The Advocate 09-20-2026 by The Advocate

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La. begins stocking redfish in coastal waters

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LSU FALLS TO OLE MISS IN KIFFIN’S RETURN TO OXFORD

Release a test to revive struggling population BY MIKE SMITH Staff writer

Out on the far end of New Orleans, the tiny redfish swimming in a tank were unknowingly being readied for a life-altering journey. Water began flowing through a black tube connected to the tank, and out came the thousands of fingerling fish. They exited the tube into the shallows on the edge of the Rigolets, many of them darting toward nearby marsh — their new habitat. “This is conservation history,” said Randy Pausina, who directs the Covingtonbased Recreational Fisheries Research Institute nonprofit. “This is the first time this is being done in Louisiana. It’s a big landmark.” The release of around 10,000 fingerling redfish on Friday morning at Fort Pike

ä See REDFISH, page 7A

‘Protect College Sports Act’ has heavy hitters for, against it

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Ole Miss cornerback Jaylon Braxton intercepts the pass intended for LSU wide receiver Jackson Harris to seal the Rebels’ victory at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday. With Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss looking like a top candidate for the Heisman Trophy, the Rebels earned their revenge over Lane Kiffin by toppling Tigers 32-24. The game wasn’t decided until LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt was intercepted in the end zone with 58 seconds remaining on the clock, setting off the celebration in Oxford. Ole Miss was in charge for the vast majority of the first half, building a 24-7 lead at the half when Chambliss connected for a touchdown pass late in the second quarter. An interception of Chambliss by LSU cornerback Ja’Keem Jackson sparked a quick change in momentum in the third quarter, leading to a 17-0 run to start the second half for the Tigers. LSU tied the game at 24-24 on a field goal by Scott Starzyk at the 11:21 mark of the third quarter. Chambliss, who threw for 363 yards and a pair of TDs, marched the Rebels down the field on the following drive, running 14 yards for a TD with 6:14 remaining and former LSU running back JT Lindsey added a 2-point conversion for the 8-point margin. ä SEE COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE TIGERS GAME. PAGE 1C

NCAA, universities, coaches support bill to regulate athletics

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON — Competing news conferences and floor speeches, along with two test votes in the U.S. Senate and a flood of commercials during games Saturday, show the two-minute drill Congress is running to pass a bill promoters say will fix the chaos in college football. The Senate voted 77-22 before leaving town Thursday evening to begin debate on the bipartisan “Protect College Sports Act of 2026.” The numbers indicate enough support among senators to get the legislation advanced before the upper chamber leaves at the end of this month to campaign.

ä See ATHLETICS, page 8A

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Judge rules EPA illegally ended solar program

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Jehovah’s Witnesses rule on blood changed

The Jehovah’s Witnesses have partly eased their long-standing prohibition on the medical use of donated blood, allowing members to receive products derived from blood but maintaining a ban on transfusions of whole blood. The policy, announced Friday, is the second revision this year in what has long been one of the most controversial and distinctive teachings of the religious organization. The new policy says that individuals can receive products derived from blood donated by other people. It says they can receive medical treatments that involve the use of the four main components of whole blood: plasma, platelets and red and white blood cells. The new announcement also allows members to decide as a matter of individual conscience whether to donate blood to be used for blood products for the medical treatment of others. But the organization continues to oppose members receiving transfusions of whole blood or donating blood for that purpose. Critics have faulted the organization for prohibiting the use of a proven treatment that can be lifesaving. The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ longtime opposition to blood transfusions derives from their interpretation of Bible passages requiring believers to “abstain” from blood. While Jewish and other Christian religious traditions have interpreted this as a dietary law, Jehovah’s Witnesses have extended that prohibition to transfusions.

Dutch riot police break up protest in The Hague THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Dutch riot police dispersed several hundred far-right protesters in The Hague on Saturday after violence erupted and local authorities banned a planned march in the city against immigration and asylum policies. Police officers made several arrests after some protesters started throwing fireworks and other projectiles at them. Justice Minister David van Weel called on X for an “extremely firm” response to what he described as “disgusting scenes” at the protest. He said that demonstrators made Nazi salutes, chanted antisemitic slogans, attacked police and threw fireworks at riot officers. “Thanks to all the police officers who are once again standing up for our democratic rule of law,” he wrote. The Hague municipality banned the march after violence broke out among demonstrators gathered at the Malieveld, a park in the city center, and later ordered the crowd to disperse. Saturday’s unrest came a year after rioting erupted around a right-wing demonstration. A police car was set on fire during clashes between black-clad protesters and police, and the headquarters of the centrist D66 party — whose leader, Rob Jetten, is now prime minister — was attacked.

Carrot Top hospitalized; suicide attempt alleged Carrot Top has been hospitalized following an alleged suicide attempt, according to a report. The comedian, whose real name is Scott Thompson, was rushed to the hospital ahead of his performance at the Luxor Hotel & Casino on Friday night, TMZ reported, citing sources. His show, part of his long-running Vegas residency, was canceled as a result. Thompson’s representative, Jami Schlicher, also conﬁrmed his hospitalization. Thompson, well-known for his wild red hair, is a stand-up comedian and actor who revolutionized prop comedy with his eccentric and fast-paced performances. He burst onto the scene in the 1990s, with successful appearances on “Comic Strip Live” and “Star Search.” He has also headlined a longrunning residency at the Luxor Hotel since 2005, performing nearly 300 shows a year. It is one of the longest-running and most ﬁnancially successful solo comedy headlining shows in the history of the Las Vegas Strip.

$7B plan intended to make power accessible to poorer Americans BY JENNIFER McDERMOTT Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

Voters cast ballots at a polling station during Russia’s parliamentary election in the Russian-controlled part of the Donetsk region of Ukraine on Friday.

Ukrainian territory part of Russia vote Parliamentary election includes annexed area

By The Associated Press Russia’s parliamentary election for the first time includes residents of regions that Moscow illegally annexed from Ukraine after the start of its full-scale invasion more than 4½ years ago, part of Kremlin efforts to cement its gains. Officials in Kyiv vigorously denounced the action as illegal, and a human-rights activist described residents there as being coerced to participate in the election. While the vote across Russia started Friday and lasts until Sunday to help boost turnout, balloting actually has been underway in the annexed parts of Ukraine and some areas on the Russian side of the border since the end of last month. Officials cited security reasons for the extended period. Russian authorities say the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia territories, often referred to by Moscow officials as the “new regions,” have over 3.5 million voters. They were annexed by Russia in September 2022, despite not fully being under Moscow’s control. The move has not been recognized internationally. At one polling station in the Russianheld part of the Donetsk region, voters dropped their ballots in a box as an armed Russian soldier stood nearby and watched.

Voting also is taking place in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that was illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014. The ﬁrst wartime election to the State Duma is intended to secure the Kremlin’s political dominance and showcase public support for the war. “Your choice and resolve will once again demonstrate that millions of people stand behind our ﬁghters, that we are a united people, bound by shared values, historical memory, and love for the Motherland and that nobody can divide or intimidate us, undermine our statehood and political system,” Putin said.

Ukraine urges rejection of election Authorities in Kyiv called the voting in those territories illegal and urged foreign governments and international organizations not to recognize the election. They warned Ukrainians that taking part in organizing the vote could carry criminal liability. European Commission spokesperson Christian Wigand said the voting in Russian-held regions represented “another blatant violation of international law. The European Union does not, and will never recognize either the holding of these, so-called elections, sham elections, in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine or their results.”

Activists describe coercion to vote

Violeta Artemchuk, coordinator of the Donbas SOS human rights group who was among those who signed the statePutin stressed importance of voting ment, said members of local election In a speech Wednesday, Russian Presi- commissions were going house to house, dent Vladimir Putin emphasized the escorted by Russian troops and security importance of balloting in those regions agents, to force people to vote. Moscow-appointed authorities exert for the State Duma, the lower house of parliament. Residents there will be vot- pressure on residents, threatening those ing for the Duma “for the first time since who work in the public sector with distheir reunification with Russia.” missal if they fail to vote and making He noted that Russian soldiers in- pensions and other social payments conditional on participating, Artemchuk said. volved in the fighting also will vote.

Election observer loses consciousness during arrest, opposition party says By The Associated Press Russia’s liberal opposition Yabloko party said that one of its election observers lost consciousness while being arrested by police at a St. Petersburg polling station on Saturday, the second day of a tightly controlled parliamentary election. The voting to elect members of the State Duma is Russia’s ﬁrst parliamentary election since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. The three-day election, which began Friday and ends Sunday, features virtually no opposition and is all but certain to secure the Kremlin’s political dominance. Yabloko said that officials at the polling station accused a party election observer of attempting to “disrupt the elections” and called the police, which “used force” against him. It was unclear whether he received prompt medical attention after falling unconscious, the party said in a statement on Telegram Saturday, adding that he was taken to a police station and charged with disobeying police orders. Russian officials didn’t immediately comment on the incident.

Yabloko, the only registered political entity that dared to criticize Russia’s war with Ukraine, was removed from the ballot last month by Russia’s Supreme Court, and only has a few dozen candidates in the single-constituency races. Additionally, some anti-war politicians have been imprisoned or forced to ﬂee abroad before the campaign. Yabloko and the Communist Party, which has criticized some aspects of government policy but carefully avoided any criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that many of their election observers were turned away from polling stations. The parties also reported various violations, including sealed ballot boxes being opened, the refusal to issue paper ballots and provide turnout data for veriﬁcation, and doors to polling stations not being secured overnight. “The scale of what’s happening does not allow us to view this as a misunderstanding,” Yabloko chairman Nikolai Rybakov said. Russia didn’t invite observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to monitor the election, with

the Russian Foreign Ministry accusing the body of “double standards” for its criticism of Russia. It said that it had invited other international organizations, as well as observers from OSCE member states, in its place. OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Pere Joan Pons said that the decision was a breach of Russia’s commitments as a member state of the organization. “This persistent rejection of independent scrutiny follows a deeply worrying pattern of disregard for the principles of transparency, democratic accountability and the rule of law,” he said. Russia’s Central Election Commission said that more than 380,000 electoral observers had been registered before the vote, including representatives from 11 political parties. Of those registered, 97,040 observers were linked to the United Russia party, with the next largest group, 42,743 observers, representing Russia’s Communist Party. Under a new code of ethics, observers are banned from making statements “that could be construed as undermining conﬁdence in the electoral system.”

The Trump administration illegally terminated a $7 billion Solar for All program intended to make solar power accessible to more than 900,000 lowerincome Americans, a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled Friday. The Environmental Protection Agency rescinded the Solar for All funds in August 2025 after President Donald Trump’s massive tax and spending law passed in Congress a month earlier, with Administrator Lee Zeldin calling the Biden-era grant program a “boondoggle.” District Judge Mary McElroy wrote in the ruling that Congress clearly intended the EPA to continue administering the Solar for All grants that were already obligated. The EPA acted contrary to this intent and without any other statutory authority when it terminated the program, McElroy wrote. She vacated the termination. The EPA said Friday it is reviewing the decision and considering options for appeal. The lawsuit ﬁled in Rhode Island by the Rhode Island AFL-CIO labor organization and others — including the public interest law center Rhode Island Center for Justice and the nonprofit Solar United Neighbors — highlighted the importance of the program for local workforces and lower-income communities seeking access to clean-energy project funding. Patrick Crowley, president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, called the decision “a big victory” for states across the country. “If and when the program does get up and running, there will be thousands and thousands of union jobs created across

the United States,” he said Friday. “We were proud to be the lead plaintiff.” Clean, affordable power like solar shouldn’t be a luxury, said Alex St. Pierre, vice president for environmental justice at Conservation Law Foundation, one of the nonprofit legal advocacy groups representing the plaintiffs. “Nearly every family is looking for ways to cut their energy bill. These dollars should go where Congress intended: toward lower energy bills, less climate pollution, good jobs and cleaner air,” St. Pierre said in a statement. The Trump administration has targeted a host of programs and policies dedicated to clean energy. The $7 billion Solar for All program was part of the $27 billion “green bank,” formally known as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. It was established in the Democratic-backed climate law passed in 2022 under former President Joe Biden. The attorneys general of more than a dozen states also sued over the canceled solar program funding. A federal judge in Washington dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction in June. The plaintiffs have appealed. The other $20 billion, also canceled by the Trump administration, was slated for eight community development banks and nonprofit organizations for tens of thousands of projects to combat the effects of climate change, such as residential energy efficiency projects to larger-scale investments such as community cooling. A divided federal appeals court said last month that the Trump administration improperly terminated the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, handing a win to a coalition of nonprofits picked to run the effort.

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Voting groups sound alarm on funding shortfalls Staffing cutbacks, lack of donations alarm strategists

source of donations for fear of retribution from the administration. “Just being Black in this country again has become a bad word, and it has made it that much more difﬁcult just to raise money because funders don’t want the added pressure and stress or attacks on them by funding us,” she said.

BY MATT BROWN

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Several of the nation’s largest left-leaning voter engagement and racial justice organizations are facing steep funding shortfalls and staffing cutbacks just as voting is getting underway in an election that will determine control of Congress for the ﬁnal two years of President Donald Trump’s term. The shortfalls are setting off alarms among Democratic strategists, who are betting on high turnout and robust voter protection efforts to boost the party’s chances this fall. They are worried that many grassroots groups will not be able to mount effective registration and get-out-the-vote efforts, much less protect against the possibility of election interference from the Republican administration. America Votes, a coordinating hub for more than 400 progressive groups, has fallen “well below” the level of funding it had during the 2022 midterms, Daria Dawson, America Votes’ executive director, said in a statement to The Associated Press. America Votes has acted as a nerve center for the voter mobilization efforts of groups such as the NAACP, Planned Parenthood, the League of Conservation Voters, the AFL-CIO and SEIU labor unions, as well as local groups focused on racial justice, climate and civil liberties. “There is still time to reach voters and bring them into this election, but we are no longer talking about a future opportunity,” Dawson said. “The window to engage them is open now, and it is narrowing every day.”

‘Surrender, not strategy’ Wealthy donors and philanthropic groups have reduced their support of many liberal causes since the 2024 presidential election. That pullback has been especially stark for voting groups geared toward engaging communities of color. While multiple organizers said some funders had expressed an in-

Smaller budgets force shifts

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MIKE STEWART

Nicholas Burns prepares his table at Bridgepointe Church during an event Wednesday in Marietta, Ga. terest in adopting different strategies, racial justice organizers have felt that as a betrayal. A retreat in donor support is “handcuffing our ability to persuade our communities to vote in a year where there is no Voting Rights Act,” said Esosa Osa, a veteran Democratic strategist and founder of Onyx Impact, a research group focused on combating misinformation in Black communities. The Supreme Court this year knocked out one of the last remaining pillars of that landmark 1965 law, essentially gutting it. “We are watching surrender, not strategy,” Osa said. A July memo circulated among major Democratic fundraisers warned that “the organizations that registered and persuaded millions of voters to participate in the 2018 and 2022 midterms are drastically underfunded. They have raised nearly 40% less than they had at this point in those cycles.” It further warned that funding voter mobilization groups was especially critical “given that the Democratic brand is underperforming on generic ballot tests relative to historical comparisons and the president’s approval ratings.”

organizers who spoke with the AP. Some donors, still disappointed with the Democratic Party and some of its allies following the 2024 presidential election, have closed their pocketbooks to liberal causes entirely. While a small group of liberal megadonors has continued to bankroll progressive causes, most focus their support on liberal legal organizations that have taken the Trump administration to court, rather than political or voter engagement groups. Others, including major philanthropic institutions, have pulled back out of fear of retribution that giving to political or racial justice causes could draw the administration’s ire. Organizers who have engaged with potential donors said the administration’s targeting of political opponents and diversity initiatives seems to have put a chill on fundraising for their causes. Tameka Ramsey-Brown, founding director of the Michigan Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Shifting priorities affect groups said multiple donors since the The reasons for the troubled 2024 election had asked whether funding landscape are varied and her group could remove the word at times unclear, according to “Black” from its name or find nearly two dozen fundraisers and financial conduits to mask the

The shortfalls have led organizations focused on engaging and mobilizing key voting groups to scale back operations and stafﬁng over the last year. That has included programs aimed at registering and mobilizing lower-propensity voters, voters of color, and rural and younger voters. The Democratic National Committee, which has faced its own funding challenges, has consolidated voter engagement efforts this year partly in response to the ecosystem’s past shortcomings. The DNC in a statement said it was making “historic investments” in its organizing but did not address the weaknesses among allied groups. “We are expanding our voter protection infrastructure to defend Americans’ sacred right to vote, hold Trump and Republicans accountable in court, and register and mobilize voters across the country,” said Angelo Fernández Hernández, a DNC spokesperson.

Many of the nonprofit groups that traditionally have conducted the registration, voter education and organizing say they are trying to adapt to their new, leaner reality. Vamos a Votar, an initiative of the largest civil rights and advocacy groups focused on Latino communities, has had to readjust its ambitions this year due to a lack of investment from funders. “This is shaping up to be a cycle where investments haven’t gone to the Black and brown communities that will ultimately decide this election,” said Juan Proaño, CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens, a member of the initiative. In a September pitch circulated among donors, the coalition said it aimed to invest $27.5 million in voter engagement and persuasion efforts this year, but still required $5.4 million from donors to fund voter turnout efforts across 10 states and 17 House districts. Even that investment reﬂected reduced ambitions from previous pitches to donors early this year. “It has been extremely disappointing to see that progressive donors are not meeting the moment,” said Héctor Sánchez Barba, the CEO of Mi Familia Vota, one of the affiliated organizations. “We are not waiting. We are always on the front lines for our democracy and our communities.” To counter the funding cutbacks, some groups have begun relying more heavily on artiﬁcial intelligence to provide voter registration guides, share information in multiple languages and track potential election issues. Some groups have increased their partnerships with ride-sharing companies to provide free rides to polling places instead of bus shuttles. With fewer in-person organizers, some groups are also focusing on social media and partnering with liberal content creators to boost their messages.

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Democrats race to respond to AI threat BY JILL COLVIN Associated Press

NEW YORK — Amid growing anxiety over the risks posed by rapidly developing artiﬁcial intelligence technology, potential Democratic candidates for president are rushing to show that they’re taking the warnings seriously — while President Donald Trump brushes off concerns — and acknowledging they need a reluctant Washington to step up. On Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to accelerate implementation of a California law that calls for independent oversight of AI companies and the use of “kill switches” so developers have the ability to shut down their systems. “California will do what it can. But this nation needs to get in the game. Washington, D.C. needs to do its job,” Newsom said on his podcast Friday. The order came a day after Pennsylvania Gov. Josh

Shapiro delivered a speech outlining the steps he’s taking locally to confront AI risk. Like Newson, he conceded that states have obvious limitations in regulating a global technology. The efforts come as AI leaders have issued dire warnings about the potentially catastrophic threat posed by rogue AI agents. The country has begun grappling with the impact of a technology that could bring both tremendous gains in areas like medical research and automation but also unleash deadly viruses, cause widespread economic upheaval and help terrorists inﬂict harm.

Trump dismisses warnings Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, OpenAI’s Sam Altman and SpaceXAI’s Elon Musk have all called for greater government oversight of the industry after a series of hacks revealed AI agents conspiring to deceive humans. Trump has responded by saying that he is “the only

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control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs.” Democrats pounced. Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat who is seeking reelection in a state Trump won two years ago, said at a campaign rally last weekend that “a capable president would move swiftly to secure and reassure the American people, rush inspectors into frontier labs, fortify the nation against bioterrorism, demand legislation from Congress, and lead the world toward an AI treaty.” Ossoff, seen as a potential 2028 contender, said geriatric politicians have little comprehension of AI technology. “An ancient establishment, barely capable of email, sleepwalks into a technological revolution while the president dismantles precautions and calls us fools for worrying,” he said. Another potential White House contender, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, told Politico he will introduce legislation to create a fund that AI

companies would contribute to support workers affected by the disruption. Shapiro, in his speech, called for new federal rules to require independent, third-party oversight, increased transparency, and to “prioritize safety above all else.” In his state, he noted that he has already signed an executive order to establish “real guardrails governing how Pennsylvania uses generative AI.” But he acknowledged that states have obvious limits. “It’s going to require national and, in fact, international, leadership and collaboration,” he said. Alex Bores, a soon-to-beformer New York State lawmaker who lost his congressional primary this summer after AI companies angry over an AI safety bill he championed spent millions to defeat him, said: “The salience of this issue has climbed dramatically.”

Divide along party lines While it remains early,

polling suggests a growing ideological divide over AI, with Democrats becoming more alarmed over the last few years, while Republicans have become less concerned. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to be “more concerned than excited” about the growing use of AI in daily life, according to a June Pew Research Center poll. About half of U.S. adults overall say the increased use of AI in daily life makes them “more concerned than excited.” Another Pew Research Center poll from June found that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults think that AI will cause job losses in the U.S. over the next 20 years, up 7 percentage points since 2024. Sen. Ruben Gallego, DAriz., has been calling on Republican Senate leadership to establish a select committee on A.I. as soon as possible. “I worry about this as a true existential threat. This is the first time that we’ve created technology to

Trump to name AI czar, rejects safety risks as hoax BY MARÍA PAULA MIJARES TORRES Bloomberg News (TNS)

President Donald Trump said he would name an artificial intelligence czar as he continued to push tech companies to race ahead with development despite growing fears about safety. He rejected concerns that the quickly evolving technology may pose risks to humans as a hoax, comparing it to the alarm over climate change and the scandals that led to his two impeachments during his first term. “We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry,” he wrote Saturday in a social media post. “AI is the next Industrial Revolution,

or Internet, but will be even larger and more impactful, possibly as much as 25% of our Country’s GDP.” For the past week, top leaders of the U.S.’s biggest AI platforms have been warning that it’s time to slow the development pace of their most advanced and most lucrative models, citing escalating risks of the technology. Alphabet Inc.’s Google, OpenAI, Anthropic PBC and Meta Platforms Inc. have all disclosed instances of their AI agents hacking into other companies’ systems. But there has been resistance from Trump to the idea of slowing down, while Wall Street strategists have also pointed out how much of the stock market’s performance has been driven

by hopes surrounding AI. In his post Saturday, Trump said he will also create an AI Force modeled after Space Force, a branch of the U.S. military he created in his ﬁrst administration, to help tackle issues related to the industry. But it wasn’t immediately clear how that would be structured or what it would do. “We are leading China, and the rest of the World, and I intend to keep it that way!” Trump wrote regarding the country’s AI advancements. A number of lawmakers, particularly Democrats, have stepped up calls for the government to step in and regulate the technology with an eye toward safety. Former President Barack Obama said that Democrats

should make this an issue in the midterm elections. Speaking Friday in a ﬁreside chat at Colgate University, he said there is “a misalignment between what our society needs and the commercial imperatives that these companies are facing, not because necessarily they’re

trying to do bad things, but because they’ve got to justify these valuations.” Trump had appointed David Sacks, who co-founded Craft Ventures LLC, as his AI czar at the start of his second term. Sacks has since stepped back from that role.

destroy humanity that could be controlled by not humans,” he said on MS NOW. While potential 2028 candidates have been eager to weigh in on AI, the issue has been less potent in many local races, where some fear the kind of spending that Bores faced. At a rally in New York’s highly competitive 17th Congressional District on Wednesday, the audience cheered as Democratic candidate Cait Conley vowed to ban data centers that power AI and cloud computing. But no direct mention was made of the broader technology or its risks. Bores said that data centers had fueled such backlash not only because of concerns over their immediate local impact, but also because, “It is the ﬁrst time that AI is meeting democracy.” SUGAR FARMS MULTI-PROPERTY ONLINE AUCTION • 2 HOMESITES • BREWERY • RETAIL PAD • HOME

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ST. GABRIEL, LA

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Paid for by the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers

Sponsored: Why America’s Security Depends on Louisiana Reﬁneries, Petchem and Pipelines

By Chet Thompson, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers

A sweet celebration of the sugarcane harvest!

October 4, 2026 11AM-4PM

Live Music • Tractor Display • Folk Life Demonstrations • Sweet Treats

FREE ADMISSION for more information

www.WestBatonRougeMuseum.org

Anyone who cares about America’s energy security should care about Louisiana refineries, petrochemical manufacturing facilities and pipelines. That may sound like a bold statement, but recent history has made the connection impossible to ignore. As geopolitical conflicts like the war in Iran, supply chain disruptions and growing competition among nations have reshaped the global economy, one lesson has become clear: countries that can make and move the energy, fuels and essential materials their people need are stronger, more resilient and better equipped to face any challenge. Louisiana is a major contributor to America’s strength and readiness in this regard. The United States is facing today’s challenges with every advantage because we have the world’s most sophisticated refining and petrochemical manufacturing sector, much of which calls Louisiana home. Across the Gulf Coast and throughout the state, Louisiana refineries and petrochemical manufacturing facilities transform crude oil into the fuels and products that power modern life. The gasoline, diesel and jet fuel refined here keeps Americans moving, supports commerce, enables agriculture and helps meet our military’s critical energy needs. The petrochemicals manufactured in Louisiana are the building blocks for products Americans rely on every day, from medical equipment and electronics to communications technology, construction materials and protective gear. Locally, Louisiana’s refining, petrochemical and midstream energy industries provide thousands of family-supporting careers and generate economic activity that sustains communities of every size. For every one Louisiana refinery job, many more — over 141,000 jobs in total — are supported throughout the broader economy, from high-skilled manufacturing and construction to transportation, logistics and small business. The energy we make in Louisiana is also a lifeline to Americans thousands of miles away. With fuel supplies under strain around the world, both the U.S. East and West Coasts are looking more to Louisiana for the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel they need. And because of energy from Louisiana, foreign fuel imports

into both coasts have declined over the course of this year. Louisiana-made fuels also help America’s allies around the world. In an uncertain global landscape, that ability — to fuel modern economies, enable manufacturing and get people where they need to go — should never be taken for granted. It is both an economic asset and a strategic one. Around the world, governments are increasingly focused on securing access to critical resources and strengthening domestic manufacturing. They understandthattoomuchdependenceonforeignsuppliersfor essential products creates vulnerability, particularly during times of crisis. Nations with strong industrial bases and reliable energy infrastructure are better positioned to withstand disruptions, support their citizens and project strength abroad. As policymakers in Baton Rouge and Washington debate the nation’s future and the essential role of energy in it, they should recognize a reality that becomes clearer with every global disruption: energy security, economic security and national security go hand-in-hand. A country, and a state, that can reliably produce the energy and petrochemical products it depends on is better prepared than others to lead when the stakes are highest. For generations, Louisiana reﬁneries and petrochemical manufacturers have helped power America’s economy and strengthen its position in the world. They remain indispensable to our prosperity, our resilience and our security. That is why America’s security depends, in no small measure, on the continued success of Louisiana reﬁning, petrochemical manufacturing and pipelines.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 5A

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ELIMINATE Back Pain and Sciatica WITHOUT the Scars s and Expense of SURGERY

View of Lower Spine

LeBlanc Spine Center is Leading the Way in Non-Surgical Spinal Solutions for lasting pain relief Nothing’s worse than feeling great mentally, but physically feeling held back from life because you hurt and the pain just won’t go away. We understand what it feels like tolive in pain, because we see it every day. We are Dr. Scott LeBlanc and Dr. Dana LeBlanc of LeBlanc Spine Center. We’ve helped hundreds of patients with disc herniations and sciatica leave our office pain free.

treatment, there’s plenty of research to back up its claims. Here’s just a handful of scientific studies... “We thus submit that decompression therapy should be considered first, before the patient undergoes a surgical procedure which permanently alters the anatomy and function of the affected lumbar spine segment.” -Journal Of Neuroscience Research

When cushions in your back joints, called discs, get injured or wear out, they begin to degenerate and cause pain. Bulging and herniated discs begin to form, pressing on the nerve roots. The most common invasive treatment for disc herniations is surgery. Even with health insurance the patient is left with their own portion of the bill, in excess of $10,000 - $15,000, and sometimes more.In addition, the recovery time and missed work can be anywhere from 3 to 6 months, not to mention the obvious severe risks associated with all surgeries.

“86% of the 219 patients who completed the therapy reported immediate resolution of symptoms.” -Orthopedic Technology Review

Before You go Under the knife And Opt For Spinal Surgery... You should seriously consider a less invasive approach called spinal decompression. Non-surgical spinal decompression is a new technology that has been proven to help disc herniations. It creates a vacuum effect on the disc, which pulls the disc back into its normal position and brings in a fresh blood supply to promote healing.

“vertebral axial (spinal) decompression was successful in 71% ofthe 778 cases” -Journal of Neurological Research “good to excellent” relief in 86% of patients with Herniated discs” -The American Journal of Pain Management “decompression therapy reported a 76.5% with complete remission and 19.6% with partial remission of pain and disability: -Rio Grande Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery

Proof This Treatment Works

Another study presented at the American Academy of Pain Management in 2007 showed... “Patients reported a mean 88.9% improvement in back pain and better function...No patient required any invasive therapies (e.g. epidural injections, surgery).”

While non-surgical spinal decompression is a rather new

As you can see, spinal decompression has a high success

Dr. Scott LeBlanc, D.C. Dr. Dana LeBlanc, D.C.

rate. What this means for you is that in just a matter of weeks, you could be back on the golf course, enjoying your love life, or traveling again. Could This Be Your Sciatica And Back Pain Solution It’s time for you to find out if spinal decompression will be your sciatic pain solution. For 7 days only, we are running a special offer where you will find out if you are a candidate for spinal decompression. This offer is normally priced at $250. What does this offer include? Everything. Here’s what you’ll get... • An in-depth consultation about your health and well-being where we will listen...really listen...to the details of your case. •A complete neuromuscular examination. •A full set of specialized x-rays (if clinically necessary) to determine if a spinal problem is contributing to your pain or symptoms. •A thorough analysis of your exam and x-ray findings so we can start mapping out your plan to be pain free. • You’ll get to see everything first hand. We’ll answer all of your questions about spinal decompression and will let you know if this amazing treatment will be your back pain solution, like it has been for so many other patients. We have two offices located in Baton Rouge and Kenner, LA. Call 225-763-9894, and our amazing staff will get you scheduled. No charge at all and you don’t need to buy anything- but you will find out if you qualify for this revolutionary new therapy.

The FREE 17-Point “Smashed-Disc” Qualifying Assessment

No charge at all and you don’t need to buy anything. But you will find out if you qualify for this revolutionary new therapy. You won’t leave our office wondering if it’s something that could have helped you get rid of your pain.

$250 VALUE

During your assessment, we’ll check out your: ligament stability, muscle function, hips, pain levels, reflex response, disc condition, tendons, spinal alignment, pelvic leveling, x-rays, MRI analysis, range of motion, balance & nerve function.

Offer Expires 9/27/2026

Before coming to LeBlanc Spine Center, I was dealing with low back pain and an SI joint problem, and I had no gel between my lower joints. I had been struggling with this for about a year and had tried exercises and wearing belts just to get by. Since starting care here, I’d say I’ve improved about 80%. The pain relief has made a real difference, and I’ve also noticed improved posture. The staff here is a great group to work with - they really care and treat you well. I can’t say there’s anything I disliked about my care, because everything has been positive. I may not be doing anything brand new, but I’m doing it with less pain than before, and that has made life better. I would definitely recommend LeBlanc Spine Center to others because they’re a great group to work with, they help improve posture, and most importantly, they help reduce pain.

Barry Acy

(Retired) Hometown - Gonzales, LA

I had been suffering with lower back pain, sciatic pain, and numbness in my feet. I began Spinal Decompression treatments at LeBlanc Spine Center and I am now 80% improved! I can now stand and sit for longer periods without any pain, and I am able to walk longer distances. I am feeling so much better. The staff here treats me excellent. One of the best things about my care at LeBlanc Spine Center is that I am shown care and concern. I would recommend LeBlanc Spine Center and the treatmenteveryone here is so nice and it has been so helpful!

I had been suffering for about 8 months with pain shooting down my left arm and shoulder. I had previously tried injections in my shoulders, and I was still suffering. I came to Dr. LeBlanc and began Spinal Decompression treatments. I am now 90% improved! My range of motion has improved 95% and I have no more pain at night. I am now able to do anything I want- all without the pain! What I like most about my care here is the personal care from the whole staff and the Doctor’s. What would my comments be if asked to recommend LeBlanc Spine Center? I would say, “Why are you not there yet?!”

Tessa Guerin

Georg Marcum

(Bus Driver) Hometown - Maurepas, LA

(Retired Consultant) Hometown- Port Allen, LA

CALL TODAY! 225-763-9894

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10245 Siegen Lane, Suite A Baton Rouge, La 70810 (located between Perkins and Highland)

1900 W Esplanade, Suite 101, Kenner LA

6A ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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All 50 states joining Medicaid drug price model, Trump says BY FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Friday that all 50 states will join in on a program set to provide Most Favored Nation pricing to some drugs within the Medicaid program, bringing the net price of selected drugs down to prices paid in certain other countries. The Trump administration claims that Medicaid will save billions on prescription drug costs as a result of the plan, dubbed the Medicaid “GENEROUS” model. Experts say the savings are unclear since the content of the deals isn’t public. “This one thing alone should win

us the midterms,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Ofﬁce Friday, flanked by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz and others. Friday’s announcement comes as cost-of-living issues are at the forefront of voters’ concerns ahead of the midterm elections in November. In a way to address affordability concerns, Trump has cut deals with pharmaceutical companies so that the cost of some drugs in the U.S. would not be dramatically higher than in other afﬂuent nations. But critics say his administration has not presented a viable

plan for broadly addressing rising health costs, especially after Republicans let expire Affordable Care Act subsidies earlier this year that sent plan costs soaring. Last year, Trump signed an executive order instituting a “Most Favored Nations” policy, where the U.S. would commit to paying the same price for medications as the nation that pays the lowest price anywhere in the world. The White House in May estimated that Trump’s deals with pharmaceutical companies to lower some of their U.S. prescription drug prices to levels charged in other countries could save $529 billion over the next 10 years. Patients in Medicaid, the state

and federally funded program for people with low incomes, already pay a nominal co-payment of a few dollars to ﬁll their prescriptions, but lower prices could help state budgets that fund the programs. Trump said “every state will have the ability to use those extra billions of dollars to invest in other healthcare improvements or something else.” The true cost of the claimed savings is unclear since few details of the deals struck by the Trump administration and participating pharmaceutical companies have been made public, making it hard to independently verify the projected savings. Kathy Hempstead, a senior policy

adviser at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, told The Associated Press that there is signiﬁcant pressure on the administration to provide more granular data to justify its cost-savings claims, and that the lack of information creates a barrier to legislative action. “He is saying Congress should codify all of his MFN arrangements,” Hempstead said. “But it’s kind of unreasonable because it’s not clear what Congress would actually do.” She added that there is concern about whether the current administration’s tenure will affect the longevity of these price cuts and whether prices will revert once the administration leaves.

Lawsuit says leading AI companies made illegal agreement on slowdown BY KAITLYN HUAMANI AP technology writer

A new lawsuit claims Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI and Google made an illegal deal to slow the pace of their respective AI development. The lawsuit, which was filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Amodei argues that the leading AI companies violated antitrust laws when they agreed to coordinate slowdown efforts, and Altman that doing so would reduce the value consumers get for paid AI subscriptions. The coordination largely took place on Sept. 12, the lawsuit argues, when Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published an essay urging for industrywide cooperation on decelerating advancements in favor of enhanced safety measures. That same day, OpenAI CEO

Sam Altman, SpaceXAI CEO Elon Musk and Google DeepMind’s co-founder and chair Demis Hassabis each publicly responded to Amodei’s proposals in agreement. But the lawsuit also alleges that the coordination began to take shape months earlier. It points to a statement from July 2026 that highranking employees Hassabis from several of the leading AI labs signed that acknowledged the “intense competitive pressure not Musk to unilaterally slow” development. That statement called on the government to support a global effort to slow automated AI development. It is clear that an agreement among the chief rivals in AI that their progress “should be slower than competition would otherwise produce has an anticompetitive effect on consumers,” the plaintiffs argue.

Lawyers representing four named plaintiffs, who pay for subscriptions to ChatGPT, Claude, Grok or Gemini, are bringing the lawsuit on behalf of a proposed nationwide class of other paid subscribers to those services. The plaintiffs don’t object to the companies individually deciding to slow their own progress in favor of safety. They instead argue in the complaint that antitrust laws forbid them from taking the “shortcut” of agreeing to “substitute collective restraint for individual accountability.” A competitive market allows for responsibility and genuine progress, the lawsuit argues. “AI will quickly spin out of human control and could kill us all if we allow AI safety and protocol … to be controlled by private self-serving agreements between the world’s most powerful ‘for profit’ technology companies,” said Nick Rowley, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs. Representatives for Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and SpaceXAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday. In his initial essay proposing the slowdown, Amodei acknowledged potential an-

titrust challenges, writing that it would be helpful for the U.S. government to mediate “or at least enable” these cross-lab discussions. The government wouldn’t need to participate, he wrote, but it would need to “issue a narrow waiver for certain kinds of safety conversations.” In response, Altman said on social media that OpenAI welcomes the idea of a “federal framework that sets consistent safety requirements,” but said “we do not believe we need to wait for an antitrust exemption or legislation to begin the work of providing this conﬁdence.” While the recent conversations about pacing development were spurred by increasing concerns about AI evading human control, several leaders in the AI

space have long talked about developing a shared set of standards or otherwise coordinating to ensure safety efforts remain paramount. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit contend they are not against the AI companies asking Congress, the White House or any other agency to develop AI regulation, nor are they against the companies asking for an antitrust exemption. But achieving that kind of collaboration with the federal government could be an uphill battle. The Trump administration has been vocal about wanting American AI labs to outpace and excel against Chinese competition. While several Democratic leaders and candidates have called for sweeping AI regulation, Republicans have largely

mirrored Trump’s position. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said in a Senate hearing that “there is no world” in which he would agree to give “the most powerful companies in the history of the world” an exemption from antitrust laws to collaborate, arguing that they could collude together and stiﬂe competition.

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The Baton Rouge Clinic helps men take a proactive approach to prostate health

By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com This article is brought to you by The Baton Rouge Clinic.

Many men are more likely to see a doctor when something feels wrong, but important health concerns can develop without obvious warning signs. That’s why Dr. Kelly James Boudreaux Jr., a urologist at The Baton Rouge Clinic, encourages men to pay attention to preventative care, understand recommended screenings and speak up when they notice changes in their health. That distinction is especially important when it comes to prostate cancer. Dr. Boudreaux said some men will not schedule screenings if they don’t feel any symptoms. However, there are guidelines on when such screenings should take place. “If you have no family history of prostate cancer, the magic number is 55 to begin, and that’s normally done annually with either a urologist or with your primary care doctor,” he said. “If you do have a family history of prostate cancer, we will move the timeline for beginning screening to 40.” However, Dr. Boudreaux noted there are some hybrid approaches that can begin at age 40 for men with a family history. Those results help doctors determine whether those men need annual testing, or if the screenings can be done less frequently. Standard prostate cancer screenings involve a blood test to measure prostate-speciﬁc antigens, or PSAs, as well as a physical exam. An annual prostate cancer screening appointment can also serve as a gateway to a discussion about other men’s health concerns. Dr. Boudreaux said these might include frequent urination, erectile dysfunction or blood in the urine. While urologic care is highly personalized, Dr. Boudreaux said many of his recommendations return to the fundamentals of overall wellness. Some

common suggestions include proper hydration, appropriate nutrition (a Mediterranean diet has proven to work well for many patients), more exercise and adequate sleep. “Sleep is probably the most overlooked, underutilized performance enhancer. And, it’s free,” Dr. Boudreaux said, noting that those hours are when the body undergoes tissue repair, hormone creation and other restorative steps. “A lot of people think it’s wasted productivity. Many things are linked to good sleep and poor sleep.” The Baton Rouge Clinic urologists are committed to delivering advanced, innovative urological treatments with compassion and sensitivity. The team treats a wide range of conditions, including kidney stones, bladder infections, urinary incontinence, impotence, certain cancers and more. Visit https://batonrougeclinic.com/services/subspecialties/ urology/ to learn more or schedule an appointment. SCAN TO WATCH

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 7A

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REDFISH

Continued from page 1A was the culmination of a long-developing initiative, which has included similar stocking efforts at other locations along Louisiana’s coast in recent weeks. It is a pilot to test whether stocking can bolster the state’s struggling redfish population and the recreational angling industry that surrounds it, though there have been questions over whether it would be worth the cost and effort on a larger scale. In all, it involved the release of more than 150,000 redfish between 21/2 and 4 inches in West Cove in southwest Louisiana, Grand Isle and the Rigolets. The program’s nonprofit organizers — Pausina’s organization and the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana — hope it will become a tool in the state’s bid to revive diminished population numbers for redfish, among the most prized catches for Louisiana anglers. The state has carried out stocking efforts for bass in closed ecosystems, for example, but never with redfish. Its organizers are especially enthusiastic, though state fisheries officials, while hopeful, are tamping down expectations. Louisiana cannot stock its way to healthy redfish numbers without other methods as well, they warn. But the stocking program and genetic tracking of the fish released may eventually play a modest but important role, while contributing to research on such efforts. That could include aiding recovery after fish kills during extreme weather, like 2025’s historic snow storm. Chris Schieble, deputy assistant secretary for the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, said stocking should not be seen as “the fix-all for every problem we have.” “This is to test out efficacy of red drum stocking off Louisiana, and we’ve got a pretty good partnership … to test this out as a pilot study,” he said, referring to the redfish’s official name.

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

A fingerling red drum is released into the Rigolets next to Fort Pike in New Orleans on Friday. Redfish population numbers have diminished. Organizers are hopeful the first-of-its-kind program can be another tool for recovery.

Products, Cameron LNG, Sempra Infrastructure and American Fishing Tackle Company, among others. Jefferson Parish also contributed $40,000. Pausina said the cost ended up being around $6 per fish. The permit contains important requirements to ensure “biosecurity,” meaning the fish being stocked are not infected with parasites, for example. They must also be genetically validated as descendants of Louisiana fish, Schieble said. While not paying for it, the state is nonetheless participating, particularly through its fish sampling programs. It will take fin clips from redfish it finds in its sampling, then send them to Southeastern Louisiana University’s Center for Environmental Research, which will maintain a genetic record of the stocked fish. That will in turn allow scientists to determine if the fish turning up in the samples are stocked or not — or even half-siblings — providing useful data on the program’s effectiveness, said David Camak, the center’s head geneticist. A large number of the fish being released will certainly die, though good data on that is hard to come by. But so-called return rates, or the percentage of stocked fish being found during sampling in the wild, have been as much as 2-6% in Texas, Schieble said. While that may seem low, consider the needle-in-a-haystack nature of finding stocked fish in open, coastal waters.

Helping stocks recover? Angelos Apeitos, hatchery manager at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center, and Kevin Bishop release fingerling red drum through a tube next to Fort Pike on Friday.

four decades. Numbers of redfish caught in 2021 were at their lowest since the 1980s, when the Paul Prudhomme blackened redfish craze took off. The causes of the decline have been numerous, from overfishing to coastal erosion wiping away habitat. After an acrimonious debate, indicative of redfish’s importance in south Louisiana, the state reduced $6 per fish limits in 2024 to four fish per day The program follows alarming from five. The minimum size was population numbers for redfish also increased from 16 to 18 inchand changes in Louisiana’s catch es, and no redfish over 27 inches limits for the first time in nearly can be kept.

It is too early to say what effect the new limits may be having on the population, Schieble said. Pausina, former head of ﬁsheries for the state, ﬁrst began pursuing the stocking program a few years ago, modeling it after similar efforts in other areas of the country. The state eventually granted him a permit for it, and he then set out to raise the funds necessary for the recently carried out pilot. The state is not paying for the program. Pausina and his partners at the Coastal Conservation Association raised funds through corporate donors such as Air

days to spawn on their own. If that doesn’t happen, a hormone is implanted to help the process along, said Apeitos. When their offspring have grown to the desired size, they are transported to the water in tanks and released, as occurred at Fort Pike. Apeitos views stocking in coastal areas as an important option that can help fish populations recover more quickly than they might have. “There’s a lot of things that may impact the population at some level or another, and having this technology and having this tool for managers to be able to use is important because it limits the amount of time a fishery has to close,” he said. Schieble said he sees no real risk to the program. The parents are native redfish, and the extensive quarantine and monitoring by the hatchery should ensure no diseases or parasites are being introduced into coastal waters. He also notes the vast open estuarine areas where the fish are being released means genetic diversity should be maintained. The Louisiana Wildlife Federation has been more circumspect. It has opposed spending public money on such programs, questioning whether they can truly be effective in open environments, and says focusing on restoring marsh habitat is a better approach. The pilot program may help inform both the public and state officials whether it is all worth the cost. The fingerling release involved a process of conditioning the small fish to their new environment before they were flushed from their tank. That meant testing the salinity and temperature, then adjusting it to match what exists in their soon-to-be home. Water was then pumped in, and not long after, tiny redfish began emerging from the black tube at the boat launch at Fort Pike. Apeitos was there to oversee that process, and Pausina observed it with anticipation. “I am super excited,” Pausina said. “I think we’re out the gate running now, and it’s only going to be limited by the participation and funding.”

Producing the fish in the first place involved a careful process. Pausina collected wild “brood stock” — parent ﬁsh — through rod-and-reel fishing at various locations along Louisiana’s coast. Those were then transferred to a hatchery at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center. The center produces speckled trout for Mississippi stocking programs, among other efforts. The parent fish are first put through a quarantine process to ensure they are healthy, said hatchery manager Angelos Apeitos. They are later moved to the tanks where they will reproduce, with the hatchery meticulously controlling conditions to match the seasons they are mimicking, including water temperature and light. Email Mike Smith at msmith@ The fish are allowed about 30 theadvocate.com.

8A ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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ATHLETICS

college sports from antitrust obligations hinders a player’s ability to ﬁle a lawsuit, Booker said. “It is a bill that really, unfortunately, as one of the handful of college football players in this place, does not cure what are some of the biggest things that are really threatening college players,” Booker told reporters.

Continued from page 1A Still, the legislation faces significant opposition, particularly from NAACP and the AFL-CIO labor union. Universities, coaches and some fans have complained that a quilt of state laws, all different and some conflicting, have made college sports unmanageable. The bipartisan Protect College Sports Act would standardize operations in a business that raises about $14 billion annually. “College sports today are in crisis,” co-sponsor Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said at a news conference Tuesday. “For years, court decisions, litigation, conflicting state laws, unlimited transfers, eligibility issues and inconsistent enforcement have chipped away at the foundation of college athletics. The result is what we’re seeing right now: the Wild West. The rules change from state to state, court to court and season to season.” The legislation creates new requirements for how colleges could compensate their players, how often the players could switch schools — once, without having to sit out a year — and how athletes could make money off their name, image and likeness, called NIL. It provides some access to health insurance, and gives players five years of eligibility to participate. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said several universities face financial problems after five years of increased costs prompted by the court decisions. “The statistics show that the majority of college athletics departments right now can’t make ends meet,” Cantwell said during a floor speech Thursday. The legislation she cosponsored with Cruz “is a bipartisan effort to try to bring some reason to the craziness that has basically been plaguing the most important aspects of college sports,” Cantwell said. The office of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, says he would review the legislation closely if it passes the Senate, which could happen as early as this week. Without committing, Johnson says he probably would have to rally support enough to get the instrument passed in the lower chamber, which would clear the way to President Donald Trump’s

A whirlwind of lobbying

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARIAM ZUHAIB

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, left, speaks as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, listens during a news conference on their college sports bill in Washington on Monday. desk. Trump supports the measure. But the House is gone until after the Nov. 3 midterm elections. A lame-duck Congress, possibly with a new majority incoming, would have to address the legislation in the remaining few weeks of their terms. If the bill doesn’t pass, then solons will have start over again — as they have several times in the years Congress has tried but failed to enact some sort of college sports oversight.

What the bill does If passed, federal law would include more than a dozen provisions, including language underscoring that student-athletes deserve NIL money as well as revenue sharing. The legislation also would exempt college athletics from some of the restrictions imposed by antitrust laws — similar to what some professional sports have. That would slow players from organizing collect bargaining rights and basically stop players from being able to ﬁle lawsuits to settle most grievances. That has led to some criticism. “Although the bill includes provisions that may appeal to sports fans, it remains fundamentally

ﬂawed in its purported mission to protect collegiate athletes,” said Rep. Troy A. Carter Sr., D-New Orleans. “The Protect College Sports Act fails to meaningfully protect athletes’ rights, while providing legal shields for the NCAA and major conferences. It also lacks provisions that would give studentathletes real control, input and a voice over the terms of their own participation.” The bill would allow one transfer. But after that, athletes would have sit out a season if they transferred again. LSU basketball player Jada Williams said during a teleconference she was grateful for the ability players now have to move from one institution to another, as she did transferring from Arizona to Iowa State to LSU. “College athletes deserve respect, healthy environments and accountability from administrators and coaches. No athlete should have to navigate a toxic situation or feel unheard,” said Williams, who is also ﬁrst interim vice president with United College Athletes Association, which is organizing a labor union for college athletes. “Every other major sports league has contracts, unions and professional protections in place. College athletes deserve those same pro-

Inside Higher Ed, a Washingtonbased online trade publication, reported that 59 universities have lobbied Congress. The legislation now has the support of the NCAA governing body as well as all four power conferences, including the SEC and Big Ten, plus coaches and university ofﬁcials. Former LSU coach Nick Saban, who also coached football at Alabama, appeared in commercials endorsing the bill. So has Deion Sanders, who coaches the University of Colorado football team. Likewise, several college athletes appeared other ads touting the legislation. The Protect College Sports Act of 2026 also would preempt all those state laws that grew out of the court decisions and lawsuit settlements since 2021. Schools could share up to 22% of certain revenue with players under another provision. Revenuesharing was established in the settlement of one of the player lawsuits against the NCAA and amounts to about $21.6 million per school this year. In addition, schools could add another $27 million each year to a pool dedicated to keeping current players. The athletic conferences could, under the bill, exercise the option of pooling media money, which is forbidden under existing law. The legislation also provides rules for how NIL contracts are entered and enforced as well as funding for broadband at historically Black colleges and universities. Conferences would be forbidden from expanding beyond 19 teams and limiting efforts to create a super league of only the top teams. And then there’s the “Lane Kifﬁn Rule” that would forbid coaches from taking a new coaching job with another college during the season.

tections, support and infrastructure.” Cruz, however, sees the transfer portal, which allows student athletes to switch schools, as one of the problems. “It’s terrible for the game, it’s terrible for the players, it’s terrible for the schools and it’s terrible for the fans,” he said. The NAACP on social media likened the bill to sharecropping, where the people doing the work don’t get to fully participate in proﬁts. NAACP President Derrick Johnson said during a press call that all the Wild West allusions are to support the argument that Congress should clean up the mess. But the federal framework being proposed doesn’t allow for collective bargaining, while protecting colleges’ ability to continue making money off student-athletes. “There’s no instability in the game,” Johnson said. “It’s just greed by the conferences.” Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., gives his playing days at Stanford University during the late 1980s and early 1990s credit for starting him on the road that led through Yale Law School to mayor of Newark and to U.S. senator, elected in 2013. He pointed out that the athletes won the rights in court to get paid Email Mark Ballard at and transfer schools. Removing mballard@theadvocate.com.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 9A

Journalists denied access to White House lll

BY JOCELYN NOVECK

Associated Press

NEW YORK — Reporters from three major news organizations — CNN, MS NOW and Politico — were denied access to the White House on Saturday, a day after President Donald Trump said he was barring them because of reporting he found to be “fake news.” The actions were a clear escalation of Trump’s long-running efforts — in the courts and through administrative action — to restrict news coverage by journalists he ﬁnds objectionable, and the latest test of First Amendment protections in the United States. Trump had said Friday he would ban all three outlets because of coverage he disliked. White House reporters from the two cable networks — Betsy Klein of CNN and Akayla Gardner of MS NOW — both went live to re-

port they’d been turned away, their press badges deactivated, when arriving for their jobs at the White House. Soon after, Politico said its White House reporter Cheyenne Haslett was also denied entry and had her badge conﬁscated. All three news outlets hinted at legal action. In his second term, Trump and his administration have upped the ante and punished certain media outlets, both in the courtroom and through regulatory action. Trump has also lashed out at individual reporters in person or over social media, sometimes in strikingly personal terms. The WHCA’s president, Jacqui Heinrich, called on the administration to immediately restore the three outlets’ access. “The implications extend beyond these organizations: a standard used to exclude one news outlet because of its coverage could be applied to any out-

let in the future,” Heinrich said.

Correspondents are turned away Network correspondents are usually present on the weekends when the president is in Washington or at nearby Camp David. Trump is at the presidential retreat in Maryland this weekend. MS NOW’s Gardner reported that she had walked through two gates successfully, but once she got to where her badge needed to be scanned, an ofﬁcer told her it was disabled and asked her to hand it over. He said the decision “was above him,” she reported. An MS NOW producer was able to get in, but a photographer’s badge was also disabled, Gardner said. Klein, senior White House reporter at CNN, also said her badge had been deactivated. It was conﬁscated, and she was handed back the clear plastic case. She said she was referred to the White House press

ofﬁce for further information. Amy Kristin Sanders, a professor at Penn State University and an expert in media law, said it has “become pretty clear that this administration is not interested in playing by traditional First Amendment rules and norms.” “The second Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on press freedom and delegitimize independent journalism far exceed those of any other modern American president,” Sanders said.

Trump calls outlets ‘fake news’ The president wrote on his social media site Friday that effective immediately, “I am banning” CNN, MS NOW and Politico “from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” Minutes later, speaking at an event in the Oval Ofﬁce, Trump was asked to explain his statement. “Because they’re fake news,” he

Saudi Arabia: Houthis tried to attack capital BY TOQA EZZIDIN and CARA ANNA Associated Press

CAIRO — Saudi Arabia on Saturday confirmed that Yemen’s Houthi rebels tried to attack its capital with a ballistic missile, the first targeting of Riyadh since the escalation in fighting with the Tehran-backed rebels that has opened a new front in the Iran war. The statement by the Saudiled coalition fighting the Houthis came long after the dawn attempt, which the coalition said was intercepted. Some residents in Riyadh heard an explosion. Later, some saw a plume of smoke near the airport. There were no reports of casualties or damage. The statement also said the Houthis tried to attack civilian infrastructure in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu — where a key Saudi pipeline ends — and in Taif, Baysh and Farasan but they were thwarted, giving no further details. The Houthis earlier claimed, without providing evidence, that they had targeted “sensitive sites” in Riyadh and facilities of Saudi oil giant Aramco in Yanbu, causing “massive fires.” Aramco, the world’s largest oil

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By OSAMAH ABDULRAHMAN

Supporters of yemen’s Houthi rebels raise their rifles Friday in Sanaa, yemen, at a rally in support of the group and to protest Saudi Arabia’s accusation that the Houthis targeted Islam’s holiest site of Mecca. company, did not respond to a request for comment. The growing conﬂict near another important global shipping corridor has brought new pressures for markets. Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed they attacked with cruise and ballistic missiles as well as drones.

He said Saudi Arabia had attempted to target the rebel-held city of Sanaa in neighboring Yemen, without giving details. The Associated Press couldn’t independently verify the claims. Recent days have seen one escalation after another. On Thursday, the ﬁrst civilian casualty was reported as the Saudi civil defense

said debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed a Yemeni resident of Saudi Arabia. And on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia said the Houthis had tried to attack Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, with a drone that it said was intercepted, calling the security of the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad a “red line.” The Houthis fiercely denied the accusation. The United States, a close Saudi ally, has signaled it has no current fight with the Houthis. Regional officials have told The Associated Press that Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors and instead has asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt for air defense support. Meanwhile, fighting has surged inside Yemen between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed, internationally recognized government. The rebels raced down the country’s Red Sea coast over a week ago, seizing the key port city of Mokha and islands on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea. That has improved their surveillance of passing ships, though the Houthis have said they are only targeting Saudi ones.

said. “You get so tired of reading and seeing fake news. When you look at CNN, it’s just fake. That’s why their ratings are no good. When you look at MS NOW …, it’s fake news.” “And when you look at Politico … the stories they wrote are fake. So there’s a lot of news and there may be others to join them, and maybe they can get better,” he said. “But our country has to have honest news.” The move follows the president’s decision last year to bar Associated Press reporters from the Oval Ofﬁce, Air Force One and other events in retaliation for the news outlet’s decision not to follow his lead in changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico, which lies partially in Mexican and other waters. The AP said that it would note when appropriate that Trump had ordered it renamed the “Gulf of America.”

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Israeli strikes kill 3 men in Gaza Gaza’s Health Ministry and Shifa Hospital officials say three men were killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza City and the nearby Jabaliya refugee camp. The Israeli military said it struck “military operatives.” Israel’s military also said it struck targets in southern Lebanon associated with the Hezbollah militant group after two soldiers were wounded when their vehicle drove over an explosive device in an area occupied by Israeli troops.

Iran race managers charged Iran’s state TV said the Tehran prosecutor’s office filed charges against race organizers after women participated without covering their hair because “legal and Islamic Sharia” wasn’t observed. The country’s ruling theocracy requires women to wear scarves that cover their hair and loose-ﬁtting clothes that hide their bodies. Footage circulated online shows women running the 6-mile race without the hair covering. Habib Sotoudehnejad, head of Tehran’s sports department, said about 5% of participants violated race rules. The race was run separately for men and women.

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10A ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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LOUISIANA POLITICS

Trump’s FDA nominee is under scrutiny Cassidy, La. residents have concerns about experience

WASHINGTON — Louisiana has a lot to say about the Trump administration’s third attempt to install a leader for the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, which inspects and approves food and medications. After much discussion on Capitol Hill last week, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Baton Rouge Republican who Mark the Senate Ballard chairs Health Education, Labor & Pensions committee, scheduled a Thursday conﬁrmation hearing for FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton, a White House aide about whom he has expressed “strong concerns.” He’s not the only one. Overton has attracted resistance because she was the White House aide in charge of drafting Trump’s controversial executive orders changing the measlesmumps-rubella Cassidy vaccination schedule for small children and another protecting the use of a weed killer that is suspected, though not proven, to cause cancer. Overton’s “lack of managerial experience does not prepare her well for leading a large organization that is already dealing with stafﬁng and morale issues,” Cassidy wrote. That’s the issue Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, R-Belle Chasse, and Kathryne Hart, a Baton Rouge mother, want addressed. Given the disruptions resulting from the inability to get a

Gov. Landry says $7M raised at gator hunt

Gov. Jeff Landry brought in $7million at his 16th annual gator hunt fundraiser this weekend in his hometown of St. Martinville, according to a social media post Monday. “This is a true testament to the work of this adminCapitol istration: making Buzz Louisiana safer, STAFF improving educaREPORTS tion, bringing down our insurance rates, creating a better legal environment, and bringing more than $260 billion in new capital investment to our State,” Landry wrote in a post on X from his campaign account. Landry hosts an alligator hunt every year as a fundraiser that has drawn big names in conservative political circles, like FBI Director Kash Patel and Donald Trump Jr. Attendees and event sponsors had the option to contribute amounts ranging from $12,000 to $100,000, according to the event website. The money raised will be divided up among four different groups:

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACQUELyN MARTIN

Dr. Heidi Overton, deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, is Trump administration nominee for FDA commissioner. new leader approved, Hart’s first thought — as is true for anyone using a feeding tube — is: what happens if the next shipment of a specialized liquid nutrition formula doesn’t arrive? It’s not like she can whip up something from leftovers or go make groceries to feed her 10-year-old with an immunodeficiency. He can only ingest the specialized liquid. “We hoard the stuff, just in case,” Hart said, recalling how difficult it was to obtain baby formula during the pandemic because of supply chain disruptions. “They’ve already decimated the food inspections,” Hart said. “You need somebody with experience” to ensure supplies keep coming while the agency is reorganized. For most Americans, a photo of

any FDA commissioner is pretty much an emoji for “faceless bureaucrat.” Name one of the 27 commissioners who’ve run the FDA since 1906, when the powers of the present agency were expanded in response to consumers terriﬁed by Upton Sinclair’s novel, “The Jungle,” about how meat was prepared for sale. For Nungesser, which bureaucrat runs the FDA is more than just curiosity. He wants Louisiana to know that the FDA commissioner is not some obscure job that has little bearing. Decisions made at that agency can affect food safety, seafood, restaurants and public health — all of which are closely tied to Louisiana’s tourism economy and the livelihoods that depend on it, he said.

Tourism, which Nungesser oversees, has become one of the state’s largest employers, creating 225,000 jobs. Tourists annually spend about $19.5 billion to experience a unique culture, hear Louisiana music and eat Louisiana seafood, he said. Also weighing in with the lieuNungesser tenant governor are the folks who make their livings from catching ﬁsh, trawling shrimp, dredging oysters, and trapping crawﬁsh, he said. About 70% of the seafood harvested from the Gulf is landed in Louisiana, including about 80 million pounds of shrimp that accounts for about 28% of the na-

Landry for Louisiana, Landry’s campaign political action committee; Cajun PAC II, Landry’s leadership PAC; Protect Louisiana Values, a social welfare Landry nonprofit dedicated to advancing Landry’s policy agenda; and the Republican Party of Louisiana. Landry is expected to run for a second term for governor next year. No significant challengers have announced so far.

candidates. The owner of a Metairie ﬂorist’s shop, Villere chaired the Louisiana party from 2004 to 2018, a period when the GOP unseated Democrats across state government. He is now a national committee member.

“This Water Resources bill strengthens our work to cut red tape, lower costs, and expedite delivery of projects to enhance flood risk management, improve our waterways, strengthen our coastline, Scalise and support the long-term health of the Mississippi River,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, said. “Continued investment in longterm flood protection, coastal restoration, and waterway maintenance is critical to protecting the families and communities that make Louisiana an energy leader, a global port of commerce, and the sportsman’s paradise.” The approved studies include looks at flood risk management on the Comite River in Baton Rouge and along Scott’s Bluff on the Southern University campus. The Army Corps is also working on the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study to provide recommendations for the long-term management of the Lower Mississippi River Basin.

Roger Villere named vice chair of RNC Roger Villere, the longtime Louisiana Republican Party leader, was elected earlier this month as vice chair of the Republican National Villere Committee. The RNC is the governing body of the Republican Party, establishing its platform and rules and working to fundraise and otherwise support GOP

U.S. House passes Water Resources bill Shortly before returning to their homes to campaign for the midterm elections, the U.S. House overwhelmingly advanced legislation that will help address ﬂood controls and levee enhancements in Louisiana. All six members of Louisiana’s House delegation joined the 4159 vote late Wednesday night and sent the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 to the Senate, which already is working on its own version. The WRDA authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to get to work on 131 feasibility studies and 10 construction projects for navigation, ﬂood control, hydropower, recreation, and emergency management for ports, waterways, levees, dams, wetlands, watersheds and coastal restoration.

tion’s catch. Overton helped draft Trump’s executive order that promotes the use of glyphosate — the active ingredient in chemicals used to kill weeds in everyday agricultural, aquaculture, and landscaping settings. University of Florida studies show concentrations of the herbicide have shown up in seafood. The chemical causes hypoxia that kills seafood and could pass along cancer to consumers. But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not classify glyphosate as a carcinogen and has approved the sale of Roundup and other weedkillers without a warning label. “Louisianans deserve a serious examination of how the next commissioner intends to protect the food supply, oversee imported food and seafood, respond to outbreaks and maintain public confidence in an agency with enormous responsibilities,” Nungesser said. “Our fishermen should be able to compete on a level playing field. Our restaurants need confidence in the products they serve. And families sitting down for a meal should be able to trust that the food on their plates is safe.” Neither Hart nor Nungesser oppose Overton, though many in the Make America Healthy Again movement do because of that glyphosate order. The White House points out that Overton’s job was to present Trump with the instruments he wants — not reflections of her own thoughts. Trump posted on Truth Social that Overton was a “ROCKSTAR” known for taking on the hardest issues. “I hope if she gets confirmed, she’ll come down to Louisiana, meet with us and the fishermen,” Nungesser said. Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.

The projects include dredging at the Pilottown Anchorage near the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Student art sought for Old Governor’s Mansion The Old Governor’s Mansion is seeking art submissions from Louisiana high school and middle school students to be displayed in the historical Baton Rouge building. Submissions can be paintings, drawings, sculptures or digital works and should depict either governors who called the mansion home, the mansion’s history or its architecture. They should be no bigger than 24 inches by 24 inches. Staff will select three entries based on artistic quality and historical accuracy. The art can be submitted by mail or hand-delivered to the Old Governor’s Mansion, 502 North Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70802. The deadline is Oct. 19. Winners will be announced on Nov. 2. Submission forms can be obtained on the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website or by email to oldgovernorsmansion@sos.la.gov.

An Excellent Education is Every Child’s Birthright Learn more at BRALLIANCE.ORG

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 11A

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EDUCATION A childhood rite moves indoors to school gyms Kindergartners learn to ride bikes at school

learn the skill, it’s easier to pick it up later, with practice. The process can also teach children how to handle frustration as they wobble or fall. Hopefully, bike riding will someday be “just like basketball or dodgeball or whatever other sport there is,” becoming such a basic skill that it is simply part of PE, said Lisa Weyer, executive director of the Strider Education Foundation, which operates All Kids Bike.

BY CHEYANNE MUMPHREY Associated Press

For generations, kids have learned how to ride a bike — a quintessential childhood milestone — in driveways, on sidewalks and in neighborhood streets. Now, they’re learning in school gyms and playgrounds. On a recent September day, kindergarteners at Terra Vista Elementary School in Rancho Cucamonga, California, were fitted with helmets and assigned a black-and-white balance bike. Off they went, propelling themselves with their legs and practicing gliding on the pedal-free bikes. The kids started and stopped on a circular path outlined by orange traffic cones, with adults watching and directing nearby. For every nervous face, there was another with a smile. For every squeal, there was a laugh. All Kids Bike, a program within a nonprofit organization, has brought a learn-to-ride curriculum into nearly 2,000 U.S. elementary schools. They’ve made bike-riding part of physical education for children who might otherwise have to wait for an adult or older sibling to teach them — or whose neighborhood and socioeconomic status might stop them from getting the chance. When schools apply for the program, All Kids Bike can pair them with donors that fund the costs. In Rancho Cucamonga, the city provided $45,000 to gift the equipment and the curriculum to Terra Vista and four other schools. The eight-lesson curriculum gradually moves children from simply walking with and getting comfortable on a properly fitted bike to balancing with both feet off the ground. Then, adults add pedals and the students progress to full-fledged cycling.

Access to lifelong skills Some schools also pair the curriculum with other programs to teach road and pedestrian safety and expand access for children with disabilities. For example, Seattle Public Schools also participates in Let’s Go, which serves third, fourth and fifth grades, and includes adaptations for students with additional mobility and cognitive needs. Students in the district also learn how to cross streets, make eye contact with drivers and recognize unsafe ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS By JAE C. HONG behavior. “Traffic gardens” on school playStudents participate in a learn-to-ride program at Terra Vista Elementary School in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. grounds give students a chance to practice navigating intersections, Teaching kids confidence stop signs, roads and parking arThe activity is perfect for kineas, giving them skills they can use as pedestrians, cyclists and evendergarten physical education classes, says Drew Raney, a P.E. tually drivers. teacher in Wasco, California. For The program can also give chilschools’ youngest students, gym dren a sense of freedom and indeclass focuses on exploring movependence, Weyer said, while getment, learning to share space and ting them away from screens and equipment, following directions into active play. and having fun. The learning can “We want them to be able to have happen with rainbow parachutes, that sense of freedom and indepenscooter boards, Hippity Hops — dence,” Weyer said. “That’s a life and now, bicycles. skill. It’s like swimming.” For Raney, who teaches the All The lessons can stick with stuKids Bike program at his school, dents long after the bikes are put some of his favorite moments away, Raney said. come when students begin lifting “I have now third graders that their feet and riding in stop-and-go are running up and they still respurts. member three years ago, ‘That’s “Once you see students start to Teachers help students put on their helmets. our bike teacher!’ ” he said. Some kind of glide around, that’s when students still remember the chants you can start to see that confidence In Seattle, district physical edu- balance, core stability, sequenc- from the end of the lessons. shoot up because they’re taking cation manager Lori Dunn sees ing and body awareness, she said, “On three, we’re gonna say, ‘We those first steps and they’re put- learning to ride a bike as more with each step building on the one can ride.’ What are we gonna say?” ting themselves out of their com- than simply mastering a recre- before it. She compares it to typ- he asks his students. “We can ride!” they shout. fort zone,” he said. ational skill. The process requires ing or keyboarding: Once children

Legal Notice

IMPORTANT NOTICE OF CLASS ACTION LITIGATION AND PARTIAL SETTLEMENT JANICE CLABORNE, ET AL VERSUS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEW ORLEANS CDC NO. 2001-20605; DIV. “D”; ORLEANS PARISH, LOUISIANA A court authorized this Notice. This is not a solicitation from a lawyer.

TO: “Litigation Class:” All leaseholders and other permanent residents of THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEW ORLEANS from 1998 to August 29, 2005, who were adversely affected by the presence of toxic mold in their apartments as a result of HANO, Guste or B.W. Cooper Resident Management Corporation’s breach of their contracted duty with HUD pursuant to 24 CFR Part 5 § 5,703(f) to maintain said apartments and common areas “free of mold” for the benefit of HANO, Guste RMC or Cooper RMC’s leaseholders and their permanent residents, -And-

TO: “Partial Settlement Class:” All leaseholders and other permanent residents of (1) any facility owned, controlled, managed, or operated by THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEW ORLEANS or (2) any facility controlled, managed, or operated by the Guste Homes Resident Management Corporation or B.W. Cooper Resident Management Corporation including, without limitation, all leaseholders and other permanent residents of the public housing facilities commonly known as the Guste Homes, B.W. Cooper Homes, and Calliope Projects, in all cases from January 1, 1998 to the date of preliminary approval of the Partial Settlement Class described in this notice.

“Litigation Class” The litigation class involves any HANO tenants for the period 1998 to August 29, 2005. Members of this class may also be part of a settlement class discussed below if they were tenants of Guste Homes or B.W. Cooper during this period. To take part in either the Settlement Class or the litigation class, or both, it is necessary to file a claim. Claims must be filed TIMELY! The information on filing a claim and applicable deadlines can be found on the litigation website https://housingauthorityofneworleansmoldlitigationclassaction.com/. There you will find a complete copy of the official notice approved by the court with instructions on who is involved in both the Litigation Class and the Settlement Class, and what is involved in the suit and how to protect your potential rights.

“Partial Settlement Class” A $4,250,000 Settlement has been reached with an insurer that provided insurance to Guste Homes Resident Management Corporation (“RMC”), B.W. Cooper RMC, and in certain cases, to HANO, for the years outlined below. The suit was filed in Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, and is entitled Janice Claborne, et al versus The Housing Authority of New Orleans, No.: 2001-20605. For more information please go to the website: https://housingauthorityofneworleansmoldlitigationclassaction.com/.

Who is included? The partial Settlement includes residents who lived in the Guste Homes and/or B. W. Cooper for certain years that were adversely affected by the presence of mold in their apartments. The Settlement was reached with an insurance company that provided insurance to the RMCs, and in certain cases, to HANO, for the Guste Homes and B.W. Cooper facilities for the following years:

Guste Homes 1/06/00 to 1/06/01

BW Cooper 10/02/97 to 10/02/98 10/02/98 to 10/02/99 10/02/99 to 10/02/00

If you were a resident of either Guste Homes and/or B. W. Cooper during any of the periods described above and were adversely affected by mold in your residence you are eligible to be considered for compensation.

How do I receive payment?

Please visit our website https://housingauthorityofneworleansmoldlitigationclassaction.com/ for more information on the settlement and instructions on how to obtain payment information.

QUESTIONS CALL 504-321-3676 OR VISIT

https://housingauthorityofneworleansmoldlitigationclassaction.com/

12A ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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War in Iran is driving clean energy development It’s not enough to help planet, yet

BY JENNIFER McDERMOTT Associated Press

Countries are embracing clean power and taking steps to use less energy because of the war against Iran, but it is not yet enough to help address climate change. When the U.S. and Israel launched the war in February, some backers of renewables opined it could drive a green transition as oil and gas prices spiked. So far, more than 30 governments have enacted policies to move away from fossil fuels or improve energy efﬁciency. Yet at the same time, global emissions of greenhouse gases increased slightly and investments in clean energy fell compared to the same period last year. The Associated Press talked to a dozen experts who said that while the Iran war appears to be helping the adoption of clean energy, the world is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels. They said it will take more time for new policies to show results. “Governments are currently doing a dance between acknowledging the importance of clean power while continuing to support fossil fuel expansion,” war studies lecturer Pauline Heinrichs at King’s College London wrote in an email. “We are seeing an old and a new world interact in contradiction with each other.” There has been a surge in solar installations in the United Kingdom. The government is also considering expanding natural gas production. In Asia, where there’s massive demand for solar power and electric vehicles, Indonesia is replacing some diesel power plants with solar, while also doubling down on coal for heavy industries.

Workers assemble Zeekr 001 EV models at the Chinese automaker Zeekr assembly plant in Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang Province.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTOS

Workers install solar panels on a rooftop of a home in Prayagraj, India.

wind and solar deployment fell in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year, after several years of growth, according to Rhodium Group’s Clean Investment Monitor. China accounted for most of the global decline. In the U.S., Europe and India, where economies are more exposed to gas and oil prices, solar investment grew and wind investment held stable or grew, said Hannah Pitt, a director at Rhodium. In February, Stanford University climate scientist Rob Jackson said it was “just wishful thinking” that the new war would boost support for homegrown renewables over imported fossil fuels — unless it turned out to be a sustained conflict. Six months later, Jackson said he didn’t anticipate oil prices hurdling past $90 or $100 a barrel for so long. If dozens of countries are promoting electric vehicle incentives, charging infrastructure and electrification in general, that can help in the fight against climate change, added Jackson. But Story differs by region only if those actions are susGlobal investment in tained.

“We need that action over years, to decades, to make a dent in the climate problem,” Jackson said Monday.

Climate pollution increase Thirty-three governments adopted policies to switch from fossil fuels to electricity or improve energy efficiency in response to the Middle East conflict, as of Sept. 9, according to the International Energy Agency. This includes supporting EV adoption, promoting renewable energy, replacing gas boilers with electric heat pumps and retrofitting homes and businesses to use less energy. The Netherlands, Spain and the U.K. are doing everything on that list. China is working to make heavy industry more energy efficient and pushing to electrify heavy vehicles. India and Indonesia are shifting to electric stoves to replace imported liquefied petroleum gas as a cooking fuel. Laos suspended gas and diesel car imports through 2026 to boost EVs. These efforts haven’t moved the needle yet. Incentivizing EV purchases or encouraging energy efficiency

take time and scale, according to researchers for the Climate TRACE database of emissions. At the same time, many governments are cutting fuel taxes. That provides immediate relief to consumers but disincentivizes switching to EVs. And, the war itself will spike emissions. Global greenhouse gas emissions increased 0.2% in the ﬁrst half of 2026, compared with the ﬁrst half of 2025, according to Climate TRACE. While emissions from road transportation increased, Climate TRACE found that power sector emissions declined, despite concern that disruptions in oil and gas markets would push countries to use more coal for electricity. Shipping emissions also declined, likely due to the Strait of Hormuz closure.

Higher bills Those bills would have been even steeper, though, if not for the clean power added since 2020. Fossil fuel importers have paid prices that are $330 billion higher compared to prewar market expecta-

tions, making it the largest sustained price shock since the 1990 Gulf War, according to research by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. The European Union, China and India paid the most. Countries that invested in clean energy after past energy crises saved an estimated $36 billion in avoided fossil fuel imports in the first five months of the conflict, the research found. China and Japan saved the most, followed by Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Brazil and India. Governments are trying to insulate themselves from geopolitical volatility and fuel price instability, said Caspian Conran, lead economist at the global consultancy firm Baringa. China knows it can rely on coal and the U.S. won’t run out of domestic natural gas, he said. Europe’s politicians feel the most urgency to adopt new energy policies because their fossil fuel production is limited, said Conran, who is based in London. “We simply don’t have a choice,” he said.

A net gain? At this point, the signal would be small and there is a lot of other variation in the system, according to Michael Oppenheimer, a Princeton climate and international affairs professor.

“One thing is clear, however. When the trouble began, lots of people said there would be a rush to other, readily-available fossil fuel sources to replace Gulf oil and compensate for the price run-up, which would presumably bury any gain in carbon-free energy,” he wrote in an email. “Instead, at this point, it looks like events could turn out to be a net winner for renewables.” Brookings Institution scholar Samantha Gross said the war is changing how people think about transitioning away from fossil fuels — that it’s not just for the climate, it’s an energy security strategy. “That widens the appeal,” Gross said. “It brings in not just people concerned about the green side, but people concerned about hard security.” President Donald Trump is shifting the U.S. away from renewables. The war underscores the risks of his relentless focus on fossil fuels. “The Trump administration has been really focused on fossil fuels, but since they started this conflict, you have to ask the question, is this good for fossil fuels? And in short, I really think not,” Gross said. “Because the high prices and the uncertainty brought about by this war are helping to push other countries away from fossil fuels.”

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Electric mobility brings Africa’s energy transition into the wild

Bringing the rain, or not, can lead to violence in Africa Rainmakers face consequences of weather

BY RODNEY MUHUMUZA and JOSEPH FALZETTA Associated Press

NAMISINDWA, Uganda — The farmers who paid David Nabutsilili money to summon rain were angry when they received so much of it that their vegetable gardens were left ﬂooded. They chased him up and down the hills, stopping when he fell upon a rock and broke a femur. That was his punishment. Sixteen years later, the rainmaker still feels pain in his leg. Many of those who pursued him regularly seek his spiritual help when they need rain, especially during the planting season, but also when they seek to block it. If he fails to meet their expectations, he must temporarily ﬂee his home for his own safety, Nabutsilili told The Associated Press during an interview in his village in eastern Uganda. Nabutsilili “People beat us because sometimes the rain is too much, or there is no rain,” he said. African rainmakers have long served as spiritual leaders in their communities, performing rituals to ask deities to bring rain. But their perceived successes can create enormous expectations among farming communities in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Now they are increasingly targeted for their presumed failure to perform amid the vexations of climate change. In the most extreme cases, they are killed by mobs. “We have been with these people, and indeed sometimes they have done (rituals) and we have had rain,” said Joseph Weyusya, an elder with Inzu ya Masaaba, a traditional institution of the Bagisu people of eastern Uganda. But sometimes the weather is uncooperative. “When the rains refuse, people gather around the village and then start looking for them — ‘Why are we not having rain?’” Weyusya said. ”And most times they have beaten such people to almost near death.” In South Sudan, which neighbors Uganda to the north, at least two rainmak-

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 13A

BY ALLAN OLINGO Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS By JOSEPH FALZETTA

In June, a southeastern area of Lohobohobo, in South Sudan, faced a prolonged dry spell. According to witnesses, men abducted a rainmaker named Albino Lobillia and buried him alive.

A rainmaker from a village in the Lopit Mountains shows sacred stones used in rainmaking rituals. ers have been killed in the past two years. In 2024, Solomon Oture was buried alive in the remote mountain village of Lohobohobo during a dry spell. In June, in a southeastern area facing a prolonged dry spell, men abducted a rainmaker named Albino Lobillia and buried him alive, according to witnesses. “There was no food, and animals began dying in large numbers because of the drought,” said Madelina Tito, a relative of Lobillia and a local chief. “They held meetings and decided he should be killed because, according to them, he had refused to command the rain.” A study last year in the International Journal of Environment and Climate Change found that the average annual number of rainy days in the Kapoeta region, which borders Lobillia’s home area, had fallen from 90 in the 1980s to 46 by the mid-2010s, the most recent period for which figures were available. When rain does come, it is often sudden and intense. “Communities in the most ﬂood-prone areas have spent the last few years alternating between losing crops to ﬂoods and losing them to drought,” said Joris Gasper, a researcher for REACH Initiative, a humanitarian group active in South Sudan. Unsurprisingly, many farmers blame rainmakers for their misfortune. In Uganda, as in South Sudan, millions depend on subsistence agriculture to feed their families. Erratic weather can destroy livelihoods, putting rainmakers on the spot over their perceived inability to do their work. “It’s becoming worse

and worse,” said Matthew Oromo, a government ofﬁcial in Lobillia’s home area, speaking of violence against rainmakers. “People are not aware of what is happening. They don’t understand this issue of climate change.” Although no Ugandan rainmakers have been killed, some have been assaulted and even reported to authorities for allegedly obtaining money under false pretenses. Nabutsilili, 45, said he was possessed by the rainmaking spirit as a 14-year-old boy when his legs mysteriously developed wounds. His ﬁrst task came from cabbage transporters who put him atop their truck and asked him to keep the rain away. It did not rain on them, and he went on to become his village’s most reliable rainmaker even as erratic weather patterns occasionally confounded him and those he serves. If things don’t work out, he said, that is what God wishes. “In life there are always things that fail,” he said of rainmaking. “It doesn’t stop (us) from trying again.” Rainmakers in Uganda can be consulted in their homes, or in the bars where they go to drink. Those who need their services are required to pay a fee, which can range from a token as small as $13 to an amount as high as $260, which is what Nabutsilili was paid to block the rain the day President Yoweri Museveni came to the region last year to campaign for reelection. It didn’t rain that day. The quid pro quo is said to contribute to violence targeting rainmakers when they refuse to refund the money after perceived failures. Unlike Christian priests and medicine men, who generally command respect, rainmakers are sometimes seen as malicious people who retaliate against whole communities for quarrels with their neighbors. “Sometimes when you have grown your crops, like this season, and there is no rain and you give them money to bring rain, they bring rain that destroys our crops,” said farmer Paul Boyi.

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MAASAI MARA, Kenya — Joshua Kijape eases his motorcycle through the tall grass, listening for movement in the bush. There is no engine rumble, no exhaust and little warning for anything ahead. That is exactly how the Mara-Siana ranger, attached to Entumoto Safari Camp in Kenya’s Maasai Mara game reserve, wants it. For the past year, Kijape has patrolled the Mara on an electric motorcycle, using its near-silent motor to approach wildlife and, when necessary, poachers. “With this bike, I can get closer to the animals without disturbing them,” he said. “And when you are following poachers, they cannot hear you coming.” The electric motorcycle is part of a growing effort to bring Africa’s energy transition into wildlife reserves, replacing petrolpowered transport with vehicles charged by the sun. In the Maasai Mara, conservation operators are testing whether electric mobility can reduce fuel use and maintenance costs while limiting noise in one of Africa’s most important ecosystems. The move comes during one of the Mara’s busiest periods, when the annual wildebeest migration draws huge numbers of animals, tourists and conservation teams onto the grasslands. Jason Knauf, CEO of The Earthshot Prize, said the development shows how the energy transition is reaching places far beyond conventional urban transport. “Seeing electric vehicles reach the Maasai Mara during the Great Migration is powerful proof that the energy transition extends far beyond cities,” Knauf

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALLAN OLINGO

An electric safari van operated by Emboo Camp drives through the Maasai Mara in Kenya. said. “The Mara is one of the world’s most demanding environments, and if clean technology can prove reliable, affordable and effective there, it strengthens the case for scaling it across other conservation landscapes and remote communities,” Knauf said. For ROAM, the Nairobibased electric motorcycle company behind Kijape’s bike, the Mara is an engineering test of whether an e-bike built in Kenya can handle rough tracks, long patrols and remote conditions. “Nature is worth protecting, so we think it’s important to put our motorcycles and products out there,” said ROAM CEO Filip Lovstrom. “By eliminating noise associated with petrol bikes, it creates a serene, quiet environment that is beneficial to both the animals and tourists.” Lovstrom said economics could ultimately drive wider adoption of this approach. “Instead of shipping petrol all the way from the port of Mombasa out into nature to fuel a bunch of petrol motorcycles, you’re now able to charge them using solar, right where you are contributing positively to the environment,” he said.

ROAM’s e-bike can travel about 100 miles between charges, but longer patrols will require charging stations along the route. Because the bikes can plug into a standard 10-amp socket, Lovstrom said, stations can be built around relatively small solar and battery systems. The market also extends beyond conservation. Communities near wildlife areas often rely on motorcycles for transport, especially where roads are poor and alternatives are limited. Emboo River Camp in the Maasai Mara has been using electric safari vehicles since 2019. The camp’s co-founder and co-director, Loic Amado, said the vehicles are charged exclusively with solar power. “It’s an extremely good use case for electric vehicles,” Amado said. “They’re silent, sustainable, environmentally friendly and, most importantly, economical.” What began as an experiment has grown, through his other ﬁrm EERA LAB, into a broader sustainability operation. Amado said it now supports 25 lodges across East Africa with solar power, wastewater treatment and electric-vehicle conversions.

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THE GULF COAST

Debate surges over Waveland’s Coleman Avenue to get new beachside restaurant what to call Mobile’s planned I-10 bridge

Owner: The Sand Bar ‘cousin’ to Blind Tiger

BY MARTHA SANCHEZ

BY POET WOLFE

Staff writer

More than two decades after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Coast, signs of growth are emerging in Waveland along Coleman Avenue, including a beachside restaurant and bar expected to open in October. The Sand Bar is the latest venture of Thomas Genin, the restaurateur behind The Blind Tiger restaurants in south Mississippi, and his longtime partner Travis March, owner of TM Construction services. Surrounded by palm trees and sandpits, the two-story development will feature what Genin described as a “casual” open-air ground floor with a bar and snack kitchen, as well as an oyster bar with patio seating on the second floor. The restaurant will also include more than 30 golf cart parking spaces. Next year, Genin plans to offer towels, beach balls and sunscreen for those who want to go between the beach and restaurant. “(The Sand Bar) is The Blind Tiger’s first cousin,” he said. “It’s not the same, but it’s in the family.” The opening is part of a broader resurgence on Coleman Avenue, a once-popular strip lined with restaurants, churches and a saloon before Katrina washed over the Mississippi Coast. After the storm, rebuilding on the downtown street was slow as new development surged in nearby Bay St. Louis, with some city leaders citing concerns over elevation. But that is beginning to change. After the pandemic, Sugar Pop Co., a bakery specializing in cupcakes, opened in Waveland’s Hurricane Katrina museum called Ground Zero. Last year, with the help of Genin, Rickey’s on Coleman — a seafood restaurant beloved by locals — returned to the thorough-

PROVIDED PHOTOS By JACKSON RANGER/THE SUN HERALD

The Sand Bar on Coleman Avenue is expected to open in October near the beach in Waveland, Miss.

The view from the second floor at The Sand Bar, which will be an oyster bar with patio seating.

fare after Katrina dismantled it. Some grassy lots that sat vacant for years are filling with rentals. And nearby, a pier closed since Hurricane Zeta damaged it in 2020 is set to reopen for residents and fishermen. Waveland’s growth reflects a broader transformation along the Mississippi Coast, where population growth and new development are reshaping communities long marked by Katrina’s aftermath. Genin has been part of that rebuilding effort for years, opening what he said was the first restaurant south of U.S. 90 after the storm and partnering with March to open the first hotel in Pass

Christian in a century. This month, Genin debuted Tiger Beach, a waterfront bar and marina with water taxi service, on Henderson Point in Pass Christian. Like his other developments, Genin hopes The Sand Bar will draw a diverse clientele back to Coleman — “where mommy and daddy, the 2-year-old, the teenager, the 25-year-old or grandma and grandpa can all have fun.” “That’s what these restaurants do for these areas,” Genin said. “We appeal to the entire demographic.” Email Poet Wolfe at poet.wolfe@ theadvocate.com.

The latest debate over a massive Interstate 10 bridge that Alabama plans to build across the Mobile River centers on a name, and, so far, there are plenty of ideas. Republican U.S. Rep. Barry Moore, of Alabama, made headlines this summer when he suggested the bridge should be named after President Donald Trump. Last month, Republican Alabama state Sen. Chris Elliott told AL.com the bridge should honor the legendary Gulf Coast songwriter Jimmy Buffett. Democratic Alabama State Rep. Barbara Drummond said locals should have a say in the bridge’s naming and offered another suggested namesake: Mobile native and former Major League Baseball star Henry “Hank” Aaron. And Republican State Rep. Cindy Myrex recently told conservative news sites in Alabama that the bridge should honor Dolly Parton in the wake of the country singer’s death. The frenzy of ideas began after the state announced a $3 billion plan to build the bridge in July, after more than two decades of discussion. The connector could relieve gridlock for thousands of Louisiana drivers who use Mobile’s George Wallace Tunnel to reach Gulf Coast beaches. Construction is expected to start this fall, and the debate over what to call the bridge — with an opening date in 2031 — is likely just beginning. A spokesperson for the Alabama Department of Transportation said bridges on the state’s highway system are usually named by the State Legislature, which will return to session early next year. The ideas — particularly those with a political tilt — are receiv-

ing both cheers and eye-rolls across the state. The topic is also spreading on social media pages, opinion columns and radio shows. Dale Jackson, a conservative talk radio host in Huntsville, Alabama, suggested last month that leaders should name the bridge after longtime football coach Nick Saban. “It is an appropriate honor,” Jackson said. Jack Burrell, chairman of the Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization, called much of the naming back-and-forth “ridiculous.” But he added: “Jimmy Buffett doesn’t sound all that bad.” Still, more ideas are emerging. Some residents have mused online about calling the 215-foottall structure the “Mardi Gras Bridge” — which could extend a longstanding quarrel between Mobile and New Orleans about who lays original claim to the holiday. Others have said the bridge should be named after Joe Cain, a Mobile native credited with reviving the city’s Carnival traditions after the Civil War. It is unclear if Moore’s suggestion to name the bridge after Trump will move forward, but it would not be unprecedented. A stretch of highway in western Oklahoma is named for Trump, and Tennessee named a bridge in the eastern part of the state after Trump this summer. But Burrell, who also serves on the city council in Fairhope, Alabama, said many leaders behind the bridge effort have more pressing matters on their minds. He said the state is “trying to get people at the very highest levels of the government” to attend the project’s kickoff sometime this fall. Alabama Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt have promised to invite Trump to a groundbreaking ceremony.

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DEATHS continued from end of this tour, he rejoined his family and was reassigned to Paris, France, where he studied for two years at the Alliance Française, the Institut de phonétique et de recherche sur le langage de l'Université de Paris, and the Sorbonne, before receiving a Master of Arts degree from Middlebury College in Vermont. He then taught French as a major at West Point for three years, before attending the US Army Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan. He was reassigned to Ft. Bragg, serving as an XVIII Airborne Corps fire support officer, a battalion operations officer and the operations officer of the only airborne field artillery brigade in the Army, before being promoted to lieutenant colonel and commanding a battalion in the XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery. He was selected to attend the Navy War College (Senior Course) at Newport, RI, and after graduation was seconded to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (Palestine), where he commanded Observer Group Lebanon, an organization of military observers from 15 nations during the civil war in that country. That unit was among those recognized as laureates of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1988. Upon his return to the United States, he was assigned to the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, where, as a colonel, he was Egypt Desk Officer and Chief of the Middle East Branch, Plans and Policy Division (J-5). He served briefly as chief of the foreign intelligence branch in the office of the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, before being reassigned for two years to Greece, where he commanded a US Army Artillery Group, before being reassigned as Chief of Staff of the United States Alaskan Command, headquartered at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Upon his retirement after more than 30 years of commissioned, active service, Phil returned to Baton Rouge, studied accounting at Louisiana State University, passed the qualifying exam on his first try, and received his CPA certificate. Finding no great enthusiasm among public accounting firms for a 55year-old, newly minted CPA, he accepted a position as Supervisor of Social Studies with the Department of Education for the State of Louisiana and was subsequently assigned as a member of the newly organized Educational Leadership Group. After four years, he retired again and devoted his time to veterans' activities. He was a Perpetual Member of the Military Order of the World Wars, for which he served in 2009-2010 as national Commander-in-Chief. He was also a Life Member of The Retired Officers Association (later the Military Officers Association of America); The American Legion Post #38, Baton Rouge; Hancock Lodge #311 of Ft. Leavenworth, AF&AM; of Kansas; St. James Lodge # 47 of Baton Rouge, F&AM; of Louisiana; National Sojourners; Heroes of '76; 32°Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite ( )

of Freemasonry (SJ); a Knight Templar of the York Rite of Freemasonry, and a member of Abdallah Shrine Temple of Overland Park, Kansas. He was a Life/ Benefactor Member of the National Rifle Association. Phil was predeceased by his parents; his sisters, Suzanne Corinne Carson and Jeanne Yvette Harvey; his brother, Alexis Alexandre St. Amant II, and his son, Philemon A. St. Amant III. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Harriet O. St. Amant; daughters, Renée S. Hudson (Karl) and Lys S. Penney Fuchs; grandchildren, Kristina B. Hudson Murray (Trist), Emily H. Hyde (Eric), Niko B. Penney, and Rayne S. Penney; eight great-grandchildren; and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins. Visitation will be at Rabenhorst Funeral Home (825 Government Street) from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Monday, September 21, and again on September 22 from 10:00 AM until religious services at 11:00 AM, followed immediately by interment at Roselawn Memorial Park (4045 North Street).

Theriot Jr., Charles Scott

Charles Scott Theriot, Jr. passed away peacefully on September 16, 2026 at home, surrounded by loved ones. He was born on May 17, 1932 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to the late Charles Scott and Martha Jane Theriot. He lived a remarkable 94 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Mattie Ruth Myers, and his mother-in-law, Emma Swan. Charles is survived by his wife of 42 years, Mary Swan Theriot, his sister-inlaw, Martha Swan, nieces who knew him as "Uncle Cotton", Laura Jean MyersRoss (Steve), Linda Kay Myers, and Bonnie Jane Peterson and his great nieces and nephews, Rebekah Kinsella (Dan), Christine van der Meer (Nic), Paul Peterson (Daniela), and Charles Ross. He was also very proud of his greatgreat nieces and nephews, Jocelyn, Arjen, and Easton. Charles grew up in North Baton Rouge in an area known as "Dixie" in a shot-gun house and graduated from Istrouma High School in 1950. Following graduation he joined the U.S. Air Force. Following his military service, he returned to Baton Rouge and worked in a beauty school and later in the real estate business. He was known and loved by many and enjoyed entertaining others with his stories about growing up in Dixie. The family thanks Vital

Caring Hospice for their tender, compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to your favorite charity. Relatives and friends are invited to join the family for a visitation on Monday September 21, 2026 at Seale Funeral Home in Denham Springs from 10:00 AM until the funeral service at 11:00 AM. The graveside service will take place at 1:30 PM at Louisiana National Cemetery, Zachary, Louisiana.

Towles, Anne Slaughter

Anne Lumbley Slaughter Towles passed away on September 15, 2026 at the age of 77 in Baton Rouge at the Barclay House with Alzheimer's. Born in 1949 in Yazoo City, Mississippi to Lurline and James Slaughter, Anne was raised in Silver City, Miss on her parents' farm, where she developed the spirited and adventurous personality that would remain a defining part of who she was throughout her life. Anne was fun, cheerful, affectionate, free spirited and loving. She received a Masters of Library Science degree from LSU and worked as a librarian in Law firms and elementary schools. Anne met Thomas Towles in Baton Rouge and married in 1979. They had two beautiful children, Ginny and Austin, who survive her along with Thomas, her only sibling Beverly Slaughter Painter and three grandchildren. Anne is preceded in death by her parents, Lurline and James Slaughter. Anne was a passionate and accomplished artist, as was her mother Lurline, and followed in Lurline's footsteps, attending the Mississippi Art Colony with Lurline. Anne requested that in lieu of flowers, please donate to the First United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge. Family and friends are invited to join us in celebrating Anne's life at noon Saturday October 31 for a Memorial Service at Baton Rouge First United Methodist Church, located at 930 North Blvd.

working as a Shift Supervisor. He later on grew to love metal detecting and Louisiana history. He was a man of few words, but he will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, and love for his family. He was an amazing father, grandfather, and great-grand father. He will be deeply missed. Buck is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Janie Tucker; children, Jeffrey Tucker (Pamela), Jackie Allain (Mark), and Judi Smith; grandchildren, Emilie Eddins (Corey), Marilyn Tucker, Rebekah Tucker, and Thomas Tucker; and multiple great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, Hubert F. Tucker, Sr. and Mabel Firmin Tucker; and his sister, Catherine Tucker Smith. The family would like to give special thanks to Clarity Hospice for their care and support. A private family ceremony will be held at Resthaven.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 15A Weathers Sr., Ronald Ray 'Ronee Boo'

Ronald "Ronee Boo" Weathers Sr., passed away on September 8, 2026. Ronee was a native of Baton Rouge, LA, born on June 26, 1953, to John Louis, Jr., and Shirley Jenkins. Ronee was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Rhonda Sampson. Services will be held on Thursday, September 24, 2026. The viewing starts at 9:00am with the funeral commencing at 11:00am at Hall Davis & Sons, located at 9348 Scenic Hwy, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Williams Davis, Beverly A.

Rouge, LA, passed away peacefully on September 9, 2026. She was educated in East Baton Rouge Parish Schools, graduating from McKinley High School. She attended Grambling College and graduated from Southern University with a degree in Speech and Communications. She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert B. and Doris Williams. Her legacy of joy and love are cherished by her loving and devoted husband, Duane Davis; brother, George H. (Wanda) Williams; sister, Carolyn W. Getridge; sisters-in -law, Sandra Davis and Yolanda Hendrix; brotherin-law, Manuel Robinson; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins extended family and friends. Visitation will be at 9:00AM on Monday, September 21, 2026, with services following at 10:00 AM at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, 185 Eddie Robinson Sr. Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. Internment will be Resthaven Garden of Memory. Arrangements entrusted to Winnfield Funeral Home, 7221 Plank Rd. Baton Rouge, LA 70811 . Family and friends are invited to share memories at winnf i e l d f u n e r a l h o m e sbatonrouge.com.

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St. George appoints new city attorney Paolo Messina replaces Sherri Morris BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer

St. George is replacing its city attorney after two years. Mayor Dustin Yates said the ofﬁcial appointment of Paolo Messina to the city attorney role will happen next

week. Messina will replace Sherri Morris, who has served in the position for the past two years. Yates said on Friday that Morris will continue to be a part of the city’s legal team. As the city has grown, the need for full-time in-house

counsel became clear, Yates said, and he is excited about the addition of Messina. Messina spent 12 years with the East Baton Rouge Parish Attorney’s Office, with his last job being a special assistant parish attorney. He resigned from his post in 2023 after an au-

dio clip surfaced online. In the clip, Messina was heard criticizing the enforcement efforts of then-MayorPresident Sharon Weston Broome and then-police chief Murphy Paul during a community meeting. He also spoke of his strategy to have Alcoholic Beverage Control agents put the Boil & Roux restaurant out of business. Morris was appointed as

city attorney in an interim capacity in 2024 and later ofﬁcially in 2025. She has been representing St. George in the various legal battles challenging the city’s incorporation since 2019. Morris also represents the city in ongoing lawsuits, like the politically contentious lawsuit in which LRK LLC and the city-parish are asking a judge to declare a St.

George incorporation date. “This change is in no way a reﬂection on Sherri,” Yates said. “She has stood by and defended St. George from the very beginning, and we are extremely grateful for her dedicated service and counsel.” Morris did not respond to a request for comment and deferred the request to Yates.

Danny Dannny Heitman Heitmaan AT RANDOM

Readers share thoughts on the joys of travel journals After my recent column about the pleasures of keeping a travel journal, a number of readers reached me to share stories about their own experiences in recording treasured trips for posterity. The subject had come to mind with the approach of autumn, when many of us pack away our luggage until the next vacation season. It’s a good time to reﬂect on where we’ve been, and the little travel journals I’ve kept have been an invaluable nudge to memory. That much was clear, I told readers, when I happened across a small notebook from my 1991 trip to Paris. Flipping through the pages was not only a trip across the ocean, but a journey through time, returning me to the young tourist I used to be. Louisiana author Mary Manhein, known to many for her work as a forensic scientist, wrote to let me know that she loves to keep travel journals, too. “One of my favorites I like to read is from my time hiking in 1990 with three friends in the mountains of Colorado,” Manhein told me. “What a glorious trip.” In rereading her journal, Manhein gets to relive the trip all over again. “It’s full of funny things ... and amazing things,” she mentioned. “When I read it, I get very nostalgic.” “Back in the early ’90s, my wife and I made yearly trips to Europe using points from business travel miles,” reader Jon Russo told me. “For each trip, I created a travel journal including train tickets, maps, menus and even silly cartoons of certain events as I am a political cartoonist.” Then, Russo offered a confession: “I haven’t looked at these journals for years. As time has gone on, the cellphone has changed how we document trips. But before cellphones, we had to navigate our journeys via maps, Frommer’s and Baedeker’s travel books, as well as road signs. It was always an adventure. Your article has inspired me to relook at these journals to relive some of those wonderful experiences.” A few days later, Russo shared some pages of his travel journals with me. They include lyrical sketches of Tuscan wine bottles, a colorfully rendered slice of pizza to evoke his “Italian adventure” and a storybook map of coastal Britain. I was intrigued, though what Russo recorded will, inevitably, resonate with him in a much deeper way. Travel journals are meant for the writer to speak to his future self, and in this way,

ä See HEITMAN, page 2B

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

GOOD COMPANy ABOVE: Tyrone Tanner, standing, taunts his opponents during a game of dominoes while tailgating before the Southern University vs. Louisiana Christian football game on Saturday. RIGHT: A group of Jaguar fans who met their freshman year attending Southern University in 1986 tailgate together before the game.

Report: La. has worst Firm hired to forecast EBR poverty rate in U.S. schools’ financial future Census data shows national numbers declining

billion-dollar business developments, including a planned Meta data center in Richland Parish and SpaceX’s incoming rocket launch facility in Vermilion Parish, as potentially reversing the state’s fortunes. BY MARCO CARTOLANO Louisiana’s official poverty Staff writer rate from 2023 to 2025 was Louisiana remains the state 19.6%, nearly twice the nawith the highest percentage of tional rate and edging out Misresidents living in poverty even sissippi’s rate of 17.6%. That as the national rate has declined rate, based on residents’ pretax over the past three years, ac- income, has slightly increased cording to new data released from the 19.4% average calcuthis week by the U.S. Census lated from 2022 to 2024. Bureau. Nationwide, the poverty rate The report, which does not sat at 10.7% over the past three include data for 2026, comes as ä See POVERTY, page 2B state leaders have touted new

Parish preparing for tax renewal vote

BY CHARLES LUSSIER Staff writer

Baton Rouge school leaders have hired a branch of a major accounting ﬁrm to help them peer into the future. Eisner Advisory Group has the task of developing a “comprehensive five-year financial forecast” for the East Baton Rouge Parish school system. The group is a sister company to EisnerAmper LLC, which has handled the district’s annual audit for years. The forecast is a prelude to the

development of a school construction plan to be presented to parish voters in 2028 when it is time to renew a 1-cent sales tax earmarked for education. The school district developed similar plans a decade ago prior to 2018, when that tax was last renewed. The School Board voted unanimously — board member Dadrius Lanus was absent — to hire the Eisner group at an estimated cost of between $85,000 and $125,000. The ﬁve-year forecast would inform district actions when it comes to “stafﬁng, compensation, enrollment trends, revenues, expenditures, fund balance management,

ä See FIRM, page 2B

2B ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Ex-attorney disbarred after stealing Former Lafayette lawyer also banned from Walmart

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

A former Lafayette attorney who previously was suspended has been disbarred and also banned from Walmart after stealing $385 in food and beverages while working at the Franklin store. The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled unanimously Sept. 16 to disbar Samuel Robert Aucoin, whose last known addresses were in Carencro and Patterson in St. Mary Parish. He was found guilty of stealing from the Franklin Walmart while he was employed there and also has a long history of discipline as an attorney. The Office of Disciplinary Counsel alleged Aucoin violated the rules of professional conduct and committed a criminal act reflecting adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness. A hearing committee concurred, adding Aucoin had a prior disciplinary record, a pattern of misconduct, a dishonest or selfish

motive and illegal conduct. He also exhibited no remorse for his criminal conduct, according to court records. As a result, he has been disbarred. Aucoin was admitted to the Louisiana Bar in October 1991. On May 31, 2019, Aucoin was declared ineligible to practice law for not taking continuing legal education courses. Attorney disciplinary officials determined Aucoin falsified certification for one of the courses he completed to reinstate his law license, dating it 2019 when the course wasn’t offered that year. His eligibility was restored on Aug. 23, 2019. While he was ineligible to practice law, Aucoin allegedly worked on three cases in June and August of 2019. The Office of Disciplinary Council filed formal charges against Aucoin in November 2019 alleging he engaged in the unauthorized practice of law, failed to cooperate with the ODC investigation, violated the rules of professional conduct and engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation. Aucoin denied the charges. A hearing committee found after hearing testimony from

Aucoin and others that he knowingly engaged in the practice of law while ineligible, submitted false evidence to the Committee on Mandatory Continuing Legal Education and lied under oath. In 2020, the Supreme Court suspended Aucoin “for threat of harm to the public.” The next year, he was suspended for one year and one day for practicing law while ineligible, providing the Louisiana State Bar Association with an altered certiﬁcate of completion for a continuing ed court and making false statements to the ODC and at a hearing. Aucoin was again suspended in 2024, this time for three years, to run concurrently with the earlier suspension, for neglecting legal matters, failing to communicate with clients, failing to refund an unearned fee, knowingly disobeying an obligation under the rules of a tribunal, committing criminal and dishonest conduct and failing to cooperate with the ODC investigation. Court documents show that in two instances Aucoin was hired to represent men in divorce cases, one involving child custody. In one case he was paid $1,800, failed to secure the divorce and for two years did not respond to the client. Aucoin told ofﬁcials he suffered

a stroke in early 2020, affecting his ability to respond. In the second divorce case, a client paid Aucoin around $800 and represented the man at a court hearing where a judge orally granted the divorce. However, Aucoin never ﬁled the paperwork and the client could not contact him. Aucoin also faced charges in the 15th Judicial District Court for issuing worthless checks. In February of 2024, while residing in St. Mary Parish, Aucoin was arrested by the Franklin Police Department for shoplifting at the Walmart store where he was employed. A store security associate told police that Aucoin began taking food and beverages without paying for them on Dec. 7, 2023, the day after he began working at the store, according to court records. The total was $385.61. He was found guilty and sentenced to 30 days in jail. The jail time was suspended. He was placed on one year of probation and ordered to pay a $100 ﬁne and court costs. He also was banned from Walmart. Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@ theadvocate.com.

East Baton Rouge inmates accused of attack Five face counts of aggravated assault

BY BLAKE LESCHBER

Staff writer

A group of East Baton Rouge Parish Prison inmates allegedly gained access to a control panel and attacked another man in his cell. Kaleub Parker, William Peters, Jace Jackson, Jeremiah Jackson and Malachi Cooper — all 17 years old — face counts of aggra-

vated assault in connection with the attack at the prison, according to arrest records. On Sept. 11, Parker forced himself past a corrections deputy and gained access to a control panel where he was able to open all of the cells, sheriff’s deputies said. CCTV footage showed that when the cells opened, the man who was attacked tried to keep his cell door closed by hand. The man was overtaken by the group and eventually dragged out of his cell, while Parker returned to his own cell. Deputies say the

man was kicked, punched and stomped on. Investigators said the group and the victim were tied to opposing gangs, which led to the attack. Further investigation showed that the group’s plan was to take the correctional deputy hostage to force him to open the victim’s cell so they could attack him. In a statement to deputies, Parker said he agreed to open the cells out of fear of being attacked, but knew he wasn’t going to hurt any deputies. The other inmates

said the deputy assigned to their housing area trusted Parker. Deputies said the group was on administrative lockdown for disciplinary reasons and all had housing restrictions due to being 17 years old. This is the second known group attack in the prison in a onemonth span. On Aug. 11, a separate group of inmates allegedly attacked a man in his cell, and one stabbed him with his own knife. Email Blake Leschber at blake. leschber@theadvocate.com.

Federal grant could help ﬁx closed U.S. 90 bridges BY MARTHA SANCHEZ Staff writer

Louisiana leaders are hoping to secure millions of dollars in federal grant money this fall that could finally fund the replacement of several unsafe bridges that have been closed for more than four years on U.S. 90 near the Mississippi state line. The money, which the Federal Highway Administration could award by the end of November, would galvanize the long-delayed project and bring some relief to residents who are growing more exasperated with the closures. “I know that there is considerable frustration,” said state Rep. Stephanie Berault, R-Slidell. “This is the only time since I got involved that I’ve had any hope at resolution.” The 3-mile stretch of U.S. 90 at the Louisiana-Mississippi state line closed in May 2022 when inspectors found five 1930s-era bridges were deteriorating. The fix has stalled because Louisiana lacks the estimated $150 million to $350 million it would cost to replace them. Now, the federal government could award up to $80 million toward the project if the state’s application is approved, according to Daniel Gitlin, a spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. The DOTD has several project design options to choose from depending on how much federal funding it receives. The agency is also planning public hearings next month to update residents about the project, and a final design phase could begin next year. Any progress would be welcome

FIRM

Continued from page 1B and other strategic financial priorities.” To develop the forecast, the Eisner group is to delve into the following “financial drivers”: Student enrollment trends and the impact of charter school enrollment; state and local funding; employee salaries and benefits; inflation; and other factors affecting revenues and expenditures. Freddy Smith, a partner with EisnerAmper, said with the renewal of the 1-cent sales tax and other

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

The closed West Pearl Bridge on U.S. 90 in Slidell is one of several unsafe bridges Louisiana leaders are hoping to secure federal grant money to replace. If the state’s application is approved, the grant would help pay to replace four bridges that have been closed for more than four years. news to many residents near the state line, where frustrations have been growing for years. Local businesses in the small town of Pearlington, Mississippi, are blaming the bridge closures for a continued loss of customers, and residents now face long commutes. Drivers around the region have also lost a popular Interstate 10 detour and a once-crucial hurricane evacuation route. Louisiana has been trying for over a year to secure federal grant money to replace the bridges, but the project faced another setback

when the government shutdown last fall stalled the application process. Berault said the state ﬁnally submitted the grant application in June. Leaders now hope Louisiana’s friendly relationship with the federal government — including Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy — could bolster their chances. If approved, the grant would help pay to replace four bridges in Louisiana. Transportation ofﬁcials said the East Pearl River Bridge at the state line would be repaired under

a separate project paid for by Louisiana and the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Two public hearings about the project are planned in October. Berault said transportation ofﬁcials at the hearings will lay out the project plans, answer questions and give residents a chance to “let the federal government know what a big priority it is.” Public hearings are scheduled from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Pearlington Recovery Center and 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at Northshore High School in Slidell.

upcoming tax renewals, it is a good time to “do some projections of your numbers of where you may stand so you can do some good ﬁnancial planning ahead of time and not just on an annual basis.” Projecting into the future, however, is no easy task for a school system subject to the unexpected, from the 2016 ﬂoods to the COVID pandemic in 2020. Both events came with big costs, but also additional insurance proceeds and disaster relief. While local tax collections have remained solid, state education funding has steadily shrunk due in large part to declining enrollment. Overall, student enrollment in the

Baton Rouge public school district has dipped by almost 14% since before COVID, when the district educated nearly 42,000 students. Its current enrollment is about 36,000 students. Meanwhile, the share of district students enrolled in district-run and independent charter schools has grown steadily over that time. At the same, the school system has taken on additional costs. Teachers in Baton Rouge this year received an average pay raise of $8,500, with $6,000 more for starting teachers and as much as $13,831 more for teachers with 20 years of experience. Enrollment forecast is inherent-

ly difﬁcult in a school system like East Baton Rouge Parish, with its ever-increasing set of choices and alternatives. In 2017, the school system hired Lafayette-based demographer Mike Hefner to forecast enrollment through 2022. He correctly predicted that overall enrollment would remain ﬂat; most of the declines have occurred since 2022. His report, however, failed to capture the size of the growth of charter schools over that period. And many of his school-level predictions proved to be way off. Email Charles Lussier at clussier@theadvocate.com.

HEITMAN

Continued from page 1B they become a potent time capsule for exploring past lives on the road. “I’m planning a trip to Morocco,” reader Steven Miley told me, “and I will try to do my ﬁrst travel journal. I think about the trips that I’ve been on and how cool it would be to remember the little things that are now lost.” Those little things, I’ve learned, can be what we come to savor most of all. Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com.

POVERTY

Continued from page 1B years, down from 11.1%. Louisiana also saw the highest supplemental poverty measure, a broader measure that accounts for various government benefits and other factors. The state’s rate stood at 19% compared with the national average of 13%. In response to the report, Gov. Jeff Landry focused on the state’s economic growth during his administration. He cited a summer economic report compiled by the Pelican Institute, a policy shop, that showed the state was outpacing Texas and Tennessee on economic factors such as gross domestic product growth and personal income. “Poverty doesn’t change overnight, but the economic progress is real. We’re moving Louisiana forward. Tell me, when was the last time this has ever happened?” Landry said. The Pelican Institute’s report, which cited the Bureau of Economic Analysis, showed that personal income grew 6.3% in Louisiana in the first quarter of 2026, nearly 3% higher than the national average. The state GDP grew 2.9% in the same period. The advocacy group Leaders for a Better Louisiana reported that Louisiana ranked third in the South for job growth in 2025, at 1.2%, adding 23,000 jobs with a 4.2% unemployment rate. The latest census numbers excluding 2026 leave out both recent economic development projects and the impact of cuts to benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid from the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The act ushered in new, more stringent standards for SNAP recipients while funding federal tax breaks. The Louisiana Department of Health reported that households in the state on SNAP decreased from 396,857 in July 2025 to 320,603 by the end of June — a decline of 19.2%. Jan Moller, director of Invest in Louisiana, a Baton Rougebased policy think tank, said the poverty rate was a grim statistic for Louisiana. “We used to say around here ‘thank God for Mississippi’ because Louisiana was always 49th and you could count on Mississippi being 50th. That’s not the case,” Moller said. “No matter what happens on the football field on Saturday, Mississippi is ahead of us on a very critical measure that affects a lot of citizens.” Moller said Louisiana’s lack of a state minimum wage and jobs with valued benefits was a significant contributor to the high poverty rates. He pointed out that the state’s unemployment rate is not significantly different from the national average. The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, expected to be released before the end of the year, is likely to provide a clearer picture of poverty in Louisiana, according to Moller. The survey collects detailed social, economic, housing and demographic information from a sample of U.S. households. Email Marco Cartolano at Marco.Cartolano@ theadvocate.com

LOTTERY

FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, 2026 PICK 3: 4-6-1 PICK 4: 7-0-8-1 PICK 5: 7-7-0-3-4 MEGA MILLIONS: 4-9-24-56-68 MEGA BALL: 1 Unofficial notification, keep your tickets.

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Funerals Today Grace, Janet

Burden Museum and Welcome Center at 4:00pm.

Gardens

Pope, Lucy

Resthaven Garden Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge at 3:00pm.

Rutledge, Katherine

Grace Life Fellowship, 10210 Barringer Foreman Road, Baton Rouge at 2:00pm

Obituaries Achee, MacAllynn

In Loving Memory of MacAllynn James Achee Sr. MacAllynn Achee, affectionately known as "Mac," of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80, surrounded by the love of his family. Born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Mac proudly served in the United States Marine Corps and later graduated from the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center. Mac especially loved golf, LSU football, and LSU baseball. Some of his family's most cherished memories were made during the Tee Party Golf Tournament in Nashville, where many Father's Day weekends were spent together. Just as special were LSU baseball game days—sitting behind the LSU dugout, watching the children run the bases, and finishing the day with Baskin-Robbins ice cream. They were simple traditions that became treasured family memories. Above all, Mac loved his family. He leaves behind his children, MacAllynn Achee Jr. (Amy) of Nashville, TN, Laura Achee Krick (Kerry) of Charlotte, NC, Clayton Achee (Kirstin) of Baton Rouge, LA, and Christopher Achee (Erin) of Gonzales, LA; his grandchildren, MacAllynn Achee III, Caroline Achee, Avery Pitre, Andrew Pitre, Dash Achee, and Willow Achee; his sister, Jennifer Achee Maloney (Ken); and his longtime love, Sharon Barnes. He was preceded in death by his parents, Chester Achee Sr. and Marie Englade Achee; and his siblings, Tommy Achee, Timothy Achee, Chester Achee Jr., and Sherry Wascom. Mac's legacy lives on through his children and grandchildren, in the traditions he helped create, in the stories that will continue to be told, and in the countless memories his family will carry with them. Rest peacefully, Dad. You were deeply loved, and you always will be.

Acosta, Virigeline Tate 'Virgie'

Virgieline Tate Couvillon Acosta (Virgie) passed on the morning of Thursday, 9/17/2026. Born in Lafayette, LA on January 7th, 1934, she was 92. Virgie lived a life in a loving family that included 13 half brothers and sisters and 2 brothers and 3 sisters. Mother of 5, she was a sassy, spirited, energetic lady who protected and educated her children for a vivid life. She served a long time as a beloved adult leader for the Holy Family CYO (Port Allen). Starting a new chapter in her life, she accepted 4 grown step children, and loved them as much as her own. She and her husband embarked on adventures in their RV, joining a traveling club, making new friends, and exploring all of North and Central America. Virgie liked nothing more that sitting out, with a glass of wine, gathering friends and holding conversation while enjoying her husbands cooking to feed the masses! An avid reader, she was always well read and well informed, no subject deterred her. As the grand (and great grand) kids came along, she was the loving Me'mere who expressed love with hugs, kisses, and praise while beaming with pride in all their accomplishments,

never failing to engage them in conversation. Honestly, she never met an enemy and friends came easily. Where ever she and her husband were, it became the center of life at that moment. Her family, near and far, were cherished. Virgie is preceded in death by her parents, Adam Tate and Agnes Miller Tate; all of her brothers and sisters; Her daughter, Ellise Couvillon Knowls, Son-in-Law Gary Knowls; And, her husband Sterling J. Acosta, Jr. She is survived by her children; David W. Couvillon (Peggy), Michael A. Couvillon (Daria), Edward A. Couvillon (Cindy), Johnnie Couvillon Tate (Michael Haught). As well as her step children; Annette Shurtz, Richard Acosta (Dottie), Mark Acosta (Janet), Troy Acosta (Karen), and Mark Shurtz. Numerous grand and great grand children, as well as many well loved nieces and nephews. A celebration of life for the family will be held at a future date. Very special thanks to the owners and staff of West Towne Assisted Living Community in Port Allen, LA. Believe it or not, she loved them tremendously. She had a life well lived and loved.

Allison, William G. 'Bill'

and Timothy (Leigh); grandchildren Liberty, William, Joshua, Jr., and Louis; sister-in-law Renee Allison; Aunt Mary Ann Jorns, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and their families. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wilhelmina and Thomas Allison, brother, Thomas Edward Allison, Jr., and sister, Patricia Ann Allison. The family sincerely thanks the wonderful people at The Parc Senior Living and Hospice of Baton Rouge, especially Aaron Moses and Kim Nash, for providing excellent, compassionate, and loving care to Bill during his final months this side of heaven. Visitation will be on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at Ourso Funeral Home, 13533 Airline Highway in Gonzales starting at 9:00 a.m., followed by a service at 11:00 a.m. led by Pastor Michael Raymond of Shiloh Christian Fellowship Baptist Church. Bill will be laid to rest alongside his beloved father, mother, and sister at the St. Bernard Catholic Cemetery, 2805 Bayou Road in St. Bernard, followed by a joyful meal at Rocky and Carlos.

Arman, Claudia Carr

devoted to her husband and lovingly took care of him in his final years, always by his side with unwavering love and compassion. Claudia's gentle spirit, generous heart, and steadfast love for her family will be deeply missed. She cherished every moment spent with those she loved, creating countless memories that will remain treasured by her family and friends forever. Those who loved her will carry her love in their hearts and forever cherish the beautiful legacy that she leaves behind. Claudia is preceded in death by her husband Ara Arman, father John Anderson Carr, her mother Nydia Marie Daspit Carr, and her brother Vernon Quintin Carr. She is survived by her son Eric Arman and wife Melissa, daughter Michelle Hancock and husband David, and grandchildren Alexander Arman, Arianna Arman Hadley (husband Tim), Amelia Grace Arman, Anna Catherine Hancock, and Ava Marie Hancock. Services will be held on September 25, 2026 at 11:30am at St. George Church. The family would like to express our sincere gratitude to Father Jon Koehler, Hospice of Greater Baton Rouge, and Claudia's devoted personal caregivers for their exceptional care, compassion and support they provided to Claudia and her family. Their kindness brought comfort and peace during her final days and will always be remembered and deeply appreciated.

Berkeley, Russell 'Rusty'

After an 8-year battle with Alzheimer's, William G. "Bill" Allison passed away into the loving arms of his Saviour, Jesus Christ, peacefully in his sleep on Friday, September 11, 2026, at the age of 75. Billy was born on June 26, 1951 in New Orleans to Wilhelmina "Willie" Theresa Jorns Allison and Thomas Edward Allison. He lived in his beloved St. Bernard Parish until Hurricane Katrina in August, 2005, when he moved his family to Ascension Parish. Bill attended school at Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Trist Middle School, and graduated from Chalmette High School in 1969, where he was a photographer for the school newspaper. He began his career as a carpenter's helper, working alongside his father and brother at Trade Mark Homes in New Orleans. He became a Master Carpenter and, in his late 20s, became a Construction Manager, running the jobs. During the course of his 51year career he managed varied construction jobs including remodeling the Historic New Orleans Collection, renovating luxury condominiums, renovating many grand homes in New Orleans' garden district, restoring a home to its original 1860s period, moving and renovating a house built in the mid-1800s formerly owned by Dr. David Livingstone, and building a doctors' office and even a rectory. From 1995 until his retirement in 2017 he worked for Favrot and Shane (1st Lake Properties). In 1991 Bill married Diane Theresa Beaudette, whom he met at work in 1989 at Witherspoon Renovations where he was a construction manager, when she was hired as their bookkeeper. Together they raised two remarkable boys, Bill's pride and joy, Joshua David and Timothy Paul, whom Bill loved with all his heart. Through the years the family went on numerous camping trips and other travels, and was very active in church activities. His other love, besides his wife, were his kitty cats: Whiskers, Cindy, and Dixie. Bill shared his great sense of humor, ever -present laughter, easy-going personality, love for his family, country, and the outdoors, solid Christian faith and deep trust in God, and passion for current events with his family, friends, coworkers, and subcontractors. He held in high regard all the construction trades and appreciated the artisanship of the many talented and knowledgeable people he had the pleasure to work with through the years, often pointing out fine details of the artistry, architecture, and challenges of creating a beautiful building. Bill leaves behind to cherish his memory his loving wife of 35 years, Diane; sons Joshua (Nicole)

Claudia Carr Arman was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana on November 21, 1939 and resided in Baton Rouge, LA where she built a beautiful life centered around her family and the people she loved. Following a short, but hardfought battle with cancer, she passed away at her home on September 6, 2026 at the age of 86, surrounded by her family. After graduating from Bogalusa High School, Claudia moved to Baton Rouge and went to work as a legal secretary at the Louisiana Highway Department. It was there that she met her beloved husband, Ara Arman, with whom she would share 62 years of marriage before his passing. After marrying and welcoming their first child, Claudia chose to leave her career and devote herself wholeheartedly to raising her family. She was a loving and dedicated mother who took great pride in being actively involved in her children's lives. She generously gave her time, talents, and heart to St. George School and Church, where her children attended. Her children were the center of her world, and she treasured the years she spent nurturing, supporting and loving them. Once they were grown, she found a new way to devote her time and compassion to others through Our Lady of the Lake Volunteer Services, where she faithfully volunteered for more than 25 years. She found great joy in being of service to others and was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. Her generosity, kindness and selflessness touched the lives of countless people. Claudia enjoyed many hobbies including cooking, gardening, traveling, and decorating but her greatest joy was spending time with family and friends. She was an extraordinary cook and loved planning gatherings and preparing meals for those she loved, always making sure that everyone was well fed, comfortable and happy. In addition to her hobbies, Claudia was also an active member of the Cracked Pots ceramic group, as well as several LSU engineering wives' groups, where she formed lasting friendships and cherished connections. Above all else, Claudia was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. Her family was her greatest pride and deepest joy. She poured her heart into those she loved, always putting her family first and finding her greatest happiness in their lives and accomplishments. She was a kind and gracious woman who carried herself with a quiet strength and dignity. Claudia had a selfless nature and consistently put the needs of others before her own. She was deeply

Russell "Rusty" Henry Berkeley III, 84, a native of Jennings, LA and resident of Baton Rouge, passed away on August 26, 2026, at Baton Rouge General Hospital Bluebonnet. A proud United States Air Force veteran (1964-1970), Rusty earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1967. He was preceded in death by his parents, Russell H. Berkeley Jr. and Dorothy Hollis Berkeley; his sister, Carolyn "Cissy" Berkeley; and brother_in_law, Larry Jones. Rusty is survived by his wife of 55 years, Patsy R. Berkeley; daughters Kimberli Berkeley Pierre Part, LA, Sherri Berkeley, Baton Rouge, LA and Brandi Berkeley, Pensacola, FL; sister Becky Berkeley Kidd Houston, Texas. grandchildren Joshua Tallion, TJ Briley, and Travis Briley; and great_grandchildren Amari Tallion and Indie Briley. Rusty loved LSU Tigers football on Saturdays and cheering "Who Dat" for the Saints on Sundays. The family extends heartfelt thanks to The Church International of Saint Amant, Pastor Terry, the United States Air Force for the flag presentation on 09/11/ 2026, and the Baton Rouge General Bluebonnet ICU team Dr. Hymowitz, Dr. Kuditni, Nurses: Ryan, Angela, Molly, Abigail and Christopher (night nurse), Erica, Respiratory Therapist and PCA, Fredrica. Memorial contributions may be made to the Baton Rouge General Foundation at brgeneral.org/foundation.

Campanella, Inez Lee

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 3B

strength, dedication, and kindness. Her life was also filled with the simple joys she loved most. She enjoyed reading, antique shopping, and traveling, but above all, she treasured time with her family. Being with her children, her four grandchildren, and her ten great-grandchildren brought her lasting happiness. In faith, she was first a member of St. George Catholic Church and later became a member of First New Testament Church. Inez was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ed Campanella, with whom she shared 58 years of marriage. She was also preceded in death by her parents, John B. and Elizabeth Lee; her son, Ed Campanella Jr.; her sisters, Nell Lee and Grace Lee; and her brothers, Clarence Lee, Clinton Lee, and Louis Lee. She leaves behind a loving family who will carry her memory forward with gratitude and affection: daughter, Lisa Campanella McCollister, and son-inlaw, David McCollister; son, Rick Campanella; daughter-in-law, Nancy Campanella; sisters, Lois Weise and Doris Lee; grandchildren, Brian McCollister, Ashleigh Cormier, Matthew Campanella, and Michael Campanella; and her great-grandchildren, Lia, Bonnie, Reuben, Zoe, Gideon, Blake, Charlie, Eli, Reese, and Tyler. The family would like to give a special thanks to Kenshintria Lockette and her team of sitters. They were the best! Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Service at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge, on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Visitation will be held at the funeral home beginning at 9:00 a.m. A reception will immediately follow the service. The family has requested a private burial. To leave a personal note to the family, please visit www.resthavenbatonroug e.com.

Chustz, Brandie Lynn

Resthaven Gardens of Memory. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials in honor of Brandie Lynn Chustz be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Assistance Program at St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note to the family at www.resthav enbatonrouge.com

Collier, James William 'Jim'

James William "Jim" Collier, 87, passed away peacefully at his home on Lake D'Arbonne in Farmerville, Louisiana, surrounded by his loving family on September 13, 2026. Jim was born on May 18, 1939, in Van Buren, Arkansas, to Dillos and Hazel Collier. From an early age, he demonstrated exceptional athletic ability. In high school, he earned All-State honors in football, and he held the state pole vault record at the University of Arkansas Relays for many years. Jim attended the University of Arkansas, where he enjoyed a remarkable collegiate athletic career. A four-year letterman on the Razorbacks football team from 1958 to 1961, he was named First Team AllSouthwest Conference in both 1960 and 1961 and was recognized by the Dallas Morning News as the Southwest Conference Most Valuable Player in 1961. He also participated in the inaugural U.S. Bowl in Washington, D.C., in 1961. In addition to football, Jim lettered in basketball and track. Following college, Jim played professional football with the New York Giants in 1962 and the Washington Redskins during the 1963 season. He is remembered for scoring the only touchdown for the Giants in the 1963 NFL Championship Game.

Brandie Lynn Chustz passed away on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, surrounded by her family and friends. She was 51 years old. Brandie was born on September 19, 1974, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to Anthony Larry Chustz and Sandra Vavasseur Chustz. She was preceded in death by her father; her grandparents; two uncles; two aunts; and her beloved 'fur-babies', Peanut and Coonman. Brandie is survived by her loving mother, Sandra; her devoted sisters, Lori Berry and husband Dan, and Toni Chustz; her nieces; her nephews; and a circle of friends that she considered her chosen family. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Memorial Mass at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, September 21, 2026, at St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church, 9150 Highland Road in Baton Rouge. A Memorial Visitation will be held at the church beginning at 9:30 a.m., with a Rosary to be recited at 10:30 a.m. Inurnment will follow at

After his playing career, Jim devoted himself to coaching, serving as receivers coach at LSU from 1965 until 1980. Following his years in coaching, he became a successful business owner of two Meineke Car Care franchises in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Upon retirement, Jim and his beloved wife Judy settled on Lake D'Arbonne, where he spent countless happy hours fishing, enjoying nature, and making memories with family and friends. Above all else, Jim was devoted to his family. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather whose strength, wisdom, and unwavering support touched generations. Jim is survived by his wife of 65 years, Judy; his daughters, Jill Collier and husband Josh, and Jamie Wine; his grandchildren, Jaclyn, Cole, Dane, Brant, Ty, Jordyn, Jared, Joshua, Jonathan, and Kane; and his great-grandchildren, Jarin, Casen, Triton, Aurora, and Everest. He

was

preceded

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obits@theadvocate.com "You are Great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, nor is there any God besides you." 2 Samuel 7:22 Inez Lee Campanella, born March 1, 1930, in Central, Louisiana, passed away on September 14, 2026. She will be remembered with deep love as a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend whose life was centered on caring for others and cherishing her family. For 40 years, Inez served as an orthopedic nurse at Bone and Joint Clinic, giving steady and compassionate care through a career that reflected her

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4B ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ Kennedy theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate othy preceded death by his son, Kyle; his Kleinbeck and was precedmother and father; and his ed in death by his parents and his brother Don Draaybrother, Pete. er. Jim passed from chronic Finally, Jerry counted as heart failure complicated family his 25 doctoral stuby advanced prostate can- dents of whom he was excer. ceedingly proud. He will be deeply Honoring Jim's wishes, missed and lovingly rethe family will hold no for- membered. mal services. In lieu of flowers or memorial donations, the family asks that you honor Jim's memory by taking someone you love fishing, sharing time together, and creating memories that will last a Edmonds, Sarah lifetime. Goff 'Dodie'

Draayer, Dr. Jerry Paul

Jerry Paul Draayer passed into eternal life on September 13, 2026, at the age of 84, following a long and valiant battle with cancer. Jerry's life was a remarkable journey, from humble beginnings on a Minnesota farm to an internationally recognized career in theoretical nuclear physics. Born in Hollandale, Minnesota, on August 18, 1942, to Bert H. and Hattie Draayer, Jerry never forgot the values he learned early in life and that would define him throughout his life: hard work, curiosity, generosity, and humility. Jerry earned his Ph.D. in physics and mathematics from Iowa State University and completed postdoctoral work at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, the University of Michigan, and the University of Rochester. He joined the faculty of Louisiana State University in 1975 and remained closely associated with LSU for more than five decades, serving as the Roy P. Daniels Professor of Physics and Distinguished Research Master. During that time, Jerry also served as chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, as a director for the Louisiana Board of Regents, and for more than two decades as president and chief executive officer of the Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA). Jerry devoted his career to understanding the structure and behavior of atomic nuclei. Over the course of his career, Jerry published over 550 scientific articles and delivered over 200 invited lectures worldwide. His scientific contributions earned him election as a Fellow of the American Physical Society and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Jerry traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, and Central and South America pursuing his research while developing lasting relationships with colleagues. For all his professional accomplishments, Jerry remained deeply committed to family. He was married for 45 years to Lois Van Wyk Draayer, the mother of their three daughters, Leah, Sarah, and Martha. Jerry and Lois were actively involved at University Baptist Church, where Jerry remained a member until his passing. Lois's unexpected death in 2009 was a profound loss to Jerry and to their daughters and grandchildren. After Lois's death, Jerry married Hortensia Teresita Valdes, embracing her family as his own. He became a beloved stepfather, step-grandfather, and member of her extended family. These relationships brought him great joy and comfort in his later years. Jerry is survived by his beloved wife, Hortensia Teresita Valdes; her son John Delgado and his wife, Emily; their daughter Lucy Delgado; and her daughter Christina Valdes and her husband, Norman Eger. Jerry is also survived by his daughters and their families: Leah Draayer; her son Jamey McDowell and his wife, Emily, and their son Beckett; her daughter Claire Mahoney and her husband, William, and their two children; Sarah Draayer Milligan and her husband, Brent; their son Ben Milligan and his wife, Maddie; their daughter Anna Kate Modell and her husband, Joe; and their daughter Meghan Milligan. Martha Draayer Duncan and her husband, Kyle, and their children Joseph, Thomas, Michael, Rosemary, and Andrew. Jerry leaves behind his two sisters, Ruth Albright Kennedy and Dorothy

Homemaker, loving mother, and athletic enthusiast, Sarah "Dodie," passed away Tuesday, September 16 peacefully at home with her sons. Visitation is set for Tuesday Sept. 22 at 10:30, at St. James Episcopal Church with funeral following at noon. Dodie is survived by two sons, Walter Raymond Edmonds, III and wife Carol Albritton Edmonds of Edwards, MS, and Louis Todd Edmonds (Allison Laine McNemar), of Baton Rouge, LA. She has 9 grandchildren, Caroline Edmonds O'Cain and husband Kennith Trey O'Cain of Madison, MS, Raymond Stirling Edmonds and wife Courtney Jarell Edmonds of Greenwell Springs, LA, William Burden Edmonds and wife Courtney Powers Edmonds of New Orleans, LA, Kelly Edmonds Lemoine and husband Nathan Lemoine of Baton Rouge, LA, Sarah Elizabeth (Tessie) Edmonds of Baton Rouge, LA, Justin Scott Edmonds and wife Jessica Gray Edmonds, of Pensacola, FL, Clayton Ross Edmonds of St Robert, MO, Catherine Edmonds Dragovic and husband Sinisa Nino Dragovic of Baton Rouge, LA, and Jeannie Edmonds Smith and husband Steven Michael Smith, of Baton Rouge, LA. She is predeceased by her parents, William Maxwell Goff and Sarah Miller Goff, both of Enterprise, AL, her husband, Walter (Raymie) Raymond Edmonds, Jr. of Baton Rouge, LA, her sister Billie Goff Smiley of Baton Rouge, LA, and her son, Richard William Edmonds of Baton Rouge, LA. She has 17 great-grandchildren with whom she celebrated many a holiday and special events in her home. Born January 31, 1931 in Atlanta, GA, "Dodie" attended LSU and was a member of Phi Mu sorority. She was an active participant in swimming and diving at LSU. As a young adult she won many bowling and tennis awards, then she found her real passion and won many accolades in golf with eleven club championships at the Baton Rouge Country Club, and local, state, national senior olympic medals including a silver medal in the National Senior Olympics. She was an active member of St. James Episcopal Church. She was also a member of the Baton Rouge Junior League. Those close to her claimed "she was the best cook in Baton Rouge." A special thank you to her wonderful caregivers, Pinnacle Hospice and to Jackie Harris, her Godsend. Honorary pallbearers are Burden, Raymond, Justin and Clayton Edmonds. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to St. James Episcopal Church or to Pinnacle Hospice.

Grace, Janet Fenner

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grandparents. She went on to attend LSU, where she met her future husband, Bob Grace. The love, warmth, and mutual admiration that Bob and Janet enjoyed during their almost four decades of marriage made everything else possible. Janet built a successful career as a CPA and together, Bob and Janet created a wonderful life, welcoming twin daughters, Caroline and Elizabeth, followed two years later by their son, Michael. Janet's children were the heart and soul of her life. Janet was special - whip smart, tender, funny and profoundly strong. She met the joys and challenges that life presented to her with unwavering devotion, patience, courage, and grace. She cared deeply, laughed easily, and loved her friends and family for exactly who they were. To be loved by Janet was to know that you always had someone in your corner and not just anyone, but someone unfailingly honest, steadfast, and loyal. Janet treasured her friends, whether from her adolescence, Pi Beta Phi at LSU, or the ones she made everywhere she went, including at University United Methodist Church, where she grew in her faith and the Baton Rouge Duplicate Bridge Club, where her competitive spirit thrived. Janet cherished her annual beach trip with a special group of ladies. Janet never shied from competition, whether it was bridge, late night card games at the beach, or keeping the squirrels from raiding her fig tree, she faced all challenges head on. A lifetime voracious reader, Janet also enjoyed gardening, cooking, and dominating any challenger in Trivial Pursuit. Janet's cooking and hosting were legendary. Everything she made was exceptional but especially beloved favorites included her chicken fricassee, cornbread dressing, oven roast, honey pecan chicken, smoked beef tenderloin, and hot water cornbread. Anyone lucky enough to have eaten any of her meals knows what a gift she had and that she loved nothing more than to share it. Janet's beautiful spirit will live on in the hearts and minds of everyone who was lucky enough to know her and feel the glow of being known and loved by her. Janet was preceded in death by her mother, Marilyn Norman Fenner; her father, Robert DeWayne Fenner; her stepmother, Ruth Fenner; stepbrother, James "Jimmy" Shaver; and loving grandparents, Hubert and Ruth Fenner, and Alvin & Alice Norman. She is survived by her beloved husband, Bob Grace; her children, Caroline Capps (John), Elizabeth Bandera (Jeff), and Michael Grace; her Aunt Priscilla; her brothers and sister, Gary Fenner, Keith Fenner (Kayla), Alan Fenner, Bob Shaver (Linda), Chuck Shaver, and Malancy Rosenzweig (Mike); as well as many cherished cousins, nieces, nephews. Janet received and cherished every note of support over the last few years with sincere gratitude. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Denise, Janet, Kathy, Mona, Barbara, Mendi, Bettie, Kay, Dr. Minsky, and the wonderful staff in the Butterfly Wing. Janet's wishes were for a private family ceremony followed by a celebration of life. The celebration of life reception will be held at the Burden Museum and Gardens Welcome Center on Sunday, September 20, 2026 and friends of Janet and the family are free to stop by any time between 4 p.m and 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Neuromuscular Disease Foundation or plant your favorite tree in her honor.

Carnegie Mellon University, completed postdoctoral work at the Royal Institute of Great Britain with Nobel Laureate Sir George Porter and was an NIH Post Doctoral Fellow at Northwestern University with Paul Loach. He received his PhD from the University of Minnesota. He came to Baton Rouge in 1973 to join the Chemistry faculty at LSU and became a valued member of the university community. With prestigious sabbaticals at MIT and Cal Tech, he was published in numerous scientific journals and received honors and awards for his work. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 2010, the same year he married Cathy. In addition to significant accomplishments in his research and teaching career, Brian was endlessly endeavoring to learn new skills. When his children were young, he began experimenting in the kitchen, much in the same way he did in the chemistry lab. He became an avid cook who loved reading books about cooking, watching cooking shows, grocery shopping, and preparing all meals he and Cathy ate at home. This included many memorable dinner parties he and Cathy hosted on their back porch with its BBQ Palace. Brian was a theater buff and amateur actor, taking leading and supporting roles in several local plays. Also a movie enthusiast, he could easily recall actors, directors, movies, and television shows from years past. Add to this scuba diving, juggling and the violin. Brian and Cathy enjoyed traveling near and far with friends as well as in their RV, dubbed the Road Pirogue. A favorite tradition became their annual trek to Montana, taking different off-highway routes to explore the country. They also loved quick escapes to their beach condo in Mississippi, always with the dogs in tow. Although Brian had never had a dog before his marriage to Cathy, he quickly learned the meaning of "dog love" through Venus, a rescue pet that remained their beloved companion for fourteen years. Brian especially cherished his daughters and their families and was in constant contact with them long distance. One of his special joys was watching his grandchildren grow into young adults. Brian was preceded in death by his parents, Douglas and Wanda Hales, his brothers, Doug and Greg Hales, and the mother of his children, Jacqueline Hales. He is survived by his wife, Cathy Coates; his daughters, Mariesa Howe (Paul) of Rochester, NY and Allison Espeseth (Scott) of Madison, WI, and his grandchildren, Quentin and Stella Howe and Reuben and Gertie Espeseth. Brian will be remembered for his sense of humor and quick wit, his breadth of knowledge, and his delight in the last chapter of his life. Most of all, he will be remembered for the love he shared with Cathy, his family, his friends and his pets. They were all important parts of his life, as he was of theirs and he will be deeply missed. Funeral services will be held on September 24 at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 2025 Stuart Ave. Visitation

begins at 10am and the funeral at 11am, followed by a private reception at their home. Memorial donations may be made to Companion Animal Alliance at caabr.org, the ALS Association of Louisiana at als.org - specify Louisiana, or The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana at nature.org specify Louisiana.

Moran, Hattie B.

Church, Highway 621, Gonzales, Louisiana 70737, on September 25, 2026, from 9:30 am to 11:00 am, followed by a Catholic Funeral Mass at St. Mark Catholic Church on September 25, 2026, at 11:00 am. A Committal Service will take place at Lake Cemetery in Saint Amant, LA, on September 25, 2026, at 12:30 pm.

Munch, John Martin

Hattie Bell Moran, 95, of Gonzales, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 17, 2026. She was born on July 30, 1931, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was a lifelong member of the community. Hattie attended Gonzales High School and was a devoted member of St. Mark's Catholic Church. Hattie was a woman who loved her family deeply and lived a life filled with hard work, creativity, and love. She enjoyed following in her husband's footsteps, helping with the work of everyday life—from bailing hay to building fences. She also had a special talent for decorating. Each Christmas, Hattie would decorate and string Christmas lights in a way that became a treasured Gonzales tradition, with people lining up to come see her beautiful displays. One of Hattie's greatest passions was sewing. She lovingly made clothes for her children and grandchildren, eventually turning her talent and love of sewing into a career. She especially enjoyed hand-beading bridal gowns, putting countless hours of care and craftsmanship into each one. Her work was not simply a career—it was an expression of her creativity, generosity, and love. Hattie's greatest joy was her family. She is survived by her daughter Diane Williams; Son Jimmie Moran(Carol),Daughter Sheron Fontenot(Dawson),Daughter in law Pamela Jane Moran, Son;Danny Moran(Pamela);Son Glen Moran. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren and 42 great -grandchildren, who will carry her memory and the love she gave them throughout their lives. Hattie was preceded in death by her parents, A. Paul Bourgeois and Luse Babin Bourgeois; her beloved husband, Dewey "By-June" Moran; her son, Earl John Moran Sr., Son in law Ronald Williams Sr. and her granddaughter Abbi Moran. Those honored to serve as pallbearers are her son, Glen Moran, and her grandsons, Ronald K. Williams Jr.,Jamie Fontenot,Jason Moran,Earl Moran Jr.,and Casey Moran. Hattie will be remembered for her strong work ethic, creative hands, generous heart, devotion to her family, and the beautiful traditions she created. Her love will live on through the many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren whose lives she touched. Visitation will be held at St. Mark Catholic Church, 42021 Highway Gonzales,

A loving husband, father, and grandfather passed away on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond, LA. He was a current resident of Amite and a former resident of Metairie. He was born June 2, 1943, in New Orleans, LA, and was 83 years of age. He is survived by his son, Jason Munch and wife, Bridgette; daughter, Jessi Munch Maurin and husband, Daniel; 2 grandchildren, Emma Maurin and Maddie Maurin; brother, Buddy Munch and wife, Sandra; sister, Missy Marr and husband, Phineas; sister-in-law, Rita Munch; and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by his parents, Clyde and Catherine Munch; wife, Joy Comeaux Munch; and brother, Billy Munch. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 12:00 pm until Memorial Services at 2:00 pm on Saturday, September 26, 2026. Services conducted by Rev. Wayne Yates. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Tunnel to Towers Foundation or Wounded Warrior Project. McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, in charge of arrangements. For an online guestbook, visit http://ww w.mckneelys.com.

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CALL NOW FOR FREE CONSULTATION! Janet Lynn Fenner Grace — a devoted wife, mother, and cherished friend, passed away on September 4, 2026. Janet was born on June 22, 1957, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Her family later settled in Shreveport, where she spent many summers in Oil City on Caddo Lake with her

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Nash, DDS, Robert Paul

Robert Paul Nash, DDS, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on September 16, 2026, at the age of 85. He was born on March 25, 1941, in Terre Haute, Indiana, to Paul Henry and Helen Marie Hudson Nash. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Memorial Service at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Unity Church of Christianity, 15255 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge. A Memorial Visitation will be held at the church beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Noland, John Burden

John Burden Noland died in Highlands, NC, on Tuesday, September 8, after a long illness. He was born August 7, 1946, in Natchitoches, Louisiana to Rev. Iveson B. Noland and Nell Burden Noland. The family moved to church parishes in Charlotte, NC and Lake Charles, LA. When John was 5, the family moved to Alexandria, LA where he attended Rugg Elementary until age 13. He then attended Christ School, an Episcopal boys boarding school in Arden, North Carolina, graduating with Honors. John went to UNC on a Morehead Scholarship. He was a member of the Zeta Psi fraternity. He graduated in 1968, having completed his first year of law school. He returned to Baton Rouge with his wife, Virginia, also a Baton Rougean. John graduated in 1970 from LSU Law School. They have lived here with their family for the following 59 years. After graduation he practiced law with Breazeale, Sachse and Wilson for fifteen years. He retired and then became a part-time US Magistrate judge. John left the law practice and began a successful business career. He formed several meaningful business partnerships: AllStar Automotive with Matt McKay, real estate development with Lindsey Landreneau and Robert Peek, and Roto-Rooter with Larry Musgrove, among others. John served on a number of boards during his lifetime. He enjoyed being a member of Coca Cola Bottling United Company board in Birmingham, AL. He was a founder and board member of St James Place retirement home. He was a long-serving board member and a leader of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. He was also

25 years of season tickets and tailgating and showing their support with their car horn that played the LSU fight song (happy tooter!) He was a very giving man, serving at St. Gerard and St. George Catholic churches for years as an usher, and always at the church fairs. An active member of the Knights of Columbus, Louis achieved the rank of 4th degree Knight. He also loved camping, fishing at False River, and barbecuing or boiling crawfish in the backyard with family and friends. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Barbara and their children, Pamela Rogge, Louis C. Rogge, Jr. (Patty), Cindy Dupuy (Bryan), and Roxanne Maddie (Scott). Louis was an adoring Paw-Paw to his grandchildren, Ryan Rogge (Rebecca), Jesse Bjorndahl (Nicole), Landon Rogge (Jane), Hannah Wayts (Kevin), Mason Maddie, and Kennan Rogge (Miriam), as well as greatgrandchildren, Grayson & Hope Rogge, Emmett, Jane & Violet Bjorndahl, Josiah Rogge, Ryker & Addie Wayts, and Alexandra & Theodora Rogge; his youngest brother, Roy; and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his daughter, Sandra Kay; his sister, Evelyn Louise; his brothers, Eddie, Norman and Leo; sister-in-law, Evelyn, Jeannette and Brenda; and son-in-law, Ted Barkhoefer. A celebration of Louis' life will be held on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at St. George Catholic Church with visitation from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. followed by a graveside service at Greenoaks Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Ryan Rogge, Jesse Bjorndahl, Landon Rogge, Mason Maddie, Kennan Rogge and Adam Rogge. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to either Wounded Warrior Project or St. Jude Children's Hospital in his memory. Special thanks to all the amazing caregivers and staff who cared for Louis at the Louisiana War Veteran's Home in Jackson, Louisiana, for the past ten years.

the head of the LISC (Local Initiative Support Corporation) board for nearly 15 years, which then evolved into the Redevelopment Authority. John was devoted to his communities, particularly the Episcopal church and its schools; he served on the boards of Episcopal School in Baton Rouge and of Christ School in North Carolina. He served on the vestry of St James Church, where he was also a chalice bearer. He was awarded the NCCJ Annual Brotherhood Award, shared with Eula Smith, in 2001. He was an enthusiastic and tireless traveller and cook. He cherished his many years in Pecan Island as a member of the Section 14 duck club. John was also a past president and lunchtime regular of the Baton Rouge City Club. He is predeceased by his parents and his older brother, Iveson (Butch) Noland. John is survived by his wife Virginia Bailey, his son John B. Noland, Jr, his daughter Scott Hickson, his son-in-law James Hickson and his grandchildren, Nell and Wingate Hickson and John B. Noland, III and Fairfax Noland. He is also survived by his brother Daniel Noland and his wife Pat, and his sister-in-law Judy Noland. The funeral will be held at St James Church on September 25th, with visitation from 9-11 am and the service at 11:30. The family would like to thank Goldie Wilson, the caregivers of At Home Care of Louisiana and the compassionate staff of Hospice of Baton Rouge. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial gifts to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation or St James Episcopal Church.

Rogge Sr., Louis Clarence

Schneider, Carmel Elizabeth 'Jill'

Louis C. Rogge, Sr., loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, passed to his heavenly reward on Friday, September 11, 2026, at the age of 93. Louis was the fourth son born to Edward S. and Louise (Landry) Rogge and was a life-long resident of Baton Rouge, LA. Upon graduating from Catholic High in 1951, he joined the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Japan during the Korean Conflict, where he met the love of his life, Barbara Poey, who was also serving in the U.S. Air Force. They were soon married in Tokyo, the first of three wedding ceremonies (a story they never tired of telling) and celebrated 72 years of marriage in July. Their love and commitment to one another remained steadfast and inspiring to those around them, a tremendous example of what a marriage based on love, faith and commitment could be. Louis was devoted to his faith, family and friends. He always had a smile on his face, and he never met a stranger. He worked as a machinist for the LSU College of Chemistry and Physics for 33 years and was an avid LSU football fan. He & Barbara enjoyed

A gifted artist, an amazing mother, grandmother, sister and friend, Carmel Elizabeth "Jill" Schneider of Baton Rouge passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. She was 89 years old. Jill was born in Elyria, Ohio in 1937 to Carmel Lundin and John Lester "Bud" Schneider. After an early childhood spent in Ohio, New Orleans and Lafayette her family settled in Baton Rouge where she lived the rest of her life. She graduated from St. Joseph's Academy in 1955 and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from LSU. Years later she returned to LSU and completed her Master of Social Work degree, one of her proudest achievements. A devoted mother, Jill raised her children with love and affection always offering them strength, guidance and encourage-

ment. She enjoyed family sailing outings on Lake Pontchartrain and annual trips to Pensacola Beach. She loved her travels to the California coast, Alaska, Hawaii and Colorado when her children lived there. Egypt and Italy were favorites of her international trips along with a transatlantic crossing aboard the Queen Mary. Jill served as Director of Admissions at Our Lady of the Lake Tau Center during its founding years in the early 1980s. She had a passion for helping others and was a patient and thoughtful listener. Her advice was grounded in deep knowledge from her years of clinical social work as well as her genuine authentic character. She brought compassion and understanding to her work. Jill was selfless, generous and resilient throughout her life. Her gracious tenderness touched countless lives leaving a lasting impression on all who had the privilege of knowing her. Deeply committed to her Catholic faith, Jill was a member of the Carmelite community and devoted to the Adoration Chapel at Our Lady of Mercy. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Anne Marie Schneider Fargason, infant granddaughter Elizabeth Frances Carpenter and Jerry Wray Anderson, father of her three children. Jill is survived by her children Julie Anderson Carpenter of Atlanta, GA, Kathryn Anne Anderson and Eric Edward Anderson both of Baton Rouge; her five grandchildren Christian Diederick Anderson of Arcata, CA, Paige Carpenter (Preston) Cope of USVI, John Michael "Jack" (Annie) Carpenter of Charlotte, NC, Scott Richard Carpenter and Kevin Hogan (partner Melissa Rios) Carpenter both of Atlanta, GA and her five great grandchildren. Her siblings John Lester Jr. "Jack" (Jacqueline) Schneider of Spring, TX, Mary Beth (Fred Roy) Matthews of Baton Rouge, Charles Michael "Mike" (Anne) Schneider also of Spring, and James Walter "Jim" (Cindi) Schneider of McKinney, TX, along with numerous nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, September 28, 2026, at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 445 Marquette Ave. Baton Rouge. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. followed by mass at 10:00 a.m. and a reception at the Parish Activity Center.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 5B

pletion of service, Sandy will be brought to Osyka, MS for graveside service at 1:30pm, where he will be laid to rest beside his wife. Sandy was born December 6, 1952, to Edward Earl and Mary Iona Forbes Sims. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife of forty-four years, Dinah Lee Ott Sims — his high school sweetheart, soulmate, and very best friend. He is survived by his two children, Alluwee "Alli" and her husband Dave Roberts of Baton Rouge, LA, and Charles Sanders Sims Jr. "Little Sandy" and his wife Meagan of Osyka, MS. His sister Donna Sims and his brother Ed Sims and his wife Aimee. His sisters-inlaw Sally and her husband Dudley Lampton of Brookhaven, MS, Gina and her husband Jay Alvaro of Austin, TX, and Kayla Blackwell of Gonzales, LA. Grandchildren Allegra Theodora Forstmann, Culver Vail Sims, Isabel Grace Roberts, and Truett Anderson Sims, as well as many nieces and nephews. Sandy was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend whose life was centered around family and the people he loved. The family he and Dinah built was his greatest accomplishment. He was a man who left an impression on those around him, a strong presence that would not stall in any situation. He had his code as a man and did not stray from it. Sandy graduated from Broadmoor High School, where he met Dinah Lee. He was an entrepreneur his whole life — he could take little of nothing and make it great. He founded Aardvark, later ran the Sno Biz territory for Mississippi and Louisiana, and went on to multiple construction projects and investment properties. He loved to hunt, to fish, and to be outside enjoying God's creation, especially squirrel hunting with his brother Ed and their father, Earl. Sandy and Dinah shared a love that began when they were young and grew through a lifetime together. The years after Dinah's passing were filled with a vast void, and the days were never the same. He will be remembered through the time he spent, the stories he told, the songs he sang, the laughter he shared, and the love he had. We will miss our Daddy and Big Poppa in everything we do for the rest of our lives but rejoice in knowing that he is home with the Lord and the love of his life, our beautiful Dinah Lee.

Sims, Charles Sanders 'Sandy'

Skal, Fred

Charles Sanders Sims Sr. "Sandy," 73, a resident of Osyka, MS, went to be with the Lord in his home, Thursday, September 17, 2026. Visitation will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 11000 Florida Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm and Wednesday 9:00am until funeral service at 11:00am. Upon com-

Fred Skal, Sr., 78, a native of Pennsylvania and resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away peacefully at his home on August 27, 2026. Fred is survived by his beloved wife, Karen; his children, Fred John Skal, Jr. (Trisha), Shelley, Shawn (Thesia), and stepdaughter Kristy (Cory); his sister, Sandra; his grandchildren, Josh, Katelyn (Trey), Lau-

ren, Brandan, Ethan, Devin, Erika, Tatum, Jewel, and Helen; and his greatgrandchildren, Demi and Braelynn. Fred is preceded in death by his parents, Frank Skal and Dorothy Hardy; his brother, Dan Skal; and his stepson, Scott Gogreve.

Visitation will be held at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church at 9:00 a.m., followed by a Catholic mass at 10:00 a.m. on September 24, 2026.

St. Amant, Philemon Andrews 'Phil'

Born in Baton Rouge on 6 October 1941 to (then) Lieutenant Philemon A. and Mrs. Corinne L. St. Amant, died on 10 September 2026, at the age of 84. As the son of a career military officer, Phil enjoyed the traditions of an Army upbringing. During World War II, he and his mother resided in Baton Rouge with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred D. St. Amant, while his father was assigned to the European Theater of Operations. After the war, the family followed his father's 20-year military career, both at home and overseas. Phil attended schools in North Carolina, Maryland and California, before moving to Germany, where he lived for three years during the occupation in Bad Kissingen, Stuttgart, Würzburg and Oberammergau. When he returned to the United States in 1952, he continued his schooling in Missouri and North Carolina, where he graduated from Fayetteville Senior High as the valedictorian of the Class of 1959. He was appointed to West Point by Senator Allen J. Ellender and received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1963. He was commissioned a second lieutenant of artillery, and after attending the Field Artillery Officers Basic Course at Ft. Sill, OK, and the Army's Basic Airborne Course at Ft. Benning, GA., he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, NC, where he served with the 319th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment. He volunteered for assignment to Vietnam, and after being promoted to first lieutenant, was transferred in 1965 to the US Military Assistance Command in Pleiku, where he was assigned first as a Regional/Popular Forces Advisor, and then as a battalion advisor to the 37th ARVN field artillery battalion. Upon his return to the United States, he attended the Field Artillery Officers Career Course at Ft. Sill, OK, and Ft. Bliss, TX, and was subsequently assigned as a battery commander and assistant operations officer in the Officer Candidate Program, after which he was sent again to Vietnam, where he served as a fire direction officer for the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment and then as commander of a field artillery battery of the 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery in the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile). At the

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OUR VIEWS

High absenteeism is the urgent crisis education leaders think it is When Louisiana education leaders started to shift greater focus to fighting high rates of absenteeism in schools, we gave them credit for recognizing that the remarkable gains the state is witnessing need to be shared among the broadest student population possible. Now, after a new program to combat absenteeism launched last year, the state is seeing some gains. But the problem remains much more stubborn than perhaps first thought. Recent data show that a little under 22% of public school students were chronically absent during the 2025-26 academic year, just a 1% drop over the previous year. While that marks the second year of absenteeism dropping, still more than 1 in 5 students in Louisiana schools is chronically absent. That’s unacceptable to us, and to education officials, who have a goal to cut absenteeism by 2% each year. What’s going on is hard to pinpoint. The data show that chronic absenteeism actually declined in two-thirds of school districts in the state. But there are pockets where the rates are at alarming levels. In East Baton Rouge and Orleans, for instance, the rate of chronic absenteeism tops 30%. Chronic absenteeism is defined as including students who miss at least 10% of school days. It should be obvious that with that many missed days, students are in danger of falling behind or even dropping out, and research on graduation rates confirms that. Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley has said that truancy and absenteeism “minimized” the gains students across the state have made in recent years. But we have to give it to Brumley and his team for the truly remarkable progress in Louisiana schools since the pandemic. Absenteeism grew during COVID shutdowns across the nation and has not returned to the level it was before, raising the worrying possibility that this could become the new normal. But state education officials aren’t throwing their hands up and wondering what to do. They are doubling down on their guidance to schools, known as “The Power of Presence.” It requires schools to track absenteeism daily and intervene when they see problems. There is also a three-person team at the state level that makes contact with schools that have high absentee rates and helps them figure out strategies. Sometimes the key to getting kids to school can be surprisingly simple. Giving out free uniforms and encouraging participation in extracurriculars like band can have a tremendous effect. But the team isn’t just relying on anecdotes; it’s tracking what schools do and analyzing data on what really works. The state has also set aside $6 million for attendance specialists to work directly with struggling districts. It’s this kind of evidence-based approach that has turned around Louisiana schools in recent years. And we hope it will help keep more students in school to benefit from the change.

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

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Clergy must balance sanctuary, security In what now feels like a lifetime ago, I studied to become a Protestant pastor. The curriculum, as you might expect, included theology, Greek, Hebrew, Bible study and pastoral ministry courses. Not included in classes I took: threat identiﬁcation, tactical takedowns and ﬁrearm safety. In Faimon the late 1990s and early Roberts 2000s, when I was in the midst of my studies, my professors thought the biggest threats to churches were the secularization of culture and perhaps postmodern thought. How quaint. As illustrated in a recent story by this newspaper’s Bob Warren, pastors — and indeed clergy of any faith — must keep security near the top of their to-do lists along with that week’s homily. When I started my studies, mass shootings felt like aberrations. Now, they are a disturbingly frequent reality. So now, in addition to preparing to answer life’s thorniest and deepest questions, clergy must also consider sightlines, panic buttons, ingress and egress and whether volunteer ushers should get trained in how to spot potential problems. “Those things don’t exactly go to-

Even so, Warren’s story is jarring. There is something troublingly incongruous about contemplating the inﬁnite while sitting next to someone trying to decide if the newcomer in the corner is a menace or an earnest seeker. The fact that such measures are needed should be sad to anyone, religious and irreligious alike. One need not be devout to recognize that meditaSTAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER tion, prayer and community are things The Rev. Fred Devall stands inside St. that should be practiced away from Martin’s Episcopal Church in Metairie as the intrusions of a tumultuous world. the church transitions from its old pews Houses of worship are meant to be sanctuaries, places where the weary, to new ones. the hurting and the marginalized can ﬁnd welcome and care, not suspicion gether, right?” the Rev. Fred Devall, of and a pat-down. They should be places where a person can come and contemSt. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Metairie, told Warren. “But this is where plate purpose, eternity and truth. we are.” Clergy and church leaders can hardMany local churches have uniformed ly be blamed for wanting to protect cops on campus during services. Oththeir congregants from harm. It’s no ers include plainclothes police in their accident that the image of a shepherd is common in the Abrahamic religions: plans, Warren found. Devall is right: This is where we are. Shepherds aren’t just there to guide the sheep to green pastures. They also In fact, this is where we were, and are there to protect them from those have always been. Religious people who would do them harm. and places have been the targets of Back in the day, that protection violence for millennia. Often, the meant using a crook or a sling. Today, perpetrators of that violence believe it may mean cameras, armed guards they are acting in service to another and locked doors. religion. In an ideal world, these things don’t go together. In the world we live in, Email Faimon A. Roberts III at they do. froberts@theadvocate.com.

What’s for publication based on standards, not feelings Working in media, you have to be guments for both sides of any issue — open to criticism. After all, journalists even if I feel strongly one way or anare often the ones ﬁnding fault with oth- other. Any position based on facts and solid reasoning has a chance to win me ers, so we have to be willing to accept over. Good writing helps, too. criticism of our work as well. I Some things are obviously try to have a thick skin when it against our standards, includcomes to reader feedback. There’s no way for readers ing vulgarity or obscenity and to know the many factors that falsehoods. But with opinions, often go into decisions about sometimes the lines are not so what we publish. Just recclear. Arnessa What if certain facts are in ognize that decisions are not Garrett dispute? What if the obscenities made willy-nilly. have been uttered by public ofWhatever we accept or reject for publication must meet our stanﬁcials? Are assumptions about a future dards. That may seem subjective, but I that may not come to pass treated the same as fact? These are the kinds of don’t see it that way. If we can’t clearly articulate reasons things that we weigh carefully. We want all the content we publish why something shouldn’t be published, to provoke thought and to possibly then I lean toward publishing. It’s not spur change. We don’t want, however, about what we like or dislike. We all to promote inaccurate views or rants have our own viewpoints, but the goal designed solely to stir up passions. It’s in Opinions is to have a wide range of a delicate balance, and one that I take voices, even if we personally hold difseriously. ferent views. Our loyal readers really appreciate It helps that I was a debater in my high school days, so I can often see ar- writing that moves them and well-

thought-out ideas. I know because I hear from you. I hear when you like a piece. I hear when you think we made a mistake in publishing something that wasn’t fully baked. I hear when you feel that we aren’t presenting a good range of views. I hear when you think we published something just to appear balanced. And believe me, I value this feedback. Sometimes we don’t get it right. Having an engaged audience who will call us out on it helps make us better. So keep sending feedback, even if it isn’t for publication. We are listening and continually trying to get it right. You might not always agree with our decisions, but know they are the result of a lot of considerations. I don’t have a count of letters for you this week, but we’ll update you next week on the topics that drew the most responses from readers. Arnessa Garrett is Deputy Editor | Opinion Page Editor. Email her at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com.

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COMMENTARY As antisemitism rages, La. Jewish memoirs give hope With Yom Kippur beginning at sundown today and various measurements showing antisemitism raging near all-time highs, it’s worth recognizing not one but two notable memoirs of sorts, both published in the past ten months, by Louisiana natives whose families were Jewish but who only truly embraced their faith in very recent years. The parallels and insights between the two books are fascinating. So are some lessons for Quin us all. Hillyer The background actually starts in 1990 when, upon the death of the notably Catholic Louisiana novelist Walker Percy, younger novelist and Percy protégé Nancy Lemann of New Orleans said Percy “was the first person who gave me ... some interest and pride in being Jewish,” with several more sentences along those lines. For 35 years, that testimonial both impressed and puzzled me: How did a Catholic help a Jew find pride in being Jewish? One answer came in March, with the publication of “Returning: A Search for Home Across Three Centuries,” by Lemann’s accomplished journalist brother Nicholas Lemann. As Nicholas wrote, he and Nancy grew up in a household where “we wanted to be Jews of whom Jewishness demanded very little.” He had gone “off to college never having tasted any of the suite of familiar Jewish foods: bagels, lox, kugel, matzoh, gefilte fish, latkes. ... I had never been to a bar mitzvah or a bris. We never

trum (whose names I won’t even dignify) are increasingly open in ascribing multifarious evils to Jewish influence. And no, this isn’t just about policies of the Israeli government; what we see is animus, completely unwarranted, against Jews in general. Voters should not reward the hatemongers. And in our day-to-day lives, none of us should countenance any expressions we hear of, much less actions in service of, any degree of antisemitism. A fascinating aspect of Weill’s book was that while a major impetus for him returning to his forebears’ religion was the dayafter shock of Hamas’ murderASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO ous Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, it turned out that he found so The Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, is in Jerusalem’s Old City. much more than rage at the horror. lit Hanukkah candles.” anchor of my faith, my secular Jews at all income levels make He discovered, he wrote, that Anglo-Saxon Protestant that I version of spirituality. It was all charitable donations, and at larg- he “wasn’t a 10/8 Jew, although am, I somehow hadn’t realized there, having all the components er amounts, than do non-Jews — the thought crossed my mind this was a thing: almost comof a faith-based existence: life, as I sat there. I was a 1360 Jew, that makes it even more bizarre death, morality, ethics, gratitude, and inexcusable that Jews for so the year my family’s progenitor, pletely and intentionally nonhelping others.” Juda Weill, was born.” many centuries have been tarpracticing Jews. Yet both Lemann and Weill, in In other words, he was atBut three months before Nichogets for exclusion, maltreatment, tremendously moving prose, expogroms and the Holocaust. las Lemann’s book was pubtracted to a culture much richer, Louisiana’s Jewish philanthromuch deeper, much more appeallished, so was “Tell Me I Belong: plain how and why they stopped A Journey Across Faiths and being what Lemann’s editor once py has been particularly abuning, than anything that could be Generations,” by my high school called him — “not a Jewy Jew” — dant, with names familiar in New defined merely by victimhood or classmate David Weill, widely and instead migrated back to (in terror. Orleans such as Judah Touro, recognized as one of the nation’s Weill’s words) “embracing Juda- Isidore Newman, and Edgar and Or, as Lemann wrote, “All the foremost organ-transplant surEdith Stern, while Lucile Jacoby Jewish practices carry with them ism, because it is mine, always was. It just took me a while to get Blum founded both the Louisiana a hope, a longing for something geons. As it happens, Weill had that only rarely is reached.” Council of Music and the Perthere.” much the same experience as Yom Kippur is a day of both And Lemann writes that “it Lemann, having German-Jewish forming Arts and the Louisiana atonement and renewal. These feels as if there is more to learn, roots (Weill’s father fled the State Arts Council. two books by distinguished Holocaust) but growing up in Up- a more profound moral code, Still, the aforementioned antimore to build a life around, in the semitism grows measurably and Louisianans are testaments to town New Orleans with almost renewal, writ large. Jewish tradition.” no Judaic practices. frighteningly worldwide (the It is that moral code, a wonder- evidence is voluminous), and Indeed, so entirely secular was he that in early adulthood, “the political figures on both sides of Email Quin Hillyer at quin. fully beneficent one — statistipractice of medicine was the hillyer@theadvocate.com cally, a far greater percentage of the American ideological spec-

Can Davis, other underdog Black candidates, deliver a surprise win? It’s hard for a Black man to become governor of a state or to become a U.S. senator. Very few Black people have served as governor in this country. None of them have been Black women. Only three of the six were elected. Louisiana played a central role in that history. Two of those men were Louisiana governors. It was the Reconstruction era. It wasn’t unusual for Black Will Sutton people to hold elected office. In 1868, Oscar Dunn was the first Black man to be elected lieutenant governor anywhere. Dunn stepped up as acting governor when the governor left the state to recover from an injury. He served in that role for 39 days. Then he died. Next up was the man whose name is better known: P.B.S. Pinchback, another Black man, who followed Dunn when the state Senate chose Pinchback, a Dunn rival, as governor after the sitting governor, whom Dunn temporarily replaced, was impeached and removed from office. Unlike Dunn, Pinchback took the oath of office and became governor. That lasted fewer than 40 days. That was more than 150 years ago. Louisiana hasn’t had a Black governor since. Showing how fickle politics can be, the Louisiana Legislature chose Pinchback to

be a U.S. senator. That election was challenged. White Democrats protested. He was denied his seat. It wasn’t until 2008 that the United States got another Black governor, after a sitting New York governor got embroiled in a sex scandal. He resigned. Lt. Gov. David Paterson ﬁnished that term, without being elected. There have been only three Black men elected governor: Virginia’s L. Douglas Wilder, 1990-1994; Massachusetts’ Deval Patrick, 2007-2015; and Maryland’s Wes Moore, since 2023, and seeking reelection this fall. Some have lined up to follow them. Several Black Democrats want to be governors: Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia; David Crowley in Wisconsin; Aaron Ford in Nevada; Jermaine Johnson in South Carolina. Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton wants to follow retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. In Florida, Black Republican U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly have been bouncing up and down in the polls. Only days ago, Jolly was leading Donalds by 3 percentage points — 47%44% — in a poll with a 2.8 percentage point margin of error and 9% of respondents undecided. Donalds would prefer a lead, of course, but that’s darn close. Three Black men are in the U.S. Senate: Democrat Cory Booker of New Jersey; Republican Tim Scott of South Carolina,

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Jamie Davis stands alongside the Davis Farms sign that pays tribute to his father in Lake St. John.

and Raphael Warnock of Georgia. In 2025, two Black women joined them: Democrat Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware. As I watch political trends across the country, I wasn’t sure Louisiana Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jamie Davis could win. Still, I’m more certain he’ll be more than competitive — and that he can win. Just days ago, the Congressional Black Caucus Institute started a campaign to get rural and Black voters in Southern states to vote, and The New York Times published a story about an energized Black electorate. In Georgia, a recent Rasmussen Reports poll had Republican Rick Jackson leading

Bottoms 48%-45% with 7% undecided. The good news for Bottoms: The poll’s margin of error was 3 percentage points — and 16% of those who identified themselves as unaffiliated said they are undecided. A lead would be better for Bottoms, but that looks pretty good to me right now. According to a recent poll, the Mississippi U.S. Senate race is competitive. An average of three recent polls showed Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith leading Black Democrat Scott Colom 45.9%-39.4%, a 6.5% difference. The margin of error was 4 percentage points — and about 13% said they are undecided. Not bad in ruby-red GOP Mississippi. A lead would be better for Colom, but that looks pretty good to me right now. Davis would like to be among the Black candidates to be elected this fall. If that were to happen, he’d be the first Black person from Louisiana to be elected — and seated — as a U.S. senator. How’s it looking? A few weeks ago, Republican Julia Letlow was leading Davis 41%-37%. Darn close in our ruby-red voting state. But there’s more. About 22% said they were undecided. A lead would be better for Davis, but that looks pretty good to me right now. Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.

Mother’s milk of politics has gone sour

but with a condition. Republicans “Money is the mother’s milk of must maintain their majorities politics,” said Jesse M. Unruh, in the House and Senate in order who in the ’60s was a powerful to get their “milk.” This is just a Democratic politician and speakshameless effort at vote buying, er of the California State Assemthough it is not without precbly. It is a disgrace, if much is disgraceful these days, that we edent. spend so much on getting people In 1972, Democrat presidential elected to Congress, who candidate George Mcdo little or nothing to solve Govern tried something real problems once they similar, promising to give get there. every American — regardAdImpact, the leading less of age or income — an advertising intelligence annual $1,000 cash grant. and market analytics comHe lost that race to RichCal pany, estimates more than Thomas ard Nixon. $3.4 billion will be spent In 1936, Congress overon this year’s midterms rode President Franklin across all races. In Texas alone, Roosevelt’s veto and disbursed an estimated $446 million will be $2 billion, amounting to $580 spent by November. per veteran of WWI. Presidents President Donald Trump wants Biden and Trump sent “stimulus to spend more. He has promised checks” to households during the every American a $5,000 check, COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump’s new promise has a different twist. Yes, Democrats do the same, though they try to be less obvious. There has always been “walking around money,” especially in Democrat precincts in Chicago, to turn out the vote for Democrat candidates. Today we have “dark money” from the likes of George Soros and other progressives, as well as money coming from other countries that is laundered through American PACs and other entities. There is a federal law against vote buying. It reads: “Whoever makes or offers to make an expenditure to any person, either to vote or withhold his vote, or to vote for or against any candidate; and whoever solicits, accepts, or receives any such expenditure in consideration of his vote or the withholding of his vote — Shall

be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if the violation was willful, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.” Don’t expect the Trump Justice Department to enforce that one, or even a DOJ under future Democratic presidents. Democrats are threatening to challenge the president’s proposed payout, but it’s difficult to see how they could do so in court before any checks have been issued and the incentive to vote is before the act. Afterward, it won’t matter, especially if Republicans hold on to or expand their congressional majorities. The president has not said where his proposed “bribes” will come from. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the Trump

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the

administration will not use tax dollars to pay them. Lutnick said there are several ways to raise the necessary cash to cover the estimated $1.2 trillion cost to pay 270 million U.S. adult citizens. The Washington Times reported, “…the money that could be generated from the Trump Platinum Card, which has not launched. The program requires immigration applicants to pay a $15,000 processing fee and an additional $5 million contribution to the U.S. government to be guaranteed citizenship.” That seems speculative. Milk can turn sour. So can the “mother’s milk” of politics. This political “bribe” ought to be distasteful and unpalatable to every American, regardless of party. Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@ tribpub.com.

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

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8B ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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TODAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Mostly sunny

An afternoon thunderstorm

Very hot

Warm with a t-storm in spots

Mostly sunny and warm

A sun-and-cloud mix

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

96° 73°

LOW

HIGH

95° 73°

LOW

97° 73°

94° 72°

HIGH

Beaumont 93/75 Port Arthur 91/75

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

Hattiesburg 97/72

Baton Rouge 96/73

Lake Charles 94/74

10s

20s

30s

Houma 93/72

40s

50s

60s

70s

80s

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

90s 100s 110s

FULL

SEP 26

City

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

YESTERDAY

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

PRECIPITATION

95°/68° 88°/68° 94°/67° 97° in 2018 47° in 1901

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

New Orleans 93/76

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

LOW

90° 69°

TEMPERATURE

Alexandria 97/71

Lafayette 95/75

HIGH

93° 68°

Jackson 98/73 Many 97/71

LOW

Baton Rouge through 5 p.m. Saturday

Longview 99/73

-0s

LOW

Monroe 100/73

Shreveport 99/74

-10s

HIGH

It’s looking like a mostly sunny to partly cloudy, hot and slightly more humid day today than yesterday. Temperatures this afternoon will rise to the mid-90s. With slightly higher dew points, which means higher humidity, our heat index values will rise to 105 degrees or higher. Be aware that our heat risk is back up to the moderate level for most of the Baton Rouge area and is expected to increase further tomorrow. Rain chances are up to 20%. The UVI is very high.

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

HIGH

3:11p 9:08a 4:09a 5:30a 5:01a 4:10a 6:09a

6:52 a.m. 7:04 p.m. 3:38 p.m. 12:53 a.m.

LAST

NEW

OCT 3

TODAY

90 99 63 89 69 99 72 95 95

71 74 56 70 59 76 50 76 74

FIRST

OCT 10

t c r t r t t s pc

OCT 18

92 100 65 91 64 92 74 96 94

MON. Lo

72 72 55 70 55 74 53 76 70

t t c t sh t s t pc

FT.

0.8 1.9 2.3 2.1 1.5 1.9 1.8

LOW

3:01a 9:40p 4:51p 8:58p 5:02p 3:16p 6:04p

0.00” 0.00” 2.95” 44.47” 46.41”

FT.

HIGH

0.1 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.4

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

FT.

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MODERATE

READING 97 MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

LOW

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

FT.

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

Today 7:11a 12:58a 7:36p Monday 7:56a 1:44a 8:20p Tuesday 8:39a 2:27a 9:03p Wednesday 9:20a 3:09a 9:43p Thursday 10:00a 3:49a 10:22p Friday 10:40a 4:29a 11:02p Saturday 11:23a 5:11a 11:45p

City

Los Angeles 82 Miami 88 Nashville 98 New york City 70 Philadelphia 77 Phoenix 101 St. Louis 92 San Francisco 67 Seattle 72

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

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

HOLIDAYS ARE COMING. COMPANY IS COMING.

TODAY

MODERATE

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

SAT. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

-0.40 14.20 17.50 6.10 4.00 2.98 3.40

+0.35 +0.22 none -0.40 -0.40 -0.44 -0.23

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18 29 8

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13 15

2.49 0.74

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47 34 29 20 12 6

6.31 4.32 2.89 3.47 2.90 2.03

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data as of 7 a.m. Saturday

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BOUNCING BACK: SOUTHERN REBOUNDS, OUTPLAAyS LOUISIANA CHRISTIAN IN HOME WIN, PAGE 6C

SPOR RTS

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

S u n d ay, S e p t e m b e r 20, 2026

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Vele proving wait is worth it Overlooked early in career, Saints wide receiver geetting attention now BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

For someone who has grown accustomed to waiting, Devaughn Vele did not have to spend much time wondering when he would get a chance to prove his worth. With the New Orleans Saints trailing 21-7 against the Detroit Lions and lining up for a ﬁrst-and-goal snap from the 1-yard line, Vele lined up as the outside receiver in a heavy personnel package. He shook the cornerback at the

snap with a shoulder shimmy and head fake, then looked back for the pass from quarterback Tyler Shough. The pass was not perfect, but it went where only Vele could get it. The 6-foot5 wide receiver dove for the pass, extending fully, and secured the catch for a touchdown that made it a one-score deﬁcit. By the time the game was over, Vele had hauled in seven of his nine targets for 69 yards and a touchdown. He will go into this week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens as a vital part of the

New Orleans offensive attack, having led all offensive skill position players in snaps (91%) in the season opener. But don’t expect Vele to start believing he’s arrived. “My whole career, I’ve been the underdog,” Vele said. “Never really wellknown, not one of those guys people talk about. I think it’s a situation where I’m used to it, and it allows me to keep my mind right and stay prepared when my number is called.”

OLE MISS

ä See SAINTS, page 8C

LSU

ä Saints at Ravens

NOON SUNDAy, CBS

Saints WR Devaughn Vele AP PHOTO By REy DEL RIO

REBELLION RECORD: 2-1 UP NEXT: VS. TEXAS A&M, 6:30 P.M. SATURDAy, ABC

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Ole Miss linebacker Keaton Thomas sacks LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt in the second quarter on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. LSU lost 32-24 in Kiffin’s long-awaited return.

Ole Miss holds off LSU rally to take down its former general Kiffin

Despite bitter defeat to Rebels, the Tigers didn’t lose everything in Oxford

BY JON BLAU

though the Amazon fulfillOXFORD, Miss. — Everyone got a little something they wanted ment center-sized stores of from Saturday night’s drahatred everyone assumed they were saving up for Kifmatic LSU-Ole Miss game. A nation that despises Lane fin never seemed to be fully Kiffin, regards LSU as an outunleashed. At least no one seemed to law athletic program and deScott lights in making much fun of Rabalais get hurt by folks hurling anyLouisiana when it isn’t hosting thing worse than insults out Mardi Gras or a Super Bowl of the Vaught-Hemingway got to watch him experience the pain Stadium stands. of a 32-24 defeat in his return to his Finally, LSU got something. Yes, former home. even in defeat, the Tigers could take Ole Miss certainly got what it something back to Baton Rouge bewanted — vindication against the sides an “L.” It was the opportunity man who left it at the College Footä See RABALAIS, page 5C ball Playoff altar in November,

Staff writer

OXFORD, Miss. — LSU coach Lane Kifﬁn’s return to Ole Miss did not fail to live up to its cinematic billing. This installment just cast Trinidad Chambliss and the No. 8 Rebels as the protagonists. Chambliss, the quarterback Kifﬁn snagged from Division II Ferris State before he bounced from Oxford to Baton Rouge, continued his Cinderella story in a 32-24 win Saturday in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, posting 363 yards passing and three total touchdowns.

“You can do great things, and then he does those Houdini plays,” Kiffin said of Chambliss, who led Ole Miss to a College Football Playoff semifinal last season. “He is what he is. He’s the most dynamic player in college football and he finished last year that way.” A year after his Ole Miss squad beat LSU in Oxford, which started Brian Kelly’s tumble toward the unemployment line, Kiffin switched sidelines but the result was the same. No. 7 LSU (2-1, 0-1 SEC) lost, as the Rebels (3-0, 1-0) exacted revenge on the man who left them at the altar of

ä See LSU, page 4C

2C ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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IN BRIEF

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV

AUTO RACING 11 a.m. NHRA: Qualifying FS1 1 p.m. NHRA Great Lakes Nationals FS1 2 p.m. SportsCar Championship NBC COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY 11 a.m. Virginia at North Carolina ACCN 11 a.m. Wake Forest at Maryland BTN WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL 1 p.m. Tennessee at Penn St. BTN 2 p.m. Louisville at Kentucky ABC 4 p.m. Texas A&M at Creighton FS1 GOLF noon Biltmore Championship GOLF 3 p.m. Korn Ferry Tour GOLF 5 p.m. PURE Insurance Championship GOLF

HORSE RACING America’s Day at the Races FS2 MLB noon Philadelphia at N.y. Mets MLBN 3 p.m. N.y yankees at Arizona MLBN 6 p.m. Milwaukee at Baltimore NBCSN NFL noon New Orleans at Baltimore CBS noon Carolina at Atlanta FOX 3:25 p.m. Washington at Dallas FOX 7:20 p.m. Indianapolis at Kansas City NBC NHL PRESEASON noon N.y. Islanders at New Jersey NHLN 4 p.m. Washington at Boston NHLN 7 p.m. Seattle at Calgary NHLN noon

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

MEN’S SOCCER 8 a.m. Genoa at Parma CBSSN 8 a.m. Sunderland at Man City NBCSN 8 a.m. Liverpool at AFC Bournemouth USA 9 a.m. Real Madrid at Atletico Madrid ESPN2 10:30 a.m. Man United at Fulham NBC 6 p.m. San Antonio at Sacramento ESPN2 WOMEN’S SOCCER 7:55 a.m. Nigeria vs. Colombia FS1 1 p.m. Houston at Boston CBSSN 4 p.m. Washington at Chicago ESPN TENNIS 1:30 p.m. Sao Paulo TENNIS WNBA 3 p.m. Washington at Indiana NBATV 6 p.m. Portland at Los Angeles USA 8 p.m. Seattle at Las Vegas CNBC

Bengals want to feed Chase more

Czechs defeat U.S. to reach final 8 in Davis Cup

The Czech Republic beat the United States to reach the Davis Cup quarterfinals after U.S. Open finalist Ben Shelton and Learner Tien both lost their singles matches on Saturday. Jakub Mensik beat Shelton 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to level the best-of-five series at 2-2 before Jiri Lehecka sent a roaring Prague crowd into raptures by beating Tien 6-3, 7-5 in the deciding singles. It was a second straight loss for Shelton, a day after he was beaten by Lehecka. American pair Christian Harrison and Austin Krajicek had made it 2-1 after winning their doubles match over Adam Pavlasek and Patrik Riki 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (8). Austria made the quarterfinals after Jurji Rodionov beat Belgium’s Zizou Bergs 7-6, 6-3 to build a 3-1 advantage.

BY CHARLIE GOLDSMITH Associated Press

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher put it in plain and simple terms after Ja’Marr Chase only recorded two catches for 12 yards in the season opener. “We didn’t throw him the ball enough,” Pitcher said on Wednesday as the Bengals prepared for Sunday’s game at Houston. “It’s pretty simple. We’ve got to throw him the ball more. He’s the best receiver in the world. That’s first and foremost.” The good news for the Bengals is that they scored 33 points in a Week 1 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they could have scored 40 points if they didn’t end up kneeling the ball inside the red zone to close out the fourth quarter. After going through a frustrating 2025 season for the team last season, Chase was happy to see the Bengals open 2026 with a 1-0 record. “What’s understood doesn’t need to be explained at the end of the day,” Chase said. “I think I held my attitude accountable. I didn’t flip. I didn’t do extra stuff. Acted like a pro. At the end of the day, I just want to win. As an athlete and as a competitor, the best thing I want to do is help my team, provide and win.” Chase’s performance in Week 1 totaled what was tied for the second-lowest number of receptions that he has had in a game in his NFL career and tied the secondlowest number of receiving yards that he has had in the NFL. Tampa Bay’s defensive coverages played a part in that. Wide receiver Tee Higgins got more one-on-one opportunities down the field than he often gets, and tight end Mike Gesicki was left open as he led the team five catches for 78 yards in Week 1. “They did a good job of taking

Shipley holds lead in Biltmore Championship

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Neal Shipley held onto a one-shot lead over Ben Kohles on Saturday in the inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville, making an eagle and a birdie on the two back-nine par 5s in his third straight bogey-free round. Shipley had a 21-under 192 total on The Cliffs at Walnut Grove. “Just going to keep doing what I’m doing,” Shipley said. “Keep being me and keep having fun out there. Keep that mindset of going out there, chasing birdies, and trying to get it as low as possible tomorrow.” The PGA Tour rookie also opened with a 65 and had a 62 on Friday in the ﬁrst of eight tournaments in the FedEx Cup Fall that determine the top 100 in the FedEx Cup who keep full cards for next season.

Pistons, Ausar Thompson agree to 5-year extension

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CAROLyN KASTER

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’marr Chase, right, can’t hang onto a pass as he is defended by Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jacob Parrish during a game on Sept. 13 in Cincinnati. some throws away,” Chase said about his low statline. “Yeah, they took some throws away, but I still had other opportunities to make an impact in the game. Joe probably just didn’t like what he saw. That’s why he’s the quarterback and I play receiver.” Still, the Bengals recognize the importance of getting Chase the ball more often going forward. “It’s less of a balance and more of a ‘we’ve got to get him involved,’ ” said quarterback Joe Burrow, who has been limited in practice this week with a back injury but is ex-

pected to play on Sunday. “I think that sentiment was echoed from a lot of different fronts after the game, and you can’t come out of a game like that and have Ja’Marr Chase touch the ball two times. That’ll certainly be an emphasis.” In Week 2, the Bengals will travel to face the Houston Texans. Even though Houston allowed 36 points in the season opener, the Texans’ defense is viewed as one of the best in the NFL. The Texans play a lot of aggressive coverages, challenging opposing teams to attempt aggressive plays against

them. Chase’s playmaking ability should make him a big factor in this matchup. He’ll also be going up against two-time All-Pro corner Derek Stingley, who was a teammate of Burrow and Chase’s at LSU. “He’s a big, physical corner, understands stems and splits, route concepts and, really in my opinion, has the best ball skills in the league at corner,” Burrow said. “So you have to be aware of where you’re throwing it and how you’re throwing it against that guy.”

Niners rookie RB Black eases the load on McCaffrey BY JOSH DUBOW

AP pro football writer SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The plan for the San Francisco 49ers to lighten the load for star running back Christian McCaffrey came to fruition in Week 1 with the threetime All-Pro having close to his fewest snaps, rushes and touches since joining the Niners. Rookie Kaelon Black had 14 carries for 65 yards in the 27-7 win over the Los Angeles Rams, becoming the ﬁrst San Francisco player with more carries than McCaffrey since 2022, excluding games that McCaffrey missed or left early with injuries. “I was a little surprised at the end just that Kaelon got more than Christian,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “That was just kind of how the game went. Has a lot to do with probably me starting out the game. I think I had like three runs in the ﬁrst 17 plays, but love taking some off Christian and love the fact that Kaelon was prepared for everything, the run game and the pass game, and allowed us to be able to do that.” While some of the shared workload had to do with McCaffrey dealing with cramps, it also was part of the plan to help protect the 30-year-old star. McCaffrey had just 10 carries in Week 1 and his 36 snaps were tied for his fewest in any game with San Francisco since 2022. McCaffrey, who has bristled in the past about questions regarding his heavy workload, was receptive to the situation in the opener and sees it as a potential benefit down the line, pointing to other top backs like Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson and Detroit’s

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MARK J. TERRILL

San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black, bottom, runs against Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Bud Dupree, top, during a preseason game on Aug. 20 in Inglewood, Calif. Jahmyr Gibbs, who were in job shares last season. “When you can keep backs fresh, it’s a good change of pace for defenses,” McCaffrey said. “It also can help keep the run game going. It doesn’t really eliminate people’s touches, especially if you’re running the ball well. I looked at some of the duos even last year with Bijan and Tyler Allgeier and Gibbs and (David) Montgomery. It was such a good way to keep people fresh and put them in plays when you need him.

He is good enough to do that.” The benefit was evident on the first drive of the second half. McCaffrey ripped off runs of 14 and 16 yards on the first two plays. He only had two carries of at least 14 yards in a game four times last season when his lack of burst led to a low number of explosive runs. Black also was able to do enough as a receiver with one catch and a blocker to earn the trust of position coach Bobby Turner to put him in the game even in passing

situations. Black hurt his groin in practice this week and is listed as questionable for the game Sunday against Miami. But the running is where he showed up the most. “I think aside from wanting a rotation with Christian to kind of spare him a little bit in the game, we just want to get Kaelon touches,” offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said. He’s a good player. He deserves touches. Anytime you got multiple players touching the ball who are affecting the game in that way, it’s a good thing for your offense.” The 49ers drafted Black 90th overall in April in what some draft experts considered a reach for a player who didn’t even earn a combine invitation. While San Francisco has a long history of midround running backs failing to produce since Shanahan took over in 2017, Black is showing he might end that trend and help give McCaffrey some needed rest. After being limited to four games because of injuries in 2024, McCaffrey was an ironman last season. He played 1,010 offensive snaps in the regular season and playoffs — just the ninth running back in the last 20 seasons to top the 1,000 mark — and became the second player in the last decade with at least 450 combined carries and catches. McCaffrey hadn’t responded well in the past following his heaviest-use seasons. The previous two times he topped 400 touches — in 2019 with Carolina and 2023 with the 49ers — he was severely hampered by injuries the following season, missing 13 games each in 2020 and 2024.

The Detroit Pistons and Ausar Thompson have reached an agreement on a ﬁve-year, $155 million contract extension, according to a person familiar with the situation. With a little more than a week left before training camp begins, the Pistons have not re-signed restricted free agent Jalen Duren. Detroit drafted Thompson out of the Overtime Elite developmental program in 2023 with the No. 5 pick and he has developed into one of the NBA’s best defensive players. Houston selected his twin brother, Amen Thompson, with the No. 4 pick and they became the ﬁrst set of twins to be selected in the top 10 in the same draft. Ausar Thompson was on the NBA All-Defensive team last season.

Orioles activate reliever Bautista from injured list

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles activated reliever Félix Bautista from the 60-day injured list Saturday, setting up the former closer to return from right shoulder surgery 14 months after his last major league game. Bautista saved 33 games and struck out 110 in 61 innings while earning an All-Star nod in 2023, but he missed the ﬁnal month of that season and all of 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He had 19 saves in 35 games in 2025 before surgery to repair his torn labrum and torn rotator cuff ended his season. Bautista had a 2.35 ERA in nine minor league rehab games. The Orioles also optioned pitcher Cade Povich and outﬁelder Heston Kjerstad to Triple-A Norfolk.

McIlroy moves into contention at BMW Championship

VIRGINIA WATER, England — Rory McIlroy hit a 4-iron from 230 yards to inside 2 feet and holed the eagle putt to finish off a 3-under 69 on Saturday and move into contention to win the BMW PGA Championship for the second time. The No. 2-ranked McIlroy’s birdie- eagle finish on the back-to-back closing par 5s at Wentworth left him on 11-under 205 after the third round, just two strokes off the lead held by Manuel Elvira and Filippo Cello on a crowded leaderboard. There are 15 players within three shots of the lead. “I feel like I’ve given myself a real opportunity tomorrow,” said McIlroy, who won the European tour’s flagship event in 2014 — in the same summer he captured two major titles, the British Open and the PGA Championship.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 3C

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OUTDOORS

SPECIAL SATURDAY Louisiana’s National Hunting and Fishing Day a bona fide celebration

BY JOE MACALUSO Contributing writer

September’s last Saturday has turned into a celebration for more than college football. For a little more than 40 years, Louisiana’s National Hunting and Fishing Day has used this special day to remember the contributions hunters and fishermen have made in conservation and restoration projects and plans across our country. For the southern parishes, the place to be is the state Wildlife and Fisheries’ Waddill Wildlife Education Center on North Flannery Road in Baton Rouge from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. The center is on the east side of the road between Choctaw Drive and Greenwell Springs Road. Other special-day locations are the agency’s shooting range in Woodworth (8 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) and the Merrill Recreation Area on the Bodcau Wildlife Management Area near Haughton (9 a.m.-2 p.m.) along with the Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Monroe (9 a.m.-2 p.m.). This fee-free day holds enough activities to fill the hours. While each venue is different, the offerings at Waddill have included a kids fishing tournament with cane poles and bait provided, canoeing, animal exhibits usually including raptors, baby alligators, turtles and other critters, fly fishing instruction from the Red Stick

NOTEBOOK Fly Fishers, baitcasting lessons and a chance to test out the archery and shotgun ranges along with exhibits from fishing, hunting and conservation organizations. There’s little doubt about how this celebration got its name. For more than 100 years, hunters and fishermen have campaigned for conservation initiatives, public access to federal and state lands and environmental projects. They have supported these efforts with billions in contributions either from membership in hunting and fishing conservation organizations or through three federal programs that tax nearly every item used in their outdoor endeavors. The two fishing tax laws and the one governing hunting equipment have provided state and federal territories with millions of dollars annually to fund wildlife and fisheries agencies programs for access, land and water projects, education and research. The federally collected taxes are distributed to each state according to the number of state-issued hunting and fishing licenses sold each year. This annual distribution is a major funding resource for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

A just-for-kids fishing tournament is just one of the attractions and events for Saturday’s Louisiana National Hunting and Fishing Day at the Waddill Wildlife Education Center in Baton Rouge. Another of the center’s ponds is reserved for canoeing and kayaking. Casting instruction, animal exhibits and archery are other activities for the 8 a.m.-1 p.m. event.

Teal count Maybe the high-pressure system hitting south Louisiana late Thursday helped push more teal into the state Saturday for the start of a special nine-day teal season. If it didn’t, then thousands of waterfowl hunters threw a party without its biggest guest — teal. State waterfowl study biologists, ﬂying over marshes and ﬁelds last week, reported seeing fewer than 75,000 of these first migrating ducks, and reported some of that low count was traced to recording equipment malfunction, so this count probably should be discounted. But what about the counts reported in Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma, where teal numbers were so low most hunters decided to stay home. Louisiana’s report of 73,000 total teal is 28% be-

low 2025’s somewhat low 101,000 count and, according to the data, is “65% and 72% below the most recent 5- and 10-year averages.” All the teal counted were bluewings, a species that leaves breeding grounds much sooner than greenwing teal.

Top finishers The Central Catholic High School team of Piers Picou and Pavali Passi finished second in the highly competitive Bassmaster Back to School tournament held in conjunction with Bassmasters’ High School Combine on Wheeler Lake near Decatur, Alabama, last week. The south Louisiana team’s five-bass limit weighed 13 pounds, 14 ounces, just eight ounces behind the winning Scott Hill High team of Parker Smith and Cooper Anderson. Two teams in this 16-andunder event came from the Denham Springs-based

Junior Southwest Bassmasters. Cole Watkins paired with Cooper Secrease to ﬁnish seventh (7-5), and the team of Brantley Broussard and Kade Jeansonne ended up in 14th place (4-8). The combine, a fishing skills test, brought 94 of the top junior anglers in the country for chances to earn college scholarship offers.

For women Wildlife and Fisheries, with help from the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, has scheduled two fall Women’s Fishing 101 Workshops. The workshops are for women 18 and older who want to become “knowledgeable, conﬁdent anglers.” The Saturday workshop dates are Oct. 24 and Nov. 21, both set for the Waddill Wildlife Education Center in Baton Rouge where state ﬁsheries biologists and volunteer instructors will work

with 15 participants in each session. Topics include fish identiﬁcation and best handling practices, tackle, basic skills and preparing, storing and cooking ﬁsh. Registration is open on the agency’s website: wlf.la. gov

Don’t do this The enforcement division reported citing a south Louisiana man for illegally transporting a live deer into Rapides Parish earlier this month. The ﬁling indicated the man was stopped for speeding on I-49, and state police called Wildlife and Fisheries when the trooper found a live fawn in the vehicle. The subject told the agent the fawn was from Texas. The man faces fines up to $950 and 120 days in jail for transporting “a live cervid and violating interstate commerce regulations,” the report stated.

CALENDAR THURSDAY

ACADIANA BUGS & BREWS: 6 p.m., Pack & Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Casual ﬂy tying and local beers provided. Open to the public. Email Darin Lee: cbrsandcdc@ gmail.com. Website: www. packpaddle.com

THURSDAY-SUNDAY

PENSACOLA LIONFISH TOURNAMENT: Plaza de Luna, Palafox Pier, Pensacola, Florida. Registration deadline 7 p.m., Sept. 24. Teams/Individuals. Website: ReefRangers.MyFWC.com/LionﬁshInvitational

SATURDAY

LA. HUNTING & FISHING DAY: 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Waddill Outdoors Education Center, 4142 North Flannery Rd., Baton Rouge. Also Minden, Woodworth, Monroe. Kids fishing, fly casting, fly tying, shooting, canoeing, archery, bird watching, conservation organizations. Free. Website: wlf.louisiana.gov

HUNTING SEASONS

DOVES: South Zone: thru Sept. 20; North Zone: thru Sept. 27. SQUIRRELS: Sept. 26-27, youth only, private lands only. TEAL: Thru Sept. 27, statewide, includes rails & gallinules. DEER/ARCHERY: Oct. 1-15, State Deer Areas 5, 6 & 9, bucks only; Oct. 1-Jan. 31, State Deer Areas 1, 2, 4 eithersex take allowed; Thru Jan. 15, State Deer Areas 3, 7, 8 & 10. BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS: Oct. 3-11, statewide, special permit required. RABBITS/SQUIRRELS: Oct. 3-Feb. 28, statewide, private lands only & selected wildlife management areas.

LOTTERY HUNTS

WMA YOUTH-ONLY WATERFOWL HUNTS: Ages 10-17. Application deadline Sept. 30 for hunts on Sherburne Wildlife Management Area. Application fee $8.50. See Wildlife & Fisheries lottery hunt webpage. Email David Hayden: dhayden@wlf.la.gov

WHITE LAKE CONSERVATION AREA WATERFOWL HUNTS: Sept. 30 deadline for two youth-only hunts & 30 marsh hunts. $8.50 application fee. Youth hunters must have Hunter Safety certiﬁcate. Email Lance Ardoin: lardoin@ wlf.la.gov

LDWF UPDATES

CLOSED: Hope Canal Road/ boat launch (Maurepas Swamp WMA, levee construction); Reserve Relief Canal Boat Launch by order of Corps of Engineers (Reserve Relief Pump Station construction) with alternate launch locations at Pete’s Landing, the Akers boat ramp & Bonnet Carré Spillway boat launch. DRAWDOWNS: Saline Lake & Iatt Lake (thru Oct. 5); Henderson Lake (thru Nov. 2); Cheniere Lake (thru Nov. 15); Clear-Smithport Lake (thru Nov. 16); Lake Bistineau (thru Nov. 30); Chicot Lake & Grand Bayou Reservoir (thru Jan. 4); Vernon Lake (thru Jan. 5). EMAIL: jmacaluso@theadvocate.com

SLU stuns UL-Monroe for first-ever win over FBS team By The Associated Press MONROE — Kyle Lowe threw two touchdown passes to help Southeastern Louisiana hold on for a 38-35 victory over UL-Monroe on Saturday. Lowe completed 18 of 25 passes for 155 yards for the Lions (2-2), an FCS team who beat an FBS team for the first time since reinstating their football program in 2003. They were 0-35 against upper-division teams entering play. The senior connected with Lonnie Shinn for a 31-yard touchdown for the lone score of the first quarter. He had a 3-yard scoring toss to Tristan Goodly in the second, and former Istrouma star Kyree Paul followed with a 17-yard touchdown run to help Southeastern take a 24-13 lead into

STATE ROUNDUP

halftime. Dkhai Joseph ran a punt back 78 yards for a score and a 31-13 advantage in the third quarter, and Richard McKneely added an 11yard score on an interception return to up the lead to 18 on the first play of the fourth. KANSAS STATE 31, TULANE 20: In Manhattan, Kansas, Avery Johnson threw for 227 yards on 21-of-28 passing and rushed for 152 yards and two scores as Kansas State defeated Tulane. Kansas State (3-0) allowed its first offensive touchdown of the season with 7:55 remaining in the first quarter. It marked the first time this season the Wildcats have trailed.

K-State then reeled off the next 17 points. SAM HOUSTON STATE 59, NICHOLLS STATE 0: In Huntsville, Texas, Landyn Locke threw for 322 yards and four touchdowns as Sam Houston shut out Nicholls. The Bearkats (1-2) posted their highest-scoring game since joining the FBS, surpassing their previous mark of 42 against Louisiana Tech on Nov. 11, 2023. Locke opened the scoring with a 65-yard touchdown pass to Tim Burns Jr. and added scoring passes of 3 yards to Grady O’Neill and 11 yards to Darrick Bledsoe III as Sam Houston built a 31-0 halftime lead. Sam Houston ﬁnished with 619 total yards, including 386 passing, and held Nicholls (2-2) to 163 total yards and 39 passing.

The

CADILLAC Commute CAR CARE TIPS

Dust, pollen, and engine health: When should you really replace your air filters? Join W A L T at GERRY LANE CADILLAC as he breaks down the essential replacement timelines for your vehicle’s air filters. Learn the key differences between the cabin filter that protects your interior air quality and the engine air filter under the hood, along with the recommended mileage intervals to keep both functioning properly.

W A LT LUCEK Asst. Service Manager

4C ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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OLE MISS 32, LSU 24

BOX SCORE

NOTEBOOK

No. 8 Mississippi 32, No. 7 LSU 24

Starters Green, Spears leave game with injuries

LSU 0 7 14 3 — 24 Mississippi 10 14 0 8 — 32 First Quarter MISS_FG Carneiro 37, 6:38. MISS_K.Lacy 5 run (Carneiro kick), 2:00. Second Quarter MISS_Ray 21 pass from Chambliss (Carneiro kick), 9:49. LSU_D.Jones 2 run (Starzyk kick), 1:57. MISS_Alexander 20 pass from Chambliss (Carneiro kick), :05. Third Quarter LSU_Leavitt 4 run (Starzyk kick), 9:18. LSU_Watkins 26 pass from Leavitt (Starzyk kick), 3:05. Fourth Quarter LSU_FG Starzyk 23, 11:21. MISS_Chambliss 14 run (Lindsey run), 6:14. LSU MISS First downs 19 25 Total Net Yards 330 426 Rushes-yards 43-172 25-63 Passing 158 363 Punt Returns 0-0 1-0 Kickoff Returns 1-20 0-0 Interceptions Ret. 1-10 1-0 Comp-Att-Int 16-27-1 33-48-1 Sacked-Yards Lost 2-8 2-22 Punts 4-42.75 2-42.0 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-0 Penalties-Yards 7-34 8-77 Time of Possession 30:15 29:45 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING_LSU, D.Jones 23-106, Leavitt 17-63, Gage 3-3. Mississippi, K.Lacy 9-43, Lindsey 4-20, Alexander 1-4, Chambliss 9-2, (Team) 2-(minus 6). PASSING_LSU, Leavitt 16-27-1-158. Mississippi, Chambliss 33-48-1-363. RECEIVING_LSU, T.Green 4-60, Watkins 3-54, Jayc.Brown 3-23, D.Jones 2-6, Wilson 2-4, Elzy 1-6, Harris 1-5. Mississippi, Ray 7-115, Alexander 7-60, Odom 5-88, Fields 5-52, Hasz 3-15, Smith 2-13, K.Lacy 2-(minus 2), Cook 1-14, Lindsey 1-8. MISSED FIELD GOALS_Mississippi, Carneiro 53.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt races from the pocket against Ole Miss in the first quarter on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss.

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

OXFORD, Miss. — LSU football lost two key starters to injuries in its 32-24 loss to Ole Miss on Saturday. Safety Dashawn Spears was injured early in the second quarter, and tight end Trey’Dez Green was hurt early in the fourth. Green, a star junior, caught a pass from quarterback Sam Leavitt, ran 19 yards and took a hard hit from Ole Miss cornerback Antonio Kite. Trainers examined the tight end’s right knee, then helped him off the field, into the injury tent and later to the locker room. He couldn’t put much weight on his right leg. Spears, a junior who plays the Star position, took a big hit to his left leg after an LSU defender was blocked at his feet. Trainers attended to the defensive back on the field and then helped him hobble to the sideline and into the injury tent. Spears was then spotted using crutches near the LSU bench. Before he was hurt, Green had four catches for 60 yards. Leavitt turned to him in search of an answer for the Tigers’ offensive struggles, which allowed the Rebels to take an early 17-0 lead. The Tigers figured out a way to storm back, though, and kick a field goal to tie it up at 24 after Green went down. Green, a Baton Rouge native who was given the No. 7 jersey before the season, is one of LSU’s top playmakers. He was working on a breakout year before LSU took on Ole Miss. In lopsided wins over Clemson and Louisiana Tech, he caught 10 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown. Spears is a native of Denham Springs. Like Green, he began his career as a top-100 national recruit, according to 247Sports composite rankings, and carved out a rotational role in Blake Baker’s defense by the time his sophomore year rolled around. This year, he’s a full-time starter at Star — the hybrid safety-linebacker position that Harold Perkins played last season. In 2025, Spears recorded 29 tackles and picked off two passes. He had five tackles and a tackle for loss in LSU’s first two games of the 2026 season. Sophomore CJ Jimcoily took Spears’ place at Star after the injury, and LSU put redshirt freshman Jhase Thomas into that role

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU linebacker TJ Dottery makes the tackle on Ole Miss wide receiver Horatio Fields in the first quarter on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. 98 tackles led the SEC. He recorded a team-high 14 tackles across the Tigers’ first two games of 2026 while starting at linebacker alongside senior Whit Weeks. LSU ruled three players out of the game against Ole Miss: kick returner Phillip Wright, linebacker Jaiden Braker and running back Raycine Guillory. Dottery recorded five tackles Dottery suits up and broke up a pass against Ole It was overshadowed by Miss. Leavitt’s injury status, but one of LSU’s top defenders woke up on Political leaders attend Saturday in jeopardy of missing A few Louisiana political leadthe matchup with Ole Miss. ers traveled to Oxford to attend And linebacker TJ Dottery, the Ti- the game. gers’ leading tackler, wound up Gov. Jeff Landry, attorney general Liz playing against the Rebels, de- Murrill and U.S. House Majority Leadspite the fact that he was given a er Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, were each game-time decision designation spotted around Vaught-Hemingway before kickoff. The fifth-year se- Stadium. Landry and Murrill joined nior was listed as questionable top LSU officials on the field ahead of on the availability reports that pregame warmups. the SEC released on Wednesday, Landry and Murrill have gotten Thursday and Friday with an un- involved in LSU athletics in respecified injury. cent months. Landry took a pubDottery is one of four former lic stand against former athletic Ole Miss players who followed director Scott Woodward in October, Lane Kiffin to LSU. Last season, his starting a chain of events that early in the third quarter. Jimcoily was the defender in coverage when Ole Miss scored a 20-yard touchdown in the waning seconds of the first half to take a 24-7 lead. LSU inserted tight ends Zach Grace, an Oregon transfer, and Malachi Thomas, a Pittsburgh transfer, in place of Green on its last drive of the fourth quarter.

LSU

Continued from page 1C the College Football Playoff. Kiffin was subjected to raucous boos and cuss-filled chants from the moment he appeared on a video board on the “College GameDay” set in the morning. They continued to his walk from LSU’s busses to the locker room on his way into the stadium all the way to his stroll down the sideline pre-kickoff. There were copious degrading depictions of Kiffin lining The Grove just outside of the stadium, including a photoshopped image of him as a “Real Housewife” of the SEC in a purple dress and a dartboard with a caricature of his face with a clown nose. “You’re so Lane,” another read, “you probably think this game is about you.” In the lead-up to the game, nearly every narrative was centered on Kiffin. It was a storyline of hate, even though Kiffin appeared comfortable in his old stomping grounds, tossing a few throws with an LSU staff member, then strolling over to the Rebels’ end to watch them warm up. He pulled one of his former receivers, Deuce Alexander, aside for a few words and a pregame hug. It was, admittedly, a very emotional return after a six-year run in Oxford. “I just thought I’d probably be more in the competitive mode, you know, and just kind of embrace it,” Kiffin said. “Sometimes you can’t predict your emotions. I know that sometimes I don’t act like it, but I’m a human, too.” Once the ball was kicked, there were no passes for Kiffin to throw or tackles for him to make, just as he tried to tell Ole Miss fans as they drowned out his “GameDay” interview with boos. Chambliss, the savvy 24-year-

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Ole Miss cornerback Jaylon Braxton intercepts a pass intended for LSU wide receiver Jackson Harris to seal the victory on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. old, made big play after big play as the Rebels built a 17-0 lead in the second quarter. He escaped the pocket and launched one throw over two LSU defensive backs for a 36-yard drop in the bucket to Traylon Ray to key one touchdown drive. He drove a ball over the middle to Ray on a third-and-12, perfectly setting up a 21-yard catch and run to cap the next. Sam Leavitt and LSU finally answered with a 75-yard series to pull within 17-7 late in the ﬁrst half, but Chambliss punched right

back with a 75-yard drive to make it 24-7 just before both teams headed to the locker room. “Yeah, it just shows how important starting fast is,” LSU safety Ty Beneﬁeld said. “It shows how important doing your job is, not trying to do other people’s jobs.” Chambliss was 21-of-27 passing for 248 yards and two scores in the ﬁrst two quarters. Leavitt, not as decisive as his counterpart, scrambled early and often. He failed to consistently identify quick reads on his way to 9-of-13 passing for

51 yards in the half, and LSU’s run game was unable to offer him more manageable third downs. There was a reversal of fortunes, however, to start the second half. Benefield put a rare hit on Chambliss on a blitz, forcing an errant throw for a Ja’Keem Jackson pick in Ole Miss territory. Leavitt then sacrificed his body on a third-and-7 scramble, flipped in the air on a 13yard run. Then he pushed across the goal line on a 4-yard touchdown run. The LSU defense stalled a Reb-

eventually led Kiffin to Baton Rouge. Murrill supported the group of athletes who in August filed a lawsuit in a Baton Rouge court in search of an extra season of eligibility. Kiffin tried to sign two of those players — tight end Dae’Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris — but backed off after the SEC filed a federal lawsuit against top LSU officials and scheduled a vote to kick the Tigers out of the conference. Murrill is a defendant in that suit, which has not yet been dismissed.

Historical context LSU-Ole Miss wasn’t a historic matchup only because Kifﬁn was making his return to the program he left behind in November. The No. 7 Tigers and the No. 8 Rebels clashed as top-10 teams on Saturday for the ﬁrst time since 1962. The game ended a string of 63 consecutive meetings in the rivalry series that weren’t top-10 matchups. Who won the 1962 meeting? Ole Miss. The score was 15-7.

els’ drive for a missed 53-yard field goal attempt, and Leavitt followed by rainbowing a 26-yard strike to Winston Watkins, a former Ole Miss receiver, on third-and-13 that cut the lead to 24-21. The quarterback shockingly listed as “doubtful” for the game on LSU’s initial availability report inevitably took a game that was severely in doubt and turned it on its head. On the next drive, he found star tight end Trey’Dez Green streaking across the field on a third-and-11 for a 23-yard gain to set up a field goal that evened the score at 24-24 with 11:21 left. LSU just couldn’t see it all the way through. Chambliss marched his team down the field and escaped contain for a 14-yard touchdown run, followed by a two-point conversion, to regain a 32-24 edge. LSU drove the field to the Ole Miss 6, but Leavitt’s fourth-down throw was tipped and picked off to seal the game with 58 seconds left. “I wanted to win this one more than any of them,” said linebacker Whit Weeks, who has lost three of four in his LSU career to Ole Miss. “I’m just thinking of ways I’m coming back better from it.” The loss has the Tigers in need of a bounce-back win heading into a Week 4 home game with Texas A&M. The Aggies just lost in College Station to Kentucky 31-21 on Saturday. It’s still early, but one of the most consequential games of the season — at least for Kiffin personally — landed in the Tigers’ loss column. LSU’s margin for error to make CFP just shrunk, so the drama of the Tigers’ season is far from dissipating. “It feels like we’ve already played a season with so much emotion in the games, the first three games,” Kiffin said. “Now we’re right back to where we’ve always been and have eight SEC games to play. “There’s a lot of football left and go back home next week and get a win.”

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 5C

OLE MISS 32, LSU 24

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THREE AND OUT: SCOTT RABALAIS’ TOP THREE TAKEAWAyS FROM KIFFIN’S RETURN TO OLE MISS

BOOS TO CHEERS Ole Miss fans didn’t boo and jeer (or throw things) nearly as much at Lane Kiffin as might have been expected during his much-scrutinized return to Oxford. They were spending too much time cheering on their Rebels as the talented Trinidad Chambliss led them to a 17-0 start and a 24-7 halftime lead. An LSU defense that was virtually airtight in the first two games had few answers early on against the Rebels.

PRESSURE MAKES DIFFERENCE LSU hardly could lay a glove on Trinidad Chambliss in the first half. But a safety blitz by Ty Benefield forced him into throwing an interception to Ja’Keem Jackson in the third quarter.The game changed at that point, as the Tigers scored a touchdown and rallied to tie it 24-24. Kewan Lacy also went out with a shoulder injury in the third quarter, taking some balance out of the Ole Miss offense as the LSU offense surged.

O-LINE STILL HAS ISSUES Despite a runaway 45-14 victory over Louisiana Tech, the LSU offensive line had trouble with run blocking and some pass protection. Despite LSU’s comeback against Ole Miss and the fact the Tigers outrushed the Rebels 172-63, those issues were still there Saturday night.A previously unimpressive Ole Miss defense leaned on the LSU offense, often resulting in Leavitt not setting his feet and taking off running. There’s work to do for LSU with Texas A&M next week.

Leavitt’s uneven night ends on sour note BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

OXFORD, Miss. — Sam Leavitt started running. Then he kept on running. And then he changed direction and ran some more. The LSU quarterback — known for his squirrel-ish scampers — had scrambled to his right, but was now on the opposite side of the field on thirdand-7 at the Ole Miss 11-yard line. He was looking to get LSU on the scoreboard as his team trailed 17-0 in the first half. But apparently, there was a method to Leavitt’s madness. He found Winston Watkins for a 9-yard completion after his marathon run, setting up a first-and-goal that resulted in a 2-yard run and score for Dilin Jones. Ole Miss responded with a score of its own before the half ended, but Leavitt’s run had officially activated the Tigers quarterback after a rough start. His reawakening gave LSU a chance to tie the game with 1:03 left to play. But after missing a wide-open Zach Grace — replacing injured star tight end Trey’Dez Green — on third down, Leavitt’s fourth-and-goal pass to the end zone was tipped and intercepted, essentially ending the game as LSU had run out of timeouts. It was a sour ending to a strong second half for Leavitt. Grace was open, but the pass went wide-right and tipped off the blocking tight end’s fingers. LSU still would have needed a two-point conversion to tie it, but the Grace drop was the play that will linger in Tigers fans’ minds in Ole Miss’ 32-24 win. Accuracy issues plagued Leavitt’s play through the first two games of the season, and it was a bad throw that cost the Tigers a win in Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford. “At the end, we couldn’t finish,” Kiffin said. “We couldn’t finish on defense and stop them. And on offense we move down (the field) but we stall there at the end.” Leavitt ended the night completing 16 of 27 throws for 158 yards; he also ran for 63 yards and scored two touchdowns. After his wild scramble, LSU

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt races with the ball against Ole Miss in the third quarter on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. scored touchdowns on three of its next four possessions. It was an up-and-down night for Leavitt, and it started on a down. Leavitt’s accuracy was shaky at best once again, especially in the ﬁrst half. He was indecisive, holding onto the ball too long as Ole Miss pass rushers swarmed him behind the line of scrimmage. The game, at least seemingly, was moving too fast for him, even if he wasn’t turning the ball over as he had last week (three times) against Louisiana Tech.

RABALAIS

But after his wild scurry, Leavitt made quicker decisions and, overall, was more pinpoint with his throws. His best toss was a 26-yard strike to Watkins to the right sideline that cut LSU’s deﬁcit to three. He then led a nine-play, 55-yard ﬁeld-goal drive that tied the game and capped a streak of 17 unanswered points. From the midway point of the second quarter to when LSU tied the game, Leavitt completed 9 of 13 pass attempts for 120 yards and a rushing score. A 4-yard quarterback keeper provided

LSU its second touchdown of the night with 9:18 left in the third quarter. With QB Trinidad Chambliss playing a perfect ﬁrst half on the other side of the ball for Ole Miss, and the LSU deﬁcit seemingly growing with each Rebel drive, Leavitt had to step up, and he did for most of the second half. But in the end, it wasn’t enough. Another inaccurate throw had doomed LSU. Email Koki Riley at koki.riley@theadvocate.com.

cold cup of gumbo. Here is a thought to ease Leavitt’s pain: He got better as the game went on. He stood his ground in the pocket, and when he ran the ball it was with more intent to gain a few critical yards instead of bailing on the play as scripted. It’s a defeat, and if you’re shoveling as much money into winning at football as LSU is — about equal to the annual GDP of Nebraska — no loss is an acceptable one. But LSU is still building, and whether LSU fans want to admit it or not, they are trying to reach or surpass a place where Ole Miss currently resides. Kiffin was mocked this week (when is he not?) for saying that the pressure was on Ole Miss STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON to win this game. Ole Miss is the program that went 13-2 and LSU coach Lane Kiffin walks up reached the CFP final four this the sideline during a break in the past season, while LSU fired Briaction in the first quarter against an Kelly and went 7-6. ESPN’s Ole Miss on Saturday. Paul Finebaum, who volleys from praising Kiffin to vilifying him like a tennis ball at the U.S. routes develop. He did outrush Open, said Kiffin was trying to Chambliss 63-36, but as attorney praise himself in the process. Tony Clayton would say, that’s a

wind up as one of the most improbable Heisman Trophy winContinued from page 1C ners ever considering he started at Division II Ferris State. And the Rebels may well wind up in the CFP, without Kiffin’s coachto hold their heads up high after ing, yet again. fighting back to force a 24-24 tie LSU officially lost this game after trailing 17-0 early in the secwhen Sam Leavitt’s fourthond quarter and 24-7 at halftime. and-goal pass from the 6 for For a program that has drawn Jackson Harris was tipped and so many transfers and recruits intercepted in the end zone by from so many points on the comcornerback Jaylon Braxton. In pass, that is not nothing. reality, LSU lost the game when Yes, a loss is a loss. And for Kiffin couldn’t lure Chambliss LSU fans, a particularly galling loss. Despite all of the Rebels’ re- into transferring with him to cent success, much of it (whether LSU — or when that Mississippi judge ruled that he deserved a Ole Miss folks admit it or not) sixth year of eligibility because attributable to Kiffin, LSU still of … ahem … a case of tonsillitis. likes to look down its nose at the Take your pick. little school in northern MissisChambliss, who at 24 is older sippi. than two starting NFL quarterThe fact is Ole Miss, especially backs (Drake Maye and former with Trinidad Chambliss at quarOle Miss hurler Jaxson Dart), terback and Kewan Lacy (when looked like the Jedi master for healthy) at running back, is on much of this game. Leavitt, 21, balance the better team right looked like his Padawan. Time now. The better program. Chambliss — who threw and passed for and again, Leavitt failed to set his feet in the first half and often took 399 yards and three touchdowns, off running instead of stepping including the game-winning 14yard keeper with 6:14 left — may up in the pocket or letting pass

Perhaps he was. But it didn’t make what Kiffin said any less true. Certainly when LSU pulled even with Ole Miss 24-24 with 11:21 left after a 23-yard Scott Starzyk field goal, the Rebels felt the pressure big time. That they had an answer is attributable to the incredible Mr. Chambliss. He’s Mr. Everything to the Rebels, a latter day Archie Manning. The scene in this once again red-hot rivalry shifts back to Baton Rouge next year after two straight Ole Miss wins in Oxford. Chambliss will be out of time by then (we think), and we’ll see where LSU stands in the rematch on its home turf. Painful as Saturday night was, and as much work as the Tigers have to do, there was something for them to build on here. They didn’t fold. They fought back. For all the scorn heaped on Kiffin and LSU by a disapproving world, the Tigers can be proud of themselves in defeat. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

LSU SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

Sept. 5

Sept. 12

Sept. 19

Sept. 26

Oct. 3

Oct. 10

Oct. 17

Oct. 24

Nov. 7

Nov. 14

Nov. 21

Nov. 28

51-10 45-14 32-24

Texas A&M 6:30 p.m. TV: ABC

McNeese 6:45 p.m. TV: SECN

at Kentucky TBA TV: TBA

Mississippi St. TBA TV: TBA

at Auburn 11 a.m. TV: TBA

Alabama TBA TV: TBA

Texas TBA TV: TBA

at Tennessee TBA TV: TBA

at Arkansas TBA TV: TBA

OVERALL: 2-1 ACC: 1-0

OVERALL: 2-1 SEC: 0-1

OVERALL: 1-3 SOUTHLAND: 0-2

OVERALL: 2-1 SEC: 1-1

OVERALL: 3-0 SEC: 1-0

OVERALL: 2-0 SEC: 0-0

OVERALL: 3-0 SEC: 1-0

OVERALL: 3-0 SEC: 0-0

OVERALL: 1-2 SEC: 0-1

W W L OVERALL: 1-2 SUN BELT: 0-0

OVERALL: 3-0 SEC: 1-0

6C ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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SOUTHERN 50, LA. CHRISTIAN 31

THREE AND OUT: TOyLOy BROWN’S TOP TAKEAWAyS AFTER SOUTHERN’S BIG WIN OVER LOUISIANA CHRISTIAN

BUSINESS TAKEN CARE OF Southern did what it was supposed to do. Coach Marshall Faulk’s team beat a wellcoached but less talented Louisiana Christian squad by double figures at home. Even though the outcome was expected and the Jaguars wanted to have beaten their NAIA opponent by more, they should be pleased with the bounce-back effort. Now Southern can move forward before Southwestern Athletic Conference play starts next week. While they shouldn’t celebrate too much, the Jaguars should feel proud of their resolve.

OFFENSIVE REVIVAL The home fans saw the offensive fireworks they haven’t seen in quite a while. The Jaguars hadn’t put 50 points on the scoreboard in four years. On Saturday night, Southern was dominant in the ground game behind running backs Trey Holly and Mike Franklin, who combined for 330 yards rushing. Quarterback Christian Johnson also made good decisions and had 172 yards passing with four touchdowns and no interceptions. In all, the Jaguars had 539 total yards.

SPECIAL TEAMS SLOPPINESS Southern’s worst phase of the game was special teams. The most eye-catching mistake was the onside kick that Louisiana Christian recovered. The Wildcats recovered the ball after scoring 14 straight points and looked to get back into the game. If Southern hadn’t forced a three and out on the ensuing drive, the game could’ve gotten dicier than it should have been. The Jaguars also didn’t do much in the return game and missed a 41-yard field goal and two extra-point tries.

ACCORDING TO PLAN

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Southern safety Ty Lee knocks away a pass intended for Louisiana Christian wide receiver Omarius Davis on Saturday at A.W. Mumford Stadium. The Jaguars were in control througout against the NAIA Wildcats, who were hoping to knock off a second FCS team this season.

Southern subdues Louisiana Christian, looks forward to SWAC opener BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

The Southern football team showed Saturday night it had no intentions of overlooking its NAIA opponent. On a mission to rebound from a brutal loss at No. 22 Houston a week ago, Marshall Faulk’s Jaguars played soundly from the onset and things went according to plan for the first-year coach who saw his team beat Louisiana Christian 50-31 at A.W. Mumford Stadium. Southern (2-2) won its second home game of the year as it closed out nonconference play before next week’s SWAC opener at Jackson State. Faulk said he was pleased with the win but knows his team needs to be better as it enters league play. “Good to see the offense go out after the defense gets a stop and put some points up on the board,” Faulk said. “Obviously, we know we did some things wrong — but like I told the kids, you’ve got to learn how to accept your wins, and then we’ll correct the things that went wrong to make sure that we get better as we move forward.” Louisiana Christian (3-1), which got a historic FCS win over Northwestern State to open the season, was coming off blowout victories against two fellow Sooner Athletic Conference teams and was averaging 52 points per game. The most notable sighting of Louisiana Christian’s firepower came when it scored back-to-back touchdowns in the second half. Coach Ben McLaughlin’s team cut the deficit to 37-24 with 14:29 left in the game and attempted an onside kick that it recovered at the Southern 45. Southern’s defense responded, getting a three and out led by linebacker Tay James’ third-down sack. The Jaguars then drove 80 yards in three plays to extend their lead and effectively put the game out of reach. The big play on the drive came from running back Trey Holly, who ran 66 yards to the LC 5. Wydell Clark’s 5-yard TD reception capped the drive for a 44-24 lead with 11:22 remaining. Holly, a junior who started his career at LSU, finished with 200 yards rush-

Southern running back Trey Holly scores a touchdown past Louisiana Christian linebacker Trace McHugh. Holly rushed for 200 yards and scored two TDs in the win. ing and two touchdowns. “I want to give all the credit to my offensive line,” Holly said. “They (are) the ones who made it happen. I just ran.” After forcing a Louisiana Christian three and out to start the game, Southern had its first gameopening touchdown drive of the year. In a methodical 11-play drive that featured nine running plays, the team relied heavily on running back Mike Franklin. The first four plays were all carries by the 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior Franklin. Holly closed the drive with a 2-yard run for a 7-0 lead with 8:24 remaining in the first quarter. The Southern rushing attack kept rolling early as Holly ripped off a 69-yard touchdown run, his longest run of the year, on the second drive. Holly sped through a gap, shed an ankle tackle, stiffarmed a defensive back and tightroped the left sideline for a 14-7 lead with 6:14 left in the first period. Holly said he was surprised he kept his balance on run. “I don’t even know,” he said. “I was just running.” Louisiana Christian’s first score came on the previous drive when wide receiver Darius Washington

caught a 47-yard touchdown pass after beating man coverage. While the running game was in gear, Jaguars quarterback Christian Johnson completed eight of 12 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown by halftime. The junior completed six of his first seven passes for 73 yards. Johnson’s fifth pass attempt was an 18-yard touchdown pass to Daejawn Smith. Johnson’s next big moment came on a drive where his team earned a shorter field after an interception by Southern’s Cody Morris on the LC 45. Johnson, who finished 16-of-22 passing for 172 yards and four TDs, capped a scoring drive when he ran 15 yards for a touchdown. After the missed extra point, Southern led 27-7 with 10:12 left until halftime. “We were in a good rhythm,” Johnson said. “Kept the offense very basic, very simple. Didn’t have to do too much with their three-down front, so it made the run game easy and just capitalized on it.” One of the rare low moments for Southern’s in the first half came right before halftime. The Jaguars were 2 yards away from the end zone but had to settle for a 33-yard Nathan Zimmer field goal for a 30-

10 halftime lead. Louisiana Christian backup Phillip Jones then led a three-play touchdown drive, ending with a 30-yard pass for a 37-17 lead with 9:28 remaining in the third period. Southern then marched 71 yards, but the drive ended with a missed Zimmer 41-yard ﬁeld goal. LC starting quarterback Bryce Perkins returned to lead a 76-yard drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown run to trim the deﬁcit to 37-24 with 14:29 remaining. LC quarterback Matthew Cates later scored on a 69-yard run. While Southern safety Herman Brister said he was glad to leave his home stadium with a win, he said that the defense must be sharper. “To me, it wasn’t good enough,” said Brister, who had seven tackles and two tackles for loss. “I’m ready for next week, and that wasn’t good enough. And I think we’ve got to do a better job of being disciplined, doing what we’ve got to do and doing our job. So next week, we can come out on top with a victory.” Southern’s game at Jackson State (3-0) is set for 6 p.m. Saturday at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi.

Jaguars roll with McNair calling plays BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

Southern’s offense was humming. The team’s 50-31 win over NAIA Louisiana Christian on Saturday night at A.W. Mumford Stadium was not just an exhilarating experience for the fans who were starved after a frustrating 2025 season. It was Southern’s first 50-point game since Oct. 22, 2022, when the Jaguars beat Virginia University of Lynchburg 51-7. This big scoring night came in the first game coach Marshall Faulk had senior adviser Fred McNair call the plays. Previously, offensive coordinator Ken Merchant was the play-caller. “Yeah, he was calling the plays in,” Faulk said of McNair, the former co-offensive coordinator and interim head coach. “But it’s a collaborative effort. “We put Ken upstairs, and you know Fred’s been working with the quarterbacks. He’s the senior adviser here, and I kind of moved his role up to where I wanted him communicating with the quarterback.” Faulk said having McNair, a former Alcorn State quarterback and head coach, speak to quarterback Christian Johnson during the game was a better fit for the team. “Listen, Ken’s a New Yorker,” Faulk said. “He gets fired up, and the chemistry with my quarterback is just not where I want it to be. And so I needed a little Mississippi drawl, a little slower pace when things aren’t good to kind of soothe them down and it worked.” Johnson played his best game of the year. He spread the ball around as well as any quarterback the program has seen recently. The Hutchinson Community College transfer threw touchdown passes to four different receivers. Three receivers had three receptions and six other players had at least one catch. Johnson said the connection with his receivers improved and he appreciated the straightforward nature of the plays called. “I do for sure,” said Johnson, who completed 16 of 22 passes for 172 yards and had no turnovers. “Like I said, we kept the playbook simple tonight. There’s only a select handful of routes that they had to run, and it just made everything easy.” The simplicity also benefited the running game as the team totaled 367 yards and averaged 7.2 yards per carry. “(Johnson) found a rhythm, he found a comfort and the marriage between the run and the pass. It was better for him,” Faulk said. “He got a clearer picture. They played a lot of man (coverage), and you get a better picture when teams play man, and you know he got comfortable. He showed why we brought him in here and why he’s our starting quarterback.” Faulk said the play-calling adjustment will continue for the remainder of the season. “That’s how we going to operate from here on out,” he said. “I mean, you know, Nick Williams, he’s the run game coordinator, and we’ve been operating in that space. It’s just I think I found a good mix in how I want to do it.” McNair is in his third year working at Southern, starting out as the tight ends coach in 2024. Before coming to Baton Rouge, he was the head coach at Alcorn State for eight seasons. He led Alcorn to four SWAC East titles, two SWAC championships (2018 and 2019) and was the SWAC Coach of the Year twice. Before Southern’s former coach Terrence Graves was fired after a 1-6 start in the 2025 season, McNair’s position changed from quarterbacks coach to co-offensive coordinator with play-calling duties. After Graves left, McNair was the interim coach for the remaining five games in a season that saw the Jaguars finish 2-10. Email Toyloy Brown III at toyloy.brown@theadvocate.com.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 7C

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK

Kentucky stuns No. 9 Texas A&M BY KRISTIE RIEKEN

AP sportswriter

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Kenny Minchey threw two touchdown passes and CJ Baxter added two scoring runs as Kentucky used a huge third quarter to stun No. 9 Texas A&M 31-21 on Saturday. Led by rookie coach Will Stein in his ﬁrst road game, Kentucky beat a ranked opponent for the first time since downing No. 6 Mississippi 20-17 on Sept. 28, 2024. “This was a giant victory for us,” a beaming Stein said. Stein had vowed to do better after Kentucky (2-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) led then-No. 12 Alabama 17-13 at halftime last week before being outscored 32-0 in the second half of a 45-17 loss. After being tied at halftime on Saturday, Minchey said the Wildcats were determined not to have a repeat of last week. “We just basically put our foot down and said we’re not going to be denied,” he said. “We’re going to take it.” The game pitted Texas A&M’s offense against Kentucky defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, who spent the last two years in the same position with the Aggies. He seemed to have Texas A&M’s

the first drive of the second half to break a 7-all tie. Baxter’s two touchdown runs came on the next two possessions to extend Kentucky’s lead to 28-7. “I don’t think it was a shocker to us because we all know what talent we have and what we’re capable of doing,” Baxter said. “But it helps definitely with confidence for sure.” The Aggies had been stopped on three straight possessions when Reed scored on a 5-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 28-14 with about 11½ minutes remaining. The Wildcats made it 31-14 on a 52-yard field goal by Adam Zouagui that deflected off the upright and through with less than nine minutes remaining. Texas A&M (2-1, 0-1) was driving after that, but Castell intercepted Reed on a the 7-yard line. “I did not do a good enough job of coaching this team and preparASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAVID J. PHILLIP ing this team,” Texas A&M coach Kentucky’s CJ Baxter, right, rushes for a first down as Texas A&M defensive end T.J. Searcy, left, defends during a Mike Elko said. “I don’t take any positives from this game. I don’t game on Saturday in College Station, Texas. want to take away anything from Kentucky. ... Kentucky came in number, keeping the Aggies off“He kind of hid it, but I know it ed this game and we all played here and whopped us.” The Aggies cut the lead to 31-21 balance all day and limiting Mar- was personal,” Kentucky defen- hard for him.” Minchey, a transfer from Notre when Reed connected with Micah cel Reed to 26-of-49 passing for 236 sive back Jordan Castell said. “He yards with a touchdown and two did a good job of just staying calm, Dame, found Kenny Darby wide Riley for a 5-yard score with less but I could tell that he really want- open for a 42-yard touchdown on than four minutes to go. interceptions.

TOP 25 ROUNDUP

SEC ROUNDUP

No. 10 Alabama rallies Big plays late in game lead to beat Florida State Louisville to victory over SMU in offensive thriller The Associated Press

The Associated Press TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Keelon Russell threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score as No. 10 Alabama overcame a 15-point deficit to beat Florida State 50-36 on Saturday. The Crimson Tide (3-0) struggled to run the ball early and had few answers for Florida State’s explosive plays. Once Alabama settled in, the Seminoles (1-2) struggled to slow it down. Russell completed 23 of 30 passes without an interception, and Alabama finished with 615 yards. Lotzeir Brooks caught eight passes for 101 yards. Lightning delayed kickoff and interrupted the second quarter, and the teams agreed to skip halftime after the second delay. Alabama scored touchdowns on five consecutive possessions across the second and third quarters to turn a 21-6 deficit into a 40-28 lead. Ryan Coleman-Williams turned a short completion into a 46-yard touchdown, and Russell found Kaleb Edwards for the go-ahead score before the break. VANDERBILT 35, N.C. STATE 31: In Nashville, Tennessee, Miles Capers forced the fumble and Cayden Daniels recovered just before time expired to give Vanderbilt a close win over N.C. State on Saturday. N.C. State (1-2) quarterback CJ Bailey was attempting to run out the clock or take a safety on what could have been the final play of the game but he fumbled as he was being tackled. After a touchback on the ensuing kickoff there was enough time for one play, but the Wolfpack were stopped on their side of the 50-yard line. Vanderbilt (3-0) was down 17-0 in the first half and 24-7 in the third quarter but rallied behind freshman QB Jared Curtis. NO. 2 GEORGIA 45, ARKANSAS 17: In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Chauncey Bowens ran for three touchdowns and No. 2 Georgia held Arkansas to just 17 yards on the ground in a win Saturday. Georgia (3-0, 1-0 SEC) led 21-3 at halftime and never truly needed to pass the football. Quarterback Gunner Stockton finished the game 10of-13 passing for 147 yards with a touchdown. He added a team-high 97 yards on the ground, including a 62-yard run on third down that set up Georgia’s third touchdown, Bowens’ second. MISSISSIPPI STATE 41, SOUTH CAROLINA 34: In Columbia, South Carolina, Kamario Taylor threw for 251 yards and four touchdowns as Mississippi State rallied from 16-0 down to open Southeastern Conference play

with a victory at South Carolina on Saturday night. Taylor and the Bulldogs looked overmatched as the Gamecocks (21, 0-1 SEC) created a double-digit lead on LaNorris Sellers’ touchdown pass and three field goals by first-time kicker Malik Orson. Once Taylor got going, so did Mississippi State (3-0, 1-0). He had scoring passes of 30 yards to Sanfrisco Magee and 43 yards to Zion Ragins to start the comeback. Taylor’s 23yard TD pass to Marquis Johnson drew the Bulldogs within 23-21 and then moved in front on a five-yard scoring toss to Anthony Evans. NO. 20 MISSOURI 27, TROY 17: In Columbia, Missouri, Jamal Roberts ran for 122 yards and a touchdown, DaMarion Folkes returned a punt 68 yards for another score, and No. 20 Missouri shook off a slow start before holding on to beat Troy on Saturday night. Former Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons struggled most of the way for Missouri (3-0), completing 10 of 19 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. But the Tigers did enough on defense to win their 16th straight regular-season nonconference game. Goose Crowder finished with 230 passing yards and two touchdowns for Troy (2-1), which was looking for its third win over a ranked opponent in school history. FLORIDA 44, AUBURN 39: In Auburn, Alabama, Jadan Baugh ran for 162 yards and three touchdowns, and Florida beat Auburn Saturday night in the Southeastern Conference for both teams and both new head coaches. Aaron Philo threw for 202 yards and a score for the Gators, who improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2019. The Gators finished with 245 yards on the ground and 252 through the air. Vernell Brown III caught five passes for 86 yards, and Dallas Wilson added four catches for 74 yards and a touchdown. They provided new Gators coach Jon Sumrall with a signature road win. NO. 1 TEXAS 30, UTSA 6: In Austin, Texas, Arch Manning threw two early touchdown passes to Cam Coleman on a night he mostly struggled, and No. 1 Texas beat UTSA in the Longhorns’ last game before starting their conference schedule. Texas (3-0) vaulted to No. 1 after its thrilling 24-23 victory over Ohio State last week when Manning led a 21-point rally in the fourth quarter. But little came very easy Saturday night against the Roadrunners (2-1). Manning was just 16-of-32 passing for 161 yards, took several hard hits, and left the game with about six minutes to play.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Keyjuan Brown ran for a career-high 163 yards and a pair of long touchdowns to guide No. 23 Louisville to a 41-31 victory over 16th-ranked SMU on Saturday. The teams’ preseason media picks to finish second (SMU) and third (Louisville) in the Atlantic Coast Conference put on a backand-forth affair, trading the lead eight times before the Cardinals sealed it on Isaac Brown’s 27-yard touchdown with 5:32 remaining to finish the scoring. The Cardinals (2-1, 1-0 ACC) then stripped SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings of the ball just before the goal line on the Mustangs’ ensuing drive, turning what would have been a 19-yard touchdown into a touchback as the ball rolled out of the end zone with 2:43 remaining. Trailing 17-14 at halftime, Louisville regained the lead in the opening minute of the third quarter on Keyjuan Brown’s 58-yard run. His 53-yarder with 10:02 left put the Cardinals ahead for good, 35-31. NO. 6 OHIO ST. 59, KENT ST. 3: In Columbus, Ohio, Jeremiah Smith became Ohio State’s career receiving yardage leader, Ja’Kobi Jackson scored twice and the Buckeyes rolled to a victory over Kent State. Ohio State (2-1) took immediate control, scoring on its first four drives as it rebounded after last week’s 24-23 loss at No. 1 Texas where it squandered a 20-point, fourth-quarter lead. Smith had five receptions for 85 yards. The junior needed 26 yards to surpass Michael Jenkins’ 2,898 yards from 2000-03 and become OSU’s record holder and got it on his second catch of the game, when he hauled in a 23-yard pass from Julian Sayin midway through the first quarter. NO. 14 PENN ST. 45, BUFFALO 13: In State College, Pennsylvania, Rocco Becht threw for 212 yards with two touchdowns, Koby Howard scored twice and Penn State cruised past Buffalo. Becht secured his Bowl Subdivision-leading 29th win and the Nittany Lions (3-0) capped their nonconference schedule in relatively easy fashion against an outmatched Mid-American Conference opponent that was outgained 305-80 in the first half. Overall, D’Anton Lynn’s defense forced 10 punts and two turnovers and only allowed Buffalo’s Oliver Hautanen to kick a pair of field goals. The Bulls (1-2) crossed midfield just three times. NO. 19 MICHIGAN 52, UTEP 17: In Ann Arbor, Michigan, Bryce Underwood threw two touchdown passes and Savion Hiter had two rushing scores to help No. 19 Michigan pull

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TIMOTHy D. EASLEy

SMU safety Jimmy Wyrick, left, tackles Louisville running back Isaac Brown during a game in Louisville, Ky., on Saturday. away and beat UTEP on Saturday. The Wolverines (3-0) were behind twice in the first half before scoring 38 straight points to turn a potential scare into a rout. The Miners (1-2) forced two turnovers in the first half and took advantage with two touchdown passes by E.J. Colston: 45 yards to Carver Cheeks and 18 yards to Lamar Sperling. Underwood’s 21-yard touchdown pass to JJ Buchanan and Trey Butkowski’s 49-yard field goal over the last 1:31 of the first half put Michigan ahead for the first time. NO. 17 UTAH 33, UTAH STATE 0: In Salt Lake City, Devon Dampier threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns, leading No. 17 Utah to a shutout victory over Utah State on Saturday. Braden Pegan had a season-high 122 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches, and Daniel Bray added 82 yards and a score on the ground, helping the Utes (3-0) pile up 480 yards against their rival. Utah averaged 6.5 yards per play. Grady Brosterhous threw for 130 yards with an interception for the Aggies (0-3), who suffered a fourth straight loss in their rivalry series with Utah. Utah State has dropped 16 of 17 to the Utes dating back to the 1998 season. NO. 4 INDIANA 38, WESTERN KENTUCKY 0: In Bloomington, Indiana, Josh Hoover threw two touchdown passes, Lee Beebe Jr. added two TD runs and No. 4 Indiana overcame a sluggish first half to blow out Western Kentucky on Saturday. Hoover was 18 of 24 for 273 yards with no turnovers as Indiana (3-0) extended the Football Bowl Subdivision’s longest active winning streak to 19 games, and the longest active home winning streak to 18. Turbo Richard rushed 15 times for 149 yards and one score, and Charlie Becker added five catches for 127 yards and another touchdown. The Hoosiers’ defense has posted back-to-back shutouts and has

not been scored upon since late in the third quarter of their season opener against North Texas. NO. 18 IOWA 55, NORTHERN IOWA 0: In Iowa City, Iowa, the Hawkeyes had three running backs in Xavier Williams, Nathan McNeil and Braeden Jackson run for more than 100 yards apiece, and the No. 18 Iowa rolled to a victory over Northern Iowa on Saturday even without their top running back, Kamari Moulton. Williams had 151 yards and three touchdowns on just six carries, Jackson had 125 yards and a rushing touchdown to go with a 24-yard TD catch, and McNeill had 111 yards and two scores. The Hawkeyes (3-0) still piled up 422 yards on the ground and ﬁnished with 640 yards of total offense against their Football Championship Subdivision foe. NO. 12 USC 42, RUTGERS 35: In Piscataway, New Jersey, Jayden Maiava threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns and King Miller ran for 102 yards and a TD to help No. 12 Southern California beat Rutgers on Saturday in the Big Ten opener for both teams. The Trojans (4-0) never trailed, building a 35-21 cushion with 5:52 left in the third quarter. Rutgers (0-3) closed to 35-28 in the quarter before the teams traded touchdowns in the fourth. NO. 3 NOTRE DAME 27, MICHIGAN STATE 10: In South Bend, Indiana, A.J. Carr threw for 234 yards and ran for a touchdown, Nolan James Jr. rushed for 121 yards and a score, and No. 3 Notre Dame took control in the second half to beat Michigan State on Saturday night. Micah Gilbert had eight catches for 170 yards for Notre Dame (30). Carr’s streak of 12 games with a passing touchdown ended, with the Fighting Irish scoring all three TDs on short rushes. Notre Dame outscored Michigan State 10-0 in the second half, limiting the Spartans (2-1) to 40 yards of offense over the ﬁnal two quarters.

8C ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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SAINTS GAMEDAY

ROSTERS SAINTS No. Player Pos Ht Wt Exp College 0 Jordyn Tyson WR 6-2 203 0 Arizona State 1 Kool-Aid McKinstry CB 5-11 199 3 Alabama 2 Spencer Rattler QB 6-0 211 3 South Carolina 3 Travis Etienne Jr. RB 5-10 215 6 Clemson 4 Oscar Delp TE 6-4 245 0 Georgia 5 Kendre Miller RB 6-0 220 4 TCU 6 Tyler Shough QB 6-5 219 2 Louisville 7 Jonas Sanker SAF 6-1 211 2 Virginia 10 Daniel Carlson K 6-5 222 9 Auburn 11 Zach Wilson QB 6-2 214 6 ByU 12 Chris Olave WR 6-0 187 5 Ohio State 14 Devaughn Vele WR 6-5 210 3 Utah 17 Ryan Wright P 6-3 245 5 Tulane 18 Bryce Lance WR 6-3 204 0 North Dakota St. 19 Barion Brown WR 5-11 177 0 LSU 20 Pete Werner LB 6-3 242 6 Ohio State 21 Justin Reid SAF 6-1 207 9 Stanford 22 Martin Emerson Jr. CB 6-2 201 5 Mississippi State 23 Julian Blackmon SAF 6-0 202 7 Utah 25 D. Richardson CB 6-2 188 4 Mississippi St. 28 Danny Stutsman LB 6-3 233 2 Oklahoma 29 Quincy Riley CB 5-11 195 2 Louisville 31 Jordan Howden DB 6-0 209 4 Minnesota 33 Anfernee Jennings DE 6-2 255 7 Alabama 38 Jayden Price CB 5-11 185 1 North Dakota St. 41 Alvin Kamara RB 5-10 215 10 Tennessee 42 Mike Reid SAF 6-2 200 1 South Dakota 43 CJ Donaldson RB 6-1 230 0 Ohio State 44 Isaiah Stalbird LB 6-1 215 2 South Dakota St. 50 Colby Wooden DL 6-4 273 4 Auburn 51 Cesar Ruiz OL 6-4 316 7 Michigan 52 Christen Miller DT 6-3 321 0 Georgia 53 Jaylan Ford LB 6-2 240 3 Texas 55 Kaden Elliss LB 6-2 238 8 Idaho 58 Chris Rumph II LB 6-2 244 6 Duke 65 Jeremiah Wright G 6-5 331 0 Auburn 66 William Sherman G 6-4 300 2 Colorado 71 Kelvin Banks Jr. T 6-5 315 2 Texas 72 Asim Richards OL 6-4 307 4 North Carolina 74 Mason Murphy T 6-5 315 0 Auburn 75 Taliese Fuaga T 6-6 324 3 Oregon State 76 David Edwards G 6-6 308 8 Wisconsin 78 Erik McCoy OL 6-4 303 8 Texas A&M 82 Treyton Welch TE 6-4 240 1 Wyoming 83 Juwan Johnson TE 6-4 245 7 Oregon 87 Noah Fant TE 6-4 249 8 Iowa 91 Vernon Broughton DL 6-5 311 2 Texas 92 Davon Godchaux DL 6-3 330 10 LSU 93 Nathan Shepherd DL 6-4 315 9 Fort Hays State 94 Cameron Jordan DE 6-4 287 16 California 95 John Ridgeway III DL 6-5 321 5 Arkansas 96 Carl Granderson DE 6-5 261 8 Wyoming 97 Khristian Boyd DL 6-2 320 3 Northern Iowa 98 Tyree Wilson DE 6-5 263 4 Texas Tech 99 Chase young DE 6-5 265 7 Ohio State

FOUR THINGS TO WATCH CONTAIN JACKSON There aren’t many players in the NFL more dangerous with a football in their hands than Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. The Saints must find a way to slow down the two-time MVP, who can hurt you with both his arm and his legs. Jackson threw for 324 yards and rushed for 40 more in last week’s 4123 win over the Indianapolis Colts. The Ravens racked up 506 yards of offense in that one. Four years ago, Jackson rushed for 82 yards against the Saints.

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SLOW DOWN HENRY If trying to stop Jackson isn’t enough, the Saints also have to deal with running back Derrick Henry. It’s the second straight week the Saints have faced one of the best backs in the league. Last week, Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs rushed 29 times for 156 yards. Now they face Henry, who is coming off a 144-yard, three-touchdown performance.The key to slowing down Henry is not letting him get to the second level of the defense.The Saints defensive line must play big.

AVOID A SLOW START The trend is starting to become a bit disturbing.The Saints, as they often do in the Kellen Moore era, struggled out of the gate in last week’s overtime loss to the Lions.The offense couldn’t get going in the first half and ended up in a 21-0 hole three minutes into the third quarter.The Saints have now gone scoreless in the first quarter in 12 of the 18 games Moore has coached. Baltimore isn’t the type of team to fall behind against and try to play catch up.

UNEARTH GROUND GAME The best way to slow down the Ravens is the Saints keeping their own offense on the field. A strong running game can help that. The Saints invested heavily in the rushing attack this offseason, signing running back Travis Etienne and guard David Edwards.The Saints averaged 3.6 yards per carry last week and finished with just 91 yards rushing. They get Alvin Kamara back this week. Regardless of who is getting the carries, they need to be effective.

Rod Walker

RAVENS No. Player Pos Ht Wt Exp College 0 Roquan Smith LB 6-1 235 9 Georgia 2 Nate Wiggins CB 6-1 182 3 Clemson 3 Chidobe Awuzie CB 6-0 202 10 Colorado 4 Zay Flowers WR 5-9 183 4 Boston College 5 Tyler Huntley QB 6-1 204 7 Utah 7 Rashod Bateman WR 6-1 193 6 Minnesota 8 Lamar Jackson QB 6-2 205 9 Louisville 9 Zion young OLB 6-5 267 0 Missouri 10 LaJohntay Wester WR 5-9 180 2 Colorado 12 Joe Fagnano QB 6-3 230 0 UConn 13 Elijah Sarratt WR 6-2 215 0 Indiana 14 Kyle Hamilton SAF 6-4 220 5 Notre Dame 15 Mike Green OLB 6-3 250 2 Marshall 17 Chris Moore WR 6-1 200 10 Cincinnati 21 Jaylinn Hawkins SAF 6-1 208 7 California 22 Derrick Henry RB 6-3 252 11 Alabama 24 Malaki Starks SAF 6-1 205 2 Georgia 26 Rasheen Ali RB 5-11 210 3 Marshall 27 T.J.Tampa Jr. CB 6-1 190 3 Iowa State 28 Amani Oruwariye CB 6-2 198 6 Penn State 29 Chandler Rivers CB 5-10 189 0 Duke 30 Ryan Eckley P 6-0 205 0 Michigan State 32 Trenton Simpson LB 6-2 242 4 Clemson 33 Tyler Loop K 5-11 191 2 Arizona 38 Keyon Martin CB 5-9 171 2 Louisiana 39 Keondre Jackson SAF 6-2 215 2 Illinois State 40 Teddye Buchanan LB 6-2 240 2 California 43 Justice Hill RB 5-10 195 8 Oklahoma State 44 Marlon Humphrey CB 6-0 200 10 Alabama 45 Ethan Burke OLB 6-6 267 0 Texas 46 Nick Moore LS 6-2 260 5 Georgia 49 Jay Higgins IV LB 6-0 230 2 Iowa 51 Emery Jones Jr. OL 6-5 325 2 LSU 54 Jovaughn Gwyn OL 6-2 310 4 South Carolina 61 A.J.Arcuri OL 6-7 312 2 Michigan State 70 Roger Rosengarten T 6-5 310 3 Washington 71 Vega Ioane G 6-4 326 0 Penn State 72 Andrew Vorhees OG 6-6 330 3 USC 74 John Simpson OG 6-4 330 7 Clemson 75 Chuma Edoga OT 6-4 308 8 USC 76 Carson Vinson T 6-7 325 2 Alabama A&M 77 Ethan Pocic C 6-6 320 10 LSU 79 Ronnie Stanley T 6-6 310 11 Notre Dame 80 Durham Smythe TE 6-5 248 9 Notre Dame 81 Devontez Walker WR 6-1 198 3 North Carolina 81 Nick Vannett TE 6-6 261 11 Ohio State 85 Josh Cuevas TE 6-3 246 0 Alabama 88 Matt Hibner TE 6-4 250 0 SMU 89 Mark Andrews TE 6-5 250 9 Oklahoma 90 Aeneas Peebles DL 6-0 300 2 Virginia Tech 91 Trey Hendrickson OLB 6-4 265 10 Florida Atlantic 92 Nnamdi Madubuike DL 6-3 305 7 Texas A&M 93 Calais Campbell DL 6-8 307 19 Miami (FL) 94 John Jenkins NT 6-3 360 14 Georgia 95 Tavius Robinson OLB 6-6 262 4 Ole Miss 96 Brdrick Washington DL 6-2 315 7 Texas Tech 98 Travis Jones DL 6-4 338 5 UConn

INJURY REPORT SAINTS OUT: LS Zach Wood (calf). DOUBTFUL: LB Isaiah Stalbird (shoulder). QUESTIONABLE: DL Christen Miller (toe), WR Chris Olave (hamstring), DE Chase young (calf).

RAVENS OUT: LB Teddye Buchanan (knee), DT Nnamdi Madubuike (neck), CB T.J.Tampa (knee),WR Zay Flowers (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: OLB Trey Hendrickson (finger), G John Simpson (groin),T Ronnie Stanley (toe).

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PAUL SANCyA

Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele pulls in a touchdown reception against the Detroit Lions in the second half of a game on Sept. 13 in Detroit.

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C This is not lip service. Vele is one of those rare, true underdog stories in the NFL. Consider his path to that Week 1 performance. 1. Vele starred for Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, earning all-league status and recording a pair of touchdowns and a game-clinching interception in his team’s state championship game. But even with his production and size, Vele did not receive a single Division I scholarship offer. He elected to participate in a two-year Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission after graduating high school. 2. He earned a walk-on spot at the University of Utah after completing his mission. While he earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors in 2022, he never put up huge receiving numbers (his 55 catches for 695 yards in 2022 marked a career-high). As an older prospect, he slid to the seventh round of the NFL draft. 3. Vele made the Denver Broncos roster as a rookie and showed how useful he could be, catching 41 passes for 475 yards in 13 games. Still, Denver was willing to part with him after the Saints offered a fourth-round pick last fall. Vele arrived in New Orleans and barely made an impact in the ﬁrst half of the season as the team’s No. 4 wideout. It took until mid-November for him to start drawing consistent targets, then a shoulder injury ended his season just as he was getting going. New Orleans then used the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft on receiver Jordyn Tyson. All of that sticks with Vele — but in a healthy, positive way. Rather than treating his path as a chip on his shoulder, he keeps it in his back pocket as a way to stay level-headed. “It’s just trusting the process,” he said. “Things are never going to go the way you expect it or want it. You’ve just got to make sure you stay ready, stay prepared and when those opportunities do come you’ve got to make the most of them. “I’m grateful the team trusts me enough to put me in situations where I can have those opportunities. Sunday was a good indication for me of how far we’ve come, how much more I have to go to continue to keep doing what I’ve been doing.” While the Saints wait for Tyson to return from a hamstring injury that landed him on injured reserve to start his rookie season, Vele is handling an increased workload as the No. 2 option behind Chris Olave. His skillset offers the team something it had sorely lacked since injuries ruined Michael Thomas’ career. At 6-5, Vele is easily the biggest receiver on the roster. More importantly, he plays like it. “(Vele) does a really good job of using his body to gain leverage, to gain body position on catches,” coach Kellen Moore said. “... When you’re a bigger man, you can use your body to your advantage. It’s kind of like the basketball metaphor a little bit as far as being a bigger man, being able to position yourself and box guys out.” In Olave, the Saints have a graceful slasher who can

AP PHOTO By DOUG MURRAy

Saints wide receivers coach Keith Williams talks to wide receiver Devaughn Vele on the sideline during a game against the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 30 in Miami Gardens, Fla.

take the top off of a defense just as easily as he can burn a defender with nifty footwork. When it comes to picking up the dirty yards, though, it’s no surprise to see New Orleans throw the ball in Vele’s vicinity. “You put it in a general area and he’s going to go make a play,” Shough said. “He showed it in the game. I wasn’t making exactly perfect throws and he’s going out there and diving, making the really tough catches.” The bulk of Vele’s work against Detroit came in the short and intermediate areas of the field. Each of his first five catches against the Lions went for 10 or fewer yards. But the “general area” principle applies downfield, too. As big as Vele’s touchdown was, he delivered again in the fourth quarter when he ran a slot fade on a crucial third down from midfield. Vele made the play work despite a bad look at the snap. Lions safety Avonte Maddox played Vele’s outside shoulder, forcing Vele to take an inside release before bending his route back toward the sideline and the throw’s landmark. Shough released the pass just as Vele started working his way toward the outside, and again, he laid out to make a huge diving catch. The 31-yard gain set up a field goal that cut Detroit’s lead to four points. It was the type of play the Saints may have envisioned Vele making when they acquired him in a trade last season. It took a while before that vision became a reality, but again, Vele is used to waiting. In fact, he said it’s become something of a guiding philosophy for his NFL career. “There’s always that saying, ‘Don’t count your opportunities, make your opportunities count,’ ” Vele said. “That’s what I live by.”

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 9C

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SAINTS at RAVENS

Noon Sunday, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore Line: Ravens by 8½ (Over/Under: 45½) TV: CBS | Radio: WDGL-FM, 98.1

six-day-a-week newsletter

OFFENSIVE LEADERS Saints

Ravens

PASSING

Player

Cmp-Att-Pct Yds TD Int

Tyler Shough

35-56-62.5

410

RUSHING

Player

Att

Travis Etienne Kendre Miller Tyler Shough CJ Donaldson

Net

9 9 4 2

46 30 8 4

Avg TD 5.1 3.3 2.0 2

0 1 0 0

PASSING

Player

Cmp-Att-Pct Yds TD Int

Lamar Jackson

10 7 7 4 3 3

182 32 69 33 54 42

18.2 4.6 9.9 8.3 18 14

0 0 1 1 1 0

Net

Avg TD

24 7 6

144 40 18

6.0 5.7 3.0

3 1 0

Player

Rec Yards Avg TD

Zay Flowers Chris Moore Mark Andrews Derrick Henry LaJohntay Wester

5 1 4 1 2

150 53 49 19 15

30.0 53.0 12.3 19.0 7.5

1 0 0 0 0

KICKING

XPM XPA FGM FGA

Daniel Carlson

Att

Derrick Henry Lamar Jackson Justice Hill

KICKING Player

RECEIVING

Rec Yards Avg TD

Chris Olave Travis Etienne Devaughn Vele Noah Fant Juwan Johnson Bryce Lance

324

RUSHING

Player

RECEIVING Player

17-25-68.0

Player

XPM XPA FGM FGA

Tyler Loop

DEFENSIVE LEADERS TACKLES

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PAUL SANCyA

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough passes against the Detroit Lions last Sunday in Detroit. Shough’s 35-of-56, 410-yard, three-touchdown performance was one of the best in Saints history.

SIGHT TO BEHOLD Shough’s passing performance against Lions ‘unbelievable’

avid Edwards has played with the past two NFL MVPs. He protected Matthew Stafford for two seasons in Los Angeles, then blocked for Josh Allen the past three years in Buffalo. He knows a great quarterJeff when he Duncan back sees one. And he said the New Orleans Saints have someone special in Tyler Shough. “Tyler’s a stud, man,” Edwards said after the Saints’ oh-so-close 31-30 loss to the Detroit Lions last Sunday. “He’s got every tool to be toplevel player in this league, and I hope that people saw that (against Detroit).” Indeed, Shough’s 35-of-56, 410-yard, three-touchdown performance was the most prolific of his career and vaulted him to the top of the NFL’s passing leaders. While Shough’s numbers were impressive, I’m not sure we fully appreciated how special it was. So before turning our attention to the matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, let’s review Shough’s day and put it into historical context: n Shough’s 325 yards passing in the second half and overtime were the most for a Saints quarterback after halftime in a game. The previous high was 310 by Drew Brees in 2008 at Atlanta. n His 231 combined yards passing in the fourth quarter and overtime were the most in the league in Week 1, per NFL Research. The only player in the entire 2025 season with a fourth quarter/ overtime with more yards passing than Shough had in Week 1 was Josh Allen’s 251 in Week 1 of 2025 against the Ravens. n Shough joined Brees and Aaron Brooks as only the third quarterback in Saints history to throw for more than 400 yards in a game. His 410 yards were the 18th-most by a Saints quarterback. n His 35 completions are tied for the eighth most in a game in team history and are the most by any Saints quarterback other than Brees. n His 56 passing attempts are tied for the fifth-most in team history. Brees (2007) and Brooks (2004) have the record with 60. n Shough adjusted impressively to the Lions’ blitz tactics. He completed 8 of 11 passes against the blitz for 79 yards and three touchdowns in the second half and overtime, after going just 2 of 7 for 17 yards and an interception in the first half.

TACKLES

Player

Tot Solo Ast TFL Sk

Jonas Sanker

Kaden Elliss

Justin Reid

Kool-Aid McKinstry

Pete Werner

Julian Blackmon

Danny Stutsman

Davon Godchaux

0 0

Quincy Riley

Nathan Shepherd

Vernon Broughton

Isaiah Stalbird

Carl Granderson

Martin Emerson

Jordan Howden

Tyree Wilson

Colby Wooden

Anfernee Jennings

Decamerion Richardson 1

Player

Tot Solo Ast TFL Sk

Roquan Smith 11 Malaki Starks 7 Kyle Hamilton 5 Travis Jones 4 Trenton Simpson 4 Nate Wiggins 4 Marlon Humphrey 4 Tavius Robinson 3 Carl Jones 2 Calais Campbell 2 Jaylinn Hawkins 2 Keyon Martin 2 Broderick Washington 1 Ronnie Stanley 1 Tyler Loop 1 Chris Moore 1 Rasheen Ali 1

5 2 3 3 3 3 3 1 2 0 1 2 1 1 1 1 0

6 5 2 1 1 1 1 2 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1

0 1 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

INTERCEPTIONS Player

Tot Yds Avg TD PD

Roquan Smith

1.0

TEAM STATS OFFENSE PER GAME Yards gained: 469.0

OFFENSE PER GAME Yards gained: 506.0

Plays: 81.0

Plays: 62.0

PASS 378.0

RUSH 91.0

PASS 56.0

RUSH 25.0

Turnovers: 3.00 ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RICK OSENTOSKI

Saints guard David Edwards blocks Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill last Sunday in Detroit.

“Tyler’s a stud, man. He’s got every tool to be a top-level player in this league, and I hope that people saw that (against Detroit).” DAVID EDWARDS, Saints guard

INTERCEPTIONS 2.00

downfield passes. On downfield passes (10-plus air yards), Shough completed 11 of 16 attempts for 261 yards and a touchdown, the most such yards by a Saints quarterback since Brees on Oct. 16, 2016. n Shough’s six “big-time throws” were the most in the league by a wide margin in Week 1 and the second-most in a game by any quarterback since Pro Football Focus began charting the metric in 2006. A big-time throw is defined as a pass with excellent ball location and timing, generally thrown farther down the field and into a tighter window. n The degree of difficulty on some of Shough’s pass connections was off the charts. Two of his passes had completion probability percentages of less than 22%, which ranked them among the four most improbable pass completions of all the Week 1 games, per Next Gen Stats. n The 42-yard completion to Chris Olave in the fourth quarter had a 19.1% completion probability. The 27-yard completion to Juwan Johnson in overtime was at 21.1. And while those passes were impressive, they weren’t even his most impressive throw of the day. “The pass to Juwan,” Edwards said, before being rendered speechless when trying to describe the 18-yard, seeing-eye laser Shough threw to Johnson in the final minute to set up Daniel Carlson’s potential game-winning field goal try. “For him to be able to stand in there and make some of those throws, there was just some great execution from

Tyler and our receivers, tight ends and backs, some unbelievable tight-window throws and execution, even at the end of the game in the fourth quarter.” The Ravens also took notice. Shough’s passing performance dominated their thoughts this week as they prepared for the Saints to visit M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday. “(Shough) is slinging it,” Ravens All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton said. “He can make every throw on the field. You don’t put up 400 yards passing by accident. It’s going to be a big challenge for our defense to stop it.” Added Ravens coach Jesse Minter: “They were throwing the ball all over the yard and put up a ton of numbers.” Historic numbers, in fact. And it came in just Shough’s 10th NFL start. Obviously, it’s wise to not overreact to one game. Longtime Saints fans will remember Brooks enjoyed a similarly impressive breakout performance against the Denver Broncos (441 yards passing) in only his fourth NFL start and was never able to duplicate it. But Shough’s performance is encouraging nonetheless, a breath of fresh air for a club and fan base that have longed for some bona fide offensive fireworks since Brees retired after the 2020 season. Time will tell if Shough’s big day was a one-game aberration or a harbinger of things to come. Either way, it was a sight to behold — and appreciate. Email Jeff Duncan at jduncan@theadvocate.com.

RUSH 202.0

PASS 25.0

RUSH 37.0

Turnovers: 1.00 INTERCEPTIONS 0.00

FUMBLES 1.00

DEFENSE PER GAME Yards allowed: 369.0

DEFENSE PER GAME Yards allowed: 251.0

Turnovers forced: 1.00

Turnovers forced: 2.00

PASS 204.0

RUSH 165.0

INTERCEPTIONS 0.00

FUMBLES 1.00

SCORING PER GAME

SCORED ALLOWED n Shough was money on his

FUMBLES 1.00

PASS 304.0

SCORED ALLOWED

PASS 149.0

INTERCEPTIONS 1.00

FUMBLES 1.00

SCORING PER GAME

SCORED ALLOWED

41.0

31.0

30.0

RUSH 102.0

22.5

18.0

2026

23.0

24.9

2026

2025

23.4

2025

CONVERSION SUCCESS

Third down

Fourth down

47.1% 52.9%

Fail

33.3%

100% 66.6%

00.0%

Convert

Fail

Fourth down

Fail

Convert

00.0% 100.0%

Fail

Convert

STAFF PREDICTIONS ROD WALKER

JEFF DUNCAN

LUKE JOHNSON

MATTHEW PARAS

RAVENS 30, SAINTS 20: you could make a strong argument that this is the toughest opponent the Saints will face all year. Trying to slow down two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry is a tall task for any team. The Saints will have to not only do that but also avoid a slow start. The good news is the schedule lightens up next week for the Saints. RAVENS 28, SAINTS 24: I believe the Saints offense is closer to the one that torched Detroit in the second half and overtime than it is the one that stumbled out of the gate in the season opener. Even against a creative and talented Baltimore defense, they’ll put up some points. But it’s a tough ask for this defense to keep superstars Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson in check.

RAVENS 26, SAINTS 19: This figures to be a sterner challenge than the Week 1 game in Detroit. It’s the home opener for the Ravens, who whipped the Colts on the road in their opener. The Ravens look energized by the coaching change to Jesse Minter and will be motivated to improve on their 3-6 home mark a year ago. The Saints defense will get a heavy dose of Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson. RAVENS 23, SAINTS 17: The Saints definitely have a chance, especially with Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers downgraded to out with a hamstring injury. But Baltimore’s run game — and the craftiness of its defense — will likely be too much to overcome. The Saints put up another strong fight to show their headed in the right direction, but the daunting schedule leads to an 0-2 start.

10C ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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WEEK 2

SUNDAy Saints at Ravens Noon, CBS

ON TV THIS WEEK

SUNDAy Panthers at Falcons Noon, Fox

SUNDAy Commanders at Cowboys 3:25, Fox

SUNDAy Colts at Cheifs 7:20 p.m., NBC

MONDAy Giants at Rams 7:15 p.m., ESPN

STANDINGS, SCORES & SCHEDULE AFC East

Buffalo N.Y. Jets New England Miami South Jacksonville Houston Tennessee Indianapolis North Baltimore Cincinnati Pittsburgh Cleveland West Kansas City Las Vegas L.A. Chargers Denver

NFC East

N.Y. Giants Philadelphia Washington Dallas South Atlanta Tampa Bay Carolina New Orleans North

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ABBIE PARR

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson catches a touchdown pass as Green Bay Packers cornerback Brandon Cisse defends during the first half of a game on Sept. 13 in Minneapolis.

TOP TOPICS FOR WEEK 2 BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WR Jefferson targets Bears Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson vs Bears CB Jaylon Johnson is a matchup to watch in this NFC North clash. Jefferson, 27, and Johnson, 27, know each other quite well. They are both 2020 draft picks who have spent their entire careers with their respective NFC North teams. Jefferson had eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns in Minnesota’s season opener. He has 59 receptions for 790 yards and four TDs in 10 games against Chicago. Johnson missed both of Chicago’s games against Minnesota last season. He has one interception in six games versus the Vikings during his career.

Important clash in NFC South The NFC South suffered the indignity of having four teams finish with losing records last season and take Week 1 losses to open the 2026 season. Last week’s poor showing makes division matchups, including Carolina’s visit to Atlanta on Sunday, especially important. Though the Panthers finished with the same 8-9 regular-season record as Atlanta and Tampa Bay last season, they swept the two games against the Falcons on their way to winning the division title tiebreaker. Atlanta’s home opener follows a 20-13 loss at Pittsburgh. The Falcons were forced to start third-string quarterback Cooper Rush, and he gets the nod again Sunday.

Jags hope air attack downs Denver The Jacksonville Jaguars receiving corps will look to go to work against the Denver defensive backs on Sunday. This premier matchup pits Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas and Josh Cameron against Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian and Jahdae Barron. The Jacksonville passing attack was strong against Cleveland but the real test comes when the Broncos try to bounce back from their poor performance at Kansas City. Despite a 31-10 loss, Denver did hold the Kansas City Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes to just 184 yards passing and picked off one pass.

Mayﬁeld gets shot at Browns Baker Mayfield has become the leader and face of the franchise the Cleveland Browns hoped for when they drafted him No. 1 overall in 2018. The Buccaneers are glad he’s found a home and done so in Tampa Bay instead. But there’s more to the BrownsBuccaneers matchup Sunday than Mayfield facing his old team. It’s two 0-1 teams looking to get on the winning track. Expectations are much different for both. It’ll be a surprise if the Browns don’t finish last in a tough AFC North. The Buccaneers play in the weak NFC South where all four teams lost their openers.

Cowboys, Commanders start in hole There’s a sudden sense of urgency as the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys renew an old NFC East rivalry with both teams staring at an 0-2 start in division games. The Commanders and coach Dan Quinn are trying to find the form of the 2024 season, when they reached the NFC championship game. Meanwhile, the Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott want to get back to where they were the year before that when Quinn was in charge of their defense. Dallas fell to the New york Giants and Washington is on the road again after losing to Philadelphia last week.

GAME OF THE WEEK

Texans face Bengals after ‘wake-up call’ BY KRISTIE RIEKEN AP sportswriter

HOUSTON — Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson said giving up 36 points in a seasonopening loss to the Buffalo Bills wasn’t a reason to get mad but instead should be a catalyst to improve. “That’s probably the best thing that could have happened to us,” he said. “We got hit in the mouth and now we know how to respond. Now it’s a wakeup call for everybody.” The Texans look to bounce back from that uncharacteristically poor performance when they host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The

Bengals are coming off a 33-27 win over Tampa Bay in their opener. And they know better than to underestimate the Houston defense, which was among the league’s best last season, despite the lackluster performance on opening weekend. “They are very fast, very physical,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “Not only are they very talented and wellcoached but they play really good together as a unit. (We’ve) certainly got our work cut out for us. They have elite talent across the board on their defense and it poses a lot of challenges for you.” Quarterback Joe Bur-

row was limited in practice Wednesday as he deals with back tightness and “normal game-day soreness.” But the threetime Pro Bowler said there’s no way the problem would keep him out against the Texans. “That’s ridiculous,” Burrow said. After dealing with Josh Allen last week, the Texans know their defense will have its hands full again in trying to slow down Burrow and the Cincinnati offense. He threw for 254 yards with a touchdown and interception against the Buccaneers. “The Bengals are a really exceptional offense,” Houston coach

DeMeco Ryans said. “Everything starts and goes through the quarterback. Talk about a guy that has exceptional talent, Joe Burrow, he’s one of the best quarterbacks I’ve watched and studied.” While Houston certainly respects Burrow and his talented offense, Anderson said the key to success this week will be for the Texans to focus on themselves. “The biggest thing is just going out there and having fun,” he said. “Not overcomplicating football. Not getting too high. Not getting too low. But just playing our brand of ball and having fun doing that.”

Minnesota Chicago Detroit Green Bay West San Francisco Arizona Seattle L.A. Rams

W 2 1 0 0

L 0 0 1 1

T Pct 0 1.000 0 1.000 0 .000 0 .000

PF 77 23 10 13

PA Home Away 62 1-0-0 1-0-0 10 0-0-0 1-0-0 13 0-0-0 0-1-0 27 0-0-0 0-1-0

AFC NFC Div 1-0-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-0-0

W 1 0 0 0

L 0 1 1 1

T Pct 0 1.000 0 .000 0 .000 0 .000

PF 34 31 10 23

PA Home Away 10 1-0-0 0-0-0 36 0-1-0 0-0-0 23 0-1-0 0-0-0 41 0-1-0 0-0-0

AFC NFC Div 1-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-0-0

W 1 1 1 0

L 0 0 0 1

T Pct 0 1.000 0 1.000 0 1.000 0 .000

PF 41 33 20 10

PA Home Away 23 0-0-0 1-0-0 27 1-0-0 0-0-0 13 1-0-0 0-0-0 34 0-0-0 0-1-0

AFC 1-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-1-0

NFC Div 0-0-0 0-0-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0

W 1 1 0 0

L 0 0 1 1

T Pct 0 1.000 0 1.000 0 .000 0 .000

PF 31 27 14 10

PA Home Away 10 1-0-0 0-0-0 13 1-0-0 0-0-0 26 0-1-0 0-0-0 31 0-0-0 0-1-0

AFC 1-0-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 0-1-0

NFC Div 0-0-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-1-0

W 1 1 0 0

L 0 0 1 1

T Pct 0 1.000 0 1.000 0 .000 0 .000

PF 28 24 22 20

PA Home Away 20 1-0-0 0-0-0 22 1-0-0 0-0-0 24 0-0-0 0-1-0 28 0-0-0 0-1-0

AFC 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0

NFC Div 1-0-0 1-0-0 1-0-0 1-0-0 0-1-0 0-1-0 0-1-0 0-1-0

W 0 0 0 0

L 1 1 1 1

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .000 .000 .000 .000

PF 13 27 37 30

PA Home Away 20 0-0-0 0-1-0 33 0-0-0 0-1-0 59 0-1-0 0-0-0 31 0-0-0 0-1-0

AFC 0-1-0 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-0-0

NFC Div 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-1-0 0-0-0

W 1 1 1 0

L 0 0 1 1

T Pct 0 1.000 0 1.000 0 .500 0 .000

PF 39 59 62 22

PA Home Away AFC NFC Div 22 1-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 1-0-0 1-0-0 37 0-0-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 71 1-0-0 0-1-0 0-1-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 39 0-0-0 0-1-0

W 1 1 1 0

L 0 0 0 1

T Pct 0 1.000 0 1.000 0 1.000 0 .000

PF 27 26 13 7

PA Home Away 7 0-0-0 1-0-0 14 0-0-0 1-0-0 10 1-0-0 0-0-0 27 0-1-0 0-0-0

WEEK 2

AFC 0-0-0 1-0-0 1-0-0 0-0-0

NFC Div 1-0-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-1-0 0-1-0

WEEK 3

Thursday’s game Buffalo 41, Detroit 31 Sunday’s games Carolina at Atlanta, noon Cincinnati at Houston, noon Cleveland at Tampa Bay, noon Green Bay at N.Y. Jets, noon Minnesota at Chicago, noon New Orleans at Baltimore, noon Philadelphia at Tennessee, noon Pittsburgh at New England, noon Jacksonville at Denver, 3:05 p.m. Las Vegas at L.A. Chargers, 3:05 p.m. Miami at San Francisco, 3:25 p.m. Seattle at Arizona, 3:25 p.m. Washington at Dallas, 3:25 p.m. Indianapolis at Kansas City, 7:20 p.m. Monday’s game N.Y. Giants at L.A. Rams, 7:15 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 24 Atlanta at Green Bay, 7:15 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27 Carolina at Cleveland, noon Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, noon Houston at Indianapolis, noon Kansas City at Miami, noon L.A. Chargers at Buffalo, noon N.Y. Jets at Detroit, noon New England at Jacksonville, noon Seattle at Washington, noon Tennessee at N.Y. Giants, noon Arizona at San Francisco, 3:05 p.m. Minnesota at Tampa Bay, 3:05 p.m. Baltimore vs Dallas at Rio de Janeiro, BRA, 3:25 p.m. Las Vegas at New Orleans, 3:25 p.m. L.A. Rams at Denver, 7:20 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28 Philadelphia at Chicago, 7:15 p.m.

NFL BRIEFS

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By AJ MAST

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers gets past Indianapolis Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward for a touchdown during the first half on Sept. 13 in Indianapolis.

Ravens WR Flowers to miss Saints game

Rams receiver Nacua in doubt for Monday

The Baltimore Ravens have ruled out wide receiver Zay Flowers for Sunday’s game against New Orleans because of a hamstring injury. Flowers left last weekend’s season-opening win against Indianapolis in the second quarter after ﬁve catches for 150 yards and a touchdown. He missed practice Wednesday and Thursday and was limited Friday. Baltimore also put cornerback T.J. Tampa (knee) on injured reserve and signed linebacker Carl Jones from the practice squad.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua is questionable to play Monday night against the New York Giants because of a groin injury. Nacua did not practice Saturday, sidelined for the second straight day with an injury that is not related to a core muscle injury the fourth-year standout sustained during a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys in August, coach Sean McVay said. Nacua had ﬁve receptions for 74 yards in the season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia.

Jets place rookie WR Cooper on IR

Texans going without WR Collins vs. Bengals

The New York Jets placed rookie wide receiver Omar Cooper on injured reserve on Saturday, sidelining the ﬁrst-round draft pick for at least four games. Cooper, the 30th overall pick and third of New York’s firstrounders in April, sprained an ankle in his NFL debut last Sunday at Tennessee. The former Indiana star started and had a 30-yard catch-and-run that set up the Jets’ touchdown on their opening drive in a 23-10 victory. Cooper had already been ruled out to play in New York’s home opener Sunday against Green Bay.

Houston receiver Nico Collins will miss Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals with a hamstring injury. Collins was injured during Wednesday’s practice and did not participate in practice Thursday or Friday before being ruled out. He had seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown in Houston’s season-opening loss to Buffalo. Collins, who is in his sixth season, has had at least 1,000 yards receiving in each of the last three seasons.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 11C

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THE VARSITY ZONE Episcopal boys, St. Joseph’s girls win at meet Dutchtown boys team finishes runner-up

Episcopal/Varsity Sports Round Table Run results Boys

BY JACKSON REYES

Staff writer

Fans watched from the finish line, waiting to see who would cross first in the boys’ 3-mile run at the 48th annual Episcopal/Varsity Sports Round Table Run. Dutchtown senior Shrey Shah emerged first, all alone, and crossed the finish line as he pointed to the sky. He ran a personalbest 14 minutes, 53.9 seconds. There were 60 schools that comSTAFF PHOTO By PEARL SPURLOCK peted in Saturday’s meet. Epis- Dutchtown senior Shrey Shah places first at the Episcopal/Varsity Sports copal won the boys’ race with 77 Round Table Run on Saturday at Highland Road Community Park. points. Dutchtown finished second with 97 points. St. Joseph’s won the girls race with 45 points. The he could throughout the race to son with a chip on their shoulder Episcopal girls were runner-up separate from the pack. Shah said after Mount Carmel snapped their he knew his strengths lay with the streak of nine straight state titles with 130 points. back end of the course, so he fo- last year. Shah’s big day St. Joseph’s showed off the extra cused on taking advantage of the work it put in with all seven runShah knew Saturday would be final leg. “I remember I was looking at the ners finishing in the top 20 of the competitive with so many schools from around the state competing. clock, and saw the sub-15 was on,” girls’ race. “The goal was just to try and get he said. “Just kicked for it and it “We did train pretty hard this out hard and see where I can make felt great.” summer,” coach Mark LaHaye His teammate, Carson Dietz, fin- said. “They were ahead of my promoves,” Shah said. “Everything felt pretty smooth, and I just didn’t ished second with a time of 15:17.2. jections that I had for them today. even really look at the time, was The entire top seven was ahead of Motivated St. Joseph’s just focused on running.” what I expected.” He looked to create gaps when Sophomore Hannah Schneider The Redstickers entered the sea-

Team scores: 1. Episcopal, 78. 2. Dutchtown, 99. 3. Baton Rouge High, 165. 4. Mandeville, 184. 5. Zachary, 185. 6. Denham Springs, 227. 7. Catholic High, 234. 8. John Curtis, 252. 9. Teurlings Catholic, 254. 10. E.D. White, 278. Individuals: 1. Shrey Shah, Dutchtown, 14:53.9. 2. Carson Dietz, Dutchtown, 15:17.2. 3. Liam Kelso, Vandebilt Catholic, 15:37.8. 4. Levi Soileau, Episcopal, 15:49.0. 5. Maxime France, Baton Rouge High, 15:53.4. 6. Mason Kelly, Episcopal, 15:54.1. 7. Noah Boudreaux, Central Lafourche, 15:56.0. 8. Max Newman, Mandeville, 15:58.3. 9. Christian Tucker, Episcopal, 16:00.6. 10. Maximo Gennaro, Zachary, 16:04.9. 11. Jack Blanda, Northshore, 16:09.9. 12. Avery LeBlanc, Teurlings Catholic, 16:10.5. 13. Andrew White, Episcopal, 16:12.2. 14. Hunter Voisin, Denham Springs, 16:12.4. 15. John Cresap, Mandeville, 16:13.0

led the team with a second-place ﬁnish with a time of 17:43.0. She credited the number of great runners helping push her. “I really think competition changes your race in so many ways,” Schneider said. “It makes you do really well.”

Episcopal excels Knights coach Claney Duplechin felt good about his boys team based on their workouts, but he knew Saturday’s race would be a battle. “We got out a little bit faster, tried to settle in, but it was hard,” Duplechin said. “I had a feeling we might could do it, but you never

Girls

Team scores: 1. St. Joseph’s, 45. 2. Country Day, 132. 3. Episcopal, 134. 4. E.D. White, 146. 5. Mount Carmel, 148. 6. Dominican, 198. 7. Teurlings Catholic, 218. 8. Mandeville, 281. 9. Zachary, 285. 10. Vandebilt Catholic, 286. Individuals: 1. Varenka Zhuk, Country Day, 17:41.4. 2. Hannah Schneider, St. Joseph’s, 17:43.0. 3. Grace Schneider, Dominican, 17:43.7. 4. Neva Lambert, Episcopal, 18:00.5. 5. Mary Claire Leckert, McGehee, 6. Cate Barbier, St. Joseph’s, 18:23.7. 7. Emma Aldana, Ben Franklin, 18:28.6. 8. Faith Marengo, Mandeville, 18:30.3. 9. Clare Delahoussaye, Mount Carmel, 18:40.2. 10. Keira Melan, Dutchtown, 18:41.6. 11. Noella Fields, St. Joseph’s, 18:43.0. 12. Nora McLarty, St. Joseph’s, 18.55.5. 13. Katie Guidry, E.D. White, 19:10.8. 14. Ava Singleton, St. Joseph’s, 19:14.2. 15. Alicia Hodson, Central Lafourche, 19:16.7.

know. The boys ran exceptionally well.” Eighth grader Levi Soileau ﬁnished fourth for Episcopal with a time of 15:49.0. “He’s had such great practices this week,” Duplechin said. “I knew he was ready, but I didn’t know he was ready to beat our other two guys.” On the girls side, junior Neva Lambert placed fourth with a time of 18:00.5. Duplechin came away thrilled with his team’s performance. “I’m tickled pink,” he said. “I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’m more excited about this group.”

WEEK 4 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE All games are at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Thursday East Iberville vs. St. John at Plaquemine High School North Iberville vs. Capitol at Istrouma Middle/High School White Castle vs. Thrive Academy at Olympia Stadium Friday Woodlawn at Belaire Many at Catholic-PC Northeast at Glen Oaks Ferriday vs. Southern Lab at A.W. Mumford Stadium Donaldsonville at Port Allen Warren Easton at Zachary Madison Prep at Broadmoor Country Day at Episcopal West St. Mary at Live Oak Denham Springs at Prairieville Carencro at West Feliciana Jefferson Rise Charter at Istrouma East Iberville at Baker

Lafayette Renaissance Charter vs. Liberty at Olympia Stadium Slaughter Community Charter at Parkview Baptist Livonia at University High Tara at Scotlandville Catholic-BR at Ruston Central at West Monroe Dutchtown at Walker East Ascension at St. Amant Hahnville at Lutcher Helix Mentorship Academy at Beau Chene St. Michael at Brusly McKinley at Plaquemine Ascension Catholic at South Lafourche Albany at Independence East Feliciana at Baker Kentwood at Loranger St. James at Dunham Booker T. Washington-NO at Springﬁeld Berchmans Academy at Ascension Christian Central Private at Centreville Academy (Mississippi)

WEEK 3 FOOTBALL SCORES Friday Area

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

University High wide receiver Kevin Smith catches a pass for a touchdown against Plaquemine in the first quarter on Thursday in Plaquemine.

Great potential

QB Kiffin, WR Smith bring on-field chemistry to U-High BY JACKSON REYES

Staff writer

Quarterback Knox Kiffin’s transfer to University High brought a new city and unfamiliar teammates, but he knew he still had one player he already had a year of chemistry with — Kevin Smith. Both juniors left Oxford High in Mississippi to enroll at U-High after their fathers, Lane Kiffin and Kevin Smith Sr., took over as LSU’s head coach and running backs coach, respectively. The Cubs started the year with two losses, but on Thursday night at Plaquemine High, Kiffin and Smith stole the show. Kiffin finished 10 of 15 for 167 yards passing. He slung four touchdown passes, all to Smith, in a 31-21 win over the Green Devils. Smith caught eight of those passes for 142 yards. “We’ve been playing football for so long together,” Kiffin said. “From 7-on-7 to last year at Oxford, the chemistry is just so high that it’s really hard to stop us.” The two have the freedom only created by countless reps taken from Mississippi to Louisiana that allows them to change routes to attack any defensive look they see. “The chemistry plays a big role,” Kiffin said, “and just (Smith) going out there and making the catch for me.” The first touchdown came in the first quarter. Smith lined up along the right sideline. He burned the corner on him, and Kiffin found him for a 12-yard touchdown. The second touchdown in the third quarter came on a post route from 23 yards out. Clinging to a 17-14 lead, Smith moved to the left side of the field.

University High quarterback Knox Kiffin, right, sets up in the pocket against Plaquemine on Thursday in Plaquemine. He sprinted downfield with one defender draped over him. Kiffin unloaded a deep ball and connected with Smith. He brought it down, broke a tackle and sauntered into the end zone for a 42-yard score. The fourth touchdown came on a 32-yard score against man coverage. “We just came out and played a complete game,” Kiffin said. “We had no pressure, not one sack today. The O-line played great. Kevin and all the receivers played good.” Coach Andy Martin knows what the duo can be capable of as they continue to become more comfortable in the offense. Martin raved about Smith’s skills. “He’s got a high football IQ,” Martin said. “You can see when he gets the ball in his hands, he’s try-

ing to score every single time, and he’s got great hands.” Martin also emphasized what Kifﬁn brings to the table. “Knox is a hell of a player,” Martin said. “He does a lot of things outside the pocket, whether it’s running and just making plays, but then he’s got a great arm.” The Cubs entered the year as one of the top-ranked teams in the LSWA Class 3A poll. Despite starting 0-2, the Cubs’ ﬁrst win offers optimism for what U-High can become by the end of the season. “This offense has a lot of talent,” Smith said. “We knew that from the jump; it’s just a lot of new guys. When we mold together and we play clean, up front to the receivers all the way down to Knox, we play pretty good.”

Ascension Catholic 49, South Terrebonne 7 West St. John 35, Capitol 6 St. Thomas More 43, Catholic 42 Central 55, John Ehret 0 St. John 56, Central Private 24 Central Catholic 36, East Iberville 20 Catholic-PC 25, Episcopal 17 Live Oak 16, Westminster Christian 7 Dutchtown 41, St. Michael 21 Walker 42, Scotlandville 0 Zachary 39, Madison Prep 36 West Feliciana 21, East St. John 20 Lutcher 49, Slidell 35 John F. Kennedy 35, St. Amant 28 St. James 43, Terrebonne 14

Statewide

Amite 21, Parkview Baptist 14 Donaldsonville 34, White Castle 7 Kentwood 50, St. Helena 14 Abbeville 48, Acadiana Renaissance 28 Acadiana 41, Carencro 27 Alexandria 45, Lafayette Christian 0 Ascension Catholic 49, South Terrebonne 7 Ascension Episcopal 24, Northside 22 Barbe 48, Cecilia 19 Beau Chene 56, Port Barre 14 Belle Chasse 35, South Plaquemines 12 Benton 38, Woodlawn (SH) 6 Brandon, Miss. 40, West Monroe 23 Briarﬁeld 41, Franklin Academy 0 Brother Martin 56, Easton 6 Buckeye 27, LaSalle 22 Buna, Texas 37, South Beauregard 21 Caldwell Parish 32, Rayville 28 Calvary Baptist Academy 57, Grant 13 Cedar Creek 42, Beekman 12 Centerville 36, Oberlin 6 Central - B.R. 55, Ehret 0 Chalmette 24, Salmen 6 Columbia Academy, Miss. 42, Silliman 0 Crowley 35, Breaux Bridge 14 D’Arbonne Woods 42, Arcadia 6 DeQuincy 24, Westlake 21 Delcambre 54, Pickering 0 Delhi 26, Delhi Charter 2 Destrehan 56, West Jefferson 12 Donaldsonville 34, White Castle 7 Dutchtown 41, St. Michael 21 Elton 44, Montgomery 40 Eunice 27, Kinder 12 Evadale, Texas 43, Acadiana Christian 34 Ferriday 28, Delta Charter 22 Franklin 48, Berwick 0 Franklinton 48, Pine 20 Hahnville 42, E.D. White 31 Hammond 25, Higgins 3 Haughton 45, Glenbrook 6 Haynes Academy 44, Ben Franklin 6 Haynesville 28, Homer 26 Holy Cross 10, St. Charles Catholic 7, OT

Jesuit 48, Bonnabel 7 John Curtis Christian 42, Lafayette Renaissance 12 Lafayette 38, Erath 3 Lake Arthur 21, Iota 19 Lake Charles College Prep 45, Sam Houston 31 Leesville 46, Tioga 36 Live Oak 16, Westminster Christian 7 Loreauville 35, Vermilion Catholic 0 Lutcher 49, Slidell 35 Mandeville 49, Carver 6 Mangham 52, Oak Grove 24 Mansﬁeld 33, Magnolia, Ark. 28 Many 31, East Beauregard 6 Merryville 39, Lena Northwood 8 Minden 56, West Ouachita 36 NDHS 41, Teurlings Catholic 13 Neville 49, Ouachita Parish 0 New Iberia Catholic 34, Kaplan 29 Newman 48, East Jefferson 19 Newton, Texas 52, DeRidder 29 North DeSoto 38, C.E. Byrd 20 North Vermilion 49, Ville Platte 0 Northshore 21, Lakeshore 14 Opelousas 44, Northwest 7 Ouachita Christian 38, Richwood 6 Parkway 56, Red River 12 Pearl River 42, Fontainebleau 30 Pointe Coupee Catholic 25, Baton Rouge Episcopal 17 Pope John Paul 29, Hannan 27, OT Riverside Academy 35, Ponchatoula 28 Rosepine 50, Basile 6 Rummel 24, Shaw 7 Sacred Heart 48, Country Day 36 Saint Paul’s 42, De La Salle 30 South Lafourche 55, Central Lafourche 36 Southside 49, Union Parish 7 St. Frederick Catholic 21, North Webster 14 St. James 43, Terrebonne 14 St. John 56, Central Private 24 St. Thomas More 43, Catholic-B.R. 42 Sterlington 42, Natchitoches Central 7 Sumner 24, H.L. Bourgeois 23 Thibodaux 38, Vandebilt Catholic 17 Vidalia 52, General Trass (Lake Providence) 6 Vidor, Texas 45, Iowa 42 Vinton 55, Washington-Marion 12 West Feliciana 21, East St. John 20 Westgate 28, Jena 12 Westminster Christian (LAF) 55, Houma Christian 14 Winnﬁeld 48, Jonesboro-Hodge 28 Zachary 39, Madison Prep 36

Saturday

Kenner Discovery 34, at Thomas Jefferson 20 Edna Karr 21, Ruston 14 Green Oaks at B.T. Washington, n St. Augustine 52, East Ascension 7 Fisher vs. Morris Jeff, n

STAFF PHOTO By PEARL SPURLOCK

Dutchtown quarterback Owen Fletcher runs in for a touchdown against St. Michael on Friday.

12C ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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SCOREBOARD Holes-in-one John Jackson

Hole: No. 14 Club: 7 iron Yardage: 154 yards Witnesses: Dr. Todd Cooley, Dennis Shill

Washington at Indiana, 3 p.m. Portland at Los Angeles, 6 p.m. Seattle at Las Vegas, 8 p.m.

Colorado 56 x-clinched division z-clinched playoff berth

Major League Baseball

Pittsburgh 8, Kansas City 5 Cincinnati 6, Chicago Cubs 4 N.Y. Mets 6, Philadelphia 3 Milwaukee 6, Baltimore 5, 10 innings Atlanta 6, Houston 2 Washington 9, St. Louis 1 Seattle 5, Colorado 4 San Diego 8, Miami 2 N.Y. Yankees 9, Arizona 2 L.A. Dodgers 8, San Francisco 2

Odds Sports Betting Line NFL Sunday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at BALTIMORE 7½ 8½ (45½) New Orlns at HOUSTON 2½ 2½ (45½) Cincinnati at CHICAGO 3½ 4½ (47½) Minnesota Green Bay 6½ 3½ (44½) at NY JETS Carolina 1½ 2½ (43½)at ATLANTA at N.E. 4½ 4½ (41½) Pittsburgh at TAMPA BAY 6½ 8½ (41½) Cleveland Philadelphia 4½ 7 (39½) at TEN at DENVER 3 2½ (45½) Jax at CHARGRS 8½ 6½ (43½) Las Vegas Seattle 10 4½ (40½)at ARIZONA at DALLAS 4½ 4½ (50½)Washington at SAN FRAN 10½ 13½ (44½) Miami at K.C. 5½ 6½ (46½) Ind

Monday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at LA RAMS 9½ 7 (47½) NY Giants

College Football MLB Sunday

American League FAVORITE LINE at TAMPA BAY OFF at CLEVELAND -240 Detroit -122 at TEXAS OFF Minnesota -112 National League FAVORITE LINE Philadelphia -168 at CINCINNATI OFF at ST. LOUIS -154 at LA DODGERS -420 at SAN DIEGO -138 Interleague FAVORITE LINE at PITTSBURGH OFF at HOUSTON -141 Seattle -155 N.Y Yankees -113 Milwaukee -213

UNDERDOG Boston Athletics at WHITE SOX Toronto at LA ANGELS

LINE OFF +188 -101 OFF -109

UNDERDOG at N.Y METS Chicago Cubs Washington San Francisco Miami

LINE +137 OFF +124 +318 +113

UNDERDOG LINE Kansas City OFF Atlanta +115 at COLORADO +127 at ARIZONA -109 at BALTIMORE +169

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

W 27 27 25 25 15 11 10

L 14 14 16 16 26 30 31

Pct .659 .659 .610 .610 .366 .268 .244

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

W 31 30 28 26 16 15 15 8

L 10 11 13 16 26 27 26 33

Pct GB .756 — .732 1 .683 3 .619 5½ .381 15½ .357 16½ .366 16 .195 23

WESTERN CONFERENCE

x-clinched playoff spot Friday’s Games

GB — — 2 2 12 16 17

New York 93, Minnesota 81 Indiana 103, Toronto 85 Golden State 82, Portland 66

Saturday’s Games

Dallas 87, Phoenix 82 Atlanta 106, Chicago 81 Seattle at Golden State, n

z-Tampa Bay z-New York Boston Toronto Baltimore

W 93 89 84 76 75

L 60 64 70 78 79

Pct .608 .582 .545 .494 .487

GB — 4 9½ 17½ 18½

Cleveland Chicago Detroit Minnesota Kansas City

W 79 78 73 72 67

L 75 76 81 82 87

Pct .513 .506 .474 .468 .435

GB — 1 6 7 12

W L Houston 77 77 Texas 77 77 Seattle 72 82 Athletics 61 93 Los Angeles 59 95 z-clinched playoff berth

Pct .500 .500 .468 .396 .383

GB — — 5 16 18

Central Division

West Division

Friday’s Games

Pittsburgh 8, Kansas City 5 Cleveland 5, Athletics 3 Boston 4, Tampa Bay 2 Milwaukee 6, Baltimore 5, 10 innings Atlanta 6, Houston 2 Detroit 11, Chicago White Sox 8 Texas 7, Toronto 1 Seattle 5, Colorado 4 Minnesota 3, L.A. Angels 0 N.Y. Yankees 9, Arizona 2

Saturday’s Games

Chicago White Sox 3, Detroit 1 Milwaukee 1, Baltimore 0 Tampa Bay 2, Boston 1 Cleveland 12, Athletics 6 Pittsburgh 6, Kansas City 5 Texas 6, Toronto 2 Atlanta 6, Houston 3 Colorado 5, Seattle 3 Arizona 5, N.Y. Yankees 3 Minnesota at L.A. Angels, n Kansas City (Wacha 9-9) at Pittsburgh (Bachar 1-4), 12:35 p.m. Athletics (Perkins 3-11) at Cleveland (Williams 13-8), 12:40 p.m. Boston (Sandoval 1-6) at Tampa Bay (Jax 7-10), 12:40 p.m. Atlanta (Pérez 9-9) at Houston (Brown 6-3), 1:10 p.m. Detroit (Melton 8-4) at Chicago White Sox (Martin 9-7), 1:10 p.m. Toronto (TBD) at Texas (deGrom 11-9), 1:35 p.m. Seattle (Anderson 1-2) at Colorado (Freeland 4-10), 2:10 p.m. Minnesota (Kremer 3-5) at L.A. Angels (Johnson 5-8), 3:07 p.m. N.Y. Yankees (Warren 10-6) at Arizona (Burnes 0-0), 3:10 p.m. Milwaukee (Misiorowski 15-5) at Baltimore (Young 9-4), 6:20 p.m.

National League z-Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York

L 64 69 78 82 84

Pct .584 .552 .494 .468 .455

GB — 5 14 18 20

x-Milwaukee Chicago Pittsburgh St. Louis Cincinnati

W 96 85 77 75 72

L 58 69 77 79 82

Pct .623 .552 .500 .487 .468

GB — 11 19 21 24

x-Los Angeles San Diego Arizona San Francisco

W 94 85 80 64

L 60 69 74 90

Pct .610 .552 .519 .416

GB — 9 14 30

West Division

Sunday’s Games

Minnesota at Connecticut, noon New York at Toronto, 2 p.m.

Milwaukee 1, Baltimore 0 N.Y. Mets 10, Philadelphia 3 Chicago Cubs 5, Cincinnati 2 Pittsburgh 6, Kansas City 5 Atlanta 6, Houston 3 Washington 8, St. Louis 5, 11 inningsn Arizona 5, N.Y. Yankees 3 Seattle at Colorado, n Miami at San Diego, n San Francisco at L.A. Dodgers, n

Sunday’s Games

Philadelphia (Sánchez 17-6) at N.Y. Mets (Tong 2-1), 12:10 p.m. Kansas City (Wacha 9-9) at Pittsburgh (Bachar 1-4), 12:35 p.m. Chicago Cubs (Peterson 8-8) at Cincinnati (Lowder 6-11), 12:40 p.m. Atlanta (Pérez 9-9) at Houston (Brown 6-3), 1:10 p.m. Washington (Irvin 2-9) at St. Louis (Mathews 2-3), 1:15 p.m. Seattle (Anderson 1-2) at Colorado (Freeland 4-10), 2:10 p.m. Miami (Alcantara 13-10) at San Diego (Buehler 8-6), 3:10 p.m. N.Y. Yankees (Warren 10-6) at Arizona (Burnes 0-0), 3:10 p.m. San Francisco (Roupp 9-14) at L.A. Dodgers (TBD), 3:10 p.m. Milwaukee (Misiorowski 15-5) at Baltimore (Young 9-4), 6:20 p.m.

W L z-New York 89 64 Boston 84 71 Chicago 79 76 Texas 77 77 Toronto 76 78 Baltimore 75 80 z-clinched playoff berth

Pct .582 .542 .510 .500 .494 .484

WCGB +11 +5 — 1½ 2½ 4

Pct .552 .552 .548

WCGB +½ +½ —

National League Chicago San Diego Philadelphia

W 85 85 85

L 69 69 70

College football Major scores Friday’s games SOUTH

Miami 33, Wake Forest 20

SOUTHWEST

Texas Tech 28, Houston 26

FAR WEST

Saturday’s games EAST EAST

Boston College 22, Maine 16 Brown 17, New Haven 10 Bryant 21, Princeton 14 Colgate 20, Cornell 7 Columbia 40, Lafayette 34, OT Delaware 22, Coastal Carolina 14 Harvard 31, New Hampshire 7 Lehigh 24, Dartmouth 20 Mercyhurst 49, Glenville St. 20 Monmouth (NJ) 28, Albany (NY) 20 Morgan St. 41, Towson 26 Penn 20, Bucknell 7 Penn St. 55, Buffalo 13 Southern Cal 42, Rutgers 35 Stony Brook 56, Rhode Island 24 UMass 36, Stonehill 14

Villanova 20, LIU Brooklyn 16 Virginia Tech 35, Maryland 26 Yale 38, Holy Cross 28

SOUTH

Saturday’s Games

Oregon 84, Portland St. 0

W 90 85 76 72 70

Central Division

Wild Card Glance American League

Sunday’s Games

East Division

.364

Friday’s Games

American League East Division

Alabama 50, Florida St. 36 Alabama A&M 45, Bowie St. 3 Austin Peay 38, West Florida 16 Bethune-Cookman 62, Va. Lynchburg 3 Campbell 42, NC A&T 14 Charleston Southern 65, Point (Ga.) 0 Chattanooga 41, Wofford 7 Clemson 28, North Carolina 20 Davidson 27, VMI 24, OT Dayton 17, E. Kentucky 14 Delta St. 21, MVSU 6 Duke 35, Stanford 7 ETSU 35, West Georgia 27 East Carolina 20, Old Dominion 17 Elon 24, Sacred Heart 21 FAU 16, FIU 10 Florida 44, Auburn 39 Fordham 52, William & Mary 27 Gardner-Webb 44, NC Central 20 Georgia Tech 44, Mercer 11 Jackson St. 41, Tuskegee 7 Jacksonville St. 31, Georgia Southern 27 Liberty 51, Ball St. 15 Louisiana-Lafayette 21, UAB 14 Louisville 41, SMU 31 Memphis 45, UT Martin 21 Middle Tennessee 27, Nevada 20 Mississippi 32, LSU 24 Mississippi St. 41, South Carolina 34 Norfolk St. 42, Hampton 21 North Alabama 38, Alcorn St. 20 Richmond 24, Georgetown 21 SC State 20, Furman 17 SE Louisiana 38, Louisiana-Monroe 35 South Alabama 41, Ohio 36 South Florida 59, Delaware St. 17 Southern U. 50, Louisiana College 31 Tennessee 42, Kennesaw St. 9 Tennessee St. 29, Florida A&M 26 UCF 44, Georgia St. 30 UConn 48, Southern Miss. 20 UTRGV Vaqueros 27, McNeese St. 10 Vanderbilt 35, NC State 31 W. Carolina 58, Presbyterian 14 West Virginia 38, Virginia 27

MIDWEST

Arizona St. 24, Kansas 17 Butler 47, Chicago State 20 Cent. Michigan 24, Wyoming 10 Cincinnati 35, Miami (Ohio) 31 Illinois 48, S. Illinois 10 Illinois St. 49, E. Illinois 13 Indiana 38, W. Kentucky 0 Indiana St. 39, Valparaiso 16 Iowa 55, N. Iowa 0 Iowa St. 55, Bowling Green 7 Kansas St. 31, Tulane 20 Marshall 30, Missouri St. 24 Michigan 52, UTEP 17 Minnesota 41, Akron 7 Missouri 27, Troy 17 Nebraska 34, North Dakota 7 Northwestern 41, Colorado 7 Notre Dame 27, Michigan St. 10 Ohio St. 59, Kent St. 3 S. Dakota St. 27, Youngstown St. 20 SE Missouri 27, Cent. Arkansas 9 St. Thomas (Minn.) 28, S. Utah 26 Toledo 49, Temple 48, OT W. Illinois 59, Morehead St. 2 Wisconsin 54, E. Michigan 10

SOUTHWEST

Ark.-Pine Bluff 41, Central St. (Ohio) 35 Baylor 36, Louisiana Tech 19 Georgia 45, Arkansas 17 Incarnate Word 30, Houston Christian 23, OT Kentucky 31, Texas A&M 21 Oklahoma 14, New Mexico 6 Oklahoma St. 59, Murray St. 0 Sam Houston St. 59, Nicholls 0 Stephen F. Austin 31, Prairie View 10 TCU 31, Arkansas St. 7 Tarleton St. 45, Merrimack 20 Texas 30, UTSA 6 Texas State 49, North Texas 35 Tulsa 42, East Texas A&M 0 W. Michigan 28, Rice 21

FAR WEST

Abilene Christian 41, Idaho 39 BYU 41, Colorado St. 23 California 49, Wagner 7 Montana St. 35, CCSU 30

N. Arizona 35, Utah Tech 23 San Diego 38, Cal Poly 35

Transactions Major League Baseball

American League BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Reinstated RHP Félix Bautista from the 60-day IL. Transferred RF Tyler O’Neill from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. Reinstated CF Christian Franklin from the 10-day IL. Retired 1B Trey Mancini. Optioned LHP Cade Povich and LF Heston Kjerstad to Norfolk (IL). HOUSTON ASTROS — Reinstated CF Brice Matthews from the 60-day IL. Designated CF Jorge Barrosa for assignment. Sent RHP Mike Burrows on a rehab assignment to Sugar Land (PCL). KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Placed RHP Craig Kimbrel on the bereavement list. Recalled RHP Spencer Bivens from Omaha (IL). NEW YORK YANKEES — Placed RF Aaron Judge on the 10-day IL, retroactive to Sept. 17. Recalled LF Max Schuemann from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (IL). TEXAS RANGERS — Placed RHP Michel Otañez on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Sept. 18, 2026. Recalled LHP Adam macko from Round Rock (PCL). National League ATLANTA BRAVES — Sent RHP Robert Suarez on a rehab assignment to Gwinnett (AA-SL). CINCINNATI REDS — Activated 3B Oswaldo Cabrera. Optioned CF TJ Friedl and RHP Julian Aguiar to Louisville (IL). Recalled RHP Zach McCambley from Louisville. COLORADO ROCKIES — Reinstated LHP Jose Quintana from the 60-day IL. Optioned RHP Gabriel Hughes to Albuquerque (PCL). Designated INF Vimael Machín for assignment. MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Sent LHP Rob Zastryzny outright to Nashville (IL). NEW YORK METS — Reinstated LHP Cionel Pérez from the 15-day IL. Optioned RHP Cameron Weston to Syracuse (IL).

BASKETBALL

Women’s National Basketball Association TORONTO TEMPO — Signed C Kamila Borkowska and F Maria Gakdeng to player development contracts.

FOOTBALL

National Football League ATLANTA FALCONS — Elevated DL Zach Harrison from the practice squad to the active roster. BALTIMORE RAVENS — Elevated T Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan from the practice squad to the active roster. Signed LB Carl Jones from the practice squad. Placed DB T.J. Tampa on injured reserve. CAROLINA PANTHERS — Elevated S Isaiah Simmons and LB Jeremiah Moon from the practice squad to the active roster. CINCINNATI BENGALS — Elevated QB Josh Johnson and LB Joe Giles-Harris from the practice squad to the active roster. CLEVELAND BROWNS — Elevated LB Nathaniel Watson from the practice squad to the active roster. DALLAS COWBOYS — Elevated LBs Curtis Robinson and Justin Barron from the practice squad to the active roster. DENVER BRONCOS — Elevated S Mitchell Fraboni and RB Adam Prentice from the practice squad to the active roster. HOUSTON TEXANS — Elevated WR Lewis Bond and DB George Odum from the practice squad to the active roster. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Elevation WR Anthony Gould from the practice squad to the active roster. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — Elevated LB Jalen McLeod and QB Nick Mullens from the practice squad to the active roster. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — Elevated LB Cole Christiansen and DT Marcus Harris from the practice squad to the active roster. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS — Elevated TE Chris Myarick and WR Cody White from the practice squad to the active roster. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS — Elevated DB Isas Waxter from the practice squad to the active roster. MIAMI DOLPHINS — Placed ILB Ronnie Harrison Jr. on the injured reserve list. Signed LB Liam Anderson from the practice squad. Elevated EDGEs Clelin Ferrell and Max Llewellyn from the practice squad to the active roster.

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LOUISIANA INSPIRED: Look back on past winners as Inspirit Awards make return 5D

LIVING

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

Jan Risher

S u n d ay, S e p t e m b e r 20, 2026

1dn

“I’m going to therapy. Nobody can come. I’M GOING TO MY HAPPY PLACE.” TROY LANDRY, of his ventures into the woods

Summer 2026 is done, but does summer camp have to end at 18? Even though summer ofﬁcially ends this week, I have spent the last few days thinking about summer camp — and attempting to make plans to attend one next year. Growing up, I attended a multitude of camps — Girl Scouts, Girls in Action, an unusual horticulture camp at Mississippi State, Youth Legislature, an incredible mountaintop week at YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly, church camps and basketball camps galore. The purpose of camps for kids is easy to understand. Camps exist so kids can meet new people, learn new skills, explore new ideas and experience new places. My question: Why should any of that stop at 18? I started down this road because I still want to learn to warp a loom. A search turned up a camp-style ﬁve-day class in New Hampshire that teaches exactly that. I already have a call in to get on next year’s list. But thinking about the possibilities for adult camps sent me down a deeper rabbit hole: What would it take to organize a camp for grown women? Then I realized that I have some experience with this.

STAFF PHOTO By JAN RISHER

Learning to fold origami cranes is an inexpensive way to be a beginner. There are plenty of videos available online to teach origami — or sign up for a class or ask a friend who knows how to do it.

A few years ago, I organized a long weekend writing camp. It was a gathering of kindred spirits who used the time away from the rest of the world to pour their thoughts onto paper and share their hearts. The long weekend served the same purpose summer camps did. We walked away with new insights about ourselves and each other, as well as new and deeper friendships. Plus, we had new content. A few years later, I organized a long weekend where a group of women set out to fold 1,000 paper cranes — a senbazuru. There was almost no programming. Eight women sat around tables and folded cranes for the better part of three days. Some of them didn’t know each other or how to fold a crane when they arrived. By the time we ﬁnished the senbazuru, everyone knew everyone and certainly, we all knew how to fold a crane. I’ve thought a great deal about why both of those weekends worked so well. With the origami, we had a goal. At the start, 1,000 cranes is daunting, but a shared task with a real number attached unites people faster than almost anything else I know.

ä See CAMP, page 7D

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

Troy Landry launches his boat into Lake Verret in Pierre Part for a late August morning of alligator hunting during the first day of filming for the new season of ‘Swamp People.’

A WAY OF LIFE

The ‘king of the swamp’ Troy Landry continues to draw ‘Swamp People’ fans to a small Louisiana town BY JENNA ROSS Staff writer

PIERRE PART — They’d driven from Arkansas and ﬂown from New Zealand. They’d bought “Choot ’em” hats and Tshirts and a cutting board in the shape of Louisiana. They’d set up lawn chairs and packed coolers and readied Sharpies. Then, just after noon on a Friday during the last week of August, better known ä To see around here as the ﬁrst week more photos of alligator hunting season, during a day they spotted their prey: “Troy’s comin’!” a fan in the life of whispered, straining to get Troy Landry, a look at Troy Landry, the GO TO steady star of season after season of “Swamp People,” THEADVOCATE. History Channel’s reality COM. series set in the heart of the Atchafalaya Basin. Landry, 65, backed his boat into the dock behind the gas station in this small, Cajun city that still has no stoplight but still has his heart. Sweaty and red-faced, he and his son Chase began roping gators so big they had to be transported by forklift, hanging from their jaws and set in a row before onlookers to be measured from tooth to tail. As a cameraman captured the lineup, Landry furrowed and frowned, a look “Swamp People” turns to during the height of a hunt, when the water is low or the bait is unclaimed. Then his face broke into a boyish grin. That grin draws fans worldwide to Pierre Part, population 2,300, where his

ABOVE: Spectators gather at Duffy’s Sportsmen’s Supply to see alligators measured during filming of ‘Swamp People.’

family has been hunting and ﬁshing and running the bait shops and working the restaurants for so long there’s a selfpublished book at the gas station mapping their history back to the 18th century. (“The Landry Families of Pierre

ä See LANDRY, page 6D

LEFT: Marlene Guillot holds a list of alligator sizes brought in by Troy Landry at Duffy’s.

2D ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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COMMUNITY

PROVIDED PHOTO

DSHS Robotics Competition

Hope Group Members of the Hope Group from Broadmoor United Methodist Church gathered for lunch and fellowship at LaContea Italian Restaurant on Sept. 10. Gathered are, from left, seated, Linda Crane, Beverly Grant, Charlotte Fitzsimons and Carol Wiltz; standing, Joy D’Armond, Judy Burch, Jackie Eichelberger, Jenola Duke, Donna Boulmay, Bonnie Kemp and Charlette Hill.

The Denham Springs robotics competition team, Denham Venom, won the Indiana Robotics Invitational in Indianapolis on July 18, defeating the event’s top-seeded alliance in the finals. Competition in the IRI is by invitation only and three years ago, Denham Venom became the first Louisiana team invited to the event. Hugging are, from left, Jacob Duke, Evan Durbin and Kerven Lindor Jr.

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

PROVIDED PHOTO

WBR Garden & Civic Club The West Baton Rouge Garden & Civic Club held its ‘welcome back’ meeting at the LSU Ag Center in Port Allen on Sept. 8. Shown are, from left, Kim Callegan, club president; hostesses Riette LeBlanc, Martha LeBlanc, Trudy Millard, Carolyn Bonadona, Shirley Catanzaro and Karen Cordell.

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

Artemis celebrates coronation, introduces royal court The Krewe of Artemis celebrated its 26th coronation, during which the 2027 royal court was introduced to board members, members of the royal court, krewe members and their guests. The event was held at Renaissance Hotel Baton Rouge on Aug. 22. The royal court will be presented at the krewe’s annual Mardi Gras soiree on Jan. 16, 2027. Chadwick Marion Possa and Molly Shepherd Bryan were crowned King and Queen Artemis XXVI. Possa, husband of King Artemis XV Joseph Possa, is director of surgery at Surgical Specialty Center of Baton Rouge. Bryan, the wife of Brooks Bryan, is an electrical engineer with Enbridge. The court presentation continued with the introduction of royal maids Emilia Anne Josephine Wesley, Adeline Waguespack, Collette Marie Clebert and Luciana Fasullo. Wesley is the daughter

PROVIDED PHOTO

The 2027 Artemis royal court includes, front row from left, John Smith, Lorraine Wood, Lucas Kilpatrick, Cozette Messina, Lennon Crowther, Adriana Possa, Henry Schilling, Asher Possa, Christin Stevens, Kayden deBarros, Ava Allen and Walter Strunk; back row, Colette Clebert, Cole Louque, Lucy Fasullo, Molly Bryan, Chadwick Possa, Emmy Wesley, Jayce deBarros, Addie Waguespack and Brayden Ford. of Christine and Jeremy Wesley. Waguespack’s parents are Celeste and Bret Waguespack. Clebert is the daughter of Kirsten and Corey Clebert. Luciana Fasullo’s parents are Amy and Ned Fasullo, and Kelly Creighton. The royal dukes are Preston Jayce deBarros, Brayden Paul Ford and

Cole Sutton Louque. DeBarros is the son of Jenna and Michael deBarros. Ford’s parents are Melanie and Collin Ford. Louque is the son of Jennifer and Tandem Louque. Princesses are Ava Elizabeth Allen, Christin Alivia Stevens, Cozette Jill Messina and Lorraine Maryella Wood. Allen is the daughter

of Lloyd and Angela Allen. Stevens’ parents are Felicia and Craig Stevens. Messina is the daughter of Kymbre and Joseph Messina. Wood’s parents are Kim and Philip Wood. The queen’s pages are Adriana Faith Possa and Lennon Crowther. Possa is the daughter of Chadwick and Joseph Possa.

Crowther’s parents are Kale and Thomas Crowther. Junior dukes are Samuel Walter Strunk, Kayden Ryker deBarros, Lucas Edward Kilpatrick and John Julius Smith. Strunk is the son of Crystal and Jason Strunk. DeBarros is the son of Jenna and Michael deBarros. Kilpatrick’s mother is Amanda Kilpatrick.

Smith is the son of Erin and Justin Smith. The king’s pages are Asher Joseph Possa and Henry Harrison Schilling. Possa is the son of Chadwick and Joseph Possa. Schilling’s parents are Anna Schilling and Micah Schilling. Also being presented was the 2026 Royal Court: Steven Eugene Cheatham, King Artemis XXV, and Alexis Harvey, Queen Artemis XXV, along with their royal maids Eliza Claire Bodin, Amelia Carlson, Amelia Lalonde and Marguerite Ann Uzee and royal dukes Joseph Roland Bodin, Henry Kucharchuk, Callon Catesby Schiele and Adam Henry Strunk. Artemis board members include President Joanne Harvey, Katy Braun, Molly Braun, Leigh Davis, Alexis Harvey, Marie Folse, Michelle Ingram and Edith Rahm. The Artemis parade will roll through downtown Baton Rouge on Jan. 29.

AKA to introduce debs at rites of passage ceremony on Sunday Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Nu Gamma Omega Chapter will introduce 17 debutantes on Sunday during a rites of passage ceremony at Greater King David Baptist Church’s Dr. John E. Montgomery II Auditorium. The young women will be formally presented next spring at the debutante cotillion. This season’s coterie of debutantes are: n Briley Erin-Mackenzie Beason, daughter of Steven Beason of Pitchers, Tennessee; and Dr. Courtney Williams of Addis. She is a senior at Brusly High School. n MyKayla Rene’e Cody’s parents are Andre Cody of St. Louis, Missouri, and Dana Cody of Baton Rouge. She is a senior at Baton Rouge Magnet High School. n Dailey Amelia Davis is the daughter of Lindell Davis and Demika Augustus of Baton Rouge. She is a senior at Liberty Magnet High School. n Anniston Gwendolyn Dawson’s parents are An-

Beason

Cody

Davis

Dawson

Foxworth

Gorham

Green

Greene

Jeanmarie

Jefferson

Johnson

Jones

Lige

Mack

Rhodes

Spencer

thony Dawson of Zachary and the late Karenlyn Smith Dawson. She is a senior at Zachary High School. n Tiffany Elle Foxworth is the daughter of Dr. Jonathan Roberts and Tiffany Foxworth of Baton Rouge. She is a senior at Episcopal High School. n Morghan Elizabeth Gorham is the daughter of Capt. Garrett Gorham Sr. and Jaymeski Gorham of Prairieville. She is a senior at LSU Laboratory School (University High).

n Laila Kathryn Green’s parents are Dr. Troy and LaDonna Williams of Port Allen and the late Troy Green. She is a senior at Port Allen High School. n Samiyah Nicole Greene is the daughter of Marcus Greene Sr. of Zachary and Sheronica Heatly of Baton Rouge. She is a senior at Baton Rouge Magnet High School. n Alana Eloise Jeanmarie’s parents are Alfred Jeanmarie IV and LaDonna Jeanmarie of Gonzales.

She is a senior at St. Amant High School. n Olivia Rae Jefferson is the daughter of Donald Jefferson of Pearland, Texas, and Brandon Gatlin and Celeste Jefferson-Gaitlin of Baton Rouge. She is a senior at LSU Laboratory School (University High). n Lailah Orion Marie Johnson’s parents are Quinton Mars Sr. and Kelly Johnson of Baton Rouge. She is a senior at Woodlawn Magnet High School. n Chloe Taylor Jones is

the daughter of Jeremy and Alexis Jones of Baton Rouge and Christopher and Yolanda Butler of Woodbridge, Virginia. She is a senior at Liberty Magnet High School. n Timyah Martha-Jane Lige’s mother is Lucretia Franklin of Baton Rouge. She is a senior at Central High School. n Autumn Hailey Mack is the daughter of James and Danielle Mack of Baton Rouge. She is a senior at St. Joseph’s Academy.

n Veronica Anne Rhodes’ parents are Robert Rhodes Jr. of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and Rodrick and Stacie Candley of Denham Springs. She is a senior at Scotlandville Magnet High School. n Gracie Kennedi Spencer is the daughter of Donteal and Jasmine Spencer of Baton Rouge. She is a senior at Central High School. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Nu Gamma Omega Chapter continues the tradition of the debutante program this year through workshops, community service projects and cultural activities. Proceeds from fundraising are used to provide stipends for higher education pursuits and to fund community service programs. Lauren Grundy Byrd serves as chapter president; Errin Gaines is the president of the Nu Gamma Omega Educational and Charitable Foundation, and Dr. Joy Abernathy-Dyer is the debutante program chairman.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 3D

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TRAVEL It’s the season of corn mazes and pumpkin patches Looking for a fall road trip? Try these spots.

homestead, which features a collection of vintage tools. Multiple food options are available, including a milkshake shack and “Annie’s Amazing Footlongs.” Notable dates include a hometown heroes event Sept. 26 through 27, when all ﬁrst responders and law enforcement ofﬁcials will receive discounted admission and deputies will present demonstrations and equipment tours; homeschool and family fun day Nov. 4 and “Not-So-Spooky Carnival” Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, with costumes and trick or treating. Visit cmfarmsllc. com for more information.

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer

When that first dip of the fall weather happens, the South rejoices. Autumn is here — and we’ve earned it. The season brings with it all things pumpkin, Thanksgiving and comfort foods. From corn mazes to pony rides, sack racing and pumpkin patches, here are six opportunities for fall festivities in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Mrs. Heather’s Farm 11215 Lee’s Lane, Hammond

Dates: Sept. 23 through Nov. 8 Operating hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, rain or shine Admission: $10 per child for general admission, which includes one pumpkin and access to all activities; parents are free with paying children; $10 for additional adults; $10 for adults with no children; cash only In Hammond, the family-owned Mrs. Heather’s Farm — operating since 1996 — has both a pumpkin patch in the fall and a strawberry patch in the spring. The fall festivities include corn mazes, hayrides, acres of pumpkins, a zip line, face painting, sack racing, pumpkin bowling and hands-on experiences like milking a cow, participating in a nature trail and learning about bees. Treats like apple cider doughnuts and kettle corn are also available. The farm accommodates field trips and parties. Visit thfarms. com for more information.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

CM Farms in Dry Creek has more than 50 attractions, including a pumpkin barn. Support the community at Newsong Community Church’s pumpkin patch, as all proceeds support the church’s mission efforts, including ministries within the church, outreach in the local community and international missions such as the Association of Living Water, Christ Healing Food Pantry, Angel Tree, Open Air Ministries, Operation Christmas Child and others. Pumpkins and gourds of every shape and size, grown by Navajo farmers in northern New Mexico, are available for visitors. There’s also jellies, salsa and T-shirts. Families can enjoy a tractor tire sandbox, corn hole, themed games, photo opportunities and hayrides every weekend. Notable dates include Oct. 31, when the church will host its free fall festival from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. with live music, jambalaya, an artisan market, bake sale, face painting and more.

Mitchell Farms in Collins, Miss., offers activities like face painting during its fall season. The farm is open Sept. 26 through Nov. 8.

general admission at the gate; $41.95 per person for a super pass at the gate; $19.95 per person for general admission online; $37.95 per person for a super pass online With more than 50 attractions, CM Farms is sure to have something for everyone. Enjoy wagon rides, live milk demonstrations, Newsong Community Church CM Farms feeding farm animals, train rides, 18465 Old Perkins Road, 252 CM Farms Road, Dry Creek hay bale murals, a 12-acre corn Prairieville maze, pumpkin displays, pony Dates: Sept. 28 through Oct. 31 Dates: Weekends Sept. 26 through rides, gemstone mining, face painting, a kids zone, giant bubble Operating hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 15 Monday through Saturday; noon Operating hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. stations and live music on select to 6 p.m. Sunday Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday dates. Check out the restored old farm Admission: free Admission: $23.95 per person for

for the 16th annual Mississippi Peanut Festival, featuring farm tours, antiques, live music, arts and crafts booths, jewelry sales, yard art, food vendors, a “Peanut Run” to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and more. Registration for the run begins at 7 a.m. Oct. 3, while the farm opens at 9 a.m. with the day closing at 6 p.m. The Sunday activities will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $20 per person. During the fall season, the farm also offers activities like wagon rides, a corn maze, sunflower field, goat castle, animal barn, sand mountain, gem mining and pumpSeward Farms kins. 10836 Tanner Williams Road, Character day is scheduled for Lucedale, Mississippi Oct. 31, when children can meet Dates: Open to the public Satur- and take photos with various cardays only Sept. 26 through Oct. 31 toon characters. Kids are encourOperating hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. aged to dress up in costumes, and Admission: $18 per person for ages themed games will be available 3 and up; children 2 and under are for participation. Go to visitmitchfree ellfarms.com for more informaLooking for a fright? Venture tion. into the Field of Fright at Seward Farms, a haunted corn maze, or the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Hayride Haunt, a spooky hayride, Garden both happening Oct. 24 and 31 only. 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, Texas Both events start at dark. Not into goblins and witches? Dates: Through Nov. 1 Visit the farm during the day for Operating hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. cow trains, slides, rodeo roping, daily obstacle courses, an animal farm, Admission: $21.95 for ages 3-12; corn box, pig races and more. Pony $25.95 for adults; children 2 and rides and flower picking are avail- under are free Every year, the Pumpkin Village able for an additional $5. Seward Farms also has the option at the Dallas Arboretum and Boto rent private fire pits at various tanical Garden transforms with times, offering a designated area a new theme. This year, it’s Harfor the group. Visit sewardfarms. vest Hues, which will feature six com for more information. pumpkin houses that showcase the styles of modern and contemMitchell Farms porary artists like Piet Mondri650 Leaf River Church Road, aan, Louise Bourgeois, Jackson Collins, Mississippi Pollock, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Dates: Sept. 26 through Nov. 8; Mark Rothko and Maurits Corneopen to the public on Fridays only lis Escher. The village is packed in October with more than 100,000 pumpkins, Operating hours: noon to 4 p.m. Fri- gourds and squash. Visit dallasarboretum.org for day; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; more information. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday Admission: $20 per person for ages 3 and up; children 2 and under are Email Lauren Cheramie at free lauren.cheramie@theadvocate. Visit Mitchell Farms Oct. 3-4 com.

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER By Christopher Elliott

Dollar Car Rental charged for car that was already returned My wife and I recently reserved a Jeep Compass from Dollar Car Rental to be picked up in Phoenix and returned to the Albuquerque airport.When we arrived in Phoenix, we verbally declined the extra insurance and roadside assistance Christopher because we already have Elliott coverage through our own insurance. The car had issues. We had to fill a tire with air daily, and the “check oil” lights flashed a warning while we were driving.We returned the car a few hours later in Albuquerque. An employee checked the car with a laptop, we unloaded our bags, and we told him about the leaky tire and engine light. He took the keys and told us we were good to go. He didn’t give us a receipt. When we looked at our paperwork, we saw we’d been charged for the insurance we declined.We tried to fix it at the desk,

but they told us to call customer service.We flew home to Texas that afternoon. A few weeks later, we got a text saying the car was overdue.We called and explained we’d returned it.Then we got a letter threatening repossession.We called again and were told the matter was “under review.” Eventually, Dollar claimed we returned the car “in person” a few days after we returned home. Our credit card company eventually posted a charge of $3,656.We disputed it, and for a while, it seemed resolved. But now, Dollar has sent us a new invoice for $1,858. It won’t acknowledge our airline tickets or any proof that we were home in Texas. It feels like no human has ever looked at our evidence. Can you help us stop this bill? — Dennis Drake, Carrollton,Texas Dollar should have closed your contract the second you handed over those keys in Albuquerque. When a car rental company accepts a vehicle, its internal sys-

tems ought to reﬂect that return immediately. If a car needs maintenance — like yours did with that leaky tire — it’s the company’s job to track its movement to the repair shop without blaming the customer. You made several errors, and I’ll tell you how to correct them. First, you should never drive a rental car with mechanical problems. Pull over and call the car rental company. If it’s a minor issue, they’ll ask you to drive to the nearest location. But if it’s serious, you might have to get the car towed. Also, you left the lot without a printed or emailed receipt. Always wait for that piece of paper or email conﬁrmation. If the handheld scanner isn’t working, go to the counter for your paperwork. That receipt is your “get out of jail free” card. You also were charged for in-

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surance you didn’t want. That’s another car rental “gotcha” — and easily avoidable. Rental agents often bury those charges in the digital signature pad. In a follow-up email, you admitted you signed the rental contract without reading it carefully, which likely caused your initial credit card dispute to fail. But you also did a few things right. You did a great job keeping your paperwork once Dollar tried to charge you extra. You had your ﬂight itineraries and Southwest Airlines documents proving you were in the air while Dollar claimed you were still joyriding in its Jeep. When a company ignores your logic, you can ﬁnd executive contacts for Hertz (which owns Dollar) on my advocacy site, Elliott.org. A brief, polite email to one of them might have turned this around for you. I reached out to Hertz on your

behalf. “Our internal review found that the customer’s contract was not properly closed and processed when it was returned,” a Hertz spokesperson told me. The vehicle went to a maintenance lot for service and sat there for several days. Because it didn’t have tracking technology enabled, the system assumed you still had it. Hertz has apologized and issued a full refund for the rental and the insurance you didn’t want. It also dropped the $1,858 “overdue” bill. Next time, please don’t leave the lot until the computer says you’re home free — even if you have a plane to catch. Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonproﬁt organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org .

4D n Sunday, September 20, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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BOOKS

BETWEEN The characters and New Orleans settings THE PAGES of John Kennedy Toole’s novel are transformed WITH ALBERT MONTEyS by the hand of a Barcelona-based writer-illustrator

‘A Confederacy of Dunces’

gets graphic

BY RIEN FERTEL Contributing writer

“A Confederacy of Dunces: A Graphic Novel Adaptation,” by Albert Monteys,Archaia / BOOM! Studios, 240 pages. With the 50th anniversary of “A Confederacy of Dunces” approaching — John Kennedy Toole’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel published in 1980 — we should brace ourselves for an Ignatius J. Reilly-sized load of commemorations and content. Getting a jump-start on this golden anniversary is a graphic novel adaptation (out Sept. 29) by Albert Monteys, a Barcelonabased writer and illustrator and longtime fan of the book. Rendered in comic book form, the characters and settings readers know so well are subtly transformed by the hand of Monteys, who has recently adapted Kurt Vonnegut’s “SlaughterhouseFive.” Irene Reilly becomes a more sympathetic mother, Miss Trixie transforms into a ghoulish fright, and the Night of Joy looks like a welcoming stop for a regular round. Ignatius, well, he remains his charmingly demented self. This interview was edited for length and clarity. How did you get involved with this project? In 2020, during the promotion of “Slaughterhouse-Five,” I was asked a few times if there was any other novel I'd like to adapt into a graphic novel. My answer, being a longtime fan of the book, was always “A Confederacy of Dunces.” I was aware at the time that almost all attempts to adapt the book, mostly into a film, had failed so far. But Sierra Hahn, my editor at Archaia, took good note and worked hard to secure the rights for an adaptation. I had mostly forgotten about it when, a few years later, she mailed me telling me we were good to start working on it. I panicked, of course — one does not want to be the cartoonist that ruined a great novel — but I did reread it, started taking notes and let myself slide into work, hoping something decent would result from all that effort. When did you first read “A Confederacy of Dunces?” I first read the book in a Spanish translation in the mid-’90s and fell in love straight away. I do remember trying not to laugh out loud reading the novel on a train to work. “Confederacy” isn't an easy book to translate since almost all characters have some accent, so I enjoyed the book almost as a new experience when I finally read it in English. I'm interested in the life of Toole's novel in Spain. It's been translated, of course, but can you speak to its popularity? Does it have any sort of fan base? I'd say Spain is one of the countries where “Confederacy” has been most successful, other than the United States. The Spanish editor got the rights even before it became a huge success in its original edition. And the first Spanish edition was published in 1981, just

John Kennedy Toole won a Pulitzer Prize for ‘A Confederacy of Dunces,’ which was published posthumously. one year after its publication in America. It became an instant hit and a long seller. I do believe there is something quintessentially Mediterranean

both in the New Orleans presented in the book and Ignatius’ attitudes. So the Spanish reader connected immediately with the novel. A reader from Barcelona

understands d t d automatically t ti ll h how the French Quarter feels, since our old town had the same kind of street life. As it happens everywhere, there’s a percentage of readers who ﬁnd the book — the character of Ignatius, I guess — totally unnerving. So it’s a great book to debate around. In his foreword to the book's original edition,Walker Percy, who is credited with ushering the novel to publication, describes Ignatius as “a fat Don Quixote.” Do you agree with his comparison? Yeah, I think he says he's a mix of St. Thomas Aquinas, Oliver Hardy and Don Quixote, and I couldn’t agree more — a delusional character who has constructed his own narrative through books. Especially the last part of the book, where he imagines he’s going to save the woman of his dreams, in the same way Don Quixote built the character of Dulcinea del Toboso around an almost random girl, makes it hard to think Toole did not have Don Quixote in mind while building his main character. Again, this might be one of the reasons the book resonated so well with the Spanish reader. Please tell me about your process and research in coming up with the character and background designs. I'm not sure if you've ever been to New Orleans before, but

the interior and exterior city spaces, as you've drawn them, are spot-on. Honestly, Ignatius was pretty easy. We’ve lived all this time with the Ed Lindlof classic cover version that is very spoton. The character is so well described in the book, all I had to do was adapt him to my style, add some corporality, gesturality and life. We all agree about how Ignatius looks. The rest of the characters were more challenging and required, as it happens, a process of graphic research. My intention was to render everyone more human than Ignatius, who is almost a caricature, close to a clown, a performer. So my research in that sense was mainly to find out how the different communities that are portrayed in the book dressed in the late ’60s. Of course, the book has two main characters, one being Ignatius and the other New Orleans. Sadly, I've never been in New Orleans, but I think after all the research of the spaces, buildings and street characters I did, I would be able to navigate the city quite easily right now — that is, if someone brought me back in time to the late ’60s. I know the city has changed quite a lot since then. I wouldn’t be lying if I said one of my main worries, where I felt more like an impostor, was to get the portrait of the city right, so it’s very relieving to hear you say I did a good job there. You previously adapted “SlaughterhouseFive.” What are the challenges and delights of reinterpreting these classic but cultish works of American literature? I do believe an adaptation needs to earn the right to exist on its own. Our take with “Slaughterhouse-Five,” and now with “A Confederacy of Dunces,” has been to bring as much of a personal voice as we can into the narrative. That doesn't necessarily mean being disrespectful with the book, or deviating too much from it, but working from the beginning with the premise that this is not “A Confederacy Of Dunces” with pictures but a new narrative based on the novel. You need to take some liberties to get the spirit of the book, not just the letter. That being said, both books are among my favorite works of fiction Western culture has produced, so it’s almost impossible not to approach them with reverence bordering on fear. It’s a very different state of mind compared with working with an original story. You can’t shake from your mind the idea that your book will be compared with the original by readers who have the same degree of respect you have for it. Eventually you just have to shut all those voices down and do your book the best you can. It’s not “A Confederacy of Dunces” but my view of “A Confederacy of Dunces.” Rien Fertel is the author of four books. He recently won his fifth Best Critical Review Award from the New Orleans Press Club.

THIS WEEK’S BESTSELLERS FROM PUBLISHERS WEEKLY HARDCOVER FICTION

1. “The Knave and the Moon” by Rachel Gillig 2. “The Calamity Club” by Kathryn Stockett 3. “The Most Dangerous Games (deluxe ed.)” by Beast/Patterson 4. “Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke 5. “Whistler” by Ann Patchett 6. “Big Little Truths” by Liane Moriarty 7. “The Disappearers” by Marlon James 8. “Scion” by James Islington 9. “The Altar of Pergamon” by Jonathan Cahn 10. “The Poison Daughter” by Sheila Masterson

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

1. “This Is Me” by Hayden Panettiere 2. “Homemaking with Babs” by Barbara Costello 3. “Humble Power” by Ethan Willis 4. “The Functional Home” by Julie Jones 5. “The Origin of a Leader” by Pam Manfredo Curtis 6. “The Retire Sooner Method” by Wes Moss 7. “The Conﬁdence Habit” by Cindra Kamphoff 8. “American Scoundrel” by Kai Bird 9. “Regime Change” by Haberman/Swan 10. “Going Further” by Ted Cruz

TRADE PAPERBACK

1. “Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi 2. “Brain Damage” by Freida McFadden 3. “Dungeon Crawler Carl” by Matt Dinniman 4. “The Killer Isn’t Alice” by Iris Starling 5. “Wild Dark Shore” by Charlotte McConaghy 6. “My Dreadful Darling” by H.D. Carlton 7. “Verity” by Colleen Hoover 8. “Spy x Family, Vol. 16” by Tatsuya Endo 9. “Carl’s Doomsday Scenario” by Matt Dinniman 10. Murdoku” by Manuel Garand

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 5D

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LOUISIANA INSPIRED Nominations sought for annual 2026 Inspirit Award

BY JAN RISHER

fessions, race, religion and political ideologies to explore and forge solutions to the biggest issues facing society today.

Staff writer

Louisiana Inspired is looking for its next class of Inspirit Award winners. Readers across the state can nominate people who are working toward solutions in neighborhoods, rural communities, towns and cities — work that takes extra effort by special people, demonstrating the good stuff of the human spirit. You can nominate someone at www.nola.com/site/forms/the_inspirit_award/ and submit by 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2. Nominees can be any age — people who systematically go about doing their best to make the world a better place, whether in their workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, communities or across the state. Award recipients will be announced in December in the Advocate and Times-Picayune. We recently checked in with three of the past 21 Inspirit winners, who each prove that the award isn’t about work being completed. Inspirit winners tend to continue efforts toward making the world better.

Randell Henry Randell Henry was recognized in 2023 for his work and sharing of spirit and talent in the Baton Rouge’s arts scene for more than 40 years. Henry is a painter who has spent as much time teaching as creating. He’s taught art to a variety of people — from kindergartners to college students to prison inmates. This year, Henry helped bring an ambitious show to Baton Rouge. As a member of the Baton Rouge Gallery board, he pushed to host an ambitious show this year, called “Free As They Want To Be: Artists Committed to Memory.” It’s a traveling exhibit of more than 60 works by 30 national artists — exploring the legacies of slavery and Black identity. The show proved too large for one gallery. It opened simultaneously at Baton Rouge Gallery, Southern University’s Frank

Tre Bishop

PROVIDED PHOTO

Tre Bishop won an Inspirit Award when he was 15. These days, he’s a college freshman at Clemson, but he’s still working on the statewide recycling project he started eight years ago.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

Syrita Steib participates in a game of double Dutch during a Juneteenth celebration at Pot Belly NOLA in New Orleans.

Syrita Steib Another 2023 recipient, Syrita Steib, was 19 when a judge sentenced her to 10 years in prison and $1.9 million in restitution. She left prison not knowing her bra size, how to use a cellphone or where she’d sleep that night. In 2016, Steib founded Operation Restoration with the desire to champion and advocate for those she left behind. Following her release, Steib discovered that no organization in Louisiana was committed to helping women and girls impacted by the criminal legal system. As founder, president and CEO, Steib continues to run Operation Restoration, an organization with STAFF FILE PHOTO By ROBIN MILLER a $5.74 million operating budget. Over the past decade, it has proRandell Henry, a Southern vided more than 6,000 clients with University professor of art, some 30,000 services — ranging stands in front of Emerson Bell’s from transitional housing and sculpture, ‘Unity and Destiny for clothing to ﬁnancial literacy, transChildren’ in Baton Rouge. portation support and education access. Steib received a full presidential Hayden Visual Arts Gallery and the West Baton Rouge Museum, pardon in 2021. She has focused her attention on access to educarunning through most of August.

Tre Bishop was 11 when he watched his father’s campaign signs come down after an election and wondered where they went. Seven years, one act of the Louisiana Legislature and the governor’s signature later, the Lafayette teen has a statewide recycling program to his name. This fall, he moved into his dorm room at Clemson. Bishop, 18, is studying business with hopes of majoring in finance. He says being away from Louisiana has only deepened his appreciation for home. Even though he is 699 miles from home, the program that earned him his 2023 Inspirit Award hasn’t slowed down. The fund that collects candidates’ payments toward sign disposal grew again this election cycle, and Bishop has spent the year working with the Secretary of State’s office and state Rep. Beau Beaullieu to finalize the rules governing it. Distance hasn’t stopped the text messages, either. “I’m still getting text messages of, ‘Hey, I have these signs. Would you be able to pick them up?’ ” Bishop said. He flies home about once a month to handle it. He drove in for the LSU-Clemson game, which he says was an odd experience — cheering against the team he grew up watching with his father from the stands. In October, Bishop plans to come home again — this time to accept another award, the 232Help Award. He’s using the trip to launch a new fundraiser, the 232 Ways to Help Challenge, asking donors to give $2.32 or $23.20. He plans to start in Louisiana and grow it from there. He still calls his mother every day.

tion, one of many barriers faced by women impacted by incarceration. After one college application asking about her criminal history got her rejected — and a second, with the box left unchecked, got her in — Steib helped draft the “Ban the Box” legislation that made Louisiana the ﬁrst state to strip that question from college applications. Seven states have followed. She has worked to expand access to higher education for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women. In the College-in-Prison program in partnership with Tulane University School of Professional Advancement, 28 women at Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women have graduated with Bachelor of Arts degrees in social science. Steib has achieved numerous accolades over the past decade, most recently completing a three-year Aspen Institute Civil Society Fellowship. The cohort brought together leaders representing a diverse Email Jan Risher at jan.risher@ cross-section of geographies, pro- theadvocate.com.

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

Shell Research Laboratories

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

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

Shell USA, Inc. committed $2.5 million to the Our Lady of the Lake Health Interdisciplinary Science Building as part of a $27.5 million investment in energy-related initiatives at LSU. Shell Research Laboratories offers advanced research environments to enable faculty and students to work together on complex, real world challenges.

We are proud to support a space where students, faculty and industry can collaborate to drive discovery, explore new frontiers and develop the next generation of scientists, engineers and energy leaders.” – Colette Hirstius, President, Shell USA

shell.us/louisiana | #PoweringProgress

6D ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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LANDRY

Continued from page 1D Part” will cost you $29.99.) “He’s the Obi-Wan Kenobi,” said Colton Cuculich, 28, who drove 17 hours with his mom from northern Missouri. He left with autographs on his legs that he had an artist transform into tattoos. “He’s number one. He started it all.” Each September, during filming, the fans fill the cabins and book the swamp tours. “It’s unreal what it does for this little community,” said state Sen. Eddie Lambert, whose own cabin rentals and personal houseboat were booked solid for the month. “Troy put it on the map.” Catch Landry outside Duffy’s Sportsmen’s Supply, the hub of it all, and he will give you an autograph, sure. But he’ll also offer his take on the conditions that season. A tale about the gator that gave him the biggest fight that morning. A beer, once filming’s wrapped. If he’s met you before, he’ll ask about your “better half.” How Arkansas is treating you. In my case, he razzed me about the time in his truck a few weeks earlier, when we got a flat tire. “Don’t listen when she says, ‘Oh, I know the way,’” Landry said, raising his eyebrows, grinning. “She’ll get you a flat tire! “She will, she will.”

‘An instant hit’ At some point during our day together, before the flat, Landry figured he ought to find me an alligator. Gators were, after all, how he became famous. We hadn’t planned a hunt, weren’t pulling a boat. But Landry had a gun wedged between the cushion and the console of the front seat of his pickup, just in case, and a specific alligator in mind: “Marshmallow,” named for the treats his grandkids give him.

PROVIDED PHOTO FROM COLTON CUCULICH

The day after Colton Cuculich nabbed autographs from the ‘Swamp People’ stars in Pierre Part, he had them turned into tattoos.

We’d ended up an hour into the woods because Landry had got to talking about his land. “I’m going to therapy,” he said of his ventures into the woods. “Nobody can come. I’m going to my happy place.” It’s hundreds of acres of land Landry plans to put in a trust “for the grandbabies.” Land filled with old oak trees whose branches brush the ground. With fruit trees, long abandoned but still blooming. With crab traps, piled high and covered with honeysuckle, for the deer. “Swamp People” made it possible. Landry was the first character named in the first episode of the first season of “Swamp People” in 2010. The show, which tracks swampers through bayous and cypress groves over an intense, monthlong hunting season, treads similar territory as fellow cable reality hits such as “Duck Dynasty,” “Gold Rush” and “Deadliest Catch.” The kind of shows that, at first, seem to be about a hyper-specific culture in a hyper-specific place but always end up being about people and family and how we relate to one another. And in the case of “Swamp People,” an ode to a disappearing way of life. The show was “an instant hit,” said Mary Donahue, a senior vice president at the History Channel. “It was so beautiful and so unusual and the characters were so admirable. … “Mr. Troy was an immediate standout.” Donahue, one the early executives on the series, spent time with Landry and his family and still counts their crawfish boil among her career highlights. She has a master’s degree in American studies and sees in the Atchafalaya swamp one of the country’s last frontiers. “Independence, self-reliance, all these wonderful qualities,” she said, “and that’s what I saw in the characters that were part of ‘Swamp People.’” The show has been airing for so many seasons that even Donahue was surprised when she looked up just how long. “Season 18?” she said. “Jeepers!” Cast members can’t remember how many seasons they’ve filmed. (Dozens have appeared for a season, or three, then retreated back into anonymity.)

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Fans gather around Troy Landry at Duffy’s Sportsmen’s Supply in Pierre Part during the first week of the filming of ‘Swamp People’ on Aug. 28.

We’re lucky. … But we always went out of our way. We always took care. That’s why it’s lasted so long — because we took the time.”

By the time “Swamp People” found him, Landry was in his late 40s. He’d been working hard since he was 10. Lifting, pulling, loading. “We didn’t have no forklifts.” His father started his bait business with a cooler the size of a pickup. His parents took their honeymoon in a borrowed car. Landry brought the same daylight-todarkness ethic to the show. Early on, at one Cabela’s opening or another, Landry was suddenly encountering lines of people who’d been waiting hours to meet him. He and his sons, who also star on the show, sat and signed and snapped photos until the line got down to zero. Meanwhile, the star of another buckshot-littered reality series “went and locked himself in the truck,” Landry said. “We sat there for three hours and took pictures. You sat in an air-conditioned truck.” That’s why, when folks say that Landry got lucky, he acknowledges the bit of luck that led a team of TV producers to Pierre Part. But he also points out the work involved. “We’re lucky. We’re lucky, man. But we always went out of our way. We always took care. “That’s why it’s lasted so long — because we took the time.”

‘I can touch it’ Out of the woods and onto the road, it became clear: the back tire was ﬂat. Landry pulled over, made a couple calls. A second truck was on its way. Then, as we sat chatting, his mom called: His father, who is in poor health, had fallen, again. Their rambler was close, and Landry drove quickly. By the time we arrived, his father was upright, his mother was smoking a cigarette, and his cousin was sitting at the kitchen table with the two of them. They hugged, they kissed, they shouted to one another in Cajun French, loud enough so his father could hear. At ﬁrst, “Swamp People” fans probably tuned in for the gator hunts. But they stayed for this: Landry caring for his aging parents. Teaching his grandkids — “my little gang,” as he put it. Jacob’s sons Ridge and Moose are hunters, as evidenced by an episode in which the boys pulled in a few gators on their own, testing out their own catchphrases. But when Landry goes into the woods with his granddaughter, he has a different focus. “I say, ‘You want to bring the gun this time? You want to try to shoot ’em?’” And she says, ‘Let ’em live, Paw.’” He kept chuckling, wiping a tear from

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Adalyn Alleman, 2, checks out an alligator brought to Duffy’s.

his eye. “‘Let ’em live, Paw.’” Cheyenne Wheat, better known to viewers as Landry’s deckhand, “Pickle,” thought he was a tyrant when she first got in his boat. The two hunters were generations apart but “about the same person,” she said. “We are both going to push and shove.” Quickly, though, Landry opened up with Wheat, whom he calls the daughter he never had. He shared his prostate cancer diagnosis, the loss of a close friend. He hosted her wedding on his land, officiating the ceremony. Then, when Wheat had another baby and had to balance filming with breastfeeding, pumping on the boat, Landry eased his own pace, tapping his watch when it hit 9 a.m. Landry does not, typically, ease up. (He ranks past deckhands and camera operators on their speed, or lack of it.) But really, he could have slowed his own pace sooner. Should have eased his own pace sooner. After the show’s first episode, way back when, Landry happened to chat with a lawyer friend in town. She told him he ought to trademark some of his goofy sayings — “tree shaker” and “mudda freaka” among them. So he did, subbing the “s” for a “c” to make “Choot ’em,” which is now emblazoned on stacks of hats at Duffy’s. What little he knew about money, he’d learned before the show began. His father had been bugging him for years to invest. So after a crawfish season, Landry put $40,000 into stocks. Months later, the Sept. 11 attacks tanked the market.

ä See LANDRY, page 7D

TROY LANDRY, on the success of “Swamp People”

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Troy Landry sits on his boat after bringing in alligators to Duffy’s.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 7D

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CAMP

Continued from page 1D

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Tony ‘Tet Tony’ Hebert launches his boat from Shell Beach Road in Pierre Part during the first week of filming ‘Swamp People.’

LANDRY

Continued from page 6D From then on, he bought property instead of stocks. Houses rather than bonds. (His great-grandmother’s house among them.) And land, above all. “I can see it,” he said, “I can touch it.” But he kept crawﬁsh farming, daylight to darkness, missing weekends and weddings. Finally, two years ago, he sold. “We used to work this much,” he said, stretching wide his hands, which are thick as gator tails, “for this much money,” he said, bringing them close. “Now we work this much,” he said, extending them a bit, “for this much money.” And he pulled his hands wide.

‘Just regular folk’ It was 6 a.m. and the sky was still pink as Landry and his son Chase set off on Lake Verret, past a single, stately cypress tree. Trailing them was an old friend, Tony Hebert, aka Tet Tony. But other than one cameraman, no crew, no lights. No crowd. They’d be gone for five hours, the crowd forming behind Duffy’s, getting

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word about whether the hunting had been good (it had) or they’d gotten a big one (they had). Ken Fox and his wife, Lisa, had driven down from Michigan, thinking they’d get an autograph or two, a moment or two. But Fox tried not to expect too much. He’d helped a friend with his security business, so he’d met celebrities before. For the most part, he wishes he hadn’t. But the Landry crew proved him wrong. As they chatted with Chase earlier in the week, Jacob cleaned around the station with a leaf blower. “You think they’d have people doing that kind of stuff, but they’re just regular folk, working their business like anybody else. “They were just as genuine guys as you’ll ever want to meet.” A key part of each episode is when the tape measure comes out. It’s not just theater, it determines how much the hunters get paid. They used to hunt for gator skins but that market has dried. Now they hunt for meat. But even that doesn’t make them much, these days. The show has made a difﬁcult market slightly more proﬁtable. On this day, Hebert stuck a silver rod in the biggest alligator’s mouth — 11

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feet, 7 inches. But an invoice took note of — and calculated payment for — all 15 gators they’d brought in. After the cameraman had set down his equipment and the crew had put away the tape measure, Landry grabbed a wide bucket and a long knife and headed toward the alley, where several 10-pound bags of chicken legs had been laying in the sun. Each day, after the gators are measured and weighed, Landry goes back on the water, setting the bait for the next morning. He sliced through the plastic, released the stench and dumped the rotting meat into the bucket. It was then that two fans approached, phones in selfie mode. He protested, at first, gesturing to the chicken. But then he wiped his hand on his pants, put the knife around her arm and smiled. “It’s just an honor to meet you,” said Hannah Lawson, 22, in town from South Carolina. Landry gave fist bump after fist bump, never stopping to move into the shade, never stopping to wash his hands. A smile for each fan, a joke for each friend. Contact reporter Jenna Ross at jenna. ross@theadvocate.com.

Nothing inspires like a deadline. My life’s work is proof of that. Why does crane folding work so well? Little in life feels more prayerful to me than folding origami cranes. I cannot fully explain this, but I suspect it has something to do with the rhythm of the thing. Folding a crane is kind of like knitting. Each requires just enough attention, with just enough breaks, that real conversation is possible. Hands stay busy. Hearts open. Tongues loosen. So many women I know are tired of the grind — tired of ﬁnding things, tired of making sure everyone is where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there, tired of cooking and dishes. Don’t even start on the laundry. (To be fair, plenty of men are probably tired of a similar grind — and I respect that as well.) For whoever is willing to participate, a table full of paper and nowhere to be but exactly there is liberating. In total, I have helped fold nearly a dozen senbazurus, each built around a particular intent. The ﬁrst came in 2011, after Amazon pledged $2 toward Japanese tsunami recovery for every crane folded and mailed to them. We ended up making and mailing three senbazurus that spring. In 2015, after the theater shooting in Lafayette, friends and I folded four more. My friend Jillian Johnson was killed that evening. She had folded cranes with us before. As she was in so many other aspects of life, she was a great crane folder. In the days after the shooting, many of us who loved her sat around our oversized table with our hands busy, folding. It was a sliver of a beautiful testament to the life she lived, and a way to grieve as a community rather than alone. Plus, we felt like we had some purpose. We had to fold a thousand cranes. We folded more senbazurus at the start of the COVID lockdown. A thousand cranes, it turns out, can hold almost anything. Grief. Fear. Boredom. Friendship. The simple wish to learn something new alongside people who are learning it too. Which brings me back to camp, and to a search that led me somewhere unexpected: French real estate listings. What a beautiful camp I could organize in a French chateau, origami-themed or otherwise. On the internet, I learned that for a mere $1.5 million, I could buy what one site called a “luxurious 17th-century manor house,” 15 bedrooms, a pool included. A luxurious 17th-century French manor house sounds delightful — and the photos make my heart go pitter-patter. I could throw some incredible camps there. Oh, the senbazurus we could fold.

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8D ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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LA. BAKES Dolly Parton loved food, family and Southern comfort Here are two of her famous recipes

Serves 10-12. Recipe is adapted from “Steel Magnolias.” 1 cup self-rising flour 1 cup sugar 1 (15-ounce) can fruit cocktail with juice 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Vanilla ice cream, for serving

PHOTOS By OLIVIA REGARD

Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Generously grease a 9-inch pie dish or cast-iron skillet with butter. 3. Mix ﬂour, sugar and fruit cocktail (with the juice) until combined. 4. Transfer to the prepared pan. Slice remaining butter into small pieces and place on top of batter. 5. Bake until the top is gold and bubbly, approximately 40-45 minutes. 6. Serve warm with ice cream.

Dollywood Cinnamon Bread

Yields one 9-inch loaf. Recipe is from “Baking in the American South: 200 Recipes and Their Untold Stories.” For the dough: 1 cup whole milk, plus 1 tablespoon 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 11/2 teaspoons dry yeast 3 cups bread flour, plus more for handling 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt For the topping: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1. Pour the 1 cup milk into a small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan and it scalds, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat. 2. Add the butter to the milk and stir to melt. Once the mixture cools to the touch, whisk in the yeast. 3. Place the ﬂour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer

Dollywood Cinnamon Bread and beat on low speed until just combined. 4. Pour in the yeast mixture and beat on low until fully incorporated. (If the dough is dry, add an extra tablespoon of milk.) 5. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is smooth and elastic, 4 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and clean up the edges. 6. Cover with plastic wrap and

place in the refrigerator overnight or cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until doubled, approximately 2 hours. 7. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper that extends over the short ends of the pan. Remove the parchment and set it aside on a baking sheet. Punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly ﬂoured surface. Press the dough into an 8-inchby-7-inch rectangle. Starting with the 8-inch side, roll up into

a loaf and place seam-side down on the piece of parchment. 8. Melt the butter in a small saucepan or microwave in 20- to 30-second bursts. 9. Combine both sugars and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir to combine. 10. Slit the loaf 6 to 8 times with a sharp serrated knife or razor blade, slicing halfway down through the loaf to create deep slits. Pour the melted butter over the top of the loaf, letting it seep into the slits. Spoon the sugar topping into the slits and onto the top of the loaf. With the ends of the parchment paper, pick up the loaf and place it in the pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. 11. Heat the oven to 350 F. Place the pan in the oven and bake the bread until lightly browned and the internal temperature in the center registers 190 F, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Using the parchment paper, remove the bread from the pan. Place on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes, then serve warm.

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The world lost a beloved icon when Dolly Parton died in August at 80. More than a legendary singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist, Parton was a storyteller whose warmth reached far beyond the stage. Raised in the Smoky Mountains Olivia of East Tennessee, Regard she often spoke about simple country cooking and the meals that brought her family together around the table. Even as her fame grew, she never lost her affection for humble Southern dishes that celebrated home, family and tradition. Food was woven into the fabric of Parton’s life. Perhaps no food is more closely associated with the star than the famous cinnamon bread served at Dollywood amusement park. Warm, buttery and fragrant, the loaf has become almost as legendary as the woman herself, drawing visitors who line up just to enjoy a slice fresh from the oven. It is a recipe that captures the singer’s spirit perfectly: comforting, generous and made to be shared. Equally iconic is the delightfully simple Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa Cake, made famous by Parton’s character, Truvy Jones, in the beloved film “Steel Magnolias.” As Truvy explains, this cake is so simple that you don’t have to write it down; it’s just “a cuppa flour, a cuppa sugar, and a cuppa fruit cocktail with the juice. Mix it together and bake at 350 until it’s gold and bubbly.” Much like her character in the movie, the recipe reflects the practical ingenuity of Southern home cooks while delivering a dessert that feels like a warm hug on a plate. Sept. 25 is Dolly Parton Day, a clever nod to her iconic hit movie “9 to 5.” So on this day, pour yourself a cup of ambition and enjoy a warm slice of cinnamon bread or spoonful of cake in the late icon’s honor.

Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa Cake

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 9D

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Master your manners, not the silverware

TODAY IN HISTORY By The Associated Press Today is Sunday, Sept. 20, the 263rd day of 2026. There are 102 days left in the year. Today in history: On Sept. 20, 1973, in their so-called “Battle of the Sexes,” tennis star Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, in the Houston Astrodome. Also on this date: In 1519, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew set out from Spain on five ships to find a western passage to the Spice Islands. (Magellan was killed en route, but one of his ships completed the first circumnavigation of the globe three years later.) In 1946, the first Cannes Film Festival, lasting 16 days, opened in France. In 1962, James Meredith, a Black student, was blocked from enrolling at the University of Mississippi by Democratic Gov. Ross R. Barnett. In 1964, The Beatles concluded their first full-fledged U.S. tour by performing in a charity concert at the Paramount Theater in New York. In 1967, the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2 was christened by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in Clydebank, Scotland. In 2011, the repeal of the U.S. military’s 18-year-old “don’t ask, don’t tell” compromise took effect, allowing gay and lesbian service members to serve openly. In 2017, Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico, wiping out up to 75% of power distribution lines and causing an islandwide blackout. It was the strongest storm to hit the island in more than 80 years. In 2019, Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, the site of the nation’s worst commercial nuclear power accident in 1979, was shut down by its owner after producing electricity for 45 years. In 2024, an Israeli airstrike in Beirut killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens more. It was the first such Israeli attack on the Lebanese capital in months and came shortly after the Shiite Muslim militant and political group Hezbollah pounded northern Israel with 140 rockets. Today’s Birthdays: Actor Sophia Loren is 92. Author George R. R. Martin is 78. Actor Gary Cole is 70. TV news correspondent Deborah Roberts is 66. Actor Maggie Cheung is 62. Actor Kristen Johnston is 59. Rock singers Gunnar and Matthew Nelson are 59. Race car driver Juan Pablo Montoya is 51. Actor Jon Bernthal is 50. Actor Aldis Hodge is 40. Retired mixed martial artist Khabib Nurmagomedov is 38. Singer-songwriter Phillip Phillips is 36. Singer Katrina Stuart is 27.

Dear Miss Manners: My summer internship went great and I’ve been hired! But I’m afraid I’m going to ruin it because my boss takes new hires out to lunch at her exclusive club. I had to buy a tie, which is ﬁne, but I just know I’ll use Judith the wrong fork. Martin Help! MISS Gentle reader: MANNERS Only if you promise never again to use that meaningless cliche about the “wrong fork.” The age of specialized eating implements was over more than 100 years before you were born. Even in its prime, it affected only a small class, as aristocrats scorned it and the working class ignored it. If there are even two forks at your place setting, it would be surprising. A club, like a restaurant, does not know what

you plan to order, so the staff cannot set the table for speciﬁc foods. If they could — and had, for example, a salad fork and a meat fork — all you would need to know is to pick them up from the outside in. But heaven forbid that Miss Manners should imply that table manners do not count. If you hunch over your plate, chew with your mouth open or otherwise disgust your boss, she could very well hold it against you, even if unintentionally. While it is doubtful that your ﬁrst job will require you to entertain clients at expense account meals, your boss’s reaction to sloppy eating will be visceral. Table manners are not that hard, and you could learn them in a few minutes. But it would be a good idea not to order any unfamiliar dishes. Dear Miss Manners: I understand that black dresses are tradi-

tionally not supposed to be worn at a wedding. But what if there are female groomspeople at a black-tie affair? I’m planning to have my daughter and my three sisters stand with me at my wedding next year, and since I’m going to be in a tuxedo, I thought they might all wear black, as well. Gentle reader:: Congratulations on realizing that your wedding party should consist of those closest to you, regardless of gender. Most people still approach this by casting gender-speciﬁc roles. This comes of not understanding that the tradition dated from a time when brides and bridegrooms were not expected to have close ties to those of the opposite gender. But Miss Manners sees that you are still partially struck with that misunderstanding, in that you are considering dressing your groomswomen as honorary men.

This brings her to another silly wedding custom: that of dressing female attendants alike, as if they formed a chorus line. Why not allow them to be the individuals for which you presumably value them, and choose their own dressy outfits? See? Miss Manners is not against sensible change. However, she still thinks that black dresses look too somber for a wedding. An increasing number of people now think they are too somber even for funerals, which are now styled as celebrations of life. But we won’t fight that fight right now. One step at a time, she supposes. Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www. missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@ gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Using up leftover pie dough creates a tasty snack Dear Heloise: A simple way to use up leftover pie dough is to just take the odd-shaped pieces, lay them on an ungreased cookie sheet, and sprinkle them Hints from with cinnamon Heloise and sugar. Place them in an oven along with the pie and bake until they’re lightly browned, or for about ﬁve minutes. They make a quick and tasty snack. — Marlene K., in Regent, North Dakota

More leftover pie dough Dear Heloise: Leftover pie crust dough also makes wonderful crackers. Roll the dough out thinly, cut it with cookie cutters. Then brush the cutouts with melted butter and sprinkle them with salt. Bake for 10 minutes, but check on them before then. And try a cracker while it’s

still warm! — Anne S., via email

Motor oil stains Dear Heloise: I devised this effective way to eliminate a fresh motor oil stain on your clean concrete driveway. The best results happen if you treat it as soon as you notice it. Use the cheapest cat litter (without color crystals and such). Pour just enough to cover the stain and pound it into a powder using a mallet or hammer. Then, using a piece of ﬂexible Styrofoam and rubbing in circular motions, grind the powdered litter into the stain for one to two minutes. Brush the litter into a dust pan, and voila, the stain is gone! — Bob, in Green Valley,Arizona

Adios, grease! Dear Heloise: For catching food grease, I take an empty glass jar with a wide mouth and put the grease in there with a spoon. If the grease is hot, it could melt plastic, so I have a

glass jelly jar that I bought. A pickle or canning jar works, too. Keep the lid on it to keep ﬂies out. When it’s full, secure the lid and toss it in the trash. If you don’t have a second glass jar, I’ve poured some cooled grease into a used zipclose bag, zipped it up, and taken it to the trash can for the dump. — Terry, in Upper Virginia Terry, I like to pour cooled grease into a plastic bag that has lost its usefulness from having been used so many times. I always keep a stack of them in an old facial tissue box on the lower shelf of my pantry. — Heloise

A sparkling bouquet Dear Heloise: I got married in June, and about six months ahead of my wedding, I wrote to all my aunts, ﬁrst cousins and close friends, as well as my hairdresser, and I asked them if they’d send me one brooch that they no longer wore. When all the brooches arrived, I took

a medium-size Styrofoam ball and attached the brooches to it with a handle at the back so that I could hold it. There were a few white ribbon streamers hanging down at the bottom. It turned out beautifully, and this was what I carried down the aisle instead of a ﬂoral bouquet. It was a way to take my family (whom I love dearly) with me on this very important day. It now sits under a glass dome in the master bedroom. I love your column. When my dad taught me how to read, he used your column and had me sound out the words that I didn’t know. — Kelly S., in Odessa, Texas Kelly, this is a clever hint and a beautiful way to recycle jewelry that was once worn by someone whom you care about. Thanks so much for sharing and being a longtime reader! — Heloise Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

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10D ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Chef David Chang hits the road again

Master Gardeners to hold fall plant sale The East Baton Rouge Master Gardeners will host their Fall Plant Sale from 8 a.m. to noon on Sept. 26 at LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden, 4560 EsFYI BR sen Lane, Baton Rouge. Signs will be staff up with instructions to lead visitors reports to the sale. Cash, check and cards are accepted. The following plants will be available for purchase: amaryllis, blueberry basil, begonias, bromeliads, bulbines, canna lilies, cat whiskers, coleus, ferns, gingers, hibiscus, irises, lantana, mint, passion vine, perilla magilla, Peggy Martin roses, salvias, shrimp plants, turk’s cap, turmeric and chaste trees.

CNN series explores U.S. culinary landscape

BY MARK KENNEDY

AP entertainment writer NEW YORK — In an episode of his new CNN travel series, chef David Chang is cruising down the highway on his way to Las Vegas when he stops at a humble truck stop off Interstate 15. The town is Hesperia, California, and the producers wanted Chang to try an Indian restaurant near a windshield repair store. But Chang spots a Mexican cantina that looks promising. He naturally chooses to eat at both, freaking out his camera crew. “I just wanted to taste things. When I see something, I’m like, ‘Oh, that looks interesting. I would like to taste that,’ ” he says in an interview. “To the dismay of the producers and the team, they’re like, ‘No, no. We got to go here.’ I was like, ‘You don’t understand. I told you guys that if we’re going to do the show, everything’s on the table.’ ” “Everything’s On the Table” might be a good alternative title for the six-part “The Detour with David Chang,” where the famed founder of the Momofuku global restaurant chain pairs with a companion and hits the open road, eating his way through America. It begins airing Sunday. Chang chows down on Filipino food in South Las Vegas, bites into a traditional Czech puff pastry in Texas and tries Haitian food for the first time in Miami. The show’s motto is: “All we’ve got is a destination. Everything else is a detour.” He’s paired by friends and strangers alike, from “American Fiction” director and writer Cord Jefferson to comedian, actor and writer Cristela Alonzo, who shows him her Texas. In Tennessee, he rides with Christina Tosi, the Milk Bar creator, who is almost a surrogate sister. The show is about exploring and connecting with locals to find hidden gems, like the spot that serves killer Cuban fritas at a laundromat. Or the chefs who take barbecue and combine Asian flavors, creating oak-smoked pulled pork with Penang curry. Or the family serving Honduran food truck breakfast that helps heal Chang’s terrible rum hangover. “I love going out to eat, but as I get older, staying inside, not doing as much, is also nice. And I think that over the past few years, I’ve certainly been calcified,” says Chang. “Anytime you get out of your comfort zone or your little bubble, I think it’s a good reminder that

Applications open for creativity award The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge is now accepting applications for the Everett G. Powers Fund for Creativity, offering a $5,000 award to support a project that embodies innovation, creativity and excellence. Established through the vision of Everett G. Powers, the fund recognizes that creativity is essential not only in the arts but also in ﬁelds such as engineering, education, the food industry, architecture and beyond. The submission window runs through Oct. 29 and is open to individuals, business owners, organizations, educators and others based in the Arts Council’s 10-parish region. Applicants must be an individual residing in East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, Ascension, Livingston or Tangipahoa parishes, or an organization with a 501(c)(3) designation domiciled in one of those parishes. The award supports new projects taking place between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2027. Eligible expenses include artist fees, production costs, supplies, equipment rental, consultant fees and other direct costs tied to the project. Applications will be evaluated on creative innovation and excellence (70%) and viability and impact (30%). Key Dates n Oct. 29: Submissions close n Nov. 11: Panelists preview applications n Nov. 18: Panelists meet to vote n Nov. 20: Awardee selected and notiﬁed Full guidelines and the application are available at artsbr.org/grants.

Area Girl Scouts honors volunteers Girl Scouts Louisiana East honored the dedication of its volunteer community during the 2026 Volunteer Kick-Off, an annual gathering designed to celebrate, recognize and uplift the volunteers who make Girl Scouting possible. This year’s event placed emphasis on recognizing outstanding volunteer achievement. During the “Recognition of Excellence Luncheon”, Girl Scouts Louisiana East celebrated Janice Drake, who was honored for her 40 years of service, and Jackie McCreary, who received the Volunteer of Excellence Award for her leadership and impact.

PROVIDED PHOTO By ALANNA HALE

The new CNN travel series ‘The Detour with David Chang’ features the chef eating his way through America. It begins Sunday. there’s so much other stuff out there.”

something that is meaningful to you.”

Eating choices don’t follow algorithm Twists on brisket Chang joins a crowded field of celebrity travel hosts, which includes Daniel Dae Kim, Tony Shalhoub, Rainn Wilson, Eugene Levy, Stanley Tucci,Orlando Bloom, Zac Efron, José Andrés, Chris Hemsworth, Will Smith, Eva Longoria and Ewan McGregor. Awkwafina is on deck. All owe a debt to Anthony Bourdain, who inspired millions to share his delight in food and the bonds it created. Bourdain died in 2018. Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent, CNN Originals and creative development, notes that Chang is the first chef to host a CNN original series since Bourdain. “Dave isn’t setting out to define American food or find the ‘best’ restaurant in every city. It’s almost the opposite,” she says. “He gets in the car, talks to people and follows recommendations that take him somewhere he didn’t expect to go. At a time when an algorithm can tell you where to eat, where to stay and what to see, there’s something really appealing about just getting a little lost and seeing what you find.” The seed of the series was planted when Chang and executive producer Morgan Neville were chatting one day about what it was like to discover new indie rock bands back in the old days before the internet and influencers, and the joy when you found one. “I felt like that was sort of how I felt about food as well,” says Chang. “Listen, it’s easier to eat than ever before. But, in some ways, it is harder to find

One show highlight is the delightful way he ends up at an Ethiopian restaurant in Las Vegas after listening to the recommendation of a taxi driver. Eating slow-cooked chicken and injera — the sour, spongy ﬂatbread — reminded Chang of how good that cuisine is. “I will die on the hill that Ethiopian food is one of the world’s greatest cuisines. There’s nothing like it, and it’s a singular approach to texture, ﬂavor, and the kind of food that everyone loves these days — communal dining, where everyone can eat the same thing but customize it themselves.” He learns that in Texas the Holy Trinity is brisket, ribs and sausage, but some local chefs are also putting their own spins on classic dishes. Like pitmaster Chuck Charnichart at the eatery Barbs in Lockhart, who adds serrano glaze on her ribs and zests fresh limes over them. “It feels like I have a front-row seat to Dylan going electric,” Chang says in admiration. Throughout the series is Chang’s gentle humor and willingness to try and do anything, dropping references to the painter Rothko, musician John Coltrane and director Terrence Malick along the way. And, of course, always popping corn nuts. “When you think about it, I’m getting paid to go eat and hang out with friends,” he says, laughing. “I have nothing to complain about. And it’s a nice reminder that this is literally a dream job.”

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

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

Medicare doesn’t pay for dental care.1

Previous dental work can wear out.

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

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

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

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

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

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Q&A Firms focused on public safety technology are walking a tightrope 3E

What are the state’s business leaders binge-watching? 9E

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

S u n d ay, S e p t e m b e r 20, 2026

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Sharing the

stage

Louisiana’s orchestras are embracing collaborations and more to reach younger, wider audience — and boost donations BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra was rehearsing Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E minor recently onstage at Loyola University’s Louis J. Roussel Performance Hall ahead of the upcoming start of the 2026-27 season. The music sounded amazing to the untrained ears in the room, but conductor Matthew Kraemer still paused the performance from time to time to make adjustments, asking some musicians to play louder or softer — or, at one point, more “transparently” — to bring out the emotion of the famed 19th-century German’s composer’s last symphony. A similar process of trial and error is happening on a much larger scale at the LPO itself and at Louisiana’s other professional orchestras as they strive to sell tickets and keep dona-

IDEAS &

INNOVATION

STAFF PHOTOS By DAVID GRUNFELD

French horn player Mollie Pate rehearses with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra at Louis J. Roussel Performance Hall on the Loyola University campus in New Orleans.

“You have to look at what your community wants so you can draw people who wouldn’t normally attend,” says Mollie Pate, the LPO’s principal horn player who just started her 31st season.

tions ﬂowing to preserve a musical art form that peaked in popularity in the U.S. more than a half-century ago and has had to battle for audiences’ attention in the decades since. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, fewer than 5% of adults in the U.S. attended a classical music concert in 2022, the last year it tracked data, down from 11.6% in 2002. As orchestras wrangle with the economics of putting on expensive shows for audiences that have more and more entertainment options to choose from, they are coming up with innovative ways to connect with new generations of potential fans. In Louisiana, that means sharing the stage with musicians from other genres, showcasing music from popular movie scores and commissioning original works that highlight jazz, Cajun and other regional sounds. It also means playing lots of gigs in nontraditional environments, embracing online video content and ﬁnding other ways to build awareness and excitement for a nearly

ä See ORCHESTRAS, page 2E

Matthew Kraemer, music director and principal conductor of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, leads a rehearsal.

Australian battery tech ﬁrm acquires south La. company Sicona bets on drones to boost demand BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Australian battery materials startup Sicona announced Tuesday it has acquired its Louisiana-based counterpart Advano and will take over the company’s ofﬁces, labs and factory in New Orleans. The deal means a surprising resurrection, albeit under a new name, for a once high-ﬂying local company that raised $45 mil-

lion from mostly out-of-town in- in nearby St. Bernard Parish as vestors and secured 23 patents anchors. Sicona founder and CEO over an eight-year span before running out of money two years Christiaan Jordaan met with New Orleans Mayor ago and nearly dissolvHelena Moreno and ing. more than a dozen busiTuesday’s announcement is being celebratness leaders and New Orleans officials Tuesed by local elected ofﬁcials, business leaders day morning in a conand economic developference room at City Hall to celebrate the ers who are working to announcement of a deal lure outside investment Jordaan that closed earlier this to New Orleans East, using the Michoud Assembly summer but was kept under Facility — where rockets for wraps. Meeting attendees also NASA have been made for discussed details about tax inmore than six decades — and centive programs and logistics a proposed multibillion-dollar ä See BATTERY, page 2E Mississippi River port terminal

Advano, which has a pilot manufacturing facility in New Orleans East, was acquired by Australian battery materials startup Sicona. PROVIDED PHOTO

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ORCHESTRAS How to find ghost charges on Continued from page 1E credit card, checking statements Sitting across from a 30-something single mom working to pay off $80,000 in student debt, we opened her bank statements for the past 12 months to see where her was going. Michelle money As we went Singletary through each THE COLOR month, line by OF MONEy line, something became clear. There weren’t any large, reckless purchases draining her bank account. Instead, her statements were riddled with what I call “ghost charges.” Just about every month, there were dozens of transactions she had either forgotten or consciously ignored. She isn’t alone. She is one of many Americans caught up in an epidemic of budget amnesia. The culprit is modern payment technology, which has made it far too easy to swipe, spend and suppress. Frictionless transactions — including one-click pay, tap to pay, mobile payment apps and saved autofill credit card prompts — have made buying so effortless that in many instances we don’t feel the psychological pain of paying. As the use of biometrics expands, using a phone or plastic payment card will be completely optional. You’ll be able to smile and pay. In 2024, J.P. Morgan announced a partnership with PopID that allows shoppers to use their face to shop. Companies sell consumers on the technology by promising faster checkout times. In hawking its iPhone X, Apple produced a pretty fly commercial. Three seconds. That’s all it took for the actor to pay for a hat that flies off the rack and onto his head. Another quick eyeball on his screen, and he’s bought some cool sunglasses. The shopping spree continues with multiple suits, shirts, stylish shoes, a chair for Mama and jewelry. The tagline: “Pay with a glance.” Businesses don’t want you to pause. Pay with your face and be in debt within seconds. For those old enough, we remember when paying with a credit card was a pain. The cashier pulled out a clunky manual machine from under the counter, inserted your credit card and pressed it to make a carbon copy imprint. As you signed the receipt, customers waiting in line behind you would be blowing out their breath or tapping their feet, wondering why you didn’t just use cash. Now, this tech-induced amnesia siphons away the money people need to save, pay off debt or invest for retirement. They zone out and later stare at charges they barely remember making. It gives rise to the often-heard refrain: “I have no idea where all my money goes.” To break free from this digital fog, you need to conduct a financial audit. Here’s how. Use pen and paper. If you have access to a printer, download and print out the last six to 12 months

BATTERY

Continued from page 1E related to the company ramping up activity in town. “This is day one of so much more of growth that’s about to come,” Moreno told the group. “We’re really excited about Sicona putting its U.S. headquarters here, and it tells such a great entrepreneurial story about what’s happening in our city. We’re providing ways for amazing people with great ideas to scale up.” Jordaan said Sicona plans to begin operations at the New Orleans Regional Business Park facility across from Michoud as it strives to accelerate production of siliconcarbon anode materials designed to improve the performance of the lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, drones, data centers, robots, power tools and more. Sicona said it plans to invest more than $10 million over the next halfdecade at the New Orleans East site and expects to create 30 new jobs with an average annual salary topping $100,000. The company also plans to maintain ofﬁces and labs at the technology park next to LSU New Orleans on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. Jordaan said the ramp-up of activity in New Orleans will be slow at ﬁrst as the company waits for furnaces and other specialized equipment to be delivered, but he plans to hire several engineers and battery

of your credit card and bank statements. Yes, all of them. Get a pen because you will be doing a lot of circling. I don’t want you to rely on your banking app to check your numbers. These dashboards sort your spending into tidy graphs that make it feel like it’s under control. But a pie chart showing $400 in food spending doesn’t tell the full story. In reality, spending $60 on a McDonald’s delivery undercuts what you say is your goal to pay down debt or save more. Hunt down every line item. Think of this as an archaeological dig. Review every single charge and backtrack to figure out where that cash actually went, including ATM withdrawals. You will circle and label every purchase. (See the next step.) For every obscure vendor name or confusing line item, search or log in to the specific platform, such as your Amazon or PayPal order history, to match the purchase and the exact dollar amount you paid. Categorize your purchases. Your goal is to look for stealth splurges or ghost spending. You might recall the $60 Uber Eats delivery, but you don’t remember the Zelle payment you made to reimburse friends after you went out for drinks and dinner. You will need to circle all your purchases and categorize them — gas, utilities, groceries, eating out, delivered meals, etc. Make a note of spending for convenience. Expensive premade hot bar food from the grocery store should be labeled “eating out,” even if you took it home to eat on your couch while binge-watching your favorite cable series. Calculate your amnesia tax. Tally the total dollar amount of every debit or credit card charge you can’t recall. The cash you forgot about is the price you pay for failing to track your actual purchases. It’s money that could be available for the things you say you value. After your deep dive, force yourself to answer the following three questions. What specifically was this for? Question all purchases, asking yourself, “Was this a need or want?” Why did I buy this? When faced with multiple Grubhub orders, you need to ask: Were you out of food? Did you budget for the expense or did you act out of impulse because you didn’t want to eat leftovers? Is mindless digital spending sabotaging my long-term financial goals? Frictionless payment technology obscures the true cost of your choices. By the end of her audit, the single mom found hundreds of dollars she could have used to pay off her debt. The tech companies want you to smile, glance and tap your way into financial oblivion. But if you don’t pause before paying, it will derail the money goals you set for yourself. Email Michelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@washpost. com.

scientists to get things started. “We won’t be too ﬂashy this side of Christmas, but next year things will pick up, and you’ll see our people doing a little bit more,” he said during the meeting with the mayor. Eventually, Sicona’s plan is to expand U.S. operations so it can make enough material to build millions of battery cells annually. “This acquisition is a major strategic step in our transition into a global lithium-silicon battery platform with a permanent operating base in the United States,” said Jordaan, who co-founded his company with Andrew Minett in 2019. “Advano has built an important foundation, and we intend to build on that work as we grow.”

‘Gruesome work’ Co-founded in 2016 by New Orleans native Alexander Girau and Shiva Adireddy, Advano spent nearly a decade developing a way to combine silicon with graphite to increase the range and charging speed of lithium-ion batteries with an eye on the then-growing U.S. electric vehicle market. Girau was pursuing his doctorate in chemical engineering and Adireddy was a Tulane University professor at that time. Former Apple executive Tony Fadell, known as the “father of the iPod,” was an early investor in the venture, along with PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel. Those two big names helped the company achieve its impressive fundraising haul,

400-year-old art form. “We entice people with things they’ve heard of, like Handel’s ‘Messiah’ and Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Nutcracker,’ but we’re also broadening our horizons past our traditional classical realm,” said Mollie Pate, the LPO’s principal horn player who just started her 31st season. “You have to look at what your community wants so you can draw people who wouldn’t normally attend.”

Keeping the music alive

PROVIDED PHOTOS

With an annual budget of about The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra is the second largest orchestra in $5.5 million, the LPO is the larg- Louisiana with an annual budget of $1.5 million, and among the more est orchestra in Louisiana. It has than 2,200 professional, community and youth orchestras across the U.S.

67 full-time musicians and 15 staff members that help produce nearly 50 concerts each season. The next largest in the state is the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra with a budget of $1.5 million, followed by the Lafayette-based Acadiana Symphony Orchestra (budget about $750,000) and organizations in Lake Charles, Alexandria, Shreveport and other cities. These are joined by youth orchestras and smaller ensembles statewide. They’re among the more than 2,200 professional, community and youth orchestras across the U.S. with operating expenses ranging from under $30,000 to well over $100 million, according to the League of American Orchestras, which advocates for the industry. Notably, most of the money to cover those expenses doesn’t come from ticket sales. League data shows that, on average, private support makes up 45% of an orchestra’s budget, followed by ticket sales, which account for nearly 25%. Endowments, earned revenue and government funding, together, comprise the other 30%. The LPO is one of the few orchestras seeing attendance grow, though people aren’t spending as much on tickets as they used to, according to LPO Executive Director Anwar Nasir. “It’s not like a rock concert,” he said. “You don’t have to sit up close.” To keep donaNasir tions flowing and tickets selling, orchestras in Louisiana are working to reach new people by embracing social media campaigns, lowering ticket prices, ﬁne-tuning the concert experience — and, most important, spreading the message that an orchestra concert isn’t just for the elite. “People think it’s just for very wealthy or older people, but that’s not true, so we want highlight that and demystify that,” said BRSO Executive Director Eric Marshall.

Audiences are ‘omnivorous’ One of the primary ways Louisiana’s orchestras are trying to broaden their audience is by building a season schedule that combines crowd-pleasing classics, new works from emerging composers and music from movies and other popular media. Audiences have become “omnivorous,” according to Rachel Rossos Gallant, vice president of marketing and membership at the orchestra league. “They still want the classics, but they also want other genres, so hav-

among the highest-ever for a New Orleans startup. In early 2024, a few years after Girau left his role as CEO, Advano celebrated a ribbon-cutting at the New Orleans Regional Business Park near Michoud. Then-CEO Chris York announced a plan to produce up to 10 metric tons — about half a truckload — of material each year to provide samples to U.S. battery manufacturers, an industry boosted at the time by billions of dollars from the Biden administration through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. By that summer, though, the company had run out of operating capital. In August 2024, with EV sales slumping and an administration change looming, Advano furloughed most of its employees and effectively ceased operations as executives sought last-minute investors. Since then, Advano’s ofﬁces, labs and factory have essentially been frozen in time. “It looks like Chernobyl in there,” said Hugh Evans, a New Orleans native who invested in Advano in 2021 and took over as CEO at the beginning of last year. “Somebody’s pack of gum is still lying on a desk out in New Orleans East.” Evans said there was a good chance the company could have been sold off for its intellectual property and assets, but he and several others — including CFO Juan Linares and Patrick Dietzen, who was another company co-founder

year at the Orpheum Theatre but also performs in a smaller conﬁguration at the New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market in Central City, among other venues. “They are coming to where people are,” Rossos Gallant said. “It helps build relationships with community, and it helps with fundraising. It’s also part of the nonproﬁt mission to build something communal, especially at a time when things can be divisive.”

An Acadiana Symphony Orchestra member performs Verdi’s ‘Requiem’ ‘A decent living’ in 2025. One reality of being a profesing cross-genre programming is really helpful,” she said. With that in mind, the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming season will feature a music from Beethoven, a collaboration with a Frank Sinatra impersonator, a “Cajun Night Before Christmas”themed show, and a performance of John Williams’ score for “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” “Someone might not be comfortable going to the symphony because they don’t know Beethoven or Mozart, but they know ‘Raiders,’ so you meet them where they are,” said Jackie Hettich, the ASO’s executive director. This season, BRSO is featuring music from famous composers Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich plus a “family fright night,” tributes to Motown and the Beatles, and a concert that includes the music of both Beethoven and Beyoncé in one night. The BRSO is adding a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 to the end of a “Star Wars” concert. “People are coming to see this iconic movie music, and they’ll get this great piece of classical music on the same program,” Marshall said. “We hope it sparks an interest.” The LPO’s schedule includes many beloved classical pieces along with a collaboration with New Orleans Grammy-winning band Tank and the Bangas. The orchestra also will provide a live score during a screening of the century-old movie “Nosferatu” and share the stage with Mardi Gras Indian and rapper Flagboy Giz. Nasir said the organization works hard to balance well-known pieces — like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony — with new discoveries. Orchestras are also seeking new fans by bringing the music out of their traditional concert halls to perform in libraries, schools, churches, healthcare facilities, parks and more. The LPO plays more than two dozen shows each

— spent more than a year managing its liabilities, negotiating with roughly 70 unsecured creditors to agree to take a percentage of what was owed them to make Advano “clean” so it could merge with a competitor. “It was gruesome work, and I was threatened with lawsuits multiple times,” he said. “But then came the good part.”

From the land down under

sional classical musician in a medium-sized market is the gig simply doesn’t pay very much. Pate said the base salary for LPO musicians is under $30,000 for a performing season that runs September through May, so everyone has to augment their income. Teaching is a common side hustle, but LPO members also repair vehicles, provide IT services and tend bar, to name a few. Many of the state’s musicians also play in other regional orchestras, which try to stagger their performance schedules to make the process easier. A new source of work cropped a year ago, when the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette launched a program called Louisiana Scoring. Funded by a grant from Louisiana’s economic development agency, the project aims to compete with facilities in Los Angeles, New York and Nashville, Tennessee, as well as overseas to record live orchestras for movies, TV shows and video games. Some of the best players from the state’s orchestras — and even university graduate programs — have participated in several recording sessions over the past year. Pate herself co-owns a local chain of CrossFit gyms with three New Orleans-area locations and nearly 300 members. That means, on some days, she’ll be teaching clients how to do push-ups, squats and dips, while on others she’s rehearsing and performing with her longtime fellow orchestra members. “Between the two jobs, I have a decent living,” she said. “It’s very difficult to survive on the orchestra salary alone especially with the rising cost of everything.” Despite the financial challenges, Pate said a seat in the LPO is still highly sought after. “Musicians come from all around the world and audition specifically to be in this orchestra,” she said. “There are five French horn positions available here, and my spot’s been taken for 30 years. There’s not a lot of turnover.”

the Australian company millions to recreate the infrastructure that Advano already has in place. In addition, the company’s pooled intellectual property looks better to investors, Evans said, and the low cost of energy in Louisiana is another draw. State incentives, including a new package designed to rebate companies that pay salaries over a parish average, no doubt helped seal the deal, but there’s another factor: Evans and Jordaan say there’s suddenly more demand for their product in the U.S. “There’s a new tailwind in the battery industry driven by the rapid advancements of artiﬁcial intelligence because that’s driving more physical applications of AI, like autonomous drones, submarines and vehicles,” Jordaan said. “All of those things require batteries, and most will beneﬁt from our silicone materials.” The expansion to the U.S. comes at a busy time for Sicona, which recently licensed its technology to an Indian company that is building a production facility, and is working on a grant-funded project in Australia. Now, Jordaan said he’s working with Evans to revive $2.8 million U.S. Department of Energy research grant Advano received to convert waste material from solar panels into useful battery ingredients.

Thank Shirley Meng for introducing Advano to Sicona. The renowned Singaporean American materials scientist and academic, who served on Advano’s board of directors before joining Sicona’s board this year, connected with Jordaan to talk about a potential collaboration when she was visiting her husband’s family in Australia in early 2025. A visit down under from Greater New Orleans Inc. executives and other regional economic developers a few months later moved the conversation forward, leading to a handful of visits from Jordaan to New Orleans to check out Advano’s local infrastructure. Then, in June, the companies agreed to a stock swap that means Advano’s remaining shareholders now own a stake of Sicona, and Advano becomes the Australian startup’s subsidiary in the U.S. — although the Advano name is being retired. Jordaan and Evans said the deal Email Rich Collins at rich. makes sense because it would cost collins@theadvocate.com.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 3E

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

Tech entrepreneur sold company then built a bigger one BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

When entrepreneur Mo Vij sold General Informatics in 2020 after building it into one of Baton Rouge’s biggest technology companies, he had a decision to make. Should he stay in town or start his next venture elsewhere? Vij stayed. After being uprooted once when he moved from India and watching his kids grow up in Louisiana, he decided this was home and used the proceeds from the sale to fund the launch of a new public safety software-asa-service company at the same Highland Road campus he had developed for the company he’d sold. It’s now become even larger. 365Labs, his new ﬁrm, now has 70 employees and up to $50 million in recurring revenue, 95% of which comes from out of state. And it counts more than 100 public safety agencies across 18 states among the clients paying for its records management, dispatch, case processing and 911 systems. Last year, Vij was inducted in the Hall of Distinction at LSU’s College of Engineering. And next month, groundbreaking is planned on the $60 million second phase of his @Highland real estate venture, which includes more than 220 residential units. In this week’s edition of Talking Business, Vij explains the tightrope act facing companies in the arena of public safety technology. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. General Informatics sold support services like help desks, patching and backups, while 365Labs sells subscription software for public safety agencies. What’s the difference between running those two kinds of companies? It’s like a doctor’s ofﬁce versus a pharmaceutical company. The big difference is intellectual property. With General Informatics,

Is public concern about license plate readers and facial recognition justified? Any time bad news comes, people are going to get more worried, especially if it’s given to more powerful people. That’s why I think, in government, an AI-cautious approach is not a bad approach. But people’s reactions are more based on what we understand from Hollywood movies — right now the AI is not at that level. The error rate has dropped dramatically, but companies slapped AI on their products very early on, so even when things get betFILE PHOTO ter, the impression is that it’s not good. How did you handle it differently? Two years ago, we said, “Let’s FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK PRESIDENT AND CEO OF 365 LABS just use it for spell checking, A dispatcher fills out a call using dispatch software. Entrepreneur Mo for grammar.” Those were what Vij’s new firm, 365 Labs, counts more than 100 public safety agencies we could be sure about. Now, if across 18 states among the clients paying for its records management, somebody wants to FOIA a reyou’re a shared IT department. dispatch, case processing and 911 systems. You’re selling time, mostly, verport, AI can check the documents and give you some information. sus a product company — frankly, pass, new people come in and any- dent in the whole year but both It’s not creating, it’s basically there’s maybe a handful, if that, retrieval. in Louisiana — where you develop body who comes in must do some- the public and the government Retrieval technologies are a intellectual property. You’ve cremaybe wanted to buy drones thing different — or not do it. little better, and so we put retrievbecause it sounds very cool. The So what’s the biggest challenge of the ated a full online software sysreal things are more making sure al stuff in most of our products. public sector? tem, you pay us a subscription, the dispatch is happening, the With private clients, if you and we maintain and improve it. Let’s not try to create more stuff reports are being written, those could show them savings, everyWe have multiple patents on our right now, especially in a field like things get sidelined. software today. public safety where wrong input body wanted that. Here, you can What’s the proper application of artificial can affect people’s lives. Why would a police agency in show savings, but it’s not coming intelligence for public safety technology? Washington or New York connect from anybody’s pocket, so they What’s the public safety technology We know it’s a very probabilisto a company in Louisiana? Bepeople aren’t thinking about? can easily go to the city and say, Though the homicides and “We need 20 more people, othertic technology. It’s not determincause they can’t find enough disall make the news, 80-85% of istic. Now they’re talking about wise we can’t do our job.” patchers, and by using software the time the general work of a it detecting a person from how You can come up with a great that’s more integrated, the same technology for streamlining oper- they walk. It can say it’s the same law enforcement officer is very 60 employees can do the work of standard, run-of-the-mill kind person, but it’s probabilistic — 100 people. ations, but then in whose interest of work. So it’s, “I have to enter 99% of the time, it’ll do it. And What have you learned about selling to is streamlining? somebody’s information into 1% means you arrest the wrong government agencies? You can come in and say, “You the software” versus “Can I just person. The sales cycle is very long. can have 30% less police force.” The point is: Do you want to use point my camera at their driver’s When a city establishes a 911 sys- But does the chief really want license and read everything from tem, it’s a 15- or 20-year purchase, that? Sometimes whoever has the AI for something like this, or can there?” you use the AI very differently? and even once they buy it, it could better sales teams — or products Image recognition can help fill When a shift commander comes that are more whiz-bang — are take years to implement. in other pieces of information. late at night, the AI gives them a the ones in front, and things that They’ve been talking about That’s more useful than solving summary saying, “These are two Next Generation 911 for decades, could really make a difference crimes immediately. important ones that you need to but it’s not been implemented in a don’t get adopted easily. look at first.” That’s not affecting What kind of things? majority of places. somebody’s life decisions, but it People want to see a drone — Then there’s the election cycle. Email Jonah Meadows at jonah. can help that officer’s time. maybe it’s only used in one inciBy the time four or five years meadows@theadvocate.com.

Q&A WITH MO VIJ

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ACROSS THE REGION

La.’s Origin Bank moves from Wall Street to ‘Y’all Street’ BY LIZ SWAINE

it has one more than California. “Texas is a major player in the U.S. regardless of the exchange landscape, but it ultimately makes sense as the seventh largest economy in the world,” Global Managing Director of Listings Nicole Chambers told a gathering of Dallas business leaders last year, adding that 45 countries smaller than Texas have their own stock exchanges. Trading of corporate stocks on the platform is set to begin Oct. 5. So far, a number of Dallas-based energy companies have said they were moving their common stock to the TXSE from the NYSE. TXSE officials said they hope to capitalize on discontent over new rules and rising fees and share price benchmarks at Nasdaq and NYSE. Both Kilpatrick and Chris Reigelman, Origin’s director of investor relations, reiterated that Origin remains a Louisiana-based company with no plans to change that. “The Texas Stock Exchange does not change origins, domicile or incorporation, we remain headquartered in Ruston,” Kilpatrick said. There should be no impact to customers or stockholders, Reigelman said. “Any shareholders that have shares in Origin will have the exact same shares,” Reigelman said. “There’s no financial impact. Our ticker will not change. This does not impact our customers in any way.” Stockholders do not have to approve the listing transfer, which will officially take place at the NYSE close on Oct. 12. The bank’s stock ticker will remain OBK. “We are firmly rooted in Louisiana, and we are very much committed to continuing to serve our clients and communities across Louisiana, Texas, in the broader Gulf South,” Reigelman said.

Staff writer

Origin Bank, a 114-year-old bank headquartered in Ruston, is moving its stock exchange listing away from the New York Stock Exchange to the new Texas Stock Exchange beginning Oct. 13. The Dallas-based exchange, a startup backed with $120 million from Goldman Sachs, Citadel Securities and BlackRock, has earned the nickname “Y’all Street.” In making the announcement of the move, Origin said that the Texas exchange is more aligned to the bank’s “growth story.” “The Texas Stock Exchange reflects the long-term opportunity we see across the state’s diverse markets, including Dallas, Houston and East Texas,” Drake Mills, chair, president and CEO of Origin Bancorp Inc., said in a news release. Origin began a westward push in 2008 and now has 31 locations in 11 counties around Dallas, Houston and East Texas. In 2022, Origin expanded its Texas footprint in a merger with BTH Bank, which gave it more visibility STAFF PHOTO By LIZ SWAINE across Dallas, Fort Worth and East Origin Bank, based in Ruston and with 57 branches spread from Texas to Florida, is moving its stock exchange Texas. The bank’s 57 branches include listing away from the New york Stock Exchange to the startup Texas Stock Exchange that has earned the locations in Texas, Louisiana nickname ‘y’all Street.’ — where the bank has a heavy presence in Shreveport, Bossier, at Arlington associate professor Since the acquisition of the to attract a significant number of Monroe and Ruston — Florida, of finance. American Stock Exchange by the companies that want to list on its Mississippi and Alabama, where The bell ringings on the floor NYSE in 2008, the NYSE and Nas- exchange. Origin recently opened a branch of the New York Stock Exchange daq have been the two dominant Leadership with the exchange, in Birmingham. and Nasdaq to signal the start of exchanges in the U.S., effectively dubbed TXSE, says this time will “We’ll continue to creating a duopoly, be different. invest in all the mar- Since the acquisition of the American Stock Exchange Villupuram said. Officials with the exchange said Regional exchang- the strength of the Texas economy kets we serve where by the NYSE in 2008, the NYSE and Nasdaq have been there’s opportunity to es outside of New made its creation possible, noting the two dominant exchanges in the U.S., effectively continue to grow and York, like the Boston the many Fortune 500 companies creating a duopoly, said Sriram Villupuram, University Stock Exchange, the that have come to the state, drawn support the commuof Texas at Arlington associate professor of finance. Philadelphia Stock by favorable regulatory and taxanities,” said Ryan KilExchange and Chi- tion policies. patrick, Origin’s head the day’s trading stand out in the cago Stock Exchange have been Texas continues to be the fastof media relations. Stock exchanges are private in- minds of the public, but those swallowed up by the parent com- est-growing state in the U.S. acstitutions where stocks, bonds and events are largely for public rela- panies of the NYSE and Nasdaq, cording to the U.S. census, with other securities are traded, con- tions as the two exchanges com- while other exchanges shut down. nearly 32 million people, and acAttempts to create a third, cording to Fortune magazine, the necting supply and demand “like pete to convince companies to any other market,” said Sriram list themselves on their separate dominant national exchange state has more Fortune 500 com- Email Liz Swaine at Liz. have largely floundered, failing panies than any other state. At 57, Swaine@theadvocate.com. Villupuram, University of Texas exchanges.

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NATION & WORLD

‘Flat is Back’ campaign promotes eating flounder Plentiful yet underutilized flatfish an economical option BY BROOKE KUSHWAHA The New Bedford Light

Aperol spritzes. Dubai chocolate. Dill pickle, well, everything. Thanks to Instagram and TikTok, food trends have never been more of-the-moment, with even seemingly mundane ingredients like cottage cheese enjoying a sudden resurgence. Why not the flounder? The first-of-its-kind “Flat is Back” campaign, spearheaded by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, aims to build buzz around the plentiful yet underutilized flatfish called flounder, better connecting what fishermen already catch to what ends up on consumers’ plates. The hoped-for result would be a more economically and environmentally sustainable fisheries model, according to Marine Fisheries Director Dan McKiernan — one he plans to replicate for all kinds of underappreciated fish. But first, customers have to bite. In 2023, over three-fourths of all seafood Americans consumed came from just 10 species, with shrimp, salmon and canned tuna topping the list. In general, American diners tend to consume fewer species of fish than Europeans and Asians, McKiernan said. That can drive up demand for a few key species while leaving plenty of other fish in the sea. Cod, for example, remains one of the most popular catches, even after its numbers have drastically declined. Flounder, on the other hand, is abundant and cheap. “We hope that this program can help people get an appreciation for some of the other species of fish, so that seafood can be, surprisingly, fun,” McKiernan said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ROBERT F. BUKATy

A fish buyer examines a crate full of dab, a type of flounder, prior to the an auction at the Portland Fish Exchange in Portland, Maine. The ‘Flat is Back’ campaign aims to build buzz around the plentiful yet underutilized flatfish, better connecting what fishermen already catch to what ends up on consumers’ plates. As a flatfish, flounder spend most of their time horizontal on the ocean floor, aided by two eyes pointing up at the ocean’s surface. (When summer flounder are hatched, they have one left eye and one right eye. Over time, the right eye migrates to the left side of its head.) Summer flounder get their name because they move farther inshore in the warmer months and go offshore to spawn in the fall and winter. They’re also called the “chameleons of the sea” because, aside from burying their flat bodies in the sand, they evade predators by changing colors. Flounder filets are mild and tender, but also thin and delicate, making them easier to overcook than, say, a thick slab of salmon, said Josh Riazi, a chef from New Bedford, Massachusetts. It

doesn’t help that different types of flounder can show up on menus and at fish markets as lemon sole, gray sole, Dover sole, summer flounder, winter flounder and witch flounder, among other monikers. When flounder does show up as an entree, it’s often in a highpriced dish such as the French sole meunière, he said, which doesn’t really make sense for the otherwise abundant, affordable fish. “It’s a really delicious, beautiful fish that can be prepared in a way that’s great and special if you put a lot of technique into it,” Riazi said, “but it doesn’t tend to populate menus the same way that salmon or swordfish or cod do.” Riazi serves a baked stuffed sole in the style of the traditional

New England comfort food at his seafood restaurant, The Black Whale. In Riazi’s version, the thin filets get wrapped around a crab filling and baked in seafood cream sauce. The species also does well as a crudo, he said, or even grilled whole, since the fish’s flat body makes it easier to debone. Since coming onto the menu, Riazi’s stuffed sole has punched far above its weight, Black Whale owner Steve Silverstein said, selling consistently at a low cost to the restaurant. In fact, the dish sells so well, he isn’t sure if “Flat” ever left. “I don’t know the need for this whole campaign,” Silverstein said. But McKiernan hopes consumers get inspired to take flounder home with them, too. “A lot of folks, when they have a

good meal in a restaurant, if they have some cooking skills themselves, that will inspire them to cook something similar,” McKiernan said. “And so that would be a great outcome … for a home chef to be brave enough or interested enough to try these things.” Although Riazi’s stuffed sole may sell like codcakes, not every seafood consumer is dying for a bite of flatfish — yet. Young people seem less familiar with the two-dimensional treat, McKiernan said, perhaps due to long periods when the species’ fishing quotas were low and restaurants pivoted toward more readily available fare. McKiernan is hopeful, however, that the kids will soon clamor for flounder. The Division of Marine Fisheries hired the public relations firm 44 Communications to manage and track social media promotion for the “Flat is Back” campaign, since McKiernan admittedly spends more time looking at fish stock data than Instagram reels. One week from the campaign’s launch, the state agency’s social media posts about flounder received 14,000 views, an increase of nearly 700% from their average engagement. In August’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission meeting, Marine Fisheries seafood marketing coordinator Wendy Wills suggested putting flounder in Massachusetts public schools. Vendors in the past have put less-flashy species in school cafeteria fish sticks, Wills explained, and the deadline to apply for a state contract is coming up. “The kids go nuts for it,” she said. McKiernan even touted flounder’s macronutrients, noting that protein seemed to be trendy among the younger folk these days. A 100-calorie serving of flounder packs 20 grams of protein and very little saturated fat — making it more protein-rich than cottage cheese and lower calorie than beef.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 7E

TECHNOLOGY

Things got ugly for cute store using livestream shopping BY IRIS KWOK

Los Angeles Times (TNS) The little Los Angeles shop was a destination for Hello Kitty fans for decades when it decided to dive into a massive new wave of ecommerce — peddling its products live on TikTok. The first floor of the JapanLA store is full of stuffed toys. It houses shelf after shelf of cute Japanese characters such as My Melody, Totoro and Kuromi. Upstairs is the real moneymaker. Employees stand in front of phones, pitching the hottest new products of kawaii (cute in Japanese) culture. While the upstairs business has brought in tens of thousands of new customers, it has also attracted trolls trying to shut JapanLA down. The haters have hacked the store’s website, harassed its hosts, spread rumors about its owner and threatened to show up in force in front of its physical store. JapanLA owner Jamie Rivadeneira said she has never seen cute consumers turn so ugly. “I created JapanLA 20 years ago for adults who like cute stuff, so they can feel safe and Rivadeneira feel like it’s OK to like toys and collect them,” she said. “To attack me is so opposite of what I stand for.” It is a cautionary tale that points to the potential proﬁt and pitfalls when small local businesses push back against the onslaught of ecommerce by using technology to reach a wider audience. It also demonstrates how the Labubu craze — in which people keep buying blind boxes of the same toys in hopes of getting a rare, expensive one — has turned some shops into casinos. Rivadeneira was ahead of the curve when she opened a small toy shop in 2006 on a street off Melrose Avenue selling items featuring Hello Kitty and other Japanese characters.

LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS PHOTO By RONALDO BOLANOS

An influencer showcases and unboxes Sonny Angel figurines during a TikTok live auction sales shift at JapanLA in Los Angeles. From its early days, the store harnessed the internet to promote its products, using MySpace to connect with what was at the time a niche community: Los Angeles fans of kawaii culture. As it kawaii culture went mainstream, JapanLA grew into a 5,000-squarefoot retail space with more than 20 employees. Although its store continues to attract a steady flow of walk-in customers looking for the cutting edge of cute, JapanLA’s business has been turbocharged in recent years by livestream shopping. Livestream shopping, also called social commerce, is like the old cable shopping channels, but there are millions of shows, each serving a very speciﬁc niche, broadcasting live. The hosts interact with the shoppers watching. It started in Asia, is worth hundreds of billions of dollars in sales, and has been

growing fast in the U.S. JapanLA first dabbled in livestream shopping during the pandemic lockdown, when it had to close its store. It started on a platform called Popshoplive to sell Hello Kitty and other items, but sales didn’t skyrocket until it switched to TikTok Shop in 2023. Today, JapanLA’s TikTok account has nearly 400,000 followers and hosts seven-hour livestream shopping sessions six days a week. The shop’s 12 bubbly livestream hosts have turned into micro-celebrities. Their customers comment in the livestream’s chat, order hundreds of products during a session, and sometimes send tips and the occasional boba. Uma Karmarkar, an associate professor at University of California San Diego who studies consumer psychology, said livestreams are effective at getting consumers

to spend more because they are engaging and temporary — meaning they tap into people’s fear of missing out on a rare opportunity. When it comes to collectible blind boxes, the effect is heightened, she said. “You’re adding to that element of scarcity that makes blind boxes so appealing in the ﬁrst place,” Karmarkar said. “You don’t know what you’re getting, and it’s effectively like gambling.” JapanLA’s chat and sales exploded in the last two years, driven by demand for the cherubic ﬁgurines of a Japanese doll named Sonny Angels. For certain consumers, it was the new Labubu: cute and collectible, sold in blind boxes, with certain types being rare and thus much more valuable. Sonny Angels are 3-inch plastic dolls that are generally naked,

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except for themed headgear and costumes. JapanLA was auctioning the rarest Sonny Angels for hundreds of dollars, and that started bothering some fans of the fat little collectibles. In July, while taking bids for figurines from the Sonny Angels summer vacation-themed collection, one of the rare ones got a bid of more than $400. Some viewers used screenshots of the offer to accuse JapanLA of gouging. Online detractors shared screenshots of the supposed $400 bid in a Sonny Angel collectors Facebook group with more than 30,000 members and launched a form-letter campaign, mass-emailing Dreams USA to try to get JapanLA’s retail license revoked. The company tried to report and block the trolls, but they kept popping up with new profiles. It hired a PR firm to manage the unfolding crisis. Rivadeneira said she even scrubbed her personal social media accounts of photos of her young daughter after trolls began attacking loved ones. JapanLA turned to Dreams, the company behind Sonny Angels, for support. The two companies decided to change the way the figurines were auctioned to avoid the gouging narrative. Now they are auctioned before they are opened rather than after, so bidders don’t know what they are getting. Jackie Bonheim, a spokesperson for Dreams USA, said that while the company received a flood of form-letter emails from angry Sonny Angels fans, the company cannot set a maximum retail price. JapanLA is still selling thousands of Sonny Angel dolls, but bids now tend to stay around $20. Rivadeneira, JapanLA’s owner says her team is working every day to block and silence trolls. She’s still reeling from how quickly her business went from a bumper batch of orders to battling for its life. “I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “All it takes is a few people to say bad things or say things about JapanLA, things about me, that aren’t true, for it to just go crazy.”

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PEOPLE IN BUSINESS Staff report South Louisiana businesses and nonprofit groups recently announced the following promotions, new hires and resignations.

Baton Rouge Jodi Conachen has been hired as regional vice president for Acadian Ambulance’s Louisiana East region. Conachen, a Baton Rouge native, previously worked as chief Conachen operating officer at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. Kean Miller announced the hiring of two new attorneys in its Baton Rouge ofﬁce. John Madison III has been hired as special counsel with a focus on construction law and dispute resolution. Madison, a certified mediator with more than 25 years of expe-

Fool’s Take: Verizon for dividends and growth

Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) dominates the U.S. telecom industry, which is an attractive sector for dividend investors due to its stability. These days, mobile phones and internet Motley access are necessiFool ties for customers, so that generates a consistent stream of income for the company and its shareholders. Verizon has increased its dividend for 20 straight years, and its payout recently yielded a fat 5.7%. The company boasts a massive recurring revenue base from its millions of wireless and broadband subscribers. That provides it with the cash flow to invest in maintaining and expanding its network, while also returning cash to shareholders. During the first half of this year, Verizon generated $18.4 billion in cash flow from operations, easily covering its capital expenditures

rience, has also served as an arbitrator in numerous large claims resulting from complex industrial projects. Taylor Guice has Madison been hired as an associate with a focus on commercial litigation. Guice, who graduated LSU Law Center last year, most recently served as a judicial law clerk Guice in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana and as a judicial extern in the 19th Judicial District Court. Paul Floyd, the director of weights and measures at the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, was elected chair-elect of the National Council on Weights of Measures at the organization’s annual meeting in July. Dr. Adam Carter will join Derma in

($8.2 billion) and dividend ($5.9 billion). It used the remaining cash to repurchase shares ($3.5 billion) and strengthen its balance sheet. Verizon is on track to generate over $21.5 billion in free cash ﬂow after capital expenditures this year, and its growing free cash ﬂow should support future dividend increases. Verizon has not been growing briskly, but its business is solid and stable. It’s likely to generate substantial passive income to long-term investors. (The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications.)

Fool’s School: Different kinds of public companies There are many kinds of publicly traded companies, and you might want to invest in some while avoiding others. Here are some common categories: n Blue chip stocks are tied to established and ﬁnancially stable companies, such as Berkshire Hathaway, Boeing, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Visa and Walmart.

October. His adand market mandition will expand ager for Big Easy the dermatology Whiskey. practice’s capacity Quinonez has to provide Mohs previously worked surgery and rewith Adolfo Garcia Restaurant Group, constructive care Coquette, Columns for patients with Quinonez Carter and Fives. Most skin cancer. Carter spent the past six years in private recently, he worked as beverage director for Turkey and the Wolf practice near Atlanta. Group and developed a bar in GuaNew Orleans dalajara, Mexico. Nicole Hackmann has been hired Jeff Arnold has been named the as executive director of Le Petit Théâtre Du Vieux state director for Powering LouiCarré, succeeding siana, an initiative of the Southern Don-Scott Cooper. Renewable Energy Association. Hackmann, a Arnold, who spent 14 years as a New Orleans na- Louisiana state representative for tive, previously part of New Orleans, previously worked for Fulton worked as CEO of the Association Theatre in Lan- of Louisiana Electric Co-ops, was caster, Pennsylva- most recently the executive direcHackmann nia, and, more re- tor of Energy Right — America cently, was executive director at First Energy Project Louisiana. Bucks County Playhouse in New Across Louisiana Hope, Pennsylvania. Fred Zander has been hired by Carlos Quinonez has been hired as Thibodaux-based Gaubert Oil as the national brand ambassador fuel and lubricants consultant.

n Income stocks pay dividends to shareholders, typically via quarterly cash payments. They can be great for retirees as they generate regular income, but investors of all ages can proﬁt from them. n Value stocks are ones that appear undervalued, thus offering a margin of safety. Famous investors such as Warren Buffett have favored the value investing approach. n Growth stocks are tied to companies growing at a fasterthan-average rate. They can be appealing, but they can also be overvalued. When the market pulls back, they can fall harder than other stocks. n Cyclical stocks tend to rise and fall along with the economy and include carmakers, travel-related companies and luxury goods makers. When there’s a recession, many consumers will put off buying a new car or taking a big trip. n Defensive stocks are ones you’d likely want to own during a market downturn. They are not cyclical and are often less volatile than other stocks. They include utilities, grocery chains,

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consumer staples companies and pharmaceutical companies. After all, if the economy sours, you’ll still need to pay your utility bills and buy groceries, shampoo and medications. n Speculative stocks tend to be volatile and riskier-than-average; these include early-stage biotechnology companies, mining companies and specialists in emerging technologies. Penny stocks are also speculative — and generally extra-risky. Keep in mind that some stocks will ﬁt several categories. CocaCola, for example, is a blue-chip defensive stock and a dividendpaying income stock and, at times, an undervalued value stock.

My Dumbest Investment: Bitcoin miners My most regrettable investment ever was in bitcoin mining companies. — A.T., online The world of cryptocurrencies is complex and not for the faint of heart. There are lots of cryptocurrencies, of course, and you might invest in some of those; the largest ones recently included bit-

Zander

Steve Louis has been named the group chief commercial ofﬁcer and managing director of the U.S. Region for Control Cutter, where he will lead the company’s Houston ofﬁce and Broussard facility. Louis, who is chair of the OffLouis shore Decommissioning & Abandonment Gulf of America Conference, previously held senior positions at TechnipFMC, Subsea 7, EMAS and Promethean Decom. Do you have personnel changes to share or other ideas for our business coverage? Drop us a line at biztips@theadvocate.com.

coin, ethereum, Tether, Binance coin and XRP. But just as you might invest in gold itself or in gold-mining businesses, you can invest in cryptocurrencies themselves and/or in companies that “mine” for crypto. With bitcoin, for example, miners engage in a complex process that can reward them with bitcoin if they create new blocks that get added to the blockchain. It’s costly to run the hardware to engage in bitcoin mining, so many people leave that process to bitcoin mining companies and then invest in those companies. Not all of those miners will prosper, though, so there is certainly risk — as you experienced. Also, historically, crypto prices have been quite volatile; many who got in early have done well, but many with poor timing have ended up with big losses. Only invest in cryptocurrencies once you have a solid understanding of how it all works. Do you have a smart or regrettable investment move to share with us? Email it to tmfshare@fool.com.

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Zander previously worked in commercial property, casualty insurance and contract surety, most recently with Marsh McLennan Agency.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 9E

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ONE BIG QUESTION

What is one TV show you’re currently watching? BY GRACE MAYER

successful. It’s fascinating, compelling and horrifying. It’s not a relaxing show. It’s stressful. The relaxing part is watching somebody else struggle and knowing that it’s a show that you will turn off at some point.

Staff writer

At the end of a busy workday, there are few better ways to unwind than with several episodes of a good TV show, never mind the inherent stress of navigating among the countless options on the many streaming platforms. To find out how the leaders of Louisiana’s business and civic organizations relax when they’re away from the office, we asked them in this week’s One Big Question feature: What is one TV show you’re currently watching? Their answers included sports, documentaries, period dramas and sci-ﬁ thrillers, and helped shed some light on how they think — and why they’re successful. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

CONNIE FABRE

President and CEO, Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance

My son recently introduced my husband and I to the show “Silo,” which presents a scenario where a billionaire funds building all of these underground silos, but the people who live there don’t know why they are there. Fabre Science has always been a big part of my life. I’ve been watching “Star Trek” since I was a little girl. Earlier in my career, I worked as a scientist and an engineer. While watching “Silo,” and other shows in the science ﬁction genre, I’m always thinking about if the scenarios they present are possible in the future. If you look at the old “Star Trek” episodes from the late 1980s, they had those hand-held tablets, and now we have those today. I’m drawn to “Silo” because it helps me to imagine and think about what’s possible.

DANIELLE MACK

Chief philanthropy ofﬁcer, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center

I’m counting down the days for “The Gilded Age” to return in November, which follows a group of wealthy individuals in New York City during the 1880s and the tensions between old money and new money families. I Mack love the show, because it presents a different way of looking at history, the casting is great and the scoring is wonderful. The storyline doesn’t shy away from or avoid some of the tougher conversations and topics from that time, like Black history, classicism and colorism. “The Gilded Age” shows me a part of history I never learned about in school: a thriving African American community in 19th-century Brooklyn, living with ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RICK OSENTOSKI dignity, ambition and joy. Saints quarterback Tyler Shough passes against the Detroit Lions during Working in the philanthropy space, I’m also really interested in a game Sept. 13 in Detroit. Daniel Hammer, president and CEO of The Historic New Orleans Collection, says being a part of the Saints fandom how they depict those components in the show. The historical era the ‘is another example of how some things about this place, like its history show is set in is ﬁlled with wealthy and culture, are not just a characteristic of our lives, they’re a defining people, women who spend much part of our lives.’ of their time supporting charities and fundraising efforts to build an GREGORY KALLENBERG and excitement opera house. The show is one I can Executive director, Startup Prize and always having watch more than once, and I don’t Foundation, Shreveport to be on. Watching typically watch a lot of TV. this show reminds I keep circling back to watching me how funny and RUTH LAWSON “The Bear,” a show that follows stressful it is to President, Jefferson Chamber of a family-owned restaurant, the be a part of some- Commerce characters who work there and the crushing realities they face, Kallenberg thing and to try to When I’m not watching “Mickey both personal and in the culinary grow something, Mouse Clubhouse” with my 2-yearindustry. and I see that energy and attitude old, I’ve been watching a lot of 9/11 It’s a pretty real depiction of every day with the entrepreneurs documentaries recently, including working in a restaurant, and it cap- we work with at Startup Prize. “9/11: Inside the President’s War Everyone should watch the show Room.” I love a documentary, and tures what I miss about working in the service industry — the thrum to see what we all go through to be I love a true crime documentary.

Working What’s

I’m always looking to learn a bit more, and with the 25th anniversary of this event I’ve just been diving into learning more about this event, Lawson which took place when I was in high school. My husband and I went to New York about a month ago, where we toured the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. I recently traveled to the Pentagon with other Jefferson Parish ofﬁcials and business leaders, a trip our team does each year to advocate for the parish, everything from infrastructure needs to ﬂood insurance protection. Getting to visit these sites that are part of our country’s history, especially on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, has really spurred my interest in watching more documentaries about this time.

DANIEL HAMMER

President and CEO, The Historic New Orleans Collection

I am currently binge-watching the New Orleans Saints 2026-27 season. I’ve been a Saints fan my whole life. I grew up watching them have some pretty tough years, and it makes all their recent success a blessing. For some younger fans, Hammer like my daughter, who is 17, and my son, who is 12, the Saints are supposed to win. The way I love the Saints is similar to a lot of New Orleanians. Being a part of this fandom is another example of how some things about this place, like its history and culture, are not just a characteristic of our lives, they’re a deﬁning part of our lives. The fandom is intrinsic to my being. I don’t feel like I have much of a choice. Who would I be if I weren’t a Saints fan? Email Grace Mayer at grace. mayer@theadvocate.com.

with

in Greater New Orleans business

Michael Hecht President & CEO GNO Inc.

LA & GNO, Inc. Get Sites Ready, Ready!

Over the past month, GNO, Inc., Louisiana Economic Development, and local partners hosted three events across the region celebrating a combined $13.2 million in state investment through Louisiana’s FastSites program, funding that is turning potential into development in Washington, St. Charles, and St. Tammany parishes. “Site readiness” is one of the deciding factors in whether a parish wins or loses a major project. Speciﬁcally, companies will rule out locations where roads, utilities, or rail access aren’t already in place. FastSites was created to ensure our locations are “shovel ready” when a company or consultant comes calling.

the GNO, Inc. supported Site Investment and Infrastructure Improvement Fund, FastSites gives the state a revolving pool of capital to prepare land for industrial and commercial use. In March, LED selected 19 sites across 16 parishes for the program’s ﬁrst round. The Legislature has since added another $50 million, bringing the fund to $200 million, and the next application window opens in October. In Greater New Orleans, the sites are: •

Launched in October 2025 with $150 million through

You can read about the full 19-site FastSites selection here

You can learn more about the FastSites program here

Franklinton Industrial Park (Washington Parish) – A $1.2 million investment is funding roadway and water and sewer improvements, priming 75 acres for new industrial development alongside existing tenants like Acme Machine & Welding and Grand Isle Shipyard

You can read about the Esperanza Business Park investment here

•

Esperanza Business Park (St. Charles Parish) – A $10 million investment will extend Judge Edward Dufresne Parkway more than two miles to LA 3127, opening road access to over 1,000 acres of land near the Hale Boggs Bridge with connections to I-310, the Mississippi River, Union Paciﬁc rail, and Louis Armstrong Airport

•

Gulf South Commerce Park (St. Tammany Parish) – A $2 million investment is funding land acquisition and wetlands mitigation to grow the park from 92 to nearly 400 acres along Interstate 12 in Mandeville, where Crosby Development Company and Blue Steel Development are already building the 200,555-square-foot Steel 12 distribution facility

A greater choice for business

gnoinc.org

10E ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Global experience. Louisiana expertise. Gallagher is committed to serving Louisiana, combining client-centric service with global resources. We’re a trusted partner for businesses and individuals seeking insurance, risk management and consulting solutions.

Connect with your local broker today. AJG.com/louisiana | The Gallagher Way. Since 1927.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 1F

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homes

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HOUSE

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RATES REPORTED AUGUST 6, 2026

WEEKLY BATON ROUGE AREA

MORTGAGE RATES

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

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6.125% / 0 points / APR - 6.54%

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

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Announcements Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Andrea Chase-Ward please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 210272-Sept 19-21, 3t $64.90

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Elvin Stirling please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 201264-Sept 19-21, 3t $62.90

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Evans Joseph Walker Jr, Debbie Denise Walker and the Estate of Geraldine Dangerﬁeld Grifﬁn please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 201261-Sept 19-21, 3t $90.10

Pets / Pet Services Directory PETS • SUPPLIES • SERVICES • OBITUARIES • LOST & FOUND

PLACE YOUR PET SERVICES INFORMATION IN THE PET SERVICES DIRECTORY TODAY! • IT IS FAST AND EASY! • CALL 225-383-0111 8wk old Pittbull puppies 1st shots and deworm done. M/F available $300 OBO 225-316-6999

AKC long hair miniture Dachshunds Shots/ wormed $600.00 985-2220577 rio.remi@yahoo.com

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DOGS CKC Registered Rat Terrier & Teddy Roosevelt Terrier Pups Available $200. (985) 217-2950

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Public Notices

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --Public Hearings will be held at Zachary City Hall 4700 Main St. during a regular meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission meetingMonday, October 5, 2026 – 6:00 p.m. for the pur‐ pose indicated:

Resubdivision Lot 5-A into Lots 5-A-1 & 5-A-2 21555 W.J. Wicker Road PUBLISH: September 19, 20, 21, of year 2026

NEWS 24/7 ON

Legal Notices

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Kayaundra Leshay Watkins please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 201260-Sept 19-21, 3t $67 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Skylar Costin please contact attorney Larry McAlpine at 225-3171956. 201432-Sept 19-21, 3t $62.80 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Tarron James and Denise Williams James please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 201269-Sept 19-21, 3t $73.30 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the Estate of Alice Montgomery please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 201268-Sept 19-21, 3t $71.20

9410 & 9450 Munson Road

PUBLISH: September 19, 20, 21, of year 2026

201222-sept 19-20-21-3t $25.44

201219-sept 19-20-21-3t $23.40

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

Public Hearings will be held at Zachary City Hall 4700 Main St. during a regular meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission meetingMonday, October 5, 2026 – 6:00 p.m. for the pur‐ pose indicated:

Combination of Lots Lots A-1-A, A-2-A & B-1 into Lot A-1-A-1 1022, 1550 & 1500-1600 Port Hudson-Pride Road

Resubdivision Tract X-1-B into Tracts X1-B-1, X-1-B-2 & X-1-B-3 3205 Piper Road

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

201220-sept 19-20-21-3t $24.42 PUBLIC NOTICE --Public Hearings will be held at Zachary City Hall 4700 Main St. during a regular meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission meetingMonday, October 5, 2026 – 6:00 p.m. for the pur‐ pose indicated:

Combination of Lots Lots 7-C-1 & 7-D-1 into Lot 7-C-1-A

ATTORNEY DISCIPLINE Lauren M. Harrell, of Bueche (2026-B-00948), has been suspended from the practice of law for one year and one day, fully deferred, subject to a period of probation to coincide with Respondent’s Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program agreement. By order of the Louisiana Supreme Court dated September 2, 2026. JUDGMENT FINAL and EFFECTIVE September 2, 2026. Gist: Ms. Harrell was arrested twice for driving while intoxicated. 201266- 689241 Sept. 20, 2026 1t $240.00

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the Estate of Katherine Pipes Fields, the Estate of Myrtis Pipes Patrick, the Estate of Bernadette Pipes Croft and the Estate of Neonette Pipes Hebert please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 201263-Sept 19-21, 3t $113.20

GENERAL HELP The Diocese of B.R. Child Nutrition Pro‐ gram is seeking FT school Cafeteria Mgrs., Cooks, & Porters. HS Diploma or Equiv. and BG Check req. Apply at www.cnpbr.org/employment

Merchandise Employment POSITIONS WANTED I am an experienced 30 year caregiver, lots of TLC, all shifts open, I have refer‐ ences and transportation. (225) 2293965 GENERAL HELP 1 Agricultural Technician w/ C & M New‐ ton Farms LLC @ 9848 Pointe Coupee Rd. New Roads, LA 70760 in Pointe Coupee Parish. Monitor crop develop‐ ment for schedules, yield targets, & quality standards. Record crop/envi‐ ronmental data; manage irrigation & growing conditions; analyze inputs; scout for pests, weeds, & disease; sup‐ port integrated pest/nutrient mgmt. Operate/maintain ag & controlled envi‐ ronment systems; collect samples; as‐ sist w/ testing/research; maintain daily reports. Apply knowledge of plant physiology, health, & propagation in ag operations/infrastructure maint. Profi‐ ciency in Microsoft Office required. Work involves indoor/outdoor expo‐ sure to heat/humidity. Allergies to rag‐ weed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecti‐ cides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect job performance. Work req. repetitive movements, fre‐ quent walking, standing, sitting, reach‐ ing, stooping, bending, kneeling, push‐ ing/pulling, lifting/carrying. Minimum 2 yrs. relevant ag experience/training req'd. Email resume to will.newton33@ gmail.com

3 CEMETERY PLOTS GreenOaks Cemetery, Section 3, Lot 40-1, 5, 6. Please Make an Offer. 914671-1546 or beharmeyer@gmail.com CEMETERY PLOTS Selling a Tandem (space for 2) at Greenoaks Memorial Park. Located in the West Interior of the of the Garden View Mausoleum. $14,000.00. Contact 225 772-9206

Garage Sales BATON ROUGE ESTATE SALE Huge Estate Sale 4544 Pine Ridge Dr. Antiques, Collectibles, See pics at estatesales.net BATON ROUGE GARAGE SALE Huge Estate Sale 4544 Pine Ridge Dr. Antiques, Collectibles, See pics at estatesales.net

Legal Notices

5278 Lennox Street

PUBLISH: September 19, 20, 21, of year 2026

Conditional Use Permit Manufactured Home

ANYONE KNOWING THE WHEREABOUTS OF JUSTIN DAVIE DELAUNE, PLEASE CONTACT AMANDA MARIONNEAUX, A. MARIONNEAUX LAW, LLC, AT 23615 RAILROAD AVENUE, PLAQUEMINE, LA 70764 OR AT (225) 385-5189. 201125-Sept 19-21, 3t $90.10

CLASSIFIEDS WORK

201218-sept 19-20-21-3t $23.40

Public Hearings will be held at Zachary City Hall 4700 Main St. during a regular meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission meetingMonday, October 5, 2026 – 6:00 p.m. and the City Council meeting - Tues‐ day – November 24, 2026 6:30 p.m. for the for the purpose indicated:

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Jon Belinda Royal, Margaret Anderson Wilson, Elaine Wilson, Kimberline Kasey, the Estate of Bruce Bouligny, Mark T Bouligny, Michael Bouligny, the Estate of Monica Royal Johnson Knox, Tarshan Mekoyon Johnson and Breianna Nicole Johnson please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 201258-Sept 19-21, 3t $173.14

PUBLISH: September 19, 20, 21, of year 2026 201225-sept 19-20-21-3t $23.40

Final Plat - Brook Hollow 3rd & 4th Filing 3600-3700 Rollins Road PUBLISH: September 19, 20, 21, of year 2026 201224-sept 19-20-21-3t $25.44

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HEALTH

LOUISIANA

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

S U N D AY, S e p t e m b e r 20, 2026

A better way to do toast PAGE 3

Molly Kimball 1 1N

Woman’s cancer journey inspires family Detection of BRCA1 genetic mutation can help decrease risk

BY MARGARET DeLANEY

Staff writer

INFUSION PROFUSION Health boost? Hangover cure? Louisianans are turning to IV therapies, but are they helpful?

BY RACHEL MIPRO Contributing writer

Sticking a needle in your veins has never been more popular. DeAnna Smith, CEO of Dripsy, an IV health and wellness center with locations in Lafayette, Alexandria and Olla, said people come in for a variety of drips. For her, the IV therapy trend, inspired by in-hospital IV therapy, has taken off. In the hospital setting, this treatment is typically used for people who need fluid repletion, usually occurring in cases of severe dehydration, or nutrient absorption problems. In the outpatient world, people can come in and pick between a mix of infusions, seeking hangover remedies, vitamin blends and other offerings. Once selected, the mixture is injected directly into the bloodstream via intravenous needle. In a salon-like setting, the client gets comfortable while the infusion happens — a process that typically takes around an hour, depending on the amount of liquid selected.

ä See IV, page 2X

ä See GENE, page 2X

STAFF PHOTOS By DAVID GRUNFELD

Clients receive IV infusions at the Remedy Room in Metairie, a boutique hydration clinic. The popularity of IV therapies is booming.

Your health is our primary care Same-day appointments ochsner.org/primarycare

Dawn Riviere traveled the country for years with her husband Charles in their RV — from Colorado to Missouri. They always tried to come back south in the winter and stay up north in the summer. They were back in Louisiana at the Park Riverview RV park across from Natchez, Mississippi, in the late summer of 2023. Riviere was in a rush to mow the lawn. “It was gonna rain,” she said. “I didn’t want to get soaking wet — I’ve gotten soaking wet before.” In her hurry to outrun the storm, the back tire of Riviere’s mower hit a deep hole in the yard, throwing her off the seat and onto the ground. The pain in her side lasted a week before she went to the doctor, where her primary care physician ordered some further imaging. Just a few weeks later, more pain in her side brought her to the emergency room and then to the ofﬁce of Dr. Renee Cowan, a gynecologic oncologist at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge. Scans showed that Riviere had two ovarian tumors — one the size of a small cantaloupe on her right ovary, the other the size of a large grapefruit on her left ovary — that had been dislodged from their place after her fall. Her case is not uncommon. Nearly 75% of women discover that they have ovarian cancer at an advanced stage. “That’s because the ovaries hide,” Cowan said. “They’re small. There’s not really any signs and symptoms are vague.” Cowan removed both of Riviere’s tumors. The biopsy test came back that not only was Riviere’s cancer a more advanced stage, she also had the BRCA1 genetic mutation.

Joseph Heneghan, MD | Primary Care Physician

STAFF PHOTO By PEARL SPURLOCK

Dawn Riviere left, hugs gynecologic oncologist Dr. Renee Cowan at Woman’s Hospital.

2X ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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HEALTH MAKER N.O. doctor helped get new prostate cancer treatment approved BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Dr. Oliver Sartor started out in endocrine research in Shreveport. But after his fellowship, he had the opportunity to do and learn more with the prostate cancer team at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. In 1989, he packed is bags and “trained there as really kind of happenstance,” he said. After a few years of training and leading the charge for national prostate cancer research, he and his family moved back to Louisiana to be closer to his parents. LSU Shreveport led him to LSU New Orleans, where he was named the head of the cancer center and chief of hematology oncology in 1998. He initiated the push for the state to become a designated center with the National Cancer Institute and co-initiated the beginning of the Louisiana Cancer Research Center. “I have a long history of pushing for the NCI designation,” Sartor said. “I continue to be very supportive of those goals, although I’m not part of the administrative structure.” Hurricane Katrina pushed him out of town for brief, two-year stint at Harvard Medical School. But he returned home again to Tulane Medicine, where he was on faculty for 17 years. Last June, Sartor began his next venture with LCMC Health, building the Transformation Prostate Cancer Research Center at East Jefferson Hospital, where he sees patients twice a week and conducts research on new novel therapies to treat prostate cancer. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What was important about coming to LCMC, to New Orleans? I wanted to be back here. One thing that was inﬂuential

those side effects. Pluvicto originated in Germany, but I helped to get it to the United States in order to get it into trials. That’s one of my happiest accomplishments. Why does Louisiana continue to rank among the states with higher rates of prostate cancer? Our mortality is a little bit higher than it should be. Partly, we have a little bit late detection, and one of the messages I’d always love to get out is that early detection is really your best opportunity to have choices in your therapy. If you get diagnosed late, you get shoved into treatments that none of us would really like to be shoved into. Early detection allows curable options, and sometimes simply surveillance. What research projects are you currently working on? We’re identifying men who have genetic predispositions to prosSTAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE tate cancer. The last patient I saw was the son of one of my patients Dr. Oliver Sartor, director of the Transformational Prostate Cancer Research Center, stands next to a PET who happens to have a genetic scanner in Metairie. risk factor for (it). I’m monitoring his risk in an effort to make sure that would enable my work to be was the director of the radiaNow, it’s not absolutely perfect, that if he develops cancer, I treat done properly. They gave me a of course, but we get a targeted it very, very early. By incorporattion oncology, Kendra Harris. nice home. cancer kill instead of putting it I’d worked with her very closely ing genetics, I enable families to What are the most impactful changes in the bathwater and hoping that in the past at Tulane, and she be tested and have better access that you’ve seen in your career with prosnormal cells survive. was now at LCMC. She is a very to early detection and potential This targeted isotopic therapy fine physician, and I knew that I prevention if those issues should tate cancer treatment? has been something I’ve been would have a partner in radiation. arise. I’m going to put Pluvicto at working on a long, long time. I LCMC Health, particularly at We are also offering novel therthe top, a prostate cancer treatstarted working on this general East Jefferson Hospital, have ment which we have three FDA apies for people who have unmet approach around 1994 at the Nabeen working with radioactive approvals for. That is radioisoneeds. It turns out that metastatic isotopes in neuroendocrine tuprostate cancer remains an untopic therapy, where instead of tional Cancer Institute. I’ve been chemotherapy, where we put the working on it for over 30 years. mors for a long period. I knew I fortunately fatal disease. When poison in the bathwater and kills There are five FDA approvals wouldn’t have to start at ground we exhaust our typical FDAeverything that it touches, we try for this kind of therapy, includzero. approved therapies, we have to to target the isotope to the cancer ing three separate approvals for I also needed to be able to put seek alternatives that are legitiitself. together my research team, and Pluvicto. The latest, on July 31, mate and appropriate to be done We do that by taking a particuthe hospital was incredibly supwas approved for the upfront in an experimental setting. Our treatment of metastatic prostate team has set up a series of clinical portive in terms of making the lar protein selectively expressed cancer. Patients no longer have trials in an effort to improve not hires that I needed in order to get on the cell surface for prostate to go through hormone therapy only the quality of care, but hopemy research center underway. cancer, putting a tag that is laor chemotherapy to qualify for I needed office space as well as beled with an isotope that can fully the duration of survival. Pluvicto treatment. This provides clinic space. treat the cancer, and injecting it. A lot of what I use is based on Then it homes to the cancer, binds an opportunity to get a positive Email Margaret DeLaney at effect on the patient, but without PET imaging, and LCMC bought to it and selectively radiates the margaret.delaney@theadvocate. using the chemotherapy and a new state-of-the-art PET scan cancer. com.

GENE

But doctors are divided on the efficacy of these treatments; some argue that in many cases, healthy people can simply drink fluids and take multivitamins to achieve similar results, instead of undergoing an invasive and often expensive treatment. For Smith, the technique has become a staple of her life over the past few years. She started her business in 2024 after seeing a lack of STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD services in Alexandria. Smith said Clients receive IV therapy at the Remedy Room in Metairie. she was driving around two to three hours to access dripping services Over the course of 31/2 hours, they for herself, using NAD and vitamin drips to treat her autoimmune disdripped all 60 boys on the team. “And they won,” she said. ease. NAD, which stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is ‘Striving hard to educate’ a popular drip in IV liquid therapy circles. At the Remedy Room in New Or“I started it as something that I leans, Dr. Mignonne Mary emphatineeded for myself, and my area did cally distances herself from the not offer the services. … I would “hangover label.” go one week and do an NAD drip, “We’re so much more than that, and then a couple of weeks I would we’re really striving hard to edudo one that had just the vitamins,” cate,” said Mary. “One of our core Smith said. “And so then I brought it values is to educate, to empower, home for me to do it myself, like, for and having that knowledge and my friends and my family.” teaching our patients.” With her background as a travel Her father, Dr. Charles Mary Jr., nurse, Smith said she was well-qualwas an early proponent and advoPROVIDED PHOTO ified to administer dripping, starting cate for infusion vitamin therapy; with a mobile service and “drip par- Mignonne Mary is the physician Mary described the Remedy Room, which she founded in 2013, as the ties,” which quickly became popular behind the Remedy Room, a legacy of her father’s work. enough for her to open a shop, then boutique hydration clinic. With the IV liquid trend boom, she expanding to Dripsy’s other central Louisiana locations. central Louisiana, stay-at-home said she’s cautiously excited, but wants more guardrails in place for moms utilize beauty drips. What’s on the menu? There are a range of clients: Smith the practice. “Oftentimes I’m finding that a Smith’s standard drips are named mixes up her “game day drip” reguafter alcoholic beverages — there’s larly for the local high school foot- lot of these places are doing it not the Bahama Mama, the Cosmopoli- ball players, who come in before just wrong but like really in a dantan and the Old-fashioned, among game days to get magnesium, B gerous state, putting people at risk others. The top seller in Alexandria complex and an amino blend in- for things that shouldn’t be if they is the Myers cocktail, a mineral mix jected. (Dripsy requires parental did have a physician on site,” Mary with B-complex vitamins and vita- permission for persons under 18, said. “So I think it’s a little exciting, min C; another current favorite is and permission from a pediatri- I want people to know about it, but the Beetlejuice Boost, a themed fall cian if they are under 14.) She also at the same time, I want them to be drip meant to coincide with Hallow- has MMA fighters, college football careful. This is still a medical proand college basketball players who cedure.” een festivities and flu season. Well-known for hangover cures, come in for similar treatments. Mary said many customers were She recalled one incident where coming in due to the recent intense some clients come in on Friday to “pregame” in preparation for the she was called by a concerned mom, heat, with cramping and dehydrawho lived about an hour away; the tion issues among others. She anticiweekend. “They pregame to help pre-hy- entire local high school football pates more congestion and respiradrate and then help with the hang- team had gotten the flu. tory issues in the coming months, “The mom called, ‘Look, we’ve got and then another wave of clients over afterward. It kind of prevents it a little bit. We just call it the cheat to do something to help our boys. looking for relief after the Mardi code,” Smith said. “It’s the party The coach is making them play be- Gras season. “For me, it’s been really, really fun cheat code.” cause if they don’t play, they’ll forWhile Smith started marketing feit.’ High school football around to watch people have it be a novel with a focus on hangovers, she said here is a big deal,” Smith said. “So concept to suddenly realize, like, ‘Oh the market has shifted. In Alexan- myself, my husband, I didn’t have wow, this could be valuable for my dria, she said, people come in for an assistant at the time, and a local health,’” Mary said. “And it’s still preventive wellness drips. In Lafay- nurse practitioner and I packed up just a bridge. It’s not something that ette, a big college town, hangover my car and went to the school an I think that people should have to have, but it can be really valuable.” drips are most common. In north hour away.”

The mutation is an alteration in the BRCA1 gene that stops it from repairing damaged DNA properly, which greatly increases the risk of developing breast, ovarian and other cancers. The chance of getting ovarian cancer increases to between 39% and 58% for women with the harmful change in their BRCA1 gene. In the U.S., about 12% of women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. By contrast, 55% to 72% of women with the BRCA1 mutation will develop breast cancer. “Fifteen percent to 20% of women have this genetic mutation,” Cowan said. “If we know about the genetic mutation beforehand, we can decrease your risk.”

Continued from page 1X

Reducing risk

husband, a power lineman from Louisiana, and they moved from place to place together. Riviere got bored with her desk job along the way while working in Kansas, so she applied for a job at a state park — booking reservations, answering questions. “We decided we would try to find work at other places and parks so we could see the country and also be able to work as well,” she said. Since her diagnosis, she has not been able to travel as much as she used to. Riviere underwent six rounds of chemotherapy in 2024, but her malignant cancer came back. Cowan found a 2.5-centimeter mass in her abdomen, a recurrence common with later-stage ovarian cancers. They removed the tumor, after a monthlong trip Riviere took to be with her 10-month-old granddaughter in Wichita, Kansas. “I needed a break from cancer,” Riviere said. “It felt like starting all over.” She is on her fourth round of chemotherapy out of six, which she will follow-up with maintenance medicine, an infusion treatment used to decrease the ability of tumors to make their own blood supply and continue to grow and multiply. Knowing family history and getting annual checkups with gynecologists is the key to catching these cancers early. “There is no screening for ovarian cancer, which is why paying attention to your body is important,” Cowan said.

Depending on the patient’s genetic results, risk-reducing treatment is often recommended for patients. For patients in their mid40s or done childbearing, “we can take out tubes and ovaries while they’re healthy, and decrease the risk down to the population risk,” Cowan said. In Riviere’s family, they’ve identiﬁed one sister who tested positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation. She had a complete hysterectomy to reduce her risk of getting cancer in the future. The Rivieres have settled in Torbert, a town off U.S. 190 in Pointe Coupee Parish. Email Margaret DeLaney But Riviere, 64, is originally at margaret.delaney@ from Minnesota. She met her theadvocate.com.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and re-examining tried and true methods on ways to live well.

Health editions will also profile people who are advancing health for the state of Louisiana. Do you have a health story? We want to hear from you. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ 3X

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Eat Fit Live Fit B R O U G H T TO YO U BY

Molly Kimball RD, CSSD

Sweet meets savory: a better way to do toast

ome recipes are less about reinventing the wheel and more about making familiar ingredients feel a little unexpected. This pear and ricotta tartine falls squarely into that category, turning a simple slice of toast into something worthy of a leisurely brunch. The appeal is in the balance: warm and cool, crisp and creamy, sweet and tangy. Roasted pears bring depth, fresh pears keep things bright and a ﬁnishing drizzle of balsamic gives the whole thing just enough edge. It’s simple, but thoughtfully layered — the kind of recipe that looks impressive without asking much of the cook.

Pear and Ricotta Tartine with Maple Pecan Butter FUEL Cafe + Market at Ochsner Fitness Center Makes 4 servings

3 pears 4 slices seedy, hearty, artisan-style bread ½ cup Maple Pecan Butter (recipe follows) ½ cup whole milk ricotta, the freshest you can ﬁnd ½ cup Balsamic Reduction (recipe follows)

Maple Pecan Butter

paring knife, taking care not to overbake. Remove from the oven and transfer the pears immediately to a cool surface. Toast the bread until crisp on both sides. To assemble, spread each slice with 1 tablespoon Maple Pecan Butter from one edge to the other. Using a sharp paring knife, slice the roasted pears into quarter-inch slices lengthwise from top to bottom, working around the core and seeds. Slice the fresh pear into thin slices as well. Arrange the roasted and fresh pear slices over each piece of toast, alternating cooked and raw pear. Top each with 2 tablespoons ricotta and drizzle with Balsamic Reduction. Serve immediately.

With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the allulose syrup. The pecan mixture may initially ball up like dough, but it will smooth into a spreadable paste once all the liquid is incorporated. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to one week.

Balsamic Reduction For drizzling

1 cup balsamic vinegar In a small saucepan over low heat, simmer the balsamic vinegar, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. A little thicker than maple syrup is ideal. It will continue to thicken as it cools. The vinegar should cook down to about one-third to onehalf of its original volume. Assembling the Tartine Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. The Maple Pecan Butter and Balsamic Reduction can be prepared in advance or while the pears are baking.

Makes 1 cup

2 cups pecan halves or pieces 2 tablespoons Swerve Brown Sugar Replacer ½ teaspoon sea salt ½ cup allulose syrup Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the pecans for 4-5 minutes, until lightly toasted. Once cooled, add the toasted pecans, Swerve Brown Sugar Replacer and sea salt to a medium food processor. Pulse about 10 times, then process, gently chopping and mixing the ingredients together.

Back to the tartine: Rinse and cut two pears in half lengthwise, from top to bottom. Keep the third pear raw. Place the pear halves ﬂat-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until just tender to a

Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD, is a registered dietitian with Ochsner Health and founder of Ochsner’s Eat Fit nonproﬁt initiative. For more wellness content, tune in to Molly’s podcast, FUELED Wellness + Nutrition, and follow @MollykimballRD and @EatFitOchsner on social media. Email nutrition@ochsner.org to connect with Molly or schedule a consult with her team.

PER SERVING: 380 calories, 23 grams fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat, 240 mg sodium, 37 grams carbohydrate (27 grams net carbs), 10 grams ﬁber, 19 grams sugar (0 added sugar), 10 grams protein. Vegetarian. How We Slice It Choice of bread is up to you, but we recommend choosing a sturdy, seedy bread with enough texture to hold up to the ricotta and pears. A hearty whole-grain or artisan-style loaf works especially well, adding a little chew and nuttiness without competing with the toppings. Find this recipe and more in “The Eat Fit Cookbook,” available for purchase at local retailers or online at EatFitCookbook.com. Be sure to use promo code ADVOCATE at checkout for 10% off.

BY THE NUMBERS

LIVER CANCER RATES STEADy AFTER DECADES-LONG CLIMB IN LA., U.S. Liver cancer changes over time

The liver cancer incidence rate, per 100,000, from 2000 to 2022 for Louisiana and the U.S. 12

Louisiana cases per 100,000 people 10

U.S. cases per 100,000 people 6

’00 ’02 ’04 ’06 ’08 ’10 ’12 ’14 ’16 ’18 ’20 ’22

Source: Louisiana Tumor Registry

Staff graphic

The American Cancer Society estimates over 42,000 new cases of primary liver cancer or intrahepatic bile duct cancer will be diagnosed and nearly 31,000 Americans will die from the diseases in 2026. Liver cancer incidence rates have tripled in the U.S. over the past four decades, according to the national society, increasing by 2.7% per year from 1978 to 2018. Liver cancer is rare compared to other cancers, making up only around 2% of all cancers nationally. However, it accounts for about 4.8% of all cancer deaths, the American Liver Foundation reported.

Louisiana’s liver cancer incidence rate increased from 6.4 cases per 100,000 people in 2000 to 9.6 cases per 100,000 people in 2022.The state’s incidence rate for liver cancer reached its highest peak in 2018, with 11.4 cases per 100,000, according to data collected by the Louisiana Tumor Registry. Louisiana had the second-highest incident rate of liver and bile duct cancers compared to other states in 2022, behind only Texas at 12.3 cases per 100,000 people. Over two decades, Louisiana’s liver cancer incidence rate changed from: n 6.4 cases per 100,000 in 2000; n 6.3 in 2001; n 5.7 in 2002;

n 5.9 in 2003; n 6.9 in 2004; n 6.2 in 2005; n 6.5 in 2006; n 7.1 in 2007; n 8.1 in 2008; n 7.7 in 2009; n 7.9 in 2010; n 7.8 in 2011; n 9.5 in 2012; n 9 in 2013; n 10 in 2014; n 10.7 in 2015; n 10.9 in 2016; n 10 in 2017; n 11.4 in 2018; n 11.3 in 2019; n 10.1 in 2020; n 10.8 in 2021; n and 9.6 in 2022.

HEALTH NOTES BY MARGARET DeLANEY

Staff writer

Tulane study: Nighttime light may weaken heart New research from Tulane University’s Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine shows that sleeping in near-total darkness may carry an added beneﬁt: protecting the heart. The research team analyzed data from 11,017 participants, all of whom wore a sensor on their wrist for a week to measure levels of light exposure overnight. Some of the participants were exposed to near total darkness and others were exposed to varying levels of light, with the highest group exposed to the equivalent of a phone screen at low brightness on a nightstand or a hallway light left on outside a cracked door. Three years later, each participant was given a cardiovascular

scan to examine any potential changes to the structure and function of their hearts. The results, published in the European Heart Journal, showed that participants who were exposed to the highest levels of nighttime light saw the walls of the left chamber of their heart thicken, reducing the space inside the ventricle. There were also signs that the heart’s ability to ﬂex during a heartbeat was reduced — an early indication of heart dysfunction. “It’s our body’s way of adapting to that stress, but ultimately it weakens the heart and can lead to heart failure,” Dr. Lu Qi said in a statement from Tulane. Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death both in the United States and around the world. Nighttime light has been identified as a potential environmental risk factor for this deadly group of diseases. Unlike age or genetics, nighttime light exposure

is a modiﬁable risk factor within most people’s control — simply by turning off screens, drawing curtains before bed or sleeping with an eye mask. “Light pollution has emerged as a new risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” Qi said. “Our ﬁndings, together with evidence from other studies, suggest that a reduction in nighttime light exposure should be considered as one of the potential strategies for preventing heart disease by clinicians and policymakers.”

LDH, Southern expand suicide prevention training The Louisiana Department of Health signed a three-year contract with Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge to recognize risks, take appropriate action and make connections for mental health providers. The partnership is designed to bring shared knowledge and ex-

pand capacity across community networks, including mental health professionals, ﬁrst responders and law enforcement, educators, service members, veterans and faithbased leaders. “This partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health will allow us to expand (our) work to reach even more communities across our state,” said John K. Pierre, chancellor of Southern, in a statement. “By equipping people with the knowledge and tools to recognize warning signs and connect individuals to appropriate resources, we have an opportunity to make a meaningful and potentially life-saving difference.”

stances are different, but timely communication between healthcare and child welfare professionals can make the process clearer and help families connect with the right support. The department and Woman’s Hospital expanded their partnership, adding an on-site liaison at the Baton Rouge hospital, to provide more direct line of care for families and newborns. In August, Nicole Irvine, an experienced foster care and child protective services worker, moved into the role. “By working alongside Woman’s Hospital, we can connect mothers struggling with substance use to treatment and support while protecting the health and safety of their babies,” said department Secretary Rebecca Harris in a In 2025, the Department of Chil- statement. Irvine will be on site at Woman’s dren and Family Services conducted 1,803 investigations involv- Hospital in Baton Rouge from ing substance-exposed newborns 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through statewide. Each family’s circum- Friday.

Position created to ‘support newborns and families’

4X ■ Sunday, September 20, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Your health is our primary care

Ochsner provides compassionate, personalized care for every stage of life. From your child’s well visits and teen sports physicals to managing chronic conditions, our experienced primary care team is here to support your family’s health journey. With same-day and next-day appointments and more than 140 physicians and advanced practice providers from Baton Rouge to Hammond, we make it easy to get the care you need when you need it. Call 225-401-0720 to schedule your appointment today.

SUNDAY, September 20, 2026

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr.

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

ROSEBUDS / by Supr Dee

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE / by Stephan Pastis

wonderword

scrabble grams

word game

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

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

todAY's Word — deMurest: dih-MYOOR-est: Most reserved or modest in manner. Average mark 49 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 60 or more words in DEMUREST?

For more information on tournaments and clubs, email NASPA – North American SCRABBLE Players Association: info@scrabbleplayers.org. Visit our website: www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com. Hasbro and its logo SCRABBLE associated logo, the design of the distinctive SCRABBLE brand game card, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United States and Canada. ©2026 Hasbro. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

cryptoquote AxyDLBAAxR iS LONgFELLOW One letter stands for another. in this sample, A is used for the three L’s, x for the two O’s, etc. Single letters, apostrophes, the length and formation of the words are all hints. Each day the code letters are different.

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Sudoku

ken ken instructions: 1 - Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 - The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 - Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

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

hidato directions: Complete the grid so that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

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Los angeLes Times sunday Crossword puzzLe — Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis “sound CHeCK” By emma oxford aCross 1 Course most look forward to 8 Imposing construction 15 Supports 20 Unmasks 21 Brunch cocktails 22 Not cool 23 “In the name of that rice wine we drank ages ago”? 25 “Goosebumps” series writer 26 Remove adverbs and add punctuation, maybe 27 PlayStation maker 28 __ Reader 29 Actress Swinton 30 Inventor Handler played by Rhea Perlman in “Barbie” 31 “__ we good?” 32 Vexation 33 Church perches 36 Moose kin 37 NNW opposite 38 Bird that makes its home in trash receptacles? 41 Coastal inlets 42 Insta post 43 Male turkey 44 One of Paul’s letters to the Ephesians? 46 Herbal infusion from Peru 50 Rationalist’s belief 53 Places to perch 56 Estate units 57 Sgt., e.g. 59 Shoe designer Jimmy 61 Pamper 62 Many August babies 63 Business run by a bunch of hens? 66 IM pioneer

67 Top card in a Broadway straight 68 Chinese brew 69 Frying need 70 Pts. that often result in dances 71 U.K. network 72 Mattel game 73 Swiped refills for a mechanical pencil? 76 Julia of “The Addams Family” 78 Simplified language 80 Wows 81 Not just most 82 Worth a second bite 83 Competed in the Figawi, say 84 Prefix with net or com, but not org 86 “OK, got it” 88 Tempts 91 Fuel additive brand 93 Young fellow 94 [Clears throat] 96 One who is always pointing at shooting stars? 100 Take advantage of a bear market, perhaps 103 Stomach 104 “What You Need” band 105 Kanga’s kid 106 Badger 107 Figure in Norse mythology? 108 Lies for, maybe 110 Forget about 112 Supermodel Banks 113 Incantation syllables 114 Fish with a big net 115 Anesthetic for a noted Italian chemist? 118 New employee 119 Wright of “Black Panther” 120 Italian football powerhouse

121 Strong point 122 Rival one loves to hate 123 Sneaks down 1 Yields (to) 2 Book that tells the story of Moses 3 Soft drink with a seasonal Winter Spiced Cranberry flavor 4 Quaint truth 5 Subj. for a nonnative speaker 6 Manicotti topping 7 Abbr. on a weather map 8 Posthumous award for Chadwick Boseman 9 Run out of power 10 “Positive” 11 Jodie with two Best Actress Oscars 12 “Love __ Open Door”: “Frozen” song 13 Treat on a stick 14 Jargon suffix 15 Hits 22, perhaps 16 Not in favor of 17 Musical instrument made off the coast of South America? 18 With gentleness 19 Holds forth 24 Not up to the task 32 Online “I can relate” 34 Chargeable cars, briefly 35 Goofballs 38 Morse clicks 39 “We have that in common” 40 “KPop __ Hunters” 41 Italy’s shape 42 Bel __ cheese 45 Circuit 46 Ore. neighbor

47 Micronesia’s region 48 Rips caused by large reptiles? 49 Dried poblano 51 Most disgusting 52 Seashore souvenir 54 Absolutely adorable 55 1975 TV debut, familiarly 58 “Queen of Funk” Khan

goren Bridge

60 In base eight 64 “Hallelujah” songwriter Leonard 65 “It’s strange ... “ 68 Denounce 71 Challah feature 72 FedEx competitor 73 Part of a pricing plan 74 Strong string 75 Soil 77 Soap

wuzzLes

94 Kathryn’s “WandaVision” role 95 Fatal flaw in classic myths 97 Beginning 98 Turn 99 Polish capital 100 __ bath 101 Hard to believe 102 Aches (for) 104 Archipelago unit

107 “Groundhog Day” director Harold 109 Overly precious 111 Bit of dust 112 Printer part 115 Fuzzy 1980s sitcom character 116 Low-lit 117 Actress Thurman

super Quiz Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

Sparkling defense Today’s deal is from a National Championship team game some years ago. All deals were equally important and the slightest difference in score would create a win on the deal. East was American expert Steve Garner, from the Chicago area. South’s one no-trump response was semi-forcing, meaning that North could pass if he had a balanced minimum. The same contract was reached at both tables and both West players led the queen of hearts. The lead of the king against a no-trump contract would have shown a very strong suit and asked partner to play an honor under it if he had one. At the other table, East encouraged in the suit and declarer ducked. He ducked the heart continuation also and won the third round of the suit. He took the club finesse and had seven tricks even when the finesse lost. Garner saw the 10 and nine of hearts in dummy and realized that West would have led a low heart from four or more hearts. He diagnosed that declarer had five hearts and discouraged hearts at trick one. South held up his ace, so West shifted to a spade, which declarer ducked to Garner’s queen. Garner shifted to a low club and declarer’s queen won the trick. South led a low heart from his hand and West rose with his king to lead a club. That went to Garner’s king and another club set up Garner’s 10. South would have discarding problems if he cashed dummy’s spades, so

ingredient 79 In the doldrums 82 Bygone ruler 85 Canadian fuel giant 87 Class 89 “On the Basis of __”: Ginsburg biopic 90 “We’re done” 92 Miyazaki film about a goldfish who longs to be human

SUBJECT: FAMOUS FILM CHARACTERS Name the film in which the given character appears. The actor or actress who played the character is provided. (Example: Andrew Beckett, played by Tom Hanks. Answer: “Philadelphia.”) FRESHMAN LEVEL 1. General Maximus Decimus Meridius, played by Russell Crowe. Answer________ 2. Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle, played by Gene Hackman. Answer________ 3. Michael Corleone, played by Al Pacino. Answer________ 4. Lou Gehrig, played by Gary Cooper. Answer________ 5. Terry Malloy, played by Marlon Brando. Answer________

he led a diamond from dummy. Garner rose with his king, cashed his club winner, and exited with a heart. Declarer could take his heart tricks but had to lead away from his queen-10 of diamonds in the end and the contract was defeated by two tricks for a clear win on the deal!

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny. 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2026 Tribune Content Agency

GRADUATE LEVEL 6. Harry Callahan,

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played by Clint Eastwood. Answer________ 7. Marshal Will Kane, played by Gary Cooper. Answer________ 8. Arthur Chipping, played by Robert Donat. Answer________ 9. Atticus Finch, played by Gregory Peck. Answer________ 10. Rick Blaine, played by Humphrey Bogart. Answer________ PH.D. LEVEL 11. Virgil Tibbs, played by Sidney Poitier. Answer________ 12. Ellen Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver. Answer________ 13. Clarice Starling, played by Jodie Foster. Answer________ 14. George Bailey, played by James Stewart. Answer________ 15. Tom Joad, played by Henry Fonda. Answer________

zodiaC VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Live within your means. You don’t have to compete with anyone. Concentrate on what’s important to you, and set a budget that will put your mind at ease and your goals within reach. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Emotions will soar if you don’t manage fallout from personal stress. Being honest with yourself and those you are close to will be essential. Face problems head-on. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Refuse to let what others say and do bother you. Pay attention to how you behave, treat others and take care of yourself. Review the past, and

personal growth and gains will be within reach. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Make the effort, take care of unfinished business and free yourself of the deadweight dragging you down. Focus on what’s important, improve your surroundings and implement lifestyle changes. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Everything is changing quickly, and keeping up is a necessity if you want to advance. Refuse to let living in the past leave you behind. Keep the momentum flowing. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) It’s out with the old and in with the new.

Putting a household budget in place will put your mind at ease. Incorporate a workspace at home that houses your ideas and plans. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) A shift is taking place. Consider what you can do to ensure you’re ready to take advantage of whatever comes your way. Having a budget, schedule and contact information will help. ARIES (March 21-April 19) Refuse to let your ego or emotions get in your way. Taking rational approaches to change, domestic situations and meaningful relationships will help you reach agreements.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Put greater emphasis on what makes you feel content and happy with yourself and your life. Pay attention to those you love, and strive for a positive balance and dynamics in your relationships. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) A change to your qualifications will give you the boost you need to increase your income. Revise your resume, set up interviews and draw attention to what you do best and enjoy most. CANCER (June 21-July 22) If you display your attributes, you will grab attention. Don’t argue a moot

point with someone who doesn’t share your beliefs. Someone will misdirect you. Self-reliance will be necessary. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Start your day doing something that is competitive and shows your audience your talents. Be vocal about your likes and dislikes, but be ready to defend yourself with intellect and charisma. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

dustin / by Steve Kelley & Jeff Parker

Answers to puzzles super quiz 1. "Gladiator." 2. "The French Connection." 3. "The Godfather." 4. "The Pride of the Yankees." 5. "On the Waterfront." 6. "Dirty Harry." 7. "High Noon." 8. "Goodbye, Mr. Chips." 9. "To Kill a Mockingbird." 10. "Casablanca." 11. "In the Heat of the Night." 12. "Aliens." 13. "The Silence of the Lambs." 14. "It's a Wonderful Life." 15. "The Grapes of Wrath." SCORING: 24 to 30 points — congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points — honors graduate; 13 to 17 points — you’re plenty smart, but no grind; 5 to 12 points — you really should hit the books harder; 1 point to 4 points — enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0 points — who reads the questions to you?

Cryptoquote Answer Saturday's Cryptoquote: Take bread away from me, take away water if you wish; but never deny me your smile. — Pablo Neruda

word GAme Answer deem deer deet demur demure desert deter drum dues duet dust duster etude meet mere merest mete

meter muse must muster mustered mute used user reed reset rest rested resume reuse rude rudest rued

ruse rust rusted seder seed seem seer sere serum smut steed steer stem strum stud sued suede

suer suet sure teed teem term terse tree true

sudoKu Answer jumble Answer

Crossword Answers

jeFF mACnelly’s shoe / by Gary Brookins & Susie MacNelly

sCrAbble Answers

FoXtrot / by Bill Amend

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