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T u e s d ay, s e p T e m b e r 29, 2026

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City Hall, S&WB may help each other Officials hope agencies can solve financial problems

BY BEN MYERS Staff writer

As New Orleans city officials undertake a complicated effort to merge the Sewerage & Water Board with City Hall, they are hoping the two agencies can help solve each other’s ﬁnancial problems. That is possible, ofﬁcials say, because the city and the S&WB have opposite issues: The city is short

on operating cash but can issue capital bonds. And the S&WB has cash, but no bonding capacity. “We’re in a famously terrible spot,” said Steve Nelson, the city’s infrastructure chief, of the city’s cash position at an S&WB board meeting on Monday. “But we have ample bonding capacity, and the board is almost a complete opposite.” With that in mind, Mayor Helena

Moreno’s administration has been demanding cash from the S&WB throughout this year to settle past debts, while promising to support badly needed infrastructure upgrades in the future. The S&WB has already paid the city $43 million this year, and the board on Monday agreed to pay another $6 million by the end of the month. The Moreno administration has used that money to

balance this year’s budget, and to make payroll through the end of the year. Those payments are for road and utility work reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The city fronted the S&WB portion of that work on the understanding that the S&WB would pay the city back as soon as it received reimbursements. The $6 million payment approved on Monday deviates from typical protocol in that the S&WB will pay it from cash on hand, be-

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fore receiving reimbursements. S&WB ofﬁcials said Monday they expect the reimbursements to replenish the cash on hand by the end of the year. Some board members, while recognizing the city’s need for cash, expressed uneasiness about an informal financial arrangement in which the S&WB effectively swaps revenue from monthly water and sewer bills for a promise of future capital investment.

ä See S&WB, page 4A

Two N.O. natives vie to lead NORD

Finalists for recreation department post to participate in community forum BY JONI HESS Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson spins the ball as he poses for photos on media day at the Smoothie King Center on Monday. The Pelicans begin training camp on Tuesday looking to improve on last season, which saw the team win only 26 games. ‘Everyone is excited about this season, the possibilities,’ said Joe Dumars, executive vice president of basketball operations. More on the Pelicans media day in Sports, 1C.

The chief administrative ofﬁcer of a major maritime port and the former head of the East Baton Rouge Parish Recreation and Park Commission are vying for the top leadership role at New Orleans’ embattled recreation department. New Orleans natives Patrice Bell and Corey Wilson Bell are ﬁnalists in the two-month national search to replace former New Orleans Recreation and Development Commission CEO Larry Barabino Jr., according Wilson to NORD Commission Chair Kyle Walker. The public will have a chance to hear from candidates during an Oct. 7 community forum at City Hall. The NORD Foundation, which supports the department through fundraising and other measures, hired Louisiana consulting firm AMCorp International to help lead the application process. They were chosen after input from public surveys, NORD staff, the 13-member NORDCommissionandcityleaders.

ä See NORD, page 4A

Gretna brewpub contract null and void, judge rules Leases to private company deemed unconstitutional

unconstitutional. Judge Donald “Chick” Foret found that the parish’s deal with Port Orleans Brewing Co. to run the $10.3 million pub in downtown Gretna is null and void because it constituted a gratuitous donation BY LARA NICHOLSON of public funds to a private entity. Staff writer It’s not clear what the 24th JudiA controversial, government- cial District Court ruling means funded brewpub project in Jef- for the brewpub building, which ferson Parish may ﬁzzle out after has been under construction for a judge on Monday ruled that its about two years and is nearly leases to a private company are completed. Jefferson Parish lead-

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ers have fought over its terms and whether it was a fair deal to the parish since they ﬁrst approved funding for it in 2023. Jefferson Parish Council member Timothy Kerner Jr., who represents Gretna, said the parish could try to create a new and proper lease with Port Orleans or repurpose the building entirely. “I simply wish doing what is right for the people of Jefferson

The brewpub building in Gretna has been under construction for about two years. STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

ä See BREWPUB, page 4A

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

14TH yEAR, NO. 48

2A ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Mediators work to broker deal between U.S., Iran

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$5M bail set for man in death of Miss. woman

JACKSON, Miss. — A Mississippi judge set a $5 million bond Monday for a third man charged in the death of a Black woman whose body was found hanging from a tree in August. Police disclosed Friday that Tasia Fortune, 29, was killed in a drug dispute before her body was placed in a tree behind an abandoned house in Jackson. Fortune was Black, and the discovery of her hanging body stoked fear because the scene recalled actual lynchings in the Southern state, which has a long history of racial violence. Some officials had called for a federal civil rights investigation before a Jackson police detective said the scene was “staged.” “People justifiably didn’t know if we had a killer on the loose who might hang people for racial reasons,” Judge Jeffery Reynolds said Monday. He said it was a “heinous” act that shocked the state capital. Reynolds presided at a hearing for Eric Clark, 45, who turned himself in Friday. The Hinds County Public Defender’s Office, which is representing him, declined to comment. Clark and two other men charged in Fortune’s death are Black. Later outside the court, Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, said Clark approached her at the courthouse last week and hugged her following a hearing for co-defendant Jarques Ratliff. “He never said he did it, but he said he was there to turn himself in for murder,” Spivey told reporters Monday. The body was discovered in a tree on Aug. 3. Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney said props were left at the scene “as part of the staging” of Fortune’s death and that more arrests were likely.

Congo’s Ebola outbreak tops 8,000 cases

BUNIA, Congo — The number of conﬁrmed cases of Ebola virus in Congo has surged past 8,000, as the country runs out of health workers to contain the deadly disease, ofﬁcials said Monday. The outbreak is the country’s 17th and its deadliest. Congo announced an outbreak on May 15, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no known treatment or vaccine, and has struggled to contain it. The latest data from Congo’s health ministry released Sunday showed that 8,067 cases have been confirmed, with 3,901 deaths as of Sept. 26 across 63 health zones in seven of the country’s 26 provinces, with a fatality rate of more than 48%. “The continuously high crude case fatality ratio, and especially the continuously high rate of deaths occurring in communities, highlights the seriousness of the disease and the persistent challenges in timely case detection and access to early and adequate patient care,” the World Health Organization said in its latest report.

Man sentenced for saying Erdogan ‘dictator’

ISTANBUL — A Turkish court on Monday sentenced a comedian to more than 19 months imprisonment on charges of insulting religious values and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He was released pending appeal. Deniz Goktas, 32, had been held in prison since July 3 after clips of his routine, which included a reference to Erdogan as a “dictator,” were circulated online. He was convicted Monday of insulting the president and insulting religious values, receiving a combined prison sentence of 19 months and 10 days. Presenting a defense that caused laughter in the Istanbul courtroom, the comedian said he stood by his joke that described Erdogan as having evolved from a “shy dictator” to one “conﬁdent in his identity.” Goktas said political humor had been tolerated in the past and the laws regarding insult had not changed. “What has changed? Fragile leaders who can’t handle jokes or criticism,” he said in remarks published in Birgun newspaper and other opposition-backing outlets.

But major hurdles remain

BY SAMY MAGDY, MICHELLE L. PRICE and MATTHEW LEE Associated Press ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALASTAIR GRANT

Police guard a road Monday leading to RAF Fairford in Fairford, England.

5 booked near U.S.-run base in U.K. out on bail

unfounded and malicious speculaU.K. police probe whether recent tions” about the incident. Residents were evacuated from 85 there’s a link to Iran homes in the village of Whelford near the

BY ALASTAIR GRANT and JILL LAWLESS

Associated Press

FAIRFORD, England — Five young British men arrested on explosives and terror charges near a U.S.-operated air force base in England were released on bail Monday, and counterterror detectives said they were investigating “multiple lines of inquiry,” including whether there is a link to Iran. The men were detained early Sunday after three vans were spotted in the countryside near RAF Fairford, a U.K.owned base that has been used by American bombers during decades of conﬂicts in the Middle East, including this year’s war with Iran. Investigators haven’t concluded whether the incident was state-backed. They are investigating a possible link to Iran, Russia or nonstate militant groups. RAF Fairford has also been the focus of protests by anti-war campaigners. The five suspects, who haven’t been named, were initially held over suspected explosives offenses, and later also arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism. Police said the men are all British nationals from London and in their 20s. Britain’s national news agency, PA, reported without citing sources that police had not found viable explosives. Announcing that the suspects had been bailed, the head of U.K. Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, said that the suspects face stringent conditions and “absolutely remain under investigation.” Taylor said lines of inquiry include that the suspected offenses were committed by “proxies or individuals, either knowingly or unknowingly, working on behalf of a foreign state.” Iran denied involvement. The Iranian Embassy in London said that it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns the

base on Sunday, and army bomb-disposal experts used a robot to examine three white vans. The villagers were allowed to return home late Monday afternoon, though a cordon remained around the three vehicles, police said. Prime Minister Andy Burnham chaired a meeting of the government’s COBRA emergency committee on Monday “to make sure we have the full picture” of the incident, he said. It was unclear whether the arrested men had been on security services’ radar. Local residents described seeing heightened security around RAF Fairford in recent days, with heavy vehicles parked across entrance gates. U.S. President Donald Trump said the suspects had been detained following cooperation between the U.S. and Britain, and had been “under view” for some time. Police, however, said the arrests were triggered by a late-night call about “suspicious vehicles” near the base. A local farmer said she called police after seeing three oddly parked vans as she drove home late Saturday night, and that nearby she came across “a large group of men,” some with their faces covered. She said they scattered when they saw her vehicle. She declined to be identiﬁed to protect her identity because she was describing what she saw as potential security lapses. British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said the farmer “did exactly the right thing” by calling police but only had “a partial view” of the operation. The arrests came at a time of heightened tensions around the threat from hostile states, with British intelligence services saying Russia and Iran have both used proxies to commit crimes on U.K. soil. In March, officials said the number of national security cases involving activity by hostile states, including Iran, increased by 50% in the six months to December 2025.

CAIRO — Mediators are working with Iran and the United States on trying to broker a deal to end the fighting and open the Strait of Hormuz, three regional officials and two U.S. officials told The Associated Press, but major hurdles remain between the sides. The indirect talks come as the conflict, which is entering its eighth month, has caused global economic damage and badly battered Iran. Multiple efforts to allow safe shipping on one of the world’s most crucial waterways have failed. The officials divulged that the behind-the-scenes efforts continue even after President Donald Trump initially said he spurned an Iranian proposal to reopen the strait in a week if the U.S. agreed to lift its blockade of Iranian ports, release frozen Iranian assets and waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, among other conditions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi — who stayed in New York after last week’s gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly — will meet with Qatari mediators Monday about the latest discussions, Iranian state media reported Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei as saying. Despite Trump’s often bellicose rhetoric, he is open to pursuing a nonmilitary resolution to the conflict if one can be achieved, a senior U.S. official said. But the Trump administration will not reach a deal with Tehran until nuclear issues are addressed, another U.S. official said. Trump is willing to grant sanctions relief to Iran, along with the release of some frozen funds, for concrete progress on nuclear issues, and while Iran has indicated it is flexible on nuclear issues, the sides are far apart on timing

and which side makes the first moves, the official said. All the officials were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity about the behind-the-scenes diplomatic negotiations. Two of the regional officials speaking to the AP confirmed that mediators are working with both sides on a proposal that would include reopening the strait and lifting the U.S. blockade, and then removing sanctions. According to the draft text being discussed, the strait would reopen in accordance with a separate deal that Iran has been discussing with Oman, on the other side of the strait, and it would include no tolls — something Tehran has pursued. That deal seeks to temporarily manage shipping traffic on what was seen as an international waterway before the war. One regional official said the U.S. is seeking Iranian concessions on nuclear issues that include allowing inspectors to enter the country. Under the memorandum of understanding the two sides signed in June that collapsed within days, Iran’s nuclear program was meant to be discussed over a 60-day period. The U.S. officials say the United States is skeptical about whether Iran can be persuaded to ultimately reach Trump’s conditions for a deal and would be serious about any promises it makes, especially after it broke the interim deal by firing on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. officials feel their position is getting stronger as Tehran feels the impact of sanctions. While Iran’s latest proposal echoes the June deal, a key difference is speed. Araghchi told a closeddoor meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly last week that Tehran had pitched the deal as benefiting Trump in the midterm elections. Araghchi later told journalists that “the seven-day timeline will start as soon as the United States accepts this plan.”

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Polo bears down on Mexico, bringing winds and flooding BY MARTÍN SILVA REY and MEGAN JANETSKY

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Associated Press

PUERTO SAN CARLOS, Mexico — Wind whipped Mexico’s northern Pacific coast and water began to flood some streets Monday as Hurricane Polo bore down on Baja California Sur, threatening flash floods and mudslides. Meanwhile, Hurricane Nolo could still bring torrential rain to parts of Hawaii even as the storm edges away from the state. In Puerto San Carlos, a fishing town of about 5,700 people, high tides and pounding waves from Polo were breaching sea barriers as residents worried for their homes in the mostly empty town. Hundreds of people in the region evacuated, hunkering down in nearby shelters in schools and other facilities. “Civil Protection told those of us here in San Carlos to evacuate because this is a high-risk area. With the current tides, the expected waves and the wind, the earthen barriers they built (to prevent flooding) could give way,” Rocío Sánchez, a fisherwoman, said. Polo was a Category 3 storm with top sustained winds of 115 mph Monday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. It’s expected to produce 6-12 inches of rain across parts of Baja California Sur. Forecasters said it would hit the Mexican mainland after lashing Baja California Sur, and that life threatening winds and flash floods were expected. It could bring heavy rain and flooding to parts of the U.S. Southwest later in the week. The government of the northern Mexican state of Sonora on Monday night announced it would suspend all “non-essential” activities, including school, sports and non-essential work, in the state capi-

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People evacuate their homes Monday as Hurricane Polo approaches Puerto San Carlos, Baja California Sur state, Mexico.

tal and more than a dozen municipalities due to the incoming hurricane. Residents in Baja California Sur were anxiously bracing themselves. Margarita Bobadilla and her family were sheltered in a local school, saying it was safer than weathering the storm in her wooden house. “Material things can be replaced, but family can’t. My children and I decided to come here last night, and now we’re waiting to see what happens.” Others lingered in their mostly emptied town of Puerto San Carlos, crossing their fingers the light flooding and powerful winds would be the worst of Polo. Laura Velázquez, national coordinator of Mexico’s Civil Protection Agency, reported that Polo would make landfall later in the afternoon. With Polo approaching Mexico, the Mexican navy said it had personnel ready across the northern Pacific coast and deployed three vessels that could ship aid to coastal communities isolated by the storm. Local authorities along the Baja California Peninsula said they had shelters at the ready.

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Pope says AI safety concerns not ‘fake news’ lll

BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE — Pope Leo XIV said Monday that concerns about artiﬁcial intelligence going rogue are not “fake news” and should be taken seriously, insisting that safety issues raised by AI experts should be discussed and acted on. Leo, who dedicated his ﬁrst encyclical to AI and protecting humanity in its wake, was asked during a news conference about what the United States and China especially should be doing to prevent AI from posing catastrophic risks to humanity. President Donald Trump has called concerns about AI going rogue a “hoax.” “This is a problem that I think we need to sit down and talk about,” the American pope told reporters returning home from France. “We can’t just sit back and pretend nothing is going to happen.” Trump has been a champion of AI, often warning that the United States must remain ahead of China in the technological arms race. He has said efforts to limit the technology were part of a “conspiracy” by his political opponents. Several AI giants, including Anthropic, have called

for a slowdown in development to give safety measures time to catch up to the fast-moving technology. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, for example, has warned that within six to 12 months AI could be capable of leading a swarm of agents that could take over the entire internet. Trump said on Sunday he planned to have a late dinner with Amodei, but he has not yet commented on the meeting. “If someone were to ask me ‘Am I in panic mode?’ No I’m not. I sleep at night,” Leo said. “I do think that the concerns raised by many of the experts, specialists in AI should be taken seriously.” “I don’t think that that is ‘fake news’ as some have said to try and cause whether financial or other some other kind of benefit,” Leo said. The pope, who called for robust regulation of AI and a slowdown of the technology in his encyclical “Magnificent Humanity,” is up to speed on developments in the field. Despite being at the end of a grueling four-day trip to France, Leo noted a news report Monday afternoon about Nvidia introducing guardrails into AI. He also noted that the company has previously resisted outside regulation of AI development.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALBERTO PIZZOLI

Pope Leo XIV speaks to journalists Monday aboard the flight from Metz, France, to Rome, at the end of his four-day visit to France. Leo had identified AI as one of t he biggest challenges to humanity within days of his election and took the unusual step of personally launching his own encyclical alongside Anthropic’s cofounder Christopher Olah at a Vatican event in May. The initiative was part of the Vatican’s effort to engage Silicon Valley about the human costs of AI.

“We need to continue to invite political leaders, leaders of AI, social organizations, associations to come together and look at what is happening already and what could be down the road,” he said Monday. “To simply say ‘Oh it’s not going to happen’ and close our eyes to it I think is probably not the most responsible way to go about that,”

he added. With his comments Monday about the legitimacy of safety concerns and AI development, Leo has conﬁrmed another area of disagreement with Trump. The two had a back-and-forth in April over Leo’s opposition to the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and Leo has also criticized the Trump administration’s migration crackdown.

Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week in Washington and while Xi said that it was important to ensure AI is “always under human control,” Trump focused more on trying to rebrand it as “superintelligence” and dismissed calls for regulation. However, the two leaders agreed to explore a new “notiﬁcation mechanism” for AI incidents affecting national security. AI has become a major election-year issue in the U.S. as some of the country’s largest companies rush to build a national network of data centers while Americans from both parties increasingly raise alarms about the impact on farmland, water supplies and electricity bills. Worries about AI are continuing to grow inside and outside the industry and reports continue to emerge about increasingly powerful systems that solve problems beyond human capacity but could also go rogue and carry out other, more harmful tasks. The worries have grown so loud that the CEO of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, said in an interview with Fortune that his company would wait until next year to start selling its stock to investors on Wall Street as it focuses on safety.

Trump announces Prosecutor reopens new $15 billion probe into gang rape steel plant in Iowa allegations at Cornell NEW YORK

BY COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday announced a new $15 billion steel plant being built in Iowa, highlighting an economic victory in a key battleground state where Republicans face competitive midterm races. Trump announced the new plant at an Oval Office event alongside steel executives and Iowa Trump Republicans, including two running for ofﬁce. The event highlighted Iowa’s elevated status for Republicans and for Trump, who on Monday pledged to campaign there in coming weeks. “We’re going to do a great rally. We’ll all be there together,” Trump said alongside Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running for the U.S. Senate, and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who is up for reelection. Also joining him were Gov. Kim Reynolds and Sen. Joni Ernst, who are not seeking new terms in ofﬁce. The new steel plant is being built by Mesabi Metallics, a Minnesota company owned by India’s Essar Group, an industrial conglomerate. Trump said the project will become the largest steel plant in the United States. It is expected to produce 10 million tons of steel a year after it’s fully built out. The plant was projected

to begin production in 2030, supplied by a new $2.5 billion iron ore mine that Mesabi developed along Minnesota’s Mesabi iron range. The resulting steel will be produced from start to ﬁnish in the United States, the White House said. Trump said the American steel industry is “roaring back to life,” crediting it to the 50% tariffs on steel imports that he imposed last year. “Everyone is building their plants here because they don’t want to pay tariffs,” Trump said. “It’s really not that complicated.” Trump in June also approved the takeover of iconic American steelmaker U.S. Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel, a move that had been blocked by Joe Biden, his Democratic predecessor, and initially opposed by Trump as a 2024 Republican presidential candidate. After returning to office, Trump later backed a deal that gave the federal government a say in some company decisions. The Oval Office announcement at times took on the tone of a campaign event. Introducing Hinson, Trump described her as a “young lady who is going to be hopefully elected to the Senate.” “She’s outstanding, one of the top anywhere in the country,” Trump continued. “They talk about her all the time.”

BY DAVE COLLINS and JOHN SEEWER

men, the Chi Phi fraternity, the university, an Ithaca bar and others, seeking undisAssociated Press closed damages. Her attorA New York prosecutor has ney did not immediately rereopened an investigation spond Monday to messages into gang rape allegations at seeking comment on the a Cornell University frater- prosecutor’s decision. The woman went to camnity in response to a lawsuit filed by a woman who says pus police at the time, but she was sexually assaulted in Van Houten said the accuser 2024 by seven students after did not make any claims of being plied with alcohol and being gang-raped or drugged drugs. in her initial sworn statement Tompkins County Dis- to authorities. The prosecutrict Attorney Matthew Van tor also said he was never Houten said Monday that his contacted by the woman’s atoffice will present evidence to torney about her statement a grand jury as he faces ques- or about reconsidering the tions from the public about decision not to prosecute, why there were no criminal but he reached out to the atprosecutions in the case. torney recently. The woman, identified only “Seeking justice sometimes by a pseudonym in the law- requires us to reconsider or suit, filed the complaint Sept. reopen cases when we are 16, saying she was sexu- provided with additional ally assaulted at the Chi Phi evidence,” Van Houten said fraternity house on the Ivy in a statement. “I have been League campus in October asked by the community to 2024 after being pressured revisit the decision whether into snorting ketamine, to pursue criminal charges smoking marijuana and against the seven fraternity drinking alcohol. She became members. I have already completely incapacitated begun that process, starting while frat members were with our conversation with sexually assaulting her, the Jane Doe and her attorneys.” The university said in a lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit, the reopening statement that it supports of the investigation and Cor- the decision to reopen the innell’s response have sparked vestigation. The school said a flood of commentary on it conducted its own investisocial media. Many people gation and issued sanctions, have criticized the school including expelling some stuand the district attorney’s of- dents and suspending others. fice in their posts, while some have expressed doubt about the lawsuit’s allegations. Some posted photos of the seven fraternity members. The accuser is suing the

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By HEATHER AINSWORTH

A New york prosecutor has reopened an investigation into gang rape allegations at a Cornell University Chi Phi fraternity in response to a lawsuit filed by a woman who says she was sexually assaulted in 2024 by seven students after being plied with alcohol and drugs. It also said the on-campus Chi Phi chapter was closed in 2024 and remains barred from campus. School ofﬁcials on Monday declined to release more information on the sanctions, including how many students were expelled and suspended. Cornell said last week that federal privacy law barred it from disclosing speciﬁc information on individual students. “Any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false,” the university said. “A continuation of the false narrative that there were minimal consequences in this case is irresponsible, will make survivors feel less safe and supported, and will perpetuate the underreporting of sexual assault.” The national chapter of Chi Phi did not return phone and email messages Monday. The school said it conducted an internal disciplinary in-

vestigation in 2024. It said a panel of trained faculty and staff heard evidence over multiple days, and both the woman and the people accused had the opportunity to testify and present evidence. The woman’s complaint accuses the university of not preventing the alleged assaults and failing to properly address sexual violence on campus. It includes a photo that it says shows a group chat between frat members discussing the night’s events. The woman, who was a 20-year-old Cornell student at the time and a sorority member, went to campus police about three weeks later, according to the lawsuit. The fraternity and seven of its members were placed on temporary suspension that same day, the lawsuit said. The complaint said the seven were given “the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays to Cornell.”

T N E M E C A L P E R ROOF Word of Faith leader gets probation & REPAIRS WE’LL BE AT in assault case in North Carolina BY JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press

A leader of a secretive North Carolina religious group was sentenced Monday to two years of probation in a plea deal that dropped a felony kidnapping charge, more than nine years after her trial ended without a verdict. Prosecutors said Word of Faith Fellowship leader Brooke Covington led a group of church members in 2013 who choked and beat a young man for two hours while they prayed to expel “homosexual demons.” Covington, 68, pleaded to two misdemeanor charges

of false imprisonment and simple assault Monday by entering an Alford plea, according to court records. It’s technically a guilty plea in which defendants maintain they are innocent while acknowledging prosecutors have enough evidence to convict them at trial. The judge sentenced Covington to 45 days in jail on the false imprisonment charge and 30 days for simple assault, but suspended them so she won’t have to serve the time if she completes her probation. Covington also was ordered to complete 30 hours of community service benefiting

children or young adults. Covington’s original case ended in a mistrial after the jury foreman brought his own research into deliberations. Since then, the COVID-19 outbreak, a move to remove the original prosecutor that ended with the suspension of the law license of the attorney making the request, deaths or retirements of lawyers on both sides and handing the case to a new prosecutor in a new jurisdiction all delayed a new trial. Both the new prosecutor and Covington’s lawyer didn’t respond to messages seeking details about Monday’s hearing.

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4A ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Trump denies offering to sell U.S. arms to China U.S. ambassador reported the proposal during TV interview

BY BEN FINLEY, MICHELLE L. PRICE and DIDI TANG Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump disputed that he asked Chinese leader Xi Jinping if he wanted to buy weapons from the United States, contradicting an account from the U.S. ambassador to China. Trump on Monday acted confused when a reporter asked him about Ambassador David Perdue’s remarks over the weekend, suggesting the diplomat was confusing China with Taiwan. But then Trump said “maybe it’s a good idea” to make such an offer to China. The whiplash over the prospect of arms sales from the U.S. to its ascendant geopolitical rival underlines the Trump administration’s often uncoordinated and contradictory approach to China, including Xi’s pomp-filled state visit to Washington last week during which Trump appeared to get little in return on key issues. Perdue, speaking to Shannon Bream on Fox News Channel’s “Fox News Sunday” days after the summit, didn’t specify when the offer was made. But such a proposal, if realized, would upend generations of U.S. policy toward China and Taiwan and expose U.S. technology to a potential foe. The State Department on Monday looked to distance the Trump administration from Perdue’s comments, saying that “U.S. law prohibits arms sales to China and

S&WB

Continued from page 1A “We’re using our short-term cash as a credit card,” said Julius Kimbrough Jr., a new member who was appointed by the Board of Liquidation.

Cash for capital Nelson, who also sits on the S&WB board, said a cooperative endeavor agreement is in the works to make the ﬁnancial relationship “easier and cleaner.” He said the agreement will allow the city to transfer bond proceeds already in hand. “I have $2 million in bond cash that I can’t use to make payroll. The utility desperately needs it for storm drain point repairs. We need

NORD

Continued from page 1A NORD ofﬁcials said there were 176 applicants initially. Bell, 58, and Wilson, 52, were picked from a pool of 10 semiﬁnalists. “The search process sought candidates whose experience and leadership aligned with the Commission’s priorities for NORD, including executive leadership, facilities and operations, fiscal stewardship, recreation and youth programming, community engagement, communication and publicsector governance,” Walker said in a statement Monday. Bell was named chief admin-

BREWPUB

Continued from page 1A Parish had not required such a difficult fight,” Kerner said in a statement. “My hope is that we can now move forward together, with respect for everyone involved, a commitment to the law, and a shared responsibility to protect the public’s investment.” Attorneys for Port Orleans said after the hearing that the motion to nullify the leases didn’t follow proper court procedure and the judge should not have made a ruling Monday. Andrew Lilly, an attorney and co-owner of Port Orleans, later added they plan to ﬁle an appeal to the Louisiana 5th Circuit Court of Appeal and hope to work with the government to make the leases comply with state law. Otherwise, they plan to “seek to hold our landlord responsible for damages we suffered relying on their assurances from 2022-2025.” “We have been model contract

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACQUELyN MARTIN

President Donald Trump greets China’s President Xi Jinping upon arrival at the White House on Friday.

tion for Defense of Democracies, said the anecdote that Perdue told offers “a revealing window into Trump’s transactional worldview.” “He tends to see weapons, tariffs and market access as instruments of leverage, even across the traditional dividing line between allies and adversaries,” Singleton said. Such an offer to Xi also would come in contrast with U.S. obligations under a domestic law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself and deter invasion from Beijing, which has vowed to seize the island by force if necessary. While not recognizing Taiwan as a country, the U.S. is the island’s strongest informal backer and primary arms provider. But multiple U.S. leaders have left ambiguous whether they would commit military force to defend the island should China invade. China has pressed Washington to halt the arms sales, most prominently during a previous summit in May between Trump and Xi in Beijing. After that meeting, the United States paused the sale of a record-breaking $14 billion package — and Trump described arms sales to Taiwan as a “very good negotiating chip” with China. In their private talks at the White House last week, Xi pressed Trump to oppose Taiwan independence, according to Chinese state media. In Beijing, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun did not conﬁrm Perdue’s remarks when asked about the matter on Monday. But he told reporters that China has always strengthened its national defense capabilities based on its needs and is committed to maintaining world peace and stability.

there is no offer or plan to sell arms to China.” Hours later, Trump seemed to be doing the same. “To China? You mean to Taiwan?” he said when a reporter asked him about Perdue’s account. “I never heard of that one. I’m going to have to ask him,” Trump said. He then mused that China would probably like to buy U.S. equipment, which he said was superior, and added: “So maybe it’s a good idea. But we didn’t discuss it. He may have been talking about Taiwan. I think he was probably talking about Taiwan.” Perdue said Sunday that the Republican president was downplaying long-standing U.S. arms sales to Taiwan — which have drawn

protest from Beijing for years — by couching it as just one of many sales Washington makes around the world, and even asking Xi if he’d be in the market for U.S. weaponry. Bream had cited concerns from Republican and Democratic lawmakers over delayed aid packages and weapons orders to Taiwan, the self-ruled democracy that seeks to defend itself from China’s threat to invade the island. Bream asked if the U.S. is denying arms to Taiwan to appease the Chinese president. Perdue pushed back on the suggestion, stating that Trump “is as strong on Taiwan as I’ve ever seen anybody” and has sold it plenty of weapons. Perdue also said Trump and Xi continue to talk about fu-

ture U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan. “But President Trump continues to say, ‘Hey, we sell arms to other people around the world,’” Perdue said. “He actually asked President Xi, would he like to buy some, at one point.” If so, that offer “speaks to (Trump’s) treatment of China in almost exclusively commercial terms, even at the potential expense of the U.S. military position in Asia,” said Evan Sankey, an analyst focused on U.S. policy toward China at the libertarian Cato Institute. He said the U.S. last sold arms to Beijing in the 1980s and resuming those sales would be “a shocking policy change.” Craig Singleton, a senior fellow at the hawkish think tank Founda-

to be able to send that over to the board,” Nelson said. That agreement will be “a bridge on the way to a full merger” of the S&WB as a city department, said Andrew Tuozzolo, special counsel to Moreno, in a text message after the meeting. “We want to fully align the city’s capital program and use our bonding capacity to build better drainage and water systems,” Tuozzolo said. Moreno wants the merger complete within two years. She recently sacked the entire 11-member governing board, installing five new members, including Nelson, and reappointing three others. Other members are appointed by outside agencies, but serve at the mayor’s pleasure. The reconstituted board has approved resolutions supporting the

merger, along with new state and local laws giving the City Council broad oversight of the utility. Although the S&WB realizes continuous cash flow from monthly customer bills, that revenue is almost entirely used on operations and maintenance. The utility struggles to repair and improve its systems because there is no cash left over to secure new bonds. Existing bond covenants, meanwhile, require the S&WB to maintain a certain amount of cash on hand, and S&WB officials have recently warned that forking over too much cash to the city will jeopardize the covenants, which could prompt legal action from investors. Meanwhile, Moreno’s team had to chop $150 million in spending this year and resort to staff fur-

loughs to balance its budget. It will need to make another $77 million in cuts next year if the City Council doesn’t elect to roll forward a millage, though some cuts are likely no matter their decision. Payments from the S&WB and other agencies that owe it could help stabilize its position. The board also on Monday approved a plan — with some reservations — to repay $13 million over the next three years for water and sewer projects the city paid with its own bond funds. Those projects, which are separate from the FEMA program, date back as early as 2012. Board members said the S&WB repayment should mirror the city’s bond term, which is typically 30 years.

“The city bonded this out over a long period of time, and then the Sewerage & Water Board is paying it back very quickly. That to me doesn’t make any sense,” said David Gallo, a new board member appointed by Moreno. Kimberly Thomas, a returning board member reappointed by Moreno, said she worried the three-year plan “would be crippling the utility.” But the plan passed without opposition, with other board members saying it was necessary to help the city and to establish a cooperative relationship. “This is something new to kind of re-gird the relationship, with the expectation that as we see increased revenue, we get to revisit our bonding capacity,” said Chadrick Kennedy, who Moreno reappointed.

istrative officer of the Louisiana Gateway Port in Plaquemines Parish last year after leaving her previous post as Xavier University of Louisiana’s vice president of administration and chief of staff. She previously served as a public information officer for Transdev, a private transportation firm that managed the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority through its post-Katrina era until the board ousted the company in 2020. Bell brings varied experience across the public sector, including higher education, transportation, community engagement and crisis leadership, according to Walker. Wilson is an attorney and the former superintendent of the East Baton Rouge Parish Recreation

and Park Commission, commonly called BREC. He ended his sixyear stint with the independent department in January when his contract expired. Wilson announced his departure last March during a time that coincided with a push by local and state leaders to transfer board power from the Baton Rouge metro to outlying cities of Baker, Central, St. George and Zachary. Wilson’s departure also came ahead of a major restructuring that saw BREC layoff 10% of its workforce. In 2024, Wilson was selected to be a fellow with the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, according to BREC. The 137-member organiza-

tion consists of recreation leaders with at least 15 years in park system administration or those who have managed recreation agencies serving communities of 500,000 people, among other criteria. Under Wilson, the Baton Rouge park system navigated the pandemic and received a National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management in 2022. Whoever snags the role will be tasked with addressing chronic concerns plaguing the department. Residents have complained about a shortage of athletic programs for girls, inconsistent facility access — including unannounced pool closures — and unkempt ball ﬁelds that are unplayable at times,

among other issues. Last week, the New Orleans Inspector General’s Office reported a pattern of financial mismanagement around team registration fees. There’s no oversight over individual teams or electronic payment system, for instance, meaning coaches can often charge what they see fit. The inspector general has also dinged NORD for failing to process background checks for its volunteer coaches. The commission will hold a final round of interviews on Oct. 7 to be followed by a public engagement forum with the finalists at 6 p.m. The commission will reconvene the next day to make a final determination for CEO.

partners and were called criminals who ‘got caught’ today,” Lilly said, referring to comments made by opposing counsel during the hearing. Foret told Port Orleans multiple times they may have been “victims in this case.” Early this year, new ofﬁcials with Jefferson Parish and Jefferson Facilities Inc., a public beneﬁt corporation overseeing the brewpub, revoked support for a partnership with Port Orleans and later asked a court to nullify the leases. Attorneys for the two government entities argued that no formal legal analysis was ever done to ensure the leases did not constitute a gratuitous donation. If that had been done, they said, they never would have moved forward with the plan. They said Port Orleans should have paid a portion of the cost of the building to make it more fair. Port Orleans, on the other hand, said they never agreed to pay for building construction as tenants, and that they acted with good intent. One of the company’s owners

said in an affidavit filed last month that Port Orleans had committed over $800,000 to project costs and legal fees over the last three years. The brewpub was planned as one component of a larger, $34 million complex that will include a statefunded parking garage and a park, neither of which have started construction. The brewpub project has caused a political firestorm for Jefferson Parish since the Parish Council first approved funding for it in 2023, ignited after parish Inspector General Kim Chatelain released a series of reports criticizing the plan. “We raised a legitimate concern, and I wish that the parish would have just considered our concern seriously instead of summarily dismissing it, and we would be in a different position two years later,” Chatelain said after the ruling. Under the plan, Jefferson Parish allocated $10.3 million toward building a brewpub on a downtown Gretna parking lot overseen by

Jefferson Facilities Inc. Once completed, Jefferson Facilities would lease the building out to Port Orleans Brewing Co. and Avo Taco to run a brewery and restaurant and pay a percentage of gross revenue along with a flat equipment fee each month to Jefferson Facilities for up to 25 years. The political debate prompted a legal battle earlier this year when Port Orleans sued the parish claiming the installation of brewery equipment had been delayed. Supporters of the project said it would be an economic stimulus for Gretna and the West Bank, while opponents including Chatelain argued it created a ﬁnancial risk for Jefferson Parish and unfairly favored Port Orleans. The Jefferson Parish Council, Jefferson Facilities and Port Orleans agreed to amend the leases last year to alleviate concerns from critics with provisions like a guaranteed annual rent minimum under recommendation from real estate attorney Mike Sherman. However, Foret said in his ruling those changes did not go far

enough to make a fair deal for the parish. Joe Marino III, a former interim Jefferson Parish Council member who negotiated the changes, called Port Orleans an innocent victim. “They came into this project with no corruption and no sweetheart deals,” he said. Jefferson Facilities’ about-face came after two of JFI’s three board members were replaced with new appointees under the direction of Kerner, who opposed the project when he joined the council last year. Those in attendance at Monday’s 41/ 2-hour hearing included Marino, Kerner, Chatelain, state Rep. Timothy Kerner Sr. and Jefferson Parish Council member Jennifer Van Vrancken, who has been a vocal opponent to the brewpub since Chatelain’s ﬁrst report. “The judge has declared what we’ve known all along,” Van Vrancken said afterward. “These leases were so one-sided and so unfair to the taxpayers of the parish that they’ve been declared null and void.”

$13M repayment plan

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ 5A

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Networks in wait-and-see mode over media standoff BY JOCELYN NOVECK

AP national writer

Is the standoff over between the White House and the nation’s main broadcast networks? Not exactly. Are we back to Square One? Also not exactly. One week after three news outlets ﬁled a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and his abrupt ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists from White House grounds, the extraordinary First Amendment showdown has morphed into a wait-andsee game. For now, the players are the White House and, collectively, the ﬁve major networks that form the TV pool: CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News. And things have gotten murky. Over the weekend, Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the decision to keep CNN off Air Force One on Saturday as the president traveled to a college football game in Tennessee, despite the fact that it was CNN’s turn to provide pool coverage of Trump. The rest of the pool declined to provide a replacement, in solidarity with CNN. “The president has every right to decide who gets to fly on his plane,” Blanche said in an interview Sunday with ABC. He said Trump

was “sick and tired of certain media outlets just refusing to report accurate news.” And he added that news coverage he described as “misinformation” amounted to a national security issue. “That is what is a national security problem, when you have complete misinformation coming out of the White House,” he said. A federal judge threw cold water on the national security argument in his ruling last week granting a temporary restraining order against the White House ban. “The Court is skeptical … that Defendants’ interest in safeguarding national security is the actual motivation” for removal of access, Judge Timothy Kelly wrote. But the ruling did not directly address the TV pool rotation, even though the news outlets’ lead attorney, Theodore Boutrous Jr., has said he believes the ruling applies to pool access. And now pool access has become the battleground, with networks facing tough choices as the standoff persists with a president who, in his second term, has become increasingly willing to go to extreme lengths — in the courts, in the regulatory system and in his public statements — to quash coverage that he doesn’t like. At one point on Friday,

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ROD LAMKEy

A CNN sound technician walks in front of the White House in Washington on Saturday. it seemed everything was more or less settled. CNN, which had been blocked from its pool duties by Trump’s ban — prompting the other networks to refrain from their own pool coverage in solidarity — was back in. The network fulfilled its pool duty at a visit by Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the National Archives. For the ﬁrst time in days, CNN aired live footage of the president. But then came CNN’s Air Force One setback on Saturday.

For now, networks in the pool have decided to address the ongoing standoff on a case-by-case basis, according to a person familiar with the pool’s operation, speaking on condition of anonymity to give details of ongoing discussions. On Sunday, Fox covered a pool event; on Monday, NBC was covering the president in the Oval Office. CNN is not in the rotation until at least Thursday. If CNN is again barred from a pool event, the networks will decide together, presumably

based on the newsworthiness of the situation, whether to provide a replacement or to refrain from coverage as they did previously. The issues at stake are difficult. On the one hand, the networks want to take a stand on behalf of press freedom and against efforts to intimidate coverage. On the other, media outlets have an obvious purpose of providing news to their audiences. “There are not a lot of good options,” said David A. Schulz, director of the

Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic at Yale Law School. Should the White House continue to bar CNN, Schulz said, networks may choose to litigate, or to “exert their market power and say, ‘We’re not going to play ball with you.’ ” The question, Schulz added, is: “Who’s going to back down ﬁrst?” The networks “may well feel like they’re between a rock and a hard place,” noted RonNell Andersen Jones, a law professor at the University of Utah. “Capitulation might be perceived as abandonment of core components of press freedom,” Andersen Jones said. “But the practicalities of lengthy White House news blackouts are also complicated, and refusing to cover major news at the highest levels of government might itself feel like a failure to serve the goals of democracy.” From Blanche’s weekend comments, it did not seem likely the White House was softening its stance. “When it comes to the White House, it is the people’s house,” Blanche said, returning to an argument the administration has made since the beginning. “It is a privilege, and not a right, to be there.”

At U.N., Denmark Owners of Texas camp seek to sell property Mystic was says Greenland pact Camp site of deadly benefits all parties flooding in 2025 BY EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS — The security agreement signed by the U.S., Denmark and Greenland last week “strengthens the defense of Greenland, the NATO area, and the American continent,” Denmark’s U.N. ambassador told the U.N.’s annual gathering of world leaders Monday. “The agreement is good for Greenland, for Denmark, for the United States, for NATO and Europe, and for international peace and security,” Christina Lassen said. The agreement bolstering the U.S. military presence in Greenland is aimed at strengthening NATO’s security in the Arctic and North Atlantic. It keeps Greenland as part of Denmark and, at least for the moment, eases tensions over President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for the vast island to become part of the United States. The agreement would still apply if Greenland eventually chooses independence. In brief remarks on the agreement at the end of her speech, Lassen said, “Progress can still be made when we consult the compass.” Trump expressed his desire to acquire Greenland

as long ago as 2019 and, during his current second term, he issued threats to seize the semiautonomous territory from Denmark, a NATO ally. He said the U.S. needed to “take Greenland,” to prevent Russia or China from doing the same, but said he would rather make a deal ” for the mineral-rich territory. Trump’s designs on Greenland strained relations within NATO, with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warning a U.S. takeover would amount to the end of the Atlantic alliance. It also unsettled many of Greenland’s roughly 56,000 people wary of a U.S. takeover and resource grab. Officials from the U.S., Greenland and Denmark negotiated for months behind the scenes, searching for solutions to address some of Trump’s security concerns about the island and the president gave a thumbs up to the deal. Just before last Tuesday’s signing, at the U.N., Trump said, “This is tremendous for Europe and for the United States and for everybody. And for Greenland, it’s going to be incredible.” He did not respond to questions about whether a U.S. acquisition of Greenland was off the table.

BY JIM VERTUNO Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas — The owners of Camp Mystic have proposed selling off the riverfront property as part of a bankruptcy plan, with hopes that a buyer will preserve the camp’s “historic mission” following the death of 27 campers and counselors swept away by a 2025 flood. The century-old private Christian girls’ camp filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization plan on Sept. 25 that would auction off the 749 acres it owns and other assets. The sprawling campus, nestled among rolling wooded hills on the banks of the Guadalupe River, had several single-story cabins that housed some of the youngest campers and a recreation hall near the riverfront. A second campus on elevated ground was not flooded. The Eastland family has owned the camp for decades and initially sought to reopen this summer. But they faced fierce opposition from victims’ families and some state lawmakers, lawsuits and legislative investigations into what went wrong. A buyer would likely get a portion of the camp frozen in time. Families of the victims have fought to stop any demolition of damaged cabins and buildings and stop repairs as part of their

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lawsuits. The bankruptcy plan said the owners expect a purchaser would be backed by a group of families that support the camp. “Nothing in the plan requires any buyer to operate the property as a camp,” the ﬁling said, “but the plan states an express preference, in determining the highest or otherwise best bid, for a buyer that will maintain the historic mission of the camp.”

Twenty-five campers and two counselors were killed when the river surged over its banks in the predawn hours of July 4, 2025. Camp owner and director Richard Eastland was also killed. At least 136 people were killed along a several-mile stretch of the river. Earlier this month, state police investigators sought search warrants for the electronic communications of the camp’s owners, saying they could provide evidence of

manslaughter, negligent homicide, child abandonment or other crimes. No charges have been brought. A probe by state lawmakers determined the camp’s young and inexperienced counselors were not trained for floods and other emergencies. It said an earlier decision to evacuate could have saved every life. Most of the victims were under age 10, and some were attending camp for the ﬁrst time.

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6A ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Bond yields crank higher, pull stocks down

NEW YORK — Yields in the U.S. bond market cranked higher Monday and again touched their highest levels in roughly two decades, which knocked U.S. stocks further from their record high. The S&P 500 fell 0.8% and gave back much of its gain from last week, which had brought it to the brink of its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 347 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.9%. Stocks felt pressure as the yield on the 10-year Treasury briefly topped 5.27% before pulling back to 5.23%, up from 5.17% late Friday. It’s back to where it was in 2007, before the financial crisis and Great Recession sent yields toward zero. The 30-year Treasury yield rose to 5.55% from 5.49% and is back to where it was in 2004. Treasury yields have been rising for a range of reasons, from worries about inflation to Washington’s massive debt load to signs that the U.S. economy remains solid despite its many challenges. That pressures the economy because higher yields make borrowing money more expensive for everyone, while also undercutting prices for stocks and other investments. Monday’s rise in yields followed the latest swings for oil prices, which have been yo-yoing on uncertainty about when the war with Iran will allow tankers to flow freely again through the Strait of Hormuz. That would allow them deliver oil from the Middle East to customers worldwide. The price for Brent crude in the most actively traded part of the oil market briefly climbed above $101 per barrel Monday morning, but it pared its gains as U.S. officials said mediators were still working with Iran and the United States on a deal to end the fighting and open the strait. It settled at $97.83, up 0.4%.

TikTok settles suit with Ala. for at least $100M

TikTok will pay the state of Alabama at least $100 million and must implement a slew of safety features for teens in the state as part of a settlement agreement reached just before the case was set to go to trial. Alabama sued the social media company in 2025 claiming that the platform had negative effects on the mental well-being of youths. The lawsuit argued that TikTok’s “addictive properties” — namely its algorithm that curates highly speciﬁc content catered to users’ interests — were harmful to children and that the company knew of those harms. Through the settlement, TikTok will make several platformlevel changes for teen users in Alabama, including the option for teens to select a non-personalized content feed. The platform will also bar cosmetic procedure ﬁlters for teens, implement a two-hour daily time limit and ban nighttime use from midnight to 6 a.m. Young users in Alabama will also be prompted to take a “productive pause” after 15 minutes of continuous use, and again at 60 and 90 minutes.

Nvidia to increase share buyback plan

Nvidia’s board has cleared the way for the company to spend $150 billion more in share buybacks as the chipmaking giant looks to make use of more of its stellar revenue growth fueled by demand for its high-end artificial intelligence chips. The Santa Clara, California, company said Monday the share buyback increase, which it touted as the largest ever, brings its stock repurchase program to $235 billion. Nvidia said it expects to “execute” the share buyback plan through its fiscal year that ends Jan. 30, 2028. Companies use repurchases, in part, to return cash to investors and support the stock’s price. Earnings per share can increase because there are fewer shares outstanding. Buybacks also signal confidence from leadership about a company’s financial prospects.

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U.S., China release lists for tariff cuts

U.S. Trade Representative Ja- ment. commerce ministry said $60B in nonsensitive inChina’s “This is a positive outcome for a statement the agreement will mieson Greer said in a separate these affected products compared help strengthen trade cooperation. statement the product lists foproducts named after The lists included 1,619 items of cused on “nonsensitive goods on to a smaller tariff cut, and could U.S. goods entering China, ranging each side that could beneﬁt from lead to a more signiﬁcant boost to Trump-Xi meeting from agricultural commodities, more favorable tariff treatment.” bilateral trade,” said Lynn Song,

BY CHAN HO-HIM and KANIS LEUNG Associated Press

HONG KONG — The United States and China on Monday released reciprocal lists of nonsensitive products worth about $30 billion each that will see tariff cuts, from American hair products to Chinese toys, in a deal expected to help bolster bilateral trade. The details came days after Chinese President Xi Jinping met with President Donald Trump in Washington in his ﬁrst state visit to the U.S. since 2015. The U.S. had already reduced tariffs against China after Trump’s tariffs reached as high as 145% at one point last year, as tensions between the two countries eased.

hair and personal care products to timber and medical equipment. Coal from the U.S. will also be included. For Chinese goods exported to the U.S., 77 categories were covered, including fireworks, tableware, toys like dolls and puzzles, glass and wooden Christmas ornaments and soccer balls. Tariff rates on over 90% of the products would be subject to “most-favored-nation” levels, the Chinese commerce ministry said, meaning that country-speciﬁc tariffs will effectively be eliminated. Most-favored-nation rates are the standard tariffs applied under World Trade Organization rules, but they can differ from item to item and are often in the single digits.

The deal could help secure market access for U.S. farmers, manufacturers, businesses and workers, while benefiting American consumers with imports from China including household goods and toys, Greer said. Both countries said they agreed the list may be adjusted later as needed, but amendments were likely to be no more than on an annual basis. The Chinese commerce ministry said the two countries agreed to further cooperate in the agricultural sector, forming a group under the Board of Trade established in May to optimize bilateral trade. Sectors of strategic importance for both countries, such as chips, electric vehicles and batteries, were not covered under the agree-

chief economist for Greater China at ING Bank. The lowered tariffs could be a win for U.S. consumer brands, added Jacob Cooke, CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies based in Beijing, as some of the products covered by China’s list of U.S. imports included fast-growing categories like hair care, personal care products and infant formula. With the U.S. list for Chinese products focused more on consumer goods, it could help lower U.S. inﬂation while also allowing Chinese ﬁrms to export more of their overcapacity, said Gary Ng, a senior economist at French bank Natixis. Some experts said, however, the economic impact at $30 billion each way may be limited overall.

U.S. lowers fuel economy standards BY ALEXA ST. JOHN and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO Associated Press

DETROIT — The Trump administration on Monday released new fuel economy standards that relax regulatory requirements for automakers to control pollution from gasolinepowered cars and light trucks. The new rules were released shortly after President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices soaring. The change furthers Trump’s promise to revoke policies that encouraged or created incentives for the production of electric vehicles and ultimately, will expose Americans to more planet-warming pollution from vehicles. Mileage standards, known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, requirements, have been implemented since the 1970s energy crisis, and set out how far new vehicles need to travel on a gallon of gasoline. Over time, automakers have gradually improved their vehicles’ average efficiency. The Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that the finalized standards would correspond to a combined industry fleetwide average of roughly 34.9 miles per gallon for passenger cars and light trucks in the 2031 model year. That’s up from 30.1 miles per gallon for model year 2024, but down from a projected 50.4 miles per gallon in 2031 under rules put in place by the Biden administration. “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we have finally ended the illegal mandate that forced automakers to produce more expensive electric vehicles that American families didn’t want,” Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said in a statement touting vehicle affordability. NHTSA had projected last December that the new standards would hover at roughly 34.5 miles per gallon. The news comes amid ongoing tensions as the war in Iran persists, with Trump refusing a deal with Iran to open the Strait as recently as Saturday, impacting the world’s oil supply. News of the revised standards immediately drew rebukes from environmentalists. The DOT said Monday that the rule would cut yearly oil consumption in 2050 by about 1.3 billion barrels as compared to yearly oil consumption in 2024. But when the 2024 standards went into effect, NHTSA estimated they would save 14 billion gallons of gasoline from being burned by 2050. The agency also said that while new fuel-efficient vehicles cost more up front, savings on gasoline over the lifetime of the car or truck would more than make up for that. Environmental groups estimate now, without stricter standards, cars could produce 22,111 more tons of carbon dioxide per year than under the Biden-era rules in 2035.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By DAVID ZALUBOWSKI

The Trump administration on Monday released new fuel economy standards that relax regulatory requirements for automakers to control pollution from gasoline-powered cars and light trucks. The rule also translates to an extra 90 tons a year of deadly soot particles and 4,870 additional tons a year of smog components such as nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds emitted into the air in coming years, experts say. Transportation already accounts for much of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions that warm the planet; 28% as of the last estimate in 2022. It “ignores the feasibility of clean technology and the millions of fuel-efficient cars already on the road,” Dan Becker, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Safe Climate Transport Campaign, said of the rule. Since taking office, Trump has also pulled back auto tailpipe emissions rules, repealed fines for automakers that do not meet federal mileage standards and terminated consumer credits of up to $7,500 for EV purchases. The president has repeatedly pledged to end what he falsely calls an EV “mandate,” referring incorrectly to former President Joe Biden’s target that half of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030. No federal policy has mandated auto companies to sell EVs. According to data from Cox Automotive, EVs accounted for 5.7% of total new-vehicle sales in August, down from 7.4% for all of 2025. Katherine García, director of the Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign, vowed the environmental group would fight the rule. “Less fuel-efficient cars mean more gas burned, spending more at the pump, and dirtier air in our communities,” Garcia wrote in a statement. Automakers and industry groups have said the new rules will increase Americans’ ac-

cess to the full range of gasoline vehicles they need and can afford. “NHTSA made the right call to better align fuel economy standards with the law and current market conditions,” John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents the domestic auto industry, said in a statement. He said the previous standards “effectively required a switchover to electric vehicles that was out of step with market realities and customer demand. Today’s ﬁnal rule is an appropriate course correction.” “What the industry needs is long-term regulatory stability that includes balanced, durable and achievable fuel economy standards that continue to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy,” Bozzella added. “This is the formula for preserving consumer vehicle choice and keeping the U.S. auto industry globally competitive.” A spokesperson for Ford Motor Company, maker of the top-selling pickup truck, the F-150, said: “We appreciate Secretary Duffy and the Administration’s work to align regulations with market realities. As we evaluate the ﬁnal rule’s full impact on our business, we’ll continue working with the Administration to build a strong American auto industry.” A General Motors spokesperson said in a statement the company supports the goals of the rule “and its intention to better align fuel economy standards with market realities.” Stellantis also welcomed the changes. “These standards will allow us to offer our customers the freedom to choose from a range of vehicles and powertrains that meet their needs, from brands they love and trust,” a Stellantis spokesperson said in a statement.

Nvidia unveils artificial intelligence security platform BY KELVIN CHAN and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP business writers

Nvidia on Monday unveiled a new security platform that the chipmaker said can stop artiﬁcial intelligence agents from going rogue. The company said that its Open Agent Safety Platform includes open source software that “sets boundaries for agents,” and follows a series of revelations from top AI companies about their models escaping and breaking into other organizations. The disclosures sparked furious debate about the safety of

advanced artificial intelligence systems, including self-improving models that some fear could race out of human control. Nvidia executives said in a media brieﬁng that the new system could have prevented a recent incident involving a swarm of OpenAI agents that autonomously hacked into AI company Hugging Face. “From what we know, this new security platform could have stopped the breach if it was being used in frontier labs for model evaluation early on,” said the company’s vice president of enterprise AI, Justin Boitano, referring to companies at the forefront of AI. The Hugging Face incident was

a high-proﬁle breach that inﬂamed the safety concerns about AI, which were followed by similar rogue actions involving OpenAI’s models including breaching an Australian health department website. Anthropic and Meta have also disclosed that their AI systems hacked into other organizations on their own. Nvidia’s software, called OpenShell, lets developers “formally verify an agent has enough authority to do its job and no more,” Boitano said. Because it’s open source, it can be “extended” to run on rival computing platforms including those from Arm and Intel.

The platform also includes a separate security layer called Sentry that runs onboard a chip to continuously monitor AI agent activity and can “intervene instantly” if the agent starts trying to move beyond its target, the company said. “It can quarantine a suspicious agent in milliseconds,” Boitano said. “OpenShell governs the agent’s actions, and then Sentry independently monitors and contains suspicious behavior,” Boitano said. Nvidia said more than 100 organizations are using the platform at its launch, including Microsoft, Perplexity, Accenture and JPMorgan Chase.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ 7A

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Former ‘American Idol’ singer on trial in wife’s killing Caleb Flynn says burglar did it

BY MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press

A former Ohio music pastor who once appeared on “American Idol” is on trial on charges that he killed his wife while having an affair more than a decade after gushing to TV viewers about how she encouraged him to chase his dreams on the singing competition. Caleb Flynn, 40, has pleaded not guilty to murder, assault and tampering with evidence charges in the February shooting of Ashley Flynn, 37, a schoolteacher and volleyball coach, at their Tipp City home, north of Dayton. Flynn and their two daughters were home when police arrived. Flynn’s trial, which heads to closing arguments on Tuesday, has featured testimony from a woman who said she and Flynn had been having an affair at the time of his wife’s killing. Jurors also heard AI-generated love songs that prosecutors say he made for his paramour and some of the more than 100,000 text messages that authorities say they exchanged.

Prosecutors say Flynn staged a home invasion to mislead investigators and claimed in a frantic 911 call that a burglar had shot his wife. Flynn’s alleged paramour, 24-year-old Alleigha Botner, testiﬁed that he had remarked that he hated his wife and harbored thoughts of killing her. Botner’s bombshell affair testimony has been the highlight so far. On the witness stand for two days, Botner described how she met Flynn in 2022 while she was a 20-year-old intern at his church and carried on an affair with him that spanned more than a year. She detailed the secret life she says they shared, including candid conversations in which he mused about leaving his wife and wanting her dead. “He told me that he hates her,” Botner testified. “He told me the only reason that he’s still with her is because of the girls.” Botner sobbed as she read some of her text messages with Flynn, saying she regretted telling him: “I want to kill her, Caleb.” Rather than dissuade her from that dark thought, Flynn replied: “That makes two of us.” In August 2025, about six

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

Caleb Flynn listens Monday to court proceedings inside the Miami County Court of Common Pleas in Troy, Ohio. Flynn, a former ‘American Idol’ singer, is accused of killing his wife. months before the killing, Flynn texted Botner: “I was up until 4 a.m. last night crying, literally trying to think of ways to kill her and not go to jail.” In another text message read in court, Botner said she wasn’t serious, telling Flynn: “I’m not asking that you take her life obviously, because that’s not what you should do, and I know you actually wouldn’t. But to make the divorce happen, it would change everything.” When a prosecutor asked how she felt about Flynn

now, Botner said: “I hate him.” Asked why, she said: “Because I believe that he murdered his wife.” Prosecutors played some of Flynn’s AI-generated love songs, which included lyrics such as: “Age never mattered, when it was you and me,” and “we danced on the edge of a life we could choose, so close to forever, so much left to lose.” They also played audio of Flynn’s 911 call, in which he said someone had broken into his home and killed his wife. He told a dispatcher

that she was shot multiple times in the head and didn’t know whether the intruder was still there. When police arrived, the garage door, a side door and the center console of Flynn’s pickup truck were all open. Flynn told officers he kept a gun in the console, but no weapon was found there, according to a police report. Police say they never found the gun used in the killing. Jurors also saw videos of Flynn’s police interviews. Crying and wearing a sweatshirt that said, “God-Sized

Vision,” he said he was sleeping on the couch when he was awoken by a pair of gunshots. Flynn told investigators that a man had come to the door a day before the killing and handed his wife an American ﬂag while making a “weird sales pitch for America.” In another police interview, Flynn told investigators: “We are a normal married couple who love each other and disagree. I’ve never laid hands on her.” Flynn didn’t testify on his own behalf. Nor did anybody else. After eight days of testimony from 40 prosecution witnesses, including detectives and forensics experts, Flynn’s lawyers decided not to call any witnesses. The prosecution and defense both rested their cases on Monday. That leaves Tuesday for closing arguments, followed by the start of jury deliberations. In an opening statement, defense lawyer Emily Smith acknowledged Flynn’s affair. But, she told jurors: “Caleb is not on trial for being a bad husband. He’s not on trial for cheating. You’re not here to deliberate on whether or not you like Caleb.” Prosecutors opted not to call Flynn’s daughters, ages 10 and 12, as witnesses.

Utah judge orders man who spent decades on death row released DNA tests show no match to him

BY MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press

A 71-year-old man who was convicted of killing a police chief’s aunt and spent decades on death row is being released Monday after prosecutors said newly analyzed DNA evidence doesn’t link him to the crime. A Utah judge ordered Douglas Stewart Carter let out on bail late Monday over objections from the victim’s family. Carter will be required to wear a GPS monitor while he awaits a new trial in the 1985 killing of Eva Olesen. The state Supreme Court ordered a new trial last year, citing misconduct by investigators. Carter has maintained his innocence and says a signed confession was coerced. No physical evidence linked him to the crime scene, but the jury convicted Carter, a Black man, based on the confession and the testimony of two witnesses who said he bragged about killing Olesen, who was White. Those witnesses later recanted. A DNA analysis received Sept. 22 excluded Carter as a possible match to blood found on a doorknob and genetic material recovered from the handle of a knife used to stab Olesen, who was also shot. Judge Derek Pullan said those results further undermined the case against Carter, but a reasonable jury still could conclude that he killed

again sentenced to death after a 1992 retrial, and courts in Utah rejected numerous appeals from Carter in subsequent years. A turning point came in 2011, when the two witnesses from Carter’s original trial were tracked down in Mexico. They said they had been told to lie in court and had received cash and gifts from police, who told them not to disclose the payments. They also said police and prosSALT LAKE TRIBUNE PHOTO By RICK EGAN ecutors threatened them and their son with deportation if Former death row inmate Douglas Stewart Carter appears they did not implicate Carter.

Monday in 4th District Court in Provo, Utah.

Olesen. Pullan also ordered Carter to avoid contact with Olesen’s family. Defense attorney Neal Hamilton said Carter was expected to be ﬁtted with the GPS monitor and released Monday night. “If the state of Utah had their way he would have been executed 15, 20 years ago before we discovered the misconduct,” Hamilton said after learning of the judge’s order. He urged prosecutors to seek dismissal of an aggravated murder charge still pending against Carter. Carter will be placed in an extended stay hotel near the family of his son, who was adopted by another family as an infant and didn’t learn about the conviction until years later, Hamilton said. Carter also will need therapy to deal with his extended incarceration, the attorney said. Pullan had scheduled a two-month retrial for 2027, but last week Utah County prosecutors withdrew a notice that they intended to

More than a decade of legal wrangling followed before the Utah Supreme Court last year ordered a new trial, citing “multiple instances of intentional misconduct” by police and a prosecutor. A DNA analysis of the evidence was conducted in response to that order, and prosecutors said the results arrived last week. They declined Monday to say whether they’re using the DNA evidence to search for other suspects with matching DNA. Carter has been in the Utah County jail while

awaiting trial. Carter’s defense attorneys have said witnesses saw a White man fleeing the crime scene and an investigator suppressed evidence pointing to other suspects, including the victim’s husband, Orla Olesen. They allege that prosecutors were close to filing charges against the husband, but a Provo police lieutenant asked them not to so he could continue investigating. Carter was identified as a suspect soon after, according to court documents.

seek the death penalty. Utah County prosecutor Erwin Petilos told the judge Monday that reassessing Carter’s bail was “necessary and fair” as the state continues to look at the remaining evidence in the case. Carter, a Chicago native, had been living with his mother in Utah at the time of Olesen’s killing on Feb. 27, 1985. Court documents indicate the investigation eventually focused on Carter, who was suspected of killing Olesen during a robbery. By that April, Carter had fled Utah believing he was a suspect in an unrelated assault case, according to court documents. He was apprehended that June in Nashville, Tennessee, where he signed a confession while under interrogation by a Provo detective. Carter said later that he falsely confessed after police repeatedly threatened him. He was convicted and sentenced to death after a trial in which the defense called no witnesses. He was

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‘Double grief’ haunts reporter’s family drug and steal from tourists, one another and consecutive to any impact testimony during the hearSlidell woman sentenced in drugging death get, like Manzano, who were visiting other sentence Colbert is already ing.

BY MICHELLE HUNTER

hearing in Jefferson Parish on Monday morning. Staff writer Colbert, 45, was found guilty Danette Colbert, the Slidell wom- earlier this month of negligent hoan convicted of fatally drugging a micide in the death of 27-year-old Kansas City sports reporter who father of one Adan Manzano. traveled to New Orleans to cover She was also convicted of rackthe Super Bowl, was sentenced to eteering alongside her co-defen60 years in prison for her role in dant, Rickey White, 35, for orcheshis death following an emotional trating a yearslong scheme to tar-

the French Quarter. White was acquitted in Manzano’s death. Judge Nancy Miller, of the 24th Judicial District Court, sentenced Colbert to 10 years in prison for negligent homicide and 50 years in prison for racketeering. Citing Colbert’s criminal history, which includes a pattern of similar crimes, Miller ordered those sentences be served consecutively to

serving. “I think the cousin of the victim in this case put it so appropriately, that you were indifferent to the impact that your actions had,” Miller said. Miller sentenced White to 45 years in prison on the racketeering charge. Manzano’s relatives, including his mother and father, gave victim

“I am living a double grief,” his mother, Veila Aguilar, told the court via Zoom, noting that Manzano’s wife died in a car crash just nine months before he was killed, leaving their now-3-year-old daughter an orphan. “The little one was left without a father and without a mother. Obviously, nothing

ä See GRIEF, page 2B

Jan Risher

Basketball stars reuniting 60 years later My mother was a bona ﬁde basketball star. She’s told me so my entire life. She played for Sebastopol, a tiny school in central Mississippi. They played a style of basketball called 6-on-6: Three forwards stayed on one end of the court playing against three guards; neither guards nor forwards ever crossed midcourt. My mom graduated from high school in 1961. In the past four years, I’ve heard even more about my mother’s basketball prowess, thanks to Nell Sharkey, a reader who emailed me in 2022 because she grew up in Lake, Mississippi, 9 miles from my hometown. Sharkey moved to Baton Rouge more than 60 years ago. She’s one year older than my mom. In her email, she mentioned a relative who was a friend of my dad’s. My dad called him “Big Tommy.” I felt like I knew her well because many of the same places and people built us both.

Casting determination

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Ever hear the expression ‘two poles are better than one?’ Maybe not, but Colin Dorsey, 13, doubles his ﬁshing odds with two poles in the water at Big Lake in City Park.

STAFF PHOTO By JAN RISHER

Nelda Risher, left, and Nell Sharkey enjoy an LSU women’s basketball game at the PMAC in 2025.

Sharkey also was quite the basketball star. When my mom visited, I arranged a get-together. At lunch at Parrain’s in Baton Rouge, the two ﬁgured out that in 1960, when Sharkey was a senior and my mother was a junior, Sharkey guarded my mother — in what turned out to be my mother’s highest-scoring game ever. I asked Mom if she remembered how many points she scored that night. “I know exactly — 28,” she said. Jean Harrison Sharp, the team manager and my mother’s best friend since they were infants, kept up with the scores. Usually my mother scored 18 or 20. “In your story, be sure to say this was with no three-pointers,” she said. “Let’s get that straight right now.” Consider it straight, Mom. And know that in reality, my mother is a humble and gentle soul — talking about basketball brings something else out in her entirely. By the time I was playing basketball, high school girls played 5-on5. I wondered when that changed. Kim Mulkey, LSU’s women’s basketball coach, said she wasn’t sure. She said she never saw 6-on-6 played until she went to Oklahoma on a recruiting trip. She also said that Pat Summitt didn’t recruit in Tennessee for years because they

ä See RISHER, page 2B

List of politicians staying at state-owned Pontalba apartment is raising questions BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser’s Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism repeatedly let politicians from Louisiana and other states use a state-owned apartment in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter for short stays, a guest log for the apartment shows. The list raises further questions about whether Nungesser’s office consistently follows state law when it uses the so-called Irby Apartment, which is in the Lower Pontalba Building on Jackson Square. The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office has long held that stays there are supposed to directly benefit Louisiana State Museums, which fall under Nungesser’s purview, while Nungesser’s office has said the apartment can be used for more general purposes. When submitting materials for its most recent audit, which was released Sept. 2, Nungesser’s office redacted the names of guests who stayed at the apartment. The Advocate | The Times-Picayune obtained an unredacted copy of the log from a person

Proposed rules could shutter schools for low scores BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

and former legislators, several out-of-state politicians, state employees and many visitors who do not appear to hold public ofﬁce. Some visits only lasted the day, while others lasted multiple nights, according to the log. The guest log gives a purpose for about one-third of the stays, showing some apartment visitors were in town for museum-related events and fundraisers. Other former guests said their

The Leah Chase School, New Orleans’ only traditional public school, would be held to the same strict academic standards as the city’s charter schools under new accountability guidelines proposed by the school district. Like the city’s charter schools, district-run public schools that fail to meet the standards could be shut down, according to the proposed guidelines, which NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Fateama Fulmore presented to the Orleans Parish School Board last week. Schools that don’t quite meet the mark could be put under the control of a different charter management organization. The School Board will vote on whether to adopt the guidelines at an upcoming meeting.

ä See PONTALBA, page 2B

ä See SCHOOLS, page 3B

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

The state-owned Lower Pontalba Building flanks the downriver side of Jackson Square in the French Quarter. involved in overseeing Louisiana State Museums. The document says dozens of people used the apartment over the course of more than 60 visits that date from March 2024 to March 2026, including U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, Lafayette Parish Mayor-President Monique Boulet and Lee Mallett, chair of the LSU Board of Supervisors. All three of those officials said they reserved the apartment for business purposes. The log also names current

2B ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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City says records supplied to AG’s lawyers

N.O. leaders respond to official request regarding indictment case BY JOHN SIMERMAN

Staff writer

New Orleans city officials responded late Monday to a request for public records from lawyers for recently indicted Attorney General Liz Murrill, a spokesperson said in a statement. Attorneys for Murrill demanded the records shortly after her July 2 indictment on 16 felony counts of public intimidation and malfeasance in office. They sought messages among City Council members, Mayor Helena Moreno and the special prosecutor who led the grand jury that charged her,

among other records. The special prosecutor, former Orleans Parish criminal court Judge Laurie White, dropped the case three weeks after the indictment under pressure from the mayor, five council members and District Attorney Jason Williams — Murrill’s purported victims of threats to their jobs over their position on filling a newly merged court clerk seat. The Republican attorney general has said she may file a malicious prosecution lawsuit over the brief charges and that she aims, along with Gov. Jeff Landry, to get to the bottom of any outside influences

on the grand jury. Meanwhile, Collin Sims, the district attorney for St. Tammany and Washington parishes, has been tapped as a special prosecutor over a Louisiana State Police investigation into the matter. Murrill’s attorneys filed initial records requests of Williams and White, seeking communication and any draft bills of indictment. Their limited responses drew civil lawsuits from Murrill’s side. Subpoenas have gone out as well for ﬁve council members to deliver records and testify at a hearing that has been scheduled for Thursday in the public records case against White. Though the date has not changed yet in court records, it’s uncertain if the hearing will take place. “Today, the City of New Orleans fulﬁlled a public records request

Jefferson justice of the PONTALBA peace recommended for 6-month suspension

Continued from page 1B

Commission says Instagram account violated ethics rules BY JOHN SIMERMAN

Staff writer

A former Jefferson Parish Council member who serves as a justice of the peace on the West Bank should be suspended for refusing to stop using his judicial post to tout his work as a lawyer and sports agent on social media, Spears the Louisiana Judiciary Commission says. The commission on Sept. 17 recommended a six-month suspension for Mark Spears Jr., with all but 30 days deferred. It also recommended a year of monitoring. It found that Spears, who ﬁrst won the unexpired seat in 2019, used the Instagram handle “judge. markspears” in unethical ways. Spears, 46, admitted he violated judicial ethics rules. He lent “the prestige of his judicial office to advance his private interest,” engaged in willful misconduct and “public and persistent conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice that brings the judicial ofﬁce into disrepute.” The question for the 14-member commission, made up mostly of judges and lawyers, was whether

RISHER

Continued from page 1B played 6-on-6. So I called coach Haywood Reeves, the high school coach in Forest when I was growing up. He never coached me or taught me, but he always made sure I knew he believed in me, which made a difference through the years. Reeves reminded me about Rover, a 4-on-4 game that came between 6-on-6 and 5-on-5, with one player allowed to run the length of the court. “That was a game that nobody liked,” Reeves said. As best he remembers, 1974 was the first season girls played 5-on-5. Tesa Townsend Duckworth confirmed Reeves’ timeline. Her senior season at Florence, 197374, was the last one for Rover. She played 5-on-5 for the first time at Mississippi College. Title IX became law in 1972, but her senior year at Mississippi College, 1977-78, was the first year they gave athletic scholarships to women. She went on to play two professional seasons, for the Chicago Hustle and the New Orleans Pride. She made $8,000 a season. She played anyway. Duckworth became my coach when my family moved to Magee, Mississippi, the summer before my junior year. Magee did not have a tradition of supporting girls’ sports. Most nights, my parents were just about the only people in the stands. The only other students there were on the boys’ team. One night, a new boy came to watch. Nobody had told him that nobody went to the girls’ games. I still remember seeing him

to recommend discipline. The decision noted an earlier instruction by the commission for Spears to either remove “judge” from his user name or shut down the account. In May, Spears told the commission that he responded to its earlier warning, including deleting photos of him as a judge. “And I attempted to change the name many times, and it would not work,” he added. Spears eventually deleted the account, but the commission noted that he reactivated it last December. Spears said he was reluctant to lose the few thousand followers he’d gained as a Parish Council member. “I was trying to keep the blue check at the time,” he said, referring to a veriﬁed account. “That’s why I was attempting to save that account, plus I had the followers on there also.” The commission found his reasons lacking. “Justice of the Peace Spears’ misconduct was not an isolated instance, but rather a repeated, yearslong pattern of noncompliance,” the decision says. Spears declined to comment Monday. He previously received a private admonishment from the commission over a bogus default judgment, records show. The commission also recommended that Spears pay $1,559 in costs. It’s uncertain when the Louisiana Supreme Court will consider the case.

walk across the end of the court and thinking, “Oh, he doesn’t know.” We played anyway. Today, women players have opportunities Duckworth never saw. “I’m happy for them, but I wish they would appreciate where it’s come from and how quickly it has come,” she said. “Why would you even think that a girl couldn’t play 5-on-5?” Girls in Mississippi started playing full court 13 years after my mom graduated. “Thirteen years,” she said. “Well, good grief.” Twenty years after Sharkey guarded her, my mother sat in mostly empty bleachers and watched me run the length of the ﬂoor. At 83, she’s sure she couldn’t have done it herself. I reminded her that she ran out to midcourt and back. She reminded me that while the play was on the other end, she had “some standing time.” “But we were on the alert every second,” she said. “Carolyn May could easily throw it from one end of the court to the other. I have stood there and nearly got knocked down by her throwing it.” I told her I still think she could have played full court. “Well, maybe so,” she said. “I just never had to, did I?” Had to or got to? My mom didn’t have the chance to play ball in college. Nobody ever paid her a dime. But basketball did give her something to brag about for 65 years. And six decades after that game against Lake, it gave her something more — a new friend named Nell Sharkey. Email Jan Risher at jan.risher@ theadvocate.com.

reasons for using the apartment ranged from attending meetings about the LSU system and hosting professional development sessions to attending prison programming conferences and meetings with law enforcement. Rebecca Mackie, director of Louisiana State Museums, issued a statement saying the apartment visits support the work of the state’s tourism department “particularly when cultural exchanges or events bring visitors to New Orleans and Louisiana, or during other activities and meetings.” “Elected officials, local, state, and federal government representatives — to include Louisiana congressional staff residing in the Washington, DC, area — and guests stay at the apartment when participating in those events to represent the Lieutenant Governor at his request or in his absence,” she added. Some of the visits predated Mackie’s tenure as museum director.

State officials on the calendar State Rep. Dustin Miller, DOpelousas, and state Rep. Larry Bagley, R-Stonewall, are on the guest log, though Bagley said he did not actually stay at the apartment during the April 2024 dates in question. He was diagnosed with cancer that month, he said, adding that he did stay at the Pontalba once long before that, while touring a state museum. Miller did not respond to requests for comment. The guest log says both legislators stayed there to “build awareness with the Legislature.” The log indicates Nungesser himself used the Irby Apartment four times in 2025. During three of those visits, Nungesser attended museum-related events, including exhibit openings, a hospitality event at The Cabildo Museum and a meeting with the Louisiana Museum Foundation, a spokesperson said. The lieutenant governor did not actually stay at the apartment the fourth time due to a change in plans, according to the spokesperson. In Louisiana, the lieutenant gov-

GRIEF

Continued from page 1B can bring back her parents.”

Targeting tourists A third co-defendant, Christian Anderson, 35, faced the same counts but was sentenced to six years in prison after he agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charges of simple robbery and access device fraud in exchange for his testimony. During the four-day trial that began Sept. 14, Anderson testified that White acted as the pimp of the criminal enterprise, doling out instructions and sedatives they called “knockout” or “K.O.” to a team of women, including Colbert, who prowled the French Quarter to target wealthy tourists. The goal, Anderson said, was to get them impaired enough to steal cash, jewelry, cellphones, credit cards or financial information, including ATM PIN codes, according to Anderson. Manzano, a sideline reporter for KGKC-TV, the Kansas City affiliate for Telemundo, came to New Orleans with a team of co-workers. Surveillance video from the French Quarter presented during trial showed Colbert partying with Manzano and leaving with him during the early morning hours of Feb. 5, 2025, according to the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s

that sought a host of information concerning the prosecution of AG Murrill, the grand jury that led to her indictment and the letter City Officials authored requesting dismissal of the Indictment,” said city spokesperson Jonah Gilmore in the statement. “The City timely produced all responsive public records that are not exempt from production by legal privileges.” The statement took issue with the purported tactics of Laura Cannizzaro Rodrigue, an attorney for Murrill, and her law partner, Blake Arcuri. The statement from Gilmore said that as their “flimsy and false allegations against city officials are unsubstantiated, questions have surfaced regarding Arcuri and his co-counsel’s public statements regarding their knowledge of grand jury proceedings, the identities of

jurors, and procedures otherwise shielded by longstanding legal protections. “To be clear, any attempt to pierce the veil of secrecy legally protecting grand juries and their participants threatens the integrity of our entire justice system.” Rodrigue has said that Williams has cooperated with the records demand to his office since the lawsuit was ﬁled. She issued a response late Monday to the city’s statement. “Any information we obtained was located in public records or turned over pursuant to a public records request,” it stated. “The city made a partial response to the public records request today. Based on several text messages we received today, it is clear that other records exist which have not yet been produced.”

ernor, whose job is to promote tourism, is elected separately from the governor. Nungesser is currently in Japan for an event meant to bring more Japanese tourists to Louisiana.

lice Department, according to the spokesperson. Ben Gilmore, a former state senator from Arkansas, said he stayed at the Pontalba while attending a National Conference of State Legislatures event on prison programming, and to visit the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in St. Gabriel. His stay lasted for three nights in May 2024, the guest log shows. Other out-of-state officials named on the log include Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II and Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, along with former Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and former Delaware Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long. In a statement, Griffin’s office said he stayed at the apartment for a three-day event at the Jackson Barracks Military Museum. Gilchrist, Crouch and Hall-Long could not be reached for comment. The log says the visits from Gilchrist and Crouch were aimed to “build awareness” with their states. The Irby Apartment has drawn controversy for nearly a decade. In 2017, after Nungesser’s handling of Louisiana State Museums was criticized by the outgoing museums director, Nungesser said he had stayed in the apartment two or three times. And in reports dating back to 2020, the state auditor has told the agency to stop using the Irby Apartment “for its own purposes” unrelated to the state museum system. It has also accused Nungesser’s office of allowing guest stays in the Pontalba that may not comply with state law. Nungesser’s office has pushed back, arguing that any stays that benefit Nungesser’s Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism also benefit Louisiana State Museums. The latest audit found the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism did not provide enough documentation to show whether stays at the Irby Apartment “provided a tangible, direct benefit to the LSM and did not violate the Louisiana Constitution.” Article 7 Section 14 of the constitution prohibits the donation of funds, property or “things of value” owned by the state.

Guests defend apartment use Some high-ranking officials who used the Irby Apartment defended Nungesser’s office and said their stays were at least partly related to tourism or state museums. A spokesperson for Carter, the New Orleans-based congressman, said in a statement that Carter’s office used the apartment for professional development sessions lasting a few hours, and that no one stayed overnight. “Staff had an opportunity to engage with the Louisiana State Museum and its role in preserving and promoting Louisiana’s culture and history,” the statement said. Mallett, the LSU board chair, said he stayed at the Pontalba while in New Orleans on LSU business. He applauded Nungesser for supporting LSU, contending that the university system is a key part of tourism in the state. “Everything that we do at LSU, it affects and touches tourism,” he said. “We are part of the culture.” During one of the visits, Mallett said he attended meetings about the University of New Orleans, which recently rejoined the LSU system after a budget crisis. Losing UNO would have hurt tourism in Louisiana, Mallett said. Mallett’s time in New Orleans also pertained to his responsibilities to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, he said. He chairs that organization’s commercial board.

Other stays

Other politicians on the guest calendar described visits that were for events relevant to their roles as elected ofﬁcials but that did not appear directly related to tourism in Louisiana. Boulet, the mayor-president of Lafayette Parish, used the apartment twice. A spokesperson for Boulet said her ﬁrst visit was to attend Louisiana Innovation Day, an event centered around economic development. Boulet’s second visit, which the log says lasted only for the day, Email Meghan Friedmann was to attend a conference and at meghan.friedmann@ meet with the New Orleans Po- theadvocate.com.

Ofﬁce. Colbert drove Manzano back to his room at the Comfort Suites in Kenner, and is the last person seen exiting the room, according to Kenner police. He was discovered dead in his bed later that afternoon. An autopsy determined that Manzano died of asphyxiation while lying face down on a pillow due to the combined toxic effects of alcohol and alprazolam, the generic name for the anti-anxiety medication Xanax. Colbert denied giving Manzano any drugs. But when investigators searched her Slidell home, they found a bottle of alprazolam as well as Manzano’s cellphone, credit card and a key from his hotel, authorities said. During sentencing, Miller recalled cellphone video that prosecutors said Colbert recorded after she left Manzano’s hotel room in which Colbert bragged about paying her bills through her illicit acts. “The truth of the matter is you never paid the bill. The victims paid your bills, and one victim paid with his life,” Miller said.

American dream During her statement, Aquilar told court Colbert and White should not go free for society’s sake. “I don’t want other mothers, fathers, siblings or families to go through the pain that we are going

through,” she said. Two of Manzano’s cousins were present in court Monday and took the witness stand to give their victim impact testimony. Norman and Carlos Castillo both said Manzano was more like a brother to them. Norman Castillo recalled the night in April 2024 when Manzano’s wife, Ashleigh Manzano-Aguilar, 24, died in a Topeka, Kansas, crash that also severely injured the couple’s daughter, Eleanor. “I was beside my cousin as he tried to reach his injured daughter while losing his wife,” Norman Castillo said. “I never in my life thought I would lose him, too.” Manzano loved playing soccer, he loved covering American football and truly excelled at his job as a sportscaster. He was a generous spirit, Carlos Castillo said, and his family was so proud every time they saw him on television. “He left Mexico to pursue the American dream, and he died while living it,” Norman Castillo said. Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate.com.

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LSU Theatre mourns George Judy, ‘unparalleled’ professor, mentor, friend BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Tributes to George Judy by LSU School of Theatre students and graduates flooded social media throughout the weekend upon news of his death. Judy, 74, a professor of theater at the university, died Thursday night. From 2009 until his death, he worked in the theater department, where he also headed the LSU School of Theatre Master of Fine Art Acting Program and previously served as artistic director of Swine Palace. “George Judy was my mentor and my friend,” Jenny Ballard, assistant professor of theatre at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, said Monday. “He was part of my family. People are posting about him in droves in this morning. They’re from all walks of life, and they’re expressing their love for him.” Judy was Ballard’s primary professor from 2010 to 2013, when she was a graduate student in the LSU School of Theatre’s master of ﬁne arts program. After graduation, she would become the managing artistic director of the former Theatre Baton Rouge, where she invited Judy to direct productions. “It was a shock,” she said of his death. “He had not been ill.” A cause of death has not been released.

Festival, featuring 100-minute versions of Shakespeare’s plays in repertory, including “The Taming of the Shrew,” “The Merchant of Venice,” “Twelfth Night,” “Romeo and Juliet” and “As You Like It.” But it was his attention and generosity that his students and former students most remember. “I just learned a massive amount from him,” Ballard said. “I learned how to be a better actor, a better director. George was incredibly alive, and he was incredibly human. He had an ability to see to the core of somebody, reach in and pull out the best of them, and he knew how to do it on a very individual basis. And he just did that with me and so many others repeatedly. He was family to me, and I really, really loved George.”

His favorite projects

A tremendous loss

On his website, gejudy. com, Judy’s list of favorite LSU and Swine Palace theater direction projects include his adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House,” “August: Osage County,” a new stage version of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” and the Louisiana premiere of Adrian Hall’s adaptation of Robert Penn Warren’s “All the King’s Men.” He also appeared in the lead role in Swine Palace’s production of “King Lear.” Judy also had a lifelong passion for Shakespeare, which led to his creation of the Swine Palace Summer

Kristin Sosnowsky, associate dean for the LSU College of Music and Dramatic Arts, added that Judy’s death is a “tremendous loss not only for the School of Theatre but for the community and ﬁeld at-large.” “He was truly a multifaceted theater artist as an actor, director and playwright,” she said. “In fact, his last project at LSU was a reading of his new work, ‘Clytemnestra Blue,’ that received an enthusiastic response.” But, Sosnowsky contin- Email Robin Miller at ued, Judy’s biggest impact romiller@theadvocate. was on the many students com.

SCHOOLS

Continued from page 1B While the guidelines would apply to any school operated by the district, the Leah Chase School is currently the only districtrun school in New Orleans’ system of mostly charter schools. The School Board considered closing Leah Chase, which serves kindergarten through seventh grade, last year because of low enrollment and poor academic performance. In addition to setting academic, financial and operational standards, the guidelines also make clear that district-run schools can be shut down if there’s not enough demand. Over the last year, district ofﬁcials and Orleans Parish School Board members have said several schools will need to close because of declining citywide enrollment. The standards aim to bring expectations for the city’s traditional public schools in line with those for the school system’s 60 charter schools, which are publicly funded but independently operated. But while charter schools tend to face strict accountability in exchange for ﬂexibility from some state requirements, it’s less common for traditional public schools to be closed for poor academic performance. Fulmore suggested that, by instituting the standards, the district could preempt the state from stepping in if a district-run school starts to struggle. “It allows us to take action prior to the state having to do anything or anyone else having to take any action,” Fulmore told the board. “We will be monitoring our own health of our schools to make informed decisions.”

The guidelines Under the guidelines,

New Orleans Area Deaths Brown, Verna Cambias, Seymour Clayton, Edward Foster, Michael Pettit Jr., Robert

will begin at 8:00 a.m. Interment: Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery. Arrangements by Duplain W. Rhodes Funeral Home, New Orleans, Louisiana. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.com to sign the online guestbook.

New Orleans DW Rhodes

Foster, Michael

Clayton, Edward FILE PHOTO By MARK SALTZ

Director George Judy watches a scene rehearsal at LSU’s Reilly Theatre. Judy, 74, a professor of theater at the university, died Thursday.

district-run schools — like the city’s charter schools — would be evaluated every three to ﬁve years to ensure they are in good financial shape, meeting academic standards and enrolling enough students. Schools that earn at least a C rating from the state Department of Education based largely on standardized test scores would be allowed to keep operating until their next review. Schools that earn a D rating will face a more in-depth review, including how their performance compares to schools with similar student demographics, such as socioeconomic status. Schools that earn an F rating will be closed. The same consequences apply to charter schools under a revised framework the Orleans Parish School Board approved earlier this year. District-run schools will be evaluated more frequently than charter schools, which can be granted terms of up to ten years. Fulmore said the more regular reviews are necessary because the state Department of Education can, “at any time,” intervene in traditional public schools that are performing poorly. Citing law that allows the state to take over failing schools most widely used in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, Fulmore told the board it wasn’t clear what would trigger the state to step in. “Our goal is to do our own monitoring,” Fulmore said, “and not let it get to a point where someone else has to come in and intervene and make decisions about the direction of the school.” Jamie Carroll, executive director of the Education Research Alliance at Tulane University, said charter schools are typically added to districts’ existing accountability systems. In New Orleans, it’s happening

that he trained at both LSU and in his previous job at Florida State University. “George was unparalleled as a teacher and mentor,” she said. “Students often mentioned his deep knowledge and understanding of theater and his ability to bring the best out of them. As students graduated and went on to their careers, many continued to look to George for counsel and advice, and he was always exceptionally generous with his time and expertise.” Sosnowsky added that Judy will be remembered. “In his almost 20 years at the school, he will be fondly remembered for his dedication to the art of theater, his enduring commitment to his students and his infectious laugh, which could often be heard in the theater,” she said. Ballard echoes Sosnowksy’s comments. “It was just a gift to get to work with him,” she said. “He cared so much for his students. I can even remember on more than one occasion how he paid for students to go to the doctor; he cared that much. And I’m so grateful for the time I had, but I’m so angry for the time that we’ve all lost.” Judy is survived by his wife, Kathy, and their son, Ethan. A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

the other way around. Because NOLA Public Schools is responsible for evaluating the city’s charter schools and deciding whether to issue them contracts to continue operating, it could be seen as “playing favorites” if it didn’t hold its district-run school to the same standards, Carroll added.

Leah Chase School If the board approves the new guidelines, they will apply to any future districtrun schools. However, as the city’s student population shrinks, it’s not clear that the district will have a need for additional schools. For now, only the Leah Chase School could face repercussions under the new system. Last year, the Leah Chase School earned a D rating from the state mostly due to low test scores. The school also faced a budget deﬁcit due its low enrollment. After an outcry from community leaders and a $2 million private donation to the school, the school board voted to give the Leah Chase School another two years to get its footing. With a projected 370 students this fall, the school remains below its enrollment target. Under the new guidelines, the school could again be at risk for closure if it fails to improve its state rating or increase its enrollment. Board members Leila Eames and Carlos Zervigon called the guidelines fair. “It’s as fair as we are to our charter schools,” Eames said. Board member Nolan Marshall said the framework does not address an underlying question: Does the Orleans Parish School Board want to run more schools? “Is the district allowed to fail at educating its students?” Marshall asked. “And the answer to that is no.”

Lake Lawn Metairie Pettit Jr., Robert

West Bank Davis Mortuary Brown, Verna

Obituaries Brown, Verna Mae

Verna Mae Brown entered into eternal rest on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at the age of 75. Devoted mother of Dwayne K. Benjamin and Erik L. Brown. Loving grandmother of Dejon Harden and Sage Williams. Daughter of the late Zeke Brown, Sr. and Alberta Brown; stepdaughter of the late Rev. M. B. Meacham. Granddaughter of the late Alex and Effie Knightshead. Beloved sister of Rodney Brown, Sr., Horace Brown, Elvera B. Williams, Carolyn Brown, Ann Hamilton, and the late Zeke Brown, Jr., Charles Brown, Theodore Brown, Ed Brown, and Thomas Brown. She was preceded in death by her niece Gina Brown, who was known as "her ride or die," and her grand pup Dutch. Verna is also survived by a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the Celebration of Life at Life Center Cathedral Family Life Center, 2100 Ames Blvd., Marrero, LA on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 10:00a.m. Bishop J. Douglas Wiley, officiating. Viewing will be held from 8:30a.m.-10:00a.m. ONLY at the church. Interment: Christian Social Cemetery, Gretna, LA. Arrangements by Davis Mortuary Service, 230 Monroe St. Gretna, LA To view and sign the guestbook, please go to www.davismortuaryservic e.com.

Cambias, Seymour Richard

Seymour Richard Cambias III, age 76, of Covington, Louisiana, passed away on August 27, 2026, after a brief illness. Until his last days, he maintained his quick wit and love for a clever turn of phrase. Richard, known in his younger years as Dickie, was the son of Seymour "Chuck" Cambias and Myrl Lenfant Cambias of New Orleans, both of whom preceded him in death. Born and raised in New Orleans, Richard attended LSU and went on to work in a number of the city's food and beverage establishments, including Lenfant's, his family's restaurant. In his 40s, Richard reinvented himself and moved to Seattle, Washington, where he happily lived and worked until his retirement, when he returned to the New Orleans area. In his later years, he cared for his aging mother as a devoted son and showered his sisters, nieces, and nephews with attention and interesting conversation. He will be missed by all who knew him and remembered for his generous spirit, quick wit, and singular way with words. Interment will be held at Cypress Grove Cemetery in New Orleans on October 3, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. Friends and family are welcome to attend.

Michael Foster, born March 31, 1955, departed this life September 10, 2026. A talented chef and artist. Michael loved fishing, cooking, jazz, and making others laugh. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Foster, Sr. and Alice Hite Foster, nine brothers, and two sisters. He leaves cherished memories with his children, grandchildren, sisters, family, and friends. Memorial: Friday, October 2, 2026, 11 a.m., 4747 Earhart Blvd., New Orleans.

Pettit Jr., Robert Lee

Robert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. of New Orleans, Louisiana, passed away peacefully at his home on Wednesday September 23, 2026 at the age of 93. Bob, affectionately referred to as "BB" by his grandchildren, was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on December 12,1932 to Margaret Brandon Pettit and Robert Lee Pettit Sr. Bob grew up in Baton Rouge and spent many summers in Pinckneyville, MS with his Brandon family relatives. He attended Dufrocq Elementary and Baton Rouge High School. It was at Baton Rouge High that his talent and passion for the sport of basketball was developed. Bob frequently said that one of his proudest achievements was winning the basketball state championship for Baton Rouge High School his senior year. Bob attended LSU from 1950-1954 where he earned a degree in Business, was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and excelled as a member of the men's basketball team. Bob starred on the team earning 2x All American honors, 3x First Team All SEC, and lead the Tigers to their first ever NCAA Final Four. His #50 jersey was the first jersey in LSU history, in any sport, to be retired. His years at LSU and the friendships he made there were extremely special to him. In 1954, Bob was drafted by the NBA's Milwaukee/ St. Louis Hawks, beginning a long and accomplished career in the NBA. During his 11-year career, he received many accolades including the NBA's first ever MVP, 11x NBA All-Star, 4x All-Star game MVP and led the Hawks to the 1958 title over the Boston Celtics.

Bob retired in 1965 as the leading scorer in the history of the league. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970 and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1973. After retiring from basketball, Bob enjoyed a successful career as a banker and financial consultant. He enjoyed spending time with friends at The Stratford Club, The Boston Club, The Recess Club, and participated in several carnival organizations in New Orleans as well as being a member of New Orleans Country Club and Baton Rouge Assembly. Bob was an avid reader, art collector and played bridge to keep his mind sharp. He also enjoyed hunting at the Coastal Club and spending his summers in the mountains of Colorado and North Carolina. Despite all of his accomplishments, Bob was the last person to boast about himself or any of his achievements. He was a modest and humble man with a gentle soul. All those who knew him understood this and loved him for it. Above all, the most important things to Bob were his family and friends. He treasured the relationships he built throughout his life and the time he spent with those he loved. He will be dearly missed by all. Bob was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Carole Crowell Pettit, his father, Robert Lee Pettit Sr and his mother, Margaret Brandon Pettit. He is survived by his wife, Alma Slatten Pettit; his children, Peyton Pettit Coates (Jonathon) of Tibbie, Alabama, Robert Lee Pettit III (Conway) of Baton Rouge, Mary Pettit Mozingo (Michael) of Baton Rouge; and his 10 adoring grandchildren: Bobby Pettit, Crossland Pettit, Lucy Jane Pettit, Charlie Pettit, Leven Greene, Lydia Greene, LR Greene, Deacon Mozingo, Camille Mozingo, and Mason Mozingo. He was preceded in death by his step-son, Bill Slatten (Jane) and survived by two stepchildren, Scott Slatten (Becky) and Elizabeth Healy (Dunbar), and nine step-grandchildren. A service will be held at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Metairie, Louisiana, on Friday, October 2, 2026. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by the service at 12:00 p.m. Private burial will follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Bob's name to St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 2216 Metairie Road, Metairie, LA 70001, or to a charity of your choosing.

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Clayton, Edward Firgin

New Orleans, LA Edward Firgin Clayton, Sr. departed this life on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at the age of 76. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend a Funeral Service at Duplain W. Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Ave. New Orleans, La on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Visitation

The newspaper of record for New Orleans

4B ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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OPINION N O L A.C O M/opinions

OUR VIEWS

Insurers need to match state’s energy on fortified roofs When the state began offering grants to homeowners to add fortified roofs that would help their property become more resilient to storm damage, we thought officials had unlocked one key to lowering the skyrocketing insurance rates that were strangling communities on the coast. We gave credit to outgoing Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon for championing the program in 2023 after looking around at what other states were doing to stabilize their insurance markets. Only one problem: Three years later, demand for the grants has far outstripped supply. And even though Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple and Gov. Jeff Landry have been staunch advocates of expanding the Louisiana Fortify Homes program, it’s not been enough. This year, the program was set to provide a record 3,000 grants to homeowners after lawmakers approved a bill that sent $50 million in excess Katrina-era emergency bond money to the fortified roof initiative, which has a $30 million annual state allocation. Still, it hasn’t been enough. The demand indicates the desperation of homeowners along the coast to find some solution — any solution — to the inexorably rising cost of insurance. Now, Landry has announced his administration is proposing an additional $20 million in federal money be poured into efforts to expand grants for fortified roofs. The money would be redirected from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds that were set to go toward affordable apartment development in areas affected by Hurricanes Laura, Delta and Ida in 2020 and 2021. While affordable housing is always a vital concern, we believe this shift makes sense. It comes after a statewide assessment in June by the Louisiana Housing Corp., which evaluated future housing needs across the state. We agree the most pressing issue right now is lowering insurance costs so people can stay in their homes. And Landry said this doesn’t mean the state will stop pursuing funds to build affordable housing. Once the number of homes with fortified roofs reaches critical mass in a community, he noted, that can lower property insurance costs for all. If the feds approve the reallocation, the $20 million in funding would go toward a new effort run by state’s Office of Community Development called the Restore Resilient Opportunities for Overhead Fortification, or Restore ROOF, program. We cannot but be impressed by how state officials keep seeking ways to tackle our insurance crisis. We knew in the beginning it was going to be a long battle, but we’d like to see more movement on the insurers’ side. So far, the discounts they offer for fortified roofs have varied widely. Starting in January, however, companies will be required by the state to give an actuarially justified standard discount to homeowners with fortified roofs. Hopefully, this starts turning the tide more quickly. We in Louisiana have done our part. It’s now time for insurers to do theirs.

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

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

YOUR VIEWS

How about Lafayette for the new Space Academy? Thanks to Gov. Jeff Landry for his efforts to attract the proposed U.S. Space Force Academy to our state. Please consider offering multiple Louisiana options in our proposal. While New Orleans would be a great location for all the reasons being reported, certainly there are other places in the state that can offer different but also attractive opportunities. What exactly bends the decision

in the end may not be known. But unless we are told we can only offer one location, it seems a menu of three or four options will give Louisiana a larger chance. Acknowledging my own bias, I will point out the Lafayette area has many assets to be touted. Please give it some thought.

ANDRE COMEAUX Lafayette

More paperwork makes it harder for eligible voters While the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act did not pass the U.S. Senate, it does not mean our voting process is safe from further disruption. As proposed, this act would fundamentally change how we register to vote. The SAVE Act was presented under the guise of restricting noncitizens from voting. Federal law already prohibits “aliens” from voting in federal elections. The proposed act, however, would change required documentation for U.S. citizens registering to vote. That distinction matters, especially for the legal system-impacted women and girls we serve. It would require people to present proof of citizenship such as passports or birth certificates in person when registering. Half the people in this country don’t have passports. A REAL ID alone would not qualify; neither would military nor tribal IDs. For a woman returning home after incarceration, those requirements are anything but simple. She already faces difficult barriers to rebuilding her life. Documents may have expired or been lost, confiscated, destroyed or simply

never obtained. Depending on charges that resulted in incarceration, some people may not be eligible for a passport. Acquiring a birth certificate can be an exhausting process when a person does not know where it is, cannot afford a replacement or lacks identification needed to obtain a replacement. The issue is not whether citizenship should be verified. The issue is whether an eligible citizen should face barriers to exercising a fundamental right because she cannot readily produce a specific government document. At Operation Restoration, we believe successful reentry means restoring the ability to participate fully in community life. Civic participation is part of that process. We encourage anyone eligible to vote and exercise their right on Nov. 3. Voting is one of the ways we make our voices heard in our communities. Be heard.

SYRITA STEIB founder, president and CEO, Operation Restoration New Orleans

What does exit strategy look like in Iran war? TO SEND US A LETTER, SCAN HERE

Seven months into America’s war with Iran, it’s time to ask what the exit looks like. Tehran has now offered one: Reopen the Strait of Hormuz — the chokepoint for a ﬁfth of the world’s oil — within days, if Washington eases military pressure. That isn’t surrender. That’s a deal, and it deserves a serious answer. Here in Louisiana we feel this war at the pump and in our ports. Hundreddollar oil doesn’t just raise gas prices;

it ripples through every reﬁnery shift, every shipping contract every grocery bill in New Orleans. The administration promised strength. Strength is knowing when to bank a win. Diplomacy isn’t weakness — it’s how wars end. Our congressional delegation should say so publicly. Take the Hormuz deal, wind this war down and let Louisiana get back to work.

KEVAN SMITH New Orleans

Dissatisfied with current events? Maybe a change is in order Voting these days can be confusing because most politicians sound the same, making grand promises about their agendas and trying to paint a future world where they and their party have the solutions to all our current problems. To put things in perspective, I offer a simpler guide of how to vote this November based on the events of right now: If you are angry about gas and diesel prices that are 49% and 70% higher respectively because of an illegal war with Iran, maybe you should vote the political party that controls the White House, House and Senate out of office. If you are frustrated by a trade war against our allies that has caused rising inflation and 7% interest rates, maybe you should vote the political party that controls the White House, House and Senate out of office. If you are horrified by masked men grabbing people off the streets in America and the politicians in Washington staying silent, maybe you should vote the political party that controls the White House, House and Senate out of office. If you are appalled by attacks on press freedom, including demands that certain programs that make fun of certain presidents be canceled, maybe you should vote the political party that controls the White House, House and Senate out of office. And if none of these things bother you, and you feel America is on the right track and you like things just as they are, then you should vote to keep those people in office and in power and expect more of the same. But my guess is you feel differently. Maybe.

JOSH MAYER New Orleans

U.S. fortunate to have Trump defend us against Iran “We make war that we may live in peace ... those who cannot bravely face danger are the slaves of their attackers.” — Aristotle Iran has threatened America for decades. Finally, someone is doing something about it. We (all Americans) are fortunate to have Donald J. Trump as president of this great country.

PETER J. RAYOT Gretna

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The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ 5B

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COMMENTARY Trump, good economic news and the midterm elections Did you know that recently released Census Bureau statistics show the poverty rate in the United States fell to a record low in 2025? That’s an extraordinary development, but it has so far not attracted a lot of media coverage and discussion. What about a big White House event featuring Byron President Donald Trump York touting a welcome decline in poverty and increase in income? There hasn’t been one. “I dunno, but if I were president and the poverty rate dropped to the LOWEST RATE ON RECORD, I might make a big deal out of it — a lot bigger deal than the Trump White House is making,” commentator Mickey Kaus, who has been covering poverty and social policy for decades, remarked. One more note — the Census Bureau also announced that real median household income in 2025 was $87,460, an increase of $2,250 from the year before and “the highest on record dating back to 1967.” So Trump could brag about the highest income and the lowest poverty on record. Obviously, the good news comes amid bad news on prices. The yearover-year rate of inflation today is actually higher than it was when Trump took office in January 2005. That is largely due to energy prices. To use new figures from AAA: Last year, the average price for a gallon of diesel was $3.71. Now, it’s $6.53. Last year, a gallon of regular gas was $3.20. Now, it’s $4.47. Those are terrible numbers, especially less than two months away from midterm elections. The poverty and household income numbers could be helpful to Trump because they allow him to argue that there are good signs in the economy to go along with the bad. “The economy is growing, jobs are pretty plentiful, the poverty rate hit its lowest point in modern history, so the economy is doing in many respects quite well; there’s growth, there are

ing Trump’s standing with Hispanics: his ferocious enforcement of immigration laws. Building a border wall can make families feel safer; sending armed and masked ICE agents to patrol American streets and arrest friends and neighbors does the opposite — it threatens their security. “Hispanic Americans — Republican, Democrat and independent — are experiencing a growing sense of isolation, feeling less safe, less welcome and more like strangers in their own country,” Diana Orces, a researcher who studies Hispanic trends, wrote in The Conversation. This growing alienation was crystalized by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of South Florida, a Cuban American three-term Republican lawmaker whose latest campaign ad addresses Trump directly: “Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far. ... The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.” In an interview with CBS, she explained that Trump’s enforcement policies have failed to distinguish between “the narco and the nanny and the gangster and the gardener.” “Latinos are the enigma that neither Republicans or Democrats have been able to ﬁgure out,” Bobby Pulido, a Democratic candidate for a House seat in Texas, told CNN. Actually, the answer to that “enigma” is increasingly clear: Hispanics care about the same things that motivate all voters. They pay the same gas and grocery bills and will punish any leader who ignores their problems.

Some influencers simply want to persuade and perhaps help others better their lives or their community. Their subject could be politics, economics, music, health or fashion. But social media has become inundated with influencers who harm their devotees, some on purpose. Or make money off their trusting audience by endorsing so-so products. Influencers are people who build followers on social media Froma or other digital platforms. They Harrop use the attention to shape opinions, tastes, or get the audience to buy stuff. They post comments, videos, reviews, or endorsements, often for pay or to get freebies. Those who post outrageous, socially harmful things for clicks, for attention, deserve to be ignored. But often outraged readers only amplify the influencer’s wicked intent by reposting the rot while condemning it. They too get clicks. It’s the nature of the game. And that back-and-forth is why so many of us are so angry. An army of would-be influencers have turned Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts mother who killed her three children, into some kind of heroine. One can honestly believe she’s evil or that mental illness made her do it. But she is no hero. A battalion of counter-influencers is now going after Clancy’s apparent fan club. They too are hoping for attention and with it, clicks. One especially grievous example is a weepy woman holding her baby: She’s describing Clancy’s anguish while listing all the medical problems her own child was allegedly suffering. The baby looked bouncy, leading one to ask whether the mother was engaged in Munchausen syndrome by proxy. That is a mental disorder whereby a guardian fabricates illnesses or symptoms in a person under his or her care to draw attention and sympathy from doctors and others. When the exploited victim is young, it is considered a form of child abuse. One angry response on TikTok repeats her entire rant as he rants at it. Note that neither poster gets identified here. But this hunger for “engagement,” a nice word for attention, sometimes reaches tragic levels. In August, a pretty, young Japanese influencer killed herself on a TikTok livestream. Mina Chan had over 300,000 followers on TikTok and 150,000 on Instagram. Her posts revolved around a K-pop group, ENHYPEN. The story goes that she had handed a flower to one of the performers and was then hounded on social media for allegedly pretending to have a close relationship with the group. She apologized on the scene. Chan’s family confirmed her death on Instagram. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton reportedly livestreamed 15 minutes of self-harm, that is, cutting himself on TikTok. Videos of women sharing intimate details of their romantic problems are rampant. Some announce their impending divorce before their spouse even knows. On a very different subject, many social media addicts are getting fleeced by financial advisers on TikTok. Some of the advice could be good, but a lot of it is claptrap. The Wall Street Journal reported on a study finding “those who use social media for investment advice rated their investment knowledge higher than those who don’t, but perform worse on an objective knowledge test.” These followers were also more susceptible to investment fraud. Many such videos showcase the adviser sitting in their Mercedes or otherwise flaunting their wealth. Their audience tends to be young, much of it Gen Z. YouTube is chock-full of very useful videos offering fashion, computing or other guidance. Trouble is, many include links to buy the things they are praising. That’s OK, one supposes, if they label the content as sponsored. Look, most of us want attention, and social media offers some very clever entertainment, commentary and how-to. But it’s getting wild out there. Clicker beware.

Email Steven V. Roberts at stevecokie@gmail.com.

Froma Harrop is on X, @FromaHarrop.Email her fharrop@gmail.com.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER

A number of economic factors will likely weigh on voters’ minds as the midterm elections approach. the things you want,” Fox News’ Brit Hume said recently. “But this business with prices is just killing this administration and the president’s party.” So what now? For Trump, the point is not to argue that there are no problems with the economy, or that Americans who are deeply upset about prices are being unreasonable. The point is to argue that a number of important factors in the economy are moving in the right direction, and that the Trump administration is working to ﬁx the others. Vice President JD Vance almost got there in a podcast interview last week in which he pointed out the administration’s accomplishments, argued that electing Democrats to control Congress would undo that progress, and asked voters for more time to work on the things that are not going well. “We’ve had an amazing success with the border, with immigration,” Vance said on the “All In” podcast. “We’ve pursued H-1B reform that prioritizes American workers over foreign nationals. There’s a lot of good that’s been

done, but there’s a lot of work left to do. Don’t give power to the people who caused the problems that we’re ﬁxing. Give us another chance, or give us another couple of years, to continue to work on the amazing things that we’ve been doing for the past two years.” It’s not a great idea for a second-term administration, even with the unusual circumstances of the Trump second term, to ask for “another chance” at election time. Voters are not very charitable about that sort of thing. On the other hand, it is reasonable for an administration to cite its progress and ask for more time to ﬁx remaining problems. There is still a high probability that voters won’t buy that one, either — a number of key indicators look terrible for Republicans — but it’s the best the Trump administration can do. And the new poverty and household income statistics help them make the case. Byron York can be reached by email at byork@washingtonexaminer.com.

How Trump betrays Hispanics The flight of Hispanic voters from the Republican Party is one of the most important trends this political season, and a few numbers explain why. In the latest New York Times poll, only 7% of Hispanics say the economy is better than a year ago, while 68% say it’s worse. Fully 80% disapprove of Trump’s economic record. So, while Trump received 46% of the Hispanic vote two years ago, the best showing ever by Steve Roberts a Republican candidate, it’s no surprise that 4 out of 5 Hispanic voters now want Democrats to control the next Congress. In other words, Hispanics are acting pretty much like other voters, sharing the same concerns about rising prices and the same resentment of Trump for failing to control them. “There’s no renewed affinity or love for the Democratic Party. They’re just extremely upset and disillusioned and angry, frankly, with Donald Trump,” Mike Madrid, a veteran strategist who studies the Hispanic vote, told The Guardian. “So they’re gonna leave the Republicans for the exact same reasons that they left the Democrats two years ago.” Madrid is right in saying that Hispanics have “no renewed affinity” for the Democrats, who have long misunderstood their political identity. In the standard Democratic view, Hispanic voters, like Black voters, are people of color first, whose race defines their values and indelibly stamps them as liberals. Joe Biden got 65% of the Hispanic vote in 2020, but that margin masked fissures just under the surface. Many

Hispanics are deeply religious and culturally conservative, and they don’t share leftist views on incendiary social issues. A good example of this Democratic disconnect is the word “Latinx,” popular in intellectual circles as a gender-neutral label, but disdained by ordinary voters. Only 2% of Hispanics embrace the term, according to one poll, and as Domingo Garcia, former president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, put it in 2021: “The reality is there is very little to no support for its use and it’s sort of seen as something used inside the Beltway or in Ivy League tower settings.” Democrats have also misread how shrewdly Trump uses the immigration issue, assuming that Hispanics would be offended by his vows to “Build the Wall” and deport undocumented immigrants. In fact, in many Hispanic communities, especially along the Mexican border, his promise to eradicate criminals and drug dealers made many families feel safer. In 2024, Trump beneﬁtted from the relative youth of Hispanic voters, whose median age of 38 is a full decade younger than the wider population. Almost one-third are under 30, and as Giancarlo Sopo, a Republican media strategist who worked on Hispanic outreach for Trump, told Reuters: “Young Hispanics do not have the same muscle memory as their grandparents who voted for Democrats for 50 years.” This lack of loyalty to the Democrats made young Hispanics more open to Trump’s promise of an economic revival. But as Madrid noted, the identical grievances that boosted Trump two years ago are blasting him now. Moreover, a second concern is erod-

Many influencers are con artists out for a buck

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6B ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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with meteorologist Damon Singleton

TODAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Mostly sunny and warm

Partly sunny with a t-storm

An afternoon t-storm or two

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

A shower and t-storm; humid

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

91° 74°

LOW

HIGH

90° 77°

LOW

90° 78°

HIGH

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

Beaumont 90/78 Port Arthur 89/80

Baton Rouge 92/70

Lake Charles 91/73

10s

20s

30s

Houma 90/70

40s

50s

YESTERDAY

60s

70s

80s

90s 100s 110s

OCT 3

City

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

PRECIPITATION

90°/72° 86°/71° 92°/72° 96° in 1953 51° in 1975

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today LAST

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

LOW

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 91/74

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

Hattiesburg 93/62

Alexandria 94/69

Lafayette 91/71

HIGH

84° 74°

New Orleans through 5 p.m. Monday

Jackson 93/65 Many 95/68

LOW

87° 75°

TEMPERATURE

Longview 95/71

-0s

LOW

Monroe 96/69

Shreveport 95/71

-10s

HIGH

87° 77°

The cloud cover will start returning, and rain chances will inch up, but today, expect another mostly sunny to partly cloudy and hot day with a light breeze. Temperatures this afternoon will rise to the upper 80s to the low 90s. Humidity will remain relatively low, so they may only feel like the mid-90s. Winds will be easterly today, and rain chances will remain at zero. We’re following one tropical system in the Atlantic that is moving away from the U.S.

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

HIGH

9:39a 4:08a 4:11a 5:37a 11:55p 11:16p 12:19a

FT.

FIRST

OCT 10

85 94 67 84 77 94 68 92 81

TODAY Lo

62 76 58 59 63 77 52 78 69

FULL

OCT 18

s t c s pc pc t t t

OCT 25

87 94 68 87 74 92 64 91 92

WED. Lo

67 76 60 62 65 74 51 77 70

FT.

0.8 8:57p 0.2 2.0 1:04p 0.5 2.1 10:21a 0.2 1.6 2:11a 1.5 1.6 9:57a 0.3 2.0 8:23a 0.4 1.8 10:59a 0.4

6:53 a.m. 6:49 p.m. 8:37 p.m. 9:58 a.m. NEW

LOW

0.00” 7.22” 4.86” 51.51” 50.71”

s t pc s r t r t s

HIGH

MODERATE

READING 67 MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

FT.

LOW

FT.

--- ----- ----- ----- --8:22p 2.5 10:59p 2.2 11:15p 1.8 2:04p 0.2 --- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ---

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

Today Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday

City

1:29a 7:43a 2:31a 8:45a 3:36a 9:51a 4:42a 10:58a 5:46a 12:01p 6:45a 12:31a 7:39a 1:25a

Los Angeles Miami Nashville New york City Philadelphia Phoenix St. Louis San Francisco Seattle

89 84 87 71 75 83 84 76 64

TODAY Lo

66 75 56 59 60 68 65 56 51

1:57p 8:10p 3:00p 9:15p 4:07p 10:22p 5:13p 11:29p 6:17p ---7:15p 1:00p 8:06p 1:53p

s t s c c t s s r

TODAY

MODERATE

88 87 93 75 80 86 90 78 66

WED. Lo

66 77 64 64 63 73 70 54 50

s t pc pc pc sh pc pc pc

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

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

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

MON. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

9.60 16.30 19.00 7.00 4.40 3.41 3.00

+2.57 +0.38 +0.10 +0.20 +0.20 -0.10 +0.12

27.19

+0.43

-1.74

-0.06

18 29 8

-1.30 9.75 1.91

-0.01 -0.03 -0.52

13 15

1.38 0.58

none -0.01

47 34 29 20 12 6

6.80 4.48 3.52 3.52 2.70 3.09

-0.33 -0.35 -0.01 -0.32 -0.30 +0.05

data as of 7 a.m. Monday

Report dings state for slow air pollution violation response Groups say DEQ fines in jeopardy

the new time frames, particularly “large and complex facilities with extensive compliance histories.” Despite the improving trends Lang argued were occurring, the groups attempted to highlight the consequences of slow action.

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL

Staff writer

A new analysis contends state environmental regulators have been exceedingly slow in responding to most air quality violations in a heavily industrialized area of southwest Louisiana while also issuing weak penalties when investigations are complete. The analysis was carried out by the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Integrity Project and Micah 6:8 Mission, a local community and environmental nonprofit based in Sulphur. The state Department of Environmental Quality argues the analysis was too limited to capture the full picture since it focused on the largest facilities in the Lake Charles area. Its findings show three out of five formal air enforcement actions issued in the region between January 2021 and August 2026 came more than five years after the earliest cited violation. The groups added that the slow reactions may have jeopardized the agency’s ability to obtain civil penalties due to statutory deadlines. Even when DEQ did propose civil penalties, the fines averaged $66,300 for companies typically worth hundreds of millions to billions of dollars, they noted. Cynthia Parker Robertson, executive director of Micah 6:8 Mission, said the state agency must require industries “to correct the causes of their violations and prove they are protecting the people who live downwind.” “Our communities are breathing the consequences of an enforcement system that responds too slowly and demands too little,” she said in a statement released with a letter to DEQ. DEQ’s top enforcement official, Jerry Lang, said the analysis only looked at a “limited portion of LDEQ’s overall enforcement workload” and focused on a collection of facilities that are among “the largest and most complex industrial operations in the Lake Charles area.” A more complete analysis would have looked at the agency’s full

5 years to assess penalties

STAFF FILE PHOTO By TRAVIS SPRADLING

and another 50 informal actions, such as warning letters.

Phillips 66 example In one example, the analysis pointed to the Phillips 66 oil refinery in Lake Charles, which documented hundreds of its own air pollution exceedances from 2020 to 2023 for state regulators in federally required quarterly reports. But DEQ took until late 2025 — almost five years after some of the initial reports — to file a 68-page compliance order to try to force corrections for those and several other alleged violations. The exceedances were for chemicals known to contribute to ground-level ozone, create rotten egg smells and fine particulates that cause regional haze, and irritate breathing for asthmatics and young children, according to the compliance order. Other selfreported problems were for unspecified hazardous or other air pollutants. The analysis also noted two cases, one at Phillips 66 and another at

The state generally has five years from the first notification of a potential environmental problem to assess penalties, but the analysis found cases where “delayed action could prevent the department from obtaining appropriate penalties.” In March 2025, the state notified Indorama Ventures Olefins in Westlake about potential penalties for alleged violations from 2016 to 2019. Citing documents in DEQ records, the environmental groups noted an Indorama attorney told DEQ in April that DEQ had missed the five-year window to assess penalties for the alleged violations. “Whether or not that defense ultimately succeeds, the matter illustrates that delayed enforcement is not merely an administrative concern,” the environmental groups say. A U.S. spokesperson for Indorama declined to comment Friday. For the Phillips 66 order mentioned in the analysis, the company and the state agreed to enter into dispute resolution in January, according to a notice. In a letter, the company has put forward a number of defenses, including that many of the alleged violations were temporary and are no longer occurring. In one case, the company argued DEQ missed the five-year window to bring an enforcement action. A company spokesperson declined to comment on the “ongoing administrative process.” “Phillips 66 is committed to safe, environmentally responsible operations and compliance with applicable environmental requirements,” company spokesperson Stef Adams said. A spokesperson for Equistar wasn’t immediately able to comment.

Equistar Chemicals Lake Charles Polymers Facility, in which alleged air violations from the early to mid-2000s were not self-reported by the companies for about a decade and a half. “These examples illustrate the importance of inspections and other compliance monitoring activities that can identify violations independently, rather than relying solely on facilities to report them,” the letter states. The groups said their analysis was an attempt to follow up on the 2021 auditor’s report, which reached similar conclusions on the speed and potency of DEQ’s inspection and enforcement actions statewide. The DEQ’s Lang noted that the state auditor “found that LDEQ had implemented its recommendation concerning timely review of required self-monitoring reports,” Lang added. He acknowledged that the agency’s improvements won’t mean David J. Mitchell can be “every individual enforcement reached at dmitchell@ matter” will be resolved within theadvocate.com.

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

SPORTS

N O L A.C O M

T u e s d ay, s e p T e m b e r 29, 2026

1CN

Saints must get Dome in order

Team can’t afford to lose to Falcons on Monday The Las Vegas Raiders’ wild-and-woolly 35-27 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday overshadowed what has become a troubling trend for the boys in black and gold. The Caesars Superdome has been anything but super for the Saints lately. The loss was the Saints’ 12th in their past 18 home games. The lowly TennesJeff see Titans are the only Duncan NFL team to be more hapless at home in the ä Atlanta at past three seasons. Such a losing stretch New Orleans, would have been unheard 7:15 P.M. of a few years ago, when MONDAy, ESPN the Superdome widely was considered one of the most hostile venues in the NFL for visiting teams. Somehow, “Dome sweet Dome” has turned into “Doom sweet Doom” for the

ä See DUNCAN, page 4C STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU coach Lane Kiffin gestures to the Tigers to relax in the third quarter against Texas A&M on Saturday at Tiger Stadium.

‘Freaked’ out

Kiffin could rest some key players after cluster of injuries BY KOKI RILEY

ä McNeese at LSU. 6:45 P.M. SATURDAy, SEC NETWORK

Lane Kiffin was freaked out. Liinebacker Whit Weeks had hurt his leg. Charles Ross, a top backup at the position, also injured his leg earlier in the game. Star tight end Trey’Dez Green, starting safety Dashawn Spears and a host of other players were already unavailable, if not out for the entire season. He wasn’t going to test his luck any further. With LSU up 35-6 against Texas A&M in the fourth quarter on Saturday, Kiffin pulled his starters. “I took our guys out earlier in that game than I did in our previous home game,” Kiffin said, “because of just what was going on and that just freaked me out.” At 3-1, LSU has played well enough that a trip to the College Football Playoff could be in the cards. But Kiffin knows to get there, the roster can’t keep suffering injuries. That’s why Kiffin is open to resting players when LSU hosts McNeese State on Saturday in the final nonconference game of the regular season. “We’ll be extremely cautious this week all around,” Kiffin said, “because it’s just the schedule you play with. Once you go to nine (conference games on the schedule), it’s another SEC game. I mean, it feels like we’ve played a whole season already, but we have seven SEC games to go.” Kiffin’s caution likely starts at quarterback, where Sam Leavitt played most of Saturday’s game with a hamstring

injury that cut off his mobility. Leavitt had his best game of the year as a passer, completing nearly 74% of his throws for 312 yards and two touchdowns, but his injury raises the question of whether he’ll play against a 2-3 FCS team from the Southland Conference. Kiffin wouldn’t say whether Leavitt would sit Saturday, but he has shown confidence in backup quarterback and Elon transfer Landen Clark. He didn’t complete a pass in relief of Leavitt against Texas A&M, but two of his throws to the end zone were dropped. Kiffin also has used his legs in the red zone on multiple occasions, replacing Leavitt on certain plays when games have been in the balance. Clark has 83 yards rushing and three touchdowns, two of which he scored against the Aggies. “Landen’s done a great job,” Kiffin said. “He goes into the games (and) he finds a way to make plays. I joked with him that he’s got to be the first player in the history of quarterback (and) the history of football to actually throw two touchdowns that are in guys’ hands and throw another completion in the game and somehow be 0 for 5.” LSU also may be careful with Ty Benefield, Princewill Umanmielen and Jordan Seaton, its remaining healthy stars at critical positions on both sides of the ball.

Staff writer

White Sox, Astros collide in unlikely playoff pairing BY KRISTIE RIEKEN AP sportswriter

ä See LSU, page 2C

HOUSTON — The Houston Astros are the ﬁrst team to reach the postseason without a winning record. The Chicago White Sox are the only team in major league hisä White Sox tory to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a at Astros, playoff berth. 4 P.M.TUESDAy, Now these two improbNBC, PEACOCK able playoff teams will meet in a best-of-three AL Wild Card Series starting Tuesday in Houston. The Astros are led by AL MVP favorite Yordan Alvarez, who won the AL batting title, ranked second with 106 RBIs and was tied for second with 42 homers. Chicago features three 30-homer stars, led by Japanese rookie slugger Munetaka Murakami, who hit 35; Miguel Vargas with 33; and Colson Montgomery, who had 31. The White Sox lost at least 100 games in each of the past three seasons, with the low point coming when they dropped 121 games in 2024, setting the record for most losses since 1900. Will Venable

ä See MLB, page 5C

Pelicans see alterations without many changes BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

The team looks pretty much the same. The results need to look a whole lot different. The New Orleans Pelicans begin training camp Tuesday with the hopes of spitting out the bitter taste of backto-back disappointing seasons. They won 26 games last season, the ﬁrst under executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars. They won just 21 games the year before that. So Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray very well could have been speaking on behalf of everyone in the organization when he spoke at the Pelicans media day Monday.

“I’m here to win games,” Murray said. “I don’t want to continue to just talk about it or bull**** about it. I want to win as bad as the fans want to win.” Can the Pelicans improve despite making minimal offseason changes? The biggest addition was the signing of Bennedict Mathurin in free agency. Outside of that, the team will rely on the core of Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Murray, Saddiq Bey, Yves Missi, and second-year players Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. “We are all looking forward to it,” Dumars said. “Everybody is excited about this season, the possibilities. We have a good group. We have a group that is really, really thirsty to turn things around and have a winning season. We’re going to do everything in our power to make this a much better

season than last year. I feel good about it.” It helps that the Pelicans are fully healthy heading into training camp. In years past, there seemed to be a player or two rehabbing an injury at the start of camp. Dumars said the players have worked “twice as hard” this offseason than they did a year ago. Videos on social media of players working out became an everyday thing. And players took the time to work out with each other. Williamson and Bey paired up in South Carolina. Murray and Fears did the same in Seattle. Queen and DeAndre Jordan worked out in California. Those sessions built some camaraderie that wasn’t there in

ä See PELICANS, page 4C

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray talks with the media during media day on Monday at the Smoothie King Center.

2C ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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THREE AND OUT: SCOTT RABALAIS ASSESSES LANE KIFFIN’S ANSWERS ON MONDAy

SAM OR ANOTHER MAN? Will LSU rest quarterback Sam Leavitt against McNeese State because of his hamstring injury against Texas A&M? Lane Kiffin wouldn’t say whether Leavitt or backup Landen Clark would start, but he revealed he would be “extremely cautious” with Leavitt this week. “I took guys out earlier in (the Texas A&M) game than I did the previous home game (with Louisiana Tech) because of what was going on (with injuries) just freaked me out,” Kiffin said.

COACH ‘EM UP Kiffin has decried the nine-game Southeastern Conference schedule and the demands it puts on rosters that have lost depth in the NIL/portal era. Still, he isn’t letting himself or his coaches off the hook. “I challenge our coaches,” Kiffin said. “That’s part of why you’re supposed to be good coaches and get paid a lot. It’s not just coaching the elite player, but now how can you fit our system to players that are going to need to play?”

FUN WITH ACCOUNTABILITY With basketball goals and fire extinguishers on the sideline, Kiffin said he strives to have a fun program “that has a swagger to it, so people watch and say, ‘I want to go play there’ ” while still maintaining discipline. The key is not to go too far and have taunting penalties like Texas linebacker Colin Simmons had Saturday at Tennessee. “you have to be really careful to have discipline so they can’t carry that over,” Kiffin said.

Bucs QB Mayfield to miss games with injured thumb

Baker Mayfield received some good news after dislocating his right thumb on Sunday in Tampa Bay’s loss to Minnesota, but the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback is expected to miss at least three weeks. Undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels will start this weekend against the Green Bay Packers. Easton Stick is on the practice squad and likely will be promoted unless the Buccaneers add a veteran quarterback. Mayﬁeld was injured when his throwing hand hit Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman on a desperation pass on fourth down that was intercepted late in a 23-16 loss. An MRI revealed that Mayﬁeld didn’t suffer ligament damage or a fracture. He avoids surgery and possibly won’t be placed on injured reserve, which means he would have to miss four games.

Vikings trade QB McCarthy to Giants for 5th-round pick

LSU NOTEBOOK

The New York Giants acquired quarterback J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 ﬁfthround pick, adding another young player at the most important position in football less than a week after learning Jaxson Dart would be out for the rest of the regular season. Jameis Winston started and the Giants beat Tennessee on Sunday, despite not scoring a touchdown and having just 238 yards of offense. McCarthy, the 10th pick in the 2024 draft, lost the starting job in Minnesota to Kyler Murray and fell behind Carson Wentz on the depth chart. McCarthy started 10 games last season, completing 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

SEC: Tennessee’s onside kick officiated incorrectly

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU defensive tackle Deuce Geralds dances on the sideline in the first quarter against Texas A&M on Saturday in Tiger Stadium. Geralds was named the SEC Freshman of the Week after recording two sacks against the Aggies.

DT Geralds recognized for 2-sack outing BY REED DARCEY AND JON BLAU Staff writers

LSU defensive tackle Deuce Geralds was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday. Geralds recorded two sacks on Saturday against Texas A&M, which means he’s already up to four sacks on the season. The Georgia native also had a twosack night when the Tigers beat Louisiana Tech in Week 2. No FBS freshman has more sacks this season than Geralds, who’s emerged as a starter. Through four games, he’s played 19 more snaps than any other defensive tackle on the team, which means his emergence is a key reason why the Tigers enter Week 5 with the second-best rushing defense in the nation. Miami is the only other team that’s allowed fewer rushing yards than LSU. Geralds was the third-most highly rated recruit to sign with the Tigers in 2026, according to 247Sports composite rankings, behind University High defensive end Lamar Brown and Edna Karr defensive tackle Richard Anderson. He was a fringe top-50 national prospect. Geralds is also responsible for

LSU

Continued from page 1C

one of the three fumbles LSU has forced this season.

Update on Weeks LSU linebacker Whit Weeks will be out for “a while” after he reportedly fractured his right leg Saturday in a win over Texas A&M, coach Lane Kiffin said Monday. Kiffin said that he still isn’t sure whether Weeks can return to the Tigers at some point this year, though On3 reported Monday that LSU is optimistic that the star linebacker won’t become the second defensive starter lost to a season-ending injury. Defensive back Dashawn Spears is already out for the year after he tore his ACL against Ole Miss in Week 3. “That’s a tough one,” Kiffin said, “not just because of the player that (Weeks) is. It’s the mentality and what he brings around him and how he is. That’s really probably why I was in the mood that I was in after the game, just knowing the impact and feeling horrible for him.” Tight end Trey’Dez Green is out indefinitely with a knee injury he suffered against the Rebels. The Tigers also have lost defensive end Gabe Reliford (ACL), corner-

Ailments forcing Leavitt or any member of that trio off the ﬁeld likely would derail the season. The Tigers put a lot of resources into their team — an estimated $47 million to $50 million, according to The Athletic — but Kifﬁn staunchly believes cobbling together a deep roster in Year 1 is impossible. Even with LSU’s resources, the transfer portal and NIL have made building depth much harder than it was a decade ago. That’s why Kiffin has been spooked lately by the injuries. “These injuries are more significant than they used to be,” Kiffin said, “because you don’t have the great players at the bottom of your roster that you used to be able to have when you could stockpile (talent).”

Beneﬁeld moved from safety to the star position on Saturday to replace Spears, who tore his ACL against Ole Miss. He played well in his new role, accumulating nine total tackles against the Aggies, but his health becomes more crucial than ever with Spears and Weeks out of the lineup. Umanmielen has been LSU’s most valuable defensive player with seven sacks in just four games. He’s driven the strong play up front, while Seaton arguably has been their best player on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage. He’s allowed just three quarterback pressures and no sacks through four contests at Email Koki Riley at koki.riley@ left tackle. theadvocate.com.

back Aidan Anding (Achilles), kick returner Phillip Wright and linebacker Charles Ross (ACL) to season-ending injuries. Ross went down in the win over the Aggies. Weeks already has suffered two fractures in the same leg he injured Saturday: one in LSU’s 2024 Texas Bowl win over Baylor and another in its 2025 loss to Ole Miss. The latter injury did not require surgery, and it shelved the star linebacker for only four games. It’s unclear exactly how long Weeks will have to sit this time. LSU will have to play without the heart of its defense for the foreseeable future. Weeks is one of LSU’s longesttenured players. He’s a three-year starter who led the team in tackles (20) before the game against Texas A&M, thanks to his sidelineto-sideline speed and his downhill rushing ability. LSU is expected to start junior Davhon Keys next to Ole Miss transfer TJ Dottery at linebacker. Dottery and Keys were the Southeastern Conference’s top two tacklers in 2025, so the Tigers still have talent and experience at that spot. Kiffin thinks that LSU is now “extremely” thin at linebacker.

Ross, he said, was fourth on the depth chart before he was injured Saturday. “With this amount of long-term injuries,” Kifﬁn said, “we’ve got to feature our defensive line in situations because we are so low at linebacker.”

Kentucky kickoff time LSU and Kentucky will play under the lights in the Bluegrass State. Their Oct. 10 contest will kick off at 6 p.m. and will broadcast on ESPN, according to an SEC news release. Both teams could be 4-1 by the time they face off in Lexington, Kentucky. The Wildcats (3-1, 1-1 SEC) head on the road to face 2-2 South Carolina, which will be without top edge rusher Dylan Stewart because of a suspension. Kentucky, led by ﬁrst-year head coach Will Stein, bounced back from a loss in its SEC opener against Alabama with double-digit wins over Texas A&M and South Alabama. No. 11 LSU (3-1, 1-1 SEC) will face McNeese State in Tiger Stadium on Saturday after sending the Aggies to their second straight conference defeat.

No. 17 Tennessee’s successful onside kick against top-ranked Texas was incorrectly officiated, according to the Southeastern Conference. The kick with 1:22 left on Saturday should have been flagged for a 5-yard penalty and the down replayed because the ball was not kicked from the 35-yard line, the conference said in a statement Monday. The ball also should not have been moved once was it was deemed ready for play by the officials. The onside kick came after Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon threw a 30-yard TD pass to Mike Matthews to pull the Vols within 20-17. Tennessee punter Jackson Ross pulled off the onside kick by faking right and drop-kicking it to the left.

Warriors center Porzingis out with a health issue

Center Kristaps Porzingis will be out indeﬁnitely for the Golden State Warriors with a health issue, and general manager Mike Dunleavy offered no further details but wasn’t ready to call this a longterm concern. Dunleavy was informed about Porzingis’ status on Sunday. The big man already had been working out at Chase Center recently. “He was in last week, doing well and everything. I don’t have a timeline on it,” Dunleavy said at media day Monday. “Hopefully he will be back soon.” Porzingis wasn’t set to travel with the team to Hawaii for training camp. In March when Porzingis missed time with a medical issue and illness, coach Steve Kerr referred to it as “mysterious.”

Lynx collect WNBA awards for top rookie and coach

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt walks off the field after the Tigers’ win over Texas A&M on Saturday at Tiger Stadium.

The Minnesota Lynx have received two major WNBA awards, with point guard Olivia Miles as Rookie of the Year and Cheryl Reeve as Coach of the Year for a league-record fifth time. The WNBA announced the awards on Monday, before the Lynx traveled to New York for an elimination game in their best-ofthree first-round playoff series on Tuesday. Miles was an unanimous selection after she set the WNBA rookie scoring record. She played in 40 of 44 games and averaged 19.8 points, 6.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals while shooting 49.2% from the field, 38.8% from 3-point range and 87% from the free-throw line. Reeve previously won the award in 2011, 2016, 2020 and 2024.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ 3C

St. Aug rises to 3rd in poll lll

Catholic League has 5 of top 6 teams in Class 5A

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Five of the top six teams in the Class 5A state rankings after Week 4 hail from the Catholic League, with four of them set to meet in a pair of matchups between ranked teams. The LSWA football polls released Monday listed Edna Karr at No. 1 following its 31-0 victory over Holy Cross. Behind Karr is No. 2 Ruston, ahead of District 9-5A teams St. Augustine, Rummel, Brother Martin and John Curtis. Karr and No. 5 Brother Martin will play Friday at Strawberry Stadium in Hammond while No. 4 Rummel and No. 6 Curtis are set to meet Saturday at Tad Gormley Stadium. No. 3 St. Augustine, which plays Friday at Chalmette, moved up one spot after defeating Curtis 42-32 on Saturday. Jesuit, at No. 10 last week before losing to Brother Martin 24-22, is the ﬁrst team listed among others receiving votes. Another matchup between ranked teams has Class 3A No. 2 St. Charles on the road against Class 1A No. 2 Riverside. Both are reigning state champions. Other ranked teams from the New Orleans area are No. 8 Kennedy and No. 9 Belle Chasse in Class 4A, and No. 7 Newman in Class 2A.

Class 3A

School (ﬁrst-place votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. 1. St. James (9) 4-0 130 1 2. St. Charles (2) 3-1 123 2 3. Jena 3-1 105 4 4. University 2-2 89 5 5. Sterlington 2-2 86 3 6. Jewel Sumner 3-1 76 7 7. Loyola Prep 3-1 66 8 8. Marksville 4-0 61 9 9. Eunice 4-0 37 10 10. West Feliciana 4-0 35 NR Others receiving votes: Vandebilt Catholic 28, Iowa 12, Northwest 7, Jennings 3, Carroll 1.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Miguel Whitley of St. Augustine, right, catches a pass over John Curtis defender Jewellz Tapp for a touchdown on Saturday at Tad Gormley Stadium.

WEEK 5 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE All games 7 p.m. unless noted.

Thursday

District 6-5A Fontainebleau at Covington Mandeville at Slidell Northshore at Ponchatoula District 8-5A Warren Easton vs. Riverdale at Yenni, 6:30 p.m. Nondistrict Fisher vs. Patrick Taylor at Memtsas, 6:30 p.m. Belle Chasse at Lakeshore Morris Jeff at Pope John Paul II Pearl River at Jewell Sumner Sophie B. Wright at Amite St. James vs. L.B. Landry at Morris F.X. Jeff Sr. Stadium

Friday

District 6-5A St. Paul’s at Hammond

District 7-5A East St. John at Destrehan H.L. Bourgeois at Hahnville District 8-5A West Jefferson vs. Higgins at Memtsas District 9-5A Edna Karr vs. Brother Martin at Strawberry Stadium, Hammond St. Augustine at Chalmette Holy Cross vs. Jesuit at Gormley, 7:15 p.m. Nondistrict Abramson at Varnado Baker at West St. John Ben Franklin at Springﬁeld Cohen vs. Haynes at Yenni Ellender at Young Audiences De La Salle at Willow Kenner Discovery at Morgan City Lutcher at Franklinton McMain vs. Sarah T. Reed at Joe Brown Newman vs. Bonnabel at Yenni

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE

Staff writer

Armando Vega, who enjoyed a tremendous career as the LSU men’s gymnastics coach from 1972-84, died recently at his home in Dallas, the university announced. He was 90 years old. Vega, who was inducted into the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021, produced teams that finished in the NCAA top 10 nine times. The NCAA Gymnastics Coach of the Year in 1977 and 1978, he

Northlake Christian at Country Day Salmen vs. Kennedy at Pan American Shaw vs. McDonogh 35 at Morris F.X. Jeff Stadium St. Charles at Riverside St. Thomas Aquinas at Hannan Thomas Jefferson at St. Martin’s

Saturday District 8-5A John Ehret vs. East Jefferson at Yenni, 6:30 p.m. District 9-5A Rummel vs. John Curtis at Gormley, 7:30 p.m. Nondistrict Booker T. Washington vs. Carver at Gormley, 3 p.m. Bogalusa vs. Jefferson Rise at Memtsas Open date: South Plaquemines

Class 2A

School (ﬁrst-place votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. 1. Calvary Baptist (11) 4-0 132 1 2. Notre Dame 4-0 117 3 3. Mangham 3-1 105 4 4. Dunham 2-2 98 2 5. Lafayette Christian 3-1 92 6 6. Amite 3-1 75 5 7. Newman 3-1 58 10 8. Catholic-New Iberia 2-2 46 8 9. Lake Arthur 4-0 38 NR 10. Mansﬁeld 3-1 36 9 Others receiving votes: Oak Grove 33, Loreauville 10, Covenant Christian 5, Kinder 4, Vinton 3, West St. Mary 3, Country Day 1, Green Oaks 1, Homer 1.

Class 1A

School (ﬁrst-place votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. 1. Ouachita Christian (7) 4-0 128 1 2. Riverside Academy (4) 4-0 124 2 3. Ascension Catholic 4-0 111 3 4. Haynesville 3-1 84 5 5. Logansport 4-0 82 6 6. Southern Lab 3-0 70 7 7. Kentwood 4-0 69 8 8. Jeanerette 3-1 57 4 9. Westminster-Laf. 4-0 48 9 10. Cedar Creek 4-0 35 10 Others receiving votes: East Feliciana 20, South Plaquemines 11, Ascension Episcopal 6, Catholic-Pointe Coupee 4, St. Mary’s 1.

SWAC NOTEBOOK

Louisiana native off to ﬂying start in SWAC BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Rummel quarterback Colton Nussmeier, center, gets ready to throw against Chalmette on Thursday at Joe yenni Stadium. Nussmeier’s first pass was a quick completion to Mark Shezbie, who took it up the right sideline for 13 yards. Another quick pass went to Kirby Cade for 14 yards. Another one to Nathaniel Singleton for 13 yards. Rummel faced fourth and 9 when Nussmeier rolled right and then turned and threw a screen to Hawkins, who broke a tackle and gained 10 yards for a first down. Before the pass, Hawkins thought Nussmeier was about to run for the first down. “He’s got some feet on him,” Hawkins said. “I really thought he was going to take off. By me being open, getting behind the defensive line, he threw it to me, and I was like, ‘I got to get the first down.’ I had to fight for it.” Nussmeier completed 12 of 17 passes for 138 yards and one touchdown in the first half. He attempted only one pass after halftime, an 8-yard scoring strike to Cade for a 28-0 lead. Several Rummel starters sat out the fourth quarter against Chalmette, including

Hawkins, who ran 15 times for 134 yards and two TDs. Keeping Hawkins fresh is doubly important without Tulane commitment Jaden Terrance, who sat out the past three games with a hamstring injury. Hawkins and Terrance each ran for more than 1,000 yards last season. With or without Terrance, Nussmeier’s arrival has helped Rummel achieve more balance on offense. “We need that balance,” Monica said. “Some of these teams and defenses that we’re going to play going forward, they’re going to be really good, so we’re going to have to mix it up.” Rummel plays next against John Curtis on Saturday at Tad Gormley Stadium. With Nussmeier being a newcomer to the New Orleans area, this will be his ﬁrst time going through the Catholic League gauntlet. “I’m expecting it’s going to be hard,” Nussmeier said. “The strength of schedule keeps going up, and we got to go back to work and prepare.”

Ex-LSU men’s gym coach Vega dies Staff report

School (ﬁrst-place votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. 1. Karr (10) 4-0 131 1 2. Ruston 3-1 116 2 3. St. Augustine (1) 4-0 114 4 4. Rummel 4-0 98 6 5. Brother Martin 4-0 73 8 6. John Curtis 2-2 71 5 7. Alexandria 3-1 69 3 8. St. Thomas More 3-1 57 NR 9. Acadiana 3-1 30 7 10. West Monroe 3-1 29 NR Others receiving votes: Jesuit 22, CatholicBaton Rouge 15, Mandeville 11, Ouachita 11, Barbe 5, Central 5, Thibodaux 1. School (ﬁrst-place votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. 1. Westgate (8) 4-0 128 1 2. Neville (2) 3-1 117 3 3. North DeSoto (1) 4-0 111 2 4. Shaw 3-1 99 4 5. Lake Charles Prep 4-0 91 5 6. Franklin Parish 3-1 74 6 7. Madison Prep 2-2 63 7 8. John F. Kennedy 3-1 58 8 9. Belle Chasse 4-0 31 9 10. Cecilia 3-1 27 10 Others receiving votes: Plaquemine 26, Opelousas 22, Salmen 13, Lafayette Renaissance 11, Leesville 1.

Nussmeier showing quick mind, feet in Rummel’s balanced attack When Rummel quarterback Colton Nussmeier arrived at the school in August following his transfer from a high school in Texas, coach Nick Monica knew he was getting a skilled passer. The Raiders also landed a quick thinker. That showed during the 10-play opening drive that started the scoring in Rummel’s 35-0 victory over Chalmette last week at Joe Yenni Stadium. For the ﬁrst nine plays, the four-star Georgia commitment completed six of seven pass attempts and kept the ball twice, including once on a 13-yard keeper on a rollout to the right. The 10th play was a handoff to Coryan Hawkins, who weaved through the defense and scored on an 11-yard touchdown run. Only this was not a passheavy game plan at the start. Instead, it was Nussmeier’s quick reacting to what Chalmette was doing. “Not all of them were called passes,” Monica said. “Some of those were RPOs and the read just dictated it for us.” On those plays, Nussmeier — whose father, Doug, is the New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator and whose brother, Garrett, is a former LSU quarterback now with the Kansas City Chiefs — decided whether to hand off or pass based on what he saw from the Chalmette defense. “Their outside backers,” Nussmeier said. “If they don’t run at the bubble or run at the now screen, then I’m throwing it.”

Class 5A

Class 4A

Staff writer

Contact Christopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

LSWA FOOTBALL POLLS

developed 58 All-Americans during his LSU tenure. Vega, a native of Hurley, New Mexico, led the Tigers to 12 straight Southern Intercollegiate Gymnastics League championships, and he was named SIGL Coach of the Year in 1973 and 1976. He was inducted into the U.S. Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1977. Vega traveled throughout the world during his coaching career, conducting gymnastics clinics and promot-

ing LSU. As a gymnast at Penn State, he won six NCAA titles — including twice in the allaround — in 1957 and 1959. In the AAU Championships, Vega won 11 titles between 1957-64, earning seven silver and seven bronze medals. Vega was a member of the 1956 and 1964 U.S. Olympic gymnastics teams that competed in Melbourne and Tokyo, respectively, and he served as head coach of Mexico’s 1968 Olympic squad.

A freshman running back from Louisiana is not only emerging as a name to watch in the Southwestern Athletic Conference but also earning national recognition. Alabama A&M freshman tailback Byron Perrilliat was named the FCS Freshman Player of the Week after a dazzling performance in his team’s 40-21 win Saturday at Florida A&M (1-4, 0-1 SWAC). The Jefferson native rushed for a career-high 223 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Perrilliat, who is 5-foot-11 and 182 pounds, averaged 13.9 yards per attempt. Both of his touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, and his longest run was a 52-yard gain up the middle in the first quarter for Alabama A&M (4-1, 1-0). “Byron, man, you know, stepped in there, true freshman, and just did a really good job,” Alabama A&M coach Sam Shade said on Monday’s SWAC coaches call. “Had really good vision and was hitting the holes and finding creases. And you know, he also had some tough yardage that he picked up inside also.” Perrilliat, a Riverdale High School product, is not just the best freshman running back in the SWAC but one of the most impressive rushers regardless of class. In five games, he’s fourth in total rushing yards (315) and first in yards per carry (10.2) in the league.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Riverdale running back Byron Perrilliat springs for a touchdown against Bonnabel in Metairie on Nov. 7. Perrilliat is showing out during his freshman season at Alabama A&M.

Body will be available at Bethune-Cookman (2-2, 0-0) at 3 p.m. Saturday. In three games, Body has completed 61.6% of his passes for 410 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He also has 24 carries for 79 yards rushing. Last year, he played in only eight games. The Hornets had freshman Aaron Frye fill in as the starting quarterback. The Pinson, Alabama, native completed 10 of 27 passes for 137 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Delta Devils. “Aaron Frye started off the game at quarterback, played the entire way,” Robinson said. “Young guy, freshman that has had to step up and take on that role, and he did a good job. Had an interception but also threw a touchdown, so Body checkup he’s learning on the fly. But Alabama State is a con- he’s a very confident kid, tender for the conference and we’ll get him ready to title, living up to the pre- go down there to Bethuneseason hype as the SWAC Cookman.” East favorite. But the Hornets (3-1, 1-0) Dramatic Alcorn State played their first game For the second time this without star quarterback season, Alcorn State comAndrew Body during a 41-15 peted in a thrilling conferwin over Mississippi Valley ence game, and the Braves State (1-4, 0-1) on Saturday. came out on top again. The reigning SWAC OffenAlcorn State (3-2, 2-0) sive Player of the Year sat hung on to beat Texas out because of a sprained Southern 43-40 in overtime wrist initially suffered in on Saturday. After limiting the Tigers to a 48-yard field Week 2. On Monday, coach Eddie goal in overtime, Alcorn Robinson didn’t say whether won on a 1-yard touchdown

run by redshirt sophomore Fredrick Robertson, a Louisiana Tech transfer. Two weeks prior, the Braves beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 53-51 in double overtime. “We hadn’t played our best football,” second-year Alcorn State coach Cedric Thomas said. “This team is still just scratching the surface. We got a really good team, and you know we’re shooting ourselves in the foot with some untimely penalties, and just some explosives defensively. But just excited being able to play the way we play and still coming out with wins.” The Braves were ahead 27-12 at halftime and led 34-12 with 5:30 remaining in the third quarter. Texas Southern (1-3, 0-2) battled back, tying the game at 3434 with 4:37 remaining and forcing overtime with a 25yard ﬁeld goal. Texas Southern quarterback Cam’Ron McCoy played a major role in the comeback. The Southern transfer went 20-of-31 passing for 319 yards and two touchdowns along with 86 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Alcorn State leaned on Jaylon Tolbert, who went 26-of-41 passing for 332 yards and two touchdowns along with 79 yards rushing. Email Toyloy Brown III at toyloy.brown@ theadvocate.com.

4C ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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SAINTS NOTEBOOK

Moore says RB Etienne to miss time

BY LUKE JOHNSON

either miss obvious penalties or let the game play out rather than throw a flag. Moore on Monday declined to openly discuss his feelings about the officiating. “We had our opportunities in this game, ultimately,” Moore said. “We’ll have those conversations, we all know that those conversations are private with discussions about that sort of stuff. There are elements that are out of our control, and there was a flow in that game that was a challenge for everyone, but we had our opportunities.”

Staff writer

Of the four players the New Orleans Saints lost to an injury during Sunday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, at least one is likely to miss Monday Night Football against the Atlanta Falcons. “Travis (Etienne) will be time lost with the (hamstring),” coach Kellen Moore said Monday. “We’ll see ultimately what that timeline looks like.” Etienne pulled up at the end of a 16-yard run in the third quarter, reaching for his left hamstring before getting knocked out of bounds. It was the same hamstring that had him limited in practice earlier in the week. Sunday was Etienne’s best game in a Saints uniform. The Jennings native rushed for 57 yards and added 13 as a receiver. Moore did not rule out the possibility of Etienne landing on injured reserve. “We’ll see here shortly,” Moore said. The Saints have three other running backs on their 53-man roster in Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller and C.J. Donaldson. They also have Zamir White on their practice squad. Kamara enjoyed a bounce-back performance against Las Vegas after struggling in his 2026 debut the week prior, rushing nine times for 36 yards with a long of 11. Miller’s four carries went for 14 yards. The Saints made Miller inactive for the Ravens game in Week 2, which was explained to him as a byproduct of a numbers crunch on the roster. “Whatever they’ve got for me, I’m ready,” Miller said Monday. “Hopefully Trav’s good, but I’m going to step up.” Moore said the Saints will use

Just for kicks

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints running back Travis Etienne is tackled by Raiders linebacker Nakobe Dean after making a first down Sunday in the Caesars Superdome. Saints coach Kellen Moore said Etienne will miss some time with a hamstring injury. the added day of rest ahead of the Monday game to gather more information on injured defenders Pete Werner (stinger), Carl Granderson (ankle) and Anfernee Jennings (knee).

‘Tough play’ For a moment in the second quarter, Saints linebacker Danny Stutsman appeared to make an impact play when he drilled Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins as he was throwing a pass on third down near the Saints goal line. Cousins’ pass ﬂoated incomplete, and New Orleans looked like it had forced a ﬁeld goal.

Then the flag landed on the field. Game officials penalized Stutsman for roughing the passer, giving Las Vegas a new set of downs and clearing the way for a touchdown on the next play. Stutsman’s roughing penalty was one of several to draw the ire of football fans around the league this week. Though Stutsman’s hit on Cousins appeared to use perfect technique — indeed, if he had hit any other player it would have been considered clean — the NFL prohibits defenders from landing with their full body weight on top of a

When the Saints sent their kickoff team out to start the second half, kicker Daniel Carlson said he was trying to hide himself on the bench before he thought better of it — Las Vegas was going to quickly realize he wasn’t out there. The Saints used starting safety Justin Reid to handle the opening kickoff of the second half. It is a role that he has handled several times throughout his career, dating back to his time with the Houston Texans. The idea is fairly straightforward: Reid, who played soccer growing up, has the ability to place the kickoffs, and he also adds an element that teams don’t typically get from the kicker — he can tackle, and return units typically do not have to account for an 11th man to block. The Saints had planned to use Reid as a kickoff specialist earlier in the season against Detroit but backed out of it after the Lions got out to a 21-0 lead.

quarterback. By rule, defenders are supposed to make an attempt to roll to the side or break the fall rather than landing directly on the quarterback. “There were 10 roughing the passers this week so far; I’ve watched those 10 — and this is me saying this — body weight is going to be a big point of emphasis,” Moore said. “It’s a tough play for the defenders. You’ve got to do everything you can to get to your side.” It was one of several costly penalties against the Saints. There were also several instances in Email Luke Johnson at which game officials seemed to ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

NBA teams strive to earn a short summer DUNCAN

BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer

After being on opposite sides of an NBA Finals that ended just 31/ 2 months ago, New York guard Jalen Brunson and San Antonio center Victor Wembanyama found themselves with the exact same mindsets on Monday. As proof, consider the descriptions offered about their summer vacations. “It was short,” Wembanyama said. “The longest, shortest summer ever,” Brunson said. Short offseasons are the goal for every team in the NBA because they want to play as long as possible, like the champion Knicks and runner-up Spurs did last season. And the journey toward potential title runs have started in earnest around the league, with media days being held for most teams on Monday and practices for everybody happening on Tuesday. “Right now, the best team in the NBA is the New York Knicks,” Miami forward Giannis Antetokounmpo said at Heat media day Monday, tipping his cap to the reigning champions. “And they have one of the best players, Jalen Brunson. But we’re going to do our job. We’ve got to do our job, man. If

PELICANS

Continued from page 1C years past. “We can be best friends all we want,” Williamson said. “If we don’t yield results, it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.” Dumars hired new coach Jamahl Mosley to help turn things around. The expectation is for the defensiveminded Mosley to bring a level of toughness that the team was lacking. Mosley has been impressed with what he’s witnessed in the offseason workouts. “The work ethic,” Mosley said. “I think there is a commitment by each guy to put in this work to understand exactly how much you have to do just to be even in this league.” Dumars spent his first

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHRIS SZAGOLA

Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James smiles during the team’s media day on Monday in Camden, N.J. we do our job and we win games, then we’ll see.” It worked wonders for the Knicks last season when they ended a 53-year title drought for the franchise. “Not being satisfied, I think, is the biggest takeaway moving forward,” Brunson said. “You still want to ﬁgure out how you can grow as a person and as a player.” There is no shortage of teams with confidence that they can contend, especially in this era of parity — with eight different franchises having won titles in the past eight seasons. Among the key moves from recent months was Philadelphia loading up by

adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown; Miami adding Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson; the Toronto Raptors bringing back Kawhi Leonard; LaMelo Ball heading to Minnesota; and DeMar DeRozan pairing up with Nikola Jokic in Denver. James — the NBA’s alltime leading scorer, entering Year 24 of his career — was asked what he can do for the 76ers. “Whatever the team needs for me to do,” James said, wearing his new 76ers uniform in public for the ﬁrst time. “I think the luxury of my game is I can do everything. Literally, I can do everything.”

season in New Orleans assessing the organization from top to bottom. With that assessment came some changes, starting with the firing of Willie Green as head coach just 12 games into the season. Dumars also made some changes in the front ofﬁce, including on the medical staff. “Internal improvement,” Dumars said. “We’ve got to get better inside the building first. I don’t think all of your improvements are from outside. We didn’t make a ton of moves. But we like the moves we made.” Inevitably, the franchise’s success will depend on the roster Dumars has built. It’s a roster he’s pleased with at this point. “We brought in some guys that have a tough, competitive spirit about them,” Dumars said. “It wasn’t really so much about the quantity

but the quality of the type of guys we brought in. We are deep enough on this team now that we don’t have to put it all on anybody’s back. Whether it’s Zion or Trey or whoever, that’s just not the way I believe in building teams.” Dumars doesn’t have a win total in mind that would make this season a success. “We’d like to be a playoff team,” Dumars said. “We have people in the building that want to win. Before you become a successful team, everybody in the building has to believe that we can do this. If you have people in your building doubting that, it’s hard to win. “We are putting in the work. Twenty-nine other teams are putting in the work as well. So we are almost required to work just as hard as anyone else to change our fortunes here in New Orleans.”

While the Eastern Conference is loaded with depth, it’s two Western Conference teams — the Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder — that are favorites to win the 2027 championship, according to most sportsbooks. Here’s a good sign for the Thunder and a bad sign for the remainder of the NBA: “I feel like I got better this summer, for sure,” backto-back NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said at Oklahoma City media day. Wembanyama said the Spurs grew from the pain that came with losing to the Knicks. “I’ve had a few sleepless nights; maybe not sleepless nights, but hard to find sleep sometimes or hard emotions. Haunting, sometimes,” Wembanyama said. “But there’s just a point where you accept that you have to go through it and you have to feel all of it.” At Golden State’s media day, Stephen Curry — a perennial All-Star and the league’s all-time 3-point king — said the Warriors’ expectations will remain high. “Championship mentality is always a part of who you are, but we’re not putting that type of pressure on ourselves on Day 1,” Curry said. “Let’s figure out what good basketball looks like for this team, and we’ll figure that out as we go.”

Players have bought in. Individually, the talent exists, but success will be determined by how those pieces ﬁt together. “Everybody’s got to understand it’s a collective unit,” Murray said. “It’s not tennis, a one-on-one game. We need everybody to do their job from top to bottom, bottom to top. I don’t really want to talk too much. But I really want to see and feel what it’s like to be in this city and win.” There hasn’t been much of that. The franchise has won two playoff series in its history. The 2026-27 Pelicans can’t erase their past, but they know it’s there. “For us, it’s a new season,” Murphy said. “So you don’t think about the past. You just think about what’s in front of you.” Email Rod Walker at rwalker@theadvocate.com.

Continued from page 1C Saints. For whatever reason, they have played their worst football at home the past few years and saved their best for the road. Their best game last season was a 24-20 win at Tampa Bay. The year before that, it was a rout of the Cowboys in Dallas. This season, it was their 24-17 win in Baltimore in Week 2. For a while on Sunday, it seemed like old times at the Dome. It’d been nine months since the Saints had played a regular-season home game, and the excitement was tangible. You could feel the energy in the air during pregame warmups. The Saints put the stadium on tilt during a 15-minute stretch in the second and third quarters when they erased a 13-6 deficit with touchdowns on three consecutive possessions. “Stand Up and Get Crunk” was pulsing over the publicaddress system, fans were dancing in the stands, and Saints players were feeding off of the energy. The Raiders looked overwhelmed and overmatched, but they managed to regain the momentum with a controversial strip-sack of Tyler Shough late in the third quarter and finished the game on a stunning 19-0 run. It was not the way the sellout crowd of 70,006 wanted the team’s home opener to end. It was even more disappointing for the Saints, who entered the game looking to re-establish the home-field advantage they’d enjoyed in years past. “I thought the atmosphere was awesome,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “I thought our guys really rallied off of it. And so obviously we’re all bummed. Our whole community, our whole team’s bummed that we weren’t able to get this one done.” An uncharacteristic avalanche of turnovers fueled the turnaround. Shough lost two fumbles and threw an interception. Juwan Johnson also fumbled the ball away on the Saints’ final possession. It marked just the second time in team history that the Saints had committed four turnovers in a quarter. “I thought (the home crowd) was awesome,” Shough said. “The energy

in the Dome, the fans were active the whole game. I mean, we appreciate their support.” It would be imprudent to overreact to one fluky loss. The fourth-quarter implosion seems like an outlier, especially in the 12 games since Shough has assumed the starting job. But the loss did have a déjà vu feel to it. The Saints were 3.5-point favorites against the Raiders and had an 88.7% win probability late in the third quarter. The loss marked the fourth time the Saints have lost as home favorites since 2024. The good news is the Saints won’t have to wait long to rid the bad taste from their mouths. Their next two games are at home, starting with their highly anticipated matchup against the archrival Atlanta Falcons when Monday Night Football will be in town to commemorate the historic post-Katrina Domecoming game in 2006. That unforgettable night 20 years ago kick-started the most successful run in Saints history. During the 15-year Sean PaytonDrew Brees era, the Saints enjoyed one of the biggest home-field advantages in the NFL. At times, they were seemingly unbeatable at home. In 2011 and 2013, they went 8-0 there. From 2017-20, they went 25-7 there in the regular season. In fact, the Saints have had only six losing seasons since reopening the Dome two decades ago. Four of them, though, have come in the last five years: 2021 (35), 2022 (4-5), 2024 (3-6) and 2025 (3-5). “It’s going to be another big game coming up next for obvious reasons,” Shough said of the Falcons game. “We’re going to need everybody showing out, and we’re going to put it together this week, have a great week of practice and get after them.” We know Saints fans will do their part. They’ll stand up and get crunk for four quarters. With special appearances lined up by Trombone Shorty and Steve Gleason, it has all the makings of a special and emotional night. If the Saints can’t rediscover their Dome-field advantage in this one, I’m not sure they ever will. Email Jeff Duncan at jduncan@theadvocate.com.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ 5C

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MLB POSTSEASON Padres, Cubs switch scenes this postseason BY BERNIE WILSON Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIK S. LESSER

Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale delivers to a Cincinnati Reds batter during the first inning of a game on Wednesday in Atlanta.

Braves put their trust in Sale against Phillies BY CHARLES ODUM AP sportswriter

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves battled through a long list of pitching injuries that left their rotation depleted for their National League Wild Card Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. That’s why manager Walt Weiss and Braves players are glad to have ace left-hander Chris Sale on the mound for Tuesday’s opening game in the best-of-three series. “For sure, it’s a different feeling when a guy like that is taking the mound on a big day,” Weiss said Monday. Added first baseman Matt Olson: “It’s a great feeling. He’s been nothing short of amazing for us ... just the teammate and the pitcher and the bulldog he is on the mound. I wouldn’t want anyone else starting for us.” The NL East champion Braves (94-68) went 9-4 against the second-place Phillies (88-74) and ﬁnished six games ahead of them in the regular season. Sale (14-9, 2.16 ERA) was 4-0 versus Philadelphia with a 2.08 ERA. “He’s got to be one of the top two lefties in the league, top few pitchers in the league, so yeah, he pres-

ents a whole set of problems. But we’ve seen him a little bit,” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said. “You know, we haven’t been great against him, but we’ll see. Tomorrow’s a new day.” Phillies All-Star left-hander Jesús Luzardo (14-5, 2.86) will start as an opener after being used for a scoreless eighth inning in Sunday’s 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays that clinched the third NL wildcard spot. Luzardo returned from a stint on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation. The wild-card opener will be his first start since throwing his first career shutout in a 1-0 home win over Atlanta on Sept. 7. Right-hander Tyler Mahle likely will be Atlanta’s Game 2 starter. Left-hander Martín Pérez could have been the third starter before landing on the 15-day injured list Thursday with lower back inflammation. The Braves also have lost starting pitchers Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo López and Hurston Waldrep this season. Luzardo might remain in the game longer than a normal opener if he comes close to the form he showed in recording 12 strikeouts

in the shutout win over the Braves. Mattingly said Monday he was glad Luzardo logged the inning Sunday so he could “see the bounce-back today.” When asked whether it was necessary to use Luzardo in the relief role if starting the Wild Card Series opener was an option, Mattingly said he wasn’t taking any chances in Sunday’s must-win situation. “I don’t think it was a 100% had to,” Mattingly said. “But, you know, in that game, you’re not gonna let anything get away, right? You’re not going to let this thing creep back into a game, that type of thing.” Mattingly said second baseman Luis Arraez will not be on the Wild Card Series roster after spraining his left ankle on Thursday. Righthander Jonathan Bowlan (groin) will be available. Braves right-hander Bryce Elder, expected to miss three to four weeks after surgery on his right knee Sept. 8, threw batting practice Monday but will not be on the roster for the series. Weiss indicated Elder might have a chance to return if the Braves advance to the Division Series.

MLB

Continued from page 1C took over as manager before last season and Chicago went 60-102 in 2025 before this season’s huge turnaround to 84-78 that was enough to earn the ﬁnal American League wild card. “There was a moment (Sunday) after the game where we just paused for a second and said, hey, we understand we have the playoffs coming up, we understand this is all behind us as far as the regular season, but we’re proud of the fact that we were able to get 84 wins and all the progress that has really led to that,” Venable said Monday. Though the Astros didn’t clinch their playoff berth until Sunday, going 81-81 to outlast Texas for the AL West title, their recent history is much different than that of the White Sox. Houston fought through an injury-plagued season to reach the playoffs for the ninth time in 10 years after missing out last season. It’s a remarkable stretch in which the Astros reached the American League Championship Series seven straight times from 2017-23 and advanced to the World Series four times, winning championships in 2017 and 2022. “I’ve been here for almost a decade and just how this team just rallies around adversity, they don’t run from it. They actually run to it,” manager Joe Espada said. “They know that it’s going to happen. And watching them choose not to fold — they choose to ﬁght, they choose to help one another — is very satisfying. It brings joy to see … their best version when things get tougher.” Espada’s contract expires at season’s end and owner Jim Crane said Monday the team’s playoff berth will be “something to con-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KEVIN NG

Houston Astros designated hitter yordan Alvarez hits an RBI single against the Seattle Mariners on Sept. 22 in Seattle. sider” when deciding on the skipper’s future. The White Sox return to the playoffs for the ﬁrst time since 2021, when they were eliminated by the Astros in four games in their Division Series. Houston’s last trip to the postseason was a short one when the team was swept by the Detroit Tigers in a 2024 Wild Card Series. The Astros are hoping to make a lot more noise this time around. “Everyone starts from zero,” shortstop Jeremy Peña said. “The records in the regular season, they don’t matter now. Everyone’s starting from scratch, and it’s a short tournament. So, (let’s) see what happens.” Both teams will go with a bullpen game in Tuesday’s series opener. The Astros will open with rookie AJ Blubaugh and the White Sox hadn’t said who will open for them. “Depending on how some guys feel and as we are trying to match up availability with how these guys are feeling, we’ll map it out a little bit more with more certainty,” Venable said. “But you can expect more of a bullpen-type game from us.”

The 26-year-old Blubaugh is 8-4 with a 3.16 ERA in 11 appearances with three starts across two seasons. Alvarez led the majors and set a franchise record with 33 intentional walks this season. When teams first began issuing Alvarez free passes, Isaac Paredes, who bats behind him, felt it. “I felt like they were kind of disrespecting me as a hitter,” Paredes said in Spanish through a translator. “But I felt as the season went on, I stopped taking it personal because Yordan is truly the greatest hitter right now in baseball so there was no reason for me to take it as a lack of respect towards myself.” Paredes fouled a ball off his knee Saturday and played Sunday despite being sore. But he said he was feeling great on Monday and doesn’t think it will affect him in Game 1. He ranks third on the team with 25 home runs and second with 94 RBIs. The 26-year-old Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million deal in December to join the White Sox after they paid a $6,575,000 posting fee to the Yakult Swallows.

SAN DIEGO — Back in 1984, Tony Gwynn, Steve Garvey and the San Diego Padres used the energy from their home crowd at Jack Murphy Stadium to rally from a 2-0 deficit in the National League Championship Series and stun Ryne Sandberg, Gary Matthews and the Chicago Cubs to reach their first World Series. The players, stadium and playoff round are different now. But Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and the Padres hope to tap that home energy once again when they open a Wild Card Series against NL MVP frontrunner Pete Crow-Armstrong, Alex Bregman and the Cubs starting Tuesday night at Petco Park. From the Padres’ standpoint, it’s way better than last year, when they lost 2-1 to the Cubs in the wild-card round at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The fourth-seeded Padres will host every game in the best-ofthree series against the fifthseeded Cubs. The winner will face the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers in a best-offive Division Series. The Padres had 66 sellouts, and their total attendance of 3,347,081 this season was second in the majors behind the rival Los Angeles Dodgers at 4,034,219. “It’s great. It’s nice to feel 45,000 people behind you, waving the yellow towels,” rookie manager Craig Stammen said Monday. “It’s just a good feeling when you go out there and get the lineups announced that we’re at home. There are no boo-birds and the whole fan base is for us and not against us.” Chicago left-hander Matthew Boyd (10-5, 3.91 ERA) and Padres right-hander Michael King (1210, 3.21) are scheduled to start Tuesday night. Crow-Armstrong, who grew up

in the Los Angeles area, made his case for NL MVP by becoming the first Cubs player to join the 40-40 club, with 45 home runs and 41 stolen bases. Machado hit 30 homers for the eighth time in his big league career and fourth time in his eight seasons in San Diego. Tatis had an unfathomable home run drought to start the season, taking until his 56th game at Washington on May 30, to connect for the first time. He’s now recorded his fourth 25-homer season and has 38 stolen bases. The Cubs dominated San Diego 5-1 in the season series, including handing the Padres their worst loss ever, 23-3 at Wrigley Field on July 1, when they hit eight home runs. But the Padres turned it around after the All-Star break, going 43-23, the second-best mark in the majors, to clinch their clubrecord third straight postseason berth and, at 91-71, their third consecutive 90-win season. “I think we’re firing on all cylinders,” King said. “I think the last two months, 21/ 2 months, the offense has possibly been the best in baseball. We’ve really come together as a starting rotation, and the bullpen is obviously a strong piece. I think that, when you look at us, we don’t really have many weaknesses.” Bregman went 4 for 4 with two home runs and four RBIs as the designated hitter Sunday in his second game back from a frightening injury when a foul ball hit him in the face. Bregman took grounders at third base during Monday’s workout, but manager Craig Counsell isn’t sure when he’ll return to third base. “I haven’t made a decision there yet,” Counsell said. “I think today was a much better day than kind of how he looked in Tampa. I think it’s just a sign on like how he’s feeling just overall.”

Red Sox, Yankees ready for more drama BY RONALD BLUM AP baseball writer

NEW YORK — Yankees-Red Sox matchups have produced plenty of melodrama, with video clips of Bucky Dent, Pedro Martínez, Aaron Boone, Curt Schilling and Dave Roberts becoming a staple of videoboards and TV broadcasts. Boone’s 11th-inning walk-off home run for New York against Boston in Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series became the defining moment of his baseball career and perhaps his life. “I understand that a lot of people have an amazing story, a lot of those that I’ve heard, tied to that moment,” the Yankees manager said Monday on the eve of his team’s best-of-three Wild Card Series against the Red Sox. Payton Tolle starts Tuesday night’s opener for Boston and Cam Schlittler will be on the mound for the Yankees. This will be the seventh postseason meeting between the longtime rivals and second Wild Card Series in a row. “A real slobber knocker,” Tolle said. New York (93-68) finished second in the AL East behind Tampa Bay (98-64), and the Red Sox (8775) were third. The first-round winner advances to a Division Series against the Rays. Tolle got one out in last year’s Wild Card Series, a month after his major league debut. “Walking out there to the ‘pen last year, you see how much the fans interact, how bought-in they are,” he said. “You see how much it means. You get to hear how loud it gets and just try and turn that into white noise the best you can.” New York hosts all three games because of its better finish in the standings. Yankee Stadium’s short porch in right field could be a factor for left-handed hitters, similar to how Fenway Park’s Green Monster in left is an inviting target for right-handed batters.

AP PHOTO By ANGELINA KATSANIS

New york yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler prepares to throw during the second inning of a game against the New york Mets on Sept. 13 in New york.

“I think in an ideal situation, we’re at home in front of our fans,” said Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony, a leadoff hitter who bats from the left side. “I’m not trying to just go out there and pull home runs, right? I think for me and for everyone, it’s about getting on base and manufacturing runs.” Aaron Judge (calf strain), Giancarlo Stanton (calf strains in both legs) and Trent Grisham (right hamstring) all took live batting practice at Yankee Stadium on Monday, hoping to be included on the series roster. “I’ve been doing a lot of convincing, I feel like, so I’m going to keep doing that,” Judge said just after arriving at the stadium. “The most important thing is just making sure I’m healthy and ready to go for this long stretch. We’ve got another month of baseball to play.” Left-hander Garrett Crochet, who won last season’s opener against the Yankees by allowing one run and four hits in 72/ 3 innings, could be a bullpen option for Boston. He has not pitched since April 25 because of left shoulder inﬂammation. “He’s worked very hard to get everything back strong the way it needs to be, but we’re still going to be evaluating him daily to see where he’s at,” manager Chad Tracy said.

6C ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Fever return home after sound beating BY MARK ANDERSON AP sportswriter

The Fever are used to playing road games that often feel like they’re at Gainbridge Fieldhouse or at least a neutral facility of the team’s strong national following. That wasn’t the case Sunday when Indiana took the Las Vegas court in the face of a hostile crowd that even booed Caitlin Clark when she had the ball. The results weren’t pretty. The third-seeded Aces, behind a spectacular performance from A’ja Wilson, trounced the No. 6 Fever 102-85 to take a 1-0 lead in the bestof-three opening-round WNBA playoff series. That means the Fever might be getting ready to play their last game of the season at home. They must win Tuesday night to force a deciding Game 3 back in Las Vegas. “Certainly, we need to prioritize some things we did on the defensive end of the ﬂoor,” Fever coach Stephanie White said. “But we also need to prioritize offense because Vegas is a great offensive team. They’re going to make tough shots, and some of the ones they made early were

96.0 points per game; the Aces were second at 91.5. “That’s not a team you want to give any life to,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said. “They can just score in bunches. So stick to the game plan, be patient with each other on both ends and then just work hard on defense. You’re just going to have to work.” It doesn’t hurt Las Vegas that the world’s best player is on its roster. Wilson dominated the Fever by ﬁnishing with 38 points, 16 rebounds and four blocked shots. If that Wilson shows up in Game 2, the Fever likely will be headed to an earlier offseason than they hoped. But it’s not just Wilson. Guards Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young are decorated veterans, and the trio has been the core of the Aces’ dynastic run. “I think there’s a commitment ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By STEVE MARCUS there to want to play and be great Indiana Fever forward Monique Billings and guard Caitlin Clark, center, and try to pull the best out of each put pressure on Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson during the second half other, and that’s something that in Game 1 of a first-round playoff series on Sunday in Las Vegas. takes time,” Gray said. “It takes trust. When we’re getting on each tough shots.” and 2025, the years the Aces won other, we know it comes from a good place, and that doesn’t just The Aces, who have won three titles. of the past four WNBA champiAnd now Las Vegas will try to do happen overnight. There’s a comonships, are tough when they get it again while facing the league’s mitment there to want to continue up on an opponent. They went 9-4 highest-scoring team in the regu- our legacy in this uniform and in close-out games in 2022, 2023 lar season. The Fever averaged doing it together and doing some-

thing special.” Both coaches criticized the firstround format, saying it should be five games and the league should consider staging series before the finals within each conference to cut down on the travel. Maybe that changes in future years, but this is the situation and it’s a familiar one. The Aces had to go through Indiana in last season’s semifinals before sweeping Phoenix in the WNBA Finals. But the Fever made Las Vegas work for it, taking the Aces to overtime of the deciding Game 5. Maybe the Fever, backed by their home crowd, can push the Aces again and force a Game 3. Indiana can’t do anything about what happened in the first game. “I think in a series, you flush (the result) regardless,” Fever All-Star post player Aliyah Boston said. “You come off a win, you’re like yes, that’s great, but you have another game. They’re going to come out and they’re going to play hard. We’re looking at it like we didn’t play our best basketball. It wasn’t great (Sunday), but we have another chance at home. So we just have to be ready to go, and that’s our focus right now.”

SCOREBOARD Hole-in-one

No. 2 Golden State 1, No. 7 Dallas 0

Tim Melancon

Course: The University Club Hole: No. 16 Yardage: 102 yards Club: Sand Wedge Witnesses: Ross Berthelot, Mark Matthews, Ian McKnight, Mike Davis

Odds

Thursday Sunday

No. 3 Las Vegas 1, No. 6 Indiana 0

Sunday, Sept. 27: Las Vegas 102, Indiana 85 Tuesday, Sept. 29: Las Vegas at Indiana, 5:30 p.m. (Prime) x-Thursday, Oct. 1: Indiana at Las Vegas, TBD (TBD)

No. 4 Atlanta 1, No. 5 Washington 0

Sports Betting Line NFL FAVORITE Pittsburgh

Sunday, Sept. 27: Golden State 104, Dallas 80 Wednesday, Sept. 30: Golden State at Dallas, 8 p.m. (ESPN) x-Friday, Oct. 2: Dallas at Golden State, TBD (TBD)

OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 3 2½ (38½) at CLE

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Indianapolis 1½ 3½ (47½) at WASH at BUFFALO 3 6½ (48½) New Eng LA Rams 2½ 2½ (46½) at PHILA Green Bay 1½ 3½ (39½) at TAMPA at BAL 8½ 11½ (43½) Tennessee Arizona 7 1 (44½) at GIANTS at CIN 2½ 2½ (51½) Jax at HOUSTON 2½ 2½ (47½) Dallas at CHICAGO 8½ 3 (43½) NY Jets at MIN 7½ 10 (39½) Miami at SEATTLE 3 6½ (43½) Chargers at SAN FRAN 2½ 2½ (46½) Denver Kansas City 5½ 4½ (47½) at VEGAS Detroit 3 3½ (50½) at CAR

Sunday, Sept. 27: Atlanta 92, Washington 77 Wednesday, Sept. 30: Atlanta at Washington, 6 p.m. (ESPN) x-Friday, Oct. 2: Washington at Atlanta, TBD (TBD)

Semiﬁnals (Best-of-5)

Sunday, Oct. 4: Game 1, TBD

Major League Baseball

WNBA Finals (Best-of-5)

MLB Postseason Glance

Saturday, Oct. 17: Game 1, TBD

x-if necessary

Pro football

WILD CARD SERIES (Best-of-3)

NFL Glance AMERICAN CONFERENCE East

American League Houston vs. Chicago White Sox

Buffalo N.Y. Jets New England Miami

L 0 2 2 3

T Pct PF PA 0 1.000 101 78 0 .333 64 61 0 .333 36 51 0 .000 36 86

College Football

South

W 3 1 1 0

Thursday

Jacksonville Indianapolis Tennessee Houston

W 2 1 0 0

L 1 2 3 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .667 .333 .000 .000

PF PA 82 36 72 91 37 59 54 75

Pittsburgh Baltimore Cleveland Cincinnati

W 2 2 2 2

L 1 1 1 1

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .667 .667 .667 .667

PF PA 53 60 92 78 54 71 80 63

Kansas City Las Vegas Denver L.A. Chargers

W 3 3 2 0

L 0 0 1 3

T Pct 0 1.000 0 1.000 0 .667 0 .000

PF PA 88 50 88 54 60 70 44 76

Philadelphia N.Y. Giants Dallas Washington

W 2 2 1 1

L 0 1 2 2

T Pct 0 1.000 0 .667 0 .333 0 .333

PF PA 48 42 46 55 88 82 75 92

Carolina New Orleans Atlanta Tampa Bay

W 1 1 1 0

L 2 2 2 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .333 .333 .333 .000

PF PA 89 83 81 83 51 68 62 79

Minnesota Detroit Chicago Green Bay

W 3 2 1 1

L 0 1 1 2

T Pct 0 1.000 0 .667 0 .500 0 .333

PF PA 71 41 93 95 62 46 56 91

Monday FAVORITE at N.O.

FAVORITE at NMSU at TULSA

Friday

OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 2½ 2½ (48½) Atlanta

OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 1½ 2½ (55½) W. Kent 3½ 1½ (57½)North Texas

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Liberty 6½ 7 (49½) at DEL at VA TECH 5½ 3½ (53½) Pittsburgh Penn State 7 2½ (45½) at NWSTRN

Saturday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Notre Dame 23½ 21 (47½) at UNC Syracuse 7½ 6½ (52½) at UCONN at AIR FRCE 1½ 3½ (46½) Navy at SMU 20½ 21 (56½) B. College Alabama 3 5½ (60½) at MISS ST at HOU 11½ 12½ (51½) UCF at IOWA ST 1½ 3½ (52½) W. Virginia at KANSAS 21½ 18½ (50½) M. Tenn at W.F. 11½ 12½ (53½) Stanford Michigan 8½ 5½ (43½) at MIN at WISC 9½ 10½ (43½) Mich St at GEORGIA 23½ 24½ (51½) Vanderbilt W. Michigan 16½ 13½ (47½) at BUFFALO Toledo 13½ 19½ (51½) at BALL ST Virginia 1½ 2½ (51½) at FSU at NDSU 21 18½ (45½) Wyoming Ohio State 14 13½ (45½) at IOWA at GSU 1½ 1½ (51½) Old Dom Louisville 7½ 5½ (58½)at NC STATE Ohio 3½ 3 (50½) at KENT ST at TEN 7½ 7 (54½) Auburn at UMASS 2½ 4½ (48½) E. Mich at UNLV 1½ 2½ (53½) Cal Memphis 22½ 20½ (54½) at CHAR at MIA (OH) 15½ 13½ (43½) B. Green Florida 2½ 5½ (56½) at MISSOU at C. MICH 5½ 6½ (47½) Akron at J. MADISN14½ 17½ (55½) Marshall at NEBRSKA 11½ 14½ (52½) Maryland at NMS 21½ 22½ (48½) UTEP at ILLINOIS 9½ 9½ (60½) Purdue at S. CAR 7 2½ (53½) Kentucky Oregon Ste 5½ 5½ (61½) at CSU Ga Southern 1½ 2½ (54½) at C. CAR at TEX A&M 15½ 14 (51½) Arkansas at S. BAMA 15½ 13½ (56½) UL Monroe BYU 5½ 6½ (48½) at TCU UTSA 10½ 11½ (54½) at RICE Texas Tech 15½ 13½ (50½) at COL Miami (FL) 7 17½ (48½) at CLEMSN at USC 10 9½ (58½) Wash Army 3½ 2½ (46½) at LA TECH at BOISE ST 20½ 19½ (51½) Utah State at S. FLA 6½ 5½ (51½) Temple Indiana 23½ 23½ (56½)at RUTGERS at UL 5½ 6½ (46½) Arkans St at WASH ST 1½ 2½ (46½) Fresno St at ASU 4½ 4½ (50½) Baylor Texas St 3½ 4½ (58½) at SDSU at ARIZONA 8½ 7½ (54½) Cincinnati

MLB

Tuesday

NHL

FAVORITE at CAROLINA at TORONTO at BOSTON at EDMONTON at VEGAS

West

NATIONAL CONFERENCE East

South

North

West

San Francisco Seattle L.A. Rams Arizona

Thursday’s Games

W 3 2 1 1

L 0 1 2 2

T Pct 0 1.000 0 .667 0 .333 0 .333

PF PA 98 50 75 50 61 63 63 81

LINE -130 -115 -116 -286 -267

UNDERDOG Chi White Sox Boston

LINE +109 +118

UNDERDOG Philadelphia Chicago Cubs

LINE +164 +106

UNDERDOG Florida Montreal N.Y Rangers Vancouver Chicago

LINE +107 -108 -106 +225 +211

Pro basketball (x-if necessary) First Round (Best-of-3)No. 8 New York 1, No. 1 Minnesota 0

Sunday, Sept. 27: New York 91, Minnesota 75 Tuesday, Sept. 29: Minnesota at New York, 7:30 p.m. (USA) x-Thursday, Oct. 1: New York at Minnesota, TBD (TBD)

Tuesday, Sept. 29: Chicago at Houston, 4:10 p.m. (Peacock/NBCSN) Wednesday, Sept. 30: Chicago at Houston, 4:10 p.m. (Peacock/NBCSN) x-Thursday, Oct. 1: Chicago at Houston, 4 p.m. (Peacock/NBCSN)

New York vs. Boston

Tuesday, Sept. 29: Boston (Tolle 9-6) at New York (Schlittler 14-6), 7:15 p.m. (NBC/ Peacock) Wednesday, Sept. 30: Boston (Gray 18-5) at New York (Fried 5-5), 7:15 p.m. (NBC/ Peacock) x-Thursday, Oct. 1: Boston (Suarez 8-5) at New York (Cole 10-9), 7 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)

National League

Atlanta vs. Philadelphia Tuesday, Sept. 29: Philadelphia (Luzardo 14-5) at Atlanta (Sale 14-9), 1:15 p.m. (NBC/ Peacock) Wednesday, Sept. 30: Philadelphia at Atlanta, 1:15 p.m. (NBC/Peacock) x-Thursday, Oct. 1: Philadelphia at Atlanta, 1 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)

San Diego vs. Chicago Cubs

Tuesday, Sept. 29: Chicago at San Diego (King 12-10), 9:10 p.m. (Peacock/NBCSN) Wednesday, Sept. 30: Chicago at San Diego, 9:10 p.m. (Peacock/NBCSN) x-Thursday, Oct. 1: Chicago at San Diego, 9 p.m. (Peacock/NBCSN)

College football College Football Schedule All Times Central (Subject to change)

Thursday’s games SOUTHWEST

North Texas (2-2) at Tulsa (3-1), 8 p.m.

FAR WEST

W. Kentucky (1-3) at New Mexico St. (1-3), 7 p.m.

Friday’s games EAST

Liberty (3-1) at Delaware (2-2), 6 p.m.

SOUTH

Pittsburgh (4-0) at Virginia Tech (4-0), 6 p.m. MIDWEST Penn St. (3-1) at Northwestern (2-1), 7 p.m.

Atlanta 35, Green Bay 14

FAR WEST

Buffalo 24, L.A. Chargers 16 Cleveland 21, Carolina 18 Detroit 31, N.Y. Jets 24 Indianapolis 19, Houston 17 Jacksonville 35, New England 6 Kansas City 24, Miami 10 N.Y. Giants 12, Tennessee 7 Pittsburgh 30, Cincinnati 27 Washington 33, Seattle 31 Minnesota 23, Tampa Bay 16 San Francisco 36, Arizona 30 Baltimore 34, Dallas 31, Rio de Janeiro, BRA Las Vegas 35, New Orleans 27 Denver 30, L.A. Rams 26

Saturday’s games EAST

Montana St. (5-0) at Idaho (0-4), 9:30 p.m.

Sunday’s Games

Monday’s Games

Philadelphia at Chicago, n

American League FAVORITE LINE at HOUSTON -131 at N.Y YANKEES -143 National League FAVORITE LINE at ATLANTA -202 at SAN DIEGO -128

Tuesday

North

Kickoff Returns 5-113 4-107 Interceptions Ret. 1-26 2-66 Comp-Att-Int 30-55-2 17-34-1 Sacked-Yards Lost 4-24 1-7 Punts 4-44.75 5-49.6 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-0 Penalties-Yards 13-91 5-38 Time of Possession 34:29 25:31 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING—L.A. Rams, Williams 15-88, Corum 6-15, Stafford 2-13. Denver, Dobbins 17-49, Waddle 1-14, Nix 4-7, Harvey 2-6, Badie 1-2. PASSING—L.A. Rams, Stafford 30-55-2-390. Denver, Nix 17-34-1-186. RECEIVING—L.A. Rams, Higbee 8-62, Adams 7-137, Williams 6-70, Mumpﬁeld 4-93, Allen 2-19, Corum 2-0, Ferguson 1-9. Denver, Harvey 6-41, Sutton 3-46, Bryant 2-44, Waddle 2-10, Franklin 1-21, Badie 1-12, Adkins 1-8, Dobbins 1-4. MISSED FIELD GOALS—Denver, Lutz 43.

Late Sunday Denver 30, L.A. Rams 26 L.A. Rams 7 9 0 10 — 26 Denver 0 0 16 14 — 30 First Quarter LAR—Higbee 5 pass from Stafford (Mevis kick), 4:55. Second Quarter LAR—FG Mevis 36, 13:17. LAR—FG Mevis 35, 4:43. LAR—FG Mevis 40, :00. Third Quarter Den—Bryant 5 pass from Nix (Waddle pass from Nix), 7:44. Den—Adkins 8 pass from Nix (Bryant pass from Nix), 2:15. Fourth Quarter LAR—FG Mevis 48, 8:40. Den—Hufanga 66 interception return (Lutz kick), 4:49. LAR—Mumpﬁeld 48 pass from Stafford (Mevis kick), 3:38. Den—Nix 1 run (Lutz kick), :47.

A—76,333.

First downs Total Net Yards Rushes-yards Passing Punt Returns

LAR 26 482 23-116 366 2-26

Den 20 257 25-78 179 3-39

Syracuse (1-2) at UConn (2-2), 11 a.m. Wagner (1-3) at CCSU (0-3), 11 a.m. Brown (1-1) at Rhode Island (2-3), 11 a.m. Merrimack (2-3) at Yale (1-1), 11 a.m. Princeton (1-1) at Columbia (2-0), 11 a.m. Fordham (1-4) at Lehigh (5-0), 11 a.m. Mercyhurst (1-4) at LIU Brooklyn (0-5), 11 a.m. Cornell (1-1) at Georgetown (0-3), 11:30 a.m. Richmond (4-1) at Lafayette (1-3), 11:30 a.m. W. Michigan (2-2) at Buffalo (2-2), noon Elon (4-1) at New Hampshire (1-4), noon Morgan St. (3-1) at Villanova (2-3), noon Towson (0-5) at Monmouth (NJ) (3-2), noon Penn (1-1) at Dartmouth (0-2), 12:30 p.m. Norfolk St. (3-2) at Robert Morris (2-2), 1 p.m. Delaware St. (3-2) at Albany (NY) (2-3), 2:30 p.m. E. Michigan (2-3) at UMass (4-0), 2:30 p.m. Sacred Heart (1-3) at Maine (1-4), 2:30 p.m. NC A&T (1-4) at Bryant (3-1), 5 p.m. Colgate (4-1) at Harvard (2-0), 6 p.m. Indiana (4-0) at Rutgers (1-3), 7 p.m.

SOUTH

Stanford (2-2) at Wake Forest (3-1), 11 a.m. Notre Dame (4-0) at North Carolina (2-1), 11 a.m. Alabama (4-0) at Mississippi St. (4-0), 11 a.m. Vanderbilt (3-1) at Georgia (4-0), 11:45 a.m. Marist (2-2) at Stetson (1-3), noon Valparaiso (1-3) at Morehead St. (1-3), noon St. Thomas (Minn.) (4-1) at Presbyterian (1-3), noon Mercer (3-2) at VMI (0-5), 12:30 p.m. The Citadel (1-3) at SC State (5-0), 1 p.m. Wofford (2-3) at Furman (2-3), 1 p.m. Alcorn St. (3-2) at Grambling St. (2-2), 2 p.m. Prairie View (2-3) at MVSU (1-4), 2 p.m. Hampton (1-4) vs. Howard (1-3) at Washington, D.C., Md., 2 p.m. Samford (1-3) at UAB (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Louisville (2-2) at NC State (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Holy Cross (1-4) at William & Mary (2-3), 2:30 p.m.

Auburn (3-1) at Tennessee (3-1), 2:30 p.m. Memphis (3-1) at Charlotte (0-4), 2:30 p.m. Virginia (3-1) at Florida St. (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Chattanooga (3-2) at ETSU (3-2), 2:30 p.m. Old Dominion (1-3) at Georgia St. (3-1), 2:30 p.m. Marshall (3-1) at James Madison (4-0), 2:45 p.m. Alabama St. (3-1) at Bethune-Cookman (2-2), 3 p.m. Kentucky (3-1) at South Carolina (2-2), 3:15 p.m. New Haven (1-4) at Austin Peay (4-1), 4 p.m. Jackson St. (4-0) vs. Alabama A&M (4-1) at Mobile, Ala., 4 p.m. Campbell (4-1) at NC Central (2-3), 5 p.m. Gardner-Webb (1-4) at Charleston Southern (2-2), 5 p.m. North Alabama (3-2) at E. Kentucky (1-3), 5 p.m. Tennessee Tech (4-0) at W. Carolina (2-3), 5 p.m. Texas Southern (1-3) at FAU (3-1), 5 p.m. Ark.-Pine Bluff (2-2) at Southern U. (2-3), 6 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe (0-4) at South Alabama (2-2), 6 p.m. Georgia Southern (1-3) at Coastal Carolina (1-3), 6 p.m. Miami (4-0) at Clemson (3-1), 6:30 p.m. Temple (1-3) at South Florida (4-0), 6:30 p.m. Army (2-1) at Louisiana Tech (1-2), 6:30 p.m. McNeese St. (2-3) at LSU (3-1), 6:45 p.m. Arkansas St. (2-2) at Louisiana-Lafayette (3-1), 7 p.m.

MIDWEST

Middle Tennessee (2-2) at Kansas (1-2), 11 a.m. Michigan (3-1) at Minnesota (3-1), 11 a.m. West Virginia (3-1) at Iowa St. (2-2), 11 a.m. Michigan St. (2-2) at Wisconsin (3-1), 11:30 a.m. Dayton (3-0) at Drake (1-3), noon Murray St. (1-4) at North Dakota (4-1), 1 p.m. Toledo (3-1) at Ball St. (1-3), 1 p.m. Indiana St. (2-3) at South Dakota (3-2), 2 p.m. Akron (1-3) at Cent. Michigan (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Ohio (2-2) at Kent St. (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Florida (4-0) at Missouri (3-1), 2:30 p.m. Wyoming (2-2) at N. Dakota St. (4-0), 2:30 p.m. Bowling Green (0-4) at Miami (Ohio) (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Ohio St. (3-1) at Iowa (4-0), 2:30 p.m. Maryland (2-2) at Nebraska (4-0), 3 p.m. Tennessee St. (1-3) at W. Illinois (2-3), 3 p.m. Purdue (1-3) at Illinois (2-2), 3:15 p.m. Youngstown St. (3-2) at S. Illinois (3-2), 4 p.m. S. Dakota St. (4-1) at Illinois St. (4-1), 6 p.m.

SOUTHWEST

Boston College (2-2) at SMU (3-1), 11 a.m. UCF (3-1) at Houston (3-1), 11 a.m. Incarnate Word (2-2) at Stephen F. Austin (5-0), 5 p.m. UT Rio Grande Valley (2-2) at East Texas A&M (1-4), 6 p.m. UTSA (3-1) at Rice (1-3), 6 p.m. Chicago State (1-4) at Tarleton St. (4-0), 6 p.m. Northwestern St. (0-5) at Lamar (3-1), 6 p.m. Arkansas (2-2) at Texas A&M (2-2), 6 p.m. Nicholls (2-3) at Houston Christian (2-3), 6 p.m. BYU (3-0) at TCU (2-2), 6 p.m. West Florida (3-1) at Abilene Christian (1-4), 7 p.m.

FAR WEST

Navy (1-2) at Air Force (2-1), 11 a.m. California (2-2) at UNLV (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Davidson (2-3) at San Diego (1-3), 3 p.m. N. Colorado (2-3) at Montana (4-1), 3 p.m. UTEP (1-3) at New Mexico (3-1), 3 p.m. Oregon St. (2-2) at Colorado St. (2-2), 5 p.m. Washington (3-1) at Southern Cal (4-1), 6:30 p.m. Texas Tech (4-0) at Colorado (2-2), 6:30 p.m. Utah St. (1-3) at Boise St. (3-1), 6:30 p.m. Weber St. (2-3) at Cal Poly (3-2), 7 p.m. S. Utah (1-4) at Utah Tech (0-5), 7 p.m. N. Arizona (3-2) at Idaho St. (4-0), 7 p.m. Fresno St. (3-1) at Washington St. (1-3), 8:30 p.m. E. Washington (1-4) at UC Davis (3-2), 9:30 p.m. Baylor (3-1) at Arizona St. (2-1), 9:30 p.m. Texas State (2-2) at San Diego St. (1-3), 9:30 p.m. Cincinnati (4-0) at Arizona (3-1), 10 p.m. Sunday, October 4

FAR WEST

San Jose St. (2-2) at Hawaii (1-3), 11 p.m.

FCS Top 25 Poll

RANK REC. PTS. PREV. 1. Montana St. (25) 5-0 625 1 2. South Dakota St. 4-1 590 2 3. Tarleton St. 4-0 568 3 4. Montana 4-1 550 4T 5. Stephen F. Austin 5-0 521 6 6. Lehigh 5-0 484 7 7. North Dakota 4-1 467 8 8. Tennessee Tech 4-0 429 10 9. Austin Peay 4-1 420 11 10. Youngstown St. 3-2 386 13 11. Illinois St. 4-1 370 4T 12. South Carolina St. 5-0 329 14 13. Lamar 3-1 322 15 14. Idaho St. 4-0 311 16 15. UC Davis 3-2 236 9 16. South Dakota 3-2 223 12 17. Richmond 4-1 196 19 18. West Florida 3-1 193 20 19. Northern Arizona 3-2 175 17 20. Colgate 4-1 155 23T 3-2 117 23T 21. Mercer 22. Harvard 2-0 82 25 23. Jackson St. 4-0 72 NR 24. Campbell 4-1 71 NR 25. Southern Illinois 3-2 57 NR Dropped Out: Yale (18), Rhode Island (21), Villanova (22) Others Receiving Votes: Elon, 55; Yale, 22; Alabama St., 19; Prairie View A&M, 17;

Southeastern Louisiana, 14; UT Rio Grande Valley, 7; Furman, 6; Monmouth (N.J.), 6; Chattanooga, 5; Stony Brook, 5; Cal Poly, 4; Dartmouth, 4; St. Thomas (Minn.), 4; Cal Poly, 4; Delaware St., 3; Villanova, 2; Bryant, 1; Northern Iowa, 1; UIW, 1.

Tennis ATP World Tour Chengdu Open Results

Monday At Chengdu Center Chengdu, China Purse: $1,210,115 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor CHENGDU, CHINA (AP) _ Results Monday from Chengdu Open at Chengdu Center (seedings in parentheses):

Men’s Singles

Semiﬁnals Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (2), Spain, def. Nikoloz Basilashvili, Georgia, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Hubert Hurkacz (5), Poland, def. Denis Shapovalov (7), Canada, 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-3.

Men’s Doubles

Semiﬁnals Andre Goransson, Sweden, and Robert Galloway (4), United States, def. Albano Olivetti and Theo Arribage (1), France, 6-4, 4-6, 10-4.

ATP Hangzhou Open Results

Monday At Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Tennis Centre Hangzhou, China Purse: $1,039,090 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor HANGZHOU, CHINA (AP) _ Results Monday from Hangzhou Open at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Tennis Centre (seedings in parentheses):

Men’s Singles

Semiﬁnals Andrey Rublev (2), Russia, def. Kyrian Jacquet, France, 7-6 (0), 6-1. Daniil Medvedev (1), Russia, def. Roman Saﬁullin, Russia, 7-5, 6-4.

Men’s Doubles

Semiﬁnals David Pel and Sander Arends, Netherlands, def. Evan King, United States, and Bart Stevens (4), Netherlands, 6-3, 7-6 (4). Francisco Cabral, Portugal, and James Tracy (3), United States, def. Jean-Julien Rojer, Netherlands, and Theodore Winegar, United States, 6-4, 7-6 (3).

Hockey NHL Glance Sunday’s Games

No games scheduled

Monday’s Games

No games scheduled

Tuesday’s Games

Florida at Carolina, 4 p.m. Montreal at Toronto, 6 p.m. N.Y. Rangers at Boston, 7 p.m. Vancouver at Edmonton, 9 p.m. Chicago at Vegas, 9:30 p.m.

Transactions Major League Baseball

American League MINNESOTA TWINS — Released pitching coaches Pete Maki and Luis Ramirez. National League ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — Claimed RHP Chase Hampton off waivers from Washington.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES — Signed Carson Cooper to a two-way contract.

FOOTBALL

National Football League CAROLINA PANTHERS — Re-signed G Saahdiq Charles to the practice squad. DETROIT LIONS — Signed TE Miles Kitselman to the practice squad. Released DB Natrone Brooks from the practice squad. GREEN BAY PACKERS — Signed G Laken Tomlinson from Dallas’ practice squad to the active roster. Signed G Mekhi Becton to the practice squad. Placed OL Zach BakoBewele on injured reserve. Released DT Eric Johnson II from the practice squad. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS — Signed WR Tyler Scott to the practice squad. Released WR Ronnie Bell from the practice squad. MIAMI DOLPHINS — Placed RB De’Von Achane on injured reserve. Waived DT Keith Cooper Jr. Released DE Clelin Ferrell and DL Jordan Miller from the practice squad. NEW YORK GIANTS — Acquired QB J.J. McCarthy from Minnesota in exchange for a 2027 ﬁfth-round draft pick. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES — Elevated TE Zach Ertz and LB Chance Campbell from the practice squad to the active roster. HOCKEY

Hockey

National Hockey League DALLAS STARS — Loaned C Oskar Hyry to Texas (AHL). EDMONTON OILERS — Loaned C David Samanski to Bakersﬁeld (AHL). NASHVILLE PREDATORS — Signed C Tyson Jost to a one-year contract. Placed Jost on waivers. NEW YORK ISLANDERS — Placed C Mathew Barzal on non-roster injured reserve. OTTAWA SENATORS — Released D Ben Hutton from his professional tryout agreement. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS — Placed C Tristan Broz on non-roster injured reserve. Designated LW Andrei Kuzmenko as a non-roster player. Placed RW Bryan Rust on injured reserve. ST. LOUIS BLUES — Placed D Tyler Tucker and D Logan Mailloux on injured reserve. WINNIPEG JETS — Claimed G Clay Stevenson off waivers from Washington.

LIVING

N O L A.C O M

T u e s d ay, s e p T e m b e r 29, 2026

1dN

Dressed for success

Lafayette designer hits NY Fashion Week with Miss America on runway BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

Lafayette designer Nathan Walker, known professionally as Romey Roe, took his latest collection to New York Fashion Week — and shared the runway with the newly crowned Miss America. Regan Hutsell, who was crowned Miss America 2027 on Sept. 6, closed Walker’s show in a custom Romey Roe red gown before joining him on the runway at Gotham Hall. Walker debuted his latest collection, “Botanical Armor,” at The Bureau during New York Fashion Week. The gown was custom-made for Hutsell in a matter of days leading up to the show after she tried on several Romey Roe designs. Walker said the red gown ultimately stood out because of how comfortable Hutsell felt wearing it and because it represented the brand’s identity through its signature red, hand-beaded details and classic silhouette with a reimagined structure.

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

James Finn gets ready to shoot as Kirk Smith Jr. plays defense during the Laketown Squadron’s tryouts in September at Tulane University’s Hertz Center.

I tried out for the NBA G League in New Orleans as a washed-up hooper. Here’s how I did. BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

PROVIDED PHOTO By BRyON TAyLOR

Romey Roe joins 2027 Miss America Regan Hutsell, in a custom Roe gown, to close out the New york Fashion Week presentation.

The collection was inspired by the idea of walking through a beautiful garden that is both living and dying at the same time, representing the ﬂow of life. “You walk through a garden, and you see beautiful patches, and then you’ll see mud and messy patches, and maybe a tree kind of dying,” Walker said. The show was also about demonstrating what Louisiana creatives could accomplish on a national stage. Much of the team that traveled to New York, including models and hair and makeup professionals, came from Louisiana, with some from Acadiana and New Orleans. “Louisiana really being a part of our identity and the identity of this show is really something that’s important to me,” Walker said.

ixty-two aspiring professional basketball players waited on the concrete steps outside Tulane University’s Hertz Center on a recent, sweltering Saturday morning. The doors opened and they streamed in, grabbing practice jerseys from a folding table before ambling onto the court. Under the fluorescent lights, a familiar cacophony ensued, accompanied by dreams long deferred: Sneakers squeaked on the hardwood. Errant shots clanked off rims. Many of the players were from New Orleans and recognized each other from the city’s high school circuit five, 10, 12 years earlier. There were hugs, with a sizing-up of the competition. They shared a dream that they might leave here one step closer to playing for the Laketown Squadron, the New Orleans Pelicans’ G League affiliate that nominally offers a pipeline to NBA rosterdom. I was one of them. The Squadron has just relocated from Birmingham, Alabama, to Kenner, and marked their move with a Sept. 19 tryout open to all

Kirk Smith Jr. jumps to score with Caleb White playing defense as James Finn watches from the sidelines during tryouts. comers. Akin to baseball’s minor leagues, the G League — the G stands for “Gatorade” under a sponsorship with the sports drink giant — serves as a development ground for the NBA. My job is covering federal cops and courts for The Times-Picayune. But I also “played” college basketball, and I still play when I

can. An editor sent me a news release on the tryout. I signed up. I had the résumé for this assignment. I played high school hoops in the San Francisco Bay Area, where at 6 feet 7 inches I was taller than most of my opponents. In 2017, I walked onto the team at

ä See TRYOUTS, page 2D

ä See FASHION, page 2D

KEEPIN’ IT FRESH

Meet the self-made La. barber cutting hair for athletes and beyond Dylan Surtain gets his hair cut by barber Darren Broussard at Draft Picks Barbershop.

STAFF PHOTO By PEARL SPURLOCK

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

TJ Malveaux ﬁrst picked up a pair of hair clippers in 1991 when he was 13 years old. His older cousin, who had always cut his hair, had gone off to college, so Malveaux tried to do it on his own. Now he owns three barbershops in the Baton Rouge area, is about to open a fourth location in Houma and ﬂies all over the country to cut professional athletes’ hair.

He opened his first Draft Picks Barbershop in 2017 with a team of eight. Today, Malveaux has a team of 24 barbers who range from ages 25 to 40 across three locations. The name of the business comes from former LSU defensive lineman and current New Orleans Saints player Davon Godchaux, who started going to Malveaux in 2014 when he was a student at LSU. Godchaux would tell him, “Get me draft day fresh.” He did eventually

get drafted in 2017. “I’ve worked really hard for brand awareness,” Malveaux said. “I know for a fact that a lot of the college students and community in Baton Rouge know that athletes come here. They can’t get close to them on the ﬁeld, but, here, they’re in the chair right next to you.” Bennie Logan, former LSU defensive tackle and NFL player, met Malveaux in 2014, and

ä See BARBERSHOP, page 2D

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TODAY IN HISTORY By The Associated Press Today is Tuesday, Sept. 29, the 272nd day of 2026. There are 93 days left in the year. Today in history: On Sept. 29, 1954, Willie Mays of the New York Giants made a running, over-the-shoulder catch of a ball hit by Vic Wirtz, of the Cleveland Indians, in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series; “The Catch” would become one of the most famous plays in baseball history. Also on this date: In 1789, Congress officially established a regular army under the U.S. Constitution. In 1938, British, French, German and Italian leaders concluded the Munich Agreement, which was aimed at appeasing Adolf Hitler by allowing Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland. In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed an act creating the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. In 1982, Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules laced with deadly cyanide claimed the first of seven victims in the Chicago area; the case, which led to legislation and packaging improvements to deter product tampering, remains unsolved. In 1988, the U.S. space shuttle program resumed after a 32-month suspension following the 1986 Challenger disaster with the launch of Discovery, carrying a crew of five astronauts, from the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Discovery’s crew deployed a satellite and conducted science experiments before returning to Earth, landing on Oct. 3 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. In 1990, the construction of Washington National Cathedral

concluded, 83 years to the day after its foundation stone was laid in a ceremony attended by President Theodore Roosevelt. In 2005, John G. Roberts Jr. was sworn in as the nation’s 17th chief justice after winning Senate confirmation. In 2017, Tom Price resigned as President Donald Trump’s secretary of Health and Human Services amid investigations into his use of costly charter flights for official travel at taxpayer expense. In 2018, Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, agreed to pay a total of $40 million to settle a government lawsuit alleging that Musk had duped investors with misleading statements about a proposed buyout of the company. In 2021, a judge in Los Angeles suspended Britney Spears’ father from the conservatorship that had controlled her life and money for 13 years, saying the arrangement reflected a “toxic environment.” In 2022, rescue crews piloted boats and waded through flooded streets to save thousands of Floridians trapped after Hurricane Ian destroyed homes and businesses and left millions in the dark. Today’s birthdays: Former NASA administrator and ex-Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., is 84. Actor Ian McShane is 84. Jazz musician Jean-Luc Ponty is 84. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lech Walesa, former president of Poland, is 83. Olympic gold medal runner Sebastian Coe is 70. Rock musician Les Claypool is 63. Actor Zachary Levi is 46. Actor Chrissy Metz (TV: “This Is Us”) is 46. Actor Kelly McCreary (TV: “Grey’s Anatomy”) is 45. Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson is 41. NBA All-Star Kevin Durant is 38. Pop singer Halsey is 32. Actor Lilah Pate is 23.

FASHION

Continued from page 1D The Miss America partnership was not Walker’s ﬁrst connection with the organization. He previously designed a gown for Cassie Donegan, Miss America 2026, who wore a custom Romey Roe design to the Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection Concert in New York City. Walker’s designs have also appeared on major entertainment red carpets. He made his Grammy Awards debut in 2026 after designing a custom gown worn by Billboard artist Robin Barnes Casey, marking the ﬁrst time the Romey Roe brand was represented on the Grammys red carpet. His work also reached the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, where actress Liz Fenning wore a red silk satin, lace and sequin gown designed by Walker. Now, two years into presenting collections at New York Fashion Week, Walker said he wanted to show what Southern talent could

BARBERSHOP Continued from page 1D

he has been a client since then. The two have become so close that Logan ﬂew Malveaux out to Mexico to cut his hair for his wedding last year. He credits Malveaux’s work ethic and loyalty for Draft Picks’ success. “You really see the work that he puts into making things happen and being there for people. It’s pretty spectacular,” Logan said. “To see him continue building his business is not surprising because I’ve gotten to know him and his creative ideas.”

The makings of an entrepreneur In middle school, Malveaux started cutting his and his brother’s hair at their home in Morgan City. Then, other friends started requesting haircuts. By high school, it became a side job for Malveaux. He was going to give up his side hustle while in college at Grambling State University to focus on academics, but soon people were asking him where he got his hair cut, and his clientele grew again. After graduating from Grambling, Malveaux took a job with the Louisiana Office for Juvenile Justice as a juvenile probation officer for a couple of years, but the cubicle office life wasn’t for him. He decided to complete the Louisiana Barber Apprenticeship Program. He got his license in 2006 and opened his first shop in his hometown. He sold that shop and moved to

PROVIDED PHOTO By BRyON TAyLOR

Romey Roe poses with 2027 Miss America Regan Hutsell, in a custom Roe gown, to close out the New york Fashion Week presentation.

accomplish on a national stage. “I really wanted to show what a small-town Louisiana boy can do,” Walker said. “If you just keep dreaming, keep being determined.” Email Ja’kori Madison at jakori. madison@theadvocate.com.

Baton Rouge in 2014, working at a barbershop called Tapered Cutz. To help get his feet off the ground, Malveaux’s friend Vernon Norwood, Olympic gold medalist and fellow Morgan City native, connected him with LSU athletics. Norwood was running track at the time, and he told the athletes about Malveaux, who had been cutting his hair since middle school. “Vernon told me, ‘Look, when you get here, I’m gonna put you on,’ ” Malveaux said. “Those were his exact words. I took advantage of the opportunity that was given to me. It was LSU, that’s the athletes that helped build the brand.” Malveaux said he became so popular that the LSU players would drive from campus to Pecue Lane to get their hair cut by him. That’s when he realized he could start his own shop. He opened the ﬁrst Draft Picks location in 2017 on Jefferson Highway, the second in 2021 on Lee Drive, moved the original to O’Neal Lane in 2023 and opened one in the Prairieville Walmart on Airline Highway in 2025. He attributes part of Draft Picks’ success to the increasing popularity of barber videos on Instagram and TikTok — barbers post short videos of before-and-after transformation with their clients. “I know for a fact social media changed my life,” Malveaux said. “It changed the entire industry as a whole. It helps us tremendously. It’s free advertising. You can reach celebrities. I get a lot of my jobs just reaching out through Instagram.” He encourages his barbers to be active on social media, and if the

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Participants gather around to listen to instruction during the Laketown Squadron’s tryouts.

TRYOUTS

wing from New Orleans who played for two Division I college Continued from page 1D programs, made a G League roster last year and now was gunning to make a second. After warm-ups, we broke off Division III Middlebury College, by position for one-on-one games. where I hardly played, and surWe were allowed three dribbles vived practices by running hard to score a bucket. I was grouped and throwing elbows. I quit two with Kirk Smith Jr., a lanky seasons later to help edit the col6-foot-8 wing who’d played pro lege newspaper. overseas; Caleb White, a 6-foot-9 I had enough experience to center who looked built for footknow what I was getting into. I was bad enough that this could be ball; Brenton Thiels, the towerfunny. ing baseball player; and another The Pelicans, it bears noting, 6-foot-5-ish wing, Cedric Smith. are perennial underachievers. Every moment of success felt The satirical newspaper The Onlike an overachievement. I hit a three-pointer to start with the ball ion went hyper-local in torching on offense, then pounded the ball the team with a recent headline: “New Orleans Pelicans can’t help into the paint with my left hand and dropped in a baby-hook off but notice they’re not on NBA the glass. schedule this year.” I’d developed a clunky longUps and downs range shot in college, and none of my opponents presented parStepping onto the Hertz Center court, though, I felt a pang of ticularly enticing off-the-dribble nerves. I flashed back to the gym targets, so I fired a three-pointer where, at 14, I joined my high over White’s long arms on the school’s summer league team as next possession. Airball. I winced a gangly novice for practices, a few minutes later when I got the which soon became exercises in ball back and airballed another. enduring humiliation. Five years From there it was onto the day’s later, I subjected myself to a main event: Two hours of five-onramped-up version of the ritual at five scrimmages. Middlebury. I subbed into my squad’s first Back then, I wanted to prove game about midway through the my work ethic. I was also learnfirst half. The pace, set by Diviing to nurture a fiery competitive sion I and overseas vets, jolted streak. Now I channel those traits my lungs and legs. I was jolted back to the fear of not keeping up. into newspaper stories. I play I blew a couple of layups in that pickup basketball for fun at parks first game but got fouled, and and high schools. Lower stakes. dropped in four points on free At the tryout, I still glanced throws. I hoped those overshadaround trying to gauge whether I’d be the worst player on the owed my labored defense and floor. leaden running. As we jogged to center court for Gasping for air on defense, I our team assignments, I could tell thought of the most memorable I wasn’t the only non-conventional trash-talk I’ve absorbed on a aspiring pro there. One was a basketball court. “You run like 6-foot-11 former Louisiana Tech you need a shoulder massage,” an baseball player who’d never opponent barked during a pickup played organized basketball. So run a decade ago. I do need a was Khalen “Bink” Saunders, a shoulder massage, I thought. former Saints defensive tackle My team lost that game by a who’d just been cut by the Tenfew points. At least I’d made my free throws. nessee Titans and had promised on Twitter to try for the G League Reality check as a backup. There were also the likes of Somehow I started the next Gregory Hammond, a 6-foot-6 game. I lost a jump ball against

White, the burly center I’d been matched up with during the oneon-one portion. The ball ended up in my team’s hands, though, and I drew a foul on the other end. My day reached a low point on the next possession. White, who I was guarding, set a high ball screen. Handling the ball was Miles-Jordan Smartt, another New Orleans-born guard with Division I experience. I tried hedging the screen. White rolled as I faltered in recovering, caught a dart from Smartt and elevated for a thunderous two-handed slam with a quickness that defied the physics of his 240-pound frame. My team’s soft-spoken coach, Tony Sterling, subbed me out. I went back in during the second half and added another made free throw to my stat sheet. We lost the game. The day wound down with a 10-minute “all-star” game featuring the day’s top dozen-or-so players. I did not make the cut. Neither did another player, whose name I didn’t catch, who told me he’d played professionally in Azerbaijan. We watched together in a moment of dejected sideline camaraderie. I took comfort knowing that come Monday, I’d be back writing newspaper reports. My sideline pal, who drove in that morning from Alabama, would presumably be on the hunt for his next tryout. A Squadron spokesperson, Trey Hines, told me the team could add up to three players from the tryout to its 18-man training camp roster — and not all of them are guaranteed a final spot. A couple young Pelicans stars, Yves Missi and Jeremiah Fears, had been watching the games. They closed the day with a centercourt huddle, telling us we’d displayed impressive hustle that morning. I assume their bosses are hammering out my contract now. I’m waiting for their call. James Finn usually covers federal law enforcement and courts for The Times-Picayune | The Advocate. Email him at jfinn@theadvocate.com.

years, and although his clients range in age, he is comfortable cutting children’s hair, specifically children with special needs. He credits his patience to being a father of four. Smith says that the atmosphere with his co-workers is what keeps him coming back for more. “It’s a positive workspace for sure,” Smith said. “We’re like brothers. I’m excited to come to work and talk with them.”

Have clippers, will travel

STAFF PHOTO By PEARL SPURLOCK

Owner TJ Malveaux stands inside his Draft Picks Barbershop on Sept. 15.

Malveaux takes the positivity with him when he travels to cut clients’ hair around the country. Between LSU and Southern University football players, the New Orleans Saints and other athletes around the country, Malveaux’s schedule gets jam-packed during football season. He met many of his clients while they were playing football for LSU. He’s still barber to Godchaux, Logan and Jamal Adams, former LSU linebacker and current Minnesota Vikings player. When Marshall Faulk, former NFL player and current Southern University head coach, and Ryan Clark, former LSU and NFL player, are in town, they call Malveaux for their cuts. “A barber is something special and unique,” Logan said. “As a guy, you don’t let everyone in your hair because everybody doesn’t possess the same skill. So once you ﬁnd that one you really like, you build a relationship with them. That little time in the barber shop is like your escape from life.”

music is clean in the video, to tag everywhere, one constant is the variety of roles that a barber can the shop. play in a given day. Family atmosphere “We uplift. We’re like counselMalveaux sees each of his loca- ors. We’re like social workers,” tions as hubs for fathers to bring Malveaux said. “You’d be amazed at their sons to learn life lessons the things that a client shares with that go beyond the clippers. Yes, you. He’s glad to be here with somea young man learns grooming one that listens to him and makes etiquette at the barbershop, but him feel good when he leaves.” he also learns patience, the value For this reason, Malveaux said of community, respect, the art of that he chooses barbers partly off of listening and more. Malveaux also skill, but he most values character. knows single moms who bring “You can be an average barber, their sons, too, and he counts it as and you can always get better, but a privilege for barbers to build up attitudes don’t always change,” he young men. said. “He’s very talented,” client and Corvion Smith, one of Draft New Orleans Pelicans player Tren- Picks’ barbers, has worked with don Watford said, “but I think his Malveaux at the Lee Drive and success is the culture — the family O’Neal Lane locations for four sort of atmosphere that he has in years. He describes himself as a “people person,” so he enjoys the his shop.” Although Malveaux said that community aspect of the job. Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ He has been cutting hair for 10 theadvocate.com. barbershop culture is different

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ 3D

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zodIAC LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Put your energy behind your imagination and see what transpires. Move things around at home to add to your enjoyment, creativity or comfort. Refuse to let impulse lead to overspending. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Control your emotions, and keep your thoughts to yourself. Focus on improving your skills and using what you enjoy doing most to bring in extra cash. Choose romance and passion over anger. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Pay attention. Comfort is important when you have emotional differences to figure out. Assess your financial situation and adopt a budget that puts your mind at ease and money in the bank. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Stick close to home and make comfort and convenience your objectives. Refuse to let anyone interfere with your plans or talk you into something you don't need. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) If you lower your overhead, you'll feel good about yourself and your lifestyle. Too much of anything is the enemy, but if you adopt a minimalist attitude, it will put your mind at ease and extra cash in your pocket. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Take a moment to go over your personal and financial situation carefully. You stand to gain if you get rid of expenses that aren't necessary. Tidy up any unfinished business. ARIES (March 21-April 19) Put your strength and energy to work for you. If

you help, the experience you encounter will enrich you. Your ability to think quickly and offer solutions will allow you to become the go-to person in your circle. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Emotional drama won't assist you in gaining respect or getting ahead. Put more thought and love into self-improvement projects and helping others look, feel and do their best. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) If you jump in and try something new, what you learn and how you incorporate it into your expertise will help you excel. Be careful what you share with others. CANCER (June 21-July 22) Pay more attention to your needs. Being a people pleaser will attract people who want to take advantage of you. It's time to comfort yourself and take care of your needs. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) If you put your ego aside and make a point to listen and learn, the outcome will be unique, which you can incorporate into your plans to further your agenda. Know when to let go of the past. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Don't try to fix what isn't broken. Working with what you've got and with the people who share your beliefs will offer a chance to pick up information and skills that can help you fine-tune your attributes. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

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

TODAy'S CLUE: J EQUALS M

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

4D ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

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

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ 5D

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Bridge BY PHILLIP ALDER John Wilson, a Scottish philosopher who died in 1854, said, “Would you repeat that again, sir, for it soun’s sae sonorous that the words droon the ideas?” Today’s deal “souns” like yesterday’s, with one key change. How does that alter how South plays in three no-trump after West leads the heart queen and East signals encouragingly with his seven? North’s two-diamond rebid was a reverse because when South wished to give preference to North’s first-bid suit, he had to rebid at the three-level. The reverse promised a maximum opening bid: a good 17 to 20 high-card points. The simplest agreement is that a reverse is game-forcing. You will occasionally get too high, but maybe the defense will be imperfect. (The tournament world uses a responder’s rebid of fourth suit or two no-trump, whichever is the cheaper, as a signal that the responder’s hand is very weak. But that is complicated.) North’s threeheart continuation, a variation of fourthsuit forcing, asked South to bid three notrump with a heart stopper. South has seven top tricks: two spades, one heart, one diamond and three clubs. He gets that total up to at least nine if either clubs are 3-2 or the diamond finesse works.

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

Yesterday, with the spade king in the dummy, declarer had to choose between the two. But now he can try both. He wins with his heart ace and tries dummy’s top clubs. When they split badly, South crosses back to his hand with a spade and runs the diamond queen. The odds of success have risen to 83.9 percent. © 2026 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

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

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

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

toDAY’s WoRD — AFIELD: un-FEELD: Away from home; abroad.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 19 words Time limit 20 minutes Can you find 22 or more words in AFIELD? YEstERDAY’s WoRD — EPIGEAL eagle

plage

alee

page

plea

leap

pail

plie

liege

pale

gale

peal

gape

peel

glee

pile

agile

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy;” Psalms 107:2

Tell others about the Lord. They need Him too. G.E. Dean

6D ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

muttS

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Scrabble GramS dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

jump Start

For more information on tournaments and clubs, email naspa – north american sCraBBlE players association: info@scrabbleplayers.org. Visit our website: www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com.

Get fuzzy

Hasbro and its logo sCraBBlE associated logo, the design of the distinctive sCraBBlE brand game card, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United states and Canada. ©2021 Hasbro. all rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content agency, llC.

ken ken

animal crackerS

DuStin

InstructIons: 1 - Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 - The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 - Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

Wallace the brave

Drabble

WiShinG Well breWSter rockit

luann

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

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classifieds.nola.com Search & Place Ads Ads Onlines at classifieds.nola.com • Call Monday Us Monday - Friday 8AM - 5PMatat(504) (504)636-7435 636-7435 Search & Place Onlines at classifieds.nola.com - Friday 8AM - 5PM Anyone knowing the whereabouts, heirs, successors and/or assigns of Justin Duran, Rafael Duran or Amy Duran, please immediately contact Attorney Aubrey Harris at (504) 2338118 or aubrey@aubreyharrislaw.com regarding a case pending in the 24th Judicial Court. 202337-Sept 28-30, 3t $109

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Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Kelly Wiebelt please contact Attorney David J. Motter 3500 N. Hullen Street, Metairie, LA 70002; 504-388-7005. 202328-Sept. 28-30, 3t $77.50 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Sarah E. Greenman and/or her children/descendants/heirs, Please contact Attorney Tyralynn WellsDonald at 504-388-0189 or info@thewellslawofﬁce.com. 202372-Sept 29-Oct 1, 3t $77.50 Anyone knowing the Whereabouts of Ted Andrus Inc. and/or Edgar Andrus, please contact Attorney David J. Motter, 3500 N. Hullen Street, Metairie, LA 70002; 504-3887005. 202326-Sept 28-30, 3t $85.90

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Nashville-Napoleon Ter‐ minal Complex: Cranes 8 & 9 Structural Inspection & Repair.

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT TO INVITATION TO BID CITY OF NEW ORLEANS SPONSORING DEPARTMENT: NEW ORLEANS RECREATIONAL DEPARTMENT COMMISSION (NORDC) TITLE: FOOTBALL OFFICIALS (Re-Bid) SOURCING EVENT NO.: 4814 TYPE OF SOLICITATION: NON-PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DBE OPPORTUNITY: YES (35%) RELEASED ON: September 29, 2026 DEADLINE TO RESPOND: October 13, 2026 PRE-BID CONFERENCE: October 5, 2026 Dates are subject to changes via an adden‐ dum posted by the Bu‐ reau of Purchasing on the City’s supplier portal. If this solicitation is fed‐ erally funded, prospec‐ tive bidder/respondent must pay particular at‐ tention to all applicable laws and regulations of the Federal government and the State of Louisiana. The Bureau of Purchas‐ ing uses commodity codes to notify suppliers of the release of a sourc‐ ing event and subse‐ quent modifications via addendum. Note that you would receive those noti‐ fications if you selected the following commodity code(s) before the re‐ lease of the sourcing event: COMMODITY CODE(s): 961-68 The City of New Orleans is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages minorityowned and womenowned businesses, so‐ cially and economically disadvantaged busi‐ nesses and small busi‐ nesses to respond to this solicitation, or to partici‐ pate in subcontracting opportunities pursuant to this solicitation. Any person with disabilities requires special accom‐ modation must contact the buyer listed within the bid no later than seven (7) days prior to bid opening. For more information about this sourcing event, go to www.nola. gov and click on “BRASS Supplier Portal” under “BIDS & CONTRACTS”. Once on the Supplier Por‐ tal, search “Open Events.” Thank you for your inter‐ est in doing business with the City of New Or‐ leans. James C. Simmons, Jr. Chief Procurement Officer Advertising Dates: September 29 and October 6, 2026 NOCP 9340 202390-sept 29-oct 6-2t $78.94 PUBLIC NOTICE --Broome County, NY is so‐ liciting competitive pro‐ posals from qualified vendors for Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) Sup‐ plies to be supplied on an as-needed basis. Interested vendors must submit a proposal in accordance with solic‐ itation documents posted to https://www. coretrustpg.com/publicsector/solicitations. Responses must be re‐ ceived by 10.27.2026 at 2:00 pm est. 201343-sep 22-29-2t $153.42 PUBLIC NOTICE --INVITATION TO BID NASHVILLE-NAPOLEON TERMINAL COMPLEX CRANES 8 & 9 STRUCTURAL INSPECTION & REPAIR Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Or‐ leans (Board) will receive electronic bids uploaded to Centralbidding.com on or before Monday, Octo‐ ber 19, 2026 at 11:00 A.M., local time, for Work Order No. 1-1194,

The work consists of fur‐ nishing all labor, mater‐ ial and equipment to per‐ form non-destructive weld testing on the Board’s ship-to-shore container cranes 8 and 9, including but not limited to providing equipment for access, removal and replacement of coatings, performing VT, MT, and UT tests, and preparation of reports. The work may also consist of perform‐ ing as-needed structural repairs at the direction of the Engineer. The site is located at the NashvilleNapoleon Terminal Com‐ plex in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Estimated Cost: To be provided at bid opening). All Bids must be in accor‐ dance with the Bidding Documents on file with the Port of New Orleans. In accordance with LSA R.S. 38:2212 (E)(7), com‐ plete Bidding Documents are available for down‐ load via Central Bidding at www.centralbidding. com. Bidding Documents may also be obtained from the SEBconnect App, available in both the Apple and Google play platforms. If request for Bidding Documents is made through U.S. mail or other delivery services, bidder must furnish a street mailing address and will be held respon‐ sible for service fees. Federal regulations re‐ quire that persons seek‐ ing entry to secure areas of United States ports must present a valid Transportation Workers Identification Credential (TWIC) card and must maintain possession of the TWIC at all times in secure port areas. Persons seeking entry to the below listed facilities of the Port of New Or‐ leans must possess a TWIC in order to attend pre-bid meetings on port property. Restricted areas include port prop‐ erty between Felicity Street and Henry Clay Avenue, Alabo Street Wharf, Jourdan Road Wharf, the Julia Street and Erato Street Cruise Terminals, and during cargo activities at Poland Avenue Wharf and Gover‐ nor Nicholls Street Wharf. TWIC escorts will not be permitted for this project. See Section 1000 – General Requirements. Bidding Documents will be issued only to those contractors complying with state licensing laws for contractors, La. R.S. 37:2150, et. seq. On any bid submitted in the amount of $50,000 or more, the contractor must hold at the time this bid is opened a valid license issued by the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. This project is classified as Heavy Construction, Building Construction, or Limited Specialty Ser‐ vices. Objection to the required classification should be filed in accor‐ dance with La. R.S. 37:2165. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the cost of the contract price of work to be done for the Base Bid plus all additive Alter‐ nate Bid prices, by certi‐ fied check, cashier's check or bid bond is re‐ quired, and the bidder to whom the contract is awarded shall also be re‐ quired to furnish a per‐ formance bond in the total amount of the bid. The bid bond must be furnished in accordance with the requirements of La. R.S. 38:2218, and the performance bond in ac‐ cordance with the provi‐ sions of La. R.S. 38:2219. The award of contract, if awarded, will be made within 45 calendar days after bid opening to the lowest qualified bidder whose bid complies with all requirements pre‐ scribed. However, when the contract is to be fi‐ nanced by bonds which are required to be sold after receipt of bids, or when the contract is to be financed in whole or in part by federal, state or other funds not avail‐ able at the time bids are received, or when the contract requires a poll of the Louisiana Legisla‐ ture before contract funds are available, the time will not start until receipt of federal or state concurrence or concur‐ rence of the other fund‐ ing source in accordance with LA. R.S. 38:2215(D). Award will be within 45 calendar days after the sale of bonds or receipt of concurrence in award from the federal or state agency or other funding source. Funds for this contract:

APARTMENT

GENTILLY 2544 ALLEN TOUSSAINT BLVD. NEWLY RENOVATED!!! 1-2 Bdrm Apts * From $800/mo Parking * Sec Gate 504-209-8054 * 504-454-1333

Employment GENERAL HELP Wanted: City of New Orleans Approved DBE Vendors

KENNER 2850 IDAHO AVENUE 1 Block to Vets & Williams All Amenities * Pool * Parking Studio/1 Bed Apt * Starting $675/Mo 504-385-5482 * 504-454-1333

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City of New Orleans Solicitation #4752 – Street Light Maintenance and Rehabilitation Services Local Electrical Contractor in need of City of New Orleans approved DBE’s for the following trades: Licensed Arborist Concrete Demolition Concrete Supplier Masonry – Brick & Tile – Installation and Repair Tree Trimming Painting Application Method: Qualified, interested parties should please contact Harold Boydston hboydston@allstar-electric.com or Todd McDonald tmcdonald@allstarelectric.com

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

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

__ _ ___ will not be immedi‐ ately available, the 45day period for contract award will not begin at the time of bid opening, and the deadlines under La. R.S. 38:2215 for con‐ tract execution and is‐ suance of notice to pro‐ ceed shall not apply.

tracting opportunities on this project.

Invitation to Bid (ITB) will be available September 22, 2026, for download at the following websites: Board: https://www2. swbno.org/business_bid speciﬁcations.asp LAPAC:https:// wwwcfprd.doa.louisiana. gov/OSP/LaPAC/dspBid. cfm?search=departm ent&term=181

Bids will be publicly opened on October 8, 2026, at 11:30 AM (Central Time) in the Procurement Conference Room, Rm 131, located at 625 St. Joseph St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70165.

Work in the amount of at least sixty percent (60%) of total amount of con‐ tract as awarded shall be performed by contractor at the construction site or within his own shop, plant, or yard with his own employees. The Board as an equal opportunity public entity invites and encourages DBE’s and SBE’s to sub‐ mit bids on its projects. In order to comply with the Constitution of the State of Louisiana, such certiﬁcation programs must be race and gender neutral. All questions, correspon‐ dence, inquiries, and other communications regarding this procure‐ ment shall be directed to Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Or‐ leans, Procurement De‐ partment, 1350 Port of New Orleans Place, New Orleans, LA 70130 or pro‐ curement@portnola.com. All questions will be an‐ swered via addenda and will be posted on the Central Bidding website at: www.centralbidding. com. Questions must be sub‐ mitted at least seven (7) days prior to bid open‐ ing.

The RTA reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals submitted. Ronald G. Baptiste, Jr. Interim Chief Executive Ofﬁcer Regional Transit Authority 201259-sept 29-oct 6-2t $684.30 PUBLIC NOTICE --Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans Invitation to Bid 2026-SWB-35 RIVER SAND AND MASON SAND The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (Board) is soliciting bids from companies to sup‐ ply River Sand and Mason Sand.

METAIRIE 2720 WHITNEY PLACE UNIT #504 • $1,500/Mo 2 Bdrm / 2 Bath Condo. ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED! New Carpet & ﬂrg, quartz countertops in baths. No pets. 2-yr lease. Laundry Rm on 1st ﬂoor. Guard @ night. Sandy Ward * 504-259-2616. Re/Max Living * 504-475-1011. Ea ofc indpntly owned & operated.

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

APARTMENT

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

APARTMENT

AKC Miniature Schnauzers AKC miniature schnauzer gorgeous pups has all shots 5043902918 $1,500.00 504-390-2918

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

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

DUPLEX 4752 Francis Dr., 3BR/2BA, $1550/month Section 8 ok, Central Air & Heat 504-289-7595

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Notice to all offerors is hereby provided that in accordance with all ap‐ plicable federal, state and local laws the RTA will ensure that DBEs are afforded full opportunity to submit offers and re‐ sponses to this solicita‐ tion and to participate in any contract consum‐ mated pursuant to this advertisement. Addition‐ ally, no offeror will be discriminated against on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, na‐ tional origin, ethnicity or disability. For additional information contact the RTA’s Small Business Of‐ ﬁce at 504-827-8301.

Pets

Beautiful puppies Yorkie puppies shots and dewormed $700.00 601543-4232 bettyparks159@gmail.com

APARTMENT N.O. EAST * LITTLE WOODS SPECIAL 7819 SANDS STREET * 3 BD/2 BA Central A & H * Fenced Backyard Sec 8 Welcome. No Deposit. $1,200 504-241-6189 * 504-430-1162

APARTMENT: DUPLEX 8629 Apricot St. 3Br/1Ba, Central air/heat, Section 8. No Pets $1300. 504-344-2324

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

X will be immediately available and the 45-day period for contract award will begin at the time of bid opening.

HOUSE 327 S. Cortez St. 2 Bedroom Double, off-street parking. Section 8 okay $1500/month. 504-810-7020

APARTMENT

APARTMENT 7113 Boston Dr. Townhouse, Section 8 $1200. Gail (504) 239-2885

NEWS 24/7 ON

Public Notices

Anyone with an interest in the unopened succession of THOMAS E RICHARDSON, please contact CAMILLE PATTI, Attorney at Law, at 504-321-3364. 202377-Sept 29-Oct 1, 3t $79.60

Fax and email submis‐ sion will not be accepted. All bidders may attend a non-mandatory pre-bid conference at 1:00 PM, September 24, 2026, at the Sewerage & Water Board Administrative Building, the Procure‐ ment Conference Room, Rm 131, located at 625 St. Joseph St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70165 or if you are unable to attend this in-person meeting, you can also join via telecon‐ ference call: Microsoft Teams Join: https://teams. microsoft.com/meet/291 223865812711?p=CLp K3d46lT3GaUiRdz Meeting ID: 291 223 865 812 711 Passcode: iV7xW98t Dial in by phone +1 504-2248698,,469572537# United States, New Orleans Phone conference ID: 469 572 537# Bids will be received by the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans Procurement Department by October 8, 2026, at 11:00 AM. (Central Time). For submission instruc‐ tions, see bid docu‐ ments.

LATE BIDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. 201526-sep 22-29-2t $83.72

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

at http://www.coretrustpg. com/public-sector/solicit ations. Responses are due by 10/19/2026 at 2:00 pm cst. 201345-SEP 22-29-2T $148.32

The Town of Delight, AR is soliciting competitive bids for 26COR-089 - Docu‐ ment Storage and Preservation Services. Interested sup‐ pliers must submit a pro‐ posal in accordance with solicita‐ tion documents posted on http://www.coretrustpg. com/publicsector/solicit ations. Responses must be re‐ ceived by 3:00 pm CT on 10/15/2026. 201366-sep 23-30-2t $143.20 PUBLIC NOTICE --The Town of Delight, AR is soliciting competitive bids for 26COR-095 Pool Chemicals, Equipment, & Supplies for Operation & Maint of Public Water. Interested suppliers must submit a proposal in accordance to solicita‐ tion documents posted

PUBLIC NOTICE --Burns & McDonnell on behalf of Cloud Connec‐ tor, LLC is requesting au‐ thorization to construct a natural gas pipeline be‐ tween an interconnect station near Melville, Louisiana in St. Landry Parish, and Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC and Plaquemines Ex‐ pansion, LLC Terminals in Plaquemines Parish. The U.S. Army Corps of Engi‐ neers (CEMVN) will be accepting public com‐ ments on the project until October 8, 2026. To further review and/or provide comments, addi‐ tional information and plans related to the pro‐ posal may be obtained at the following website: www.mvn.usace.army. mil/missions/regulatory/ public-notices (see Ref#: MVN-2026-00308-BV). If you have any questions or would like additional information, please con‐ tact Courtland Vice with CEMVN, Regulatory Divi‐ sion at (504) 862-1349 or at courtland.l.vice@

2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2.0L Limited needs some body work. Motor and transmission good. $3500 or best offer. 504-235-3223.

Public Notices Successions

Legal Notices

usace.army.mil. A certiﬁ‐ cation that the proposed activity will not violate applicable water quality standards will be re‐ quired from the LDEQ be‐ fore a Department of the Army permit could be is‐ sued. 201950-SEP 28-OCT 8-11T $1,405.06

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

Automotive

PUBLIC NOTICE --Public Notice is hereby given by TMAS Produc‐ tions LLC. Production has wrapped for “Tell Me A Secret". Any vendors or employees that have out‐ standing claims for this production are asked to send their claims no later than October 5, 2026 to 1536 Magazine St, New Orleans LA 70130. 200501-sept 15-22-29-3t $156.43

Public Notices Successions

PUBLIC NOTICE --24th Judicial District Court, State of Louisiana, No: 831-712, Succession of Edna Williams Rhea, wife of/and Samuel Peter Rhea, Sr., Notice is hereby given to the cred‐ itors of this Estate and to all other persons herein interested to show cause within seven (7) days from this notiﬁcation (if any they have or can) why the First Tableau of i ib i db

y Distribution presented by the Administratrix of this Estate should not be ap‐ proved and homologated and the funds distributed in accordance herewith. By order of the Court, Jon Gegenheimer, Clerk 202367-sept 29-1t $34.15 PUBLIC NOTICE --LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE IS GIVEN that Theresa Blackburn, Pro‐ visional Administrator of the Succession of Leslie Thomas Blackburn, Jr., Probate No. 840-167, Div. N, 24th JDC, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, has ap‐ plied for authority to sell at private sale the Dece‐ dent’s immovable prop‐ erty situated in Jefferson Parish and bearing mu‐ nicipal address of 1638 Stafford Street, Gretna, Louisiana 70053 for no less the sum of ONE HUN‐ DRED EIGHTEEN THOU‐ SAND AND 00/100 ($118,000.00) DOLLARS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the petition. Any opposi‐ tion to the proposed sale must be ﬁled within ten (10) days of the date of publication. Additional details are contained in ﬁlings available at the Clerk of Court for Jeffer‐ son Parish. 202366-OCT 6-1T $

NEWS 24/7 ON

These individuals are not authorized to and shall not render legal opinions or advice. No information will be given regarding the proper evidence of corporate authority as required in this bid. Each bidder is advised to con‐ sult his own counsel for such information. Please be advised that these individuals are not the legal representatives of the Board. 201523-sep 22-29-oct 6-3t $278.07

PUBLIC NOTICE --REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY 10 TONS CLIMATE MASTER REPLACEMENT UNIT INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) #2026-032 Project Description: The Regional Transit Author‐ ity of New Orleans in‐ vites qualified vendors to replace the 10 Tons Cli‐ mate Master Replace‐ ment Unit per specifica‐ tions in IFB 2026-032. How to obtain a copy of the IFB: Specifications and further information concerning the IFB may be obtained September 16, 2026, from the RTA’s Procureware website at https://norta. procureware.com/home. You will be required to first register on this web‐ site. The IFB can also be obtained at Regional Transit Authority’s web‐ site at http://www.norta. com. Clarifications: Any ques‐ tions or further informa‐ tion concerning this IFB must be submitted https://norta. through procureware.com/home by 2:00 PM on October 9, 2026. Only written ques‐ tions submitted through Procureware site shall be considered official. All answers to questions shall be by formal ad‐ denda posted to the website under IFB 2026032. Responding to IFB: Bids shall be submitted through the RTA’s Pro‐ cureware website on or before 2:00 P.M., Thurs‐ day, October 15, 2026. A Bid Opening will be held in the Finance Con‐ ference Room located at 2817 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70119, on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 2:00 PM. RTA in accordance with 49 Code of Federal Regu‐ lations (CFR) Part 26 has an obligation to ensure nondiscrimination of Dis‐ advantaged Business En‐ terprises (DBEs) and to comply with all federal, state and local regula‐ tions relative to utiliza‐ tion of DBEs on publicly funded projects. The RTA is committed to utiliza‐ tion of DBEs on all feder‐ ally funded projects to‐ ward attainment of the agency's established overall goal of 32%. No DBE goal has been es‐ tablished for this project as there are no subcon‐

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8D ✦ Tuesday, September 29, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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