It Right is being sued by homeowners for critical design and construction flaws in the houses they purchased from the nonprofit Pitt founded, as well as breach of contract and fraud. For the past week, Civil District BY DOUG MACCASH Judge Lori Jupiter has presided Staff writer over a preliminary hearing to deThe former chief operating of- termine if all 106 homeowners can ficer of Brad Pitt’s post-Katrina join a class-action suit against the neighborhood development Make nonprofit organization, or if homeIt Right testified in Civil District owners must sue individually. Court on Monday during a hearing James Mazzuto rarely spoke in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit. publicly, if at all, during his tenure

Jan Risher

as COO, treasurer and secretary of the Make It Right nonproﬁt organization. He took over the position in 2016 from the original Make It Right COO, Tom Darden III, when Darden and the four members of the board of directors resigned. By that time, most of the Make It Right homes had been built and Mazzuto, who earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Tulane University in 2010, found himself managing the twilight of the project. In court Monday, he said he was

terminated by Make It Right in 2021, because, “it was my understanding the company ran out of money.” When asked if he knew there were construction issues, he said, “I learned there were problems with houses” during his tenure. Starting in 2008, celebrity actor Pitt, who’d lived in New Orleans during the ﬁlming of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” in 200607, reestablished a Lower 9th Ward neighborhood that had been catastrophically ﬂooded during Hur-

ricane Katrina. The 106 futuristic homes Pitt’s Make It Right organization built were sold to former residents for affordable prices. But it wasn’t long before homeowners began complaining of rotting decks, leaks and other defects, which eventually led to a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Make It Right ﬁled in 2018. In 2022, the Global Green ecological organization offered to pay the homeowners $20.5 million on behalf of Make

ä See HOMES, page 2B

Sunset patrol

LOUISIANA AT LARGE

All hat, no cattle and 198 boxes This week marks one year since our house fire. It may also be the week we finally move back into our rebuilt house. That said, I probably didn’t need to go to the opening of Rancher Hat Bar BR on Saturday. But I did. It was a rather wild scene. Women of all ages were in a near frenzy picking out ribbons, feathers and other details I had never considered as hat decor — like poker chips, playing cards and Indian head nickels. The new shop opened Saturday next to Trader Joe’s in Baton Rouge. Kate Durham, in from Arizona with Rancher Hat Bar, walked me through the process of customizing a hat. From a wall of choices — trucker hats and cowboy hats in every color — I picked a simple pinky-beige wool felt cowboy hat. I learned that, technically, it is a cattleman with a cutter bump crown. Durham said this style of hat was most used by working cowboys and cutting horse riders. It’s supposed to sit lower and tighter to reduce the chances of flying off. Doubtful that most of the working cowboys who were concerned with hats flying off had the hat adornment options available to me Saturday. I selected a leather cord and a single feather for its trim. When else could I add a feather in my own cap? As Durham began to add the cord (tied with a rancher knot) and feather to my hat, she said I could also brand my hat. The store has dozens of thumbnail-sized brands — every letter, a fleur-de-lis, the outline of Louisiana, horseshoes, longhorns and more crosses than I could count. Employees use a blow torch to heat the brands, casting

ä See RISHER, page 2B

STAFF PHOTO By JAN RISHER

Rancher Hat Bar’s Kate Durham shows the special purple-and-gold hat the company has created for its newest custom-hat shop, located at 3535 Perkins Road, beside Trader Joe’s in Baton Rouge.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

A U.S. Coast Guard boat returns to Coast Guard Station New Orleans in Bucktown Harbor at sunset on Lake Pontchartrain. The spectacular sunsets in New Orleans over the past week have been caused by atmospheric scattering, high-altitude clouds catching the low-angle light and lingering particles from seasonal Saharan dust plumes moving across the Gulf Coast.

NORD seeks public La. reports heat-related input on next CEO deaths from July as Town hall to be held Wednesday BY JONI HESS Staff writer

The New Orleans Recreation and Development Commission is inviting residents to weigh in on the city’s public recreation system and its next CEO. The agency is hosting a town hall on Wednesday for people to give input on what the new CEO’s priorities should be as it continues its search to replace longtime NORD CEO Larry Barabino Jr., who resigned in June. Those interested can also leave their thoughts in an online survey. The city will accept responses until Thursday. “NORD belongs to the people of New Orleans, so it’s important that the community has a voice in selecting the person who will lead the organization,” said Kyle Walker, chair of the NORD Commission. The application window to apply for the CEO job wrapped up Monday. NORD has drawn scrutiny over the years for neglected facilities and for failing to communicate on operational

matters like program schedule changes or site repair timelines. It has also built a reputation for being difﬁcult to partner with. Barabino, now a senior director of community and property operations at the Housing Authority of New Orleans, and other NORD ofﬁcials have said the agency’s problems stem from a lack of adequate funding, staff and community support. The selected candidate will inherit an agency that has welcomed a reconstituted governing board and a revamped fundraising entity, the NORD Foundation. Earlier this year, Mayor Helena Moreno asked a task force to explore changes to the department, including letting the city’s Department of Parks and Parkways take on some NORD’s responsibilities. The meeting, at Milne Recreation Center in Gentilly from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., is a chance for residents to share their past experiences with NORD parks, programming and facilities and to discuss the citywide needs the next leader will be charged to address, Walker said. “The commission wants to hear directly from the people

ä See NORD, page 2B

heat wave continues BY MARCO CARTOLANO Staff writer

Extreme heat is expected to persist across Louisiana for several more days as health and city ofﬁcials urge residents to stay hydrated and limit outdoor time to prevent heat-related illness. The Louisiana Department of Health last week reported three heat-related deaths in July, bringing the total number of heat-related deaths for the year to 11. Last year, the state saw a total of 31 heat deaths. In New Orleans and across the state, heat fatalities have risen steadily from 2020 to 2025, and the city is particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses and heat waves that are becoming longer and more common. Currently, an extreme heat warning is in effect for southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi through 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Heat index values between 110-115 degrees are likely through at least midweek. The heat will be exacerbated by higher-than-normal evening lows for late August, as temperatures creep into the high 70s to

low 80s, forecasters said. Health Department officials urged residents to look out for symptoms of heat-related illness during the hottest months of the year. Those signs include dizziness, weakness or nausea. Louisianans should also stay hydrated and take breaks indoors or under shade after being in the heat. New Orleans residents needing to escape the warmth in the next few days can cool down during the day at NORD recreation centers or open library branches. Homeless residents can seek overnight relief at New Orleans Mission, 1130 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., in Central City and The Salvation Army, 4526 S. Claiborne Ave., Uptown. Isis Casanova, communication director for the city’s Ofﬁce of Health and Human Services, said last week that city teams tasked with homeless outreach planned to continue handing out water to homeless residents, check on their well-being and connect them with available services and resources. “We continue to encourage residents to take the heat seriously,” Casanova said Monday.

ä See HEAT, page 2B

2B ✦ Tuesday, August 18, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Man pleads guilty to killing Marrero father Victim’s relatives express grief, anger, love

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

Talvis Keller was supposed to stand trial for murder on Monday, accused of killing Taj Laurent Sr., the Marrero father of Keller’s former girlfriend, after he tried to defuse an argument between the couple on Christmas night in 2023. But Keller instead pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter. So it was Taj Laurent Sr.’s relatives who took the witness stand in a Jefferson Parish courtroom Monday morning to express their grief, anger and a love that sounded like forgiveness. Taj Laurent Sr.’s daughter, Taj Jordan Laurent, did not make it through the first line of her Laurent Sr. written victim impact statement before she began bawling. Her tearful sobs drowned out her statement, but she continued to read a letter to her father, never once looking over to her former boyfriend who sat a few feet away at the defense table. “I’m heartbroken. I’m angry,” she said. “I wish I had one more chance to tell you how much I love you. … Your legacy will always live through me. … I love you forever, dad.” Judge June Darensburg sentenced Keller to 35 years in prison, asking him to reﬂect on the mercy of the victim’s family, who consented to his plea. “It appears when you took a life, you had no mercy. But they agreed to a manslaughter reduction in sentence to give you another chance to live while their loved one is gone forever,” Darensburg said.

Domestic disturbance

to Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office investigators. When Keller refused to leave the apartment, Taj Jordan Laurent called her parents for help. Keller armed himself and told his girlfriend, “If they come up here, I will shoot them in the head,” according to court records. Keller followed through on his threat after Taj Laurent Sr. and his wife entered the apartment to try and calm things down. The elder Laurent was not armed, and there was no physical altercation, investigators said. Keller shot Taj Laurent Sr. once in the face before fleeing. He was arrested the next day in a room at the Oasis Motel in Gretna, where authorities found him hiding inside of a suitcase, the Sheriff’s Office said.

‘I love you’ Vernadra Charles, the woman who had been found in bed with Keller, and Kentrone Robinson, both 24, pleaded guilty in 2024 to being accessories after the fact to seconddegree murder. The pair admitted to helping Keller evade authorities. It was Charles who packed Keller into the suitcase at the motel, according to court records. On Monday, Taj Laurent Sr.’s wife, Joann NelsonLaurent, read a letter addressed to her husband, calling him her best friend and her safe place. “My heart is shattered, and I still can’t believe I have to live in a world without you,” she said. She then turned to Keller. “Talvis. Thirty-two years (together) and 26 years of marriage is what you took from me,” she said, recalling how she and her husband took Keller into their home and provided for him. “We never wanted this for you.” Nelson-Laurent told Keller she hopes he absorbed the values her husband tried to teach him, that he learned something from this experience. “I just hope you don’t take it for granted once you get a chance to live a better life,” she said. “My heart goes out to you. I love you, Talvis. For real, even though this happened.”

Taj Laurent Sr. was shot and killed inside the Harvey apartment in the 1000 block of Manhattan Boulevard where his daughter and Keller lived. She came home Christmas night after spending the day with relatives and Email Michelle found Keller in bed with Hunter at mhunter@ another woman, according theadvocate.com.

Homicide suspect died by suicide, NOPD says BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer

A man suspected in last week’s Freret Street homicide died by suicide hours after the killing, the New Orleans Police Department said Monday. NOPD officials believe Desmond Cooper, 44, shot and killed Samantha Petry, 39, in the 4200 block of Freret Street shortly before 4 a.m. Friday. The call initially came in as a suicide. However, investigators reclassiﬁed the death as a homicide, and NOPD detectives

NORD

Continued from page 1B

deemed Cooper a suspect in what they called a domestic killing. Later that day, police were advised that a man matching Cooper’s description, who was possibly armed, was at the intersection of North Norman C. Francis Parkway and Iberville Street. As police approached about 4 p.m., a shot rang out. Officers found Cooper suffering from a gunshot wound to the head, according to the NOPD’s major offense log. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

hired Louisiana consulting firm AMCorp International to facilitate the application process. NORD will screen and select semifinalists Sept. 1 and will hold interviews between then and Sept. 18. NORD will interview finalists Oct. 6 in a public forum where residents will hear from the candidates.

who use NORD parks, participate in programs and support the agency about what they need and expect from the next CEO,” she said. The NORD Foundation, a separate nonprofit that raises money to support the Email Joni Hess at joni. underfunded department, hess@theadvocate.com.

BETWEEN THE LAyERS

Community cake event puts focus on giving back BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

Strawberry shortcake, Hawaiian guava cake, tiramisu, coconut pound cake and even Matilda’s famous chocolate cake were just some of the 170 cakes displayed at the second annual Cake Fête. The free community celebration Saturday at Vermilionville brought people together with one simple rule: Bring a cake. The idea for Cake Fête came from Tiffany Steward, a special events coordinator and member of Foodies of Lafayette, after she came across cake-sharing parties that took place in other cities. Wanting to bring the idea to Lafayette, she helped turn it into a local celebration. Inside the cake room, tables were covered with cakes of all shapes, ﬂavors and designs. Outside, guests listened and danced to music from Brazilian House Band and watched performances by The Shrimpettes, a Lafayette-based dance krewe, as they waited for their wristband color to be called to enter the cake room. Steward said this year’s event had a different energy than the ﬁrst. “Last year, it was more like a picnic. It was chilled, a little laid back,” she said. “This year, it’s more like an upbeat vibe with socializing and music.” Catherine Comeaux, a repeat visitor, said the creativity and people are what make the event special and made her want to return. “I love seeing the creativ-

PHOTO By ROBIN MAy

Diane Frederick chooses her slices of cake to bring home during the Cake Fête event, where guests cook or buy a cake and then eat them, Saturday at Vermillionville. ity and so many people you meet, and it’s such a fun event,” she said. Among her cake pickups was a Tarta de Santiago, a traditional almond cake from Spain associated with the Camino de Santiago. Her cake picks, like those of other participants, were placed into pizza boxes donated by Central Pizza for the event. “I like to see the creativity,” Comeaux said. “I got one cake that a woman made that she told me is a traditional cake eaten while walking or completing the Camino.” She also picked up an orange crunch cake made with graham crackers and a mint cake she was excited to try. For Geoff Daily and his 8-year-old daughter, Jojo, Cake Fête was worth returning to after their experience last year. “Part of the fun is coming and not having an expectation because some are homemade, some are store-

bought,” he said. “Also, it’s a community event involving cake; we had to come back.” This year, the experience extended beyond cake. Cake Fête partnered with Tropical Smoothie Cafe to kick off the restaurant’s annual food drive beneﬁting the Lafayette Community Fridge, which is powered by Foodies of Lafayette. Guests were encouraged to bring canned goods and other nonperishable food items. Heidi McDonald and Jason Stoner, two of the driving forces behind Foodies of Lafayette, said the event has grown since its ﬁrst year. “We had twice as many participants as last year, which is way bigger than last year, so it’s getting bigger,” McDonald said. Stoner said the community fridge was another important part of bringing people together. “This is also about the community fridge, and it’s a fundraiser and supported by

social entertainment, so everyone had to come together to make this great,” he said. The event also featured a $20 cake pull fundraiser. First-time attendee Ella Champagne was surprised when she pulled the gold ribbon and won a pair of custom earrings donated by G Jewelry. “It was full of cake, so I couldn’t really tell, but when I saw the gold, I was so excited,” Champagne said. As guests enjoyed their cake, danced to music and socialized, McDonald said she hopes they leave Cake Fête remembering that the celebration is meant for everyone. “The thing that makes Acadiana so special is that we come together in times of need and for fun, and this event is the sweet spot of that,” she said. Email Ja’kori Madison at jakori.madison@ theadvocate.com.

RISHER

Continued from page 1B the distinctive yet not unpleasant scent of burning wool into the store. When she asked if I wanted a brand, I had to see the process. I went with my initials — JR has a certain ring to it when it comes to cowboy hats. When she handed me the completed hat, I appreciated its restraint. Cord, feather, initials, done. Having nothing else to decide equals a beautiful thing. Rancher Hat Bar started in January 2023 in California. Baton Rouge is its 18th shop. The target customer is clearly younger than me — bachelorette parties, girls’ weekends, the kind of crowd that wants a hat and a photo to go with it. Still, I really enjoyed the experience. It was, frankly, a wonderful moment not to think about all the hats I’m currently wearing. For $149.18, I walked out in a hat I hope to enjoy for years to come. Besides, it matches the ofﬁce we are rebuilding in the house we hope to move into shortly — where I used to have an extensive collection of hats I had collected from all over the world. There was a traditional headdress worn by the Akha hill tribe in Thailand that I bought from a woman in Phuket. There was a wild ﬂoral cotton hat that I spent my last dime on when I was 26 in San Francisco. There was a beautiful straw hat with a satin sash that I bought in Prague. Hats have long been my weakness. That collection is gone.

HEAT

STAFF PHOTO By JAN RISHER

Columnist Jan Risher, left, and Rancher Hat Bar’s Kate Durham show off hats they designed at the new custom-hat shop in Baton Rouge. But I’ve learned something about rebuilding: Start with one thing you love and go from there. The house is close but not quite ready. We have inspections to pass, rental furniture to be picked up and a houseful of things to move from one place to another — all within the next four days. All of this should happen in a certain order, but the pieces keep changing. This I know: The rugs need to come ﬁrst. Then the furniture. We probably won’t be able to live in the house for another week or so because of something involving a gas line being moved and an occupancy inspection that will follow. Plus, there’s the delivery of extensively packed items the remediation

company deemed OK to salvage — 198 boxes of that. I’m going on faith that the number of boxes is not as overwhelming as it sounds. We asked for our favorite dishes back in time for Thanksgiving and learned that each box could hold the vast contents of two cups and a saucer. The truth is, we don’t really know what survived. It will be quite the experience to unbox items that have been chilling in an ozone chamber to remove the persistent stench of smoke. I knew that branding smell was familiar. Email Jan Risher at jan.risher@ theadvocate.com.

New Orleans, along with three in the northshore region. The northwest region that includes the Shreveport area reported one death. Nine of the heat-related deaths included people over the age of 65, the age group most at risk for heat-related illness. In addition to deaths, there have been a total of 3,100 recorded emergency department visits from heat-related illnesses so far this year,

according to Health Department data through Aug. 8. Emergency visits began rising in mid-June across the state, and the southeast Louisiana region has seen the most emergency department visits at 470. Despite this week’s intense heat, this summer has not been as hot as the past two, according to weather service climate data. As of Monday, average summer temperatures have been just

three-year delay. Make It Right also sued its own managing architect in Continued from page 1B 2018 for alleged defective design work and sued its former executive director Tom It Right. But it soon became clear Darden III along with the that Global Green didn’t former treasurer and other have the money, and the suit officials in 2021, accusing returned to court after a them of mismanagement.

On Monday, lawyers for the homeowners asked Mazzuto, now a restaurant manager in New Jersey, to describe his role in Make It Right’s management and to conﬁrm details of the organization’s tax returns. He mostly gave brief, yesor-no responses.

Continued from page 1B

Deaths, hospitalizations The first heat-related death of the year was recorded in Acadiana after a man over the age of 65 died in June from hyperthermia. Since then, two deaths have been reported in the southeast region that includes

HOMES

under a degree warmer than normal, records showed. July’s average temperature was 84.8 degrees, compared with 85.5 in 2025 and 84.6 in 2024. And so far, the average temperature in August is sitting at 84.9 degrees, compared with 85.4 degrees in 2025 and 86 degrees in 2024. Email Marco Cartolano at marco.cartolano@ theadvocate.com.

LOTTERY SUNDAY, AUG. 16, 2026 PICK 3: 5-3-6 PICK 4: 6-4-7-0 PICK 5: 2-1-7-4-9 Unofficial notification, keep your tickets.

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New Orleans Area Deaths Goliwas Sr., Benjamin Harrington, John Lillie, Judene Ortolano, Keith

Obituaries Goliwas Sr., Benjamin Fane

The Admiral is on the Bridge. Benjamin Fane Goliwas Sr., affectionately known as Ben, Benjamin F., and Pops, passed away peacefully, surrounded by love, on June 29, 2026. Born on July 21, 1942, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Ben was the seventh of eight children born to Walter Joseph Goliwas Sr. and Mary Fane Goliwas. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters Mary Jo Thibodeaux, Colleen G. Holthaus, and Peggy G. Bourgeois, and his brothers Robert Edward Goliwas and William Joseph Goliwas. He is survived by his sister, Frances Joy Goliwas, and his brother, Walter Joseph Goliwas Jr. He is now joyfully reunited with Delery "Del" Eagan Strassel, his longtime love and companion. Ben's heart was full of the love of his family, including his children Elizabeth Goliwas Bodet (Robert †), Benjamin Fane Goliwas Jr. (Holly), Laura Goliwas Kuhlke (Chris), Andrew Alvin Goliwas (Madeleine), and Ynyra OShea. He held an unbounded love for his

grandchildren who brought him great joy: Elizabeth "Ella" Kuhlke, Henry Kuhlke, Elizabeth "Libby" Bodet, Zachary Goliwas, Margaret "Maggie" Goliwas, Marcel Dubois, and Dominique "Mika" Dubois (Justin). He had the opportunity to hold the hand of his great granddaughter Juniper Alaine Berdahl-Dubois. Having served as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Ben was affectionately known as "The Admiral." Few things brought him as much joy as being out on the water. Ben felt most at home with the wind in his sails and the horizon ahead of him, a passion that also inspired his support of the Ocean Conservancy and its mission to protect the waters of the world. He founded the grassroots organization Home Port New Orleans, where he was instrumental in coordinating the crucial removal of storm debris from Lake Pontchartrain after Hurricane Katrina. Ben dedicated much of his life to early childhood education, shaping young minds with the same warmth and patience that would come to define him in every other chapter of his life. He was an early supporter of the Special Olympics. He was a longtime volunteer of WYES, sharing in its commitment to educational programming and community, supporting his belief that "it is in giving that you receive." Ben held a lifelong belief in the power of the number 52, fittingly, according to gematria, the numerical value of the name 'Ben' is 52, a quiet reminder that even in the smallest details, he was exactly who he was meant to be. Blessed with the luck of an Irishman, Ben lived a marvelous life that spanned the globe. He believed his greatest successes were measured not in material achievements, but in relationships and memories. His guiding phi-

losophy to "treasure the moments" was more than a saying; it was the way he lived every day. Whether meeting someone for the first time or reconnecting with an old friend, Ben had a rare gift for bringing people together. His warmth, curiosity, optimism, and genuine love for others (humans and all creatures great and small) made him beloved by those whose lives were brighter for having known him. The greatest way to honor his memory is to live as he did with gratitude, generosity, and an appreciation for life's simple gifts. Above all, treasure the moments. Hip, hip! A Memorial Mass and celebration of his life will be held at St. Mary's Assumption, 923 Josephine Street, New Orleans, on Saturday morning, August 22nd, 2026 at 10:00. Visitation will begin at 9:00.

Harrington, John Edward

Harrington Armbruster; his grandchildren Caroline Armbruster Reich, Jack Edward Armbruster and Meghan Lavie; his great grandchildren Eddie Armbruster, Ollie Armbruster Emilia Reich and Anna Reich; and his Sister Betty Jo Marsalis. John was preceded in death by his wife Barbara Isbill Harrington, his son John Edwards Harrington Jr; and his parents Alney Earl Harrington and Jaunita Harrington. John moved to New Orleans after graduating from Southern Mississippi. His work career included management positions at various car dealerships. It was at a particular car dealership in the 70s that John was given the nickname " the Colonel" a moniker that he carried among his friends for many years. After retirement John and Martha Anne moved to uptown New Orleans with their beloved boxers. Then finally moving back to the town of his birth, Gloster Mississippi. The world lost a true original in John Harrington . There won't be another like him. He loved his friends and family and he will be truly missed greatly by all of them. The family will have a private celebration of life for John. We ask that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to the Gloster Police Department. Checks should be made out to the town of Gloster with " donation to police department " in the memo. Mailing address - PO Box1019 Gloster Mississippi 39638

College, New Orleans, and a Masters in Business Administration and Accounting from Loyola University, New Orleans. She served as a teacher in Louisiana, a treasurer, bookkeeper, and archivist in Massachusetts and Louisiana and as Associate Judge and Auditor in Tribunal in New Orleans. She was preceded in death by her parents James Dominic and Margaret Irene Farrell Lillie and her sisters, Mary Agnes Dickson, Grace Irene Woolway, and Pauline Joan Lamberty. She is survived by nieces and nephews. A Vigil of Remembrance Service was held on August 11, 2026 at the Dominican Sisters of Peace Motherhouse Chapel, Columbus, OH. The funeral liturgy was held at the Dominican Sisters of Peace Motherhouse Chapel on August 12, 2026. Arrangements by EganRyan Funeral Home. Burial at a later date at Rosaryville in Ponchatoula, LA. Memorial gifts in Sr. Judene's memory may be sent to the Dominican Sisters of Peace, Office of Mission Advancement, 2320 Airport Dr. Columbus, OH 43219 or submitted securely at oppeace.org

John Harrington passed away on August 5th 2026 at the age of 89. John was born in Gloster Mississippi and spent his early years there before attending college at the University of Southern Mississippi where he received a degree in business. John is survived by his longtime companion Martha Anne Duval; his daughter Gretchen

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A native and resident of Gretna, Louisiana. He retired from G&T Cranes in Harvey, Louisiana. Keith enjoyed spending time at his camp on School Bus Canal in Lafitte, Louisiana. He loved fishing, karaoke, cooking and a good joke. Keith is and will be deeply missed by many. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the visitation on Friday, August 21, 2026 from 9 AM to 1 PM at Mothe Funeral Home, 2100 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, LA. Services will follow in the funeral home chapel. Family and friends may view and sign the online guest book at www.mothefunerals.com .

Ortolano, Keith Francis

Lillie, Judene 'Ann'

Dominican Sister of Peace, Sister M. Judene Lillie (Ann) died at Mohun Health Care Center, Columbus, OH on July 30, 2026. She was born in 1930 in Menlo, Iowa and in 1951 entered the congregation of St. Mary's Dominican, New Orleans, now the Dominican Sisters of Peace. Sr. Judene earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from St. Mary's Dominican

Ortolano, Eisley Rae Ortolano, and Delilah Rae Ortolano. Survived by his sisters Karen Ann Ortolano and Suzanne Marie Ortolano. Preceded in death by his father Thomas Vincent Patrick Ortolano and his mother, Doris Melancon Ortolano, his sister Lynn Ortolano Sawyer, and his niece Emily Kathryn Wightkin. Also survived by his cherished nieces, nephews, sisters and brothers-in-law.

Keith Francis Ortolano Sr passed away peacefully on August 15, 2026 at the age of 75. He was a beloved father to Keith Francis Ortolano Jr and Chad Michael Ortolano, and daughters-in-law, Elise Hepting Ortolano and Megan Soileau Ortolano. He was "Pawpaw Keith" to Madisyn Alizabeth Ortolano, Isabella Marie

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OPINION N O L A.C O M/opinions

OUR VIEWS

Thank you, Coach Bertman, for teaching us how to ‘hold the rope’ There was a time when one could walk up to Alex Box Stadium at LSU, pay $1 and sit right down on the third-base line. LSU baseball was, like many other university programs, an afterthought that functioned mostly as a springtime diversion while Tiger fans bided their time until football season. No longer. Now, LSU baseball is a juggernaut, the top-drawing program in the nation and a team expected to make a run to Omaha for the College World Series every year. That’s due to Skip Bertman. The legendary LSU coach, who died Friday at age 88, moved from Miami to take over a lightly regarded LSU team in 1984. To say the program took off would be an understatement. The numbers alone are remarkable: During his 18 years at the helm, LSU made 11 College World Series appearances and won five national titles, all of which came in a dominating 10-year run from 1991-2000. He retired with a record of 870-330-3 and won 89 NCAA tournament games. He also coached through some of LSU’s most indelible moments: Chris Moock’s third-to-first putout that earned the Tigers their first Rosenblatt dogpile in 1991, Warren Morris’ walk-off home run to win the national title in 1996, and Brad Cresse’s title-winning hit in 2000 are chief among them. Bertman also turned LSU into a factory of top talent, nurturing future Major League Baseball stars such as Ben McDonald and Todd Walker, and coaches such as Mike Bianco. His influence extends far beyond Baton Rouge. When he came to LSU, a handful of schools, like Texas, the University of Southern California, Arizona and Miami, dominated college baseball. Bertman’s transformation of LSU helped lift not just the Tigers, but the entire SEC as other schools saw how baseball could become a revenue and fan-interest driver. These days, the SEC is by far the strongest baseball conference in the nation. Off the field, Bertman’s gracious persona endeared him to fans and administrators alike. When he stopped coaching after 2000, he was promoted to athletics director, where he oversaw a number of major renovation projects and the hiring of Nick Saban to coach the football team. He is arguably the most important person in the history of LSU sports. Bertman was famed for the “hold the rope” mantra he taught his teams. Borrowed from his high school football coach, the mantra asked players to consider who they would want holding a rope if they were dangling above a cliff on the other end. He used it to foster trust, teamwork and belief. For decades, Bertman held the rope for LSU baseball, the university and the state of Louisiana. Words are too few to express our gratitude and appreciation. We hope he knows that even though he’s gone, we’ve got the rope.

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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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YOUR VIEWS

Officials didn’t want Meta facts, so we don’t know either We can’t handle the truth. That is effectively what your representative on the Public Service Commission has told you. At their Aug. 12 meeting, I saw the PSC vote 3-1 to not require Meta, which is building a massive data center in Louisiana, to tell the public, under oath, how many jobs Meta will create, how many will be remote and how many of the remote jobs will be overseas. The commissioners who voted to overturn a judge’s ruling that Meta had to provide this information — to them — indicated that they felt they didn’t need to know the facts to rule whether it was in the public interest to make the massive investment in new power plants to support the data center. When urged by members of the public to allow the judge’s decision to stand so that we could all know these facts, the public was told by members of the commission that we

should just rely on news reports and press releases from Meta and the governor’s ofﬁce. They also said they had not signed a nondisclosure agreement with Meta nor received the related conﬁdential information. So, why were the majority of the commissioners so sure they didn’t need to know in order to protect the public interest? The only reason they gave, other than we could “read it in the paper,” was that it would be a burden to Meta to provide it. One of the commissioners, in a jovial, friendly manner, politely asked Meta’s representative at the meeting if he would like to explain. The Meta representative stood up from the crowd and, in a light-hearted manner with a smile on his face, waved and said, “No.” And the commission voted not to know.

ROBIN MOULDER Baton Rouge

Families caring for sick loved ones need aid The words “your child has Friedreich’s ataxia” changed everything. As a mother, I imagined school dances, graduations, marriages, families and dreams fulﬁlled. I never imagined that two of my children would be diagnosed with a rare, progressive neuromuscular disease with no cure. Caregiving isn’t something I chose, but it is something I embrace with every part of who I am. I traded my career as a teacher for doctor appointments, therapies, insurance battles, advocacy, accessibility planning and preparation for Zachary and Sydney’s growing needs. I celebrate every milestone while grieving what Friedreich’s ataxia takes away. I hold hope and heartbreak in the same hand. Supporting caregivers is compassionate and practical public policy. The Credit for Caring Act would help offset out-of-pocket expenses families face. The Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act would simplify access to beneﬁts and resources, giving families more time to care for the people we love.

People often tell caregivers, “You’re so strong,” but we are not superheroes. We are parents, spouses, children, siblings and friends doing everything we can because love leaves us no other choice. Behind the scenes are real sacrifices. I put my career on hold and lost income. Across the country, caregivers provide billions of dollars in unpaid care every year, filling gaps in our healthcare system while often receiving little support. I am proud to care for my children. They inspire me every day with their courage and determination. Families should never have to sacrifice financial security, health or the future because someone they love has a disability. Caregivers don’t need pity. We need policymakers to listen and pass legislation recognizing the essential role family caregivers play. When caregivers are supported, the people we care for, our families and our communities are stronger.

MELINDA RICHARD Maurice

Donors may support ballroom but other expenses are on taxpayers’ tab In Richard Levy’s recent letter, he criticized your paper for publishing a cartoon claiming that the taxpayer was paying for President Donald Trump’s new White House ballroom. The letterwriter asserts it is being paid for by private donations. While it is true that the ballroom, and ballroom only, is being paid for by private donations, the taxpayers are on the hook for millions of dollars redirected from the Secret Service and the White House Military Ofﬁce for “security enhancements.” Sort of like, “Build it for free, but the add-ons will cost you!” The construction of the ballroom is an issue only because of Trump’s ego. He says he wants it, along with other ego-driven items, including monuments, arches, golf courses, airplanes, helicopter pads, his name on currency and airports, the hanging of a banner of himself on the Department of Justice, the reﬂecting pool “renovations” — laws, rules and regulations be damned. The East Wing gets torn down because he wants a ballroom. By doing so, he then creates the need for taxpayerfunded security for a ballroom that he has no authority to build, regardless of who pays for it. How much longer are we going to put up with this oligarchy?

NAHUM D. LAVENTHAL New Orleans

Nation can no longer ignore crippling debt The F-word is focus: Simply setting goals, a plan to achieve them and deadlines. Unfortunately, neither political party has focused on the crippling debt we can no longer ignore: $40 trillion, about $300,000 for each taxpayer. The press can do its part to solve this by making the public aware and how it impacts each taxpayer. First, publish the national debt daily and the debt per taxpayer in the business section headlines. Secondly, publish the cost of all proposed legislation and the cost per taxpayer. Maybe voters will demand accountability for the ridiculous spending that accomplishes little and the obscene fraud in government-run programs. We have to stop the insanity, and this could be a start.

DON LANDRY Slidell

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COMMENTARY A special golden anniversary Golden anniversaries used to be spe- me along to a Virginia prison, which cial celebrations in the days when peo- included men on death row. Inmates literally reached out to him and enple got married and stayed married. This year marks the golden anniver- gaged him in conversation. It was resary, not of a married couple, but of an markable to see. organization that invests in the lives Even more remarkable are the thouof people whom politicians largely sands of stories that have emerged ignore. from prisoners who have participated It’s called Prison Fellowship in Bible studies organized by and it was started by Charles Prison Fellowship that are Colson, a top aide to President taught by local people who have Richard Nixon. Colson served been instruments in the transseven months in federal formation of many lives. prison for pleading guilty to In a visit to a “Faith and Law” obstruction of justice in the meeting in Washington recently, Cal Watergate affair in the 1970s, Scott Peyton, Prison Fellowship Thomas senior director of advocacy, and which led to Nixon’s resignaEd Simcox, co-founder of Prison tion. Fellowship, shared reﬂections on ColWhen he was released, Colson, who had become an evangelical Christian son’s legacy (he died in 2012) and the before his guilty plea and sentencbeginning of the ministry. Peyton said that after Watergate, “(Colson’s) faith ing, would not forget the men he had did not pull him away from public life. known while behind bars. It did just the opposite. It pushed him Cynics claimed his “religious conversation” was a ploy for a lighter sen- toward those who are too often forgottence and sympathy from his fellow ten.” believers. A foundational principle of Prison After several years of consistent Fellowship has been to support public living and dedication to his ministry, policy that “reﬂects both justice and even Bob Woodward of The Washingmercy and advocating for second chances of formerly incarcerated ton Post acknowledged Colson’s comindividuals.” That is a far cry from plete transformation, genuine faith and dedication to helping inmates and Colson’s previous “tough on crime” philosophy. their families. The stories of transformed lives can Colson enjoyed an immediate cononly be described as miraculous. One nection with inmates when he visited story is told by Jermaine Wilson who them after his release. He once took

became the mayor of Leavenworth, Kansas, (some irony given the town has a famous prison). Wilson’s father and siblings had been to prison. He says he began using drugs at an early age because he wanted to hang out with older kids. His drug use and other criminal activities sent him to prison several times. “While I was in prison,” he says, “I cried out to God and said, ‘Lord, I need you in my life.’ I spoke to Christ and I became free. The Prison Fellowship program has helped me to unlearn those negative things that I had learned.” When he got out the last time, it was difﬁcult for him to ﬁnd employment because of his record. A local church gave him a job cutting grass. Ultimately, he ran for mayor and won. Wilson’s criminal record was expunged in 2015. Politicians promise to make our lives better, but that is beyond their power. Wilson and many other current and former inmates have discovered a greater and genuine power available to those who will receive it. If you want to support something that truly transforms lives, instead of believing the empty promises of politicians, visit prisonfellowship.org. You might wish them a happy 50th anniversary while you are there.

There’s still plenty of time to move the needle toward a Democratic victory. If nothing else, Americans, including Republicans, ought to welcome an opportunity to elect centrist Democrats to restore a balance of power to Washington. Hamilton’s decades of ministering to people suffering hardships including divorce, suicide and bankruptcy have given him what Washington often lacks — empathy and compassion. If elected, he hopes to bring his pastoral experience to the Senate while also ﬁlling leadership gaps that occurred to him during a recent visit to Liberal, Kansas — yes, a town — and its Wizard of Oz museum. “Lots of people [in Washington] have lost their minds,” he said, referring to the Scarecrow’s search for a brain. “A lot of them have lost their hearts. And there’s a lot of cowardly lions afraid to say what they know to be true. They’re so afraid they’ll be bullied and primaried that they go along with it until they lose. Then they’ll speak up. But it’s not courageous when you’re on the way out. It’s courageous when you have everything to lose and say, ‘You know, this is wrong and I’m sorry, I can’t support this.’” Nearly 100 years of Republicanism seems long enough.

St. Tammany is headed for a year of reckoning. The northshore parish has seen its decadeslong upward trajectory transition to an angry stasis, gummed up by an inefficient government structure and a skeptical voter base wearied by years of scandals and financing fights among officials. But over the next year plus, three key elections — in November, December and then again next November — will go a long way to determining whether Faimon that inertia can be overcome or it is just the long-term Roberts whether condition. First, in November, is a special election for sheriff. This one is sure to generate plenty of heat and, more importantly, draw rivers of cash. There are four candidates; longtime Slidell police officer Daniel Seuzeneau and former Louisiana State Police Superintendent Robert Hodges are the front-runners. The candidates are running to break an ignominious streak. St. Tammany’s last two sheriffs ended up on the other side of the criminal justice system: Jack Strain was convicted of sex crimes and Randy Smith pleaded guilty to attacking a man in a Madisonville restaurant. In keeping with a long St. Slammany tradition, this year’s campaigns are touting their tough-on-crime bona fides. But even more important will be rebuilding trust with an electorate that has grown accustomed to seeing sheriffs forced to don the cuffs they once carried. As spicy as that race is likely to be, it is less important than the race that will come roughly one month later. Then, parish voters will get a chance to (again) vote on a tax to support the parish’s criminal justice system, especially the district attorney and parish judges. This is the seventh (you heard that right) time a law enforcement tax like this has been on the ballot. The other six were swatted back decisively. This tax bears the scars of the previous attempts: It has only a five-year term and is only a quarter-cent sales tax, down from the originally conceived 10-year, one-third cent sales tax. That there was a retreat even before the campaign started shows just how nervous parish leaders are about asking voters for anything. The funding problem is real. It’s been the source of repeated tensions between District Attorney Collin Sims and Parish President Mike Cooper. Sims has warned that without the tax, he will have no choice but to cut prosecutor salaries and benefits. Cooper has argued that the parish’s general fund is also strapped. Both have a point; some of the issues stem from a structural problem in the way that the Louisiana Constitution lays out local governments and their funding sources. (see East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore’s suit against parish government in Baton Rouge). Let’s assume for the moment that voters do the same thing they’ve done every other time and reject this attempt. That will set up the November 2027 elections, in which parish president and all 14 council members will be on the ballot, fighting to lead a parish government that will be flailing financially. So far, at least, that hasn’t stopped candidates from showing interest or others from speculating about who might jump into a race for parish president. Former state Treasurer John Schroder is believed to be considering it. Former Slidell mayor and parish presidential candidate Greg Cromer is viewed as likely to run. Parish Council member Kathy Seiden, who mounted a quixotic and short-lived campaign for the U.S. Senate, has been mentioned as a potential candidate. Others could alter the race dynamics even further. Given the likely financial picture, it’s strange that anyone would want the job. Whoever wins will need the political discipline to stand up against a strong district attorney in Sims, who was reelected this year without opposition and is adept at wielding his political heft. They will also need the political skill to present real solutions (read: taxes) to parish residents in a way that makes those solutions palatable. It’s a daunting challenge. Of course, the most unpredictable factor in all this is voters. They’re the ones who will make the decisions and who will face the eventual consequences. So while the candidates must face the voters, it’s voters who will face the reckoning.

Kathleen Parker is on X, @kathleenparker.

Email Faimon A. Roberts III at froberts@ theadvocate.com.

Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@ tribpub.com.

Kansas might get first Democratic U.S. senator in nearly 100 years About a century ago — in 1932, to be exact — Kansas elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate. That was the last time. But a newcomer to the political world might change that distinction come November, God willing. His name is Adam Hamilton, better known to his more than 24,000 parishioners as Rev. Hamilton or Pastor Adam. Hamilton, 62, Kathleen leads the largest Methodist congregation in the Parker country at the ministry he founded more than three decades ago, the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. The church has nine locations in multiple states. Hamilton won the Kansas Democratic primary for Senate on Aug. 4. He’ll face Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in the general election. Talking and listening to Hamilton, it’s not hard to understand how he created a megachurch. A plainspoken Midwesterner, he’s easy on the ears and keeps things simple. As a fifth-generation Kansan whose family helped establish a small community called Hope, he replaces fire and brimstone with kindness and common sense imbued with biblical wisdom. He said his congregation includes Republicans, Democrats and independents in about equal numbers. The leap from the pulpit to politics was the gradual result of his revulsion over what has been happening in Washington since President Donald Trump reoccupied the Oval Office. (Hamilton expressed this more diplomatically.) The policies coming out of D.C. were, the minister said, “an assault on the values I preached and taught for 35 years.” While watching the news each night, he would say, “That’s not OK with me. Somebody needs to do something.” While he had others in mind, others had him in mind. His wife was not among them. “If you’re going to run, you’re going to have to find another wife,” said the woman he married one week after high school graduation 44 years ago. “She wasn’t smiling,” Hamilton deadpanned, but he didn’t disagree. “My job is to raise people up to run for office, not for me to run.” Then one Saturday, after he had preached at a funeral, LaVon Hamilton walked up to her husband and said, “You know, I think I was wrong.” With that, the two set off on an 18city listening tour in March. They heard frustration, disappointment and dissatisfaction with Washington. As

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By COLIN E. BRALEy

Democratic U.S. senatorial candidate Adam Hamilton of Kansas, right, listens as Health Partnership Clinic CEO Amy Falk gives a tour of the low-income family medical facility on Aug. 12 in Olathe. Kan. an agricultural state, Kansas has suffered more than its fair share of consequences from the Iran war, which has led to increased gas prices. It has also dealt with tariffs and billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Kansas leads the country with 28 rural hospitals at immediate risk of closure. Farmers nationwide paid $1.4 billion more on diesel fuel for this spring’s planting season than last year, according to a report from the Democratic staff of Congress’s Joint Economic Committee. Kansas was ranked fifth nationally in percentage increase, with planting diesel costs rising nearly 84% year over year. Within one week of declaring his candidacy, Hamilton had raised $1 million. After two months of campaigning, he had raised $3.66 million. Though he declared his candidacy just a few months ago and was in a field of 11 contenders, Hamilton easily won the primary. He faces a tough contest against Marshall, a physician who, among other things, is a 2020 election denier and voted to support Trump’s agenda 98.3% of the time during the president’s first term while Marshall was a member of the House of Representatives. In light of all that’s happened under Trump 2.0, this would seem a timely opportunity for Hamilton, but Kansas has long been a solidly red state.

Three elections will determine whether St. Tammany remains stuck

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6B ✦ Tuesday,August 18, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

with meteorologist Damon Singleton

TODAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

An afternoon t-storm; hot

A t-storm around in the p.m.

A stray afternoon t-storm

A couple of morning showers

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

97° 80°

LOW

HIGH

96° 77°

LOW

95° 79°

HIGH

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

Beaumont 95/77 Port Arthur 94/78

Baton Rouge 98/78

Lake Charles 95/79

10s

20s

30s

Houma 94/77

40s

50s

LOW

YESTERDAY

60s

70s

80s

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

90s 100s 110s

FIRST

AUG 19

City

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

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

PRECIPITATION

93°/79° 91°/77° 99°/78° 99° in 2025 65° in 1963

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

New Orleans 97/80

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

Hattiesburg 101/77

Alexandria 101/77

Lafayette 96/78

HIGH

95° 77°

New Orleans through 5 p.m. Monday

Jackson 103/77 Many 101/75

LOW

95° 78°

TEMPERATURE

Longview 105/78

-0s

LOW

Monroe 104/79

Shreveport 105/79

-10s

HIGH

94° 77°

If you live around Lake Pontchartrain or Lake Maurepas, you’re under an extreme heat warning again today because heat index values could rise to 115 or higher. The rest of southeast Louisiana is under a heat advisory because heat index values could rise to 110 or higher this afternoon. Most of us are also under an extreme or major heat risk, so heat illnesses are a threat. We’re expecting some scattered showers and storms this afternoon, which will help cool things off.

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

HIGH

12:38p 6:31a 7:14a 1:27a 2:22a 1:37a 3:30a

FT.

LAST

AUG 27

94 102 76 93 81 102 91 99 107

TODAY Lo

71 77 69 73 67 82 61 79 86

NEW

SEP 4

s s pc s t s pc s pc

SEP 10

97 102 84 93 78 103 90 98 109

WED. Lo

73 77 70 71 62 82 63 78 87

FT.

HIGH

0.6 --- --1.4 4:43p 0.3 1.6 12:54a 1.5 1.4 4:02a 1.4 1.1 2:09p 0.3 1.4 12:43p 0.3 1.4 3:11p 0.4

6:30 a.m. 7:39 p.m. 12:25 p.m. 11:04 p.m.

FULL

LOW

Trace 1.18” 3.62” 40.79” 42.56”

pc s pc s t s t s pc

MODERATE

READING 53 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

FT.

--- ----- ----- --8:08a 1.5 --- ----- ----- ---

LOW

FT.

--- ----- --1:51p 0.2 5:12p 0.4 --- ----- ----- ---

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

Today Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday

4:19a 5:08a 5:57a 6:45a 7:31a 8:17a 9:03a

City

10:31a 11:20a 12:09p 12:32a 1:19a 2:05a 2:50a

TODAY

Los Angeles 90 Miami 98 Nashville 90 New york City 85 Philadelphia 90 Phoenix 111 St. Louis 87 San Francisco 72 Seattle 78

69 81 67 71 70 90 72 58 56

4:43p 10:54p 5:32p 11:44p 6:21p ---7:10p 12:57p 7:57p 1:44p 8:43p 2:30p 9:27p 3:15p

pc s pc pc s s s pc pc

TODAY

MODERATE

91 96 92 87 91 111 84 72 77

WED. Lo

69 80 74 72 73 89 69 58 57

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

pc t pc s pc pc t pc pc

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

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

MON. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

4.80 19.00 21.60 7.80 4.60 3.41 2.90

+2.46 +0.18 none -0.10 +0.10 -0.09 +0.11

24.49

+1.50

-1.61

+0.03

18 29 8

-1.20 9.99 1.43

+0.03 none +0.16

13 15

1.42 0.77

+0.02 -0.02

47 34 29 20 12 6

7.99 4.86 3.89 3.80 2.90 2.03

+0.21 -0.06 +0.21 -0.22 none -0.19

data as of 7 a.m. Monday

Thousands without power after Lala uproots trees in Hawaii BY JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER Associated Press

HONOLULU — Thousands were without power Monday after Tropical Storm Lala uprooted trees from downtown Honolulu to the Big Island, where intense ﬂashflooding isolated alreadyremote communities. Lala weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm Sunday after lashing the state without making landfall. Intense rainfall and flooding caused a muddy mess as the storm moved past Hawaii’s main islands. The storm was projected to continue moving westward and was forecast to become a hurricane again at sea and far from land by Wednesday. Public schools statewide, some private schools and state offices were closed Monday. Cleanup efforts began in earnest with crews repairing bridges. Drivers were urged to use alternate routes. The Hawaiian Electric utility said about 117,300 customers were without

An uprooted tree falls on a home in Volcano, Hawaii, Sunday after then-Hurricane Lala went through the area.

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE PHOTOS By STEPHEN LAM

A teenager wades through a pool of water in a washed-out section of a damaged road in Mountain View, Hawaii, on Sunday. power as of Monday morning after the passing storm’s strong winds took down trees, utility poles and transmission towers. The Big Island’s power transmission system suffered “extensive

damage,” the utility said. The 911 emergency service number was temporarily out of service on the Big Island because hurricane impacts were affecting radio and telephone commu-

nications, the Hawaii Police Department said, but was back up by the afternoon with a few disruptions. There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect for Hawaii on Monday,

but life-threatening surf and rip current conditions remained, according to the National Hurricane Center. Saturation caused by heavy rainfall could still cause some landslides, but winds were no longer a threat, National Weather Service meteorologist Patrick Blood said. “There’s no real looming hazards that we’re facing now,” he said. No one is believed to have died when some 100 homes were swept from their foun-

dations and washed away on the Big Island, authorities said. Laupahoehoe, on the northeast coast of the Big Island, saw the heaviest recorded rainfall at 43.54 inches. The highest winds were atop the towering Mauna Kea volcano, where gusts hit 140 mph. At the lower elevations, residents all across the island chain experienced tropical storm force winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph, Blood said.

Belgian wildfire approaches Germany as Greece probes deadly blaze By The Associated Press SOURBRODT, Belgium — One of Belgium’s biggest ever wildfires blazed out of control Monday even as cooler weather and rain in the morning eased conditions for hundreds of firefighters in remote and hilly countryside. In Greece, a fire briefly flared up near the main airport on the outskirts of Athens.

Belgian fire not yet under control Belgium’s King Philippe interrupted his summer vacation to visit emergency services fighting the wildfire in the eastern High Fens, about five miles from the German border, as it spread east after moving into a pine forest on Sunday. The fire in Liège province has burned an estimated 12 square miles, leaving blackened trees and smoldering ground.

While the fire did not significantly grow, due in part to favorable winds, it remained out of control in areas inaccessible to ground crews, the Wallonia region said in an update. Some 500 firefighters were aided by aircraft sent from Norway, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands and local police with drones after a cold front brought overnight rain. Farmers were helping supply water to firefighting efforts, regional officials said. Helicopters emptied huge sacks of water over the flames as smoke billowed from forests. “We managed to maintain the fire where the firemen are situated but there’s still a place which is totally inaccessible, where the fire is still going on in the direction of Monschau in Germany,” said Nicolas Yernaux, spokesperson for the

Wallonia regional public services. He said overnight rains helped contain the blaze and dampen the possibility that smoldering fires will flare up again, but he said they did not significantly impact the center of the fire. A forest ranger from the region told The Associated Press that the blaze could continue for months underground because of the peaty soil. “What we see here is that the grassland has burned and the fire has gone into the soil to a certain depth, into the peat, and it is still burning,” said Yves Pieper. “It can go down very, very low in the peat layer.” He said the fire can continue smoldering largely unseen underground for weeks or months before flaring up again, noting that new flames had already appeared

nearby.

legedly deliberately setting fire to dried vegetation. It was among 302 Arson arrest made in Greece fire-related arrests since Jan. 1 in In Greece, fire department inves- Greece, including 31 for deliberate tigators examined the area on the arson and 271 for negligence that island of Salamina where a fast- sparked fires, the department said. moving wildfire on Sunday killed two people, injured another nine Croatian police arrest suspects and destroyed several homes. The In Croatia, four people are susisland lies just west of the Greek pected of deliberately starting capital. as many as 10 fires in the region New wildfires broke out else- around the coastal town of Zadar, where Monday. Dozens of firefight- a major tourism hub on the Adriers along with two water-dropping atic coast. The suspects were quesplanes and two helicopters raced tioned by an investigative judge to tackle one in Spata, an area east following their arrest on Saturday of Athens that includes the main on a tip from residents. international airport. The fire deThe four are suspected of startpartment said the blaze was con- ing fires on Aug. 14 and 15 with an aim to “endanger lives and valutained within 30 minutes. Separately, the fire department able property and inflict damage said an 80-year-old man was ar- on a large number of residents rested in the northern town of in Zadar county,” police said in a Kavala on arson charges for al- statement.

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

SPORTS N O L A.C O M

T u e s d ay, au g u s T 18, 2026

1CN

LSU lands at No. 11 in ﬁrst AP poll The Associated Press

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt passes the ball during preseason practice Monday.

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

FLEETING FEET Secretive Kiffin not thrilled about short video of LSU QB Leavitt on run

BY JON BLAU Staff writer

On Monday, LSU football released 27 seconds of footage from its first preseason scrimmage. Those 27 seconds were jammed with a couple of dozen shots from Saturday, all tightly framed and quickly cut. The supercut revealed no formations, routes or coverages. It was just scenes of athletes running in open space and defenders landing a couple of killer blows. What was most attention-grabbing was a flash of quarterback Sam Leavitt at the 16-second mark, putting his right foot in the ground and sharply cutting to his left. The camera angle flipped to show Leavitt reaching the football across the goal line with his right arm. It was further proof that Leavitt, who was sidelined in 2025 by a foot injury, is ready to run. But that wasn’t necessarily something LSU coach Lane Kiffin wanted the world to see. “I didn’t know we released those, so I don’t know what’s on there,” Kiffin said, seemingly annoyed as he looked down at the podium in front of him. He smiled as he continued: “Don’t know

ä See LSU, page 3C

LSU head coach Lane Kiffin watches practice Monday. Kiffin later told media that QB Sam Leavitt is moving ‘great’ at practice.

LSU is a ranked team coming into the 2026 season. Lane Kiffin’s first LSU squad came in at No. 11 in the initial Associated Press Top 25 poll released Monday. Ohio State and Oregon were ranked first and second, respectively. LSU’s first opponent, Clemson, is just outside the Top ä Koki Riley’s 25. The other Tigers had the preseason poll, most points of PAGE 2C teams in the “receiving votes” category. Clemson had 112 voting points, while the next most went to Florida with 51. The top-ranked team in the SEC is No. 3 Georgia. The Bulldogs are followed by No. 5 Texas, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Ole Miss and No. 10 Oklahoma. Texas, Texas A&M and Ole Miss are all on LSU’s schedule, along with No. 13 Alabama and No. 20 Tennessee. Although five teams received at least one vote for No. 1, not a single SEC team garnered such a vote. With Ohio State and Oregon at 1-2, the Big Ten Conference boasts the top two teams in the preseason rankings for the first time in 65 years and just the second time ever. The Buckeyes received 40 first-place votes and Oregon received 14 in voting by 69 media members who cover college football. Ohio State will go into a season No. 1 for the ninth time, and first since 2015. The Buckeyes are now tied with Alabama for second-most preseason No. 1 rankings behind Oklahoma’s 10. Oregon has its highest preseason ranking in program history after opening at No. 3 four times. Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas round out the top five. Reigning national champion Indiana starts at No. 6 and is fol-

ä See POLL, page 2C

Saints fan, 21, builds following dissecting ﬁlm ä Preseason: Saints at Rams,

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

When scrolling on his phone one day, Quincy Riley came across an Instagram account called “Film Watchers” that piqued the New Orleans Saints cornerback’s interest. The page was dedicated to breaking down tape of NFL plays, and at ﬁrst, Riley didn’t know the analysis would be credible. But soon, Riley realized the person behind the account knew “ball.” Riley, 25, found himself visiting the page more and more often — so much so that he says he would check to see whether there were any breakdowns of the Saints’ upcoming opponent to glean any information he could. “Everything he says is very knowledgeable,” Riley said. Riley isn’t alone in that opinion. There are hundreds of other NFL players who make up Film Watcher’s total following that’s north of 500,000 on Instagram and 800,000 across all of his platforms. The channel has reached such a level of acclaim that players such as Riley and Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love agreed to be interviewed about their own plays, offering detailed explanations about the complexities that football is all about. Behind the account is Pete Her-

3 P.M. SATURDAy, WVUE

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Pete Herzog watches Saints’ training camp in Metairie on July 31. ä Report: Rookie WR Tyson

microphone and the bottom of the screen dedicated to whatever play is being broken down, Herzog uses PAGE 4C software to illustrate concepts and explain what’s happening in a tone zog, a 21-year-old St. Louis resident that’s easy to digest. Each clip postwho just so happens to be a die-hard ed to his Instagram generally lasts Saints fan. no longer than three minutes. Herzog’s videos have a simple He speaks with an enthusiasm appeal. With the top of the screen that’s unmistakable. As complicatfeaturing Herzog talking into a ed as football can be, Herzog wants

likely to miss two months.

people to follow long and love the sport as much as he does. “The way I do the video is I describe what I’m seeing, because the audience can see exactly what I’m seeing,” Herzog said. “If you describe what you’re seeing instead of using advanced terminology — instead of trying to flex football knowledge to some extent — it connects with the audience better.” This is what has separated Herzog in a crowded space. These days, detailed breakdowns of the X’s and O’s can be found in every market. The film that coaches use — the all-22 — is readily available on services such as NFL Pro. Nationally, analysts such as ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky and the NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger have become popular as they share clips on X that explain the game within the game. Herzog will be the ﬁrst to admit he doesn’t have an extensive football background. While he started playing in the second grade and lasted all the way through high school, Herzog said he was never exposed to the “advanced systems” that run in the NFL. But Herzog believes that lack of background actually helps him. For one, he’s sought to increase

his knowledge of the game even as his channel takes off. That’s partly why, for instance, he started his interview series with players. But Herzog said he thinks his limited experience keeps him from overrelying on jargon that can bog down a video. “When you spend so much time in these advanced systems, you begin to kind of over-assume what the average person knows about the game,” he said. Every once in a while, Herzog’s analysis will open him up for criticism. In May, he misidentified a Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman as playing from a three-technique stance (positioned outside the guard’s shoulder) when, in reality, he was in a 4i (lined up on the inside shoulder of the tackle). Comments piled on, including from former offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz. “I appreciate the effort to watch the film and provide analysis,” Schwartz wrote. “However there’s just some basic things that are incorrect in this video.” Asked about the ordeal, Herzog admitted he was wrong but added “nobody’s ever going to be 100% accurate.” Football, especially, is a sport that is hard to interpret correctly. What may look like a mistake by one player routinely turns

ä See SAINTS, page 4C

2C ✦ Tuesday,August 18, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

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No Ducking my initial No. 1 team Oregon edges Texas; LSU makes cut at No. 6 BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, it’s not Christmas. It’s the start of another college football season that is expected to give us more to talk about than ever before. Lane Kifﬁn at LSU, and new regimes at Michigan, Ole Miss, Florida and Penn State. Can Indiana repeat its historic championship? How will Texas Tech Koki respond after the Riley Brendan Sorsby fallout? We can start to preview this season with my AP Top 25 preseason poll. Here are my baseline rankings before the 2026 season gets underway.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By BARRy REEGER

Oregon offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon looks to block for quarterback Dante Moore against Penn State during a game Sept. 27 in State College, Pa.

Texas linebacker Colin Simmons plays in a game against Florida on Oct. 4 in Gainesville, Fla.

start an attack that was dreadful a year ago. Many readers will be surprised to see Georgia all the way down at No. 8. Although I’d be surprised if the Bulldogs miss the CFP, I question whether they have enough playmakers for Gunner Stockton to throw to or a pass rush that’s good enough to change the complexion of games. Until proven otherwise, this team lacks difference-makers. Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Alabama are all playoff contenders after Georgia. Of those four teams, I like Oklahoma’s odds the best because of my faith in coach Brent Venables’ defense and quarterback John Mateer being healthy again after a thumb injury derailed a promising start to last season.

a more cohesive attack.

Minnesota? Really?

Oregon at top The Ducks bring back the core of a team that reached the College Football Playoff semifinals last year, most notably persuading quarterback Dante Moore to come back to school and delay his chances of becoming a topfive pick in the NFL draft. Wide receiver Evan Stewart is back from an injury and provides Moore another elite weapon alongside sophomore wideout Dakorien Moore. The defense is also more loaded for coach Dan Lanning. All four starters across last year’s dangerous front are back, and Oregon added top Minnesota safety Koi Perich out of the transfer portal. No team in the country has a better combination of top-tier talent, returning experience and coaching than Oregon. Two new and unproven coordinators may be the Ducks’ only flaw. Texas — with edge rusher Colin Simmons, Arch Manning at quarterback, wide receiver Cam Coleman and offensive tackle Trevor Gossby — arguably has more elite talent than Oregon. But after the offensive line and running game torpedoed its chances of making the CFP last year, coach Steve Sarkisian has to prove that he can orchestrate

AP FILE PHOTO

LSU, other SEC notes Outside of Texas, LSU has the best roster in the SEC. The Tigers have an offensive coaching staff that guided Ole Miss to the CFP semiﬁnals, and they bring back defensive coordinator Blake Baker after two successful years in Baton Rouge. Baker and company are armed with more talent on all three levels of the defense, thanks to the additions of Ole Miss edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen, Ole Miss linebacker TJ Dottery and Boise State safety Ty Beneﬁeld out of the portal. On offense, Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt and Colorado left tackle Jordan Seaton will try to jump-

Don’t dismiss the Golden Gophers. Coach PJ Fleck’s team is led by a quarterback with ﬁrst-round upside (Drake Lindsey) and has two of its top three wideouts back from a year ago. The defense should be one of the better units in the country thanks to a dangerous pass rush. Minnesota struggled to generate explosive plays on offense last season despite winning eight games. I think Fleck has the pieces to open up the attack, especially with Lindsey back after getting a year of starting experience. The team Minnesota edged out for the last spot in my rankings was Louisville. I’m a big fan of coach Jeff Brohm, but the offensive line is questionable, and

POLL

Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz is unproven as a starting quarterback. Neither team made my justmissed list, but if a few things go right for these programs, they could end up in everybody’s rankings eventually. California has a ﬁrst-year head coach (Tosh Lupoi) and a plethora of new players on both sides of the ball, but sophomore quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is arguably the best quarterback in the ACC already, and Lupoi did an excellent job of surrounding him with talent through the portal. The big question is whether the Golden Bears can hang around on defense. UCLA has a bunch of question marks, especially on both lines of scrimmage. But hiring Bob Chesney as head coach from James Madison was an inspired decision, and the Bruins could do a lot worse at quarterback than Nico Iamaleava. Relying on JMU players to help spark a rebuild has worked in the recent past; just ask Curt Cignetti at Indiana. Three more deep sleepers I’m keeping an eye on are Oklahoma State, Maryland and Kentucky. Don’t be stunned if any of these programs crack my Top 25 at some point. Email Koki Riley at koki.riley@ theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate. com/lsunewsletter

Record

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU offensive lineman Aliou Bah, left, battles offensive tackle JaKolby Jones during drills at practice on Friday. LSU is ranked No. 11 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll.

n Notre Dame has its highest SMU and No. 24 Louisville. There are no Group of Six schools in the preseason ranking since it was Top 25. No. 2 in 2006. The Fighting Irish, which has a Heisman candidate Poll nuggets in quarterback CJ Carr, brings a n Ohio State will try to become 10-game winning streak into the the 12th team to start and finish season and is still smarting from No. 1 since the AP preseason poll being left out of the playoff. n Kiffin’s first LSU team is No. debuted in 1950. The last team to do it was Alabama in 2017. 11 after finishing 7-6 and unranked

LIV Golf is ending its season one week earlier than planned, announcing Monday it will not hold the team championship in Michigan next week and instead crown the team champion this week 20 miles north of Indianapolis. The 12 events this year — New Orleans was previously postponed — is the smallest schedule for LIV since it was launched with massive Saudi Arabia funding in 2022 and featured eight tournaments. Jon Rahm already has clinched the individual season title for the third straight year. LIV Golf Indianapolis, which starts Thursday at The Club at Chatham Hills, will determine who ﬁnishes second and third among the players, and the top team.

Deep sleepers

AP TOP 25 POLL

Continued from page 1C lowed by Miami, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Oklahoma. Notre Dame received six firstplace votes, Indiana got eight and Miami one. This is the first year a conference has held down the top two spots in the preseason poll since Oklahoma and Nebraska of the Big Eight were 1-2 in 1987. The last time the Big Ten had the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in the preseason was 1961, when Iowa and Ohio State topped the poll. The Big Ten has won three straight College Football Playoff championships (Michigan, Ohio State and Indiana) and will be going for an unprecedented fourth straight national title. This is the fourth consecutive year the Big Ten has had two of the top three teams in the preseason rankings. The SEC leads all conferences with nine teams, marking the third straight year it has had at least that many. Five of the top 10 teams are from the SEC for the first time since 2013. Four Big 12 teams are ranked, with conference champion Texas Tech the highest at No. 12. The ACC has three ranked teams, with the Hurricanes joined by No. 19

LSU will host an event celebrating the life of Skip Bertman at 7 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and the event will be free to attend. It will also be streamed live on ESPN+ and the LSU Sports Facebook and YouTube pages. LSU recommends parking in lots 401 and 404. Concessions will not be available, but attendees may bring a sealed water bottle. The public will sit in the upper bowl of the PMAC. Lower bowl and ﬂoor seating will be reserved for guests of the Bertman family. Bertman, who died on Friday at 88, won five national championships as the LSU baseball head coach before serving as athletic director for seven years. During his time as athletic director, LSU won nine national championships.

LIV Golf cancels Michigan event, ending season early

My AP Top 25 preseason poll 1. Oregon, 2. Texas, 3. Notre Dame, 4. Ohio State, 5. Indiana, 6. LSU, 7. Miami, 8. Georgia, 9. Oklahoma, 10. Southern Cal, 11. Ole Miss, 12. Michigan, 13. Texas A&M, 14. Alabama, 15. BYU, 16. Houston, 17. Texas Tech, 18. Washington, 19. Tennessee, 20. Florida, 21. SMU, 22. Penn State, 23. Clemson, 24. Arizona, 25. Minnesota Just missed: Louisville, Iowa, Virginia Tech, Virginia

LSU to host celebration of life for Bertman at PMAC

Pts

1. Ohio State (40) 0-0 1672 2. Oregon (14) 0-0 1597 3. Georgia 0-0 1513 4. Notre Dame (6) 0-0 1510 5. Texas 0-0 1483 6. Indiana (8) 0-0 1440 7. Miami (FL) (1) 0-0 1379 8. Texas A&M 0-0 1131 9. Ole Miss 0-0 1102 10. Oklahoma 0-0 1047 11. LSU 0-0 988 12. Texas Tech 0-0 983 13. Alabama 0-0 904 14. BYU 0-0 839 14. USC 0-0 839 16. Michigan 0-0 718 17. Washington 0-0 501 18. Penn State 0-0 482 19. SMU 0-0 434 20. Tennessee 0-0 394 21. Utah 0-0 304 22. Iowa 0-0 260 23. Houston 0-0 252 24. Louisville 0-0 198 25. Missouri 0-0 117 Others receiving votes: Clemson 112, Florida 51, Boise State 43, Arizona 32, TCU 11, Navy 10, South Carolina 10, Illinois 9, Oklahoma State 8, Vanderbilt 8, Pittsburgh 7, Virginia Tech 6, Minnesota 5, UNLV 4, New Mexico 4, Georgia Tech 4, James Madison 3, Auburn 3, Memphis 2, California 2, Liberty 1, Western Michigan 1, Tulane 1, Virginia 1

under Brian Kelly and Frank Wilson. n Ten of the 12 CFP teams last season are ranked. The two that aren’t are James Madison and Tulane from the Group of Six. n No. 23 Houston has its first preseason ranking in four years and third since 1991. Staff writer Jon Blau contributed to this report.

Arkansas baseball coach signs contract through ’31

FAYETTEVILLE,Ark. — Dave Van Horn, the Division I active leader in career wins, has signed a new contract keeping him as Arkansas coach through 2031, the school announced Monday. The contract replaces the 10-year agreement he signed in 2021 and will increase his pay to $2.1 million annually with possible bonuses. The 2027 season will mark Van Horn’s 39th as a head coach and 25th at Arkansas. Van Horn has led the Razorbacks to eight CWS appearances, including a national runner-up ﬁnish in 2018. Arkansas has played in 22 NCAA regionals and won three Southeastern Conference regular-season championships and one SEC Tournament. Of his 1,345 wins at the D-I level, 974 have come with Arkansas.

Vikings place veteran Adams on injured reserve

EAGAN, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings safety/linebacker Jamal Adams was placed on injured reserve Monday, two days after leaving a preseason game on a cart with a right knee injury. Adams, a three-time Pro Bowl selection and former LSU standout, is expected to have seasonending surgery. Adams was hurt in his ﬁrst game with Minnesota after signing on the eve of the start of training camp. The Vikings signed cornerback Bryce Phillips to ﬁll Adams’ spot on the roster. Phillips originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with Kansas City following the 2026 NFL Draft. His brother, Clark Phillips, plays cornerback for Atlanta after starring collegiately at Utah.

Bears sign former Saints first-round pick Davenport

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Chicago Bears have signed veteran defensive end Marcus Davenport and defensive back Deantre Prince. Davenport played the past two seasons with Detroit but was limited to 10 combined games due to chest and triceps injuries. The 29-year-old played the 2023 season with Minnesota after starting his career in 2018 with the New Orleans Saints as a ﬁrst-round draft pick. Davenport had a combined 101/2 sacks his ﬁrst two seasons with the Saints and in 2022 played under Dennis Allen, now Chicago’s defensive coordinator. Davenport has 25 sacks in 77 career games. The Bears also waived running back Coleman Bennett and tight end Nikola Kalinic.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday,August 18, 2026 ✦ 3C

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THREE AND OUT: SCOTT RABALAIS’ TOP THREE TAKEAWAyS FROM WHAT LANE KIFFIN SAID AFTER FIRST SCRIMMAGE

RATING THE RANKINGS LSU was No. 11 in Monday’s preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll after coming in No. 13 in the coaches poll, indicating voters see the Tigers as a CFP contender. Kiffin said he puts no stock in preseason rankings. “I don’t think anything of it,” he said. “We don’t know as coaches, let alone media or coaches of other teams. There are so many new players to figure it out.” Kiffin does not vote, though Tulane coach Will Hall does.

SCRIMMAGE STUFF The Tigers held their first preseason scrimmage Saturday, a closed door 170-play test with half of it involving live tackling. Perhaps not surprising since the LSU defensive coaching staff returned mostly intact from 2025, but Kiffin said defense generally held the upper hand. “The first defense played extremely well,” Kiffin said. “They gave the offense a lot of pressure and had good coverage. That was good to see. The first offense struggled for a while but played well later.”

PLAYER OBSERVATIONS Tight end Trey’Dez Green was held out of practice Monday. He has often been seen in noncontact yellow jerseys in camp, so his health is worth monitoring. Kiffin praised the development of backup quarterback Husan Longstreet, saying “his throwing motion looks completely different.” Kiffin again had little to say about defensive end Damien Shanklin, who hasn’t been seen during preseason workouts. Shanklin is still on the roster, but it increasingly looks like he won’t play in 2026.

AL wild-card race looks like a mess, could be lots of fun BY DAVID BRANDT Associated Press

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

Portland Trail Blazers forward Trendon Watford drives on Pelicans guard Trey Murphy during the first half of a game at the Smoothie King Center on March 12, 2023.

Pelicans sign ex-LSU player Watford for one-year deal BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

The New Orleans Pelicans are bringing Trendon Watford back to Louisiana. Watford, a 6-foot-8 forward who played at LSU, has agreed to a deal with the Pelicans, a source conﬁrmed to The Times-Picayune on Monday morning. The oneyear deal is worth $2.9 million. The Alabama native played the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons at LSU, making ﬁrst-team All-SEC his second year. Watford played last season with the Philadelphia 76ers. He

averaged 6.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. The highlight of his season was a triple-double (20 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists) in a victory over the Toronto Raptors. The 17 rebounds and 10 assists were both career highs. Watford’s career began in Portland when he signed with the Blazers after going undrafted out of LSU. In 2022, he was named MVP of the Summer League championship game in Las Vegas. Watford spent two seasons with the Blazers. He played the following two seasons with the Brook-

lyn Nets before signing with the 76ers in July 2025. Watford has played in 270 NBA games, averaging 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Watford’s signing is one of the few moves the Pelicans have made this summer after ﬁnishing just 26-56 last season. The team re-signed veteran center DeAndre Jordan and drafted New Orleans native and St. Augustine High alum Jaron Pierre in the second round. They also hired Jamahl Mosley as head coach in May. Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

Pels’ G League team will hold open tryouts BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

Do you still have hoop dreams of making it to the NBA? Perhaps there’s still a chance. The Laketown Squadron, the G League afﬁliate for the New Orleans Pelicans, will host a one-day open tryout for local players on Sept. 19. The tryout will be held at the Pelicans’ practice facility in Metairie from 8:30 a.m. until noon. Players who try out will compete for an invitation to the Squadron’s training camp. Before each season, G League teams hold open tryouts, searching for local talent to add to their rosters. Each team can invite up to three players from its respective tryouts to training camp that fall.

LSU

Continued from page 1C that I’m happy about that.” There was levity in Kiffin’s response but also some truth in his statement. Kiffin isn’t trying to reveal too much ahead of his Sept. 5 debut versus Clemson. The former Ole Miss coach has opened about a dozen practices for media members, but each viewing window is limited to individual drills and lasts about 10-12 minutes. Kiffin painted with a broad brush as he described what he saw Saturday during a 170-play scrimmage, half of which featured live tackling. “I thought the first defense played extremely well. Gave the offense a lot of pressure and really good in coverage,” Kiffin said. “Anytime in

G League teams for the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Charlotte Hornets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls have also announced dates for their tryouts. Participants are required to submit a nonrefundable $300 fee and complete the registration, medical consent and eligibility forms by 5 p.m. Sept. 18. All forms will be sent to participants after payment is received. The Pelicans’ G League team will play games this season at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner. It played the previous ﬁve seasons in Birmingham, Alabama. The Squadron already has its

share of local flavor. The team will be coached by Brandon Demas, a New Orleans native who started off as a ball boy for the team and worked his way up to joining the Pelicans coaching staff. The team’s general manager is Thomas Scott, the son of former New Orleans Hornets head coach Byron Scott. The Squadron also announced that New Orleans native Javan Felix will be on Demas’ coaching staff. Felix, who played at St. Augustine and the University of Texas, served as an assistant on Loyola University’s NAIA national championship team in 2022. He later became an assistant at UNO. Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

scrimmages, both sides are never gonna look really good. So the first offense struggled for a while, then came back and played well later, which is what we hope for.” If any takeaways can be distilled from the first two weeks of preseason camp, it’s that Kiffin has been impressed by the defensive line, which has been bolstered by transfers and freshman standouts. The defense as a whole, he said, has taken the biggest leap forward as “alphas” such as linebacker TJ Dottery (Ole Miss), edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen (Ole Miss) and safety Ty Benefield (Boise State) learn to work together. It sounds like the Tigers’ pass game is still catching up to the run game, which isn’t all that surprising given Leavitt’s limited spring. Running back Harlem Berry had a “good, long” touchdown run,

Kiffin said, during the scrimmage. As far as specifics, he didn’t add much more. Kiffin plays it closer to the vest than most, but limiting information has become standard practice in college football. There was some upset in Clemson this past week when Dabo Swinney shrunk the invite list for his program’s scrimmage to just former players and family members. “Just tightening it down,” said Swinney, who lamented that reporters will still find a way to learn things about his team that he would rather they not. Kiffin comes from the Nick Saban school of limiting practice access, and he answers questions selectively. He even refused to go into detail earlier in camp when he was asked why the Tigers have alternated between morning and evening practices, claiming a competitive disadvantage if he di-

The middle of the American League standings has turned into a mediocre mess. It might make for a fascinating playoff race. There are seven teams fighting for the final AL wild-card spot, and all of them have a record below .500. The Baltimore Orioles would make the playoffs if the season ended Sunday, sporting a 61-63 record. Right behind them: The Texas Rangers (61-64), Toronto Blue Jays (61-65), Detroit Tigers (6064), Minnesota Twins (60-65), Cleveland Guardians (60-65) and Seattle Mariners (59-66). The Houston Astros could be in the mix as well with a 63-62 record that gives them a narrow advantage in the AL West. Many of those teams were sellers at the trade deadline this month. The Blue Jays traded outfielder Daulton Varsho to the Astros; the Orioles traded former No. 1 pick Adley Rutschman to the Red Sox; and the Tigers dealt ace Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers and right-hander Casey Mize to the Padres. Now at least one of those teams might find itself playing baseball in October anyway. Only three teams in MLB history have made the playoffs with a losing record, and all of them happened during seasons when the schedule was much shorter than normal. The 1981 Kansas City Royals (50-53) qualified for the postseason thanks to a split-season format caused by a players’ strike during the middle of the summer. In 2020, the Houston Astros and Milwaukee Brewers both squeezed into the playoff bracket with a 29-31 record during the pandemic-shortened season that had an expanded playoff field of 16 teams.

The workhorse returns Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara has had a great bounceback season with a 13-7 record and 3.43 ERA after struggling

last year following Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss the 2024 season. He’s also doing what he does best — pitch deep into games. The 2022 National League Cy Young winner has already thrown 1702/3 innings this year, which leads the big leagues by a large margin. If he continues at this pace, he’ll throw roughly 220 innings in 2026. Throwing more than 200 innings has become increasingly rare over the past few decades as teams lean more on their bullpens. Only three pitchers reached the mark last season — Logan Webb, Garrett Crochet and Cristopher Sanchez. Just 20 years ago in 2006, there were 45 pitchers who hit 200 innings. If Alcantara manages to make it to 220 this season, that will be most in the big leagues since — Sandy Alcantara. He threw 2282/3 innings during 2022 when he won the Cy Young.

Dodgers in the dumps The Los Angeles Dodgers are the two-time reigning World Series champs and one of the favorites to win the title again this season. They sure aren’t playing like it these days. Los Angeles is 5-11 in its past 16 games, having been swept by the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs and losing series to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers in that span. Since July 1, the Dodgers are 18-21. “I say this because it’s just been four or ﬁve, six weeks of below average production in our offense. It’s just the truth, and I think we have just haven’t played clean baseball for quite some time, and that speaks to the defense,” manager Dave Roberts said. The Dodgers have a chance to gain some momentum this week with three games against the Colorado Rockies and three more against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Rockies are in last place in the NL West while the Pirates have fallen to 61-65 after a promising start to the season.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHRIS O’MEARA

Baltimore Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson, right, celebrates his two-run home run with Tyler O’Neill against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

vulged his rationale. It’s been possible to ascertain that freshman defensive linemen Deuce Geralds, Richard Anderson and Lamar Brown are in the mix for snaps because they were featured on the ﬁrst- and second-team defenses in a “pursuit” drill early in camp. Even so, Kifﬁn admitted Monday he has some reservations about playing freshmen early in a sport dominated by fourth- and fifthyear players. Camp has just been a means to see how ready Geralds, Anderson and Brown are in their debut seasons. “How much can we get them ready to do? And can they play really well versus the mistakes that they make?” Kiffin said. “Especially because of our schedule, the opener and the ninth SEC game, you don’t have those (lower-level nonconference) games you had before (to play younger players).”

Educated guesses can be made about where LSU stands less than three weeks away from the opener against Clemson. But the cohesiveness of the offensive line, the connectedness of Leavitt and his receivers and the actual ferocity of the Tigers’ pass rush won’t be known until it’s debuted in Tiger Stadium on Sept. 5. Kiffin doesn’t want much revealed in August. After he kidded about LSU’s release of scrimmage highlights, Kiffin did elaborate some on Leavitt. “He’s moved great,” Kifﬁn said. “We knew obviously what an athlete he was, especially two years ago on ﬁlm. But he moves around great, got out of a lot of trouble with some great pass rush and great pressures that came at him.” Email Jon Blau at jon.blau@ theadvocate.com

4C ✦ Tuesday, August 18, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Chiefs undrafted rookie goes from overlooked to protecting Mahomes

TULANE NOTEBOOK

BY DAVE SKRETTA AP sportswriter

Tulane quarterback Kadin Semonza practices on Aug. 7 at yulman Stadium.

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Tulane QB competition seemingly cut in half BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer

Although Tulane’s first official depth chart will not be released until next Monday, the competition for starting quarterback in the season opener against Duke clearly is down to two candidates. Zeon Chriss-Gremillion and Kadin Semonza took nearly all of the repetitions in 11-on-11 drills during Monday’s practice, which started at Yulman Stadium and finished at the indoor practice facility to temper the severe New Orleans heat. While that duo split time, freshman Trace Johnson and walk-on Dagan Bruno were limited to one down apiece in each rotation after all four had rotated fairly equally throughout camp. “We’re still developing Trace and Dagan, but (Chris-Gremillion and Semonza) really made some throws today,” coach Will Hall said. “We really took another step forward.” Chriss-Gremillion and Semonza are the only experienced quarterbacks on the roster. Chriss-Gremillion started six consecutive games at UL in 2023 — completing 102 of 153 passes (66.7%) for 11 touchdowns with five interceptions while rushing for 492 yards and six scores — before fracturing a fibula and missing the final four. He started seven times at Houston in 2024, going 83 of 130 (63.8%) for 824 yards with four touchdowns and eight interceptions while rushing for 388 yards and four scores. He was beaten out last preseason by Texas A&M transfer Conner Weigman, playing as a reserve in six games for the Cougars. Semonza started three times as a true freshman at Ball State in 2023 before redshirting and started all

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C out to be another person’s fault because he wasn’t in the right spot. And it’s difﬁcult to understand assignments without having access to the playbook or by asking those involved. But Herzog’s error, no matter how small, brings up an interesting question — one that’s particularly relevant in an era that has seen a rise of armchair-style analysis online. Is it possible to actually learn football without having played at the highest level? “There’s probably always context to everything (that) you can always ﬁne-tune as you go,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “People have passion for this game that want to educate others and also want to continue to evolve from their own standpoint. I think that’s good.” Moore said he thinks it’s “awesome” that the film breakdown industry has taken off. For Herzog, his channel exploded in a matter of months.

12 games in 2024, throwing for 2,904 yards and 25 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He did not play a down for Tulane in 2025 after transferring. Chriss-Gremillion turned in the play of the day on Monday, hooking up with Semonza’s younger brother, Cash Semonza, for a long touchdown. He also hit Zycarl Lewis for a score in a red-zone drill. Semonza connected with Anthony Brown-Stephens for a pretty touchdown and found Bredell Richardson for a sizable gain. “They had nine practices behind them and two tackling days behind them,” Hall said of the two quarterbacks. “We’re going into the third week. They really know the system, and now that they have gotten more reps with all their skill players, their ability to recognize body language is picking up. They’ve put the time in.”

Little big man Jaylin Lucas, who had the two longest runs (for 12 and 9 yards) in Saturday’s scrimmage when the running backs were bottled up otherwise, added a really big gain in Monday’s practice after juking linebacker Dalton Hughes. With Jamauri McClure sidelined by a fracture in his left foot, the elusive 5-foot-9, 174-pound Lucas is a strong candidate to start in the backﬁeld against Duke along with Maurice Turner. “I’m feeling very conﬁdent,” Lucas said. “The things that coach Hall put in for me and the backs, it’s all up to us to take advantage of the opportunity that’s given to us.” Lucas, a Terrebone Parish product, is on his third school after spending two years at Indiana, where he rushed for 546 yards on 116 carries (4.7 average), and

two more at Florida State, where he gained 160 yards on 29 carries. He has 456 yards receiving on 64 catches in his career, and he ran back three kickoffs for touchdowns at Indiana. He will return kickoffs and punts for the Wave. “As long as I have good blocking up front, it’s all about vision and once you see the cut, just hitting it,” he said of his return skills. “My main thing is just to get rolling.”

One vote Tulane received one point in The Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll released Monday, getting a mention for the fourth consecutive year. The Wave had 23 points last season (tie for 33rd), ﬁve points in 2024 (38th) and was ranked 24th with 224 points in 2023. Before then, it had not received a point in any preseason poll this century. Memphis, with two points, is the only team on Tulane’s schedule that received any support in the poll. The Wave does not face Navy, which paced the American Conference with 10 points.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Thirty-two teams passed on offensive tackle Khalil Benson a total of 224 times in the NFL draft. They all passed on him after the draft, too. It wasn’t until the Kansas City Chiefs invited him to their rookie minicamp — no guarantees, no promises, no expectations beyond those the former Indiana lineman put upon himself — that Benson even found his way onto a professional practice ﬁeld. He hasn’t left since. The right tackle charged with protecting Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza while helping the Hoosiers win the national title impressed the Chiefs enough to warrant a call-back for the rest of the offseason. Before long, Benson had worked his way through the depth chart, eventually getting reps with the starters and suddenly protecting two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes. Over the weekend, Benson was one of the bright spots for Kansas City in its preseason loss to the Los Angeles Rams. “Honestly, I just kind of kept my head down,” Benson said when asked about his long, circuitous, overcome-all-obstacles road to the NFL. “I knew my time was going to come and really just stayed humble. Stayed faithful. Kept praying to God. Just making sure that I was ready to be on call when it was that time.” So how does a starting offensive lineman — one that stands 6-foot-6 and weighs about 320 pounds — on a national champion go almost entirely overlooked coming out of college? It’s a question a lot of folks are asking these days. Benson was similarly overlooked coming out of Southaven High School, which sits just across the Mississippi line from Memphis, Tennessee. He wound up going to Indiana but tore his ACL during preseason practices, forcing him to redshirt that season. He did not play at all the following year, which was the season played amid the coronavirus pandemic. Benson ﬁnally played in 2022, including five starts for the Hoosiers at right guard, and he

Lagniappe Hall said he liked the energy at Monday’s practice considering how intensity can lag in the third week of preseason camp. No carrot is right in front of the team with the opener still three weekends away. … The tight conﬁnes of the indoor practice facility became a factor when receiver Antwaun Parham crashed into the wall after trying to catch a pass near the sideline just before practice ended. He got up slowly but appeared OK. … Tulane will practice Tuesday, Thursday and Friday before conducting its second and ﬁnal preseason scrimmage Saturday.

AP PHOTO By CHARLIE RIEDEL

Kansas City Chiefs tackle Kahil Benson, left, and defensive end R Mason Thomas practice during training camp on July 31 in St. Joseph, Mo.

REPORT: SAINTS WR TYSON TO MISS ABOUT 2 MONTHS Last week, New Orleans Saints coach Kellen Moore hinted that rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson’s hamstring injury could linger into the regular season. On Monday, the unfortunate truth came out: Tyson’s hamstring, which he injured during joint practices against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, will keep him off the field for about two months. NFL Media was first to report the news. Tyson suffered the injury after making a catch in practice. As he was contacted from behind, his foot slipped out from under him — a combination of circumstances Moore said would result in a hamstring injury for most players. The biggest knock on Tyson as a prospect in this year’s draft cycle was whether he could withstand the rigors of a full 17-game NFL schedule. Tyson endured multiple injuries throughout his college career, including a hamstring injury that cost him several games last season as well as much of this offseason. New Orleans accepted the risk and selected him eighth overall. Now the Saints must decide whether Tyson will begin the season on injured reserve. In that case, he would not be able to return until Week 5 at the earliest, when the Saints host the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 11. Luke Johnson Launched in December 2024 on TikTok, Herzog first went viral the following March when his breakdown of running back Ashton Jeanty racked up more than 300,000 views — far surpassing his typical 4,000-or-so views. The success of that encouraged him to keep going — Herzog said he briefly contemplated quitting before that — and he said he truly found his footing when identifying a tendency that teams used

started all 12 games the next year, when it seemed as if his star was ascending. But then coach Tom Allen was fired after a 3-9 finish and Benson transferred to Colorado, where he played nine games for coach Deion Sanders and protected his son and quarterback, Shedeur Sanders. After dealing with yet more injuries with the Buffaloes, Benson opted to transfer back to Indiana for his final season of college. “I mean, he’s got talent,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, when asked why no NFL teams seemed willing to give Benson a chance. “I’m not sure.” Benson has made the most of the opportunity Kansas City has given him. The Chiefs appeared to be set along the line, returning first-round pick Josh Simmons at left tackle, Kingsley Suamataia at guard, fourtime Pro Bowl center Creed Humphrey, two-time Pro Bowl pick Trey Smith at the other guard and Jaylon Moore at right tackle. Soon, though, Benson was rotating with Moore in the starting group. And when Smith missed practice recently because of a hip injury, Benson showed some versatility by kicking inside, offering positional flexibility that has become so important in the NFL these days. “He’s learning,” Reid said. “Very strong, powerful, good feet, good athletic ability. And he’s working at it — the consistency part, scheme-wise — so physically he’s got all the tools there. So we’ll just keep working at it and see where it goes.” Given that Mahomes is coming off a torn knee ligament, there has never been more pressure on the offensive line in Kansas City than this season. But even Mahomes has taken note of the new guy lining up in front of him. “If you can fix your mistakes, and get better and better each and every day, usually good things happen,” Mahomes said, “and that’s what he’s done ever since he’s been here. I mean, it started in the OTAs and the rookie minicamp, honestly. I remember watching film on that and seeing that guy and seeing him kind of do stuff the right way. And he’s kind of built and got better and better.”

to attack the Baltimore Ravens when they rotated from a singlehigh look to Cover 2. “I was like, ‘Holy [expletive], this is how it works,’ ” Herzog said. “This is how coaches see it. That format kind of clicked.” Initially, Herzog launched the channel in hopes that maybe it could help him break into coaching one day. These days, Herzog is committed to the channel full-time. He earns income from the views his

There are additional perks to becoming as well known as Herzog has become. When the Saints rejected Herzog’s request for a media credential for this year’s training camp, he slid into quarterback Tyler Shough’s DMs to see whether he could do anything about it. The two had become friendly through social media, and a Shough jersey hangs framed in the background of Herzog’s videos. Shough, according to Herzog, was more than accommodating. The quarterback hooked Herzog up with a friends-and-family pass for two days of training camp. Herzog made the trek from St. Louis to attend the sessions in late July. “He’s a really good human being,” Herzog said of Shough. “I’m grateful he’s so, so generous and going above and beyond.” Said Shough: “He does a great job of just highlighting all parts of the game. He has such a great energy about him. Deﬁnitely got to get on his channel hopefully in the future.”

clips generate, and he’s partnered with outlets such as Bleacher Report and the NFL to gain additional exposure. Herzog said he isn’t “making a ton.” After transferring from Auburn University, he also takes online classes at a local community college. He lives at home with his parents. “Honestly, now, I get to sleep until noon every day,” Herzog said with Email Matthew Paras at matt. a chuckle. paras@theadvocate.com

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THE VARSITY ZONE FOOTBALL PRE VIEW n DISTRICT 9-3A LOOKING BACK St. Charles Catholic Last year: 13-1 overall (state champion), 3-0 in 9-4A Vandebilt Catholic Last year: 11-2 (semifinals), 6-1 in 8-4A St. James Last year: 10-3 (semifinals), 3-0 in 7-3A Lutcher Last year: 8-5 (quarterfinals), 5-2 in 8-4A Patterson Last year: 2-9 (first round), 2-1 in 7-3A Berwick Last year: 1-9, 0-3 in 7-3A

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH Landree LeBlanc QB | St. Charles, Sr. A third-year starter who made significant strides while helping the Comets to a state championship last season.The LSU-New Orleans baseball commitment accounted for 21 touchdowns last season. Ashton Stark WR/DB | Lutcher, Sr. The Kansas State commitment is a two-way starter at wide receiver and cornerback. He finished last season with 806 yards receiving, 242 yards rushing and picked off four passes on defense. Ja’Juan Jackson QB | St. James, Jr. A starter since he was a freshman, the alldistrict selection threw for 2,944 yards and 40 touchdowns with just four interceptions last season. He recently picked up a Grambling offer. Philip Cenac OL | Vandebilt, Sr. The UL commitment is a third-year starter moving from center to left tackle.At 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, Cenac is described as a team leader by coach Brian Wallace. James Tyson DB | St. Charles, Sr. The Tulane commitment’s recruitment took off after a breakout year at cornerback, showcasing his elite speed to go along with ideal size at 6-foot, 180 pounds.

Landree LeBlanc runs the ball for St. Charles Catholic as Newman players give chase on Sept. 4 in LaPlace.

‘An excellent leader’ Senior QB LeBlanc, St. Charles look to win back-to-back state titles

BY SPENCER URQUHART Staff writer

It’s not uncommon for St. Charles Catholic multisport star Landree LeBlanc to spend extra time practicing, so much so that Comets coach Wayne Stein encourages him to take breaks from the field. A standout in football, baseball and golf, LeBlanc is entering his senior year at St. Charles after winning state championships in football and baseball as a junior. A threeyear starter at quarterback, LeBlanc took a step forward at the position after experiencing a losing season as a sophomore. LeBlanc has just one more year left on the football field after committing to LSUNew Orleans for baseball in June. He’s now looking to repeat as a state championshipwinning quarterback after leading the Comets to a 13-1 record and the Division II select title. “(Last season) was highest of the highs,” LeBlanc said. “Now we’re on to the new season, so we’ve got to just get back to grinding to get another (state championship). Staying after practice just getting that work in, as many balls as we need.” LeBlanc shined in big moments last season for St. Charles. He ran in the winning touchdown in overtime of a 34-27 Division II select semifinal win over U-High, playing a part in all four Comets touchdowns. Voted as the state title game’s most outstanding player, LeBlanc completed a

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

Lutcher wide receiver Ashton Stark runs the ball against Liberty on Sept. 18 at BREC’s Olympia Stadium.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

1. St. Charles is moving down in classification from 4A to 3A, having last competed at the 3A level in 2018. The Comets graduated workhorse running back Skyler Edwards, and senior Evan Duffour is the leading candidate to start at running back.

5-yard pass with 10 seconds left to set up the game-winning field goal for St. Charles in a dramatic 23-21 win against reigning state champion Shaw. “(LeBlanc) is an excellent leader,” said Stein, who coaches football and baseball at St. Charles. “The biggest thing is I can still coach him hard. He’s not a guy that thinks he can’t be coached. Anytime your best players are your hardest workers, it’s infectious in your program.” After throwing double-digit interceptions as a sophomore, LeBlanc did a much better job at protecting the football last season. He threw just three interceptions while completing 75% of his passes for 1,448 yards. LeBlanc would account for 21 total TDs as a junior, several of which came as a runner. He finished with 471 rushing yards. “(I’ve improved my) accuracy and moving around in the pocket,” LeBlanc said. “Footwork and everything like that. If I can take another step forward in my running game and pocket presence, I feel like I can be really good.” St. Charles graduated last season’s 1,000yard rusher, Skyler Edwards. Senior Evan Duffour is set to lead the backfield for a run-heavy Comets offense. Duffour has varsity experience at running back and is a threat as a receiver out of the backfield. “(Duffour) has a skill set we can take advantage of,” Stein said. “We got some

2. Vandebilt graduated 42 players from last season, including starting quarterback Ethan Heney. Junior Cullen Verdin is the new quarterback and has a pair of experienced wide receivers in junior Corey Bourgeois and senior Will Ardoin. 3. Lutcher returns its quarterback and leading rusher but has just one starting offensive lineman

receivers that have been waiting for their turn. We have three guys competing at the tight end position.” St. Charles senior Parker Millet will anchor the offensive line. The Comets defensive line is led by three multiyear starters in Byron Bailey, Tyler Bovia and Kayden Asevedo. Creed Marix returns as a senior leader for St. Charles at linebacker after finishing with 1351/ 2 tackles last season. “I’m going to take a bigger role in leading on defense,” Marix said. “Being the speaker of the team. This offseason, I’ve learned to use my voice a lot.” The St. Charles secondary is led by senior cornerback James Tyson. A Tulane commitment with size and speed, Tyson broke out as a junior after he was ineligible as a sophomore. St. Charles is moving down in classification from Class 4A to 3A and will compete in the Division III select playoff bracket. The Comets are in District 9-3A, which includes River Parish rivals St. James and Lutcher. “With our schedule, there’s going to be some tough times,” Stein said. “We’re going to have to fight through it and keep the end goal in mind. There are some great River Parish teams on (the schedule), and I think those games prepare us for the playoffs.” Email Spencer Urquhart at surquhart@theadvocate.com.

back.Among the new starters up front is 6-foot-6 sophomore Javontae Alexander, who coach Dwain Jenkins said looks “like an NFL left tackle.” 4. St. James is tasked with replacing a pair of elite skill players in running back Kani King-young and wide receiver Jakias Villanueva, who signed with Grambling. Senior Raki Lee and

juniors Xavier Johnson and Jaden Villanueva are expected to step up. 5. Crosstown rivals Patterson and Berwick are looking to bounce back after winning just three games combined last season. Patterson is entering a new era with first-year coach Tremaine Lightfoot, and Berwick returns junior quarterback Eli Crochet.

Top area offensive linemen serve as anchors up front BY SPENCER URQUHART Staff writer

The importance that offensive linemen have toward a football team being successful tends to go unnoticed. While there aren’t many stats to go off of, the best teams often have an offensive line that’s as valuable as the quarterbacks and skill players that receive statistical accolades. Here are 10 New Orleans-area offensive linemen to watch during the 2026 prep football season.

Craig Bourgeois, Shaw (Sr.) A three-year starter, Bourgeois has been an anchor at guard for a Shaw team that reached the state championship game in back-to-back seasons. Bourgeois (5-foot-10, 245 pounds) is one of three returning starters on Shaw’s offensive line.

Jordan Collins, Destrehan (Jr.)

line that led to Rummel having a Holden Orgeron, Belle Chasse (Sr.) pair of 1,000-yard rushers. Now a Collins has started since his junior, Hughes (6-5, 335 pounds) A four-year starter, Orgeron freshman year and will play an will be leaned upon even more this plays an important part for an ofeven bigger role as the leader of season and has SEC offers from fense that leans heavily on the run Destrehan’s offensive line now Ole Miss and Auburn. game. The 6-3, 235-pound Orgeron that his older brother Earl has is one of two four-year starters up graduated. A 6-4, 305-pound re- Elijah Menville, St. Augustine (Sr.) front for the Cardinals alongside cruiting riser, Jordan Collins reMenville was an all-district cen- fellow senior Haiden Meyers. cently received his first Power ter last season for St. Augustine, anFour offer from Baylor. choring an offensive line that was Andrew Shofstahl, St. Paul’s (Jr.) the backbone for one of the state’s Shofstahl has been starting for Gabe Galvez, Riverside (Jr.) most explosive offenses. A South- St. Paul’s since his freshman year Galvez is one of three return- ern commitment at 6-1, 270 pounds, and has continued to improve at guard. The 6-4, 320-pound Shofsing starters up front, all of which Menville is also a team captain. were first-team all-district selectahl saw his recruitment pick up major steam in the summer, havtions, for reigning Division IV Parker Millet, St. Charles (Sr.) select state champion Riverside. Millet was a strong presence at ing received offers from LSU and Galvez (5-11, 285 pounds) also was guard for Division II select state other Power Four schools. an LSWA all-state selection as a champion St. Charles and will sophomore at left tackle. move to tackle this season. Stand- Griffin Vorhaben, Jesuit (Sr.) Vorhaben struggled to get on the ing at 6-1, 270 pounds, Millet was Raymond Hughes, Rummel (Jr.) an LSWA all-state selection last field as an underclassman but beHughes started last season as a season and received his first offer came the starting left tackle last sophomore for a stacked offensive this summer. year and has shined ever since.

A Cornell commitment, the 6-6, 305-pound Vorhaben leads a Jesuit offensive line that returns four starters.

Zyion Wesley, Edna Karr (Sr.) Wesley is set to anchor a Karr offensive line that’s replacing multiple Division I signees. The 6-4, 280-pound Mississippi State commitment returns as a starting tackle for the reigning Division I select champions and is also capable of playing guard.

Others to watch Gerald Daniels, De La Salle (Sr.); Ryan Harper, Edna Karr (Sr.); Ashton Harris, Holy Cross (Sr.); William Johnson, Country Day (Jr.); Haiden Meyers, Belle Chasse (Sr.); Harrison Nunez, Chalmette (Sr.); Jayden Taylor, St. Augustine (Jr.); Isadore Vance, John Curtis (Jr.); Derland Wells, Mandeville (So.); PatrickYoes, Covington (Sr.).

6C ✦ Tuesday, August 18, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

SCOREBOARD Hole-in-one

Sand Save Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%. All-Around Ranking 1, Scottie Schefﬂer, 183. 2, Ludvig Åberg, 252. 3, Sam Burns, 273. 4, Collin Morikawa, 282. 5, Jake Knapp, 286. 6, Doug Ghim, 315. 7, Chris Gotterup, 337. 8, Tommy Fleetwood, 343. 9, Si Woo Kim, 344. 10, Kevin Yu, 345.

Liam Harrison

Course: City Park Hole: No. 9 Club: Pitching wedge Witnesses: Lucas Wassan, Luke Dennis

Odds

LPGA Tour Statistics

Sports Betting Line NFL

Scoring 1, Nelly Korda, 69.18. 2, Haeran Ryu, 69.51. 3, Jeeno Thitikul, 69.91. 4, Hyo Joo Kim, 70.16. 5, Miyu Yamashita, 70.29. 6, Lydia Ko, 70.36. 7, Ruoning Yin, 70.53. 8, Ina Yoon, 70.73. 9, Sei Young Kim, 70.74. 10, Hannah Green, 70.76. Driving Distance 1, Julia Lopez Ramirez, 288.2. 2, Riley Smyth, 287.76. 3, Auston Kim, 280.58. 4, Polly Mack, 279.96. 5, Ina Yoon, 277.93. 6, Suvichaya Vinijchaitham, 277.91. 7, Laney Frye, 277.36. 8, Nanna Koerstz Madsen, 276.33. 9, Helen Briem, 276.18. 10, Nastasia Nadaud, 274.72. Greens in Regulation 1, Haeran Ryu, .79%. 2, Jeeno Thitikul, .75%. 3, Lottie Woad, .73%. 4, 7 tied with .72%. Putts per GIR 1, Hyo Joo Kim, 1.71. 2 (tie), Minami Katsu and Angel Yin, 1.73. 4 (tie), Nelly Korda and Mi Hyang Lee, 1.74. 6, Gaby Lopez, 1.75. 7, 6 tied with 1.76. Birdies 1, Aki Iwai, 254. 2 (tie), Minami Katsu and Haeran Ryu, 232. 4, Lottie Woad, 230. 5, Jeeno Thitikul, 229. 6, Yan Liu, 220. 7, Miyu Yamashita, 219. 8, Jin Hee Im, 211. 9, Pajaree Anannarukarn, 210. 10, Ina Yoon, 207. Eagles 1, Brooke M. Henderson, 14. 2 (tie), HyeJin Choi and Nelly Korda, 9. 4 (tie), Jenny Bae, Minji Kang, Sei Young Kim and Ryann O’Toole, 8. 8, 6 tied with 7. Sand Save Percentage 1, Pornanong Phatlum, .60%. 2 (tie), Celine Borge, Peiyun Chien and Nelly Korda, .59%. 5 (tie), Jin Hee Im and Minjee Lee, .58%. 7, Patty Tavatanakit, .57%. 8, 3 tied with .56%. Rounds Under Par 1, Haeran Ryu, .70%. 2, Aki Iwai, .55%. 3, Miyu Yamashita, .59%. 4, Nelly Korda, .76%. 5, Jeeno Thitikul, .62%. 6, Minami Katsu, .59%. 7, Lottie Woad, .54%. 8, Ruoning Yin, .58%. 9, Chizzy Iwai, .52%. 10 (tie), Hye-Jin Choi and Jin Hee Im, .53%. 12, Jenny Bae, .55%.

Thursday

FAVORITE OPEN at HOUSTON 1½ at LA CHRGRS 1½

Friday

FAVORITE at PITTS at JAX at DENVER

Through Aug. 16

TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 2½ (38½) Las Vegas 1½ (39½) San Fran

OPEN 2½ 2½ 4½

TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 3½ (39½) NY Jets 1½ (39½) Carolina 6½ (38½) Green Bay

FAVORITE OPEN at DETROIT 1½ at IND 2½ at CLEVELAND 1½ at MINNESOTA 2½ New Orleans 1½ NY Giants 1½ at NE 1½ at CINCINNATI 3 at TAMPA BAY 3 at ARIZONA 1½

TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 3 (36½) Wash 2½ (37½) Atlanta 1½ (39½) Buffalo 3 (37½) Baltimore 1½ (37½) at RAMS 2½ (37½) at MIAMI 1½ (38½) Phila 1½ (40½) Chicago 3½ (37½) Knsas City 1½ (37½) Dallas

FAVORITE OPEN at TENNESSEE 3

TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 2½ (38½) Seattle

Saturday

Sunday

MLB

Tuesday

American League FAVORITE LINE N.Y Yankees -113 at TAMPA BAY -142 at KANSAS CITY OFF at HOUSTON -167 National League FAVORITE LINE at PHILA -240 St. Louis -118 San Diego -112 LA Dodgers -177 Interleague FAVORITE LINE at CLEVELAND -185 at PITTSBURGH -143 at BOSTON -172 at MILWAUKEE -157 Atlanta -132 at TEXAS -162 at CHI CUBS -164

UNDERDOG at BALTIMORE Toronto Athletics LA Angels

LINE -109 +120 OFF +136

UNDERDOG Miami at CINCINNATI at N.Y METS at COLORADO

LINE +198 -104 -104 +142

UNDERDOG San Francisco Detroit Arizona Seattle at MINNESOTA Washington Chi White Sox

LINE +149 +117 +140 +128 +108 +132 +138

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

W 23 21 22 20 13 10 8

L 12 13 14 14 22 23 25

Pct GB .657 — .618 1½ .611 1½ .588 2½ .371 10 .303 12 .242 14

x-Minnesota Golden State x-Las Vegas Dallas Portland Phoenix Los Angeles Seattle

W 29 24 24 20 15 13 12 7

L 7 9 12 15 20 23 22 30

Pct GB .806 — .727 3½ .667 5 .571 8½ .42913½ .361 16 .353 16 .18922½

WESTERN CONFERENCE

x-clinched playoff spot Sunday’s Games Chicago 82, Seattle 80 Indiana 95, Atlanta 91, OT Portland 88, Phoenix 85

Monday’s Games

Dallas at Golden State, n

Tuesday’s Games

Indiana at Toronto, 6 p.m. Los Angeles at Connecticut, 6 p.m. Atlanta at Las Vegas, 8 p.m. New York at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Pro football NFL Glance Thursday’s Games

Cincinnati 16, Detroit 14 Pittsburgh 28, Green Bay 9 Indianapolis 13, New England 13 Arizona 27, Las Vegas 14 L.A. Chargers 27, Houston 7 Tennessee 19, San Francisco 13

Friday’s Games

Denver 27, Atlanta 7 Tampa Bay 24, N.Y. Jets 16 Washington 20, Miami 7

Saturday’s Games

Buffalo 29, Carolina 14 Chicago 34, Cleveland 10 Minnesota 13, N.Y. Giants 10 Jacksonville 24, New Orleans 20 L.A. Rams 20, Kansas City 12 Baltimore 24, Philadelphia 7 Dallas 17, Seattle 7

Thursday, Aug. 20

Las Vegas at Houston, 7 p.m. San Francisco at L.A. Chargers, 9 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 21

N.Y. Jets at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m. Carolina at Jacksonville, 6:30 p.m. Green Bay at Denver, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 22

Washington at Detroit, 11 a.m. Atlanta at Indianapolis, noon Baltimore at Minnesota, noon Buffalo at Cleveland, noon N.Y. Giants at Miami, 3 p.m. New Orleans at L.A. Rams, 3 p.m. Chicago at Cincinnati, 6 p.m. Philadelphia at New England, 6 p.m. Kansas City at Tampa Bay, 6:30 p.m. Dallas at Arizona, 9 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 23

Seattle at Tennessee, 7 p.m.

Golf PGA Tour Statistics Through Aug. 16

Scoring Average 1, Scottie Scheffler, 68.612. 2, Matt Fitzpatrick, 69.474. 3, Rory McIlroy, 69.477. 4, Collin Morikawa, 69.565. 5, Tommy Fleetwood, 69.607. 6, Sam Burns, 69.646. 7, Cameron Young, 69.706. 8, Xander Schauffele, 69.714. 9, Jake Knapp, 69.716. 10, Si Woo Kim, 69.718. Driving Distance 1, Aldrich Potgieter, 331.1. 2, Rory McIlroy, 328.9. 3, Michael Brennan, 326.4. 4, Marco Penge, 325. 5, Nicolai Hojgaard, 324.1. 6, Rasmus Hojgaard, 323. 7, Gary Woodland, 322.3. 8, Chris Gotterup, 322. 9, Min Woo Lee, 321.8. 10, Jesper Svensson, 320.2. Driving Accuracy Percentage 1, Russell Henley, 72.73%. 2, Davis Chatfield, 71.20%. 3, Joel Dahmen, 71.05%. 4, Aaron Rai, 70.92%. 5, Lucas Glover, 69.65%. 6, Si Woo Kim, 69.25%. 7, Emiliano Grillo, 69.18%. 8, Brandt Snedeker, 69.07%. 9, Tommy Fleetwood, 68.59%. 10, Collin Morikawa, 68.52%. Greens in Regulation Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%. Total Driving 1, Jordan Smith, 56. 2, Alex Fitzpatrick, 58. 3, Kristoffer Ventura, 66. 4, Neal Shipley, 67. 5, Scottie Scheffler, 74. 6, Ludvig Aberg, 82. 7, Cameron Young, 86. 8, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, 88. 9, Michael Thorbjornsen, 92. 10, Xander Schauffele, 94. SG-Putting 1, Jacob Bridgeman, .720. 2, Sam Burns, .697. 3, Scottie Scheffler, .680. 4, Vince Whaley, .639. 5, Alex Noren, .589. 6, Beau Hossler, .571. 7, Maverick McNealy, .540. 8, Akshay Bhatia, .524. 9, 2 tied with .520. Birdie Average 1, Scottie Scheffler, 4.81. 2, Si Woo Kim, 4.51. 3 (tie), Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa, 4.41. 5, Kevin Yu, 4.34. 6, Ludvig Aberg, 4.32. 7, Jacob Bridgeman, 4.26. 8, Sam Burns, 4.24. 9, Keith Mitchell, 4.26. 10, Robert MacIntyre, 4.21. Eagles (Holes per) 1, Jake Knapp, 57.2. 2, Kristoffer Ventura, 60.4. 3, Matt Wallace, 81.7. 4, Nicolai Hojgaard, 84. 5, Rasmus Hojgaard, 85.8. 6, Tommy Fleetwood, 91.4. 7, Billy Horschel, 92.6. 8, Aldrich Potgieter, 94.5. 9, Shane Lowry, 98.2. 10, Keegan Bradley, 99.7.

PGA Tour FedEx Cup Leaders Through Aug. 16

Points 1.Scottie Scheffler 4,873 2.Matt Fitzpatrick 3,426 3.Cameron Young 3,183 4.Si Woo Kim 2,701 5.Wyndham Clark 2,542 6.Sam Burns 2,416 7.Chris Gotterup 2,288 8.Tommy Fleetwood 2,247 9.Collin Morikawa 2,242 10.Ludvig Åberg 2,130 11.Xander Schauffele 1,981 12.Jacob Bridgeman 1,761 13.Rory McIlroy 1,745 14.Russell Henley 1,740 15.Akshay Bhatia 1,730 16.Hideki Matsuyama 1,600 17.Ryan Gerard 1,540 18.Min Woo Lee 1,481 19.Kristoffer Reitan 1,473 20.Alex Fitzpatrick 1,416 21.J.J. Spaun 1,414 22.Viktor Hovland 1,397 23.Alex Smalley 1,375 24.Justin Rose 1,355 25.Ryan Fox 1,352 26. Tom Kim 1,341 27.Adam Scott 1,315 28.Kurt Kitayama 1,259 29.Bud Cauley 1,258 30.Rickie Fowler 1,258 31.Gary Woodland 1,256 32.J.T. Poston 1,237 33.Nicolai Højgaard 1,208 34.Alex Noren 1,197 35.Jake Knapp 1,196 36.Robert MacIntyre 1,191 37.Aaron Rai 1,146 38.Ben Griffin 1,124 39.Sepp Straka 1,122 40.Sungjae Im 1,052 41.Michael Thorbjornsen 1,051 42.Nicolas Echavarria 1,040 43.Patrick Cantlay 1,029 44.Justin Thomas 1,027 45.Ryo Hisatsune 908 46.Sahith Theegala 898 47.Michael Brennan 875 48. Eric Cole 875 49.Maverick McNealy 863 50.Matthew McCarty 845 51.Keith Mitchell 838 52.Jordan Spieth 818 53.Max Homa 811 54.Harris English 798 55.Pierceson Coody 795 56.Harry Hall 777 57.Sam Stevens 760 58.S. Yellamaraju 752 59.Corey Conners 730 60.Daniel Berger 709 61.Michael Kim 706 62.Shane Lowry 683 63.Nick Taylor 668 64.Patrick Rodgers 657 65.Brian Harman 643 66.Jordan L. Smith 638 67.Jackson Koivun 625 68.Aldrich Potgieter 599 69.Ricky Castillo 598 70.Matti Schmid 597 71.Steven Fisk 573 72.Beau Hossler 550 73.Matt Wallace 550 74.Keegan Bradley 548 75.Mac Meissner 546 76.Andrew Putnam 538 77.Davis Thompson 516 78.Johnny Keefer 504 79.Jackson Suber 500 80.Austin Smotherman 498 81.Tom Hoge 497 82.Jason Day 495 83.Stephan Jaeger 494 84.Andrew Novak 489 85.David Lipsky 487 86.Denny McCarthy 473 87.Brandt Snedeker 462 88.Zachary Bauchou 459 89.Taylor Pendrith 458 90.Kevin Roy 457 91.Chandler Phillips 449 92. Kevin Yu 441 93.Doug Ghim 439 94.Brooks Koepka 438 95.John Parry 435 96.Ben Kohles 426 97.C. Bezuidenhout 422 98.Tony Finau 416 99.R. Neergaard-Petersen 404 100.Billy Horschel 403 101.Lucas Glover 398 102.Taylor Moore 379 103.Max Greyserman 379 104.Kris Ventura 373 105.A.J. Ewart 373 106.Lee Hodges 371 107.Rasmus Højgaard 370 108.Benjamin James 365 109.Emiliano Grillo 361 110.Chandler Blanchet 347 111.Davis Riley 329 112.Marco Penge 329 113.Rico Hoey 326 114.Seamus Power 310 115.Keita Nakajima 288 116.William Mouw 287 117.Zecheng Dou 284 118.Mackenzie Hughes 283 119.Mark Hubbard 282 120.Austin Eckroat 276 121.Joel Dahmen 274 122.Zac Blair 265 123.Max McGreevy 256 124.A. Dumnt De Chassrt 248 125.Jesper Svensson 240 126.Matthieu Pavon 236 127.Seonghyeon Kim 235 128.Chris Kirk 231 129.Karl Vilips 226 130.Davis Chatfield 220 131.Hayden Springer 220 132.Chad Ramey 219 133.Hao-Tong Li 218 134.Gordon Sargent 211 135.Brice Garnett 210 136.Pontus Nyholm 205 137.David Skinns 193 192 138.Jimmy Stanger 139.Ben Silverman 190 140.Hank Lebioda 188 141.Jhonattan Vegas 178 142.Daniel Brown 175 143.Matt Kuchar 172 169 144.Takumi Kanaya 145.Patrick Fishburn 159 146.Erik Van Rooyen 154

Money $20,511,275 $14,118,067 $14,302,482 $9,610,944 $10,636,186 $8,743,540 $7,882,219 $6,984,605 $8,601,712 $6,835,271 $7,275,225 $7,678,365 $8,506,606 $6,019,835 $7,514,799 $5,526,457 $5,987,898 $5,693,252 $6,227,739 $4,590,614 $4,878,908 $6,371,326 $5,118,908 $4,939,356 $5,468,659 $4,663,710 $4,149,268 $5,047,158 $4,493,948 $4,870,736 $4,409,712 $5,752,029 $4,822,868 $4,169,215 $3,882,296 $4,353,388 $5,094,602 $4,103,407 $4,307,687 $3,190,077 $3,750,041 $3,768,179 $3,923,596 $3,654,774 $3,335,671 $3,182,448 $2,818,668 $2,869,154 $3,306,377 $3,044,181 $2,876,447 $3,142,574 $2,689,554 $2,744,753 $2,879,709 $2,634,758 $2,688,189 $2,634,639 $2,552,971 $3,325,228 $2,533,219 $2,514,221 $2,432,660 $2,538,290 $2,464,739 $2,041,932 $1,947,262 $1,969,406 $1,747,734 $1,786,514 $1,692,519 $1,548,296 $1,930,724 $2,225,547 $1,685,976 $1,959,004 $1,542,788 $1,738,454 $1,693,527 $1,888,736 $1,778,908 $1,864,529 $1,651,123 $1,777,945 $1,584,323 $1,652,371 $1,220,767 $1,336,103 $1,520,679 $1,320,034 $1,392,538 $1,319,753 $1,259,146 $1,658,567 $1,290,549 $1,259,281 $1,108,094 $1,621,910 $1,098,718 $1,362,544 $1,433,605 $1,283,441 $1,475,909 $1,180,422 $1,036,911 $1,172,645 $1,189,949 $1,119,670 $1,161,769 $998,300 $1,153,946 $1,169,674 $949,319 $943,759 $850,071 $1,004,371 $824,818 $847,677 $800,419 $844,083 $845,600 $835,975 $823,986 $671,386 $863,313 $674,303 $710,507 $810,565 $631,942 $543,011 $626,747 $690,382 $741,536 $573,114 $639,166 $576,724 $440,914 $586,392 $521,220 $576,457 $750,811 $485,126 $539,464 $504,146 $429,988 $416,807

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL American League East Division

147.Luke Clanton 148.Kevin Streelman 149.Joe Highsmith 150.Sam Ryder

149 140 138 138

$432,974 $353,154 $516,150 $368,375

Tennis Western & Southern Open Results

Tampa Bay New York Boston Baltimore Toronto

W 75 69 67 61 61

L 49 55 58 64 65

Pct .605 .556 .536 .488 .484

GB — 6 8½ 14½ 15

Chicago Detroit Cleveland Minnesota Kansas City

W 65 60 60 60 51

L 58 64 65 65 74

Pct .528 .484 .480 .480 .408

GB — 5½ 6 6 15

Houston Texas Seattle Athletics Los Angeles

W 63 61 59 49 49

L 62 64 66 75 76

Pct .504 .488 .472 .395 .392

GB — 2 4 13½ 14

Central Division

West Division

Monday

At Lindner Family Tennis Center Cincinnati Purse: $9,415,725 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Results Monday from Western & Southern Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center (seedings in parentheses):

Men’s Singles

Round of 32 Thiago Agustin Tirante, Argentina, def. Martin Landaluce, Spain, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4). Flavio Cobolli (7), Italy, def. Alexander Blockx (28), Belgium, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5. Alex de Minaur (5), Australia, def. Arthur Fery (32), Britain, 7-5, 7-6 (3). Rafael Jodar (12), Spain, def. Alejandro Tabilo (22), Chile, 6-2, 6-1. Jakub Mensik (14), Czechia, def. Rinky Hijikata, Australia, 6-3, 6-4.

Women’s Singles

Round of 32 Iga Swiatek (7), Poland, def. Maria Sakkari (29), Greece, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. Diane Parry, France, def. Lois Boisson, France, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Elena Rybakina (2), Kazakhstan, def. Magdalena Frech, Poland, 6-4, 7-6 (2). Sorana Cirstea (15), Romania, def. Anna Kalinskaya (18), Russia, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 5-0, ret. Diana Shnaider (14), Russia, def. Maja Chwalinska (19), Poland, 6-2, 7-6 (3). Linda Noskova (6), Czechia, def. Clara Tauson (27), Denmark, 7-6 (3), 6-2. Jessica Pegula (3), United States, def. Emma Navarro (25), United States, 7-5, 6-2.

Men’s Doubles

Round of 32 Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Argentina, and Luciano Darderi, Italy, def. Lorenzo Musetti and Matteo Arnaldi, Italy, 7-5, 7-6 (4). Evan King and Robert Galloway, United States, def. Guido Andreozzi, Argentina, and Manuel Guinard (8), France, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (8), 10-7. Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori (4), Italy, def. Arthur Rinderknech, France, and Valentin Vacherot, Monaco, 7-6 (10), 3-6, 10-5. Mate Pavic, Croatia, and Marcelo Arevalo (3), El Salvador, def. Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, Russia, 2-6, 7-6 (2), 10-3. Nikola Mektic, Croatia, and Austin Krajicek, United States, def. Brandon Nakashima and Robert Cash, United States, 7-5, 6-4.

National League

Sunday’s Games

Baltimore 10, Tampa Bay 2 Pittsburgh 8, Boston 3 San Diego 5, Cleveland 0 Chicago White Sox 7, Detroit 5 N.Y. Yankees 4, Toronto 3, 10 innings Philadelphia 7, Minnesota 5 Kansas City 3, L.A. Angels 0 Athletics 5, Texas 2 Seattle 3, Houston 2

Monday’s Games

Tampa Bay 7, Baltimore 6 Detroit at Pittsburgh, n Boston 11, Arizona 1 Athletics at Kansas City, n Atlanta at Minnesota, n Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs, n

Tuesday’s Games

N.Y. Yankees (Warren 8-6) at Baltimore (Baz 4-12), 5:35 p.m. Detroit (Montero 9-7) at Pittsburgh (Ashcraft 12-5), 5:40 p.m. San Francisco (Whisenhunt 3-3) at Cleveland (Grifﬁn 13-4), 5:40 p.m. Toronto (Soriano 9-6) at Tampa Bay (Martinez 12-3), 5:40 p.m. Arizona (Kelly 8-10) at Boston (Suarez 4-3), 6:10 p.m. Athletics (Perkins 2-9) at Kansas City (Lynch 4-4), 6:40 p.m. Atlanta (Mahle 4-9) at Minnesota (Matthews 6-8), 6:40 p.m. Seattle (Miller 4-6) at Milwaukee (Harrison 9-3), 6:40 p.m. Chicago White Sox (TBD) at Chicago Cubs (Gausman 6-11), 7:05 p.m. Washington (Kent 0-0) at Texas (Quantrill 4-4), 7:05 p.m. L.A. Angels (Klassen 1-1) at Houston (Javier , 7:10 p.m.

Soccer MLS Glance Eastern Conference W Nashville 13 Inter Miami CF 11 Chicago 10 New England 9 Charlotte FC 8 Cincinnati 7 New York City FC 7 New York 7 D.C. United 5 Orlando City 6 Columbus 5 Toronto FC 4 Philadelphia 5 CF Montréal 4 Atlanta 4

L 2 3 6 7 7 6 7 8 5 10 9 7 10 10 12

Western Conference

T 4 5 2 3 4 6 5 4 9 3 5 8 4 5 3

Pts 43 38 32 30 28 27 26 25 24 21 20 20 19 17 15

GF GA 39 15 46 36 34 24 29 25 32 28 46 45 33 27 30 41 27 30 31 48 27 31 26 33 28 35 25 36 21 34

W L T Pts GF GA Vancouver 11 3 4 37 40 17 Houston 11 6 2 35 28 24 Los Angeles FC 10 6 4 34 35 20 San Jose 10 6 3 33 38 27 FC Dallas 8 5 6 30 34 26 St Louis City 8 6 5 29 27 25 Real Salt Lake 8 6 4 28 30 26 Colorado 8 10 1 25 29 25 Minnesota United6 6 7 25 21 26 Portland 7 9 3 24 34 35 Seattle 7 8 3 24 20 24 San Diego FC 6 7 6 24 33 29 LA Galaxy 5 8 7 22 24 30 Austin FC 4 10 5 17 23 38 Kansas City 4 13 2 14 18 48 NOTE: Three points for victory, one point for tie.

Saturday, August 15

Atlanta 2, New York 1 Charlotte FC 3, Columbus 1 D.C. United 1, CF Montréal 1, tie Cincinnati 1, Orlando City 1, tie Toronto FC 2, New England 1 Houston 1, LA Galaxy 0 Nashville 4, Miami 1 Colorado 2, Sporting Kansas City 0 Minnesota 1, Real Salt Lake 1, tie San Diego FC 1, Los Angeles FC 0 St Louis City 3, San Jose 1

Sunday, August 16

Chicago 2, Portland 1 Philadelphia 3, New York City FC 2 FC Dallas 2, Austin FC 1 Vancouver 2, Seattle 0

Wednesday, August 19

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

Transactions Major League Baseball

American League BOSTON RED SOX — Selected the contract of RHP Wyatt Olds from Worcester (IL). Optioned LHP Raymond Burgos to Worcester. KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Reinstated 3B Maikel Garcia and 1B Vinnie Pasquantino from the 10-day IL. Recalled LHP Connor Thomas from Omaha (IL). Optioned 3B Josh Rojas and RHP Jose Cuas to Omaha. Designated RF Starling Marte for assignment. MINNESOTA TWINS — Selected the contract of C Alex Jackson from St. Paul (IL). Placed RF Austin Martin on the 10-day IL. TAMPA BAY RAYS — Reinstated LHP Shane McClanahan from the 15-day IL. Optioned RHP Joe Boyle to Durham (IL). TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Sent RHP Lazaro Estrada outright to Buffalo (IL). National League ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Reinstated RHP Justin Martinez from the 60-day and LF Jordan Lawlar from the 10-day IL. Optioned 1B Tyler Locklear and RHP Gerardo Carrillo to Reno (PCL). Designated RHP Andrew Hoffmann for assignment. CINCINNATI REDS — Recalled RHP Zach McCambley from Louisville (IL). Selected the contract of LHP Kent Emanuel from Louisville. Designated RHP Ron Marinaccio for assignment. COLORADO ROCKIES — Recalled RHP TJ Shook from Albuquerque (PCL). Designated RHP Michael Lorenzen for assignment. NEW YORK METS — Selected the contract of 1B Christopher Morel from Syracuse (IL). Designated 3B Gabriel Arias for assignment. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — Recalled LHP Quinn Mathews from Memphis (IL).

Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York

W 74 67 64 60 56

L 50 58 61 66 69

Pct .597 .536 .512 .476 .448

GB — 7½ 10½ 15 18½

Milwaukee Chicago St. Louis Pittsburgh Cincinnati

W 77 72 64 61 59

L 48 53 61 65 65

Pct .616 .576 .512 .484 .476

GB — 5 13 16½ 17½

Los Angeles San Diego Arizona San Francisco Colorado

W 74 67 66 51 50

L 51 58 59 73 74

Pct .592 .536 .528 .411 .403

GB — 7 8 22½ 23½

Central Division

West Division

Sunday’s Games

Atlanta 5, Arizona 3 N.Y. Mets 4, Washington 3 Pittsburgh 8, Boston 3 San Diego 5, Cleveland 0 Miami 7, Cincinnati 1 Philadelphia 7, Minnesota 5 St. Louis 11, Chicago Cubs 4 Milwaukee 6, L.A. Dodgers 2 Colorado 13, San Francisco 7

Monday’s Games

St. Louis 2, Cincinnati 1, 1st game Philadelphia 6, Miami 5 Boston 11, Arizona 1 Cincinnati 6, St. Louis 5, 10 innings, 2nd game Detroit at Pittsburgh,n N.Y. Mets 2, San Diego 1 Atlanta at Minnesota, n Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs, n L.A. Dodgers at Colorado, n

Tuesday’s Games

Detroit (Montero 9-7) at Pittsburgh (Ashcraft 12-5), 5:40 p.m. Miami (TBD) at Philadelphia (Wheeler 104), 5:40 p.m. San Francisco (Whisenhunt 3-3) at Cleveland (Grifﬁn 13-4), 5:40 p.m. St. Louis (Leahy 9-4) at Cincinnati (Abbott 6-7), 5:40 p.m. Arizona (Kelly 8-10) at Boston, 6:10 p.m. San Diego (Ray 10-7) at N.Y. Mets (Thornton 3-3), 6:10 p.m. Atlanta (Mahle 4-9) at Minnesota (Matthews 6-8), 6:40 p.m. Seattle (Miller 4-6) at Milwaukee (Harrison 9-3), 6:40 p.m. Chicago White Sox (TBD) at Chicago Cubs (Gausman 6-11), 7:05 p.m. Washington (Kent 0-0) at Texas (Quantrill 4-4), 7:05 p.m. L.A. Dodgers (Lauer 7-6) at Colorado (Feltner 5-6), 7:40 p.m.

BOX SCORES

Women’s Doubles

Round of 32 Gabriela Dabrowski, Canada, and Barbora Krejcikova, Czechia, def. Nicole MelicharMartinez, United States, and Cristina Bucsa (4), Spain, 6-3, 1-6, 10-4. Zhang Shuai and Xinyu Jiang, China, def. Katarzyna Piter, Poland, and Janice Tjen, Indonesia, 7-5, 6-7 (2), 10-7. Andreja Klepac, Slovenia, and Maia Lumsden, Britain, def. Irina Khromacheva, Russia, and Anastasia Detiuc, Czechia, 6-3, 6-3. Taylor Townsend, United States, and Katerina Siniakova (1), Czechia, def. Darija Jurak Schreiber, Croatia, and Fang-Hsien Wu, Taiwan, 6-2, 4-6, 10-7. Caty McNally and Iva Jovic, United States, def. Xu Yifan and Qianhui Tang, China, 6-3, 5-7, 10-7.

East Division

St. Louis 2, Cincinnati 1 1st game St. Louis

Cincinnati

ab r h bi ab r h bi Báez lf 4 1 0 0 De La Cruz ss 4 0 0 0 Church cf 0 0 0 0 Stewart 1b-3b 4 0 1 0 Herrera dh 2 1 0 0 Stephenson c 3 0 0 0 Walker rf 4 0 2 0 Suárez dh 4 0 0 0 Burleson 1b 4 0 2 2 Myers cf 4 1 2 1 Fermín 2b 3 0 0 0 Toglia lf-1b 3 0 0 0 Crooks c 1 0 0 0 McLain 2b 2 0 0 0 Winn ss 4 0 1 0 Marte rf 3 0 0 0 Jordan 3b 3 0 1 0 Hayes 3b 2 0 0 0 Pereira cf-lf 4 0 1 0 Bleday ph-lf 1 0 0 0 Pagés c 2 0 0 0 Wetherholt 2b 2 0 0 0 Totals 33 2 7 2 Totals 30 1 3 1 St. Louis 200 000 000 — 2 Cincinnati 000 100 000 — 1 DP_St. Louis 0, Cincinnati 1. LOB_St. Louis 9, Cincinnati 5. 2B_Burleson (32), Walker (27), Stewart (24). 3B_Jordan (4). HR_Myers (4). IP H R ER BB SO St. Louis Mathews 4 2 1 1 3 7 Gastelum W,3-2 1 0 0 0 0 2 Graceffo H,5 1 0 0 0 0 1 Soriano H,18 1 0 0 0 0 1 Stanek H,23 1 1 0 0 0 1 O’Brien S,31-36 1 0 0 0 0 3 Cincinnati Emanuel L,0-1 5 5 2 2 3 4 Mey 2 1 0 0 1 3 Johnson 1 1 0 0 0 1 Moll 1 0 0 0 0 1 HBP_Emanuel (Báez). ABS Challenge_Toglia (Strike-Confirmed); Pereira (Strike-Confirmed); De La Cruz (Strike-Confirmed); Moll (Ball-Overturned to Strike). Umpires_Home, Vic Carapazza; First, Brock Ballou; Second, Edwin Moscoso;

N.Y. Mets 2, San Diego 1 San Diego

New York

ab r h bi Tatis rf 3 0 0 1 Cronenwrth 2b3 0 2 0 Machado 3b 3 0 1 0 France 1b 3 0 1 0 Merrill cf 4 0 1 0 Campusano c 3 0 0 0 Sheets dh 3 1 1 0 Bogaerts ss 3 0 0 0 Rengifo lf 4 0 1 0

ab r h bi Ewing lf 4 1 1 0 Lindor ss 2 1 0 0 Bichette 3b 3 0 1 1 Benge rf 3 0 1 0 Robert cf 2 0 0 1 Young 1b 3 0 0 0 Semien 2b 3 0 1 0 Polanco dh 3 0 1 0 Pache pr-dh 0 0 0 0 Alvarez c 3 0 0 0 Totals 29 1 7 1 Totals 26 2 5 2 San Diego 010 000 000 — 1 New York 200 000 00x — 2 DP_San Diego 1, New York 1. LOB_San Diego 8, New York 3. SF_Tatis (6), Robert (2). IP H R ER BB SO San Diego Buehler L,7-6 6 2 2 2 2 4 Hart 2 3 0 0 0 3 New York McLean W,9-8 6 6 1 1 4 3 Pintaro H,1 1 1⁄3 1 0 0 1 0 2 Lavender H,5 ⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 Duarte S,2-2 1 0 0 0 0 2 HBP_McLean (Sheets). ABS Challenge_Buehler (Ball-Overturned to Strike); McLean (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Hart (Ball-Conﬁrmed). Umpires_Home, Chris Segal; First, Laz Diaz; Second, Edwin Jimenez; Third, Erich Bacchus. T_2:23. A_27,842 (42,136).

Tampa Bay 7, Baltimore 6

Cincinnati 6, St. Louis 5

Baltimore

2nd game

Tampa Bay

ab r h bi ab r h bi O’Neill rf 5 0 2 0 Díaz dh 3 2 2 1 Alonso dh 5 1 2 1 Aranda 1b 5 1 2 1 Holliday 2b 5 1 1 0 Caminero 3b 4 0 1 0 Mayo 1b 5 2 2 1 Hicks c 3 0 0 0 Henderson ss 5 1 2 0 DeLuca ph-rf 1 0 1 2 Encrn-Strnd 3b5 1 3 4 Simpson lf 4 0 1 0 Beavers pr 0 0 0 0 Vilade rf 3 1 1 1 Jackson lf 4 0 0 0 Fortes c 0 0 0 0 Taveras lf 1 0 0 0 Mullins cf 4 0 1 0 Narváez c 2 0 0 0 Palacios 2b 3 1 1 0 Franklin cf 2 0 2 0 Mateo ss 2 1 1 2 Cowser ph-cf 2 0 0 0 Walls ph-ss 2 1 1 0 Totals 41 6 14 6 Totals 34 7 12 7 Baltimore 010 230 000 — 6 Tampa Bay 001 300 30x — 7 E_Encarnacion-Strand (4). DP_Baltimore 1, Tampa Bay 0. LOB_Baltimore 10, Tampa Bay 7. 2B_Mayo (12), Henderson (22), Aranda (20). HR_Mayo (16), Alonso (28), Encarnacion-Strand (6), Díaz (18), Vilade (11), Mateo (5). SB_Franklin (2), Palacios (11). IP H R ER BB SO Baltimore Young 4 8 4 4 1 3 Sanders 2 0 0 0 0 3 Cano L,2-3 0 3 3 3 0 0 Walker BS,0-1 1 1 0 0 1 0 Garcia 1 0 0 0 1 2 Tampa Bay 3 0 3 McClanahan 3 1⁄3 4 3 2 Legumina ⁄3 2 0 0 0 1 Wells BS,4-5 1 3 3 3 0 0 Kelly 1 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 3 Booser W,1-0 1 ⁄3 2 0 Baker S,35-38 1 2⁄3 1 0 0 0 2 Cano pitched to 4 batters in the 7th. HBP_Legumina (Narváez), Cano (Díaz). WP_Booser. ABS Challenge_Young (Ball-Conﬁrmed); Booser (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Booser (Ball-Overturned to Strike).Pitch timer violations_Walker (pitcher). Umpires_Home, Felix Neon; First, Jordan Baker; Second, Stu Scheuwater; Third, Dillon Wilson. T_2:58. A_10,159 (25,025).

St. Louis

Cincinnati

ab r h bi Wetherholt 2b 5 0 2 0 Herrera c 4 1 1 1 Pagés c 0 0 0 0 Burleson 1b 5 1 1 0 Walker dh 5 2 3 0 Báez rf 5 0 0 0 Church cf 3 1 1 1 Fermín ph-lf 1 0 0 0 Winn ss 4 0 1 1 Torres lf 3 0 1 1 Pereira pr-cf 1 0 0 0 Jordan 3b 4 0 1 1

ab r h bi De La Cruz dh 4 1 2 1 Stewart 2b 4 0 1 0 Bleday lf 4 1 3 0 Suárez 3b 3 1 3 1 Marte pr 0 0 0 0 Hayes 3b 0 0 0 0 Toglia 1b 4 1 1 1 McLain ss 4 0 1 0 Rodríguez rf 4 0 1 2 Trevino c 3 0 0 0 Myers ph-cf 1 1 1 1 Friedl cf 3 0 0 0 Stephenson c 1 1 0 0 Totals 40 5 11 5 Totals 35 6 13 6 St. Louis 000 202 010 0 — 5 Cincinnati 100 003 001 1 — 6 E_Suárez (3). DP_St. Louis 2, Cincinnati 1. LOB_St. Louis 10, Cincinnati 5. 2B_Walker (28), Toglia (2), Suárez (16). HR_Herrera (14), Myers (5). SB_De La Cruz (21), Walker (17). SF_Suárez (3). IP H R ER BB SO St. Louis Pallante 6 10 4 4 1 5 Strzelecki 3 2 1 1 0 4 Bruihl L,0-1 0 1 1 0 0 0 Cincinnati 2 Lowder 6 ⁄3 8 4 4 2 5 Burke 1 1⁄3 2 1 1 1 3 McCambley 1 1 0 0 0 2 Pagán W,5-1 1 0 0 0 1 2 Bruihl pitched to 1 batter in the 10th. ABS Challenge_Stewart (Strike-Overturned to Ball). Pitch timer violations_Lowder (pitcher). Ejected_Marmol. Umpires_Home, Nic Lentz; First, Edwin Moscoso; Second, Hunter Wendelstedt; Third, Brock Ballou. T_2:54. A_12,166 (43,891).

THIS DATE IN BASEBALL Aug. 18 1915 — Boston opened Braves Field with a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. 1931 — New York’s Lou Gehrig played in his 1,000th consecutive game. Gehrig went hitless in the 5-4 loss to Detroit. 1948 — Brooklyn’s Rex Barney pitched a one-hitter for a 1-0 win over Robin Roberts and the Philadelphia Phillies at Shibe Park. 1956 — The Cincinnati Reds hit eight home runs and the Milwaukee Braves added two to set a National League record for home runs by two clubs in a nine-inning night game. Bob Thurman’s three homers and double led the Reds in the 13-4 rout. 1960 — Lew Burdette of the Milwaukee Braves pitched a no-hitter, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 1-0. Burdette faced the minimum 27 batters. 1965 — Hank Aaron of Milwaukee hit Curt Simmons’ pitch on top of the pavilion roof at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis for an apparent home run. However, umpire Chris Pelekoudas called him out for

being out of the batter’s box when he connected. Nevertheless, the Braves won the game 5-3. 1967 — California’s Jack Hamilton hit Tony Conigliaro on his left cheekbone with a fastball in the fourth inning of a 3-2 loss to Boston. Conigliaro was carried unconscious from the ﬁeld and missed the remainder of the 1967 season and the entire 1968 season. The 22-year-old already had more than 100 home runs to his credit. 1977 — Don Sutton of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitched his ﬁfth one-hitter to tie the National League record. Sutton gave up a two-out single in the eighth inning to San Francisco’s Marc Hill. The Dodgers won 7-0. 1995 — Tom Henke became the seventh pitcher to reach 300 career saves, surviving a rally by the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 4-3 victory. 2000 — Darin Erstad of Anaheim made a spectacular, game-saving catch in the 10th inning and followed it with a homer in the 11th as the Angels defeated the Yankees 9-8.

LIVING

N O L A.C O M

T u e s d ay, au g u s T 18, 2026

1dN

Corgis run, bark and sniff their way to glory

Quoc and Amanda Nguyen celebrate after being crowned king and queen of the Krewe of Oshun at Commander’s Palace on Saturday.

BY LIUDAS DAPKUS Associated Press

VILNIUS, Lithuania — It’s not all about short-legged speed when 150 corgis gather for an international race celebrating the little dogs. There’s a costume parade, the “smartest nose,” and — of course — the loudest bark. The fifth Corgi Race Vilnius drew dogs and their owners to the Lithuanian capital’s Vingis park on Saturday for what organizers said was the biggest edition yet. There were competitors from Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Estonia, Germany, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, the United States and Britain — the country most closely associated with the breed, famously a favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth II. “In the first year, we gathered 40 corgis from one city. This year, it’s 150 from nine countries, and for the first time we have a participant from the place where the breed originated,” organizer Edvinas Miskas said. “We call Vilnius the European capital of corgis, and when people from the breed’s homeland start coming to us rather than the other way around, that title begins to sound a little more serious.” Ninety-four dogs took part in the main running event, competing in qualifiers, semifinals and the final.

STAFF PHOTOS By ENAN CHEDIAK

A Place T In History Carnival to get its first Vietnamese king and queen for 2027, krewe says BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

AP PHOTO By MINDAUGAS KULBIS

Corgis race during the Corgi Race Vilnius 2026 event in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Saturday.

In the ﬁnal, which pitted corgis against each other over 82 feet, the winner was American competitor GG, short for Gustave the Girl Dog. Another U.S. entrant, Mr. Corgington, finished a close second. Lithuania’s own Moka, a two-time former champion, was third. But much of the program dispensed with speed to explore the other skills of the dogs — and their owners. There was a costume parade featuring 38 corgis in diverse outfits including a dinosaur suit, a dress and doggy sports gear. Amigo swept both the four-judge jury and the public Facebook vote for a flawless costume entry with a knightlike look. In the “smartest nose” challenge, dogs searched for hidden treats. Latvian corgis Tora and Rusty shared the win. And then there was the loudest bark competition. The ﬁrst British competitor, 12-year-old

he very first parade of the New Orleans’ official 2027 Mardi Gras season is set to make history. When the Oshun parade rolls on Jan. 29, it will be reigned over by the first Vietnamese monarchs of a Crescent City Carnival parade: King Quoc Nguyen and Queen Amanda Nguyen.

Quoc Nguyen grew up in Village de L’Est, the neighborhood surrounding Mary Queen of Vietnam Church in New Orleans East. His parents were part of the wave of refugees who ﬂed Vietnam after the communist takeover in 1975, arriving in New Orleans in 1977. Nguyen said that as they settled in their new American home, his mother taught at a nursery school and his father was a stainless-steel fabricator. Later, he said, his parents

A dragon dances around the hall during the coronation for the king and queen of the Krewe of Oshun.

opened Vanny’s sandwich shop on Common Street in the Central Business District and eventually two Chinese-style lunch buffets in downtown. As a kid, Nguyen said, he and his brothers worked at the vener-

able Meyer the Hatter shop on St. Charles Avenue — 102-year-old Sam Meyer is still a close friend. Quoc Nguyen, 42, is a practicing chiropractor, though he is

ä See OSHUN, page 2D

ä See CORGIS, page 2D

Teen photographer goes viral with water park photo shoot Glen Oaks High School football players jump into a pool at Blue Bayou in Baton Rouge for the team’s media day. PHOTO By KEITH JOSEPH

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

At 18 years old, Baton Rouge local Keith Joseph is experiencing his 15 minutes of fame. A 2026 Liberty Magnet graduate and former linebacker, Joseph is making waves on social media for his creative high school football team media shoots. His aquatic shots of the Glen Oaks High School football team at Blue Bayou Water Park have generated over 113,000

When I see the picture and it looks good, I just get excited.” KEITH JOSEPH

views on Instagram and even made it to SportscenterNext’s Instagram page. Joseph’s photography business, Shot By Mane, has been busy this summer. Joseph said that he’s photographed about seven Baton Rouge high school football teams so far for their media day pictures — something that has become increasingly more extravagant as social media has captured the attention of athletes and fans. NFL, college and high school

teams and players are connecting with photographers to create out-of-the-box photo shoots at unorthodox locations. The flashy photos help players get seen. Of the high school football teams Joseph has photographed, he has shot at Raising Cane’s for Brusly High School, Perkins Rowe for McKinley High School and Topgolf for Liberty Magnet High School. Joseph said the players are

ä See PHOTOS, page 2D

2D ✦ Tuesday,August 18, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

‘No gifts — Oh, twist my arm, I’ll take a gold watch’ What would you advise? Now, Dear Miss Manners: I accepted an I feel like if I don’t contribute at invitation to a party for a friend’s husband at their home. It hadn’t oc- least $100, it will impact this longstanding friendship. If it curred to me to bring a gift had occurred to me to bring — most likely I would have a gift, I might have brought simply brought a nice card a book, not something that and a bottle of wine. costs $100 or more. A few days before the Do you ﬁnd it unusual to party, I was surprised to repropose friends buy a speceive this message: “Some Judith of you have asked about cial watch in this way? I beMartin gifts — and truly, your preslieve it used to be common MISS for an employer to offer the ence at this event is already MANNERS gift of a watch for a retiring the greatest gift of all! employee who has been esHowever, if you still wish to contribute something, we warmly pecially valued or long-tenured. invite you to participate in a group Gentle reader: Miss Manners ﬁnds gift: a special watch for (husband). it strange that people now feel You are welcome to bring cash or responsible for the presents they a check, or to make a direct bank expect to receive. Surely it should deposit.” be the prospective donors who

ought to think up what to give — if anything, as presents are often customary but never mandatory. It may even be true that your friends were besieged by demands to know what to buy the guest of honor/host. And they didn’t know that they could brush this off by saying, “Oh, that’s not necessary” — not only omitting the presentpresence cliché (because we’re all sick of it), but not then undermining it with what sounds, at least to you, like a demand. It is not. Give your old friends the beneﬁt of the doubt by assuming that they made their suggestion through awkward ignorance, not from greed, and that they invited you for fun, not for proﬁt. But if this is wrong, and if it takes

a $100 bribe to maintain a longstanding friendship, you might ask yourself whether the friendship has been standing too long. Dear Miss Manners: My beloved mother-in-law recently passed away. While I am old-school and wear only black to funerals, I have noticed that “the times, they are a-changing.” While getting ready to go and say our ﬁnal goodbyes, I asked my husband which string of pearls, which I had inherited from my mother, would be more appropriate. The look he shot me left no doubt that it was a faux pas. My heart sunk, as I had only thought to honor his mother and mine. Was I truly amiss? Gentle reader: No. Pearls are con-

sidered the most subdued of jewels, second only to the jet jewelry to which Victorian women were limited during their long periods of formal mourning. Miss Manners would consider that bereavement sometimes makes people irrational, and try not to hold it against your husband if he is normally reasonable. And resolve not to ask his opinion of your appearance. Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www. missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Reconciling company gift gaffe

STAFF PHOTOS By ENAN CHEDIAK

Quoc and Amanda Nguyen celebrate after being crowned king and queen of the Krewe of Oshun at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans on Saturday.

OSHUN

Continued from page 1D also a law student at Loyola University. Amanda Nguyen, 28, is an intensive care unit nurse at University Medical Center, studying to become a nurse practitioner. Quoc Nguyen said that while growing up, Carnival did not seem to be a big focus of the Vietnamese community. But his family attended their share of parades — Zulu and Endymion were always his favorites. As an adult, he once rode in the Orpheus parade, but, Nguyen said, he never imagined himself riding atop a king’s ﬂoat. In a way, Nguyen said, he became king by coincidence. It so happened he was acquainted with last year’s king of Oshun, renowned artist Terrance Osborne, because the two men work out at the same West Bank gym. Osborne, who may be best known for having designed six of the annual Jazz & Heritage Festival posters, said he ﬁrst noticed Nguyen’s dedication as he pushed though his exercise routine without pausing. “He’s one of those people who’s completely focused,” Osborne said. With some trepidation, Osborne interrupted Nguyen’s workout one day to discuss his methods. The artist was happy to discover that, de-

PHOTOS

Continued from page 1D often ready with poses they’ve already practiced and ideas for group shots. If they’re hesitant, he helps them come up with ideas. “It just comes down to them being creative. I like what’s different,” Joseph said. “I try to get something that’s going to shock the eye.” The Blue Bayou location was Joseph’s concept. He reached out to a former classmate who worked at the water park this past summer and asked for the manager’s contact. The manager then passed along Leisure Sports managing partner Glenn Haggerty’s information. Joseph called and emailed him, and after some back and forth, Haggerty and Joseph agreed to a date and time. Joseph said the team had a blast. He knows the Glen Oaks head coach, Byron

Dear Annie: On a yearly gift, taking care not to basis, my employer recog- make demands: It is, after nizes employees who have all, a gift, not a right. So emphasize that you realize dedicated 10, 15, 20, etc. it’s not something years of service as you’re automatiwell as individuals who are retiring. cally entitled to, These employees but you were just have their names wondering if your published in lonot getting an ancal press and also niversary gift was Annie receive a gift. This intentional. Lane past year I comAlternatively, if DEAR ANNIE you feel too uncompleted my 10th year of service. While fortable bringing my name was published, the subject up yourself, I never received a gift. you might ask a co-worker Everyone else received with whom you’re close to one, so it’s not that the tra- do so on your behalf. Dear Annie: I am a good dition stopped and I was tipper. I always tip 20% unaware; mine was just for servers, pizza delivsomehow overlooked. My co-workers tell me I should ery guys, bartenders and ask about it, but I feel kind baristas because they are of awkward doing so. Is it serving me in some capactacky to contact the human ity. What I don’t underresources department and stand is the tip line on the ask about the gift? — Feeling credit card receipt when I Forgotten get takeout or ice cream. Dear Feeling Forgotten: It’s not Is a tip really expected? tacky so long as you handle What is the difference it with tact. Send a short between tipping the girl and sweet email to the who hands me my takeout human resources departorder and the girl behind the fast-food counter or the ment. Start by expressing girl behind the gas station gratitude for their reccounter? We are not asked ognizing you in the local to tip these folks. press. Then ask about the

I feel like a jerk when I draw through the tip line, but I just don’t feel an additional 20% is earned. — Confused at the Counter Dear Confused: You’re not the only one. Many people are confused about whether or not they’re expected to leave a tip for takeout. The reason you’re not asked to tip employees at a gas station or fast-food restaurant is because those employees are making at least minimum wage. The lines become blurrier in the case of getting takeout from restaurants. Many servers I’ve surveyed said that they depend on those tips, and stifﬁng them at the to-go counter is as much a problem as stiffing them for table service. But another factor is your state’s laws regulating service-industry wages. So as much as I hate to say that it depends, well, it depends. I ﬁnd that, when in doubt, I never regret erring on the side of generosity. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

TODAY IN HISTORY Crowns sit on the table before the coronation of the king and queen of the Krewe of Oshun at Commander’s Palace. spite his intensity, Nguyen was “very friendly” as well as “a source of motivation.” They became pals, and when Osborne was tapped to be Oshun’s monarch in 2026, he asked Nguyen to serve as a duke in his court. “I wanted my dukes to have a good energy,” Osborne said. Nguyen ﬁt the bill. Oshun Captain Gian Durand said Nguyen’s irrepressible enthusiasm was unmistakable, and she immediately imagined him as a future royal representative. “The whole goal of Oshun,” she said in a recent telephone interview, “is to show the diversity of our city.” Since she was unaware of any previous Vietnamese monarchs, selecting Nguyen was “a no brainer.” When Durand asked Nguy-

en to be the 2027 parade king, he momentarily balked. “I said, I’ll have talk to my wife about it,” he recalled. Durand suggested that when he spoke to his wife, he should invite her to be his queen. At ﬁrst, Durand said, the couple “were nervous,” but soon enough, they were “beyond elated.” King and Queen Nguyen were set to be coronated at a ceremony at Commander’s Palace restaurant on Aug. 15. “For me to be part of this tradition, is such an honor,” Nguyen said. For Oshun to have selected Vietnamese royalty, he said, illustrates that the Vietnamese community is enmeshed with New Orleans culture. Email Doug MacCash at dmaccash@theadvocate. com.

ten into the hobby through making football mixtapes. He started making them for himself and then for friends. Crafting the mixtapes taught him to ﬁnd images that catch the eye. “When I was playing football, I brought my camera to a JV game and started taking pictures there. From there, it just took off,” Joseph said. Since then, Joseph has expanded his business into lifestyle shoots, prom photos, graduation pictures and PHOTO By KEITH JOSEPH senior portraits. He plans to branch out into Lafayette and Glen Oaks High School Lake Charles this fall when he football players float down attends the University of Louthe lazy river at Blue Bayou isiana at Lafayette. He hopes for the team’s media day to join UL’s media team. photo shoot. “When I take pictures, especially sports photography Wade, and Joseph said that because I played football, I Wade is surprised by all the know what to look for,” Joattention but feels blessed. seph said. “When I see the picture and it looks good, I Making his way just get excited.” Although Joseph took photography his senior year at Email Joy Holden at joy. Liberty, he had already got- holden@theadvocate.com.

By The Associated Press Today is Tuesday, Aug. 18, the 230th day of 2026. There are 135 days left in the year. Today in history: On Aug. 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, guaranteeing American women’s right to vote, was ratiﬁed as Tennessee became the 36th state to approve it. Also on this date: In 1590, John White, the governor of the Roanoke Island colony (in presentday North Carolina), returned to Roanoke after nearly three years abroad only to ﬁnd the settlement deserted; the fate of the “Lost Colony” remains a mystery. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson issued his Proclamation of Neutrality, aimed at keeping the United States out of World War I. In 1958, Vladimir Nabokov’s novel “Lolita” was published in the United States.

In 1963, James Meredith became the ﬁrst Black student to graduate from the University of Mississippi. In 1969, the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in Bethel, New York, wound to a close after three days and nights with a mid-morning set by Jimi Hendrix. In 1983, Hurricane Alicia slammed into the Texas coast, leaving 21 dead and causing more than a billion dollars’ worth of damage. In 2004, in Athens, Paul Hamm won the men’s gymnastics all-around Olympic gold medal by the closest margin ever in the event; controversy followed after it was discovered that a scoring error cost Yang Tae-young of South Korea the title. In 2005, a judge in Wichita, Kansas, sentenced BTK serial killer Dennis Rader to 10 consecutive life terms, the maximum the law would allow. In 2014, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon ordered the National Guard to Ferguson, a suburb of St. Louis

convulsed by protests over the fatal shooting of a Black 18-year-old, Michael Brown. In 2023, a former neonatal nurse in a British hospital was found guilty of murdering seven babies and trying to kill six others over a yearlong campaign of deception as she preyed on the vulnerabilities of sick newborns. Days later, Lucy Letby was sentenced to life in prison with no chance for release. Today’s birthdays: Actor Carole Bouquet is 69. Actor Denis Leary is 69. Actor Madeleine Stowe is 68. ABC News reporter Bob Woodruff is 65. Actor Edward Norton is 57. Actor Christian Slater is 57. Actor Kaitlin Olson is 51. Actor-comedian Andy Samberg is 48. Artist-model Frances Bean Cobain is 34. Actor-singer Maia Mitchell is 33. Actor Madelaine Petsch is 32. Actor Josephine Langford is 29, Singer Clairo is 28. Olympic gold medal swimmer Summer McIntosh is 20.

CORGIS

Continued from page 1D Pembroke Welsh corgi Duke from Sedbergh in northwest England, didn’t participate in the main race because of his stately age but was a hopeful in the barking stakes after, as his owner put it, training for his whole life. It was Mr. Corgington who won the loudest bark contest, though. He was one of the most traveled competitors. The final race offered him a rematch after he finished secASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MINDAUGAS KULBIS ond against GG at a major A corgi participates in a fashion show during the Corgi race at Emerald Downs in Race Vilnius 2026 in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Saturday. Auburn, Washington — her second consecutive win there. were taking part for the Foksas, Foksis, Madeira, Half of the corgis regis- first time. But six veterans Bulka and Dziugas — have tered in Vilnius this year — costume winner Amigo, attended every edition.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, August 18, 2026 ✦ 3D

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roSebUdS

zItS

zodIAC LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Think big, but know your limits. Set boundaries and implement discipline, and what you achieve will be a learning experience that helps you propel what you want to present and promote. VIRGO (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Revise your schedule and rearrange your routine. How you set things up will reflect how well you do. Knowing exactly what's available mentally, physically and financially will put your mind at ease. LIBRA (sept. 23-Oct. 23) Take any negativity you encounter and turn it into sunshine. Where there's a will, there's a way. Choose the path that allows you the freedom to be yourself. scORPIO (Oct. 24-nov. 22) Refuse to let situations escalate, costing you your position, reputation or relationship with an associate or loved one. Put more time and effort into money management, contracts and medical issues. sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Take pride in how you live. A well-run home can propagate an attitude that makes your life easier. Address clutter and unfinished business, and you'll alleviate pressure. Use your intelligence. cAPRIcORn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Put your discipline and energy into cleaning up any mess that is crowding your space. Dig in and go above the call of duty to ensure you offer the best assistance. AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Don't wait for change to manifest itself. If something new is what you need, make it happen.

Leave nothing undone or in someone else's jurisdiction. Set a budget. PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Spend more time on comfort and convenience. Time at home working to lower your overhead and putting a financial plan in place that offers less stress and more time having fun will be conducive to growth. ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Restraint is necessary when dealing with financial or medical issues. Too much of anything will work against you. Limit what you agree to do, and look out for your best interests when dealing with partnerships. tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Take a break, sit back and observe. A lifestyle change that points you in a healthier direction or fitness and dietary improvements will pay off personally and professionally if you put in the time and effort. GEMInI (May 21-June 20) A change of pace and scenery will elevate your curiosity and encourage you to up your game and pursue knowledge and skills. Make prominent connections with individuals. cAncER (June 21-July 22) Put your energy toward something that challenges you to look and feel your best. Engage in competitive activities or spend time with motivating individuals who offer positive support. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

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

tODAy's cLuE: K EQuALs c

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

4D ✦ Tuesday,August 18, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

CurTiS

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

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday,August 18, 2026 ✦ 5D

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Bridge By PHILLIP ALDER Isaac Asimov said, “It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety.” Some bridge experts are known for making unusual bids. Then, even when they produce an obvious call, opponents tend to assume that they were being “clever.” In this deal, which occurred during a social game, look at the South hand. After two passes, East opens one club. What is the “obvious” call for South? East’s opening bid would not meet with universal agreement. Since partner is a passed hand, game is unlikely. There is a good case for opening one heart (or one spade). Yes, partner will expect a fivecard suit, but if West ends on lead, he is more likely to find a good choice than after a one-club opening. I think South should overcall three no-trump. Yes, it looks weird with those major-suit holdings, but he has eight winners. A dummy worth its salt will add a ninth. And a slam is unlikely opposite a passed partner. If South bids three no-trump and it is passed out, what should West lead? Unless South is being subtle, he has a long, solid minor and is ready for a club lead. West should choose a major, presumably a heart. Note that the defenders can take the first eight tricks, four hearts and four spades. But after a minor-suit lead, South

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

has 10 winners. At the table, South passed over one club (often the right move when long and strong in opener’s suit), West responded one heart, East raised to two hearts, and then South overcalled three clubs. That was passed out and made with an overtrick. © 2026 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD = gOOD aFTErnOOn

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

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

tODAy’s WORD — cAnOnIZE: KAN-ih-nize: To declare a deceased person a saint.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 15 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 22 or more words in CANONIZE? yEstERDAy’s WORD — scuttLEs scuttle sect stet suet clue cult cuss cute cutest cutlet test

tussle less lest lues lust lute

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “I will meditate also of all your work, and talk of your doings. your way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?” Psalms 77:12-13 Meditate on the Lord and His greatness. You will be blessed. — G.E. Dean

6D ✦ Tuesday, August 18, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

muttS

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Scrabble GramS 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.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

jump Start

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.

Get fuzzy

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. ©2021 Hasbro. all rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content agency, llC.

ken ken

animal crackerS

DuStin

InstructIons: 1 - Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 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.

Wallace the brave

Drabble

WiShinG Well breWSter rockit

luann

HErE is a plEasanT liTTlE gamE that will give you a message every day. it’s a numerical puzzle designed to spell out your fortune. Count the letters in your first name. if the number of letters is 6 or more, subtract 4. if the number is less than 6, add 3. The result is your key number. start at the upper left-hand corner and check each of your key numbers, left to right. Then read the message the checked figures give you.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday,August 18, 2026 ✦ 7D

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classifieds.nola.com Search & Place Ads Ads Onlines at classifieds.nola.com • Call Monday Us Monday - Friday 8AM - 5PMatat(504) (504)636-7435 636-7435 Search & Place Onlines at classifieds.nola.com - Friday 8AM - 5PM

Announcements

Employment

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Timothy Joseph Jones, please contact Kyle M. Green, Jr., Esq. at (504) 361-1010. 197842-Aug 18-20, 3t $46.20 If you know or have any information about the whereabouts of Jamireon Mack, please contact Attorney Marlon Watkins at (225) 412-2993. 197795-Aug 18-19, 2t $60

LEGAL Paralegal, defense litigation, billing experience required. Please email resumes to mcurrault@deutschkerrigan.com

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO BIDDERS SP# 2154 Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived by the Procure‐ ment Section of the Divi‐ sion of Administration, 1201 N. 3rd. St., 2nd. Floor, Suite 2-160, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 10:00 A.M. for the follow‐ ing: RFx No. 3000026545, SICO Brand Name Furniture – Statewide, 9/3/26 RFx No. 3000026613, Snowplow Dump Trucks DOTD, 9/3/26 RFx No. 3000026614, Truck Tractors – DOTD, 9/3/26 Bid proposal forms, in‐ formation and speciﬁca‐ tions may be obtained by accessing the bid num‐ ber in LaPac at www.doa. la.gov/doa/osp/ or from h i

New Orleans Rental APARTMENT METAIRIE

DECANTERS Liquor Decanter Collection for sale 275pcs 1966 & Above! Interested Call Mr. Szabo 504-352-8412 CONSTRUCTION Hiring for Utility Hands and Tank Clean‐ ers. Must hav a aTWIC CARD, PEC, AND T HUET. RESUMES MUST BE EMAILED TO TMCTHAWK0619@GMAIL.COM

HOUSE Algiers-Former Double. 4Brms, 2baths. Great location. Fully fenced. $119,000.00 713-398-6027 elanza@soldbyelanza.com

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

g p the procurement section listed above. No bids will be received after the date and hour speciﬁed. The right is reserved to reject any and all bids and to waive any infor‐ malities.

g Board: https://www. swbno.org/Bids/ LAPAC:https:// wwwcfprd.doa.louisiana. gov/OSP/LaPAC/dspBid. cfm?search=departm ent&term=181

p Dial in by phone +1 504-2248698,,733378359# United States, New Orleans Phone conference ID: 733 378 359#

Amy Vincent Director of State Procure‐ ment FAX (225) 342-8688 197754-AUG 18-1T $13.20 PUBLIC NOTICE --Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans Invitation to Bid 2026-SWB-25 Check and Gate Valves The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (Board) is soliciting bids from companies to pur‐ chase Check and Gate valves. Invitation to Bid (ITB) will be available August 18, 2026, for download at the following websites: d h

Fax and email submis‐ sion will not be accepted. Bids will be received by the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans Procurement Department by September 8, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. (Central Time). For submission instruc‐ tions, see bid docu‐ ments. Bids will be publicly opened on September 8, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. (Cen‐ tral Time) in the Procure‐ ment Conference Room, Rm 131, located at 625 St. Joseph St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70165. Microsoft Teams meeting Join: https://teams. microsoft.com/meet/287 312169024139?p=gz1cy72 CVXA3F1Rt0Q Meeting ID: 287 312 169 024 139 Passcode: H5hF6Kp3 i li b h

40th Judicial District Court St John the Baptist Parish, Clerk of Court News Paper Report Persons Subject to Service as 2026-642 Jurors for the Session of Petit Court Beginning Monday, August 24, 2026 at 13:00 PM Before Judge NGHANA LEWIS Jury Number 2026-642 ACOSTA, ELENA A AGUILAR, LOUIS A ALBERT, MAYOLE MONIQUE ALEXANDER, BLAINE MICHAEL ALEXANDER, JERMAINE ALEXANDER, KAI JA’NIQUE ARCENEAUX, BRAD A ATWOOD, TASHA L AUGUSTA, REGINA BAILEY JR, PERRY BAILEY, SHARON BAILEY, TANYA M BAKER, IREAIL MARIE BAKER, WARREN L BARNETT, CORDELIA L BATES, GERALDINE LYNN BATISTE, JOSEPH LOWELL BECNEL, LISA BERTOLINO BENNETT, AMBER NICOLE BERMUDEZ PEREDA, ALEXANDER BILLIOT, TOBBY A BLANK, CHRISTINA HICKMAN BOE, BLAKE R BONILLA, NARDA KARINA BOURGEOIS, LOGAN AVERY BRINDIS PORTILLO, NATALIE BROOKS, COURTNEY DANIELLE BROWN III, EMANUEL BROWN, EVELLA BROWN, LANYZHA J’VON BROWN, SHEILA MONIQUE BUIE WALKER, PATRICIA MARIE BURKE, DANDRA LAYNETTE BURL, KATINA MARIE BURL, RICHARD B BUSH, INDRIA MICHELLE BUTLER, PAMELA REGINA BUTLER, TIMOTHY MICHAEL BYERS JR, LEVI CALVIN, ANITRA RENAE CAMBRE, JAMES A CARTER, DEMETRIA ROBINSON CARTHAN, ANTHONY MICHAEL CHAMBLISS, NICOLE LOIS CHAMPAGNE, CAROLYN WALLS CHARLES, ARIANNE DIONNE CHINCILLA, ANYI NICOL CHOPIN, JUDY MARIE CHRISTOPHER, JACQUELINE ROCHELLE CIECIERSKI, DAMIAN CLARK, KIM CLEMENT, DONNY R COBURN, MCKENZIE MARIE COLBERT, AMITA R COLEMAN JR, WALTER COLLINS, LARRY DARNELL CONEY, RODERICK VINCENT COOK, MONIQUE SORAPURU CORONADO, MAITTE COSME, FRANCES JOAN COSSE, NOAH JAMES COX, JOHN L CRAWFORD, CALEB LEON DAIGRE, CONSUELLA W DARENSBOURG, APRIL SANDIERS DAVIS, LYNN SPEARS DEE, DEVON L DENNIS, BETTY ANN DENNIS, NAIROBI DOLAN, BRANDON JON DOLIVE, MADISON FRANCIS DUHE, BRIAN M DUHE, BYRON PAUL DUHE, MADELEINE MARIE DUHE, MCKENZIE NICOLE DUHE, TYRA DANIELLE DUMAS III, RONALD EDWARDS, DONALD MARK EXUM, MARQUES DELEON FAUCHEUX, ROBERT J

LATE BIDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. 197759-AUG 18-24-2T $46.60 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. 192988-jul 2-aug 31-t

10,000 Apt Homes and 75 Locations with Studio, 1, 2 & 3 Bedrooms Pools, Access Gates, Garages (504) 360-9347

APARTMENT Efﬁciency #E $800. 4327 & 4329 Hollygrove Street: 1 Bedroom. Water Pd $900. 504-313-2192

CATS Young Male Cat, Gray Colors, Have too many cats, Looking for another home for him. Please call 504-861-9617 ($50)

METAIRIE 3513 EDENBORN AVENUE Lrg 2 Bed, 1 Bath * $925 * Off St Prkg Blocks from Lakeside 504-982-4040 * 504-885-8060 504-454-1333

DOGS AKC Standard Poodles. Black & Parti black & white. Ready to Go. Utd on all shots & worming. Text 228-669-8581 or 228-669-2377.

SPORTS

24/7

APARTMENT WESTBANK * $1300/Mo. 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, 4-Car Garage/Workshop. Pets OK. 504-913-4263

PUBLIC NOTICE --The Lowlander Center (https://www.lowland ercenter.org/) is an‐ nouncing a Request for Proposals (RFP) due Monday, August 31, to deconstruct spoil banks for a Canal Spoil Re‐ placement (Backfilling) Project. Please email admin@lowlandercenter. org with any questions by Tuesday, August 11. All questions and an‐ swers will be posted on the Lowlander Center canal backfilling project page (https://www.low landercenter.org/canalbackfilling) by Tuesday, August 18. Please see the project page for RFP, per‐ mits, plat maps, back‐ ground information about the project, and an informational slidedeck. This project is partially funded by the National Oceanic and Atmos‐ pheric Administration (NOAA), through a grant agreement with the Na‐ tional Fish and Wildlife

FELIPE, MARIBEL FENROY, NIKITA M FERNANDEZ, BRYAN ANTHONY FEY I, ANSLEY ST PIERRE FIELDS, PRECIOUS CEZIAH FORBES, PENNY RODRIGUE FREEMAN, DANIELLE HELTZ GABRIEL, JACQUELINE DENISE GONZALEZ-CARDENAS, LISSETTE GRAY, LISA HAYES GREEN, DWIGHT RUSSEL MCEWEN GREENE, KENNEDY LEORA GRIFFIN, LESLIE ADAMS GROSS, TA TANISHA NICHOLAS HALL, BRIDJETTE GASPARD HALL, DYLAHN ANTHONY HALL, JOELLE HARRIS, WALTER ROBERT HART, GARY L HAWKES, BRITTNEY MARRIE HAYES, JUSTINE HAYS, RODGER A HEBERT, MICHAEL EDWARD HEEPKE JR, RICHARD HILL, MELANIE DUHE HOOVER, GLORIA HULLETTE, SUZETTE A ISAAC, CLARENCE J JACKSON JR, DWIGHT DAVID JACKSON, EUMEKIA JACKSON JR, JARROD KENDRICK JACOB, BEVERLY J JACOB, CALIANA EVE JAMES, DETAYCSHA TYTLANNA JARROW, MYRON MICHAEL JAUFRE III, RAYMOND N JEANDRON, CHRISTINA S JEFFERSON, CABRINA LOCKETT JENKINS, KELAIR AIYANA JENSEN I, JACKSON NASH JOHNSON, ANTRANELL R JOHNSON, HEATHER MARIE JOHNSON, JARED M JOHNSON, JARRID PAUL JOHNSON, KRISTA BONICARD JOHNSON, TRAKISHA TURLEY JONES, DERAHYELLE MICHARIE JONES, KAYLEE JONES, MAIDA C JULIEN, LESLIE KELLER, DONNA O KELLER, GEORGE KELLEY, TONEY JAMISON KENNER, JESSICA L KING, DEMETRIS ELIZABETH KING, IESHA M LABRANCH, MONIQUE LAGRANGE, TRENEICE MARIE LAINEZ, CESAR LANDRY, BRETT MICHAEL LAVENDER, QUAJA NEAL AKIL LEBLANC, JUSTIN GABRIEL LEONARD, MONICA SIMMONS LEROUX JR, JOSEPH LEWIS, BRITTANY LYNN LEWIS, CHESTER R LIEBERMAN, JULIET D LOZANO, LISA T LUNA, JODI MORALES MABILE, STEVEN MAGEE, SANTALLIS MAIDEN, TRASHEEN ANN MARQUE, LYNYETTE F MARSHALL, TENAE ONGELLE MARTIN, ALFRED MARTIN, MARY A MARTIN, TAYLOR MCCLINTON, SONJA C MCCRACKEN, THERESA ANN MCGUIRE, RYAN EMANUEL MCNEILL SR, JACOB ANDREW LEWIS MILES, ELI MILLET JR, PATRICK ROLAND MILLET, TAMMY T MILLET JR, TODD JOSEPH MILTON, JACEY KEJON MITCHELL, LAKEISHA D MORRIS, JANIECE CECILIA

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Foundation, grant award number: NA23NOS4730219. The views and conclusions contained in this docu‐ ment are those of the au‐ thors and should not be interpreted as represent‐ ing the opinions or poli‐ cies of the U.S. Govern‐ ment or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and its funding sources. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Government, or the Na‐ tional Fish and Wildlife Foundation or its funding sources. 196005-aug 1-31-31t $$4,838.79

NEWS 24/7

CATS RAGAMUFFIN & RAGDOLL KITTENS www.CatsByFrancy.com/kittens $1500up! Reg. Shots & Guaranty 337-230-3150

METAIRIE 3201 RICHLAND AVENUE 1/2 Block off Vets * by Paretti Jaguar 1 Bed * Prkg * Pool * Rent $675/mo 504-320-6958 * 504-454-1333

APARTMENT 5708-B Tullis Dr, Westbank, 4BR/2BA. Stove, Refrigerator, Utilities, w/d Hookup, Central A/C, OffStreet Parking, Near Bus, $1800; 504-4543847 Ofﬁce, 504-512-2814 MP.

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Pets

GENTILLY 2544 ALLEN TOUSSAINT BLVD. NEWLY RENOVATED!!! 1-2 Bdrm Apts * From $800/mo Parking * Sec Gate 504-209-8054 * 504-454-1333 2850 IDAHO AVENUE 1 Block to Vets & Williams All Amenities * Pool * Parking Studio/1 Bed Apt * Starting $650/Mo 504-385-5482 * 504-454-1333

DUPLEX 8629 Apricot St. 3Br/1Ba, Cnt a/h, Sec 8. No Pets $1300. 504-344-2324

New Orleans Real Estate For Sale

APARTMENT WESTBANK * 3 Bedrooms /2.5 Baths, Double Garage, Private Yard. $1,800/Mo. 504-913-4263

KENNER

Merchandise

CEMETERY PLOTS Westlawn Cemetery Mausoleum, in the Chapel. Corr IV, Tier A, holds 6 interments $17,500. 504-259-0505

If you know the whereabouts of WILLIAM H. RAMBEAU, SR, please call or text Attorney Candace N. Newell at 504-294-9199. 197787-Aug 18-20, 3t $75.40

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

RECEPTIONIST

CEMETERY PLOT 1 For Sale. Restlawn Cemetery (Avondale, LA). $3800. Call 504-4583168.

If you know the whereabouts of FELIX LEWIS, please call or text Attorney Candace N. Newell at 504294-9199. 197790-Aug 18-20, 3t $71.20

Public Notices

LEGAL

Receptionist experience required. Email resume to mcurrault@deutschkerrigan.com

If you know the whereabouts of ERNEST VINCENT SCOTT, please call or text Attorney Candace N. Newell at 504-294-9199. 197794-Aug 18-20, 3t $73.30

If you know the whereabouts of RUDOLPH PAYNE, please call or text Attorney Candace N. Newell at 504294-9199. 197792-Aug 18-20, 3t $71.20

4710 MUSIC STREET, GENTILLY Home For Sale or Rent. $250,000 or $2,000/month. Ready October 1st. Call James 817-891-0453.

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --Notice to be posted: Community Leaders Ad‐ vocating Student Suc‐ cess Inc./ Fannie C. Williams Charter School Budget Meeting will be held on Thursday August 27, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the school Library, Ad‐ dress: 11755 Dwyer Road New Orleans, LA 70128. Also, you can attend via the zoom link below. The 2026-27 Budget will be approved at the meeting. The Budget is available for viewing in the Busi‐ ness Ofﬁce Monday- Fri‐ day 9a.m. to 3p.m. or you can contact the ofﬁce at 504-373-6228 Ext 7. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/86725218911? pwd=AczazANrSMzvT26 Eo3m1MecDbfG6Ct.1

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

PUBLIC NOTICE --ReNEW-Reinventing Edu‐ cation will introduce the 2026-27 budget and hold its ﬁrst public hearing on the 2026-27 budget on May 14, 2026 at 5:30 pm at Edgar P Harney Build‐ ing located at 2503 Wil‐ low St., New Orleans, LA 70113 (LA R.S. 39:1307). ReNEW-Reinventing Edu‐ cation is the charter school management or‐ ganization operating ReNEW Laurel Elemen‐ tary, ReNEW Dolores T. Aaron Elementary, ReNEW Schaumburg Ele‐ mentary, and ReNEW Moton Lakefront Elemen‐ tary. A physical copy of the 2026-2027 budget is available at 10001 Lake Forest Blvd., Suite 710, New Orleans, LA 70127.

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

ORDER PAGE REPRINTS ANYTIME

186911-may 9-aug 27 $956

Meeting ID: 867 2521 8911 Passcode: UFJ0tC 197271-aug 13-27-15t $180.10

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MORVANT, JENNIFER ANDERSON MURRAY, MATTHEW WILLIAM MUSSMAN, RANDALL PARQUET, JEROME MARK PATROWSKY, TIFFANY LYNN PAYNE, TOREY TYRIC PERRET, DANIEL PETER PERRILLOUX SR, MARVIN J PERRY SR, CORY JAMIL PITRE, CURT D RAYBORN, BRIAN D REEVES II, MICHAEL DAVID RICHARD, DERRICK JEROME RIEDLINGER, PATRICIA MARIE RIXNER, REGINA VICTORIA RODRIGUEZ, LOGAN MATTHEW ROJO, JOANELL CARMINA ROWLING, DERIK SANDERS, GREGORY TYRONE SAVOIE, DORIS S SCIONEAUX, KIM T SCOTT, BRADLEY ALLEN SILLINGER, LESLIE KATHLEEN SMITH, AMARI SMITH, AMBER JANIECE’ SMITH, CORTEZ MICHAEL SMITH, GEORGE CLAYTON SMITH, JARROD MIMS SMITH, JORDAN NICOLE SNYDER, ALLANTE TREYON SNYDER, TYREN EDWARD SOILEAU, JESSICA LYNN SOTO, MARISOL STAGGERS, ALLEN ROSS STEMLEY, JORDAN JAMAL STERLING, DAJIA MONEA STEVENS, TYSEN ANDREW STEWART, MADISON ARIEL STPIERRE JR, LEROY J TAMPLAIN, KAIRA MARIE TAPP, DIOR L TATMANE, ADRIENNE M TAYLOR, DERRIUS U TAYLOR, MELANIE M TEMPLE, CASSANDRA THOMAS, IZELL THOMAS, JANEESE NICOLE THOMAS, THERON THOMAS, TIKILA L TRACK, CARLYN DE’ANNA TRAN, QUOC TRICHE, ADRIAN TUCO, AUGUST L TUCO, JANARIO DESHAWN TURNER, DEATRICE J USSIN, SHARON S VALLADARES, ROCIO VANESSA VARMALL, NAKEITHTA DANIELLE VERDE MORALES, MIQUEL RAUL VICKNAIR JR, WAYNE J VILLALTA, SUYAPA CONCEPCION WAITS JR, JOE A WARNER, SHERLENE DENETTA WASHINGTON, EVA MARIE WASHINGTON, PATRICE M WASHINGTON, SHIRLEY WASHINGTON, WANDA LEE WEBBER, ERIKA WEBER, LORRAINE WHITE, MICHELLE MORGAN WILLIAMS, DENZEL WILLIAMS, LYRIC ANNISHA WILLIAMS, SHANIYA EMONEE WILLIAMS, SHEILA A WILSON JR, GERALD EUGENE WILSON, JEREMIAH JACOB WILSON, SHONDEL CARLTON WILTZ, LORI PORCHE WING, KATIE MAY WOLFE, DARREN E WRIGHT, JACQUELINE S YOUNG, DOROTHY GRADY Juror Count: 250

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8D ✦ Tuesday,August 18, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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40th Judicial District Court St John the Baptist Parish, Clerk of Court News Paper Report Persons Subject to Service as 2026-670 Jurors for the Session of Civil Court Beginning Monday, August 24, 2026 at 10:00 AM Before Judge J. STERLING SNOWDY Jury Number 2026-670 ABADIE, ANTHONY P ALBRECHT, FRANK A ALEXANDER, ANGEL MARIE ALEXANDER, ROLINE L ALEXIS II, MERLIN B ALLEN, JAHARI ANDERSON, LAWRENCE JAMES ANDERSON, OSTON ANDERSON, ROXANNE ANDERSON, TROY A ANDRUS, DWAYNE JOSEPH ANDRUS, EILEEN SHANKLIN ARMONT, CARLA RENA ARMSTRONG, KENDI AMIR ASHLEY, SHAWN CHRISTOPHER AUGUST, BETTY JEAN CANNON BAILEY III, THOMAS RUSSELL BAKER, ANTONIO KENT BARTHOLOMEW, MORELL BELL, ZIVEIOIEION LATROY BERNARD, ALVIN BICKFORD, ANGELA MOON BLAIR, SAMANTHA LYNN BOLDEN, HOBSON BOLDEN, JUANITA PARRILLA BOLDEN, SOQUORIA LAZELL BONADONA, SOPHIA ELIZABETH BORNE, ELLINGTON BRISSET, JULIE SUZANNE BURL, AKEEM CAESH, GEORGE A CARTER, LORENZA S CHAUVIN, LINDSEY CHAVARRIA, NATALY DENESE CHENIER, RICKY J CLESI II, MICHAEL COLEMAN, DAJON JEMAL COLLINS, SCHANA CONIGLIO-VICKNAIR, MYRA COOK, ANDREIA H COOK, KAREN DENISE DAIGREPONT, JENNIFER MARIE DARENSBOURG JR, MALCOLM A DAVIS, KENYATTA D DAVIS, WILFRED DELGADO, JOAQUIN GERARDO DENNIS, LATOYA DASHAUN DEXTER, JASMINE DOMINIQUE DIAZ, JOSEPH DILLWORTH, QUESHAWNTA LASHASH DORCH, JAMONN EUGENE DUFRENE, LILLY T DUFRENE, MEREDITH K DUHON, WENDY INEZ EDWARDS, LATRICE CHRISTINA ENTREMONT, MATTHEW JAMES

MAUS, CHRISTOPHER L MCCLAIN I, DAEJON RASHAD MILES, ROSIE MARY MITCHELL, ELISHA MOORE JR, CHRISTOPHER ALLEN MORRIS, BOBBY MORRIS, DURELL TITUS MORTON, MATTHEW VINCENT NAQUIN, BRANDON DWAYNE NAVARRE, JANET JOHNSON NELSON, TIFFANY DANIELLE PAUL, ALYSSIA LAJUANE PERALTA PENA, JEFFREY DE JESUS PERRET JR, ALVIN MARK PIERRE, ALIYAH BRISHONN PIERRE, CASSANDRA PLACIDE, TERRENCE POTTER, BARBARA T RAMOS JR, NELSON RAPHAEL, RAENELL ANGELA ROBERTS, DEYSHAUN ARIELLE ROBERTS, MELINDA WATTS ROBERTSON III, ALBERT ROBERTSON, ORLANDO W ROBERTSON, TIKEVA RASHON RODRIGUE, EVELYN C RODRIGUEZ, NATHALY SHAENTAL SANDERS, ANGELA M SCHEXNAYDER, KERRY M SCOTT, KHOI TRE’LYN SHAW, LLOYD A SLACK III, SAMUEL BERTRAND SMITH, ALONDRIA DANIELLE SOSA, ERICK FRANCISCO STEIN, KAY K STOKES, SHEMEKO DALE STOUT, CODY KATHERINE TASSIN, MICHELLE GROVER THOMAS, DOMINIQUE AMY URSIN, MORGAN JEROME HOUSTON URSIN, THEOTIS DEPAUL VALENTINE, SHELTON VICKNAIR III, WHITNEY JOSEPH VINNETE, RODNEY JACOBE WALKER, BRYANT K WATSON JR, JAMES DAVID WATSON, TRACY ADAMS WEBB, SHAUNDRA HOWARD WEBRE, DONAVON LEE WHITE JR, MICHAEL WILLIAMS, DEMI ANGEL WILLIAMS, MELENE GASTINELL WILLIAMS, MELISSA DAWN WILSON, CRAIG YOUNG, KATHY T Juror Count: 175

EUGENE, GESHIA JONDRA FAVORITE, SAMONE SHEREAL FORD, DONALD JOSEPH FOREST, TOMMY FORSYTHE, SCOTT JOHN FOSTER, AMARI RAE’JON FOSTER JR, CLARENCE FOSTER, KAMERON MIKEAL GAMBLE, VICTORIA F GARCIA, GRETCHEN SEEGER GEASON JR, LAWRENCE GIBSON, KEIVONJONAE GIBSON JR, RODNEY GILDERSLEEVE, CYNTHIA ANN GONZALEZ, ALEX RODNEY GORDON, DEBRA P GORDON, MELISSA M GRAY JR, LYLE CYRIL GROVER, SHANEDOLYN GULLAGE, TRACY HAYWOOD II, JOSEPH JOHN HELTZ, DARRELL J HIRALDO, ASHLEY DOLORES HOLLAND, JHERICA MARIE HOLLINGSWORTH, WALTER HOLTHAUS, MICKEY CHARLES HOWARD, BERNARD HUGHES, JAMIE JACKSON, JAYCEY CATHERINE JACOBS, NATHANIEL JARREAU, STACEY ANN JASMINE, LISCHELLE MARIE JIMMERSON III, LANSON JOHNSON, BARRY O JOHNSON, DAKEIA SHAMONE JOHNSON, DARLENE C JOHNSON, KAY F JOHNSON, LAMONT BENARD JOHNSON, MARKEISHA A JOHNSON, MICKIA JAMESHA JOHNSON, NATHANIEL CAMIA JOHNSON, SUMMER AALIYAH JOSEPH, SYMONE JOSHUA JR, BYRON JULIEN, TAMMY LYNN KERLEC, LLOYD FRANCIS KIMBALL, SYLVIA R KING, LULA TASSIN LAICHE, RYAN AUBRY LANDRY, AMBER JOANNE LANDRY, JULIA B LEBLANC, PAULA T LEBOEUF, BERTHA MARIE LEDUFF II, BOBBY LEE, VARNELL K LENNIX, ROSALIND PARQUET LEWIS, BYRON LEWIS, KRISTEL L LOMBARDO, BRIDGET D LOWRY, HANNAH MARIE MACKLES, LAURA AUDREY MARQUEZ, KARLA M MARRERO, KEVIN J MATHERNE, JOHN S

195642-672439-aug 18-1t $ 273.42

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