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La. child welfare agency touts progress Lawmakers express skepticism at committee meeting

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Leaders for the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services say they have made strides in alleviating the heavy caseloads for Child Protective Services staff that have long plagued the agency, all but eliminating

backlogs in every region outside of Baton Rouge. But some lawmakers expressed skepticism about those assertions when they spoke with DCFS ofﬁcials at the State Capitol on Monday, during a meeting of the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children that lasted eight hours. State Sen. Patrick McMath, R-

Covington, questioned how the agency could have reduced caseloads when it appeared to be losing staff. Lawmakers also raised concerns about agency’s decision to reassign around 100 state ofﬁce staff to positions in the ﬁeld, and about a policy that changed how foster parents are paid. In recent years, DCFS has faced

intense scrutiny over its handling of child deaths related to abuse and neglect. And a 2025 annual report from Kathleen Stewart Richey, the state’s child ombudsman, found that the agency had unnecessarily separated a pair of siblings in foster care, communicated poorly with families and left children in psychiatric care after they were discharged — sometimes for months. Those findings surfaced dur-

Colleges work to comply with Ten Commandments law

State requires display of the religious text in all public classrooms

ä See PROGRESS, page 5A

Trump threatens to bomb Oman

Country’s deal with Iran angers president, officials say

BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

In a classroom at Fletcher Technical Community College in Terrebonne Parish, a poster bears the Ten Commandments, ﬂanked by the likenesses of Moses and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson. A whiteboard emphasizing important dates in the semester hangs to the right of the 3,000-year-old text. “THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S “We have a WIFE,” the newly inresponsibility as stalled poster states. “FINALS. CHRISTa state agency MAS BREAK,” the to follow the whiteboard states. law, so that’s As Louisiana colwhat we’re lege students return to campus this doing.” month, they will enRICH VATH, counter mandated executive director displays of the Ten of external affairs Commandments in for the University of their classrooms. This fall marks the Louisiana system first full semester since a federal appeals court in February allowed the Louisiana law requiring displays of the religious text in all public classrooms — including the lecture halls of colleges and universities — to take effect. “We have a responsibility as a state agency to follow the law, so that’s what we’re doing,” said Rich Vath, executive director of external affairs for the University of Louisiana system. Many of Louisiana’s public higher education institutions have completed or nearly completed the task of hanging the posters in their classrooms, according to administrators. The law left some ambiguity about how to comply on a college campus, where “classroom” can be a murky term. At UL institutions, for example, lab spaces are

ing the recent legislative session, when concerns about the department came to a boiling point. Some lawmakers, including McMath and state Sen. Regina Barrow, DBaton Rouge, entertained whether the state should dismantle the department altogether and assign its work to other state agencies. Monday’s committee meeting, where DCFS officials faced

BY SAMY MAGDY

Associated Press

PHOTO PROVIdEd By MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITy

ä See COLLEGES, page 7A The Ten Commandments are displayed in a classroom at McNeese State University.

CAIRO — U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman because he is unhappy that the country is close to a deal with Iran to manage ship trafﬁc through the Strait of Hormuz, two regional officials said on ONFLICT Tuesday, a day af- CO ter Trump leveled IN THE T the threat. MIIDDLE The officials EAST AST said the Trump administration has told Oman it is opposed to parts of the yet-to-be-announced deal, including the joint Iranian and Omani management of the exit route out of the passage that’s critical to global supplies of oil and natural gas. The officials were briefed on the U.S. position and how the administration views Oman’s position. Meanwhile, a projectile hit a ship as it sailed out of the strait, and a cargo vessel was rendered a “constructive total loss” by multiple projectiles off the coast of Yemen, according to the British military’s maritime monitoring agency. The defense ministry of the United Arab Emirates said two ballistic missiles were launched from Iran toward the UAE. An Iranian ofﬁcial said the strait would not reopen until the United States meets Iran’s conditions. The U.S. believes Oman has not been tough enough in its negotiations with Iran and is unhappy

ä See OMAN, page 7A

Lake Charles auditorium restored $230,000 project repairs damage from hurricanes

BY COURTNEY PEDERSEN Staff writer

Six years after hurricanes left it with a damaged roof, ﬂooring, curtains and seats, a historic Lake Charles auditorium is again ready to raise the curtain. City ofﬁcials, community lead-

WEATHER HIGH 96 LOW 76 PAGE 10C

ers and project partners gathered Monday to celebrate the renovation of the Benjamin W. Mount Auditorium inside the Central School community center on Kirby Street. The $230,000 project restored the theater while adding new lighting, sound and other modern capabilities intended to make it a venue for performances, community events and other programming. “The Benjamin Mount Auditorium carries the name of a man who understood the power of the arts and what the arts mean to us

as a community but also to our culture in Southwest Louisiana,” Lake Charles Mayor Marshall Simien said. “We pray that we be good stewards, so that when we pass the baton on to the next generation, they cannot only just achieve what has been achieved here but take it much further.” Lake Charles Director of Community Services Mike Castille said the project went beyond simply restoring the auditorium.

STAFF PHOTO By COURTNEy PEdERSEN

Lake Charles city officials and representatives from the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana cut the ribbon for the newly ä See RESTORED, page 5A renovated Benjamin W. Mount Auditorium on Monday.

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2A ● Wednesday, August 19, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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FROM WIRE REPORTS

Explosions tear through Ohio building, killing 2

TOLEDO, Ohio — Explosions rocked an Ohio industrial recycling business early Tuesday, killing two workers and sparking a large fire, officials said. Flames and dark smoke poured from Brent Industries in Toledo as fire engines surrounded the building, TV news video showed. Crews later discovered the bodies of two employees, a man and a woman, inside the smoldering building, said Toledo Fire Chief Allison Armstrong. Two or three other employees had minor injuries, she said. Two explosions occurred shortly before 5 a.m., during a shift change, Armstrong said. Crews had to deal with hazardous materials, runoff and the threat of more explosions while first searching for victims and accounting for the other employees, she said. Environmental officials said monitors showed that there was no hazardous threat in the air. Demetrius Langston said he felt the explosion half a mile away. He ran outside with his phone and captured video of a huge plume of smoke rising into the dark sky. “The shock waves came down the block,” he said. “Then we all heard it again. Boom! You could feel it.”

Woman accused in plot gets 6 years in prison WASHINGTON — A Massachusetts woman who told police that she brought homemade ﬁrebombs to the U.S. Capitol to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was sentenced on Tuesday to just over six years in prison. Riley English, a 26-year-old transgender woman, said she was in the grips of a mental health crisis and abusing drugs when she drove to Washington in January 2025 and told Capitol police that she was there to kill Bessent on the day of his Senate conﬁrmation. “I never wanted to hurt anyone,” she told U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras. “I’m not a political person. I’m not a violent person.” Contreras, who was nominated to the bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, sentenced English to six years and one month of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. English has remained jailed since her arrest and will get credit for the nearly 20 months that she already has spent in custody. She pleaded guilty in March to two weapons charges. “You’ve had a very difficult life,” Contreras told English. “Hopefully, the progress you’ve made in jail to this date has set you on the right path.” Nobody was injured, and Contreras said her plan to harm Bessent had an “exceedingly low or nonexistent” chance of success.

Comedians settle suit over airport drug search ATLANTA — Comedians Eric André and Clayton English have reached a settlement in a lawsuit they filed challenging a police program at the Atlanta airport that they said used racial profiling and coercive searches just as airline passengers, particularly Black passengers, were about to board their flights. The lawsuit, originally filed in October 2022, alleged that the two men were racially profiled and illegally stopped by Clayton County police at HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport. The settlement agreement, announced Tuesday by the pair’s lawyers, does not include an admission of fault or liability but says the county has ended the program at issue and has no intention of reactivating it. Both men said officers at the airport singled them out because they were Black and grilled them about drugs while other passengers watched during separate stops about six months apart. In an interview when the lawsuit was filed, André called the experience “dehumanizing and demoralizing.” The stated purpose of the program was to fight drug trafficking, but the lawsuit said drugs are rarely found, criminal charges seldom result, and seized cash provides a financial windfall for the police department.

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End to military drills hurt South Korea alliance, observers say Joint exercises prepare for conflicts with North Korea

Liberia agrees to take 1,200 deportees from U.S.

BY HYUNG-JIN KIM

BY MARK MENGONFIA

SEOUL, South Korea — For decades, the United States and South Korea have regularly staged military drills to prepare their soldiers to work together smoothly in the event of a crisis or conﬂict with North Korea. But this year’s Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, one of two main drills conducted by the allies annually, could be disrupted after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered his Pentagon chief to “substantially” scale it back just before its start Monday. He cited what he said was a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s refusal to join the U.S. war against Iran. It was unclear what parts of the 11-day exercise were being cut and to what extent, but many experts say Trump’s move threatens to hurt combined U.S.South Korean readiness and eventually weaken their decades-long alliance. The Ulchi Freedom Shield, or UFS, is largely a computer-simulated command post exercise meant to hone the allies’ ability to deal with potential regional security threats like North Korean aggression. The two countries usually hold ﬁeld training exercises during the command post exercise period. South Korea’s military had earlier said this year’s exercise would be similar in scale to previous years, with the participation of about 18,000 South Korean

MONROVIA, Liberia — Liberia has agreed to accept up to 1,200 third-country deportees from the United States, authorities in the West African country said Tuesday, in one of the largest such arrangements under the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on immigration. The deportees will be received within a year, with the first batch of 20 expected on Thursday, Liberia’s Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah told reporters. The 1,200 deportees will include Africans as well as nationals from North America, South America and the Caribbean, Piah said. Under a series of often-secret agreements, the Trump administration has deported thousands of people to nearly two dozen countries that are not their own, advocates say, with about 10 of them in Africa. A key issue in the agreements is that they can involve migrants with protection orders from a U.S. immigration judge not to be returned to their home countries because of concerns for their safety. The Liberian minister did not say if the deportees expected in Liberia had such protection orders. Liberia’s Justice Minister Natu Oswald Tweh said at Tuesday’s brieﬁng that the country has screened the list of migrants ahead of their arrival. “Most of them are people who had immigration violations and offenses,” he said. They “may wish to seek asylum” in Liberia after their arrival or “can leave the country whenever they desire,” Piah said. Piah added that Liberia will receive support from the U.S. to manage the program and strengthen its migration system. “Liberia’s gesture is entirely humanitarian and in keeping with the country’s longstanding traditions,” he said. “The government of Liberia intends to provide the transferred persons with the necessary support to seek protection in Liberia and to be safe during their stay here.”

Associated Press

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By AHN yOUNG-JOON

U.S. Army soldiers conduct a training exercise on a river in yeoncheon, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, on Tuesday. soldiers. The U.S. military said it would incorporate lessons from recent conflicts such as North Korea’s battlefield experiences on the Russia-Ukraine front. Local media reported South Korea and the U.S. had planned 14 field training exercises. The UFS, along with a similar joint war game in the spring, is a central pillar of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, which dates back to the 1950-53 Korean War. But it’s also a long-running source of tensions with North Korea, which has denounced the exercises as a rehearsal for war and responded with provocative missile tests. On Friday, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry accused the U.S. and South Korea of plotting more provocative drills this year and vowed to respond with “a new level of a deterrent.” The U.S. and South Korea have said their regular drills are defensive in nature.

In a social media post, Trump called the exercise costly, “with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America.” During his first term, Trump complained about the cost of drills with South Korea, suspending joint exercises in 2018 to advance now-stalled nuclear negotiations with North Korea. Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of about 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, visited South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Tuesday for talks likely focusing on the adjustment of this year’s drills, according to media reports. South Korea’s Defense Ministry said it couldn’t confirm the reports. Yang Uk, an analyst at Seoul’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said the U.S. will likely participate in the command post exercise but cancel “some costly field training that requires large-scale movements of troops.”

Navy destroyer breaks down in the Pacific BY KONSTANTIN TOROPIN

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A U.S. Navy destroyer with about 300 sailors aboard suffered a major breakdown in the Pacific Ocean last month that left it without power for four days, the Navy conﬁrmed in a statement. The USS Benfold “reported an engineering casualty involving its generators, causing a loss of power” on July 24, Navy spokesman Cmdr. Matthew Comer said in the statement. The breakdown meant the crew went without

drinking water, meals, functioning toilets and air conditioning for days aboard the ship, Comer said. The incident, which only became public on Friday when it was ﬁrst reported by USNI News, comes as the Pentagon grapples with serious questions about the quality of life aboard naval vessels and the military’s ability to supply ships during the conﬂict with Iran. Democratic lawmakers are calling for investigations into conditions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Reports last week revealed that the ship, which has spent a record-setting

250 uninterrupted days at sea, has experienced shortages of supplies, including food and hygiene products, while crew members have suffered from stress and poor mental health. Comer stressed that there were no injuries to the crew of the Benfold, “who demonstrated resilience, grit, professionalism, and unwavering steadiness in their response,” but that the ship needed assistance from the George Washington carrier strike group. The cruiser USS Robert Smalls provided meals to the stricken destroyer.

Frank Beard, drummer for rock trio ZZ Top, dies at 77 BY MARK KENNEDY Associated Press

NEW YORK — Frank Beard, the drummer for the Texas boogie-rock trio ZZ Top who kept the tempo for the band’s biggest hits like “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs” and “Gimme All Your Lovin,” has died. He was 77. Beard was in hospice care when he died Tuesday at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, with family members at his side, according to publicist Bob Merlis. Band co-founder and guitarist Billy Gibbons, on tour with bassist Elwood Francis, hailed Beard in a statement. “Today, Elwood and I lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great and true son of Texas. His signature backbeat was key to keeping ZZ on top. The band of which he was part for six decades is going to keep on keeping on as he had wished,” Gibbons said. ZZ Top sold more than 50 million records and had six singles that reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. Seven of their albums have been in the Billboard 200’s Top 10 and they earned three Grammy Award nominations. “I’ve found the people I was meant to play with,” Beard says in the 2019 documentary “ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band from Texas.” “I never wanted to quit, and never wanted to get ﬁred.” Beard, from Frankston, Texas, met Gibbons in a band called The Moving Sidewalks and later introduced bassist and vocalist Dusty Hill who had been in several bands with Beard. The trio formed ZZ Top in 1969, naming themselves in part after blues singer Z.Z. Hill and inﬂuenced by the British power trio Cream and Jimmy Reed. They main-

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ASSOCIATEd PRESS FILE PHOTO

ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard died Tuesday at his ranch in Richmond, Texas. He was 77.

tained their original lineup for more than ﬁve decades. Their signature look — long, bushy beards on Gibbons and Hill, and dark sunglasses for all — didn’t change much, either. ZZ Top songs — with their sly and humorous lyrics — were popular in Hollywood, which used “Gimme All Your Lovin’ ” in “Happy Feet,” “Sharp Dressed Man” in “Evan Almighty,” “Legs” in “Air,” “Sleeping Bag” in “I, Tonya,” “Tush” in “Dazed and Confused,” “Mexican Blackbird” in “From Dusk Till Dawn” and “La Grange” in “Armageddon.” “The best way to describe ZZ Top is we’re interpreters of a great American art form,” Gibbons told The Dallas Morning News. Hill died in 2021. In March 2025, the band announced via Instagram that Beard would temporarily step away from the band’s tour to tend to foot and ankle problems. Beard died weeks after ZZ Top called off its Aug. 5 concert at the Hollywood Bowl due to his health issues. Beard is survived by his wife, Debbie Meredith, and three children.

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Israel strikes air Images show SpaceX crater on moon crashed into base in north Syria Rocket lunar surface Syria and to ensure It said it was against accountability for these acthat disregard internapreventing troops tions tional law.” from deploying The Britain-based Syr-

BY SAMAR KASSABALI Associated Press

DAMASCUS, Syria — Israel struck an air base in northwest Syria early Tuesday, saying it aimed to prevent Turkish troops from deploying there. Turkey, which has close ties with the Syrian government and has been providing assistance to Syria’s military, has tense relations with Israel. The rival countries have sought to curb each other’s influence in neighboring Syria. Eight strikes hit the runway of the Abu Duhur air base in the northwestern province of Idlib, causing damage but no casualties, state TV said. Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani told reporters in Damascus that Syria condemns the “Israeli aggression,” adding that the strikes were “an unjustiﬁed provocation, a violation of Syria’s sovereignty, and a direct threat to regional and global stability.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ofﬁce said in a statement that Israel had attacked the base because Syria had been “on the verge of breaching” an agreed-upon “status quo in security matters” by allowing Turkish troops to deploy there. “Israel repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel’s security. Syria chose to ignore these warnings,” the statement said. The Foreign Ministry of Turkey condemned the attack in a statement and called for “the international community to take a more decisive stance to end Israel’s escalating aggression

ian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said foreign fighters used to stay at the base before they were recently asked to leave. The Observatory added that Turkey, which is a main backer of Syria’s government, has been rehabilitating the air base that had been out of service for years during Syria’s conflict that left nearly half a million people dead. Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, posted on X that Washington is “deeply concerned that the confirmed Israeli airstrikes” on the Abu Duhur air base constitute “an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability.” The government of Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has neither “adopted a predatory posture nor maintained proxy forces” but has repeatedly indicated a preference for de-escalation with Israel, Barrack said. The United States has in the past hosted, and will continue in the future to host, discussions to encourage diplomacy, Barrack added. Regional countries including Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia also issued statements condemning the strikes. Since the fall of Bashar Assad’s government in December 2024 when insurgents marched into his seat of power in Damascus, tensions between Israel and Turkey over Syria have been on the rise. Israel carried out hundreds of airstrikes around Syria after Assad’s fall, mainly destroying assets of the Syrian army to keep them out of the hands of his successors.

BY MARCIA DUNN AP aerospace writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A NASA spacecraft circling the moon is providing the sharpest views yet of the crater carved by a crashing SpaceX rocket. The space agency released beforeand-after photos of the impact area on Tuesday. The Falcon rocket’s upper stage plowed into the moon at 5,400 mph on Aug. 5 after drifting through space for more than a year. It launched a pair of private moon landers with experiments and even a tiny rover in 2025 as part of NASA’s push to commercialize lunar exploration. Based on these new photos by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the fresh crater appears to be 60 feet across and less than 10 feet deep, according to scientists. Dark and bright streaks are clearly visible emanating like butterﬂy wings from the crater. The darker lines represent excavated material that was close to the surface and shaped by eons of solar wind, cosmic rays and

NASA PHOTOS

Images taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter shows before, left, and after images of a fresh crater on the moon created by a collision with a SpaceX rocket. micrometeorite strikes. The brighter rays indicate fresh rocks and dirt that were hurled from farther down. The spacecraft photographed the crater a week after the collision from 60 miles up, while zooming along at one mile per second. Flight controllers had to tilt the spacecraft so its cameras pointed toward the impact scene. The orbiter completes a lunar polar

orbit every two hours, as the moon rotates beneath. It took six days before the crash scene came into view. South Korea’s Danuri spacecraft was ﬁrst on the scene to beam back photos. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been orbiting the moon since 2009, serving as NASA’s up-close eyes as the space agency works to return astronauts to the lunar surface.

AI-tool helps secure satellite communication

Viasat’s chief of cyber strategy, theater. Cybersecurity company fare Atalanta’s leaders say the new tech- Nick Saunders, said the new technolnology relies on what it calls “soft- ogy not only ensures that the Viasat aims to protect software ware understanding,” combining network is hardened against future

BY KONSTANTIN TOROPIN Associated Press

WASHINGTON — On the same day it invaded Ukraine in 2022, Russia disabled thousands of satellite modems across Ukraine and other European countries, aiming to disrupt communications. A new AI-assisted tool aims to help close that kind of vulnerability amid concerns about continued Russian aggression and newer Iranian threats to cyber infrastructure. The cybersecurity company Atalanta has released “Argo” — a product that includes the technology that was instrumental in securing Viasat’s satellite communications network after the Russian hacking attack. Industry experts say it presents a new capability for those trying to defend critical systems in the emerging cyberwar-

complex mathematics along with artificial intelligence technology to create the first commercially available system that can analyze software and internet-connected systems for vulnerabilities in a more comprehensive manner. The conflicts in both Ukraine and Iran have highlighted the danger that hackers can pose to everyday life. This summer several government agencies have warned that Iranian hackers have been targeting water and wastewater systems, among other critical infrastructure. “The tools and techniques of yesterday do not scale for today and ‘software understanding’ is going to be the path forward for anyone building a system of consequence for the United States,” Atalanta CEO and cofounder Anjana Rajan told The Associated Press.

attacks but produces the math that backs up that claim. “We have built over the past year, working with Atalanta ... a capability where we can start to develop an understanding of how our systems are more resilient against attacks,” Saunders said. Atalanta’s technology has also been tapped to work on the Genesis Mission — the Department of Energy’s effort to create autonomous nuclear reactors. Greg Shannon, the chief cybersecurity scientist at the government’s Idaho National Laboratory, said the kind of technology that Atalanta is making available will likely eventually become the standard for testing any new capability. “In a decade or two, I would expect it to be just part of the standard development tool kits,” Shannon added.

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White House moves Minn. AG sues Texas governor Ellison seeking to to end roadless rule compel extradition of on national forests ICE agent for trial BY SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press

BY MARK VANCLEAVE and RUSS BYNUM Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota’s attorney general sued the governor of Texas on Tuesday, seeking to compel the extradition of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent charged with wounding a man and then lying to justify the shooting during the agency’s crackdown in Minneapolis. Attorney General Keith Ellison is asking a federal judge to bar the sheriff in Cameron County, Texas, from releasing ICE agent Christian Castro, and to order Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to sign his extradition warrant so that Minnesota officers can take custody. Minnesota officials have clashed with the federal government over who has jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute federal officers for onduty conduct. Ellison is a Democrat and Abbott is a Republican ally of President Donald Trump. Castro was arrested in Texas in May on Minnesota charges of assault and falsely reporting a crime in the Jan. 14 wounding of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. Castro, 52, is accused of firing a gun through the front door of a Minneapolis home, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg with a bullet that lodged in a child’s bedroom wall.

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is asking a federal judge to order Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to sign an ICE agent’s extradition warrant so that Minnesota officers can take him into custody. Prosecutors say Castro then falsely accused Sosa-Celis and another man of attacking an ICE officer with a broom handle and a snow shovel. Ellison told a news conference that unless he’s extradited, Castro could be released from jail next week — 90 days since he was detained — under Texas law. And if he’s freed, Castro could slip into Mexico from the border town where he’s being held, Ellison said. The lawsuit said Castro has been making calls from jail to a woman in Mexico, talking “about marrying her

U.S., Canada hold last-minute talks to stop tariffs BY PAUL WISEMAN and ROB GILLIES Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The U.S. and Canada were negotiating in an effort to reach a truce on tariffs before a midnight Wednesday deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump. If no deal is reached, Trump has threatened to impose 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian products, ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Trump have spoken twice by phone in the past two days about the ongoing negotiations, including another call Tuesday afternoon, Carney’s office said, underscoring the last-minute push for a deal.

“We are negotiating,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters Monday, speaking in French. “The negotiations are very intense and delicate. This is not the time to talk about negotiations in public.” The two countries have wrangled for decades over trade, poking each other over sore spots like Canadian softwood lumber imports and U.S. access to Canada’s protected dairy market. Somehow they still managed to remain friends, allies and trading partners. Canadian soldiers fought alongside Americans in Afghanistan after 9/11. The 5,525-mile U.S.-Canada border is undefended, and nearly 330,000 people and $2 billion worth of goods cross it every day; 800,000 Canadians

live in the United States. Trump’s approach to dealing with Canada marks an extraordinary departure from the traditionally cooperative relationship between the two countries. Trump has hit Canadian goods with tariffs — in a push to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. — and has repeatedly made inﬂammatory comments about turning Canada into America’s 51st state. The Canadian public is fed up. A petition to expel the U.S. ambassador, a Trump ally, has collected nearly 218,000 signatures since July 21. It accuses Ambassador Pete Hoekstra of having “normalized” Trump’s talk of annexing Canada, among other complaints.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Trump administration announced Tuesday it is moving ahead with plans to rescind a quarter-century-old rule that blocked logging, road building and other development on national forest lands, drawing the ire of environmentalists nationwide. The U.S. Forest Service is filing a proposal that would scrap the so-called roadless rule adopted in the last days of Bill Clinton’s presidency in 2001. The agency described the rule as a one-size-fits-all restriction that has frustrated land managers and served as a barrier to reducing wildfire risks in the nation’s forests. “Our forests can’t afford another decade of inaction. Across the country, we’ve watched preventable conditions — overgrown stands, insect outbreaks and disease — turn healthy landscapes into tinderboxes,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement. Scientists say that worsening wildfires are driven by a combination of climate change that warms and dries out forests, less logging and decades of fire suppression that has allowed fuels to build up. Clinton had signed the rule to safeguard undeveloped national forest land from commercial logging and mineral leasing, with a goal of keeping ecosystems pristine and protecting water supplies. Calling the roadless rule

a failure, Rollins said the proposal calls for restoring authority to local forest managers and removing barriers that have kept them from improving forest health across millions of acres. The roadless rule has affected 30% of national forest lands nationwide, or about 59 million acres, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the agency over the Forest Service. The Forest Service will gather public comment on the proposal and on a draft of the environmental impact statement that was filed Tuesday in the Federal Register. While the rescission removes national designation of roadless areas, officials say it doesn’t mandate timber cutting or road construction. The filing of the proposal comes as no surprise as the Trump administration first announced its intention to get rid of the rule during a meeting last summer of Western governors in New Mexico. Environmentalists have been sounding the alarm since then and reiterated Tuesday that lifting protections would have detrimental effects for old growth forests, wildlife and water supplies. “Americans across the political spectrum have made it crystal clear that they don’t want political appointees removing protections from public lands,” said Chris Krupp, an attorney with the group WildEarth Guardians. “It would be a gross misreading of public sentiment to take the roadless rule away from Americans and our wildlife, and politicians do so at their jeopardy.”

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Clinton policy blocked logging on U.S. land

and buying a house in Mexico when he is released.” “Christian Castro has been charged with breaking the law in Minnesota,” Ellison said. “He must face justice in Minnesota. Gov. Abbott should have granted Gov. Walz’s extradition request long ago and is required to do so now.” Abbott said Tuesday that he has no immediate intention to respond to extradition requests from Minnesota. He cited ongoing investigations of fraud in government social service programs in Minnesota, which Trump used to justify his immigration crackdown there. “I will not respond to them at all until they step up and do what’s right and they acknowledge their fault in the fraud that took place,” Abbott said during a news conference on an unrelated topic in Austin, Texas. The extradition lawsuit Ellison ﬁled in U.S. District Court in Texas cites a 1987 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that compliance with the Constitution’s extradition clause is mandatory, affording no discretion to the governor of a state where a defendant is being held. It was not immediately known if Castro had a lawyer who could speak for him. Online court records in Minnesota and county jail records in Texas did not list a defense attorney. The jail holding Castro declined to relay a message to him from The Associated Press. Abbott’s ofﬁce said in a statement that it would not comment on “pending extradition matters.”

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Continued from page 1A “We had an old building that needed some refurbishment, needed some work done post-storm, and what we did was not just bring it back where it was, but we exceeded that,” Castille said. “We now have a fully renovated theater that can host almost anything.” Jake Porche, of Porche’s Advanced Systems LLC, said an important aspect of having a beautiful historic building was balancing not having technology that detracts while still bringing it up to date. “We didn’t want to bring in technology that would take away from that,” Porche said. “So we integrated the technology to make it usable, make the audience connect with the stage, but not to take away from the historic media.” The seats and carpets were cleaned, new curtains were put in, new lighting systems were added for the stage and the house, upgraded speakers and a new electrical panel. Simien said the hope for the newly renovated theater is to be similar to The Prytania Theatre in New Orleans. “It’s just so remarkable to go into a place in the middle of the community, walk out, and you see homes and little businesses, and you look to your right and you see the next line coming up for the next showing,” Simien said. “I

PROGRESS

Continued from page 1A a litany of questions from Barrow, McMath and other lawmakers, represented the latest chapter in the debate over how to address Louisiana’s struggling child welfare system.

Caseload concerns During the meeting, DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris and other agency officials said that, in every region except Baton Rouge, the department had nearly eliminated backlogs in Child Protective Services cases. Connie Guillory, the assistant secretary for child welfare, said the average caseload in regions outside Baton Rouge was 25. McMath, who grilled Harris about the caseloads, expressed confusion over how the agency had lowered its numbers. Last spring, some employees were handling 75, 90 and even 165 cases, McMath said. Many of those employees had since left the department, according to McMath, who said he came to that conclusion by comparing lists of current and past employees. And, he added, 24 of the department’s 89 child welfare trainees left between March and July of this year. “How has the department been able to reduce caseloads and clear backlog cases when employees leave and ship those cases to someone else who either has an equally high caseload or is too new to carry more than one or two cases?” McMath asked. “Help me make the math make sense.”

exhibitions that will highlight the work of Central School tenants and live art demonstrations. In addition, a past, present and future program will be celebrating the heritage, talent and future of Lake Charles’ arts and culture. “Guests are invited to dress to impress for an evening of art, live music, living exhibitions, and community connection as they celebrate the new renovations and preservation to historic Lake Charles,” the release states. “This free event encourages people of all ages to enjoy the arts with activities and entertainment throughout the building and interactive displays to highlight the past of Central School and ideas for the future.” There will also be VIP tickets available for the event that can be purchased for $150 that will feature welcome Champagne, two complimentary drinks, passed hors d’oeuvres, networking with contributors and performers, and premier seating, as well as commemorative bags made from the retired curtains from the Central School auditorium. The ticket holders will also be invited to atSTAFF PHOTO By COURTNEy PEdERSEN tend the VIP reception before the Six years after hurricanes heavily damaged the facility, the historic Benjamin W. Mount Auditorium inside the event. Central School community center in Lake Charles reopened on Monday. “Both general admission and VIP tickets can be purchased on envision the same thing with this but also our culture, uniqueness of ture.” the Arts and Humanities Council Central School and our theater to Lake Charles, and uniqueness of The event is set to promote of SWLA’s website,” the release have those kind of activities where this building, Central School.” Southwest Louisiana’s art and cul- states. The renovated theater will make tural evolution as well as reintroour community can come into the community, come together and its public debut Aug. 28 during duce the newly renovated audito- Email Courtney Pedersen celebrate us as a community, not “Back in Session: an event cel- rium, according to a news release at courtney.pedersen@ just as coming together in unity, ebrating the past, present and fu- from the city. There will be open theadvocate.com.

ment of Health and applicants without child welfare experience. After DCFS restructured itself last year by moving some benefit-related functions to LDH, the child welfare agency asked individuals with expertise in direct casework to help in the state’s regional offices, Harris confirmed. “No one took a cut in pay,” she said. Very few people without child welfare experience STAFF FILE PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK were being hired into the state office, Harris said. And Rebecca Harris, secretary of the Louisiana department of that were being hired Children and Family Services, and other department officials those had another skill set the dewere grilled Tuesday during a meeting of the Senate Select partment needed, such as a Committee on Women and Children. background in call center “I’d probably have to make it make sense per region,” said Guillory, adding that in November, she instructed regional directors to come up with tailored “backlog burndown” plans. Meanwhile, Barrow questioned Harris as to why Baton Rouge struggled so badly as compared with other parts of the state. Harris said she believed it had to do with “leadership” issues there. “We have made changes in staffing within that office. We have brought in indi-

viduals and leadership from other ofﬁces that are very successful,” Harris said, adding that she hoped that the agency would soon see better results.

Staffing reassignments Later in the meeting, McMath shared a concern he had received from a constituent, who told him DCFS had moved a hundred state office workers back into the field to do case management — and was refilling the state office positions with people from the Louisiana Depart-

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management or clinical expertise, she said. “There are positions — they may have the same job title, but the duties within that job are very different,” Harris said. Lawmakers also heard from Kimberly Chachere, a longtime employee who said she was moved back to the ﬁeld from a managerial position in the state ofﬁce. The change “hurt,” she said, but she decided to move forward and apply for other openings. Now, she is the area director for the Baton Rouge region. “I have told all of my staff that I work with every day,

‘I know what you’re feeling, I have lived it with you,’ ” Chachere said. “‘It’s hard … but we don’t know the bigger picture that is being looked at. We only know our piece of the picture.’” Also on Monday, Harris agreed to roll back a policy change governing how foster parents are paid. That commitment came at the urging of state lawmakers — and after the committee heard concerns that the change was making it more difﬁcult for foster parents to afford offering care. Email Meghan Friedmann at meghan.friedmann@ theadvocate.com.

I- 49 D S E I S P U B L IC H EA R I NG NO T IC E State Project No. H.004273.5 Federal Aid Project No. H004273 I-49 Lafayette Connector (Lafayette Regional Airport to I-10/I-49/U.S. 167 Interchange)

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) invite all interested parties to attend an open house public hearing on the proposed I-49 Lafayette Connector Project in Lafayette Parish. The I-49 Lafayette Connector is a future 5.5-mile segment of highway that will extend I-49 from I-10 to the Lafayette Regional Airport. Representatives of LADOTD and the project team will be present to provide information relative to the general location and design features of the roadway, the relocation assistance program and the right-of-way acquisition process, the project’s purpose and need, its consistency with local urban planning goals and objectives, and reasonably foreseeable social, economic, and environmental impacts of the proposed project and the procedures for submitting comments. The date, time and location are listed below.

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Downtown Convention Center 124 S Buchanan St, Lafayette, LA 70501 The public hearing will consist of an open house from 4:30-6:00 pm, followed by a public comment session starting at 6:00 pm, until all comments are received. The public is invited to view project information at their convenience and ask questions of the project team during the open house. Comments will be accepted during the open house at the comment station. Those in attendance wishing to provide oral statements to the project team can do so in the public comment session. The DSEIS for the project is also available for review at the LADOTD District Oﬃce in Lafayette (228 Rue des Voyages), the Lafayette Public Library (Main Library) and online at www.lafayetteconnector.com, on or before the public hearing date. Comments received at the hearing, or received on or before September 12, 2026, will be included in the hearing transcript. If special assistance is required due to a disability or if a translator is needed to participate in this public hearing, please contact Kara Occhipinti with the I-49 Public Outreach team by email at communications@lafayetteconnector.com, or by telephone at (337) 233-1515, extension 106 at least ﬁve working days prior to the public hearing date.

w w w. L a faye tt e Co n n e c t o r. co m

6A ● Wednesday,August 19, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Sinking AI stocks pull Wall Street further from record

NEW YORK — Wall Street pulled further from its all-time high on Tuesday as artificial intelligence stocks got back to sinking. The S&P 500 fell 0.7% for a third straight modest loss since setting its all-time high on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 116 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.3%. Leading the way lower were stocks that have been big winners in the boom around AI technology. They’ve been veering up and down this summer on worries that their prices shot too high in the AI frenzy and that the strong demand for memory, processors and other building blocks of data centers may fizzle out if AI proves less profitable than promised. Micron Technology dropped 7%, and the seller of computer memory was one of the heaviest weights on the S&P 500. So were chip companies Nvidia, which fell 2.3%, and Broadcom, which sank 3.2%. Even with their recent swings, such stocks remain big winners, and Micron has more than tripled this year. But stocks that critics call too expensive get more scrutiny when interest rates are high, and yields remained that way in bond markets worldwide Tuesday. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury edged down to 4.70% from 4.72% late Monday but remains well above its 3.97% level from just before the war with Iran began. The 30-year Treasury yield also ticked lower but is still near its highest level since 2007.

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Costco to launch its own healthcare plan Costco is partnering with a nonprofit to launch its own brand of Medicare. The warehouse chain has agreed to work with a California-based nonproﬁt insurer called SCAN to offer a Medicare Advantage plan that includes a suite of senior-focused insurance products. For Costco, the move means breaking into a Medicare Advantage industry worth more than $500 billion, in which private insurers offer health plans approved by Medicare. And for SCAN, a midsized organization with around half a million members, partnering with Costco means access to millions of Medicare enrollees who use Costco. In a SCAN news release on Tuesday, the nonproﬁt said the products will integrate with Costco’s current prescription, vision, hearing and over-the-counter offerings, which attract seniors. “Older adults want healthcare that is easier to navigate, more responsive to their needs and rooted in organizations they trust,” SCAN CEO Sachin H. Jain said in the news release.

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ABC sues FCC over license challenge

Kimmel — an outspoken whose hosts and guests are often ditional work for the FCC ahead.” Broadcaster says Jimmy Trump critic — had infuriated the critical of Trump, subject to equalCarr, a longtime FCC commispresident, who has called for Kim- time rules. That’s a question ABC sioner, was named chairman by actions present mel’s ﬁring. says the agency itself decided — in Trump in November 2025. He has “Again and again, the Adminis- the network’s favor — more than indeed made it clear that he is conhas attacked ABC’s speech two decades ago. ABC argues “The sidering revoking ABC’s licenses, ‘existential threat’ tration — the stories its journalists report View” is a bona ﬁde news program, or trying to, in what would surely

BY JOCELYN NOVECK AP national writer

Further escalating its battle with the Trump administration, ABC on Tuesday took the rare step of suing the Federal Communications Commission on First Amendment grounds, saying the agency’s demand for early review of its broadcast licenses posed an “existential threat” to the network. In the lawsuit, ABC, its parent company Disney and the eight ABC-owned stations whose licenses are affected asked a federal court to stop the early renewal proceedings. The FCC under Chairman Brendan Carr, an ally of President Donald Trump, had ordered the early review in April — itself a rare move — of all eight licenses owned by ABC, years before they are set to expire. Licenses are issued for eight-year periods. The FCC cited the network’s diversity and inclusion practices as a reason, but the development came shortly after a joke by ABC’s late-night host

and the viewpoints its network programs air,” the network alleged in its lawsuit Tuesday. “Over time, those attacks have escalated into express demands that ABC be stripped of its broadcast licenses because of its speech.” “Facing this existential threat,” it added, “Plaintiffs have no choice but to seek redress from the judicial branch for the Administration’s blatant retaliation for their First Amendment speech.” It said ABC had “no alternative means to eliminate these ongoing and immediate threats other than total capitulation to the Administration’s demands.” It asked the court to “immediately enjoin Defendants from taking or threatening to take any action against Plaintiffs in relation to the early license renewal applications.” The early license review is only one part of a long-simmering confrontation between ABC and the FCC. The network has also been ﬁghting Carr’s efforts to make the morning talk show “The View,”

meaning it’s exempt from equal time rules, which require granting equal airtime to competing candidates for office. The ABC lawsuit Tuesday also spoke of broad ramifications that go well beyond one network. “The consequences of the Administration’s campaign against free speech reach well beyond ABC,” it said. “If the Administration gets its way, the message to every media company in the country will be unmistakable: tell only the stories the Administration deems favorable, or face the coercive machinery of the federal government. In such a world, the press could in no way be described as free.” It added: “The FCC Chairman has left little doubt that this is his goal.” The lawsuit also quoted Carr as saying, when Kimmel made comments that angered the administration, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways ... to take action ... on Kimmel, or there is going to be ad-

be a drawn-out legal process. Longtime free-speech attorney Floyd Abrams noted that tensions between the press and the commission are not new — but have never been this pronounced. “There has long been a level of tension between the broadcast media, which seeks full First Amendment protection, and the FCC,” Abrams wrote in an email to The Associated Press. “But not until the Trump Administration has the government so directly, so deliberately and so dangerously sought to limit the freedom of the broadcast press to cover and discuss the news.” The sole Democrat on the commission, Anna Gomez, commended ABC and Disney for pushing back against the FCC’s actions. “For months, the FCC has waged a campaign of censorship and control against Disney’s ABC stations,” she said in a statement, “using the threat of broadcast license revocations to punish a company for speech this administration doesn’t like.”

St. Jude names Dr. Charles Roberts as new CEO

Meta Platforms faces pivotal trial OAKLAND, Calif. — Opening statements started Tuesday in a pivotal trial for Meta Platforms in a California federal court, where states are seeking billions of dollars in damages for social media harms to children. Attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are seeking a ﬁnancial penalty that could, in theory, total as much as $1.4 trillion plus changes to how the company operates Facebook and Instagram. Twenty-nine states sued the tech giant in 2023 over child safety and privacy — the other 25 will go to trial later. The company also faces lawsuits in state courts. The lawsuit accuses the social media giant of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features that addict children to its platforms. It also argues that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. Megan O’Neill, a deputy attorney general for the California Department of Justice, laid out the states’ case for jurors during opening statements in federal court in Oakland, California. “You’re going to hear that Meta knew a lot about kids’ brains,” O’Neill said. This includes how they are constantly seeking rewards, how they are sensitive to social feedback and “how they are still developing their ability to control impulses the way adults do.”

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BY GLENN GAMBOA AP business writer

AFP/GETTy IMAGES/TNS FILE PHOTO By MARCO BERTORELLO

OpenAI, the maker of the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, is rolling out an experience for teens that includes safety and learning features. The learning features include quizzes, homework reminders, study mode and learning visualizations. Safety tools include reducing exposure to sensitive or potentially harmful content and limiting the amount of time teens spend on ChatGPT.

‘ChatGPT for Teens’ launches as AI safety concerns mount BY QUEENIE WONG

Los Angeles Times (TNS) OpenAI, the maker of the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, is rolling out an experience for teens that includes safety and learning features. The global introduction of “ChatGPT for Teens” comes as OpenAI and other tech companies face lawsuits that allege AI chatbots are harming young people by providing information used to plan mass shootings and suicides. As students turn to chatbots for schoolwork, teachers and parents also worry that teens will use the tools to cheat or avoid practicing critical thinking skills. OpenAI said ChatGPT users who state their age is between 13 and 17 will automatically be placed into the teen experience. The San Francisco AI company also estimates if a user is under 18 and those minors will also be added to ChatGPT for Teens. “Teens should be able to use AI to learn, create, and explore. But that access should come with protections that reflect their developmental stage, reinforce real-world relationships, and support healthy use over time,” OpenAI said in a blog post on Tuesday. The learning features include quizzes, homework reminders, study mode and learning visualizations. Safety tools include reducing exposure to sensitive or potentially harmful content and limiting

the amount of time teens spend on ChatGPT. Tech companies are under more scrutiny to make their platforms safer. Parents, some of whom lost their children to suicide or accidental drug overdose, have sued companies for damages and urged politicians to pass new child safety laws. Meta, which has an AI assistant within a standalone app and across its platforms, including Instagram, is headed to trial on Tuesday over allegations that its products harmed young people and that it misled the public about the dangers of social media. Meta-owned Instagram also has accounts with more restrictions for teens. Meta lost a social media addiction case in Los Angeles and another child safety case in New Mexico this year. A New Mexico court ordered Meta to pay $942 million and take steps to make the platform safer, including preventing minors from engaging in romantic or sexualized interactions with its AI chatbots. OpenAI has been grappling with legal hurdles, too. Last year, the parents of a California teen who died by suicide sued OpenAI over allegations that ChatGPT provided information about ways to kill himself. OpenAI has said it directs people to suicide prevention resources and denied it caused the teen’s death. The company also rolled out new parental controls. In June, Florida Attorney

General James Uthmeier sued OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman, for failing to warn the public about ChatGPT’s dangers. The lawsuit alleged that OpenAI designed and maintained a “dangerous online product where harmful information such as tips on eating disorders, self-harm, and mass murder are readily available, including to young children.” Safety concerns have also raised questions about what roles parents and teachers should play as more teens use AI chatbots. Roughly 70% of teens say their teachers haven’t talked to them about how to use AI safely, according to a survey of U.S. teens age 13 to 17 conducted by the Youth AI Safety Institute at Common Sense Media. The group, which published the survey Tuesday, said it’s releasing a new “Digital Literacy & Well-Being Curriculum” that’s free for teachers, schools and districts. It explores topics such as why using someone’s likeness to create AI-generated images without their consent is harmful. Roughly 42% of U.S. parents of teens ages 13 to 17 say they haven’t talked to their kids about chatbots, according to a survey released by the Pew Research Center in February. Roughly 1 billion people use ChatGPT every week. U.S. teens use chatbots to ﬁnd information, get help on schoolwork for entertainment and other reasons, according to the Pew Research Center.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital named Dr. Charles W. M. Roberts its new president and chief executive officer Tuesday, replacing Dr. James R. Downing, who led the nonprofit for 12 years. Roberts, who has been director of St. Jude’s Comprehensive Cancer Center and an executive Roberts vice president, will begin his new job on Jan. 1, as Downing moves into a faculty role in the hospital’s Global Pediatric Medicine department. When actor and philanthropist Danny Thomas founded St. Jude in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1962, the survival rate for childhood cancer patients was around 20%. Today, it is more than 80% and Roberts says the hope is for all childhood cancers to be easily treatable someday, with major strides toward that goal are within reach. “I’m really excited because I think we are at the dawn of a new era,” Roberts told The Associated Press in an interview. “In the next several years, I believe we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve much more of Danny’s dream than ever before. And I’m excited to take us there.” The opportunity comes through a convergence of technological advances that are creating treatments that kill childhood cancers more effectively, while also reducing the impact on the patient, Roberts said. Technology is also helping create treatments for more catastrophic childhood diseases beyond cancer. Judy Habib, chair of the St. Jude Board of Governors, said Roberts’ emphasis on new treatment discoveries played a significant role in convincing the board to choose him as the hospital’s next leader after a global search. “He combines the rigor of a researcher, the care of a clinician, and passion for our mission, making him the perfect person to lead one of the most accomplished pediatric research institutions in the world,” Habib said in a statement. When he takes on his new role as St. Jude CEO, Roberts said he plans to continue his research, which has included confirming that certain genes suppress the growth of tumors. “Keeping my hand in that is really important to make sure that I’m still at the cutting edge of understanding where the field is, what the opportunities are,” he said. “Working with other researchers is very useful input to me in helping steer our priorities. I’m a big believer in learning and growing and having input from others.”

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday,August 19, 2026 ● 7A

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not necessarily included in the mandate, Vath said. “It’s places where there’s consistent, explicit, formal education experiences with students,” he said. “That’s roughly how they’ve made the determination.” The Louisiana Family Forum, a conservative advocacy group, donated thousands of posters to public colleges and universities to support the statute, which states that institutions are not required to spend their own funds to be compliant. Still, campus labor is likely being used — across the UL system, Vath said, facilities employees are responsible for installing the displays. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s ofﬁce approved four versions of the posters. One design includes a representation of Moses and a photo of Johnson, RBenton, with the Old Testament text in the middle. Another shows legal thinkers William Blackstone and John Marshall. All four poster designs contain para-

Students concerned Louisiana has four public university systems, all required to hang the donated posters. LSU appears to be the only system to have completed installation systemwide. Spokespeople for UL, Southern and Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges said the effort was underway. Vath said there has not been any formal pushback from faculty or students since the posters started going up, but debate may ramp up as the semester begins. LSU Faculty Senate President Daniel Tirone, who is also a political science professor, said he wants all students to still feel welcome in the classroom as campuses implement the law. “I would not anticipate that there would be any element of the education that would change as a result of this,” Tirone said. As students move in across Louisiana this week, some are just now learning of the posters. Southern

University freshman Kayla Lawrence, who was unaware of the mandate, said she was worried about the separation of church and state. “They might as well do it with every religion then, if they’re going to do it with Christianity,” Lawrence said. “Not everybody follows it.” LSU sophomore Bryson Freeman said he believes students should be exposed to the Ten Commandments but does not agree with the state’s approach. “I don’t think it should be enforced like that,” Freeman said. “I myself am a Christian, but I don’t want to force it on people. I think it’s good to be a reminder, but there’s probably a better way to do it.” LSU sophomore Tatiyana Mack was concerned that the posters would make students who practice religions that do not follow the Ten Commandments feel excluded. “It’s one of those if we’re going to do one, we’re going to do all, type things,” Mack said. “If we’re not going to do all, then we shouldn’t just have one. Low-key, I don’t want to see that on the wall.”

up ave to

%* 35

Continued from page 1A

graphs with an overview of “The History of the Ten Commandments in American Public Education.”

time traffic. It was not clear whether they directly targeted UAE ships or the country’s territorial waters. In the weeks after the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28, the UAE was frequently targeted by Iranian missiles and drones, but Tuesday’s reported attack was the ﬁrst in weeks. An unidentified projectile hit a ship early Tuesday in the strait off the coast of Oman, damaging the engine room and causing a casualty, according to the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations center. The monitoring agency did not release any details about the ship or its cargo, and it was unclear whether the crew member was killed or wounded. The agency said the Omani Coast Guard was assisting other crew members and that authorities were investigating.

COLLEGES

ASSOCIATEd PRESS FILE PHOTO By AMIRHOSEIN KHORGOOI

Oman is close to a deal with Iran to manage ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a move that has angered President donald Trump.

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with Oman’s agreement to collect voluntary fees from vessels, even if the charges are related to security and maritime environmental protection, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to journalists. Trump on Monday threatened to bomb Oman as it works with Iran on a deal to open the strait and pave the way for the U.S. and Iran to resume negotiations to end the war. He posted a map on social media on Tuesday depicting the strait as a U.S. territory. The president first mentioned the idea in an offhand comment last week. On Monday, he told reporters in the Oval Office, “I like the idea of declaring it a territory,” without providing details. The White House on Tuesday referred to Trump’s remarks in the Oval Office and declined to comment further about Oman. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi appeared to respond to Trump’s post on social media depicting the strait as American territory. “Just as Trump correctly wrote the name of the eternal Persian Gulf, his delusion regarding the Strait of Hormuz will soon either be corrected, or we will correct this deluded man’s delusions for him,” Gharibabadi wrote on X. Trump’s comment on Monday was not the first time he has threatened Oman. In May, he told reporters during a Cabinet meeting that Oman “will behave just like everybody else, or we will have to blow them up.” Iran reiterated Tuesday that Tehran plans to maintain its grip on shipping traf-

Continued from page 1A

fic until Washington meets its conditions. “Until the United States fulfills its commitments under the agreement, including lifting the blockade, releasing frozen assets, lifting oil sanctions, ending threats and military operations on all fronts, and implementing the other conditions to which it committed, the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen,” said Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and negotiator in previous talks with the U.S. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the Iranian-Omani deal could pave the way for Washington and Tehran to return to negotiations for a “comprehensive and permanent deal that addresses all concerns and enhances regional security and stability.” The statement came after a meeting between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Omani counterpart Badr al-Busaidi. But it did not address Trump’s latest threat against Oman. Trump said on Tuesday the U.S. has no planned talks with Iran but insisted the strait is “open and operating,” despite limited traffic, the reported boat strike and the end on Monday of the 60-day negotiating period between the countries. Trump wrote on social media that a U.S. blockade of the strait remains “in full force and effect,” adding that all water mines have been removed. As the talks between Iran and Oman continue, more attacks were reported in the region. Both missiles fired at the UAE fell into the sea, the UAE Defense Ministry said. No damage or injuries were reported. Iran disputed the UAE’s claim that it launched missiles toward the country. The ministry later said assessments showed that the missiles targeted mari-

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8A ● Wednesday,August 19, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate Legal Notices

Legal Notices

Lafayette Parish School Board - Public Hearing on Discipline Minutes July 23, 2026 at 5:00 PM 202 Rue Iberville, Boardroom, Lafayette, LA 70508

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Legal Notices 2.2

Meeting called to order at 9:00 AM. 1. ROLL CALL 1.1 Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America followed by a Moment of Silence Board President Hannah Smith Mason asked to lead in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. 1.2

Roll Call - Board Members Board members present: LeJeune, Davidson, Edmond, Bergeron, Mason and Hidalgo Board members absent: Trahan, Latiolais and Labue

2. AGENDA 2.1 ADMINISTRATION: Public Hearing on District Discipline Policies and Discipline Matrix/Student Code of Conduct for the 20262027 Student/Parent Handbook - Gardner/Moore Public comment was received. Dr. Rollan Moore, Director of Child Welfare and Attendance, indicated the Discipline Policy Review Committee recently met to review and discuss recommended revisions to the Student Discipline Policy, Student Code of Conduct and Discipline Matrix. The recommendations were developed through a collaborative review process and are based on one or more of the following factors: clarification of existing discipline codes and their appropriate usage, updates required as a result of recent legislative acts and adjustments stemming from situations encountered during the past school year that indicated a need for changes in discipline code levels. 26-27 - Pending Recommendations (1).pdf

3.2

Meeting called to order at 5:30 PM.

That the Board move into executive session to discuss items 3.1 and 3.2. Moved by: Roddy Bergeron; seconded by: Britt Latiolais Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Motion Carries 9-0

1. MEETING OPENINGS 1.1 Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America followed by a Moment of Silence Board President Hannah Mason asked Kate Labue to lead in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States. Board Member Roll Call Board members present: LeJeune, Davidson, Edmond, Trahan, Latiolais, Bergeron, Labue, Mason and Hidalgo Opening Comments - Superintendent Superintendent Francis Touchet, Jr. announced principals and assistant principals were welcomed back for the 2026-2027 school year at the Administrative Conference on July 22, 2026 at Lafayette High. Mr. Touchet indicated the Administrative Conference will continue on Friday, July 24th and Monday, July 27th at Lafayette High. Students will begin the 20262027 school year on Wednesday, August 12th with a staggered start. Mr. Touchet also added Thursday, August 13, 2026 will also be a staggered start. All students will return on Friday, August 14, 2026 with the exception of Pre-K and Kindergarten. Mr. Touchet reported bus information is now available and can be obtained by calling 521-RIDE. Mr. Touchet announced the sensitivity for weapon detectors on all campuses will be raised for the upcoming school year to ensure the safety of all staff and students. Mr. Touchet thanked the teachers, support personnel and administrators of Lafayette Parish on the success of the LEAP scores. He also announced the Superintendent Advisory Panel is now taking applications for participants for the 20262027 school year. The application can be found at lpssonline. com. Mr. Touchet recognized and congratulated Dr. Holly Boffy, Principal at W. D. & Mary Baker Smith Career Center, along with Ms. Alysa LeBlanc, teacher at Milton Elementary Middle, who are finalist for Principal and Teacher of the Year for the state and will be recognized in New Orleans, Louisiana on July 25, 2026.

2. INFORMATION ITEMS 2.1 FACILITIES: Facility Department Yearly Updates - Fontenot/ Hughes/Hovey Superintendent Francis Touchet, Jr. noted the current Board has done more than past Boards regarding infrastructure. Mr. Touchet commended Mr. Joshua Fontenot, Executive Director of Facility Planning & Maintenance, on his leadership and everything his team is doing to improve the schools of Lafayette Parish. Mr. Touchet also thanked the Board members for their support in approving all the infrastructure projects brought before them. Mr. Joshua Fontenot, Executive Director of Facility Planning & Maintenance, provided a presentation to update the Board on all of the projects the Board has approved. Mr. Fontenot provided pictures and statuses on the bonded projects: Lafayette High School, Wing Additions at Acadiana High, Judice Middle and L J Alleman Middle and Paul Breaux Elementary & Middle. He also reviewed the status of the rollover projects: Maintenance Warehouse, Ridge Elementary Car Rider Line and Southside High Fieldhouse. Mr. Fontenot provided an update on the 2025 Capital Improvements Project by the Board in October 2025. They are as follows: • David Thibodaux Competition Gym • Wing Additions at Broadmoor, Westside and Ernest Gallet Elementary • Milton Academic Activity Room • Carpet & Wallpaper Removal at J Wallace James, Ernest Gallet, Ossun and Live Oak Elementary • Lafayette High Baseball/Softball Field • Lafayette Elementary Renovations • Lafayette High Stadium Design • Cooler Replacement at Broussard Middle and Lafayette Elementary • Southside High Parking Lot Addition • Youngsville Middle Gym Floor Mr. Fontenot also provided a portable building removal update. In December 2023, there were 207 portable buildings in Lafayette Parish. After the completion of construction at Acadiana High, Judice Middle, L J Alleman Middle, Westside Elementary, Broadmoor Elementary and Edgar Martin Middle, there will only be 43 portables remaining. He also indicated the following schools are going through vestibule construction: Judice Middle; Charles Burke Elementary; Duson Elementary; David Thibodaux; Live Oak Elementary and Paul Breaux Middle. Once these schools are completed, every school in Lafayette Parish will have a secured vestibule. It is anticipated the vestibules will be completed before students return to school in August. Mr. Fontenot announced Ms. Pamela-Rae Hovey, former Principal of Judice Middle, has joined the Facility Planning & Maintenance Department to maintain the maintenance and custodial aspect of things for the district. Ms. Hovey and the maintenance staff visited all schools during the summer to check restrooms, electrical and lighting in the hallways and the general facilities. Work orders were made for any issues that were found. Board member Britt Latiolais thanked Mr. Fontenot for the work on the car rider line at Ridge Elementary. Board member Kate Labue also thanked Mr. Fontenot. Ms. Labue addressed the rumor regarding Lafayette Elementary was being closed, which is not true. Lafayette Elementary’s windows were boarded up and it was because the windows were being replaced. The second rumor is that Lafayette Parish School System purchased property around Southside High. The 640 acres around Southside High is Section 16 property, which under the Louisiana State Constitution Section 16 property is automatically for Lafayette Parish School System. Currently, the Board is working on getting economic development on the property so Lafayette Parish School System does not have to depend on the taxpayers. Economic development on the property would generate revenue for Lafayette Parish School System. Planning & Facilities Presentation July 2026.pdf

BOARD: Discussion and/or action concerning prospective litigation in the matter of David Ceasar relative to his Workers’ Compensation claim - Early

That the Board move back into regular session. Moved by: Roddy Bergeron; seconded by: Britt Latiolais Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Motion Carries 9-0 That the Board approve the attorney’s recommendation for items 3.1 and 3.2. Moved by: Kate Bailey Labue; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Motion Carries 9-0 4. CONSENT AGENDA 4.1 ACADEMICS: Discussion and/or action concerning the acceptance of a grant agreement with the Pugh Family Foundation totaling an estimated $3,100,000 to support the continuation and expansion of the Accelerating Campus Excellence (ACE) Model at Dr. Raphael A. Baranco, J. W. Faulk, Alice Boucher and Paul Breaux Elementary & Middle through Academic Year 2028-2029 - Touchet/Rabalais/Richard Agenda item pulled by Joshua Edmond for further discussion. Mr. Todd Mouton, Executive Director of Pugh Family Foundation, shared the below presentation. LPSS ACE Board Presentation 2026-7-20 2.pptx That the Board approve the acceptance of a grant agreement with the Pugh Family Foundation totaling an estimated $3,100,000 to support the continuation and expansion of the Accelerating Campus Excellence (ACE) Model at Dr. Raphael A. Baranco, J. W. Faulk, Alice Boucher and Paul Breaux Elementary & Middle through Academic Year 2028-2029. Moved by: Joshua Edmond; seconded by: Jeremy Hidalgo Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Motion Carries 9-0 4.2

ADMINISTRATION: Discussion and/or action concerning the proposed District Discipline and Discipline Matrix/Student Code of Conduct for the 2026-2027 Student/Parent Handbook Gardner/Moore Public comment was received. 26-27 - Pending Recommendations.pdf That the Board approve the proposed District Discipline and Discipline Matrix/Student Code of Conduct for the 2026-2027 Student/Parent Handbook. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0

4.3

ATHLETICS: Discussion and/or action allowing Sixth Graders to Participate in Middle School Football - Latiolais/LeJeune/Mason That the Board approve sixth graders to participate in middle school football starting in the 26-27 school year. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0

4.4

BOARD: Discussion and/or action concerning elimination of the LPSS District Administrative Rule School Attendance Zone and Policy AD, School Attendance Districts – Latiolais/Labue/Mason Public comment was received. AD, School Attendance Districts — Lafayette Parish School Board — Knowledge Base.pdf REVISED DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE RULE - 4.15.26.docx (2). pdf That the Board eliminate the District Administrative Rule as it relates to school attendance zone and Policy AD, School Attendance Districts, and instead refer to La. R.S. 17:81 – General Powers of Local Public School Boards, Bulletin 741 – Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Policy JBCC, and Policy JBCD. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0

4.5

BOARD: Discussion and/or action to revisions to Policy BBC, School Board Committees - Mason These revisions to Policy BBC are to clarify that the advisory panels are created and administered by the Superintendent, and not the School Board. The revisions will continue to allow the Superintendent to run independent advisory panels as part of the strategic plan. Policy BBC - School Board Committees - REVISED.pdf That the Board approve revisions to Policy BBC, School Board Committees, as attached in the above agenda item description. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue,

Legal Notices

Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0 4.6

EMPLOYEE SERVICES: Discussion and/or action concerning Policy File GBRIA, Personal Leave - Gardner/Clement Policy GBRIA - Personal Leave Revised.pdf That the Board approve the proposed amendment to Policy File GBRIA as shown in the description. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0

4.7

EMPLOYEE SERVICES: Discussion and/or action concerning revisions to the 2026-27 Salary Schedule – Gardner/Mouton/ Clement An adjustment to page 7 of the 2026-2027 Salary Schedule Booklet would provide Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist and Audiologist a specialist pay rate on their respective pay scales. This revision would be a $38,540 General Fund budget impact. 2026-2027 Salary Schedule Booklet - July 2026 Revision.pdf There are revisions to pages 79-81 in regards to Extracurricular Activities, Co-Curricular Stipends, Art and Music Stipends and Clubs and Organization Stipends. Please note this is an amendment of the 2025-26 school year stipends that were previously approved. 2026-2027 Club and Organizations - All Changes v3.pdf There are revisions to page 85 of the 2026-2027 Salary Schedule Booklet for Magnet Academy Directors. 2026-2027 Club and Organizations - Page 85 v2.pdf That the Board approve the revision to pages 7, 79, 80, 81 and 85 of the 2026-2027 Salary Schedule. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0

4.8

That the Board approve the attorney’s recommendation for items 3.1 and 3.2. Moved by: Kate Bailey Labue; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Motion Carries 9-0

/s/Hannah Smith Mason Hannah Smith Mason, Board President

1.3

INFORMATIONAL ITEM: Mr. Jeremy Hidalgo has requested an opportunity to address the Board regarding Board governance and public confidence. Board Member Jeremy Hidalgo thanked the Board for allowing him the opportunity to speak. Mr. Hidalgo started by saying the Board President’s duty is to conduct an effective and fair meeting. He indicated he believes lately the meetings have lacked in preparation, consistency, confidence and fairness. He also stated the leadership role as a Board President should come from a place of responsibility, not authority. Mr. Hidalgo stated he is concerned about the culture being created. He indicated he feels the Board President should deescalate conflict, not contribute to it. Mr. Hidalgo made clear the allegations he has an inside deal relationship with any vendor is false. He also indicted every Board member deserves to be treated fairly, respectfully and professionally by everyone and including the leadership. Mr. Hidalgo apologized to Board President Hannah Smith Mason for not responding to a text message that contained a slideshow titled “Ways to Prevent Board Conflict” from a previous conference both attended. He also indicated he is hopeful and he believes success can be found at the highest levels in moving forward. Ms. Mason accepted Mr. Hidalgo’s apology.

Legal Notices

/s/Francis Touchet, Jr. Francis Touchet, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer

1.2

Legal Notices

3. LITIGATION 3.1 BOARD: Discussion and/or action concerning litigation in the matter of Cedric Handy vs. Lafayette Parish School Board; Docket No. C 2022 5746 E, 15th Judicial District Court, Parish of Lafayette, State of Louisiana and prospective litigation in Mr. Handy’s Workers’ Compensation claim.

3. ADJOURN 3.1 Adjourn Meeting There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:09 PM.

Lafayette Parish School Board - Regular Board Meeting Minutes July 23, 2026 at 5:30 PM 202 Rue Iberville, Boardroom, Lafayette, LA 70508

Legal Notices

EMPLOYEE SERVICES: Discussion and/or action concerning the approval of the 2026-2027 Personnel Evaluation Program Gardner/Clement Personnel Evaluation Program 2026-2027.docx.pdf That the Board approve the updated 2026-2027 Personnel Evaluation Program. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0

4.9

EMPLOYEE SERVICES: 2026-2027 LPSS Teacher Incentive Pay Plan - Touchet Agenda item pulled by Roddy Bergeron for further discussion. Public comment was received. Proposed 2026-27 Teacher Incentive Pay Plan for Board Approval with Strikethroughs (1).pdf That the Board approve the 2026-2027 LPSS Teacher Incentive Pay Plan. Yes: None 0-0 That the Board approve the 2026-2027 LPSS Teacher Incentive Pay Plan with the change that incentive recipients must accrue no more than 10 days of absences for the school year as opposed to seven. Moved by: Roddy Bergeron; seconded by: Kate Bailey Labue Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Motion Carries 9-0

4.10 FACILITIES: Discussion and/or action for approval to amend the current HVAC Service Contract with STAR Service, Inc.Touchet/Rabalais (Final Attorney Approved Draft) Amendment No.1 to Star Service Contract - LPSS - FY 26_27 HVAC Servics (6_23_2026).docx That the Board approve an increase of $348,732, due to the addition of new equipment since the start of the contract. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0 4.11 FACILITIES: Discussion and/or action concerning adding Simpson Sports Engineering, LLC as an approved Engineer and Gossen Architects to the approved list of Engineers and Architects for Lafayette Parish School System - Rabalais/ Fontenot Simpson Sports Engineering SOQ- LPSS- 6.23.26.pdf Request for Qualifications (1).pdf RFQ for LPSS - Gossen Architects.docx.pdf That the Board approve adding Simpson Sports Engineering, LLC and Gossen Architects to the list of approved engineers and architects. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0 4.12 FACILITIES: Discussion and/or action concerning a Drainage Servitude Agreement with the City of Lafayette for Westside Elementary - Fontenot Drainage Servitude Agreement.pdf City of Scott Drainage Servitude Plat-Final.pdf West Side Elementary Reference Plat. pdf That the Board approve the Drainage Servitude Agreement with the City of Lafayette for 125 Lions Club Road, Scott, Louisiana. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0 4.13 FACILITIES: Discussion and/or action to use Contingency Funds for new project, AHS Gym Audio Equipment - Rabalais/Touchet Public comment was received. That the Board authorize the use of $59,000 in Self-Funded Construction Contingency funds for the new Acadiana High School Gym Audio Equipment project. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0 4.14 FACILITIES: Discussion and/or action concerning authorization to utilize the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) Delivery Method for the construction of the new Ovey Comeaux Workforce Innovation Academy, including issuance of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Construction Manager at Risk services and Pre-Construction Budget – Labue/Mason Public comment was received. Approval of this agenda item will allow Staff to develop, advertise, evaluate, and score the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Construction Manager at Risk services. Additionally, approval of this agenda item would authorize a PreConstruction Budget of $80,000 for programming, preliminary design, cost estimating, and related pre-construction services for the eventual Board Approved CMAR. This work will be funded through the FY27 Self-Funded Construction Fund Contingency. That the Board authorize Staff to utilize the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) Delivery Method for the construction of the New Ovey Comeaux Workforce Innovation Academy along with a Pre-Construction Budget of $80,000. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0 4.15 FINANCE: Resolution 07-026-2181 Preliminary approval of the issuance of bonds ($46,000,000 Sales Tax Revenue Bonds and

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday,August 19, 2026 ● 9A

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Legal Notices

Bond Anticipation Notes) - A. Mouton LPSB Preliminary Resolution (7.23.26) - BANs, Bonds, Ref. Bonds.docx.pdf That the Board approves Resolution 07-026-2181 providing for the incurring of debt and issuance of $46,000,000 Sales Tax Revenue Bonds and Bond Anticipation Notes Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0 4.16 FINANCE: Discussion and/or action concerning the July Budgetto-Actual/Revisions for FY 25-26 - Mouton/LeBlanc FY26 General Fund BTA-Revision #12.pdf FY26 Capital Improvement Fund BTA-Revision #12.pdf FY26 Self-Funded Construction Fund BTA-Revision #12-REVISED.pdf That the Board approve the July Budget-to-Actual/Revisions for FY 25-26 as attached in the Public Content section of this agenda item. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0 4.17 FINANCE: Discussion and/or action concerning the July Budgetto-Actual/Revisions for FY 26-27 - Mouton/LeBlanc FY27 General Fund BTA-Revision #1.pdf FY27 Capital Improvement Fund BTA-Revision #1.pdf FY27 Self-Funded Construction Fund BTA-Revision #1.pdf FY27 Special Revenue State and Local BTA-Revision #1.pdf That the Board approve the July Budget-to-Actual/Revisions for FY 26-27 as attached in the Public Content section of this agenda item. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0 4.18 FINANCE: Discussion and/or action concerning revisions to

Legal Notices

Policy DIC - Inventories - Mouton/Tapo DIC - Highlighted.pdf DIC - Revised.pdf That the Board approves the revisions to Policy DIC - Inventories -as attached in the public content section of this agenda item. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0 4.19 FINANCE: Discussion and/or action concerning the Louisiana Compliance Questionnaire for FY2026 - A. Mouton Public comment was received. On an annual basis, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor requires all municipalities and local governing boards to complete and adopt the Louisiana Compliance Questionnaire. The questionnaire is a required part of our financial audit and its purpose is to document whether we complied with State laws. Once adopted by our governing board, the questionnaire will be used by our external auditors at the beginning of the financial audit. LA Compliance Questionnaire - FY 26.pdf That the Board adopt and approve the Louisiana Compliance Questionnaire for Fiscal Year 2026, which is attached in the public content section of this agenda item. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0

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4.21 SUPERINTENDENT: Discussion and/or action concerning the Minutes of June 11, 2026 - Touchet LPSB - Regular Board Meeting - June 11, 2026 - Minutes - Htm That the Board approve the minutes of June 11, 2026 as attached to this agenda item. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0 4.22 Approval of all Action Consent Items That the Board approve all Action Consent agenda items with the exception of items pulled. Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0 6. ADJOURN 6.1 Adjourn Meeting There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:58 PM. /s/Francis Touchet, Jr. Francis Touchet, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer /s/Hannah Smith Mason Hannah Smith Mason, Board President

That the Board award RFP #05-27, Fuel Management System for School District Bus Fleet to Corpay (Fuelman). Moved by: Britt Latiolais; seconded by: Roddy Bergeron

197840-678494-AUG 19-1T $ 687.96

Public Notices Bids/Proposals j read. Additional informa‐ tion relative to licensing may be obtained from the Louisiana State Li‐ censing Board for Con‐ tractors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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Public Notices

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO BIDDERS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Consolidated Govern‐ ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, Louisiana, until 3:00 pm Central Time on the 3rd day of September, 2026 for the following: POLYMER SMOOTH COR DUAL WALL STORM SEWER PIPE RE-BID and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in City Hall lo‐ cated at 705 West Univer‐ sity Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above specified time for opening shall not be considered and shall be returned unopened to the sender. Bidders are encouraged to attend the bid opening virtually by using the following link https://us02web.zoom. us/j/82458218558? pwd=3MktITKl1lKbmmo GHnxmKvrokMNYiQ.1 Meeting ID: 824 5821 8558 Passcode: 123113 In accordance with Louisiana RS 38:2212. vendors may submit their bid electronically at the website listed above. Bidders wishing to sub‐ mit their bid electroni‐ cally must first be regis‐ tered within LCG Vendor Access at the website listed above. The regis‐ tration process can take some time; therefore, LCG recommends regis‐ tering days in advance of the time that bids are due. It is the sole respon‐ sibility of the bidder to ensure their bid is deliv‐ ered (whether electroni‐ cally via Vendor Access, in person, or via mail) to the Purchasing Division prior to the scheduled date and time of the bid opening. Vendors may request the bid package electronically from Thomas Metrejean at tg‐ metrejean@lafayettela. gov. Vendors submitting bids electronically are re‐ quired to provide the same documents as bid‐ ders submitting through the mail as soon as avail‐ able. Only a bid bond, certified check or cashier’s check shall be submitted as the bid se‐ curity. Electronic copies of both the front and back of the check or bid bond shall be included with the electronic bid. Bids must be signed in accordance with LRS Title 38:2212(B)5. A Cor‐ porate Resolution or Cer‐ tificate of Authority au‐ thorizing the person signing the bid is re‐ quired to be submitted with bid. Failure to sub‐ mit a Corporate Resolu‐ tion or Certificate of Au‐ thority with the bid shall be cause for rejection of bid. Copies of the bidding documents are available at the Purchasing Office located at 705 West Uni‐ versity Avenue, Lafayette, LA 70506. Tele‐ phone number (337) 2917187 (Attn: Thomas Me‐ trejean). Bidding docu‐ ments shall be available until twenty-four (24) hours before the bid opening date. Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consolidated Government, in the amount of $500.00. If a bid bond is used, it shall

STORE.THEADVOCATE.COM

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

be written by a surety or insurance company cur‐ rently on the U.S. Depart‐ ment of the Treasury Fi‐ nancial Management Service list of approved bonding companies which is published annu‐ ally in the Federal Regis‐ ter, or by a Louisiana domiciled insurance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana and counter‐ signed by a person who is under contract with re‐ siding in this state. The certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days. No bidder may withdraw his bid for at least fortyfive (45) days after the time scheduled for the opening of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided with the specifications. Bids will be evaluated by the Purchaser based on the lowest responsible and responsive bid sub‐ mitted which is also in compliance with the bid documents. The Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in ac‐ cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B. The Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) in all con‐ tracts or procurements let by the Lafayette Con‐ solidated Government for goods and services and labor and material. To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, services and labor and material in which disadvantaged business are available. Assistance in identifying said businesses may be obtained by calling 2918410. PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 8/19/26, 8/23/26 DPR # 928641 197838-aug 19-23-2t $100.40

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ ﬁce of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Consolidated Govern‐ ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, Louisiana, until 1:00 PM Central Time on the 17th day of September, 2026 for the following: JUDICE PARK FENCING and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in a room at City Hall located at 705 West University Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Bids re‐ ceived after the above speciﬁed time for open‐ ing shall not be consid‐ ered and shall be re‐ turned unopened to the d

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

sender.

The bid opening will be available to attend via zoom. Attendance is not mandatory. The pass‐ code is 535529 and the in‐ vite link is https:// us02web.zoom.us/j/ 89579374099?pwd=OaF HYYAQ5dRbeMbYzXU Ga31yllGWul.1 The meeting will be at the time of the bid open‐ ing. Scope of Services: The work to be performed in‐ cludes but may not be limited to the disassem‐ bly, removal and replace‐ ment of the Baseball Field fencing at Judice Park. All work to be com‐ pleted within 120 days from issuance of Notice to Proceed. In accordance with Louisiana RS 38:2212., vendors may submit their bid electronically at the website listed above. Bidding Documents are available to view only at the website. Bidders may request the electronic bid package from Keirston St. Amant at kstamant@lafayettela. gov Bidders wishing to sub‐ mit their bid electroni‐ cally must first be regis‐ tered online with Lafayette Consolidated Government as a poten‐ tial supplier at the web‐ site listed above. Bidders submitting bids electron‐ ically are required to pro‐ vide the same docu‐ ments as bidders sub‐ mitting through the mail as soon as available. Only a bid bond, certified check or cashier’s check shall be submitted as the bid security. Electronic copies of both the front and back of the check or bid bond shall be in‐ cluded with the elec‐ tronic bid. Bids must be signed in accordance with LRS Title 38:2212(B)5. A Cor‐ porate Resolution or Cer‐ tificate of Authority au‐ thorizing the person signing the bid is re‐ quired to be submitted with bid. Failure to sub‐ mit a Corporate Resolu‐ tion or Certificate of Au‐ thority with the bid shall be cause for rejection of bid. Copies of the bidding documents except for Section C – “Standard Specifications for Roads, Drainage, Bridges and Other Infrastructure 2023 Edition” are available at the Office of Purchasing located at 705 West Uni‐ versity Avenue, Lafayette, LA 70502 upon payment of $20 per set, non-refundable. NOTE: NO CASH WILL BE AC‐ CEPTED - ONLY CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS MADE PAYABLE TO LAFAYETTE CONSOLI‐ DATED GOVERNMENT. Copies of Section “C” Standard Specifications for Roads, Drainage, Bridges and Other Infra‐ structure” 2023 Edition are available from the Public Works Department at 1515 E University Av‐ enue, Building A, Lafayette LA 70501. Bid Documents shall be available until twentyfour hours before the bid opening date. Questions relative to the bidding documents shall be ad‐ dressed to Keirston St. Amant at kstamant@ lafayettela.gov. Contractors are re‐ quested to attend a prebid meeting, which will be held on September 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM in the large conference room, Lafayette Consolidated Government, Public Works Administration Building located at 1515 East University Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government, the amount of which shall be

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

five percent (5%) of the base bid plus additive al‐ ternates. If a bid bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list bonding of approved companies which is pub‐ lished annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled in‐ surance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana. The certi‐ fied check, cashier’s check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days. No contractor may with‐ draw its bid prior to the deadline for submission of bids. Withdrawal of bids thereafter shall be allowed only pursuant to LA R.S. 38§2214.C. Other‐ wise, no bidder may withdraw his bid for at least forty-five (45) days after the time scheduled for the bid opening of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided within the specifications. The successful bidder will be required to execute per‐ formance and labor and material payment bonds in the full amount of the contract as more fully defined in the bid docu‐ ments. No contractors may withdraw his bid for at least forty-five (45) days after the time scheduled for the open‐ ing of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided with the specifications. The contractor successful will be required to exe‐ cute performance and labor and material pay‐ ment bonds in the full amount of the contract as more fully defined in the bid documents. Bids will be evaluated by the Purchaser based on the lowest responsible and responsive bid sub‐ mitted which is also in compliance with the bid documents. The Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in ac‐ cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B. Contractors or contract‐ ing firms submitting bids in the amount of $50,000.00 or more shall certify that they are li‐ censed contractors under Chapter 24 of Title 37 of the Louisiana Re‐ vised Statutes of 1950 and show their license number on the front of the sealed envelope in which their bid is en‐ closed. Contractors shall be licensed for the clas‐ sification of “Highway Streets and Bridge Con‐ struction” or “Heavy Construction” or “Munic‐ ipal and Public Works Construction” or “Build‐ ing Construction; Spe‐ cialty: Fencing”. Bids in the amounts specified above which have not bid in accordance with the requirements, shall be rejected and shall not be read. Additional informa‐ tion relative to licensing may be obtained from the Louisiana State Li‐ censing Board for Con‐ tractors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprises) in all con‐ tracts or procurements let by the Lafayette Con‐ solidated Government for goods and services and labor and material. To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, services and labor and material in which disadvantaged businesses are available. Assistance in identifying said businesses may be obtained by calling 2918410. PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLISH DATES: 8/19/2026, 8/23/2026, 8/30/2026 DPR 1003844 197506 Aug. 19, 23, 30, 3t $238.26 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Consolidated Govern‐ ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, Louisiana, until 10:30 AM Central Time on the 17TH day of September, 2026 for the following: HOMEWOOD PIPELINE REMOVAL and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in the Council Briefing Room located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above specified time for open‐ ing shall not be consid‐ ered and shall be re‐ turned unopened to the sender. Bidders are en‐ couraged to attend the bid opening virtually by using the following link https://us02web.zoom. us/j/87355893118? pwd=todnm1b53Ivim7C lbWNOW0NrEX1oBQ.1 Meeting ID: 873 5589 3118 Passcode: 038232

Scope of Services: The scope of the project con‐ sists of coordinating with utility owners to expose, safely remove and legally dispose of aban‐ doned or out of service pipelines and all associ‐ ated appurtenances, in‐ cluding excavation, shoring, dewatering, traffic control, and com‐ pliance with all applica‐ ble LCG specifications and safety requirements. Work also includes back‐ filling, compaction, sur‐ face and site restoration, erosion and sediment control, and submission of all required documen‐ tation. All work to be 75 completed within working days form is‐ suance of Notice to Pro‐ ceed. In accordance with Louisiana RS 38:2212. vendors may submit their bid electronically at the website listed above. Bidders wishing to sub‐ mit their bid electroni‐ cally must first be regis‐ tered within LCG Vendor Access at the website listed above. The regis‐ tration process can take some time; therefore, LCG recommends regis‐ tering days in advance of the time that bids are due. It is the sole respon‐ sibility of the bidder to ensure their bid is deliv‐ ered (whether electroni‐ cally via Vendor Access, in person, or via mail) to the Purchasing Division prior to the scheduled date and time of the bid opening. Bidders may re‐ quest the electronic bid package from Heather hkestler@ Kestler at lafayettela.gov Bidders wishing to sub‐ mit their bid electroni‐ cally must first be regis‐ tered online with Lafayette Consolidated Government as a poten‐ tial supplier at the web‐ site listed above. Bidders submitting bids electron‐ ically are required to pro‐ vide the same docu‐ ments as bidders sub‐ mitting through the mail as soon as available. Only a bid bond, certified check or cashier’s check shall be submitted as the bid security. Electronic copies of both the front and back of the check or bid bond shall be in‐ cluded with the elec‐ tronic bid.

Bids must be signed in accordance with LRS Title 38:2212(B)5. A Cor‐ porate Resolution or Cer‐ tificate of Authority au‐ thorizing the person signing the bid is re‐ quired to be submitted with bid. Failure to sub‐ mit a Corporate Resolu‐ tion or Certificate of Au‐ thority with the bid shall be cause for rejection of bid. Copies of the bidding documents except for Section C – “Standard Specifications for Roads, Drainage, Bridges and Other Infrastructure 2023 Edition” are available at the Office of Purchasing located at 705 West Uni‐ versity Avenue, Lafayette, LA 70502 upon payment of $15.00 per f d bl

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

p y p set, non-refundable. NOTE: NO CASH WILL BE ACCEPTED ONLY CHECKS OR MONEY OR‐ DERS MADE PAYABLE TO LAFAYETTE CONSOLI‐ DATED GOVERNMENT. Copies of Section “C” Standard Specifications for Roads, Drainage, Bridges and Other Infra‐ structure” 2023 Edition are available from the Public Works Department at 1515 E University Av‐ enue, Building A, Lafayette LA 70501. Bid Documents shall be available until twentyfour hours before the bid opening date. Questions relative to the bidding documents shall be ad‐ dressed to Heather Kestler at hkestler@ lafayettela.gov. Contractors are re‐ quested to attend a prebid meeting, which will be held on September 1, 2026 at 10:00 AM in the small conference room, Lafayette Consolidated Government, Public Works Administration Building located at 1515 East University Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the base bid plus additive al‐ ternates. If a bid bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list bonding of approved companies which is pub‐ lished annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled in‐ surance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana. The certi‐ fied check, cashier’s check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days. No contractor may with‐ draw its bid prior to the deadline for submission of bids. Withdrawal of bids thereafter shall be allowed only pursuant to LA R.S. 38§2214.C. Other‐ wise, no bidder may withdraw his bid for at least forty-five (45) days after the time scheduled for the bid opening of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided within the specifications. The successful bidder will be required to execute per‐ formance and labor and material payment bonds in the full amount of the contract as more fully defined in the bid docu‐ ments. No contractors may withdraw his bid for at least forty-five (45) days after the time scheduled for the open‐ ing of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided with the specifications. The contractor successful will be required to exe‐ cute performance and labor and material pay‐ ment bonds in the full amount of the contract as more fully defined in the bid documents. Bids will be evaluated by the Purchaser based on the lowest responsible and responsive bid sub‐ mitted which is also in compliance with the bid documents. The Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in ac‐ cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B. Contractors or contract‐ ing firms submitting bids in the amount of $50,000.00 or more shall certify that they are li‐ censed contractors under Chapter 24 of Title 37 of the Louisiana Re‐ vised Statutes of 1950 and show their license number on the front of the sealed envelope in which their bid is en‐ closed. Contractors shall be licensed for the clas‐ “HEAVY sification of CONSTRUCTION”. Bids in the amounts specified above which have not bid in accordance with the requirements, shall be rejected and shall not be d ddi i li f

Legal Notices

Yes: Britt Latiolais, Hannah Smith Mason, Kate Bailey Labue, Amy Trahan, Jeremy Hidalgo, Roddy Bergeron, Joshua Edmond, David LeJeune, and Robert Davidson Carried 9-0

4.20 TRANSPORTATION: Discussion and/or action concerning the Proposal Recommendation & Award for RFP #05-27, Fuel Management System for School District Bus Fleet - Jeffers/ Cloteaux A Request for Proposal (RFP #05-27) process was issued for procurement of gasoline and diesel fuels. A total of two proposals for Fuel Management System for School District Bus Fleet were received. Corpay (Fuelman) was the highest scoring vendor for fuel procurement. Fuel RFP#05-27-Scoresheet -.pd.

.theacadianaadvocate.com

Legal Notices

The Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprises) in all con‐ tracts or procurements let by the Lafayette Con‐ solidated Government for goods and services and labor and material. To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, services and labor and material in which disadvantaged businesses are available. Assistance in identifying said businesses may be obtained by calling 2918410. PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 8/19, 8/23, 8/30 DPR 1003846 197347 Aug. 19, 23, 30, 2026 3t $238.08 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ ﬁce of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Consolidated Govern‐ ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, Louisiana, until 10:00 AM Central Time on the 17TH day of September, 2026 for the following:

JEFFERSON BOULEVARD ENHANCEMENTS and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in a room lo‐ cated at 705 West Univer‐ sity Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above speciﬁed time for opening shall not be considered and shall be returned unopened to the sender. Bidders are encouraged to attend the bid opening virtually by using the following link https://us02web.zoom. us/j/83703678207? pwd=Ki8eNuGn6irKm8y Oay5jfb8i4DGmVH.1 Meeting ID: 837 0367 8207 Passcode: 802019 Scope of Services: The scope of the project con‐ sists of sidewalk im‐ provements, incidental drainage work, lighting, milling, asphaltic con‐ crete overlay and related work. All work to be com‐ pleted within 215 work‐ ing days from issuance of Notice to Proceed. In accordance with Louisiana RS 38:2212. vendors may submit their bid electronically at the website listed above. Bidders wishing to sub‐ mit their bid electroni‐ cally must ﬁrst be regis‐ tered within LCG Vendor Access at the website listed above. The regis‐ tration process can take some time; therefore, LCG recommends regis‐ tering days in advance of the time that bids are due. It is the sole respon‐ sibility of the bidder to ensure their bid is deliv‐ ered (whether electroni‐ cally via Vendor Access, in person, or via mail) to the Purchasing Division prior to the scheduled date and time of the bid opening. Bidders may re‐ quest the electronic bid package from Heather hkestler@ Kestler at lafayettela.gov

Bidders wishing to sub‐ mit their bid electroni‐ cally must first be regis‐ tered online with Lafayette Consolidated Government as a poten‐ tial supplier at the web‐ site listed above. Bidders submitting bids electron‐ ically are required to pro‐ vide the same docu‐ ments as bidders sub‐ mitting through the mail as soon as available. Only a bid bond, certified check or cashier’s check shall be submitted as the bid security. Electronic copies of both the front and back of the check or bid bond shall be in‐ cluded with the elec‐ tronic bid. Bids must be signed in accordance with LRS Title 38:2212(B)5. A Cor‐ porate Resolution or Cer‐ tificate of Authority au‐ thorizing the person signing the bid is re‐ quired to be submitted with bid. Failure to sub‐ mit a Corporate Resolu‐ tion or Certificate of Au‐ thority with the bid shall be cause for rejection of bid. Copies of the bidding documents except for Section C – “Standard Specifications for Roads, Drainage, Bridges and Other Infrastructure 2023 Edition” are available at the Office of Purchasing located at 705 West Uni‐

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

versity Avenue, Lafayette, LA 70502 upon payment of $405.58 per set, non-refundable. NOTE: NO CASH WILL BE ACCEPTED ONLY CHECKS OR MONEY OR‐ DERS MADE PAYABLE TO LAFAYETTE CONSOLI‐ DATED GOVERNMENT. Copies of Section “C” Standard Specifications for Roads, Drainage, Bridges and Other Infra‐ structure” 2023 Edition are available from the Public Works Department at 1515 E University Av‐ enue, Building A, Lafayette LA 70501. Bid Documents shall be available until twentyfour hours before the bid opening date. Questions relative to the bidding documents shall be ad‐ dressed to Heather hkestler@ Kestler at lafayettela.gov. Contractors are re‐ quested to attend a prebid meeting, which will be held on September 1, 2026 at 9:00 AM in the small conference room, Lafayette Consolidated Government, Public Works Administration Building located at 1515 East University Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the base bid plus additive al‐ ternates. If a bid bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list bonding of approved companies which is pub‐ lished annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled in‐ surance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana. The certi‐ fied check, cashier’s check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days. No contractor may with‐ draw its bid prior to the deadline for submission of bids. Withdrawal of bids thereafter shall be allowed only pursuant to LA R.S. 38§2214.C. Other‐ wise, no bidder may withdraw his bid for at least forty-five (45) days after the time scheduled for the bid opening of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided within the specifications. The successful bidder will be required to execute per‐ formance and labor and material payment bonds in the full amount of the contract as more fully defined in the bid docu‐ ments. No contractors may withdraw his bid for at least forty-five (45) days after the time scheduled for the open‐ ing of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided with the specifications. The contractor successful will be required to exe‐ cute performance and labor and material pay‐ ment bonds in the full amount of the contract as more fully defined in the bid documents. Bids will be evaluated by the Purchaser based on the lowest responsible and responsive bid sub‐ mitted which is also in compliance with the bid documents. The Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in ac‐ cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B. Contractors or contract‐ ing firms submitting bids in the amount of $50,000.00 or more shall certify that they are li‐ censed contractors under Chapter 24 of Title 37 of the Louisiana Re‐ vised Statutes of 1950 and show their license number on the front of the sealed envelope in which their bid is en‐ closed. Contractors shall be licensed for the clas‐ sification of “HIGHWAY, STREET & BRIDGE CON‐ STRUCTION”. Bids in the amounts specified above which have not bid in ac‐ cordance with the re‐ quirements, shall be re‐ jected and shall not be read. Additional informa‐ tion relative to licensing may be obtained from the Louisiana State Li‐ censing Board for Con‐ tractors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprises) in all con‐ tracts or procurements l b h f

Public Notices Bids/Proposals p let by the Lafayette Con‐ solidated Government for goods and services and labor and material. To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, services and labor and material in which disadvantaged businesses are available. Assistance in identifying said businesses may be obtained by calling 2918410. PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 8/19, 8/23, 8/30 DPR 103843 197229 Aug. 19, 23, 30, 3T $227.13

Public Notices RFQ

PUBLIC NOTICE --Advertisement: PUBLIC NOTICE RFQ # 0827 Construction Manage‐ ment at Risk (CMAR) Ser‐ vices Ovey Comeaux Workforce Innovation Academy The Lafayette Parish School Board (LPSB) is seeking Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) from highly qualified Construction Manage‐ ment firms interested in providing Construction Management at Risk (CMAR) Services for: Ovey Comeaux Work‐ force Innovation Acad‐ emy Project The Lafayette Parish School Board desires to design and construct the Ovey Comeaux Work‐ force Innovation Acad‐ emy at the Ovey Comeaux High School campus located at 100 West Bluebird Drive, Lafayette, Louisiana 70508. The Project is in‐ tended to create a highvisibility career and tech‐ nical education academy serving high school stu‐ dents pursuing industrybased certifications and workforce readiness pathways. The REQUEST FOR QUALI‐ FICATIONS (RFQ) may be obtained electronically from the following web‐ www.centerlineb site idconnect.com until 10:00 a.m. CST on Friday, Sep‐ tember 4, 2026. The LPSB Selection Re‐ view Committee will evaluate only the firms that are licensed under LA. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification of Building Construction and have obtained the official RFQ package for this solicitation from the RFQ Coordinator, Kristie Sam, or the LPSB website stated above. The original and SIX (6) copies of the SOQ, per Section 4 of the RFQ dated August 5, 2026, shall be delivered to the Lafayette Parish School Board (LPSB) at the Of‐ fice of Purchasing, 202 Rue Iberville, Lafayette, Louisiana 70508. The SOQ submissions for this Pro‐ ject will be accepted until 10:00 a.m. CST on Friday, September 4, 2026. SOQ submissions that have not been re‐ ceived by the aforemen‐ tioned deadline date and time will be rejected. Ad‐ ditionally, failure to sub‐ mit all information stipu‐ lated in Section 4 - Re‐ sponse Instructions of the RFQ dated August 5, 2026 may result in rejec‐ tion of the SOQ.

A Mandatory Pre-Pro‐ posal Conference will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at 100 W Bluebird Dr, Lafayette, LA 70508 Louisiana, Louisiana 70508, in the Performing Arts Building. All ﬁrms interested in submitting an SOQ in response to the RFQ are required to attend. SOQs submitted by ﬁrms who do not at‐ tend the Mandatory PreProposal Conference will be rejected. SOQ Respondents, their consultants, sub‐consul‐ tants, or other parties representing the pro‐ posed team for this solic‐ itation may not contact any LPSB CMAR Selection Committee members concerning this Project from the date of the so‐ licitation until after the date of the selection. LPSB and the LPSB CMAR Selection Committee re‐ serve the right to reject any or all timely submit‐ ted SOQs in response to this RFQ for just cause and waive any informali‐ ties in any proposals re‐ ceived.

Lafayette Parish School System Kristie Sam, Purchasing and Procure‐ ment Coordinator Advertisement Dates: August 5, 2026 August 12, 2026 August 19, 2026 196491-aug 5-12-19-3t $110

10A ● Wednesday, August 19, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Officials to hold meeting over Mouton Public invited to suggest improvements to park

BY KRISTIN ASKELSON Staff writer

STAFF PHOTOS By BRAd BOWIE

Workers build wooden frames to hold the concrete for a stretch of sidewalk at the intersection of Congress and Marie Antoinette streets on Tuesday in Lafayette.

Sidewalk improvements could be complete soon Work near Lafayette High delayed by rain

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Wider sidewalks and intersections on Congress Street near Lafayette High School may be ﬁnished next week. Work to improve sidewalks at the intersection of Congress Street and Marie Antoinette was delayed this summer primarily by rain, according to Christina Dayries, chief of staff for Lafayette Consolidated Government. Unfortunately, classes at Lafayette High started last week without completed sidewalks. “LCG is diligently working to complete the sidewalks,” Dayries said, “as we know the safety of our students is of the utmost importance.” Dayries said the contractor is making every effort to complete the sidewalks by early next week. An LCG inspector was on-site Tuesday and was told the crew

Lafayette Consolidated Government officials will hold a public meeting later this month to gather input on potential improvements to Mouton Park. The meeting, hosted by LCG’s Community Development and Planning Department in partnership with Lafayette City Council Chair Kenneth Boudreaux, is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Domingue Recreation Center, 901 Mudd Ave. Residents and park users will have an opportunity to discuss what they value about Mouton Park, share their experiences using the park and its facilities, and suggest future improvements or amenities. “Community input is an important part of planning for the future of our parks,” Mayor-President Monique Boulet said. “We want to hear directly from residents and those who use Mouton Park so their experiences and priorities can help guide future improvements.” Boudreaux encouraged residents and others who use the park to attend. “The people who live in this community and use this park know firsthand what is needed,” Boudreaux said. “Their input can help shape improvements that will benefit the community for years to come.” LCG officials said feedback from the meeting will help identify community priorities and guide the planning process as potential improvements to Mouton Park are considered. Email Kristin Askelson at kaskelson@theadvocate.com.

Work continues on a stretch of sidewalk near Lafayette High School on Tuesday. Construction was delayed primarily by rain this summer. is planning to pour concrete later this week and possibly Monday morning. If the contractor, Triumph, is not able to ﬁnish the work by

next week, she said, “the time- improvements at this busy inline may be affected by one tersection that includes instalmonth.” lation of the new temporary “The new widened sidewalks ä See SIDEWALK, page 4B are a part of the overall safety

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRAd BOWIE

A sign welcomes visitors to Mouton Park in Lafayette in June 2024.

Lafayette extends its Morgan City man charged with open swim season with murder after woman found dead weekend-only schedule additional opportunities to Martin Luther King dents swim into the fall. Recreation Center pool Beginning this weekend, the pool will be open from noon to 5 p.m. open through Oct. 4 Saturdays and Sundays. The week-

end-only schedule will continue through Oct. 4. Admission will remain $5 for Staff writer adults and $3 for children. The Girard Park pool, which Lafayette Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture has extended opened last year for the ﬁrst time the open swim season at the Mar- since it closed in 2019, remained tin Luther King Recreation Center ä See SWIM, page 4B pool through Oct. 4, giving resi-

BY KRISTIN ASKELSON

Ofﬁcers responding to a welfare check Sunday found a 65-year-old person dead inside a Morgan City home, and police have arrested a CRIME suspect in connecBLOTTER tion with the death. The victim Advocate was identified as staff 65-year-old Brenreports da F. Bernucho, of Morgan City. Whitney Billiot IV, 49, of Morgan City, was arrested and charged with ﬁrst-degree murder, according to the Morgan City Police De-

partment. Bail had not been set. Ofﬁcers were dispatched to the area of Pine and Maple streets on Aug. 16 for the welfare check. When they arrived, they found the victim dead inside the home. Investigators observed signs of foul play and later identiﬁed Billiot as a suspect, police said. Detectives also collected evidence they said linked him to the death. The investigation is ongoing.

New Iberia man charged with murder of 76-year-old Police are investigating the

Friday night stabbing death of a 76-year-old woman in New Iberia. Shortly before 9 p.m. Friday, ofﬁcers with the New Iberia Police Department responded to a reported stabbing in the 1000 block of South Hopkins Street, according to a department spokesperson. Ofﬁcers found the woman unresponsive inside a residence. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Following the investigation, detectives arrested the victim’s

ä See BLOTTER, page 4B

2B ● Wednesday,August 19, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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

OUR VIEWS

A real opportunity for La. workers is gone with the wind It was with deepening concern that we watched the unraveling of support for offshore wind projects along Louisiana’s Gulf Coast. While we knew that many of the issues related to offshore wind remained to be resolved, we and many others saw a budding industry that could make use of the unique skills of Louisiana companies and workers to diversify an energy sector that has been heavily reliant on oil and gas for so long. And at one time, there was broad bipartisan support for this point of view. The state famously embraced an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy, and shipbuilders and fabrication companies were taking advantage of new opportunities on the horizon. Key lawmakers in Washington were pushing to make sure the state got its share of money from offshore wind lease sales to potentially help shore up money for our coast. Now, all that appears to have come to an abrupt end with the federal government under President Donald Trump pulling back support for wind energy projects. The death knell may have come earlier this month with the German company RWE reaching a settlement with the government to relinquish its leases, including one off the coast of Cameron Parish, which was lauded when it was announced as the first offshore wind project in federal waters in the Gulf. Make no mistake, this doesn’t mean the end of wind energy globally. It only means that the United States, and more importantly, our Louisiana companies, won’t be able to benefit as easilyfrom what is sure to be a booming industry as the world seeks alternatives to fossil fuels. The numbers don’t lie. Global wind energy hit a record of 1,299 installed gigawatts in 2025, a 40% increase over the previous year, according to the Global Wind Energy Council. China leads the world in wind energy, with the United States a distant second and falling. The rationale for turning away from wind appears thin — Trump says he wants to open more areas to oil and gas drilling and is turning to nuclear energy. But there is no way that increased wind exploration hindered those aims. It was clear that private sector companies saw potential for profit here, and the downsides were something that the developing industry had plans to address. We hope there will be some resurrection of this important industry at a future date. But for now, we are dismayed for the workers and companies who saw a new market disappear right in front of their eyes. We hope that Louisiana skill and expertise will still be useful in wind projects around the globe. We know that our people can innovate and compete with anyone. We only wish that our own government would give them the chance to show it.

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

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

TO SENd US A LETTER, SCAN HERE

YOUR VIEWS

Government should serve citizens, not punish them How many times does Gov. Jeff Landry have to target New Orleans before we stop pretending these are unrelated policy decisions? New Orleans voters overwhelmingly elected Calvin Duncan as clerk of Criminal Distict Court. The state responded by eliminating the ofﬁce he was elected to lead. The state has moved to reduce New Orleans judgeships and cut funding previously allocated to the Orleans Parish district attorney’s ofﬁce. Before the New Orleans Super Bowl, the administration spent millions on a temporary shelter to remove people experiencing homelessness from highly visible areas. Instead of investing those millions in permanent solutions,

public dollars went to a short-term operation run by a company whose owners have contributed to Republican political causes. Now the administration wants control of federal homelessness funding intended to house some of New Orleans’ poorest and most vulnerable residents. Yet while the state’s intentions surfaced through a leak, where is the public explanation of how required services would be provided or these federal dollars spent? That secrecy feels familiar. Revelations about nondisclosure agreements involving government ofﬁcials and corporations doing business with the state raise the same question: Why

High court was scene of a hostile takeover The Louisiana Supreme Court’s recent opinion recusing Chief Justice John Weimer from participating in an appeal in which a former judicial colleague serves as counsel is interesting on many levels. It raises questions about under what circumstances a justice may be removed from a case. Lawyers care about that. It also details the recent history of discord between the chief justice and other current and former members of the Supreme Court over judicial compensation and expense reimbursement. We should all care about that. What struck me, however, is something that appears as more of an afterthought in the court’s recusal order. Speciﬁcally, the order states that one of the grounds offered by counsel seeking recusal was the action taken in 2023 to denude Justice Weimer of his constitutionally mandated administrative responsibilities and lodge them in an “executive committee” of the other six justices, chaired by that same counsel, then serving as a Supreme Court justice. Yes, for whatever the reason, the

six associate justices arrogated the chief justice’s administrative responsibilities to themselves, leaving the chief with a hat but no cattle. And, by all accounts, they did so without making this action public by rule, announcement or written order until three years later. So what, you say? Well, Art V, § 6 of the Louisiana Constitution designates the chief justice as the “chief administrative ofﬁcer of the judicial system of the state, subject to rules adopted by the court.” The phrase “subject to rules adopted by the court” clearly gives a majority of justices a role in deciding how the chief justice exercises his administrative authority. But that’s not what happened here. Rather, the six associate justices stripped the chief justice of exercising virtually any administrative duties. That’s not a rule; that’s a hostile takeover.

LAWRENCE PONOROFF law professor emeritus New Orleans

Weimer did right thing by calling out judicial fund I am so proud of Justice John Weimer, who appears to be alone in his concerns over misuse of taxpayer money (“Louisiana Supreme Court chief justice responds to recusal after clash with colleagues”). Justices who actually have a residence in New Orleans should not feel free to charge for living

expenses. The supplemental compensation fund seems designed to hide the actual salary of all the statewide judges and should be abolished. Thank you, Justice Weimer, for trying to look out for us taxpayers.

GEORGIA WILEMON Baton Rouge

are Louisiana’s leaders so determined to keep their intentions from public view? Apparently, poverty and homelessness aren’t the only things this administration would prefer we didn’t see. How many coincidences make a pattern? New Orleans loses resources. New Orleans loses judges. New Orleans voters have their choices overridden. Poor people are swept away, warehoused or threatened with jail. New Orleans is not Louisiana’s enemy. Poverty is not a crime. State government should serve its citizens, not punish them.

SUSAN MEALY New Orleans

Lafayette I-49 connector remains a bad idea Considering the Lafayette Consolidated Government recently applied for a total of $50 million from the federal government and the state Department of Transportation and Development to fund pre-construction work on the Interstate 49 Lafayette connector, I remind the public that this 30-year-old project has several major problems: 1. Toxic waste: The connector would go through the former downtown rail yard where a 50-acre area from the Jefferson Street underpass to Taft Street is highly polluted on the surface as well as up to 50 feet below the surface with lead, trichloroethylene, asbestos, toluene and hundreds of other chemicals. This was noted as part of a federal case that declared the area a highly toxic waste site. Before building the connector, it must be cleaned up, which could take years and cost billions. 2. Burden on minorities: This path would take out hundreds of homes, mostly minority-owned. 3. Too expensive overall: The cost exceeds the maximum paid for interstates — typically $30 million per mile. Estimated at $2.5 billion (for 4 miles through Lafayette), the project could require a toll from Shreveport to New Orleans to cover the cost. 4. Railroad crossings complicated: The cost of getting over the railroad, particularly at the intersection of Kaliste Saloom and the Evangeline Thruway, poses a major challenge. This project has stalled out for 30 years because it lacks public support. We’ve already wasted millions. We don’t need to waste any more.

HAROLD SCHOEFFLER Lafayette

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COMMENTARY Midwest shows DSA left could take over Democratic Party

It’s worth poking around the entrails of the returns for the agonizingly close and, given the pre-primary polls, surprising results of recent Democratic primaries in the key swing Midwestern states of Michigan and Wisconsin, with a side look at Minnesota. These results highlight a basic split between the constituencies that have suddenly come to domiMichael nate the Democratic priBarone mary electorate, neither of which much resembles the White working-class demographic, the memory of which Democratic politicians invoke nostalgically, though its members mostly vote for Trump Republicans these days. In both Michigan’s senatorial and Wisconsin’s gubernatorial primaries, the results were so close that it’s useful to express them in the usually supererogatory tenths of a percentage. In Michigan, the Woke 2 (to use Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s terminology) candidate Abdul El-Sayed beat Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Michigan, by a margin of 1 percentage point. In Wisconsin, the establishment choice, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, beat Assemblywoman Francesca Hong by 0.4 percentage points. Switches of just 8,000 votes in Michigan and 2,000 votes in Wisconsin would have changed the results. Just as El-Sayed’s victory does not prove that a candidate who emphasized issues out of the Democratic Socialists of America playbook is a sure winner, Hong’s defeat does not prove that such a candidate is a sure loser. Both have proven that a DSA-type candidate can be a serious contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, a year in which, if current trends continue, the Democratic nominee would be favored to win the presidency. Looking back, one can see how changes in the Republican Party’s constituencies foretold the success of Donald Trump’s candidacy. In the 2008 and 2012 presidential primaries, Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum carried the noncollege demographic and nonmajor metropolitan areas in seriously contested Midwestern primaries.

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By PAUL SANCyA

democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Abdul El-Sayed speaks at a rally for Michigan democrats in detroit.

In 2016, those groups were key to Trump’s plurality wins in crowded primary ﬁelds and to his upsets of Hillary Clinton in the key Midwestern states of — yes, the same ones again — Michigan and Wisconsin. Midwestern Democratic primaries were once dominated by blue-collar workers in major factory towns. But less than half of Michigan’s primary vote this month came from metro Detroit, which favored the establishment candidate Stevens, 51% to 45%. El-Sayed’s margin and more came from the state’s college and university counties, where some 14% of all Democratic primary voters supported him over Stevens, 59% to 37%. There were splits within the metro areas as well. El-Sayed, who is Muslim and spoke out constantly against Israel, carried heavily Arab American Dearborn, 78% to 20%, while Stevens carried next-door and majority-Black Detroit, 62% to 34%. In Oakland County, heavily gay Ferndale voted 78% to 21% for El-Sayed, while neighboring and heavily Jewish Oak Park voted for Stevens, 60% to 33%. As elections analyst Ryan McComb notes, precinct returns showed ElSayed ran strongest in places where a majority of adults had college degrees and incomes below $100,000. That’s the “downward-mobile educated class,” as he put it, or the “graduate student proletariat,” a term I’ve used since Jesse Jackson won the 1988 Michigan presidential primary. We don’t yet have such ﬁne-grained analyses of Wisconsin, but there are some obvious reasons why Hong fell

just short. Her chief weakness was in her home turf, Dane County, which she carried by just 7 percentage points. It’s home not only to the state’s flagship university but the state capital, Madison. Hong seemed far less adroit and charming than El-Sayed. For the last two weeks, she parried with difficulty questions about her past advocacy of abolishing prison and police. Even Madison denizens may have feared her opposition to Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day might strike normie voters as bizarre. In contrast, El-Sayed’s disparagement of football, Fourth of July fireworks and Mackinac Island seem to have become public only after the primary. Crowley carried his home turf, metro Milwaukee, 44% to 39%, based on strong support from Blacks and affluent Whites. Still, Hong carried counties beyond Madison and Milwaukee, not just college towns like La Crosse, Eau Claire and Stevens Point but also Wausau, Oshkosh, Appleton and Green Bay. My guess is, that’s due to strong support from low-income college grads — we’ll see if that’s right from finer-grain analysis. Meanwhile, in Minnesota, the one clear contest between a DSA-type progressive and a more conventional Democrat resulted in a solid left-wing victory: Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (DMinn.) beat Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), 59% to 39%. Minnesota is dominated by the Twin Cities metro, which includes the flagship state university in Minneapolis and the state capital of St. Paul. It’s also the home of 62% of the state’s population and 74% of Democratic primary voters. That’s why it’s been a further reach for Republicans than Wisconsin or Michigan. In any case, it’s wrong to conclude, “Socialist wave hits wall with upset in Wisconsin.” There’s a large segment of the Democratic Party that is “charged up and ready to go,” in Barack Obama’s phrase, and could capture the party’s presidential nomination — and maybe the White House. Something like that happened in 2016 and could happen again in 2028. Michael Barone is on X, @MichaelBarone.

Dems need unity and careful messaging Here’s an easy lesson for rising poing, during a Sunday appearance on litical hopefuls to draw from Francesca ABC’s “This Week.” Translation: Some Democratic candiHong’s failed bid to be Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee: dates (including herself) were distancDon’t demonize Thanksgiving. ing themselves from extreme stateHong, a chef, state legislator and dem- ments like “Defund the police” that were all the rage, quite literally, in the ocratic socialist, was the clear frontrunner in the Democratic primary race volatile context of 2020’s protests over until a social media comment she posted the killing of George Floyd. “I think that what’s important is that six years ago, now deleted, turned up, in we have to assess what a candidate is the way that old tweets often do to emsaying now,” she said. barrass political candidates. “Woke 1” (or 1.0, as some call You didn’t have to be a rightit) presumably met its demise in winger to slap your forehead, 2024 with the reelection of Donshake your head and condemn cheap shots at a holiday long ald Trump. What Woke 2.0 looks cherished by countless familike, or if it even exists, is not for me to say. Yet progressive lies yet dismissed by Hong as a candidates are learning that the glorification of colonialism. Clarence “woke” frame continues to be a She backpedaled on those Page bludgeon used against them, and past remarks, but one way or however pure their intentions another her polling lead evapomay be, they need to formulate their rated, and last Tuesday she lost to a positions and explain themselves to moderate opponent, David Crowley, voters with care. the Milwaukee County executive. Calls for the blanket defunding of poAlthough Hong had campaigned on a platform that no doubt appealed to lice or throwing open the doors to prismany Wisconsin voters, by the end she ons and jails don’t play so well when was beleaguered by questions about you’re running for governor or SenTurkey Day and whether she still beate — or the presidency, an office that some speculate AOC has her eye on. lieved in defunding the police. The same message came from New Such left-wing stars as Rep. AlexanYork City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in dria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, and a later news conference. People can Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, re“change” and “develop” their beliefs, frained from endorsing Hong, despite he said, adding that he, too, does not campaigning for other prominent prosupport problematic positions like gressives, including Michigan Senate defunding the police, although he is on nominee Abdul El-Sayed. record as having done so in the past. Such hesitancy about Hong and her So far, Mamdani has pretty much hot-button holiday heat signaled a governed in that fashion, and other renewed appreciation of moderated progressive-wing voices, wishing to rhetoric even among the progressives avoid snatching defeat out of the jaws in pursuit of restoring unity to the Democratic Party and calming the con- of victory, seem to be showing a new respect for their fellow partisans in the cerns of independent voters. political ground. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez suggested the If they keep that up and avoid too dawn of a new post-“woke” era to remuch infighting, Democrats will be place “Woke 1” like a new model of able to enjoy Trump’s gift to them: his automobile. administration’s seemingly endless “Woke 1 was crazy,” she said, laugh-

controversies that have put his popularity ratings on the skids. For example, while Wisconsin’s votes were being counted, Trump’s approval rating continued its downward slide amid the interminable Iran war and its knock-on effects on the economy and affordability. But, as I always caution, it’s early. With the midterms less than three months away, there’s still time for either party to lose. And the same goes for the next presidential election in 2028, when Trump (presumably) will not be on the ballot. The Democrats would do well to remember the lessons of 1972, the ﬁrst election in which I was old enough to vote. Richard Nixon was well-positioned to win reelection. The economy was recovering from a recession; he was winding down the Vietnam War, and with his trips to Beijing and Moscow, he had largely defused the Cold War. Yet his victory was a historic landslide, in which he won more than 60% of the popular vote (a GOP high-water mark) and carried every state but Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. He owed this stunning result to an unexpected gift: Democratic disarray. Long story short, the Democrats had failed to patch up their differences in time. George McGovern had won the Democratic nomination on his bona ﬁdes as an antiwar liberal, and that inspired more traditionalist elements in the party, such as some labor unions and Southerners, to start an “Anybody But McGovern” campaign. In order to win in 2028, the Democrats have to do more than wait for the current president to destroy his own presidency. They need to nominate someone without dividing themselves and destroying their own chances. Their challenge begins now. Email Clarence Page at clarence47page@gmail.com.

Chicagoans are getting fed up with the city’s teachers union CHICAGO — The social science phrase “wicked problem” can denote social dysfunction that is insoluble because those causing it are immovable from power. But America’s worstgoverned city has begun breaking the grip of the peculiar political machine driving Chicago’s decline. The Chicago Teachers Union’s cupidity in enriching itself, and the dismal results of Chicago’s public George schools, have drained the public’s Will reservoir of goodwill. Among the reasons for the CTU’s downfall is a school named for someone who, as a slave, taught himself to read — a skill poorly imparted by Chicago teachers, when they teach. The indispensable Illinois Policy Institute says the Frederick Douglass Academy, whose 47 classrooms were built to accommodate 1,008 students, has 27. But the CTU has seen to it that it has 28 full-time staff. So, in the 2023-2024 school year, Douglass spent $93,000 per pupil. But Douglass is not entirely an outlier. At more than 50 Chicago schools, the percent of students who achieve math proficiency is 0. The 20 lowestenrollment schools, spending $33,500 per student, have an 11% average reading proficiency. Students graduate unprepared for flourishing; the CTU thrives. The adjective “wicked” should be used sparingly in political discourse, but it fits the CTU’s ongoing child abuse. Last year, 43% of the city’s teachers were absent 10 or more school days. Students similarly negligent produce the phenomenon called “chronic absenteeism.” A quarter of Chicago high school students missed more than a month of school, and 100% of Douglass’s seniors were chronically absent. Yet the graduation rate remains high, at about 83%. The CTU’s president, Stacy Davis Gates, who likes her son’s private school, vows to “create the crisis by which the boss … the government can no longer ignore you.” But the CTU is the government’s boss, having engineered the election of a former CTU organizer, Brandon Johnson, as mayor. Johnson’s guileless candor indicates the CTU’s sense of invulnerability: “I personally don’t give a lot of attention to grades. … My responsibility is not simply to grade the system, but to fund the system.” So, deciding “whether or not our public school system is working” depends not on measuring cognitive outcomes. Rather, it depends solely on the amount of taxpayer money that flows into the system, ultimately to the CTU. Ninety-three percent of Johnson’s funds came from the CTU and other unions. Davis Gates calls standardized testing “junk science rooted in white supremacy” and designed to fail Black students. CTU placeholders like Johnson are fungible. Electing union ciphers, and passing union-favored ballot measures, is facilitated by Chicago’s scheduling of elections. They do not occur in state and national political cycles. They occur during winter, when the razor-sharp winds off Lake Michigan discourage participation. A highly motivated minority can prevail in small turnouts. This is one reason Chicago’s government of, by and for government employees spends more than 22% of local revenue on government employees’ pensions. The CTU’s indifference to norms was displayed on May 1, when Chicago Public Schools staged a “day of civic action,” busing students downtown to attend political events demanding more money for public employees. During the Biden administration’s pandemic spending spree, the number of CPS employees increased more than 19% while school enrollments were shrinking 9%. It is, however, a law of political physics: There is some critical mass of corruption, some arrogance so off-putting, some indifference to competence so gross that some reform is irresistible, even here. In 2024, the CTU and its affiliates squandered $2.1 million of their almost $2.9 million in political contributions to 10 CTU-supported school board candidates, six of whom lost. The union’s request for members to pay higher dues was crushed. The CTU has unsuccessfully demanded that the school district get a $300 million high-interest loan to fund the union’s contract demands. Voters soundly rejected a tax increase that was marketed as spending for the homeless but could have funded housing stipends for CTU members. A poll last month showed that nearly 14% of Chicagoans want Johnson to seek reelection. For decades, a large majority of Chicagoans liked teachers, and hence their union. Now, however, Chicago ranks last among the nation’s four largest cities (the others: New York, Los Angeles, Houston) in fourth graders’ reading and math proficiency (23% and 24%, respectively). A Chicago political axiom: “Don’t make no waves, don’t back no losers.” The CTU is losing, inundated by waves of hostility it has created. In 1955, an alderman content with Mayor Richard J. Daley’s machine said, “Chicago ain’t ready for reform yet.” The CTU has made it ready. Email George Will at georgewill@washpost. com.

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4B ● Wednesday, August 19, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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BRPD may have found teen’s body in landﬁll Search started on July 13

Police Chief TJ Morse speaks during a news conference about Ja’derrius Minnieweather at BRPd headquarters on Tuesday.

BY OLIVIA TEES Staff writer

Baton Rouge police say they strongly suspect the body of 15-year-old Ja’Derrius Minnieweather was found Tuesday in the East Baton Rouge Landfill, two months after the teen was reported missing. “This morning, after all the hard work our collaborative search teams have done so far, I can report that we’ve located suspected human remains, and the evidence gives me hope that these remains belong to Ja’Derrius,” Police Chief TJ Morse said. Morse said the area where Minnieweather’s remains were found was not in the original 0.64-acre sector that was identified with help from the FBI Laboratory’s Technical Hazards Response Unit and Evidence Response Team. Because the case is still an ongoing and active homicide investigation, Morse could not confirm whether the remains found were full or partial. The remains were turned over to the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office to be processed. The DNA extraction from the bones will take a day or more to confirm if they are Minnieweather’s, Morse said. “Professionally, I am unable to make any speculations, but I remain very, very hopeful,” he said.

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS Morse said he and his team intend to return to the landfill Wednesday to continue the search until the results of the DNA come back as positive, or until Friday. The search at the 400-acre East Baton Rouge Landﬁll near Zachary started at 6 a.m. July 13. While the Baton Rouge Police Department is the lead agency on the case, the complexity of the search meant it required help from 12 other law enforcement agencies, including specialty teams from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana National Guard. More than 4,000 tons of waste have been processed by 821 search shifts. The teams spent nearly 17,500 hours searching in hazardous conditions. Over 4,000 bones were recovered during the search, all of which were found not to be human. There were eight cases where

members of the search teams needed medical treatment for heat-related injuries, Mayor-President Sid Edwards said. “It was because of the determination, of the grit of these professionals, that this baby, a son of Baton Rouge, is going to be brought home,” Edwards said. Edwards said the search was unprecedented, with the national average of recovering a body from a landﬁll being only a 12% success rate. “They didn’t count Baton Rouge. They didn’t count these people up here and all their agencies from Baton Rouge. They didn’t count that,” Edwards said.

The case so far Minnieweather was last seen about 2 a.m. June 5 on Bradley Street in the Foster and Winbourne area, police said. Police said they believe Minnie-

weather was killed that night by Maurice Parms. While investigating the teen’s disappearance, police discovered a 16-year-old girl who was allegedly involved in an illicit relationship with Parms. He was arrested June 10 on counts of indecent behavior with juveniles and computer-aided solicitation of a minor, but was released on bail a short time later. As the investigation continued, the 51-year-old Parms was arrested again June 20 on a count of ﬁrst-degree murder. Police say he allegedly beat Minnieweather to death and went to great lengths to hide the evidence. Morse said the department had evidence that strongly indicated Parms had killed Minnieweather and dumped the body in a garbage can. Parms admitted in an interview with police after his second arrest that he had met Minnieweather on June 4 at a residence on Bradley Street, which is the home of the 16-year-old girl, who police say was a friend of Minnieweather. Detectives obtained footage of a tall Black man dragging a trash can to a spot in the 3200 block of Conrad Street. They also found video from a minute later of a man matching Parms’ body type riding a child’s bike away from Conrad toward Charles Street. A male was also seen getting off the bike and throwing it into bushes, where he is then seen taking off a black mask, gloves and a T-shirt, which he threw into multiple garbage cans. Witnesses described seeing a

SWIM

Continued from page 1B closed this year to evaluate and recommend repairs and maintenance, a Lafayette Consolidated Government spokesperson said. The Girard Park pool reopened last year for the ﬁrst time since it was shuttered in 2019. Sitting vacant for so many years meant it required several repairs to get it back into shape, ofﬁ-

tall man beating a smaller person while a child’s bike was in the middle of the roadway. Detectives were able to locate blood soaked into the ground, and Parms’ truck tested positive for blood after detectives obtained a search warrant. Parms has not made any statements or cooperated with authorities to help them ﬁnd Minnieweather’s body, according to Morse. Parms remains in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and is held without bail. His next court date is Oct. 15 for a bail review hearing. If he is convicted of ﬁrst-degree murder, Parms would face the possibility of the death penalty. Assistant District Attorney Tiara Jones will represent Minnieweather and his family in court and be a strong voice for his case, according to East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore. “At this stage we, the District Attorney’s Office have not only the duty but the pleasure and the honor now to speak for Ja’Derrius and his family,” Moore said. Even with the possibility of Minnieweather’s body being found, the work isn’t over yet, Morse said. “I don’t think it’s completely sunk in yet because there’s still work to do, right? We’re going to be out there again tomorrow. The job’s not done, and the job will not be done until we are able to hand over a completed case, and we see Maurice Parms responsible,” Morse said. Staff writer Blake Leschber contributed to this report.

cials have said. Email Kristin Askelson at It eventually opened in kaskelson@theadvocate. late June 2025 after pumps com. were replaced. Various improvements at the time inLOTTERY cluded new ladders, painting, repairing cracks and MONDAY, AUG. 17, adding lifeguard chairs. 2026 The OJ Mouton pool is anPICK 3: 6-8-0 ticipated to reopen at some PICK 4: 2-8-3-9 point but is currently undergoing major repairs. PICK 5: 6-1-8-4-9 For more information POWERBALL: 8-15-25about open swim, admis49-65 (22) sion and pool rules, visit Lafayette PARC’s swimming Unofficial notification, information page. keep your tickets.

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Workers build the framework for a stretch of sidewalk at the intersection of Congress and Marie Antoinette streets on Tuesday in Lafayette.

SIDEWALK

Continued from page 1B traffic signals,” Dayries said. LCG will be installing new trafﬁc signals on a metal pole with an arm overhanging the roadway, she said. Ground was broken in September 2023 on construction of a new Lafayette High

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Continued from page 1B

live-in boyfriend, 67-yearold Wilfred Babino. He was booked into the Iberia Parish Jail on a count of ﬁrstdegree murder. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Iberia Police Department.

Two men arrested with stolen truck Two southwest Louisiana men have been arrested after being caught robbing a Sulphur business with a stolen U-Haul truck. Around 6 a.m. on Sunday, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Ofﬁce sent deputies out to a theft in progress at a business on Arnold Road in Sulphur, where two men in a U-Haul truck were stealing parts from a business, according to the news release from the department.

School to replace the previous building that stood for about 75 years, serving hundreds of students through the decades. The old school was demolished in 2025 and the new building welcomed students for the 2025-26 school year, although construction continued at some parts of the school campus. School officials held a ribbon-cutting for the new school last week, marking

its substantial completion. The $100 million threestory school is designed for about 2,200 students. School enrollment was expected to increase this year after the School Board closed Comeaux High School in June and dispersed students to Lafayette High, Southside High and Acadiana High schools. Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.com.

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Deputies found the truck on South Beglis Parkway and conducted a trafﬁc stop and make contact with Lake Charles 52-year-old Chad T. Daly, of Lake Charles, and 49-year-old Jason E. Adaway, of Sulphur, the release states. During further investigation, the officers found the stolen items from the business in the back of the truck and burglary tools in the cab. The truck also had a “large number of tires,” stripped copper wiring and power tools that are typically associated with stripping wires, according to the release. The truck was previously reported stolen, and the license plate on the truck had been switched, as well as the USDOT numbers, the Sheriff’s Office said. The two men also had brass knuckles, methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia. When CPSO Property Crimes detectives arrived to continue the investigation, they learned the sus-

pects said they borrowed the truck from another person. Daly and Adaway were both arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center. The two men were charged with illegal carrying of weapons; possession of burglary tools; theft from $1,000 to $5,000; criminal trespass; and possession of drug paraphernalia. Daly had additional counts of illegal possession of stolen things $25,000 or more as well as two traffic violations. His bail was set at $141,000 by Judge David Ritchie. Adaway had an additional count of possession of CDS II and had his bail set at $120,000. Both suspects had additional warrants, and Adaway was on federal probation for human trafficking conspiracy to transport an undocumented alien within the U.S., the Sheriff’s Office said.

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Season preview of Northside High football team.

OFFICIAL NEWS PARTNER OF THE LOUISIANA RAGIN’ CAJUNS

SPORTS

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

W e d n e s d ay, au g u s t 19, 2026

HOLDING THE LINE

PAGE 4C

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Cajuns WRs stepping up in wake of key injuries BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

UL coach Michael Desormeaux had no real updates Tuesday on his team’s wide receiver injury situation. What we do know is No. 1 receiver Shelton Sampson has a knee bruise and has missed the entire camp. “The diagnosis was correct,” Desormeaux said of Sampson’s injury. “It was just a deeper bone bruise than probably anyone anticipated. He’s feeling good. He’s starting to do a lot of stuff in rehab where he’s running and doing things. “My biggest concern is just going to be the conditioning part.” Another top receiver, sophomore Landon Strother, suffered a broken collarbone and is out 4-6 weeks. The positive news Desormeaux relayed is that multiple receivers have stepped up to the challenge. “KeDarius Wade has had a great camp,” he said. “Rahji Dennis, I thought, started slow, and then this last week gets the challenge and plays really well ... makes a bunch of plays.” Desormeaux said Trenton Chaney also has showed progress while still limited in practice and Russell Babineaux has

ä See CAJUNS, page 3C

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU defensive tackles deuce Geralds, center, and Richard Anderson prepare to run a drill at spring practice on March 26 at the LSU practice facility. The freshman duo are expected to play a key role on the defensive front.

LSU’s success could hinge on how youngsters perform in trenches

hen Nick Saban was the LSU football coach, he brought up the old adage about how you can chalk up a loss for every freshman you have to start. Then college football changed and for a long period of time trended younger. Coaches felt compelled to play freshmen who could help them right away, especially at the skill positions, worrying that if they were good enough they would be gone in three years to the NFL. Now, the pendulum has swung back. Because of the transfer portal, big-time programs such as LSU are bringing in experienced veteran players from other schools, pushing freshmen back down the depth charts. “Old teams win now,” LSU coach Lane Kifﬁn said Monday. “I think that’s the maturity of the player, the fourth- and ﬁfth-year player. How they think and what’s important to them. They’re used

Scott Rabalais to playing. They’re veterans.” Sometimes, though, veterans just aren’t available or aren’t better than the freshmen who can take the leading roles from their older teammates. Kifﬁn’s ﬁrst LSU team looks like it’s going into this season with freshmen in critical roles on the interior defensive line. Deuce Geralds, a 6-foot-1, 279-pound freshman from Suwanee, Georgia, and Richard Anderson, the 6-3, 339-pound blue-chipper from New Orleans prep power Edna Karr, look like they’re trending toward being LSU’s starting defensive tackles. Geralds, undersized

but agile, enrolled in January and has been turning heads since spring practice. Anderson, the nation’s top-rated defensive tackle prospect, formed an impressive 1-2 ranked recruiting coup for Kifﬁn with defensive end Lamar Brown from University High. No one is questioning the talent Geralds and Anderson bring to the Tigers. Their upside is high. But this is the Southeastern Conference, where talent is only part of the equation. Playing Dline in this league is only a notch below playing in the NFC South. It takes skill and guile to succeed, with experience being the best teacher. The David Mamet quote — “Old age and treachery will always beat youth and exuberance” — certainly applies. In short, LSU needs to be a strong team up the middle against the run to have a chance to be in the 12-team Col-

ä See RABALAIS, page 3C

STAFF PHOTO By BRAd KEMP

UL wide receivers Kedarius Wade, left, and Russell Babineaux have had strong preseason practices after injuries sidelined top receiver Shelton Sampson and teammate Landon Strother.

LSU’s Mulkey explains pairing of Ukrainian, Russian players BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Saints dealing with fallout of WR Tyson’s latest hamstring injury BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

This was the risk of drafting Jordyn Tyson. Saints coach Kellen Moore said the rookie wide receiver’s latest hamstring injury is different from hamstring Analysis the issues that affected Tyson’s ﬁnal year at Arizona State. Moore said the way Tyson was hit — how his foot slipped out from underneath while shoved from behind during Thursday’s joint practice against the Jacksonville Jaguars— “probably” would have led to a hamstring injury for any player. But Tyson entered the NFL with questions about whether he could stay healthy. Before his ﬁrst season has begun,

his 293 yards receiving. But there will be other opportunities. The Saints will see which of their young receivers is ready for a larger role. Fourth-rounder Bryce Lance and sixth-rounder Barion

Kim Mulkey doesn’t remember when she sat down with Kate Koval this offseason, but she remembers where. It was in the parking lot of her 6-foot-5 center’s apartment complex. Ordinarily, Mulkey wouldn’t talk to one of her players before she recruits another. But she thought that this situation required a little extra care — and perhaps a more intimate setting than the secondfloor offices her program occupies in the athletics administration building. “We just sat in the car,” Mulkey told The Advocate on Monday. “Kept the AC on.” And then they talked. Mulkey wanted to discuss with Koval the fact that she had an opportunity to pursue a center named Anna Minaeva. She won’t turn 18 until January, but Minaeva already was playing professional basketball, and her film had intrigued both Mulkey and other powerconference coaches across the country. Minaeva is 6-5 and skilled, with a soft touch and impressive vision. Mulkey thought she could, despite her age, make “an immediate impact” this season for her LSU team. The problem is that Minaeva is from Russia and Koval is from Ukraine. At least a couple of handfuls of players from those two countries have moved to the U.S. to play Division I women’s college basketball since Russia first invaded its neighbor to

ä See TYSON, page 3C

ä See MULKEY, page 3C

ä Saints at Rams. 3 P.M. SATURdAy, KATC

the eighth overall pick now is sidelined for about two months with another hamstring injury. Let’s dive into the ripple effects of what Tyson’s injury means for the Saints.

Next men up Tyson’s setback puts more pressure on Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele to stay healthy. Olave and Vele both have their own injury histories. It will be paramount they are available for the Saints, who are looking to improve an offense that ranked 27th in DVOA (efﬁciency) last season. In terms of target share and snaps, Vele may beneﬁt the most in the short term. Previ-

STAFF PHOTO By dAVId GRUNFELd

Saints wide receiver Jordyn Tyson walks off the field after Saturday’s preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Caesars Superdome. Tyson is expected to be sidelined about two months with a hamstring injury suffered during Thursday’s joint practice. ously set to be the third receiver, the 28-year-old presumably will be on the ﬁeld even when the Saints roll out two-receiver sets. He also established chemistry with quarterback Tyler Shough last season. Vele was effective on intermediate routes, accounting for 185 of

H 2C ● Wednesday, August 19, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Vancouver vs. Seoul Bridgewater vs. Bayonne MLB noon San diego at N.y. Mets 5:30 p.m. N.y. yankees at Baltimore MEN’S SOCCER 6 p.m. Supra du Québec at Forge 7 p.m. St. Louis at Kansas City

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Texas, Manning have championship hopes

BY JIM VERTUNO AP sportswriter

AUSTIN, Texas — Arch Manning’s name is still on the back of the No. 16 jersey. Texas is still on the front. Stitched permanently into both are the questions of whether player and program can deliver on super-sized potential and expectations of a national championship. Year two of the Manning era at Texas carries a lot with it, from the residue of last season’s failures of not making the College Football Playoff to the burning new question of “if not now, when?” Coach Steve Sarkisian aggressively used the transfer portal to retool the lineup around his star quarterback in a push for a return to the CFP. Twenty-one years since its last national title, Texas loaded up for what could be Manning’s moment. Can he stitch his name into Texas history? “He’s a very dangerous player because he learned a lot from last ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By ERIC GAy season, and he is surrounded by Texas quarterback Arch Manning, center, and running back Hollywood Smothers, left, take part in a preseason some good players,” Sarkisian practice in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 5. said. “I think that he’s a guy that’s poised for a heck of a season.” And as Manning goes, so does lina State), and added elite wide Cam Coleman, go get a Hollywood played. When Mississippi comes Texas. receiver Cam Coleman (Auburn). Smothers and go get a (lineback- to Austin on Oct. 24, the stories “(Livingstone) was my room- er) Rasheem Biles,” Sarkisian will be about his grandfather ArMolding the lineup chie and uncle Eli. mate. So now playing against said. Archie Manning praised his Last season started with Texas him is definitely a little bit of a grandson for the way he’s handled ranked No. 1 and Manning as the change,” Manning said. “I think Heisman and NFL draft talk Heisman Trophy favorite. The that’s just kind of how college The Manning hype or hate will everything thrown at him so far. bubble burst quicky for both in a football is now.” fire up again quickly. Texas hosts College football analysts and critIn an era of constant roster re- Ohio State on Sept. 12 and opens ics were “unfair” because they 3-2 start that saw Manning pounded by defenses and labeled a bust building, Texas seized the moment SEC play Sept. 26 at Tennessee. “crowned him before he ever to build an offense where he could Win those and he’s likely topping played,” Archie Manning said. by some national media. the Heisman short lists again by “So, he struggled a little bit. It Texas rallied with a 7-1 finish let it rip. “I think strategically, there were October. And his potential draft happens when you play college and made a legitimate argument for the playoff before getting left some tough decisions to make,” status will be a conversation all football, playing at that level. But he kept his head down and kept out. That run included a win over Sarkisian said. “But we made season. Lose them? Look out. fighting. I was really, really proud then-No. 3 Texas A&M and thump- them. I think we all can agree The buildup to the matchup of him.” ing Michigan in the Citrus Bowl that we’re probably better around Sarkisian said the attention and as Manning showed big improve- Arch today than we were a year with the Buckeyes will likely be a heavy dose of Manning’s strug- negativity last season forged a ago at this time.” ment on the field. Manning also played a role. gles in a season-opening loss in better player. Still, Sarkisian knew changes “I think the way of what he had to be made. Some key veter- Sarkisian has said that Manning’s Columbus last year. “I’ve obviously matured. I think got put through probably would ans were pointed toward a trans- sponsorship deals with Red Bull, fer portal exit: Running back Tre Uber and other major brands going through those rough times, have melted or destroyed 99% of Wisner (Florida State) and receiv- meant he demands less money I learned a lot about myself. And people in his shoes. All he did was ers Parker Livingstone (Okla- from Texas in revenue sharing. I’ve become a better man because stay consistent and true to who homa) and DeAndre Moore Jr. Manning reportedly agreed to of it and hopefully a better player. he was, which was to continue to take less from Texas this year I don’t want to repeat that game,” work hard, continue to be a great (Colorado) headed out. teammate, try to get better, and he Texas has upgraded at both po- so Sarkisian could spend it else- Manning said. The game at Tennessee will be did,” Sarkisian said. “I think that sitions with running backs Raleek where. All of that freed up several mil- a trip down memory lane at the he’s grown into a great leader for Brown (Arizona State) and Hollywood Smothers (North Caro- lion dollars “that I can go get a place where his uncle Peyton us.”

Colts add depth by signing WR Allen to 1-year deal

INDIANAPOLIS — Keenan Allen is getting another chance to extend his NFL career. The Indianapolis Colts added depth to their receiving corps by signing the 34-year-old receiver to a one-year contract worth up to $8.32 million, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Allen is a six-time Pro Bowler who caught at least 100 passes in a season ﬁve times, won the NFL’s 2017 Comeback Player of the Year Award and is the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers’ career leader with 985 receptions in 12 seasons with the team. He also worked with Colts coach Shane Steichen for seven seasons when they were with the Chargers. Steichen was the offensive quality control coach from 2014-15.

Jets running back Hall is sidelined with groin strain

New York Jets running back Breece Hall will be sidelined two to three weeks with a strained groin, but is expected to be ready to play in the regular-season opener. Coach Aaron Glenn was cautiously optimistic after Hall caught a pass late in practice Monday, pulled up and fell to the rain-slicked grass. Glenn said Tuesday that tests conﬁrmed that the injury isn’t serious and won’t sideline the Jets’ No. 1 running back for long. “Knowing how important he is for what we’re doing, it was really exciting to hear it,” Glenn said. The 25-year-old Hall is considered a key to New York’s offense and is coming off his ﬁrst 1,000yard rushing season.

Mancini retires after a 5-game Angels comeback

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Trey Mancini, the AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2021 for his return from colon cancer who then helped Houston win the 2022 World Series, announced his retirement Tuesday after his latest comeback lasted five games with the Los Angeles Angels. Mancini, 34, agreed to a minor league contract with the Angels in February, a deal that included an invitation to major league spring training. Mancini hit .273 with six homers, 29 RBIs and three steals for Triple-A Salt Lake this year. The right-handed batter had three hits in his first major league game since 2023 playing first base in a 5-4 loss to the Houston Astros in 10 innings. Mancini’s final major league appearance was June 14.

Buckeyes, Ducks out to supplant Hoosiers in Big Ten Venus Williams gets U.S. Open BY ERIC OLSON

And the rest

The 2025 Indiana Hoosiers won the Big Ten and national championship and were the ﬁrst team in the modern era to go 16-0. They have 10 starters back, the hottest coach in the game and a manageable schedule. It’s Ohio State and Oregon generating most of the preseason buzz, though, with both perched 1-2 atop the preseason AP Top 25 poll and among eight ranked teams. The consensus around the sport is that the Buckeyes and Ducks are loaded and the Hoosiers’ roll is about to slow with TCU transfer Josh Hoover replacing Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 NFL draft pick Fernando Mendoza. Doubt coach Curt Cignetti at your own peril. He’s 27-2 with two College Football Playoff appearances at Indiana and has yet to write a check his team can’t cash. Ohio State plays the toughest conference schedule. The Buckeyes visit Indiana on Oct. 17 and host Oregon on Nov. 7. Those games will go a long way in deciding which teams make the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis, not to mention affect CFP seeding. The Buckeyes are built for what awaits. Jeremiah Smith is the most productive receiver in the nation, quarterback Julian Sayin is one of the most accurate passers and the offensive line is elite. There are plenty of talented transfers waiting to emerge for a defense replacing eight starters, all of whom were drafted. Oregon is one of the most seasoned teams in the nation with quarterback Dante Moore among six starters back on offense and

Iowa has reeled off at least eight wins all but one non-pandemic season since 2013. Two inexperienced QBs are battling for the starter’s job and the defensive line must be rebuilt. ... Katin Houser, who has a combined 26 starts at Michigan State and East Carolina, becomes Illinois’ fourth transfer to start at QB in Bret Bielema’s six seasons. ... Minnesota has beaten a ranked opponent three straight years and is 7-0 in bowls since 2018. The Gophers will be a tough out again with returning QB Drake Lindsey and a dominant edge in Anthony Smith. ... Nebraska’s Matt Rhule is 19-19 in three seasons, including 1-4 since he signed a two-year contract extension. No one plays a tougher October-November schedule. Wisconsin is counting on transfers Colton Joseph (QB, Old Dominion) and Abu Sama III (RB, Iowa State) to recharge an offense plagued by injuries the last four years. ... QB Nico Iamaleava is back for UCLA, and 10 of the Bruins’ 45 transfers followed Bob Chesney from James Madison. ... Northwestern brought in Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator and Jerry Neuheisel as QBs coach to spark an offense that’s last in Big Ten in yards per play (4.9) since 2023. ... Maryland’s Malik Washington is one of the great young QB talents but the Terrapins need their defense to spend less time on the ﬁeld. ... Michigan State, 9-27 in Big Ten play since 2022, hopes to become relevant again with new coach Pat Fitzgerald.... Rutgers’ 22 Big Ten wins are fewest among teams that have been in the conference since 2014. ... Purdue has lost 18 straight Big Ten games and beaten one FBS opponent (Ball State) the last two years.

AP college football writer

ASSOCIATEd PRESS FILE PHOTO By MIKE STEWART

Oregon quarterback dante Moore works against Indiana during the Peach Bowl playoff semifinal on Jan. 9 in Atlanta.

tackle A’Mauri Washington and Jason Beck coming with Kyle edge Matayo Uiagalelei lead- Whittingham from Utah. Penn State first-year coach ing a defense that returns eight Matt Campbell brought 24 playstarters. ers with him from Iowa State, Other teams could challenge including QB Rocco Becht. The Southern California coach Nittany Lions don’t have to play Lincoln Riley goes into his ﬁfth Ohio State, Oregon or Indiana. season with his best team on paper. The schedule is brutal with Team on the rise home games against Oregon and Washington got back dynamic Ohio State and a trip to Indiana. QB Demond Williams Jr. after QB Jayden Maiava has made 17 a kerfufﬂe with the school over straight starts. pay. If the Huskies can rebuild Michigan is looking to improve what was one of the Big Ten’s on offense. QB Bryce Under- best defenses, their ascent unwood, who didn’t live up to lofty der Jedd Fisch can continue. The expectations as a freshman, schedule is a bit tougher than in should make progress with OC 2025.

singles wild card at age 46

NEW YORK — Venus Williams was given a U.S. Open singles wild card on Tuesday and the tournament is keeping one on hold — perhaps in case her sister Serena wants to join her. Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, was one of six other women to receive a wild card, and the U.S. Tennis Association said the ﬁnal one is still to be announced. That almost certainly would go to Serena Williams, if she decides she wants to return to the tournament at 44. Venus Williams received a wild card last year, returning to the Grand Slam event she won twice for the first time since 2023. The 46-year-old has become the oldest entrant in singles at the tournament since Renee Richards played at 47 in 1981.

Man charged in burglary of Biffle’s home after he died

STATESVILLE, N.C. — A Georgia man burglarized former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle’s home after learning Biffle and his family died in a plane crash, a North Carolina sheriff said Tuesday. Terrell Williams, 44, has been charged with second-degree burglary, safe cracking, money laundering and other felonies, Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell announced at a news conference. Williams was being held without bond in Cobb County, Georgia, on suspicion of another home burglary. Campbell said investigators were led to Williams in July, when Cobb County police arrested him and found items taken from Biffle’s home. Biffle, his wife and his two children, along with three others, died in the Dec. 18 crash.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday,August 19, 2026 ● 3C

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Tigers TE Green a preseason All-American Two LSU teammates make second team

BY JON BLAU

Staff writer

Lane Kiffin doesn’t just have talent on his inaugural LSU roster. He is expected to have AllAmerica level talent. Tight end Trey’Dez Green was announced Tuesday as the firstteam tight end on the preseason Associated Press All-America squad, while safety Ty Benefield and offensive tackle Jordan Seaton were second-team selections. Green, a 6-foot-7 former basketball player, heads into his junior season with high expectations. He was hot and cold as a sophomore with 33 catches, 433 yards and seven touchdowns, but Kiffin’s offense should feed him the ball more regularly. Seaton was a second-team AllBig 12 selection at Colorado as a sophomore and will protect Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt’s blindside this season. The 6-5, 307-pound junior was

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C lege Football Playoff. The Tigers were solid against the run in 2025 — 32nd in the FBS in rushing defense with 124.1 yards per game, 26th in third-down conversion defense. LSU needs to at least be that good against a schedule that includes five preseason AP Top 25 opponents. LSU came in at No. 11 overall when the AP poll was released Monday after being No. 13 in the USA Today coaches poll. They are rankings that reflect both the confidence in the Tigers’ ability and their question marks, factors that going into the season make LSU appear to be a borderline CFP participant. The Tigers’ rebuilt defensive line, with all new starters, is a microcosm of their promise and potential pitfalls. You could say

TYSON

Continued from page 1C Brown have had their moments in camp, and both could provide a deep threat. Don’t discount the tight ends. Juwan Johnson is coming off a career season, and the Saints landed Noah Fant in the offseason after spending more than a year pursuing him. New Orleans was already on track to implement more 12 and 13 personnel this season, and that process could be expedited with Tyson not available. If Tyson opens the season on injured reserve, that likely will affect the Saints’ decision-making on their initial 53-man roster. If the Saints keep ﬁve receivers, Tyson’s injury could open up a spot for someone like Kevin Austin or Bub Means.

Recovery timeline Placing Tyson on injured reserve to start the season would require him to miss the ﬁrst four games, keeping him out at least until Oct. 11 against the Minnesota Vikings. But if Tyson needs two months to recover, that could push his debut to an Oct. 18 game at the New York Giants.

MULKEY

Continued from page 1C the west in 2022, but it does not appear that any of them have played on the same team. Koval and Minaeva — who was announced as LSU’s latest signee on Friday — are now the ﬁrst, and Mulkey hopes the fact they are sharing a locker room turns into an uplifting story once the 2026-27 season tips off Nov. 2. That’s part of the vision she laid out for Koval in the parked car. “I want you to understand I’m not here to ask you to change how you feel about Russia,” Mulkey said, recalling her conversation with Koval. “I’m just here out of respect for your family and out of respect for you to let you know. Because I know how personal it is for you. “Know that what I have to do in this business, I cannot make a deci-

projected as a top-10 NFL draft pick by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. this week. Benefield, a senior who comes over from Boise State, is considered a top-five safety prospect in this year’s draft class. LSU was one of seven SEC schools to have more than one honoree on the preseason All-America squad. Only five teams nationally exceeded LSU with four selections, including defending national champ Indiana, Oregon, and fellow SEC squads Ole Miss, Georgia and Texas. The Rebels put quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy, defensive tackle Will Echols and kicker Lucas Carneiro on the team. Georgia placed offensive lineman Drew Bobo, linebacker Raylen Wilson, and defensive backs KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson. Texas was represented by edge rusher Colin Simmons, offensive lineman Trevor Goosby, receiver Cam Coleman and linebacker Rasheem Biles. As far as the expectations being placed on LSU players this season, Kiffin said Monday: “They gotta control what they can control,

the same thing for the Tigers’ rebuilt offensive line, with only one full-time starter (center Braelin Moore) returning. Less than three weeks before the Sept. 5 season opener against Clemson, the starting O-line looks to be transfer Jordan Seaton at left tackle, veteran Bo Bordelon at left guard, Moore at center, transfer Aliou Bah at right guard and another veteran, Weston Davis, at right tackle. All the bells and gadgetry of the Lane Kifﬁn/Charlie Weis Jr. offense promise great things for LSU. But the bedrock of that offense is being able to run the ball and being successful in the trenches. For the Tigers, that cuts both ways. Run the ball. Stop the run. And hope that a lack of experience doesn’t cost LSU somewhere along the way.

Farewell to The General II Joe Dean Jr. — a basketball

Even that comes with questions. Would the Saints really be OK with Tyson making his debut on MetLife Stadium’s turf, a surface that has drawn criticism? And if Tyson can’t play that week, the next game is in France. Is that the right environment to unleash him? The Saints’ open date looms after that, setting up a Nov. 8 debut against the Cleveland Browns at home. If the Saints wanted to take a cautious approach, shutting Tyson down until then is an option. This all depends on Tyson’s recovery and how he responds to treatment. If he is medically cleared and feels comfortable being out there, the Saints will play him — regardless of where that takes place.

20/20 hindsight

which is perform really well and not worry about outside noise that comes with it.” Elsewhere on the team, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is the first-team quarterback. He is joined by two fellow Ducks, defensive lineman A’Mauri Washington and safety Koi Perich. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, the Big Ten preseason offensive player of the year, is the only selection from Ohio State, the No. 1 team in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. Smith, Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy and Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore are returning Associated Press firstteam All-America picks who are on the preseason team. Iowa’s Kade Pieper was voted first-team center by a wide margin even though this will be his first season playing the position. He moved from right guard to replace 2025 consensus AllAmerican Logan Jones. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Email Jon Blau at jon.blau@ theadvocate.com

coach, broadcaster and administrator — died over the weekend. He was 71. The son of legendary LSU basketball player and later athletic director Joe Dean Sr., Joe Dean Jr. followed in his famous father’s footsteps as an SEC basketball broadcaster. Together they ran the longstanding Dixie Basketball Camp, held every summer in Summit, Mississippi. Joe Dean Sr. was “The General” at the camp, and Joe Dean Jr. “The General II.” Joe Dean Sr. died in 2013 at age 83. Through basketball they touched the lives of thousands of young campers, including my son Nicholas. Like his dad, Joe Dean Jr. brought energy and enthusiasm to every broadcast. “Joe was a walking, talking memorial to his legendary father, and he loved that,” said veteran broadcaster Tim Brando, a frequent partner with Dean on SEC basketball telecasts.

before having a sensational season that included his famous one-handed catch against the Cowboys. Detroit’s Jameson Williams has blossomed into a 1,000-yard receiver despite missing most of his ﬁrst season with a torn ACL that he suffered in college. For every Beckham, there’s a Kevin White or a Josh Doctson — two receivers who weren’t able to overcome injuries early in their career but didn’t live up to the high expectations that come with being a ﬁrst-rounder. It’s still too early to tell how Tyson’s career will pan out. The pattern of hamstring injuries is discouraging, but when healthy, he looked like a difference-maker in practice for the Saints. His ability to create separation is special, and he used his smooth route running to routinely win matchups. The Saints needed a receiver badly, which is why they passed on Cowboys safety Caleb Downs (who went 12th) and Buccaneers edge rusher Rueben Bain (15th). The Saints could have taken wideout Makai Lemon instead, but the Philadelphia Eagles rookie has been sidelined for all of training camp with his own hamstring injury.

Did the Saints make a mistake taking Tyson at No. 8? Let’s not overreact. Tyson’s injury doesn’t ease fears he’ll struggle to stay healthy in the NFL. It doesn’t guarantee that will be the case, either. Tyson is not the ﬁrst rookie to have an injury that tests the patience of everyone invested. Odell Beckham — a popular pre-draft comparison for Tyson — missed the ﬁrst four games of his career because of a hamstring injury

Email Matthew Paras at matt. paras@theadvocate.com

sion to not recruit somebody that can help our program because of a conﬂict between two countries.” Koval, a junior, was born and raised in Ukraine’s capital city Kyiv. Her father, Oleksandr, is ﬁghting in the war. He’s a drone operator. The one time he could visit the U.S. last season to watch an LSU game, Koval said she was “grateful” he was there because she didn’t have to “worry for his life” — something she does “every single day” when he’s back home. There’s reason for Koval to worry. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in January that his country has suffered more than 50,000 service member deaths as part of a war that, as of August, also has killed at least 16,000 Ukrainian civilians. According to UN data, the number of civilian casualties has increased every month in 2026. Sometimes the war intersects with the sports world. In June, a Ukrainian gymnast

covered her eyes with her hands during a medal ceremony to protest an International Gymnastics Federation decision that allowed Russian athletes to compete under their country’s flag. The issue also surfaced this year at the French Open, where Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk dedicated a quarterfinal win to her home country and called out her Russian opponents who had not spoken publicly about the war. Minaeva first appeared on LSU’s radar two months before that event began, when Mulkey hired former Miami assistant Fitzroy Anthony to fill a vacancy on her staff. Mulkey said Anthony deserves “all the credit” for landing the two international players the Tigers signed this offseason: Minaeva and Spanish forward Noa Morro. Anthony told The Advocate he was already recruiting Morro to Miami before he accepted the job at LSU. He discovered Minaeva,

AP ALL-AMERICA TEAM The 2026 preseason Associated Press All-America team

First-team offense

Quarterback — Dante Moore, fourth year, Oregon. Running backs — Kewan Lacy, third year, Ole Miss; Ahmad Hardy, third year, Missouri. Tackles — Carter Smith, fifth year, Indiana; Trevor Goosby, fourth year, Texas. Guards — Evan Tengesdahl, fourth year, Cincinnati; Shadre Hurst, fifth year, Houston. Center — Kade Pieper, fourth year, Iowa. Tight end — Trey’Dez Green, third year, LSU. Wide receivers — Jeremiah Smith, third year, Ohio State; Malachi Toney, second year, Miami; Cam Coleman, third year, Texas. All-purpose player — Wayne Knight, fifth year, UCLA. Kicker — Tate Sandell, fifth year, Oklahoma.

First-team defense

Edge — Colin Simmons, third year, Texas; Dylan Stewart, third year, South Carolina. Tackles — A’Mauri Washington, fourth year, Oregon; David Stone, third year, Oklahoma. Linebackers — Rasheem Biles, fourth year, Texas; Xavier Atkins, third year, Auburn; Rolijah Hardy, third year, Indiana. Cornerbacks — Leonard Moore, third year, Notre Dame; Ellis Robinson IV, third year, Georgia. Safeties — KJ Bolden, third year, Georgia; Koi Perich, third year, Oregon. Defensive back — Bray Hubbard, fourth year, Alabama. Punter — Evan Crenshaw, ﬁfth year, Troy.

CAJUNS

Continued from page 1C had a great camp. Another spark has been freshman Kristion Brooks of Zachary. Brooks had a 50-yard touchdown reception from Coleman Carter in Friday’s scrimmage. “He’s close,” Desormeaux said of Brooks. “There are moments where it’s really, really good. That’s a freshman, but he’s really mature. He’s come in here and he’s really taken to it. I mean, he’s detailed.” Wade’s progress as a junior has been encouraging. “He’s doing it really consistently,” Desormeaux said. “He’s making the routine plays look routine, which at points in the past he hasn’t done. “Out of the 11 practices, he’s had 10 really good ones and the one that wasn’t good wasn’t terrible.” In other injury news, Desormeaux said freshman defensive back Braylon Walker of Lafayette Christian had surgery on his groin and will be out 4-6 weeks.

Camp surprises

Second-team offense Quarterback — Trinidad Chambliss, fifth year, Ole Miss. Running backs — Mark Fletcher Jr., fourth year, Miami; LJ Martin, fourth year, BYU. Tackles — Cayden Green, fourth year, Missouri; Jordan Seaton, third year, LSU. Guards — Greg Johnson, fourth year, Minnesota; Luke Montgomery, fourth year, Ohio State. Center — Drew Bobo, fifth season, Georgia. Tight end — Terrance Carter Jr., fifth year, Texas Tech. Wide receivers — Duce Robinson, fourth year, Florida State; Charlie Becker, third year, Indiana; KJ Duff, third year, Rutgers. All-purpose player — Cam Cook, fourth year, West Virginia. Kicker — Lucas Carneiro, fifth year, Ole Miss.

Second-team defense

Edge — Anthony Smith, fifth season, Minnesota; John Henry Daley, fourth year, Michigan. Tackles — Tyrique Tucker, fifth year, Indiana; Will Echoles, third year, Ole Miss. Linebackers — Sammy Brown, third year Clemson; Raylen Wilson, fourth year, Georgia; Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, third year, Notre Dame. Cornerbacks — Brandon Finney Jr., second year, Oregon; Zabien Brown, third year, Alabama. Safeties — Brauntae Johnson, third year, Notre Dame; Ty Benefield, fourth year, LSU. Defensive back — Kelley Jones, fourth year, Mississippi State. Punter — Palmer Williams, fourth year, Baylor.

“He’s like the safety version of what Brent’s (Gordon) approach was at cornerback last year ... it’s all football. He’s very focused on what he’s doing. He plays physical, he plays fast and he communicates very well. He’s been fun to watch.” Both figure to be on special teams from the start. “Harrison Kidder is one that’s climbing that ladder pretty fast,” Desormeaux said. “There’s no two ways about it. The dude is physical, smart and he can run. I don’t see a scenario where he doesn’t play this year. “He’ll probably be on all four (special teams units) to start Week 1. I mean, he’s a really good football player.”

Backup QB battle Lunch Winfield is starting quarterback, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t jobs to be won. Desormeaux is encouraged by Daniel Beale’s camp. The sophomore stumbled at times when pressed into duty last season after the injury to starter Walker Howard in the opener. “I’m incredibly pleased with Daniel,” Desormeaux said. “He’s got his mojo back. It’s good to see. It happens when you’re young and you get shook a little bit. He’s back, and he’s doing a really nice job.” There’s been a emphasis with all the quarterbacks on completion percentage, with 70% being the goal. “It gives you something to chase,” Desormeaux said. In Friday’s first full scrimmage, Winﬁeld was 9-of-13 passing for 76 yards and a score. Beale was 8-of-13 for 78 yards. Carter was 8-of-9 for 114 yards and a score, while Sam Altmann was 8-of-13 passing for 75 yards. “Four yards is 4 yards, you know, whether we run for 4 or we call four verts and you throw a check-down for 4, it’s still 4 and you’re still moving the ball and you’re moving forward,” Desormeaux said of Winfield. “So that’s the thing that I think I’m most pleased with his development. “He’s just, I tell him all the time, like the way that you can help this team is just by doing your job really well and not trying to do too much.”

Not every player who ends up on the two-deep depth chart for the season opener began August camp with that status. There are a handful of Cajuns headed in that direction before taking on Lamar on Sept. 5 at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. In addition to Brooks at wide receiver, Desormeaux said he is excited about the backup tight ends in freshman Quandre Coates, junior Emiliano Soldevilla and sophomore Teddy Gawlik. “Those guys have stepped up and really had good camps,” Desormeaux said. “They’ve been much better in their assignments and the details in what they’re doing in the run game. “They’ve made plays in the passing game. I don’t know if anybody’s made more progress in the throwing game than Emiliano.” Freshman safety Luke Green of Lafayette Christian and freshman linebacker Harrison Kidder of Catholic-Baton Rouge have impressed on defense. “Luke is one who has had a Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ great camp,” Desormeaux said. theadvocate.com.

he said, through an overseas contact who reached out to say they knew of a player who “would be a great ﬁt” at LSU. Once Anthony received Minaeva’s ﬁlm, he passed it along to Mulkey, associate head coach Bob Starkey and the rest of the staff. “Bob was like, ‘Wow, this kid’s special,’ ” Anthony said. “They think she actually has the ability to be a (WNBA) draft pick.” So Starkey and Mulkey each sat down with Koval, then started recruiting Minaeva. Because she and Morro are on board — along with Koval and 6-2 forward Grace Knox — 6-foot sophomore ZaKiyah Johnson can spend more time on the perimeter than she did last season, when the Tigers stationed her primarily in the post. The group offers a nice blend of size and versatility. Knox is long and athletic. Morro is 6-3, and she can shoot 3-pointers. There may come a time when Mulkey puts Koval and Minaeva

on the ﬂoor at the same time, and if she does, she said she wants them to “pass the ball to each other.” “I love Kate,” Mulkey said. “I love her family, and I wanted them to know. I wanted her to know. “You want her to feel your compassion, and yet you don’t ask her to change her feelings. Her feelings are what they are. You just want her to know and be informed. That’s all.” In the car, Mulkey said she thinks Koval and Minaeva can be “ambassadors” for kinship amid international conﬂict. Maybe the two LSU post players could even help end the war. “ ‘You never know,’ ” Mulkey recalled telling Koval. “And she just kind of smiled and said, ‘I doubt that.’ ” Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

4C ● Wednesday, August 19, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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PREP FOOTBALL SE ASON PRE VIE W

Northside

2026 SCHEDULE Date Sept. 4 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 8 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 6

Opponent Cecilia Carencro ASCENSION EPISCOPAL BUNKIE St. Martinville Lafayette Renaissance Westgate LIBERTy Acadiana Renaissance Teurlings

PLAYERS TO WATCH Kaleb Joseph QB, 6-3, 165, Jr. Joseph is a dualthreat signal-caller who has proven to be an accurate passer. He has a strong arm that allows him to make all of the throws, and coaches praise his high football IQ.

HOME GAMES IN CAPS

Javante Broussard

PAST FIVE YEARS 2025: 6-6 2024: 4-7 2023: 4-7 2022: 3-8 2021: 1-9

PHOTO By ERIC NARCISSE

Northside offensive standouts include, from left, James Ross, Kaleb Joseph, Zariyon Huntsberry, Kam Celestine and Javante Broussard.

PROJECTED STARTERS

What we know

Offense WR Javante Broussard (6-1, 170, Jr.)* WR Zaryion Huntsberry (6-1, 175, Sr.)* ATH Chace dugas (6-3, 165, Jr.)* OL James Ross (6-2, 230, Jr.)* OL Khoi Vetol (5-9, 195, So.) OL d’Qualin Thomas (6-2, 205, Jr.) OL Braydon Lawrence (5-10, 225, Jr.) OL JaNarion Williams (5-10, 198, Jr.) C Jeremy Britton (5-9, 208, Jr.) QB Kaleb Joseph (6-3, 165, Jr.)* RB Kam Celestine (5-9, 155, Jr.)*

Defense dE Luderius Williams (5-11, 220, Sr.)* dE Lacaveyon Toussaint (5-10, 185, Jr.)* LB Preston davis (6-1, 198, So.) LB Ladarius Allen (6-0, 190, So.) dB Jaylon Francois (6-2, 160, Sr.)* dB Clint Cormier (5-9, 150, Jr.) dB Thaddaeus West (6-1, 165, Jr.)* dB dinny Martin (5-9, 150, Jr.) FS Chace dugas (6-3, 165, Jr.)* *RETURNING STARTERS

COACHES Head coach: Brandon Green. Assistant coaches: Malcolm Glaze, Martin Lee, Jack Phillips, Bryson Morgan, Jacolby Malbrough, Clarence Clay, darrel Comeaux, and desmond Woods.

Anytime there’s a change at head coach or offensive and defensive coordinator positions, there’s usually a transitional period as the players and new coaches get acclimated to one another. But for Northside’s first-year head coach Brandon Green, the Vikings didn’t require much transitional time after he was promoted from assistant coach to the top spot in the spring. “It really has been a smooth transition,” Green said. “I think it has been smooth because I was on the staff last year, so it’s a familiar voice with familiar faces.” And that familiarity has allowed Green and the Vikings to hit the ground running. Behind an offense that has Green explosive capabilities led by athlete Chace dugas, quarterback Kaleb Joseph and receiver Javante Broussard, Green said the overall strength of this year’s Vikings is their “hunger.” “This team has an eagerness to win,” Green said. “We got to the second round last year, so we have a drive and real motivation to build on that success. There is a real sense of urgency to win this year.” A year ago, dugas was rotating at quarterback, but this year Green and his staff decided he was too valuable to have locked in at one position. “Chace is a superb athlete,” Green said. “We are going to use him in different elements of the game. Not playing him at quarterback stops us from limiting him to one position and allows us to spread him out a little more.” He also believes the offense will be in good hands with Joseph under center. “Kaleb is someone we are very confident in,” Green said. “He’s a dual-threat guy, but he has good arm strength and he is very accurate.” And Green feels Joseph has a good group of receivers

to operate with. “Our receiving corps has me excited,” Green said. “We have height, speed and depth. We’re going to really be able to stretch the field.”

What we don’t know

One concern is whether the Vikings can consistently excel at the little things. “It’s the small things for us,” Green said. “It’s being disciplined. Being disciplined at the line of scrimmage. Not jumping offsides, avoiding delay of games and not running a route at eight yards when it is supposed to be five yards. We have to stay sharp consistently and not have mental breakdowns.” Also, it is going to be essential that the Vikings establish some depth on defense, especially along the defensive line and linebacker position. defensive ends Luderius Williams and Lacaveyon Toussaint will set the tone up front, and the Vikings coaching staff is expecting big years from sophomore linebackers Preston davis and Ladarius Allen. “Up front defensively, we are a little short-handed,” Green said. “We’re thin there. At the linebacker position, the key for us there is staying healthy.”

How we see it

A year ago, the Vikings were 6-6 overall and reached the second round of the division II select playoffs. And there’s no reason to expect regression this season. With about a dozen returning starters and/or players who received quality varsity minutes last season, the Vikings have the talent to pick up from where they left off. “We can be as good as we want to be this year,” Green said. “We definitely left some games on the table last year because we weren’t able to close them out. “We definitely can make a run this year,” Green said. “Our district became more competitive this year, but we aren’t backing down from any competition.” Eric Narcisse

WR, 6-1, 170, Jr. There isn’t much Broussard can’t do on the football field. An elite route runner, Broussard has a good combination of size and speed. He has good hands, and his leaping ability gives him an advantage on 50-50 balls.

James Ross OL, 6-2, 230, Jr. Ross is a physical blocker who excels in the run and passing games. He is very aggressive at the snap of the ball and does a great job of using his hands to keep opponents at bay.

Chace Dugas ATH, 6-3, 165, Jr. dugas is the Vikings’ new “Mr. do It All” as he is expected to contribute to all three facets of the game. An outstanding athlete, dugas has good ball skills and is a very physical tackler in run support.

Jaylon Francois CB, 6-2, 160, Sr. Francois is a long and rangy cornerback with a good combination of size and speed. A good cover corner, Francois tackles like a linebacker, which makes him a tremendous asset against the run.

SCOREBOARD Odds NFL Thursday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at HOUSTON 1½ 1½ (40½) Las Vegas San Francisco 1½ 1½ (38½) at LA CHRGRS

Friday

FAVORITE at PITTS at JAX at DENVER

Saturday

OPENTODAY O/U 2½ 3½ (39½) 2½ 2½ (38½) 4½ 6½ (40½)

UNDERDOG NY Jets Carolina Green Bay

Houston Texas Seattle Athletics Los Angeles

Monday’s games

63 61 59 49 49

62 64 66 76 76

.504 .488 .472 .392 .392

— 2 4 14 14

Tampa Bay 7, Baltimore 6 Boston 11, Arizona 1 Minnesota 4, Atlanta 2 Detroit 8, Pittsburgh 5 Kansas City 9, Athletics 5 Chicago Cubs 7, Chicago White Sox 5, 10 innings

Tuesday’s games

FAVORITE OPENTODAY O/U at TENNESSEE 3 4½ (38½)

Detroit (Jobe 1-1) at Pittsburgh (Skenes 9-11), 11:35 a.m. Atlanta (Sale 12-8) at Minnesota (Bradley 9-5), 12:40 p.m. Chicago White Sox (TBD) at Chicago Cubs (Holmes 5-5), 1:20 p.m. Arizona (Pfaadt 7-1) at Boston (Tolle 8-6), 3:10 p.m. N.Y. Yankees (Warren 8-6) at Baltimore (Bassitt 4-4), 5:35 p.m. San Francisco (Houser 3-7) at Cleveland (Messick 9-7), 5:40 p.m. Toronto (Scherzer 1-5) at Tampa Bay (Rasmussen 12-5), 5:40 p.m. Athletics (Jump 5-7) at Kansas City (Lugo 5-7), 6:40 p.m. Seattle (Gilbert 9-7) at Milwaukee (May 6-7), 6:40 p.m. Washington (Cavalli 10-5) at Texas (deGrom 8-8), 7:05 p.m. L.A. Angels (Ureña 8-8) at Houston (TBD), 7:10 p.m.

MLB

Wednesday

American League FAVORITE LINE at BALTIMORE OFF at TAMPA BAY -224 at KANSAS CITY OFF at HOUSTON -168 National League FAVORITE LINE San Diego -134 at PHILADELPHIA -132 at CINCINNATI -139 LA Dodgers -196 Interleague FAVORITE LINE at PITTSBURGH -152 Atlanta -113 at CHICAGO CUBS -175 at BOSTON -153 at CLEVELAND OFF at MILWAUKEE -129 at TEXAS -126

UNDERDOG N.Y Yankees Toronto Athletics LA Angels

LINE OFF +180 OFF +137

UNDERDOG at N.Y METS Miami St. Louis at COLORADO

LINE +109 +109 +114 +158

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

LINE +123 -109 +152 +125 OFF +105 +108

Pro baseball Major League Baseball glance AMERICAN LEAGUE

East Division

Tampa Bay New York Boston Baltimore Toronto Central Division Chicago Detroit Minnesota Cleveland Kansas City West Division

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York Central Division

W 75 69 67 61 61

L 49 55 58 64 65

Pct .605 .556 .536 .488 .484

GB — 6 8½ 14½ 15

Milwaukee Chicago St. Louis Pittsburgh Cincinnati West Division

W 65 61 61 60 52

L 59 64 65 65 74

Pct .524 .488 .484 .480 .413

GB — 4½ 5 5½ 14

Los Angeles San Diego Arizona San Francisco Colorado

Pct

Monday’s games

W 74 68 64 60 57

L 51 58 62 66 69

Pct .592 .540 .508 .476 .452

GB — 6½ 10½ 14½ 17½

W 77 73 64 61 60

L 48 53 62 66 65

Pct .616 .579 .508 .480 .480

GB — 4½ 13½ 17 17

W 75 67 66 51 50

L 51 59 60 73 75

Pct .595 .532 .524 .411 .400

GB — 8 9 23 24½

St. Louis 2, Cincinnati 1, 1st game N.Y. Mets 2, San Diego 1

Pro football NFL preseason Thursday’s games

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

Friday’s games

Saturday’s games

Detroit (Jobe 1-1) at Pittsburgh (Skenes 9-11), 11:35 a.m. San Diego (King 8-8) at N.Y. Mets (Stock 0-2), 12:10 p.m. Atlanta (Sale 12-8) at Minnesota (Bradley 9-5), 12:40 p.m. Chicago White Sox (TBD) at Chicago Cubs (Holmes 5-5), 1:20 p.m. Arizona (Pfaadt 7-1) at Boston (Tolle 8-6), 3:10 p.m. Miami (Alcantara 13-7) at Philadelphia (Nola 4-9), 5:05 p.m. San Francisco (Houser 3-7) at Cleveland (Messick 9-7), 5:40 p.m. St. Louis (Liberatore 5-10) at Cincinnati (Burns 14-2), 5:40 p.m. Seattle (Gilbert 9-7) at Milwaukee (May 6-7), 6:40 p.m. Washington (Cavalli 10-5) at Texas (deGrom 8-8), 7:05 p.m. L.A. Dodgers (Sasaki 5-5) at Colorado (Freeland 4-10), 7:40 p.m.

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 .657 .618 .611 .588 .371 .303 .242

W 29 25 24 20 15 13 12 7

L 7 9 12 16 20 23 22 30

Pct GB .806 — .735 3 .667 5 .556 9 .429 13½ .361 16 .353 16 .189 22½

WESTERN CONFERENCE x-Minnesota x-Golden State x-Las Vegas Dallas Portland Phoenix Los Angeles Seattle x-clinched playoff spot

Monday’s games

Golden State 78, Dallas 70

Tuesday’s games

Indiana at Toronto, n

GB — 1½ 1½ 2½ 10 12 14

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’s game

Seattle at Tennessee, 7 p.m.

Pro golf PGA Tour FedEx Cup Leaders Through Aug. 17 1. Scottie Schefﬂer 2. Matt Fitzpatrick 3. Cameron Young 4. Si Woo Kim 5. Wyndham Clark 6. Sam Burns 7. Chris Gotterup 8. Tommy Fleetwood 9. Collin Morikawa 10. Ludvig Åberg 11. Xander Schauffele 12. Jacob Bridgeman 13. Rory McIlroy 14. Russell Henley 15. Akshay Bhatia 16. Hideki Matsuyama 17. Ryan Gerard 18. Min Woo Lee 19. Kristoffer Reitan 20. Alex Fitzpatrick 21. J.J. Spaun 22. Viktor Hovland 23. Alex Smalley 24. Justin Rose 25. Ryan Fox 26. Tom Kim 27. Adam Scott 28. Kurt Kitayama 29. Bud Cauley 30. Rickie Fowler 31. Gary Woodland 32. J.T. Poston 33. Nicolai Højgaard 34. Alex Noren 35. Jake Knapp 36. Robert MacIntyre

Points 4,873 3,426 3,183 2,701 2,542 2,416 2,288 2,247 2,242 2,130 1,981 1,761 1,745 1,740 1,730 1,600 1,540 1,481 1,473 1,416 1,414 1,397 1,375 1,355 1,352 1,341 1,315 1,259 1,258 1,258 1,256 1,237 1,208 1,197 1,196 1,191

37. Aaron Rai 38. Ben Grifﬁn 39. Sepp Straka 40. Sungjae Im 41. M. Thorbjornsen 42. Nicolas Echavarria 43. Patrick Cantlay 44. Justin Thomas 45. Ryo Hisatsune 46. Sahith Theegala 47. Michael Brennan 48. Eric Cole 49. Maverick McNealy 50. Matthew McCarty

1,146 1,124 1,122 1,052 1,051 1,040 1,029 1,027 908 898 875 875 863 845

$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

Tennis

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

Wednesday’s games

East Division

Wednesday’s games

Toronto at Washington, 6:30 p.m. Minnesota at Golden State, 9 p.m.

Tuesday’s games

N.Y. Yankees at Baltimore, n Detroit at Pittsburgh, n San Francisco at Cleveland, n Toronto at Tampa Bay, n Arizona at Boston, n Athletics at Kansas City, n Atlanta at Minnesota, n Seattle at Milwaukee, n Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs, n Washington at Texas, n L.A. Angels at Houston, n

UNDERDOG Seattle

Los Angeles at Connecticut, n Atlanta at Las Vegas, n New York at Chicago, n

Detroit at Pittsburgh, n Miami at Philadelphia, n San Francisco at Cleveland, n St. Louis at Cincinnati, n Arizona at Boston, n San Diego at N.Y. Mets, n Atlanta at Minnesota, n Seattle at Milwaukee, n Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs, n Washington at Texas, n L.A. Dodgers at Colorado, n

FAVORITE OPENTODAY O/U UNDERDOG at DETROIT 1½ 4½ (37½) Washington at INDIANAPLS 2½ 3½ (36½) Atlanta at CLEVELAND 1½ 2½ (36½) Buffalo at MINNESOTA 2½ 3½ (36½) Baltimore New Orleans 1½ 3 (37½) at LA RAMS NY Giants 1½ 2½ (37½) at MIAMI Philadelphia 1½ 2½ (36½) at N. ENGLND Chicago 3 1½ (36½) at CINCINNATI at TAMPA BAY 3 5½ (37½) Kansas City at ARIZONA 1½ 1½ (37½) Dallas

Sunday

Cincinnati 6, St. Louis 5, 10 innings, 2nd game Philadelphia 6, Miami 5 Boston 11, Arizona 1 Minnesota 4, Atlanta 2 Detroit 8, Pittsburgh 5 L.A. Dodgers 11, Colorado 5 Chicago Cubs 7, Chicago White Sox 5, 10 innings

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

Western & Southern Open Results Tuesday At Lindner Family Tennis Center, Cincinnati Purse: $9,415,725 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Men’s Singles Round of 32 Christopher O’Connell, Australia, def. Joao Fonseca (23), Brazil, walkover. Nuno Borges, Portugal, def. Andrey Rublev (13), Russia, 6-3, 6-4. Lorenzo Musetti (10), Italy, def. Michael Zheng, United States, 6-1, 6-3. Taylor Fritz (6), United States, def. Daniel Merida, Spain, 6-3, 6-4. Brandon Nakashima (27), United States, def. Daniil Medvedev (4), Russia, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4), 6-1. Women’s Singles Round of 32 Madison Keys (20), United States, def. Katerina Siniakova (33), Czechia, 6-1, 6-3. Wang Xiyu, China, def. Elina Svitolina (8), Ukraine, walkover. Mirra Andreeva (5), Russia, def. Janice Tjen (32), Indonesia, 6-1, 7-6 (5). Coco Gauff (4), United States, def. Ann Li (28), United States, 6-1, 7-6 (3). Marta Kostyuk (10), Ukraine, def. Sloane Stephens, United States, 7-5, 7-5. Sara Bejlek, Czechia, def. Ekaterina Alexandrova (16), Russia, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Transactions Baseball Major League Baseball

American League NEW YORK YANKEES — Reinstated LHP Carlos Rodón from the 15-day IL. TEXAS RANGERS — Reinstated C Danny Jansen from the 60-day IL. Designated C Austin Wynns for assignment. National League ATLANTA BRAVES — Agreed to terms with C Chuckie Robinson on a minor league contract. Recalled RHP AJ Smith-Shawver from Gwinnett (IL). Designated RHP Tyler Kinley for assignment.

Basketball

National Basketball Association

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS — Signed F Malik Dia to a two-way contract. Waived C Hunter Dickinson.

LIVING

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

W e d n e s d ay, au g u s t 19, 2026

5Cn

Corgis run, bark and sniff their way to glory 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. 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.

PROVIdEd PHOTOS

Stacey dempsey’s pizza biscuits recipe is one that she suggests for the upcoming school season.

Lunch box confidential Acadiana cook, author and mom shares ideas for back-to-school lunches

BY JA’KORI MADISON As the new school year begins, families are getting back into the rhythm of busy mornings and evenings ﬁlled with homework, activities and family time. For those busy days, Stacey Dempsey, a cook and founder of Frosted Apron, a children’s recipe book series, shared a few quick and easy meals that can help make those days feel a little less hectic. Recipes, Some of these n Pizza Biscuits dishes can be pren Fruity Breakpared ahead of fast Tacos time, frozen for 6C later or made with the kids. Dempsey starts with breakfast, giving pancakes a fun twist by turning them into fruity breakfast tacos. She also recommends sheetpan eggs, which can be made at the beginning of the week and frozen for busy mornings. The recipe starts by combining 18 eggs with half a cup of heavy whipping cream, salt and black pepper. The mixture is poured into a parchment-lined 12-by-18-inch sheet pan and baked at 375 F for about 15 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked through. Once cooled, the eggs can be cut into eight squares and used for breakfast sandwiches or served with fruit, bacon, sausage or other sides. Dempsey said the eggs can also be put in the freezer, making them an option for mornings when

AP PHOTO By MINdAUGAS KULBIS

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

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 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 second against GG at a major race at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington — her second consecutive win there. Half of the corgis registered in Vilnius this year were taking part for the first time. But six veterans — costume winner Amigo, Foksas, Foksis, Madeira, Bulka and Dziugas — have attended every edition.

about eight rolls and baked at 450 F for about 10 minutes. Once they come out of the oven, the biscuits can be topped with garlic butter. They can also be served with pizza sauce on the side, making them a less-messy option for kids. For families looking for something they can make together, Dempsey recommends her grilled ham and cheese roll-ups recipe. The recipe starts with white bread that is ﬂattened with a rolling pin, then layered with cheese and deli meat. The bread is rolled tightly, placed seam-side down in a buttered skillet and cooked for about two minutes on each side. Dempsey, who creates recipes through her children’s cooking book series, Frosted Apron, said her work focuses on making cooking accessible and fun for families. “I’m constantly thinking of easy recipes for families to do together but also easy recipes for school,” Dempsey said.

Staff writer

Stacey dempsey is an Acadiana cook and founder of Frosted Apron, Dempsey will celebrate the a children’s recipe book series. launch of “A Sprinkle of Library there isn’t much time to cook. “We were trying to think of ways to make mornings for mom and dad a little easier,” Dempsey said. When lunchtime rolls around, Dempsey keeps things just as simple. Her pizza biscuits combine Bisquick, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, Parmesan, turkey pepperoni, mozzarella, vegetable oil and milk. The mixture should make

Fun,” the second book in her Frosted Apron children’s book series, with a free family event from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 23 at Rip Van Winkle Gardens, 5505 Rip Van Winkle Road, New Iberia. The event will include face painting, a chance for children to create their own “Beauty and the Beast” bookmarks and more. Email Ja’kori Madison at jakori. madison@theadvocate.com.

THE BEST THINGS WE ATE THIS WEEK

Discover new depth of flavors around area eateries Truffle salmon from Homakase in Baton Rouge

Staff report

Truffle salmon and hotate hand roll n Homakase, 4611 S. Sherwood

Forest Blvd., Baton Rouge

STAFF PHOTO By MAddIE SCOTT

Homakase opened in December on Sherwood Forest Boulevard, and if you’re looking for quality sushi, hand rolls or cold plates in Baton Rouge, this is the place to be. I ordered the hotate (scallop) hand roll and the trufﬂe salmon.

Each bite of the roll is a melding of textures, a crunchy seaweed exterior with soft rice and tender scallops on the inside. The trufﬂe salmon, served chilled, came in a fantastic sauce, chopped up with citrus and green onion. I’m a huge salmon fan, and the citrus made it the perfect summer dish. I’ve been on a hunt this year to ﬁnd the best sushi in Baton Rouge, and this is in my top two

ä See BEST, page 6C

6C ● Wednesday,August 19, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

lll

Who pays when plans change? Consider changing

and enjoy it at one of our Dear Miss Manners: I know houses. We chose their the etiquette of the host home, so their teenager paying for the event, not might also participate on the guest. Which is great. However, in my wide circle this school night. We ordered the food, paid of friends, we do things for it, and went to pick it up, differently. We often eat with no offer from potluck, though them to pay part of when one of us does the tab. provide the meal, I’m interested to we provide all of see how this pans it at our own cost. out in the future, but Guest will usually I don’t think they are bring wine to share, Judith in any way trying or maybe a homeMartin to stiff us. In fact, made dessert if they MISS though we are comwant (and if the host MANNERS agrees). fortable, they are Dining out, unless clearly in a higher it is clearly stated as a treat economic bracket. I suspect for a birthday or anniverthat the hefty tab is a paltry sary, is always Dutch treat, amount to them. But it got me thinking: no matter who suggested it Were we the hosts? And or who made the reservahow do you tell who is, in tions. This seems to work situations like this? for everyone, and it’s the I have to admit, I may be universal custom in this crowd of well-off but infor- tempted at some point to say, “Look, we always share mal folks. the cost equally on outings Enter new friends/ with friends,” and ask if neighbors of mine and my husband. They seem to hold that is OK with them, too. It very strictly to the idea that just seems simpler to me, if the get-together was sug- and without any danger of feeling like one is being gested by A, A pays for it. taken advantage of. The other night, after Gentle reader: You are corhaving a planned hike washed out due to rain, I rect that standard etiquette suggested we get takeout requires hosts who have

invited people to their home for dinner to pay for the meal. But it does not therefore condemn a group of consenting adults — such as yours used to be — from agreeing upon some other arrangement. Communal meals, where everyone contributes, are now common. So are separate checks at restaurants. So long as the form is understood, both systems — yours and those in which people rotate doing full hosting — result in the cost being equally shared. But everyone has to know which one you are using. In this case, your new friends may well have wondered whether they became the sole hosts, as it ended up at their house, but then yielded to you as having brought the meal. Even you seem to have been confused on this occasion. Yes, please explain to them what your circle normally does. Hoping things will work out on their own is how such systems, not to mention friendships, fail. Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com.

head of toothbrush Dear Heloise: Regarding the is put the word in “as it sounds.” person who complained I wonder where their about their toothbrush only governor lives — in vibrating instead of the capital or capispinning, the fault isn’t with the toothtol? Did they have a carat for lunch? brush. I had the Do they get board same thing happen while drawing on to me, and I have a bored? Is their a very well-known Hints from brother a kernel in brand of toothHeloise the navy? Are they brush. The problem going to have moose is with the brush for dessert? Do they live in head. I changed mine, and the dessert or the desert? it works ﬁne now. — Jan P., When AI puts the answer via email up there, how do they Sliders to the rescue! know which one to choose? This kind of thing is what Dear Heloise: I had some I call the “dumbing down baskets that I used for exof America.” — Dorothy C., via tra storage under a bench at the end of my bed. They email Dorothy, oh no! (Or is it were great, but they were know?) Please say it isn’t heavy and hard to pull so! (Or sew?) I looked it out because they were on up, and sure enough, I carpet. I got some of the read that many schools sliders that you can use have stopped implementto move furniture (which come in several sizes) and ing weekly spelling tests placed one under each and the memorization of corner of the baskets. Now lists of words. Now schools when I need to pull them seem to favor broader out, they slide out easily. — phonics and word patterns Bonnie D., in Houston — that is, understanding word parts and the root of No more spelling classes the word. — Heloise Dear Heloise: I heard from Reset toothbrush a friend of mine in Cody, Wyoming, that their pubDear Heloise: Your collic schools are no longer umn about fake electric teaching spelling. They’re toothbrush heads got my depending on AI to tell attention. My toothbrush them how to spell a word, stopped spinning months and all they have to do ago, so after reading your

column, I thought I must have a fake brush head. I ordered new heads from just to be sure that they were genuine, but the brush still didn’t spin. I read online that you can do a motor reset. I did this, and the toothbrush started spinning again! To do this, place the brush on the charger while it’s turned off, and press and hold the on/off button for 15 seconds. Don’t check it for at least 30 minutes. At ﬁrst, I didn’t think that it had worked, but later that night, it started spinning again. Hope this helps someone else. Thanks for your helpful column! — Laura W., via email

Remove product buildup Dear Heloise: In response to the subject of product buildup in hair, my hairdresser advised me to shampoo my hair with dishwashing liquid. At ﬁrst, I thought it might be a bit harsh on my hair, but it really worked great. After using my normal conditioner, my hair was back to normal. It was quick, easy, and a very inexpensive remedy. — Linda, in Santa Ana, California Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

TODAY IN HISTORY By The Associated Press

STAFF PHOTO By JOy HOLdEN

Sensation salad and boudin and fig tartine at Crown Bistro in Baton Rouge

BEST

Boudin and fig tartine

n Crown Bistro, 16016 Perkins

Continued from page 5C favorite spots — if not the top. Everything was fresh, ﬂavorful and plated beautifully. Plus, the prices are generous considering the quality. It made for the perfect lunch for me, but I’m excited to return for dinner service and explore more of the menu. — Maddie Scott, features reporter

Meatball stew

n Laura’s II, 1904 W. University

Ave., Lafayette

It’s no secret that there are plenty of plate lunch spots to choose from in the greater Lafayette area, and all have raving fans. But few have earned as much notoriety as Laura’s II, which Anthony Bourdain visited when he came to Acadiana in 2018. He fell in love with chef Madonna Broussard’s stuffed turkey wings and other soul food standards

Road, Baton Rouge

A lovely and peaceful Friday lunch at Crown Bistro is always a good idea. I stopped in hoping for some serene time to grab a yummy bite to eat and read my book. I love dining alone with a book. I chose the boudin and fig tartine with a side senSTAFF PHOTO By JOANNA BROWN sation salad. I was in the Meatball stew from Laura’s II mood for some comforting in Lafayette flavors. My meal arrived on a that bring in a dedicated butcher block plank. The lunch crowd. I got a meatsensation salad was bright ball stew plate with a delec- and acidic with cherry table gravy, perfectly cara- tomatoes and delicious spiced almond slices. The melized yams and a side of tartine, a nice French savory smothered green word for open sandwich, beans that were delicious came toasted with Best enough to eat on their own. Stop boudin, sweet fig Half of the meatballs and mustard, melted gruyere rice was enough for a very cheese and topped with hearty lunch, but you know green onions. The combihow it goes — I was picking at it the rest all afternoon. nation of sweet and heat Bring a friend or an appetite, hit just right, and the ideally both, because no one cheese gave a layer of leaves Laura’s II hungry. creaminess to the spice. — Joanna Brown, — Joy Holden, staff writer features reporter

In 2022, armed Islamic militants stormed a hotel in Somalia’s capital, engaging in an hourslong firefight with security forces that left at least 20 people dead and dozens wounded. Authorities said more than 100 hostages were rescued during the 30-hour siege in Mogadishu. Today’s birthdays: Former tennis player & coach Renee Richards is 92. Actor Jill St. John is 86. Author Jack Canfield is 82. Rock singer Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) is 81. Former President Bill Clinton is 80. Actor Jim Carter (“Downton Abbey”) is 78. Rock bassist John Deacon (Queen) is 76. Actor-director Jonathan Frakes is 74. Actor Peter Gallagher is 71. Actor Adam Arkin is 70. Football Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz is 68. Musician Ivan Neville is 67. Football Hall of Famer Morten Andersen is 66. Actor John Stamos is 63. Actor Kyra Sedgwick is 61. Country singer Lee Ann Womack is 59. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is 59. Country singer Clay Walker is 57. Olympic gold medal tennis player Mary Joe Fernandez is 55. Actor Erika Christensen is 44. Actor Melissa Fumero is 44. Author Veronica Roth is 38. Actor Ethan Cutkosky (TV: “Shameless”) is 27. Actor Brighton Sharbino is 24.

WIN

BIG!

BACK-TO-SCHOOL LUNCH RECIPES

Pizza Biscuits Makes 8 biscuits. Recipe by Stacey Dempsey.

2 cups Bisquick ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan 1 ounce turkey pepperoni ¾ cup shredded mozzarella 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 cups milk Garlic butter, for topping 1. Mix Bisquick, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, Parmesan, turkey pepperoni, mozzarella, vegetable oil and milk. Form the mixture into eight rolls and place them on a parchment-lined baking pan. 2. Bake at 450 F for 10 minutes. When finished, brush the biscuits with garlic butter.

Today is Wednesday, Aug. 19, the 231st day of 2026. There are 134 days left in the year. Today in History: On Aug. 19, 2010, the last American combat brigade exited Iraq, seven years and ﬁve months after a U.S.-led invasion marked the beginning of the Iraq War. Also on this date: In 1692, four men and one woman were hanged after being convicted of witchcraft at Salem in the Province of Massachusetts Bay; the story of one of the men, John Proctor, inspired Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible.” In 1812, the USS Constitution defeated the British frigate HMS Guerriere off Nova Scotia during the War of 1812, earning the nickname “Old Ironsides.” In 1814, during the War of 1812, British forces landed at Benedict, Maryland, with the objective of capturing Washington, D.C. In 1854, 31 U.S. soldiers were killed after one of the soldiers fatally shot Brule Lakota Chief Conquering Bear, sparking the First Sioux War. In 1909, Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted its ﬁrst automobile race. In 1934, German voters approved the vesting of

sole executive power in Adolf Hitler. In 1953, Iran’s elected prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddeq, was overthrown in a coup backed by the U.S. and U.K. that ultimately restored Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to power. In 1955, torrential rains caused by Hurricane Diane resulted in severe ﬂooding in the northeastern U.S., claiming some 200 lives. In 1960, a tribunal in Moscow convicted American U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers of espionage. (Although sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, Powers was returned to the United States in 1962 as part of a prisoner exchange.) In 1980, 301 people aboard Saudia Flight 163 died as the jetliner made a ﬁery emergency return to the Riyadh airport. In 2013, South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius was indicted in Pretoria, South Africa, on charges of murder and illegal possession of ammunition in the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his home on Valentine’s Day; Pistorius maintained he’d mistaken her for an intruder. (Pistorius would be found guilty of murder and sentenced to prison; he was released on parole in January 2024.)

PROVIdEd PHOTO

Fruity Breakfast Tacos Recipe by Stacey Dempsey Pre-frozen chocolate chip pancakes, or homemade pancakes 2 ⁄3 cup strawberry Greek yogurt 8 ounces of cream cheese Raspberries Strawberries Blueberries Peanut butter granola

1. Mix a block of cream cheese and strawberry Greek yogurt together. Warm the pancakes and fold them into a taco shape. 2. Spoon the yogurt mixture into the pancakes, then add fruit and peanut butter granola as a topping.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, August 19, 2026 ● 7C

lll

FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

zodIAC LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Pause, monitor what's happening and resist temptation. The information you receive will be misleading. Pay attention to taking care of responsibilities that can ease stress. VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) References will pay off in conversations. Managing details with precision will help you handle any unexpected changes you encounter. Look for the positive in everything and everyone. LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Making emotional purchases are apparent. Put your credit cards away, and avoid malls and places that tempt you to spend. You can have fun without going overboard. scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Keep your thoughts to yourself. Expressing your opinion will draw you into something you will regret. Pay more attention to how you look and feel and how you handle your investments. sAGITTARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Consider your budget for self-help or lifestyle improvements, and pursue something that interests you. Engaging in physical activities or educational pursuits will improve your awareness about health. cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) If you reach out to someone you lost touch with, you will rediscover some of the people, places and pastimes you miss. Exploring the past will help you revise your to-do list. AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Take the road less traveled. Explore what's new, exciting and available to you. A change will make you aware of what you've been

missing. Focus on getting along with others. PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Mingling and observing what others do and say will lead to positive personal changes that will draw interest from those who can help you transform your lifestyle into something that brings you greater peace. ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Chill; take a little "me" time. Eliminate what's causing you distress, and change your schedule to accommodate the projects and pastimes that make you feel good about yourself. TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Take a moment to contemplate the consequences before you act. Your energy will serve a better purpose if you jump into learning and finding out what you enjoy and who you want to spend your time with. GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Explore all avenues, and confront situations that require an adjustment before you carry on. Choose the journey that appeals to you most, and live in the moment. Update your look. cAncER (June 21-July 22) Honesty begins with you. Rate yourself, consider your concerns and address issues that will give you the boost and confidence you need to live life by your rules. Pay attention to people. 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: c EQuALs A

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

8C ● Wednesday,August 19, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

lll

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 Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday,August 19, 2026 ● 9C

lll

B.C.

Bridge By PHILLIP ALDER Hannah More, an English playwright, moralist and philanthropist who died in 1833, said, “Goals help you overcome short-term problems.” At the bridge table, a deal is a shortterm problem. Your goal is to make or break the contract. However, sometimes there is an ominous problem that can be hard to spot. In today’s deal, how should South play in three no-trump? West leads his fourthhighest heart. East wins with his ace and returns the heart jack, the higher of two remaining cards. The auction was straightforward. South’s one-no-trump rebid showed a balanced hand with 12-14 points. North knew to go for the nine-trick game, not to look for five clubs. Here, careful defense would have defeated five clubs; South would have lost two spades and one heart. Declarer seems to have nine easy winners: one spade, one heart (given the first trick), two diamonds and five clubs. But if South wins the second trick and goes after the clubs, he will, sooner or later, notice a problem. Since East has jack-third, declarer will have to win the fourth round of clubs in the dummy. He will have no way to reach his winning club six. It is difficult to anticipate the potential blockage in the club suit. But once it is spotted, how can South get around it?

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

The solution is not to win the second heart trick. Then, when East leads his last heart, declarer takes the trick with his king and discards a club from the dummy. Alternatively (but not recommended), South could take the second trick and lead his third heart, throwing a club from the board. © 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 — oFFsPRInG: OFF-spring: The product of reproductive

Bizarro

marmaduKe

processes. Average mark 14 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 29 or more words in OFFSPRING? yEsTERDAy’s WoRD — cAnonIZE cane canine canoe canon ciao coin cone conn acne anon azoic

neon nice nine none ocean once icon inane zein zinc zone

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “There is that speaks like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.” Proverbs 12:18

What kind of words do you speak? — G.E. Dean

10C ● Wednesday,August 19, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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TODAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm

A t-storm around in the p.m.

A stray afternoon thunderstorm

A t-storm around in the p.m.

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

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

96° 76°

LOW

HIGH

96° 76°

LOW

95° 77°

Beaumont 94/76 Port Arthur 94/77

Baton Rouge 97/76

Lake Charles 95/77

New Orleans 95/79 Houma 93/75

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

Hattiesburg 99/76

Alexandria 99/76

Lafayette 96/76

10s

20s

30s

40s

50s

LOW

HIGH

LOW

98° 77°

YESTERDAY

Lafayette through 5 p.m. Tuesday

Jackson 101/77 Many 98/74

HIGH

98° 77°

TEMPERATURE

Longview 104/78

-0s

LOW

Monroe 104/79

Shreveport 103/78

-10s

HIGH

97° 76°

Well, the heat will be your biggest issue with the weather once again today. A heat advisory is in effect for parts of Acadiana because heat index values up to 110 or more are possible this afternoon. Most of us are also under either a moderate or major heat risk for today, so heat illnesses are a real possibility if working outside this afternoon. The actual temperatures will rise to the midto upper 90s and there is a low chance of rain today as the UV index rises to the very high level.

60s

70s

80s

90s 100s 110s

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

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

AUG 19

City

Austin Boston dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami Nashville

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

97°/80° 92°/75° 96°/75° 103° in 2023 66° in 1992

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

FIRST

PRECIPITATION

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

HIGH

1:16p 6:59a 1:07a 4:32a 3:00a 2:15a 4:08a

6:37 a.m. 7:45 p.m. 1:31 p.m. 11:49 p.m.

FULL

LAST

AUG 27

TODAY

103 87 105 68 88 108 83 97 95

78 71 82 50 75 87 71 80 75

NEW

SEP 4

s pc s c pc pc t t pc

SEP 10

104 79 106 66 88 109 84 95 88

THU. Lo

79 65 83 51 75 87 66 81 72

s pc pc c pc pc t t t

FT.

0.7 1.5 1.8 1.6 1.3 1.5 1.5

LOW

1:17a 7:45p 2:45p 6:18p 3:10p 1:38p 4:12p

0.00” 1.18” 3.50” 41.97” 40.92”

FT.

HIGH

0.1 0.2 0.1 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.3

FT.

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

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REAdING 39 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

SOURCE: LOUISIANA dEQ ANd AIRNOW.GOV

LOW

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

FT.

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

City

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

5:16a 11:28a 5:40p 11:52p 6:05a 12:17p 6:29p ---6:53a 12:40a 7:18p 1:05p 7:39a 1:27a 8:05p 1:52p 8:25a 2:13a 8:51p 2:38p 9:11a 2:58a 9:35p 3:23p 9:55a 3:43a 10:19p 4:07p

95 91 90 109 78 93 81 80 93

TODAY Lo

79 78 73 89 65 73 70 70 81

t t s t t s t s t

95 93 80 111 75 97 83 78 91

THU. Lo

79 78 67 90 56 73 68 70 80

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

FREE Back by Pop SHOW ular De ER P mand! AC K A GE !

MOdERATE

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 Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday

TODAY

GOOd

t t sh t t t pc s t

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

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

TUE. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

6.80 19.20 21.90 8.20 4.70 3.37 3.00

+2.11 +0.15 +0.30 +0.40 +0.10 -0.04 +0.02

26.12

+1.63

-1.48

+0.13

18 29 8

-1.13 10.27 1.51

+0.07 +0.28 +0.08

13 15

1.42 0.81

none +0.04

47 34 29 20 12 6

7.89 5.01 3.67 3.60 2.90 1.89

-0.10 +0.15 -0.22 -0.20 none -0.14

data as of 7 a.m. Tuesday

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LANE KIFFIN, WILL HALL AND MARSHALL FAULK LEAD LSU, TULANE AND SOUTHERN INTO A NEW ERA OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN LOUISIANA.

2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW The Lane Kiffin effect on LSU’s offseason

Tulane using doubters as motivation

Cajuns determined to be contenders this season

2 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE ADVOCATE | THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE

r u o y e v a h We

e t a g l i Ta ! s l a i E sse n t

From Kickoff to Cookout,

We’ve got

Gameday Covered!

2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE ADVOCATE | THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE 3

// 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW //

The ‘Lane Kiffin Effect’ has brought LSU buzz this offseason. Will it last through the fall? BY JON BLAU | Staff writer There was a hesitance on Lane Kiffin’s part to say the term aloud, because he was keenly aware speaking in the third person doesn’t sound great. But one of the most famous — or, some would say, infamous — coaches in college football has enough self-awareness to grasp the attention he brings to a program. Call it, “The Lane Kiffin Effect.” His name carries some baggage, because Kiffin has already had two acrimonious exits from SEC schools. He was fired midseason by the Raiders and Southern Cal. He rehabbed his coaching reputation at Ole Miss, spring-boarding to LSU, but he inflamed passions by telling Vanity Fair how hard it was to recruit Black athletes to Oxford, Mississippi. Kiffin generates headlines but also high-powered offenses. That’s helped put 46,000 fans on LSU’s season ticket waitlist. That’s helped him secure more five-star recruits in six months at LSU than in his six years at Ole Miss. LSU has a dozen athletes with Nike NIL deals, including a backup quarterback; the most anyone else has is eight. “We’re going to make this thing different than anywhere else to go,” Kiffin said at SEC media days, “when you combine LSU and us.” The Lane Kiffin Effect has resulted in gaudy offseason stats, but there are zero yards to the coach’s name at LSU. Zero touchdowns. Zero wins. Despite everything Kiffin believes his marriage with the Tigers can bring, he’s keenly aware they haven’t done anything to this point. And they must, soon. He’s promised LSU will win a national title at some point in his tenure, but Kiffin, who has projected a more measured persona — quitting alcohol and, more recently, social media — has tried to paint a longer-term vision. “I know everyone wants to talk about Year 1,”

Kiffin said, following LSU’s signing of the No. 1-rated transfer class in the country, “but as you get to Year 2, OK, you’ll be able to develop a deeper roster. … It’s actually a pretty young team.” Kiffin is correct because LSU only has 14 seniors in the fold, including four “true” seniors who have the option to return in 2027 because of the NCAA’s new eligibility rules where athletes have five years to play five seasons. The overwhelming majority of LSU’s roster, 88%, is comprised of 33 juniors, 29 sophomores and 37 freshmen. But there are juniors Kiffin may only have a year with. Left tackle Jordan Seaton, the transfer from Colorado, is possibly a one-and-done player. Tight end Trey’Dez Green, if he lives up to his billing, also could be pro-bound in April. Quarterback Sam Leavitt, the redshirt junior brought over from Arizona State, could wind up staying for two seasons, but if he clicks spectacularly in Kiffin’s system, then he too could be off to the NFL sooner rather than later. Regardless, a significant financial investment was made into this year’s roster, and the expectation is the Tigers, who just struggled to a 7-6 season, will significantly improve and make the College Football Playoff for the first time since their national title run in 2019. “When you hire a coach, that’s part of what you hire. You hire the energy that comes around it,” Kiffin said. “And that’s the business element. And that pays off in fan support, pays off in donations, pays off in recruiting and players wanting to come.” “It’s working,” he added. “Now, obviously, the No. 1 thing to do is to win to maintain that excitement. And with that comes a lot of expectations to perform really well. And I think the expectations are extremely high here, which is OK. I knew that coming in.” There are several problems LSU has to solve to keep the “Lane Train” rolling through 2026. The Tigers were one of the worst rushing

4 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE ADVOCATE | THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE

// 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW //

STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON LSU football coach Lane Kiﬃn poses with gymnastics alumnae (left to right) Aleah Finnegan, Olivia Dunne and KJ Johnson during a meet against Alabama on Feb. 27 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Lane Kifﬁn LSU Football Head Coach

TRUST IS EVERYTHING

Every great team starts with trust. So does great healthcare.

FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake is with LSU from game day to the team's everyday health and well-being. And that same trusted care is here for Louisiana families. ˮAt LSU, we trust the Lake.ˮ

FMOLHealth.org/LSU

teams in college football last season at 104 yards per game and a paltry 3.8 yards per carry. Kiffin’s schemes have emphasized the run, whether it was Florida Atlantic’s Devin Singletary exploding for 1,920 yards in 2017 or Ole Miss’ Kewan Lacy grinding out 1,567 yards on an NCAA-high 306 carries last fall. Leavitt has to prove he’s healthy following his 2025 foot injury. Camp opened Aug. 5, and Kiffin said he couldn’t tell Leavitt was injured a season ago. Meanwhile, Kiffin has entrusted one of college football’s rising stars, Charlie Weis Jr., with his offense so he can be more of a “CEO” head coach. Same with the defense, led by retained coordinator Blake Baker, who was considered for head jobs at Tulane and Memphis. Baker had a top-25 unit in 2025, surrendering 19.8 points per game, but LSU needs to get more pressure from its front four with Ole Miss transfer Princewill Umanmielen, Tennessee transfer Jordan Ross, and freshman defensive linemen Deuce Geralds and Lamar Brown now in the rotation. “l’ll have (purview) of who we play and maybe overall philosophy,” Kiffin said of the offense, but he has no inten-

tions of meddling on Baker’s side. Kiffin, who has yet to win a league or national title at a power conference school, hopes he’s put the right pieces in place and everything falls LSU’s way. He’s referenced the numerous “variables” that separate good seasons from bad, perhaps a word of caution that the highest of expectations could prove unattainable. LSU’s path to a CFP goes through ranked Clemson in Week 1, heading into a nine-game conference slate that peaks early with Kiffin’s return to, potentially, a top-10 Ole Miss squad in Week 3. Games against Texas A&M, Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee follow. It’s a gauntlet, and the headlines of the offseason will soon be washed away by instant reactions to thrilling wins or depressing losses. “I know that as good as we are right now, this is just the beginning,” Kiffin said. “The season after, we’ll have a better roster. Because if you think about it, we just have more time. I’m not asking for it.” Nor would would time necessarily be offered. He understands that. This season might determine whether the Lane Kiffin Effect remains in full force.

2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE ADVOCATE | THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE 5

TRUST IS EVERYTHING Whether you’re cheering on Sam Leavitt and LSU Football in Death Valley or conquering your own health goals, the same spirit that drives the Tigers drives FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake to deliver best-in-class care Louisiana trusts — for every fan, every family and every community.

As Championship Health Partners, LSU and the Lake are advancing health, sports performance, education and research to transform healthcare for Louisiana and the Gulf South.

FMOLHealth.org/LSU

Sam Leavitt LSU Quarterback

6 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE ADVOCATE | THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE

// 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW //

LSU offense enters Year 1 under Lane Kiffin with a significant rebuild BY KOKI RILEY | Staff writer

In two years, the drop-off was stark. LSU’s offense had gone from being arguably the best in the sport, and showcasing another Heisman winner at quarterback, to this: having one of the worst attacks in the Southeastern Conference in 2025. En route to a miserable 7-6 campaign that ultimately led to head coach Brian Kelly losing his job eight games into the season, the Tigers ﬁnished last in the SEC in rushing yards and points per game. They failed to score more than 25 points against an FBS opponent until the Texas Bowl, and only Florida, Kentucky and South Carolina ﬁnished last year with a less efficient offense in the

conference, according to ESPN’s College Football Power Index. Garrett Nussmeier’s mysterious injury, a leaky offensive line and questionable play calling had led LSU to this point. There was no choice but to blow it all up and start over. “If things aren’t working, you need to change,” said Lane Kiffin, Kelly’s replacement, to the Baton Rouge Rotary Club on July 29. “You don’t just take the same pieces and sprinkle magic dust on it.” So that’s what Kiffin and his offensive staff, most of whom followed him to LSU from Ole Miss, did over the offseason. The Tigers only brought back 10 scholarship players from last year’s offense, including just one wide receiv-

er and no quarterbacks. Unlike on defense, where Blake Baker and the majority of last year’s defensive staff return, no offensive coach from a season ago is back with the program in 2026. The staff changes on offense will be most felt with the new-look scheme Kiffin plans to implement. Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., who followed Kiffin from Ole Miss, constructed an attack that nearly got the Rebels to the national championship game last year despite starting a quarterback — Trinidad Chambliss — who played in Division II the season prior. Ole Miss had a solid defense, but it was led by Kiffin and Weis’ offensive

system. It had the eighth-most efficient offense in the nation last year, according to ESPN, and the attack averaged 36.9 points per game. Over the past four seasons, since Weis took over as Kiffin’s offensive coordinator, Ole Miss has averaged no fewer than 33 points per game and had no worse than the ﬁfth-most efficient offense in the SEC, per ESPN’s College Football Power Index rankings. The Rebels had the SEC’s top offense in 2024 and the No. 2 attack last year. “Charlie does a great job,” Kiffin said during spring practices. “… Our dynamics have totally changed over time in who’s calling the plays. Now he calls

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 >>

2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE ADVOCATE | THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE 7

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// 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW // them, (and) he runs the meetings. He’s in charge of it, and that was a good progression over time to get to that.” Kiffin and Weis will try to maintain that level of consistency at LSU with a new quarterback who owns a lengthy track record of success. Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt threw for over 4,500 yards, scored 44 total touchdowns and ran for over 800 yards in a season and a half with the Sun Devils, leading the program to a Big 12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff in 2024. A foot injury cost Leavitt half of last season and most of this spring, but the highly regarded transfer is a full go to practice this preseason, according to Kiffin. “Sam’s doing great,” Kiffin said to the Rotary Club. “He’s coming back from a foot injury. He’s (at) full strength. Now, it’s just about getting the timing down with everybody.” Two more new faces will back up Leavitt, as Kiffin added Southern Cal transfer and former five-star recruit Husan Longstreet and grabbed Elon transfer Landen Clark out of the portal. Both gunslingers lack experience at the highest level, but they’re skilled enough to thrive in Kiffin’s system, thanks to their mobility and arm talent. Protecting Leavitt will be an offensive line that added 10 transfers, including star left tackle and Colorado transfer Jordan Seaton — by all accounts the top offensive lineman in the portal — and Maryland transfer Aliou Bah, who was a two-year starter with the Terrapins. Seaton and Bah project as plug-andplay starters next to center Braelin Moore and right tackle Weston Davis, who both return after starting for the Tigers in 2025. Moore had a solid season, but Davis struggled in his first year as a regular. The hope for Kiffin and new offensive line coach Eric Wolford is that they can tap into Davis’ immense potential this fall. At left guard, fifth-year senior Bo Bordelon spent most of the spring as the first-team option despite playing sparingly in four years under Kelly. Ole Miss transfer Devin Harper is a strong candidate to slide in at the position if Bordelon loses his spot. “That, offensively, is the posi-

tion that has probably developed the best through a couple weeks and has played well together,” Kiffin said during the spring. “And, in my opinion, has dramatically improved from when we got here.” Phillip Wright was the lone wide receiver who is back for a second season in Baton Rouge, despite registering just one catch last year as a freshman. Kiffin signed three freshmen and added nine players from the portal to fill out the rest of the room. Kansas State transfer Jayce Brown, Ole Miss transfer Winston Watkins and Florida transfer Eugene Wilson were the three biggest names LSU added out of the portal, while Troy transfer Roman Mothershed and Hawaii transfer Jackson Harris were standout performers in the spring. For as deep as LSU’s wide receiver room is, Leavitt’s top target might actually be at tight end. Trey’Dez Green, who had 433 receiving yards and seven touchdowns a year ago, flashed his limitless potential last year and was a priority for Kiffin to retain this offseason. Green and Pittsburgh transfer Malachi Thomas will earn the majority of snaps at tight end. Oregon transfer Zach Grace could also help out the Tigers as a blocker in the run game, especially in short-yardage situations. Speaking of the rushing attack, LSU’s ground game has struggled since Daniels departed for the NFL. Expect Kiffin, Weis and company to flip the script on that narrative this season, as Ole Miss had one of the best run games in the SEC during their time in Oxford. “That’s really high on our list,” Kiffin said. “A very big challenge to get that fixed. And that takes a lot of things. It’s a system thing, it’s a personnel thing.” After an unsuccessful attempt to lure Ole Miss star running back Kewan Lacy to Baton Rouge, LSU brought back Caden Durham and Harlem Berry, its two lead ball carriers last season. But the rest of the room is made up of new faces. Wisconsin transfer Dilin Jones leads the bunch after an impressive spring. “He’s been really good,” Kiffin said of Jones during the spring. “He’s come in and been good at protection, been good with his vision, his feet, running the ball. He’s really been a bright spot.”

STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) walks across the ﬁeld in the team’s second preseason practice on Thursday, Aug. 6.

LSU oﬀensive depth chart

WR WR WR LT LG C RG RT TE QB RB

6 WINSTON WATKINS 5-10 182 So. 2 Tre Brown 6-2 190 Sr. 3 EUGENE WILSON 5-11 190 Jr. 4 Jackson Harris 6-2 202 Jr. 1 JAYCE BROWN 5-11 175 Sr. 82 Roman Mothershed 6-5 208 Jr. 77 JORDAN SEATON 6-5 307 Jr. 65 Sean Thompkins 6-5 308 Jr. 67 BO BORDELON 6-6 305 Sr. 70 Devin Harper 6-4 312 So. 61 BRAELIN MOORE 6-2 301 Sr. 50 William Satterwhile 6-3 293 So. 55 ALIOU BAH 6-5 327 Sr. 70 Devin Harper 6-4 312 So. 75 WESTON DAVIS 6-6 315 So. 69 Darrin Strey 6-7 314 Fr. 14 TREY’DEZ GREEN 6-7 237 Jr. 12 Malachi Thomas 6-3 242 Jr.

44 Zach Grace 6-2 236 Jr.

10 SAM LEAVITT 6-2 216 Jr. 8 Husan Longstreet 6-1 195 Fr. 11 Landen Clark 6-0 195 So. 22 HARLEM BERRY 5-10 187 So. 13 Dilin Jones 5-11 211 So. 29 Caden Durham 5-9 200 Jr. 23 Stacy Gage 5-10 206 So.

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// 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW //

Blake Baker stayed put, and now LSU’s defense can try to take another step forward BY REED DARCEY | Staff writer LSU could’ve lost its defensive coordinator last December. Blake Baker really thought about leaving – to the point at which he invited Tulane and Memphis administrators to his house so they could discuss their head coaching vacancies with him. So, why did Baker stay in Baton Rouge? Because he thought he could still accomplish more in a third season with the Tigers, and that if he did, then he could soon become a candidate for some higher level jobs than the two enticing, yet challenging Group-of-6 gigs that arrived at his doorstep as LSU was introducing coach Lane Kiffin. “It was really critical to keep him,” Kiffin said in March. Now, the Tigers can keep building on the success they’ve had on defense in Baker’s first two years as coordinator. It’s easy to forget that Baker inherited a mess. The defense that LSU fielded in 2023 was one of the worst units in program history, a group made more infamous by the fact that it hamstrung one of the best offenses in program history – the record-setting unit led by Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels. That year, the Tigers finished 108th among FBS teams in total defense and 81st in scoring defense. Then Baker took over, and LSU moved up to 61st in total defense in 2024 before finishing the 2025 season ranked 27th.

Now – with Baker, the bulk of his staff and several starters back for a third year – there’s reason to believe the unit can take yet another step forward in 2026. Kiffin hopes that LSU has enough talent to “go to another level” and field the kind of tough, physical defense that “creates a lot of havoc” but plays “with great discipline.” “That’s been here before a number of times,” Kiffin said, “and so that’s a big, big goal – to get that back to that style of play that nobody wants to play LSU’s defense...like it used to be.” Most of LSU’s starters are set. Whit Weeks and Ole Miss transfer TJ Dottery are the two linebackers. DJ Pickett and PJ Woodland are the two outside cornerbacks. Boise State transfer Ty Benefield and Tamarcus Cooley will man the safety spots, while Dashawn Spears will fill the Star position – the hybrid safety-linebacker role that Harold Perkins played last season. The defensive front is comprised almost entirely of newcomers. Ole Miss transfer Princewill Umanmielen, a senior, is the top edge rusher. Tennessee transfer Jordan Ross and five-star freshman Lamar Brown will line up on the opposite edge, while a mix of Auburn transfer Malik Blocton, freshman Deuce Geralds, Clemson transfer Stephiylan Green and junior Dominick McKinley will occupy the middle. There’s NFL-level talent at all three levels of the defense. Kiffin thinks highly enough of Bene-

STAFF PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK LSU linebacker Whit Weeks speaks with LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker on the sideline in the ﬁrst half between the Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks on Oct. 11 at Tiger Stadium.

ﬁeld to say on Tyrann Mathieu’s podcast in June that Beneﬁeld can be “one of those legends” to play at LSU. Pickett, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, was one of the most highly rated recruits in his class, and now he’ll have a chance to prove that he has can use his physical tools to develop into a true shutdown corner. Weeks, if healthy, can be one of the most productive defenders in the SEC. Dottery was the league’s leading tackler last season. And then there’s the pass rush, which got a major upgrade in Umanmielen. In 2025, he chipped in almost twice as many sacks (nine) as LSU’s

top three edge rushers combined (five). His presence should give the Tigers a more productive four-man rush, which should allow Baker to be more selective with his blitzes, which should limit the numbers of times the Tigers find themselves exposed on the back end of the defense. Explosive plays are still a vulnerability. Only five SEC teams gave up more gains of at least 20 yards than LSU did last season (50). The Tigers could also do a better job of turning pressure into sacks and creating more negative plays in the run game.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 >>

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// 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW // But LSU ﬁgured out how to create a nice amount of havoc anyway. Only two SEC defenses created more turnovers than the Tigers did last season (21), which was a large reason why Kiffin decided to sit down with Baker and sell him on the chance to stay in his role through the coaching change. “I had a bunch of questions that he did a great job answering,” Baker told The Advocate last December, “and that made me feel at ease because at the end of the day, it’s an unknown either way. Unknown staying here with a new head coach, but also an unknown going to be a head coach for the ﬁrst time. So, I wanted to get as much clarity on this end as I possibly could.” And once he did, Baker signed a new three-year, $9.3 million contract that cemented his status as one of the highest-paid assistant coaches in the country. He can earn that new deal, in part by helping Kiffin slow down the elite quarterbacks LSU will face this season, such as Ole Miss’ Trinidad

Chambliss (Sept. 19), Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed (Sept. 26) and Texas’ Arch Manning (Nov. 14). The Tigers also have road games against Kentucky (Oct. 10), Auburn (Oct. 24) and Tennessee (Nov. 21) – a trio of teams that have unproven quarterbacks but sharp offensive systems. It’s the dual-threat passers who usually threaten Baker’s defense, and LSU will once again have to bottle up some of the nation’s best if it wants to reach the College Football Playoff for the ﬁrst time since 2019. Kiffin made his choice. Then Baker made his. Now it’s time to see if the Tigers can reap the beneﬁts of continuity on the defensive side of the ball – and if Baker’s decision to hold out for a more premier head coaching job winds up paying off. “I’ve enjoyed our interactions,” Kiffin said. “I’ve enjoyed the competitiveness of Blake, and I think it’s gonna be a great combination.”

STAFF PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK LSU cornerback DJ Pickett celebrates with Mike the Tiger in the end zone after making an interception in the second half of the Tigers’ 20-10 win over the Gators on Sept. 13 at Tiger Stadium.

LSU defensive depth chart

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Expectations for the Lane Kiﬃn era at LSU are great, but so are his BY SCOTT RABALAIS Sports columnist

It’s time to find out. Time to find out what this Lane Kiffin chapter — this era, this experiment, this age of the visor — will be like. Aside from Jayden Daniels’ Heisman Trophy run in 2023, LSU football has stumbled its way through six mostly unremarkable seasons since Joe Burrow also won the Heisman and led LSU to the 2019 national championship. Years spent in a college football wilderness wandering almost as much as winning, with the Tigers going a tepid 47-29 overall and 28-22 in the Southeastern Conference. Now, in 2026, a giant page is turned. LSU has gone to great, expensive lengths to remake its image, spending a fortune no one really thought it had. All to reclaim a place as one of the nation’s premier college football brands, befitting of one of just two programs this century to win three or more national titles. LSU shelled out the equivalent of a small Caribbean island nation’s GDP to buy out Brian Kelly and bring in Kiffin, a total of $145 million, in fact ($54 million for Kelly’s buyout, $91 million for Kiffin’s contract). That’s on top of upwards of $40 million to build this year’s roster – according to Kelly, it must be said, not Kiffin. On top of that, LSU is prepared to park its athletic broadcast rights in a new, revenue-generating enterprise, bumping up against the threshold of what is considered “private equity.” If you want to be a major player, what they call a “whale” in Las Vegas, you have to bring a big bankroll to the table. LSU has staked it all, everything, on Kiffin. A brilliant offensive mind, an apparent introvert whose preferred canvas is the football playbook and, until quite recently, social media. A man carrying the scars of so many failed and truncated head-coaching tenures but who most recently got it right at FAU

STAFF PHOTO BY PEARL SPURLOCK LSU coach Lane Kiﬃn addresses the media after the Tigers’ ﬁrst day of preseason practice on Aug. 5 at the LSU football complex.

and really got it right at Ole Miss, setting the Rebels on a path that carried them closer to a national championship than they’d been in six decades. Kiffin left Ole Miss after an 11-1 regular season — his second 11-win season in Oxford, something the Rebels had never managed before — on the cusp of the College Football Playoff, a run that would reach all the way to the national semifinals under new coach Pete Golding. Kiffin was vilified for his move, and LSU was pilloried for plundering an ancient and now profoundly bitter SEC rival in its ascendant moment. LSU’s response: All’s fair in love and football. Especially for a school that loves football above all else. “It was best for LSU” to hire Kiffin, athletic director Verge Ausberry said. Not the end of the story, but certainly the end of LSU explaining itself, like it or not. Everyone who lobbed barrages of venom at the new coach and his new school conveniently overlooked the fact that Ole Miss would have fired Kiffin if he didn’t win long before his six years there were up.

That’s frankly old business now. Kifﬁn was THE coach LSU wanted and somehow got despite all the upheaval during the search: the governor’s meddling, the attempt to ﬁre Kelly for cause and the brief declarations of then new LSU president Wade Rousse that Ausberry may or may not be the athletic director going forward. Through that swamp of potential sinkholes, LSU kept aiming at its north star in this search. Remarkably, Kiffin took the job, in part because Nick Saban — who became to LSU fans at Alabama what Kiffin now is to fans at Ole Miss — told his old offensive coordinator that when the smoke clears, this is one of the best jobs in America. By some metrics, maybe the best. Kiffin has made the phrase “It’s just different” at LSU his mantra since arriving in Baton Rouge. It may be approaching the realm of sports clichés at this point, but he isn’t wrong. How different LSU football may be is subject to debate, but it certainly is … rare. There are just 14 Power Four conference schools across America that

are the only P4 schools in their home states. And none of the others can match Louisiana’s standing as producing the second-most NFL players per capita of any state. That, a rabid fan base, a financial valuation of its program just north of $1 billion and a legendary 102,000-seat stadium is a combination that is, indeed, just different. If Kiffin was looking for something different from LSU, the same thing in reverse applies: making the Tigers a consistent year-over-year winner. Know how many times LSU has finished in the final Associated Press top 10 three straight years since 1936? Once, from 2005-07 under Les Miles. Georgia, which until recently has had a fairly comparable football history to LSU’s, has finished in the AP top 10 nine straight seasons. In fact, LSU has finished out of the final AP top 25 more often since 2008 (six times) than it has finished in the top 10 (four). Maybe making LSU a perennial top10 program is reaching for a too distant shore for Kiffin — but it certainly should be the goal. Though Kiffin has spoken often about the challenging parameters to building this year’s roster, perhaps pumping the brakes on pot-boiling anticipation for this season, he hasn’t shied away from long-term expectations. Kiffin said he expects LSU’s 2027 roster to be better, and recently said on a podcast with former Tigers great Tyrann Mathieu that he believes he will lead LSU to a national championship during his time here. Perhaps that’s easy for Kiffin to say now, but over the long haul he knows he will be expected to do what three of LSU’s past four coaches — Saban, Miles and recently returned special assistant Ed Orgeron — did when they coached the Tigers: get to the top. Kiffin is the man LSU wanted most to lead its program. Can he deliver what LSU wants most: to make what may be the best job in the country the best on the field? It’s time to find out.

2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE ADVOCATE | THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE 15

// 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW //

Tu ulane using do oubters as motivation for ﬁfth h consecutive cha ampionship gamee appearance

BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer

As the Tulane football team began preseason practice, the door to the offensive line meeting room was covered with bulletin-board material from three different magazines. One listed the line’s No. 113 ranking out of 138 FBS teams, according to Phil Steele. Another noted Athlon’s tabbing the unit eighth-best out of 14 in the American Conference. The third was a passage asserting the blockers would be nowhere as good as the excellent pass protectors from the 2025 league champion. The outside doubts extend far past the O-line. Negative press is fueling the Green Wave’s fire as it looks to extend its American Conference-record four consecutive title-game appearances to five and also become the first team to win three championships in five years.

Despite its dominant 31-5 league mark during that span and the return of more experienced players than just about anyone in the league, almost no one is picking Tulane to win the American under new coach Will Hall. One preseason media poll tabbed the Wave fourth. Another dropped it all the way to seventh. This after Tulane placed no worse than second from 2022 to 2025 — tying for the best record twice while taking the outright regular-season title once. Observing his team’s progress from the end of spring drills to the start of preseason practice, Hall grew even more conﬁdent the Wave could maintain the level it exhibited in the ﬁnal two years of Willie Fritz’s tenure and the following two seasons with Jon Sumrall. He coached under both of them and believes he knows what it takes. “This group works,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed their summer. They have put

the time in. Our leadership’s been awesome. We are a player-led team. They feel like they have something to prove, and that’s why they work so hard to keep Tulane at the standard that it is.” Safety Jack Tchienchou, who cracked the Bronko Nagurski Trophy preseason watch list for the nation’s best defensive player, expects more of the same. “Not much has changed,” he said. “There’s going to be no drop-off. We’re all buying in. The best is yet to come.” Tchienchou is one of several key defenders who stuck around because of continuity in the transition to Hall from Sumrall. Speciﬁcally, former linebackers coach Tayler Polk’s promotion to defensive coordinator convinced linebackers Dickson Agu, Chris Rodgers and Makai Williams (156 combined tackles in 2025) to remain in the fold. Six of Tulane’s top 10 tacklers returned — a much higher number than for most of the rest of the American.

“If he (Polk) wasn’t here, a lot of us probably wouldn’t have stayed,” said Agu, who led the team in tackles before tearing a patellar tendon in the conference opener at Tulsa. “He brings energy every day. He’s one of the most consistent people I’ve met since I’ve been here. That really helped build the foundation we have on defense right now.” Hall sees even a perceived weakness as a strength. Although none of the four quarterbacks competing for the job started a college game last year, leading candidates Zeon Chriss-Gremillion (UL and Houston) and Kadin Semonza (Ball State) have combined for 29 career starts. That number puts the Wave in pretty good company as it enters its fourth consecutive year with a different starter. Navy’s Braxton Woodson, the quarterback for the consensus American favorite, has started three times over three years.

16 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE ADVOCATE | THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE

// 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW //

Marcus Stokes, the projected starter for perennial contender Memphis, is a transfer from Division II West Florida. Michael Van Buren, the frontrunner at NIL darling South Florida, started eight times at Mississippi State in 2024 and four times at LSU last season, going 3-9 in those opportunities. Hall praised his group, which includes athletic walk-on John Curtis product Dagan Bruno and freshman dart-thrower Trace Johnson. “They can play,” Hall said. “They do everything we ask them to do. You’ve got two guys in the room that are extremely experienced. They are leaders. The big thing for us is to continue to improve.” The other skill positions appear strong. The Wave boasts abundant speed and talent at running back, with Jamauri McClure (490 yards in the last ﬁve games of 2025), Maurice Turner and Florida State transfer Jaylin Lucas all ﬁguring heavily in Hall’s plans.

The wide receivers are considerably more experienced than at this time a year ago. Anthony Brown-Stephens (41 catches) and Zycarl Lewis (24 catches) improved as the season went along and got better again in spring practice, leading a host of candidates that includes Brother Martin alum Garrett Mmahat, LSU transfer Destyn Hill and Edna Karr product Oliver Mitchell. The Wave goes six deep in scholarship tight ends, with converted quarterback Ty Thompson, Duke transfer Vance Bolyard and sophomore Gabe Lovorn looking to make an impact. Although Tulane is young on both lines, there are enough upperclassmen on the defensive front to help a talented group of second-year players come along. Seniors Gerrod Henderson, Ed Smith and Derrick Shepard complement redshirt freshmen Warren Roberts and Reshad Sterling among others. “Our defensive linemen are going to

Tulane oﬀensive depth chart

QB RB WR WR WR LT LG C RG RT TE

9 ZEON CHRISS-GREMILLION 6-3, 220, SR. 3 Kadin Semonza 5-11, 195, Jr. 25 JAMAURI MCCLURE 5-10, 212, SO. 0 Maurice Turner 5-10, 196, Sr. 5 ANTHONY BROWN-STEPHENS 5-10, 178, SR. 8 Bredell Richardson 6-1, 197, So. 1 ZYCARL LEWIS 5-10, 170, SO. 17 Oliver Mitchell 6-1, 185, So. 2 DESTYN HILL 6-1, 191, JR. 85 Gabe Daniels 6-2, 190, So. 55 DOMINIC STEWARD 6-5, 280, SO. 70 Juelz Baptiste 6-5, 323, Fr. 73 ELIJAH BAKER 6-3, 295, SO. 76 Gresham Perry 6-4, 322, Fr. 51 JOHN BOCK 6-3, 316, SR. 60 Gavin Marks 6-3, 297, So. 78 REESE BAKER 6-5, 292. SO. 71 Riley Rushing 6-4, 322, Jr. 58 RYAN MICKOW 6-7, 311, JR. 77 Darion Reed 6-7, 314, Jr. 13 TY THOMPSON 6-4, 235, SR. 86 Gabe Lovorn 6-4, 241, Fr.

surprise a lot of people,” Rodgers said. “They can rush the quarterback.’ The offensive line embodies the disparity in perception of this team inside and outside the program. While critics see a bunch of unproven players and no returning starter at the same position, those close to the team rave about individual improvement in the weight room and in quickness. “Other people just don’t know what we have,” said senior center John Bock, a Florida International transfer who locked down the starting job at right guard last year in preseason camp be-

fore tearing the plantar fascia in his left foot during the ﬁnal scrimmage. “At FIU my last year we were top 20 in the nation for least sacks allowed. This group is two times better. We all could start on any American Conference team.” Ultimately, where Tulane was picked during the summer will not matter. “We know what we have in this building,” Hall said. “We have 68 scholarship returnees that know they are really good players that were highly recruited. All of them had lots of options in December. They didn’t just fall into Tulane. We like this team.”

Tulane special teams depth chart

K P

96 JACKSON COURVILLE 5-10, 184, JR. 35 Cooper Helmke 6-3, 202, Fr. 34 WILLIAM HUDLOW 5-11, 215, JR. 33 Brooks Moore 6-0, 212, Fr.

Tulane defensive depth chart

DE NT DT OLB ILB ILB NB CB CB SS FS

10 GERROD HENDERSON 6-2, 267, SR. 51 Reshad Sterling 6-3, 271, Fr. 94 DERRICK SHEPARD 6-3, 313, SR. 98 PaLanding Drammeh 6-2. 292, Fr. 45 ED SMITH 6-3, 306, SR. 96 Geordan Guidry 6-2, 282, So. 40 WARREN ROBERTS 6-2, 219, FR. 48 Jah’rie Garner 6-3, 234, Jr. 2 DICKSON AGU 6-2, 223, JR. 42 Makai Williams 6-1, 231, Sr. 4 CHRIS RODGERS 6-1, 222, SR. 11 Dalton Hughes 6-3, 226, Sr. 3 TJ SMITH 5-10, 183, SR. 13 Kajuan Banks 5-10, 189, Sr. 21 MACHO STEVENSON 6-1, 187, JR. 12 Anthony Rogers 5-11, 176, So. 5 E’ZAIAH SHINE 6-1, 201, SO. 22 Justin Agu 6-2, 190, Sr. 7 KEVIN ADAMS 5-10, 195, JR. 7 KEVIN ADAMS 5-10, 195, JR. 1 JACK TCHIENCHOU 5-10, 192, JR. 8 Joshua Moore 6-2, 202, Jr.

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Cajuns determined to be Sun Belt contenders again, despite younger roster BY KEVIN FOOTE | Staff writer As UL coach Michael Desormeaux prepares his team for the 2026 season, he’s still feeling the scars from last season’s weekly struggle. His Ragin’ Cajuns got off to a 1-3 start and trailed Marshall 34-17 midway through the third quarter at home in the fifth game. The offense that focused on a big-play passing game in August camp appeared wasted when starting quarterback Walker Howard was injured in the season opener. Lunch Winfield, Howard’s replacement, delivered a comeback for the ages in the final quarter and a half against Marshall with six scoring drives in a 5451 double-overtime win to help give UL the spark it needed to rebound and qualify for an eighth straight bowl. Needless to say, Desormeaux is hoping for fewer obstacles this fall. “We started slow last year and certainly didn’t play the way we wanted to early,” Desormeaux said. “We’ve got to get off to a fast start this year. “We’ve got to find a way to muster up that urgency we had in the last half of the season and take that from start to finish.” That’s the idea anyway, for two main reasons.

One, it makes things much easier. Secondly, this is a younger team that might not be able to overcome as many huge obstacles to success. “Last year was not easy, but that’s kind of what has me excited about this year,” he said. “We’re younger, but we were able to keep the team intact. All those guys know what it felt like – the urgency that it took to get it where we wanted it.” This time around, the offensive staff will begin the process preparing for a running quarterback in Winﬁeld. “I’ve gotten way more comfortable with most of my teammates and timing and everything,” Winﬁeld said. “It’s just like normal now. Everything is way easier now.” Howard’s injury was followed by an incredible rash of injuries to the offensive line, forcing 11 different starting lineups for the offense. Senior right tackle George Jackson was part of that long list of injuries, but he’s back. “Last year was hard,” Jackson said. “It was hard watching. Injuries are going to happen. We’re all working very hard on doing what we can to prevent them. “I’m feeling 100% and ready to go.” With the injuries came more players getting more experience. Matt Broussard emerged as the new right guard to

go along with left guard Kaden Moreau and center Cooper Fordham. Zay Alexander was injured last season as well and is expected to start at left tackle. With running backs Zylan Perry and Bill Davis lost in the portal, the backfield is expected to feature three underclassmen in Steven Blanco, Darrell Smith and JJ Garner. “I feel really good about our backs,” Desormeaux said. “They’re young, but they have a lot of talent. I think they’re ready.” Another major factor in last year’s slow start was an undisclosed injury to top receiver target Shelton Sampson. Those early doubts, though, were overshadowed by Sampson’s strong finish. Former St. Thomas More product Landon Strother has also made a big step forward. “I feel really good about those two, and I think we’ve got a lot of playmakers among the other guys in that room,” said Desormeaux, referring to Trenton Chaney, Russell Babineaux and Rahji Dennis. “All of those guys want the ball to show what they can do with it,” Winfield said. The biggest question mark on offense may be depth at tight end behind Caden Jensen and Brock Chappell.

“I can’t tell you right now who it’s going to be behind those two guys,” Desormeaux said. “I challenged those guys going into the summer and fall camp to ﬁgure out who the third guy is going to be. If no one does, it’ll limit our ability to play ‘12’ personnel, and I certainly don’t want that to happen.” There were some awfully big losses on the defensive front wall last season in Jordan Lawson, Kadarius Miller and Jaelen Crider, but that unit should anchor the defense again. “I really like what I’ve seen from that group,” Desormeaux said of the defensive line. “The offensive and defensive lines are the groups I feel like have the most playing experience.” What the defense may lack is a true leader. Redshirt senior Fitzgerald West has shown signs throughout the offseason to ﬁll those shoes. “Yes, I think Fitz is the leader in that group for sure,” Desormeaux said. “Fitz is set for a really big year. He’s got such a high motor. He’s one of the guys that affects everyone around him.” But the staff is also excited about the potential breakout season of 6-foot-7, 295-pound redshirt junior Chase Edwards. “I think Chase is the one who is about to have a different type of season this

2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE ADVOCATE | THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE 19

// 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW //

year,” Desormeaux said. “At times, he’s really good.” The redshirt sophomore duo of Priest Ashe and Ashton Wright also appear primed to elevate their games, like redshirt senior Maxie Baudoin did last season. Tarleton State transfer Brodrick Stewart (6-1, 305) should also help plug the middle. “The list goes going on and on,” Desormeaux said. “They’re all going to grow and have continued to improve year after year after year. Day after day, year after year, you can see that they’re ready for that moment.” Working closely with that group will be talented edge rushers in redshirt junior Ashley Williams and portal newcomer Tito Chikere. The depth there looks promising as well with redshirt junior Lester Jones and redshirt freshman AJ Spencer. “I believe in our ability to evaluate and to develop,” Desormeaux said. For the third straight season, UL’s

linebacker crew is looking for a new leader as well. Jaden Dugger was drafted in the ﬁfth round by the San Francisco 49ers after a huge season. The new chief is redshirt senior Jake St. Andre, who has plenty of talent around him in redshirt sophomore Conor McPherson, redshirt senior Kailep Edwards and redshirt junior Micah Johnson. There’s two things to focus on when it comes to the critical cornerback position for the Cajuns. One, can Brent Gordon avoid a bit of a sophomore slump after such a fantastic freshman season? Desormeaux is convinced Gordon won’t fall into that trap. “I think it’s the maturity that he’s got,” he said. “It’s just the way that he’s wired. When he didn’t start right away, he told me, “I don’t like not playing,’ and he played that way. “By the time he got his opportunity, he didn’t give it up.” Two, somebody else has to step up.

UL oﬀensive depth chart

WR WR TE LT LG C RG RT QB RB RB

6 SHELTON SAMPSON 6-4, 206, RJr. 4 Trenton Chaney 5-9, 178, RFr. 17 LANDON STROTHER 6-1, 197, RSo. 9 KeDarius Wade 6-4, 200, RJr. 88 CADEN JENSEN 6-6, 266, RJr. 83 Brock Chappell 6-5, 252, Sr. 78 ZAY ALEXANDER 6-7, 333, RSo. 61 Jayce Mitchell6-3, 322, Rso. 75 KADEN MOREAU 6-4, 305, RSr. 77 Jakoby Isom 6-1, 318 So. 50 COOPER FORDHAM 6-2, 295, RJr. 59 Andrew Martinez 6-3, 306, RJr. 76 MATTHEW BROUSSARD 6-4, 313, RJr. 77 Jakoby Isom 6-1, 318, So. 71 GEORGE JACKSON 6-5, 315, RSr. 78 Michael Bowens 6-5, 318, Fr. 7 LUNCH WINFIELD 6-2, 225, RJr. 11 Daniel Beale 6-2, 206, RSo. 24 STEVEN BLANCO 5-9, 215, RSo. 20 JJ Garner 5-10, 210, RFr. 0 DARRELL SMITH 5-8, 200, RFr. 22 Anthony Reagan 5-9, 185, Sr.

The most likely candidates are redshirt sophomore Avery Demery and redshirt junior Jeremiah Moses. “I think Avery had a great summer ... a great summer, and really the same for Jeremiah,” Desormeaux said. Elsewhere in the secondary, the Cajuns found out how important redshirt senior Maurion Eleam was last season at the star position. When he went down, the drop-off in the overall unit was readily apparent. This year, UL will be quick to move Gordon to the star spot, or potentially

redshirt freshman Jayden Gloston. In the back of the secondary, there are four safeties with some experience in redshirt junior Kody Jackson, redshirt sophomore Lake Bates, redshirt freshman Steven Ranel and redshirt senior Collin Jacob. None of them have the ﬁeld time of a Tyree Skipper a year ago, but none of them will be ﬁrst-timers. “I think our safety room is in pretty good shape,” Desormeaux said. “Steven’s still young, but all four guys have at least played a little bit.”

UL special teams depth chart

K P

96 JACKSON COURVILLE 5-10, 184, JR. 35 Cooper Helmke 6-3, 202, Fr. 34 WILLIAM HUDLOW 5-11, 215, JR. 33 Brooks Moore 6-0, 212, Fr.

UL defensive depth chart

DL DL DL OLB OLB LB LB STAR CB CB SS FS

41 CHASE EDWARDS 6-7, 295, RJr. 95 Maxie Baudoin 6-5, 300, RSr. 68 FITZGERALD WEST 6-2, 300, RSr. 93 Brodrick Stewart 6-1, 305, Rjr. 0 PRIEST ASHE 6-4, 235, RSo. 9 Lance Williams 6-3, 233, Rjr. 2 ASHLEY WILLIAMS 6-5, 260, RJr. 80 Lester Jones 6-3, 235, RJr. 17 TITO CHIKERE 6-3, 247, RSr. 33 AJ Spencer 6-4, 205, RFr. 44 JAKE ST. ANDRE 6-0 220, RSr. 16 Kailep Edwards 6-0, 220, Rsr. 6 CONOR MCPHERSON, 6-2, 219, RSo. 3 Micah Johnson, 6-0, 232, Rjr. 21 MAURION ELEAM 5-10, 180, RSr. 25 Jayden Gloston 5-11, 190, R-Fr. 11 BRENT GORDON 5-11, 200, Sr 13 Curley Reed 6-1, 200, Rjr. 11 BRENT GORDON 5-11, 200, Sr 23 Jeremiah Moses 6-0, 186, RJr. 35 COLLIN JACOB 6-0, 180, Rsr. 24 Lake Bates 5-11, 190 RSo. 8 KODY JACKSON 6-1, 200, Rjr. 28 Steven Ranel 6-1, 205, Rfr.

20 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE ADVOCATE | THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE

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2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE ADVOCATE | THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE 21

// 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW //

Year 1 for Marshall Faulk has arrived. Here’s what you need to know about Southern football.

STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON Southern coach Marshall Faulk addresses the media before practice at the Southern practice ﬁelds Aug. 1.

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staﬀ writer Within the conﬁnes of Southern’s football facility are determined players and coaches. Returners and newcomers alike want a redemptive season that erases the stench of last year’s 2-10 record

and 1-7 ﬁnish in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Outside the building, excitement is driven by the hiring of Marshall Faulk, the rookie head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer tasked with ushering in the Jaguars’ next era. Alongside diehard fans’ optimism and Southern’s newfound spotlight

22 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE ADVOCATE | THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE

is skepticism. Neutral observers are curious to see how Faulk’s first crack at leading a program will unfold in the sports-crazed HBCU world. That intrigue is part of why Southern’s season opener against Alabama State will air on ESPNU at 2 p.m. Aug. 29 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. Voters in the SWAC preseason poll picked Southern to finish fifth out of six teams in the West division. Preseason projections don’t concern Faulk, a Super Bowl XXXIV champion. His focus is preparing a team that expects to win every time it steps on the field. “There’s no fear in me,” Faulk said. “Winners win. And if you’re a winner, then you win. At every level, somehow, some way, I found a way to find the win, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

The SWAC meets the Go-Go offense Some doubts about Faulk’s first season are rooted in the unpredictable nature of NFL players transitioning to coaching for the first time at the HBCU level. Last year, Michael Vick’s Norfolk State team went 1-11, while DeSean Jackson led Delaware State to an 8-4 season. There’s mystery in how Southern will look as it runs a unique system: the Go-Go offense. It gets murkier, as the conductor of the offense could be a quarterback who joined the team two months ago. Offensive coordinator Ken Merchant didn’t reveal much during preseason camp, but the system is traditionally run-heavy, featuring two tailbacks aligned side by side. “Our identity is going to be in running the football,” Faulk said. “That’s the brand of football I want to play. But I’m smart enough to know I can’t dictate how we win games. I’m not going to run the football if they’re giving us an opportunity to throw it. That’s just not smart football.” The quarterback who will unleash that offense won’t be fully known until Southern’s first offensive play of the regular season. Southern narrowed its likely starter to junior Christian Johnson, a Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College transfer; returning senior Ashton Strother; or Wyatt McCauley, a sophomore transfer from Long Beach City (Calif.) College. Johnson is the favorite based on his early-June arrival and praise by the

// 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW // coaching staff. “He’s won at every level he’s played at,” Faulk said. “He just wants to win. I literally asked him, ‘Look man, we got fourth-and-2, I’m calling quarterback power.’ And he said, ‘Coach, I’m putting my head down, and I’m getting it.’ I like that mentality from a quarterback.” Last season, Johnson completed 156 of 258 passes (60.5%) for 2,120 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions while leading Hutchinson to an 11-1 record. The 6-foot, 206-pound junior also rushed 140 times for 586 yards and seven touchdowns. As a freshman, he shared quarterback duties during the Blue Dragons’ 2024 national title run. Running back Trey Holly, who began his career at LSU, is expected to be Southern’s best offensive player. Faulk placed added leadership responsibility on the 5-7, 192-pound redshirt junior, a preseason All-SWAC second-team selection who finished fourth in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns last season. The Go-Go offense should distribute carries among multiple tailbacks, mirroring Merchant’s success at Sacramento State. That team ranked second in the Big Sky in rushing with 3,151 yards and produced three of the league’s top 15 rushers. None of that is possible without a steady offensive line. Southern could see as many as four transfers starting. The staff may not have enough time in camp to refine the connectivity the group needs, but it could compensate with impressive individual talents. Riverside (Calif.) Community College transfer Trinidad Wilson — a 6-5, 350-pound sophomore — picked Southern over Oregon State. The Jaguars also added the 6-3, 310-pound Zuri Madison, who played at Arkansas State last season after beginning his career at Arkansas. The wide receiver room no longer has its top target, Darren Morris, who transferred to Boise State. Returning redshirt junior wideout Cam Jefferson could be due for a breakout season after having 19 receptions for 276 yards and two touchdowns in 2025. Southern might also showcase the only 6-9 pass catcher in HBCU football in Emeka Iloh, a redshirt junior transfer from Mississippi State. On special teams, Southern likely will

turn to freshman kicker Christopher McKenna, ranked No. 42 nationally in the 2025 high school class by Kohl’s. New defensive identity Ckelby Givens, Southern’s defensive centerpiece of the last three years, is gone. Southern is unlikely to have an edge rusher who could lead the SWAC in tackles for loss and sacks as Givens did. Defensive coordinator Todd Lyght is expected to use a 4-3-4 base defense.

The former NFL defensive back and Notre Dame assistant has emphasized building a unit that can adjust mid-game. “As coach Lyght said, we’re going to be tough, we’re going to be smart, we’re going to be disciplined, we’re going to be multiple,” Faulk said. “We’re not just going to defend. We’re going to attack.” What Southern may lack in top-end star power, it hopes to replace with depth from transfers and returners. “We got beat last year because we didn’t have enough depth,” Faulk said.

Southern special teams depth chart

K P KR PR

34 CHRISTOPHER MCKENNA 6-4, 210, FR. 38 Nathan Zimmer 6-2, 200, SO. 38 NATHAN ZIMMER 6-2, 200, SO. 38 Trey Johnson 5-9, 150, FR. 25 JASON GABRIEL 5-8, 190, R-SO. 17 Cam Jeﬀerson 5-10, 190, R-JR. 14 KOBE BROWN 5-10, 170, JR. 23 Macario Dade 5-6, 165 FR.

Southern oﬀensive depth chart

QB RB WR WR TE LT LG C RT RG

2 CHRISTIAN JOHNSON 6-0, 206, JR. 15 Ashton Strother 6-3, 225, SR. 6 TREY HOLLY 5-7, 192, R-JR. 7 Mike Franklin 6-2, 225, GR. 17 CAM JEFRESON 5-10, 190, R-JR. 14 Kobe Brown 5-10, 170, JR. 18 MALACHI JACKSON 6-2, 200, JR. 2 Daejawn Smith 6-0, 180, R-FR. 11 AIDEN VALDEZ 6-5, 250, R-JR. 12 Emeka Iloh, 6-9, 275, R-JR. 55 TIM ARTIS 6-4, 315, R-SR. 71 Ramirez Young 6-4, 315, R-JR. 68 JERON LEWIS 6-4, 325, R-JR. 62 Javaughn Matthews 6-3, 330, FR. 56 ISMAEL BAH 6-2, 315, SO. 78 James Wright 6-6, 310, R-SO. 52 TRINIDAD WILSON 6-5, 350, SO. 57 Clifton Webb 6-3, 300, SO. 61 ZURI MADISON 6-3, 310, R-SO. 60 Raul Aguilar 6-5, 330, SO.

2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | THE ADVOCATE | THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE 23

// 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW //

“Second half in games, our guys were gassed. We can’t allow that to happen, especially early. We got to play a lot of guys until they get their game legs under them. You can’t wear guys out. You actually have to protect them from themselves, because they think they can go and they don’t know.” The defensive line returns De’Myrion Johnson, who began his career at LSU. His talent pairs with UMass transfers Jermaine Wiggins Jr., a graduate defensive end, and Jaden Wiggins, a redshirt junior defensive tackle. The sons of former NFL tight end Jermaine Wiggins Sr. could cause damage in backﬁelds. They’ll be crucial because Southern’s second level lacks experience. The Jaguars have only one upperclassman linebacker, redshirt junior Markeis Batiste, after graduating their top four at the position. Southern’s secondary is where its best defensive player lies: redshirt junior safety Herman Brister. The preseason All-SWAC ﬁrst-team selection battled injuries last season and

M O n day,

F E B R u a Ry

8 ,

2 0 1 0

57 JADEN WIGGINS 6-0, 280, R-JR. 93 Darren Scott 6-2, 313, SR. 97 DE’MYRION JOHNSON 6-2, 290, R-SO. 67 Jayden Rogers 6-2, 375, R-JR. 5 JORDYN DICERSON 6-4, 240, JR. 59 Lance Joseph 6-2, 235, R-JR. 53 JERMAINE WIGGINS 6-4, 260, GR. 48 Kai Brown 6-3, 250, JR. 46 MARKEIS BATISTE 6-2, 220, R-JR.. 50 Justin Hillard 6-3, 254, R-SO. 54 KADAVIUS MAYS 5-11, 205, R-FR. 32 Jeremiah Coleman 6-0, 200, R-FR. 33 JAYDEN COOK 6-0, 205, R-SO. 17 Hunter Schnakenberg 6-3, 200, FR. 23 LANDON CARTER 6-2, 199, R-SO. 10 Kiwaun Davis 6-3, 185, R-JR. 8 DENZEL WILLIAMS 6-2, 195, R-SR. 4 Donald Johnson 6-0. 195, R-SR. 3 HERMAN BRISTER 6-2, 205, R-JR. 26 Avery Johnson 6-0, 170, FR. 15 TY LEE 6-0, 190, R-SO. 20 Cody Morris 6-0, 175, R-FR.

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Southern defensive depth chart

still finished third on the team with 55 tackles. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Brister also had 1.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups, two quarterback hits and one forced fumble. “Herman is one of our leaders,” Faulk said. “He earned that before we got here.” Helping Brister will be returners such as redshirt sophomore Landon Carter, who led the team with two interceptions, and transfers such as redshirt senior Denzel Williams from Pace University and redshirt junior Kiwaun Davis from Eastern Illinois. Sophomore Nathan Zimmer will likely handle punting duties after serving as the team’s field-goal kicker last season. Southern’s every-down havoc creator isn’t fully known yet and may not exist to the degree of Givens. The Jaguars have prepared for that. With more players it can trust to play, Faulk’s team could try to keep more players fresh and be ready for when injuries strike.

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Acadian member benefits include: • 30% discount on billed ambulance charges. • Enrollment in our Savings Network, offering thousands of discounted products & services.1 • Save 10% on monthly monitoring rates of Acadian On Call medical alert systems. • Receive a free doorbell camera with the purchase of a monitored security system through Acadian Total Security.2 • Exclusive access to the Member VIP phone line for specialized customer service and billing assistance. This service is provided by a third party vendor. Offers and services are subject to change without notice. Acadian Ambulance Service is not an agent of Abenity, provides no warranties related to the services provided by Abenity and hereby disclaims any liability with regard thereto. 2 Subject to terms and conditions. Call 855-222-3426 for more information.

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Providing emergency medical service for 55 years Since 1971, Acadian Ambulance‘s membership program has operated under adherence to strict state and federal requirements. The goal of the Acadian membership program is to provide benefits to members when they use the ambulance service. Currently, 65% of our members are 62 years of age or older and are Medicare recipients. We also have a large number of members who are simply in need of convalescent care and protection in emergency medical situations. We credit much of our success over the years to our membership program.

Support your community The Acadian Membership Program supports the community service projects of Acadian Ambulance, such as our free standby service for area high school football games, fairs and festivals.

Enjoy exclusive benefits with Acadian Membership: Discounts on billed ambulance charges. Income insurance Exclusive access to specialized customer service and billing assistance with our VIP phone line. Savings on thousands of discounted products and services from local and national businesses through our Savings Network.* Receive a free doorbell camera with the purchase of a monitored security system through Acadian Total Security.** Savings of 10% on monthly monitoring rates for Acadian On Call medical alert systems.

This program also helps Acadian stay at the forefront of emergency medical care with the most advanced equipment and training in the industry. Members also have the option of donating to the Helping Hand Fund. Established in 1986, the fund assists indigent persons in need of EMS care through contributions from membership enrollees.

Receive quality patient care Acadian Ambulance provides compassionate and skilled medical care. Our mission is to improve the lives of our patients, customers, and employees through our innovative spirit and diverse company divisions. We are nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services Ambulance stations are strategically positioned throughout our service area Our Communication Center is a model for the nation using GPS tracking of ambulances Every medic is rigorously trained in the latest procedures Every ambulance carries the most advanced life-saving technology * This service is provided by a third party vendor. Offers and services are subject to change without notice. Acadian Ambulance Service is not an agent of Abenity, provides no warranties related to the services provided by Abenity and hereby disclaims any liability with regard thereto. **Subject to terms and conditions. Call 855-222-3426 for more information.

Annual enrollment ends Friday, September 11. MyAcadian.com/Membership 1.800.256.JOIN (5646)

4S ● Wednesday, August 19, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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That means Acadian exceeds the gold standard in EMS training, equipment, protocols and medics.

TRUST ACADIAN

The ONLY employee-owned and nationally accredited

Since 1995

ambulance service in Louisiana.

Annual enrollment ends Friday, September 11. MyAcadian.com/Membership 1.800.256.JOIN (5646)