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CAJUNS STILL HAVE A FEW ISSUES AS SUN BELT PLAY BEGINS 1C THE

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DDA wants city to close bar loophole

But the Downtown Development town bars has been contentious downtown Lafayette officials eye cutting down on go-cups Authority’s concerns go beyond throughout the year. In March, the

BY ADAM DAIGLE

Acadiana business editor Downtown Lafayette officials are asking the city to close what they describe as a “bring your own beer” loophole that allows businesses to operate as bars without going through the city’s conditional-use permit process. Kevin Blanchard, CEO of the Downtown Development Author-

ity, asked Mayor-President Monique Boulet to pause the city’s conditional-use permit process for new downtown bars. The request comes as downtown nightlife faces renewed scrutiny over alcohol violations and crowdrelated problems. Police and state alcohol regulators cited employees at four of ﬁve Lafayette bars during a Sept. 26 compliance operation targeting

underage drinking. Four underage people also were cited for possessing alcohol. Only one of the ﬁve establishments checked was found compliant. One of the bars cited, Nite Town, has faced repeated complaints involving alcohol and minors. State records show 18 complaints against the Jefferson Street bar since 2022. Three cases resulted in ﬁnes totaling $4,050.

individual alcohol violations. The city also is grappling with whether to allow more large-scale nightlife venues downtown. Blanchard made the same argument about the city’s conditionaluse permit process Sept. 21 when the Zoning Commission considered a request for a 325-person nightclub at 201 Jefferson St. The commission recommended approval. The debate over new down-

University professors, students face rapid pace of AI development

City Council voted 3-2 to deny a conditional-use permit for Downtown Daiquiri Lounge, a proposed bar on Jefferson Street next to Nite Town. The Lafayette Police Department and Downtown Development Authority opposed the permit, citing concerns about the location and police calls involving another downtown business operated by the applicants. A district

ä See BAR, page 6A

U.S. Senate approves college sports bill Legislation sets up national system for student-athletes BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

“because I think deep down, they want some kind of experience, the same idealized American college experience that we had.” As AI becomes ubiquitous on campus, more classes at LSU may follow Weerts’ lead. His approach is one of many among faculty to weather the revolution in higher education brought by powerful tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude. Some, like Weerts, remove technology from the classroom altogether and focus on what can be completed in a single period. Others inject AI in small doses, challenging students to

WASHINGTON — Legislation that pays college athletes and protects universities from most litigation headed Tuesday to the U.S. House, where it faces an uncertain future despite overwhelming support in the Senate. Senators, who had flown into town Monday afternoon, voted late that night, 77-22, to send the Protect College Sports Act of 2026 Kennedy to the House. Both Louisiana senators, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, and Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, voted in favor of final passage. “College sports is in desperate need for stability. This legislation sets student-athletes up for success,” Cassidy said. “We’ve made a lot of people happy with this bill,” Kennedy said. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, of Connecticut and a leader of the opposition, noted that LSU President Wade Rousse last week said the university’s athletic department is projected to be $26 million short this fiscal year and LSU athletics has overspent its budget over the past six years by a total of $177.5 million. “LSU just paid a buyout of over $53 million to the coach they fired. In fact, last year the buyout for just three coaches at LSU totaled over $169 million,” Murphy said. “Yet, this bill only restricts, only caps the money going to players. Does nothing to cap the money going to coaches.” The sweeping bill sets up a national system through which student-athletes can

ä See CLASSES, page 6A

ä See SENATE, page 5A

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Instructor MJ Weerts points to a student during his introductory composition course at LSU on Wednesday. Weerts uses an analog approach to combat artificial intelligence tools in the classroom.

‘It’s not something we can ignore’ BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

At 9:30 a.m. on a recent Wednesday, LSU English instructor MJ Weerts gave only one instruction to his composition class: Put the phones and computers away. He displayed an aphorism on the board, his preferred style of short writing to teach students nowadays rather than the essay. “‘A great photographer insists on writing poems,’ ” one student read aloud to

the class. “‘A brilliant essayist insists on writing novels. A singer with a voice like an angel insists on singing only her own, terrible songs.’ ” The students spent the rest of the hour pondering what the short quote meant and how it applied to their lives. There were no laptops with quiz questions to answer, no phones to take notes on. “I don’t do anything more than they can read or write on a single notecard in a single day,” Weerts said. Though he doesn’t suggest every class go analog, Weerts said the approach works for his students to “get them into their own minds,” particularly in the age of artiﬁcial intelligence tools. “They’re cool with it,” Weerts said,

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ELECTION

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Attack ads on Edmonds, Miguez stir up Republican leaders BY TYLER BRIDGES

an attack against state Sen. Blake Miguez, who is Edmonds’ chief Republican rival for the congressional Last week, a Washington-based seat. And there were signs Tuesday super PAC launched an attack ad against state Sen. Rick Edmonds, that the anti-Edmonds ad by the who is campaigning to win a vacant Washington-based Club for Growth congressional district representing has irked Republican political leadmetro Baton Rouge. ers and could pull some of them to On Tuesday, a Louisiana-based su- Edmonds’ side. The latest events are playing out per PAC returned ﬁre by launching

Staff writer

WEATHER HIGH 92 LOW 73 PAGE 8A

a little more than a month before the Nov. 3 jungle primary when Edmonds, Miguez and eight other candidates are competing to replace U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields to represent the 6th Congressional District. Edmonds and Miguez are attracting the most attention because they are the best-known candidates, have the most money and the state Legislature drew the district to elect a

Republican. Both have earned a reputation as pro-Trump conservatives. Last week, political analysts said the 30-second attack on Edmonds by Club for Growth could badly damage his campaign if Edmonds didn’t have enough campaign money to respond. Louisiana First Victory Fund

ä See ADS, page 5A Edmonds

Business ...................10C Commentary ................3B Nation-World ................2A Classified .....................4B Living............................5C Opinion ........................2B Comics-Puzzles .....7C-9C Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C

Miguez

102Nd yEAR, NO. 92

2A ● Wednesday, September 30, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Toddler pulls out loaded gun at Michigan daycare

CANTON, MICH. — A toddler pulled out a loaded pistol Monday at a daycare in southeast Michigan and one of the child’s parents has been taken into custody as the investigation continues, officials said. No one was injured in the incident in Canton and police praised the daycare staff for acting quickly to make sure all of the children were kept safe, police Chief Joseph Bialy said during a news conference. Bialy said the child’s other parent is a police officer from a neighboring jurisdiction. He said the handgun found at the daycare was not a service weapon. “I don’t think there was any ill intent by truly anyone involved,” he said. “I think it really falls back on safe security of a firearm, making sure that we know where our firearms are located, that they are not accessible to anyone.” Bialy said he watched video of the child taking the gun out of a backpack and described it as “shocking.” He said it was hard for him to watch even though he knew the outcome. The daycare already had a lot of security in place but is going to increase its protocols and start searching all backpacks, he said.

Estonia blames Russia for arson attack TALLINN, Estonia — Estonian authorities said Tuesday that an arson attack carried out last month on a defense company that provides military vehicles to Ukraine was an act of sabotage commissioned by Russian security services. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said that “such actions are absolutely unacceptable” and that Russia’s charge d’affaires in Tallinn was being summoned to his ministry. A fire broke out overnight on Aug. 15 at a building in the Estonian capital used by Milrem Robotics, but was quickly brought under control, the BNS news agency reported. On Aug. 17, two Latvian suspects were detained in neighboring Latvia, and a third followed the next day. The suspects were handed over to Estonia. Milrem has supplied THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles to Ukraine. The Estonian Internal Security Service said that it has concluded that the arson attack “was a deliberate and preplanned act commissioned by Russian security services.” It said in a statement that “the modus operandi of the Milrem attack is consistent with other acts of sabotage carried out in Europe on behalf of Russia,” adding that it “assesses that the attack is directly attributable to the Russian Federation.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “such statements are unfounded, ill-considered, absolutely not reﬂecting the reality, not containing any substantiation whatsoever.”

Survivors, victims found after boat capsizes SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday it had rescued 49 people and was searching for 10 others after a boat carrying migrants recently capsized in open waters west of Puerto Rico. At least three bodies have been recovered since the boat, carrying 62 passengers, overturned late Sunday near Mona Island. Officials said one passenger attacked others with a machete, causing severe injuries and forcing dozens to jump into the water. U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson Ricardo Castrodad said in a phone interview Tuesday that the majority of people aboard the boat were migrants from the Dominican Republic, while two are believed to be from Haiti. He said he didn’t know what prompted the attack, which “created a situation of panic.” Castrodad said the number of victims could have been much higher if it weren’t for a vessel passing through the area on Monday afternoon that reported the incident and helped rescue four people.

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Third country removals continue

the policy “an entirely lawSupreme Court allows quick deportations while weighing policy called ful and critical tool for immigration

BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday let President Donald Trump’s administration continue swiftly deporting people to countries other than their own for now, while the justices consider whether the policy is legal. The apparent 6-3 order temporarily lifts lower court requirements for migrants to get a chance to object before being sent to countries to which they have no ties. The Supreme Court will hear arguments in December. The Trump administration said

last week the lower court order forced the cancellation of a deportation ﬂight carrying about 70 people bound for three countries. The conservative majority has sided with the administration before on the core Trump administration policy, allowing deportation ﬂights to temporarily continue last year. The court said it will consider several questions: whether the policy is lawful, whether lower courts had the authority to consider the case and issue a sweeping block, as well as other questions the government deems appropriate. Under a series of often-secret

agreements, the Trump administration has deported some 25,000 people to more than two dozen countries, including Liberia and Guyana. The vast majority have been sent to Mexico. Trump’s Republican administration has said that it sends people with final deportation orders to third countries when they can’t be returned to their homelands or their native countries won’t accept them, including those who have criminal convictions. Those governments provide assurances that people won’t be persecuted or tortured, federal attorneys said. Attorney General Todd Blanche

enforcement” in a social media post. Some migrants, though, have found themselves imprisoned in countries they’d never heard of before their arrivals. Others also face serious safety risks and are left with little choice except to return to the home countries they were ﬂeeing. Many have no criminal convictions and have been found to be at risk of torture or persecution, attorneys for the immigrants said. The case comes amid a sweeping immigration crackdown by the Trump administration, which has pledged to deport millions of people who are living in the United States illegally.

Congress votes to end production of penny BY MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By JACQUELyN MARTIN

President donald Trump, center, between Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, left, and Elon Musk, speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Tuesday while surrounded by top executives of AI firms.

Trump says top tech firms sign accord Artificial intelligence companies agree to ‘self-police’ development BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, WILL WEISSERT and MEG KINNARD Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he and a large group of leaders of artificial intelligence companies had signed a voluntary accord that will include internal and external reviews during a meeting at the White House aimed at addressing Americans’ fears about the technology. “I think I’m seeing tremendous selfpolicing. And they understand that they have to self-police,” Trump told reporters during an impromptu press conference outside the West Wing. Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson met leading executives from top tech firms that are spending hundreds of billions of dollars to build out AI infrastructure, including data centers in communities across the country that have sparked grassroots, bipartisan opposition. The group included CEOs who have called for a slowdown in the development of the technology after several high-profile incidents where AI agents have gone rogue. Trump repeatedly praised the business executives for developing a technology that he said would produce “unbelievable growth.” Investment in data centers and the accompanying computer equipment has accelerated the economy and boosted the stock market, which has swelled investment accounts for higher-income

Americans and lifted their spending. Yet there were some notes of caution Tuesday. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, who has been one of the most outspoken voices calling for a slowdown in the development of AI, said “the technology has very real risks.” “And, you know, the mechanism, how we address those risks is still under discussion,” Amodei said. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook parent company Meta, said the accord included “a set of principles and commitments around building robust internal controls and detecting if there are any issues with the technology, coupled with multiple layers of auditing and controls.” Trump suggested there would be about 10 people named to a committee to “watch over the whole enterprise” and said the accord would be “morally binding.” He also said he would name someone to oversee the agreement in coming days after consulting with industry. Earlier Tuesday, Trump promised that the U.S. government wouldn’t limit the development of artificial intelligence or support calls for “guardrails” or other restrictions. “I will never stifle the growth of a technology that will be bigger than the industrial revolution,” Trump said at the unveiling of an AI chatbot, America.gov, intended to help Americans navigate government services. “We can’t stifle it, and we’re leading by a lot.” The unveiling of the AI government chatbot occurred at a daylong event in Washington during which multiple Trump administration officials celebrated a “Golden Age” fueled by what Trump insists on calling “super intelligence,” rather than artificial intelligence.

Taiwan: U.S. arms sales to island unchanged, but $14B package stalled BY HUIZHONG WU Associated Press

BANGKOK — Taiwan’s defense minister said Tuesday that existing U.S. arms sales to Taiwan remain unchanged, and that Taipei remains in talks with the U.S. over individual deals. A record $14 billion arms package to the island, however, remains stalled. The minister’s remarks come as concerns mount that President Donald Trump could halt arms sales to Taiwan. China has pressed Washington to halt the arms sales, most prominently during a May summit in Beijing between Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping. The United States paused the $14 billion arms deal after that meeting. “As for arms sales, we are in continuous discussions with the Americans on this,” Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wel-

lington Koo told reporters in front of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. “We haven’t received any notice of any changes to sales or our cooperation.” Koo said he received assurances from the U.S. side that its policy toward the island remained unchanged. Koo also said that 66 advanced F16-V ﬁghter jets have reached a production stage where they’re ready to be delivered. The jets for Taiwan were supposed to be delivered in 2024, according to local media, but the project has been delayed by the pandemic and production line issues. U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are a major source of tension between Beijing and Washington because China claims the island as its territory. While the U.S. does not formally recognize Taiwan as a country, it is the island’s largest informal ally and bound by law to ensure that Taiwan can defend itself.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Mint stopped making pennies in 2025, but legislation passed by the Senate and headed to President Donald Trump’s desk will formally end their production after 234 years. The bill, passed by voice vote late Monday, directs the government to not make pennies, giving a legal stamp of approval to the Trump administration’s decision to stop producing the currency last year. The penny, among the ﬁrst coins to be made after the Mint was established in 1792, has become increasingly expensive to produce and is used by fewer and fewer consumers as digital transactions have become more standard. Trump is expected to sign the bill. He wrote in a social media post last year that the U.S. has produced the 1-cent coin for “far too long.” The Mint says that production of a penny now costs almost 4 cents and that ceasing to make them would generate immediate savings of $56 million annually. The bipartisan bill, called The Common Cents Act, was sponsored by Reps. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., and Robert Garcia, D-Calif. “When it comes to taking on waste and making sure

our tax dollars are spent wisely, it’s common sense that we should stop making a coin that costs nearly four times more than it’s worth to produce,” Garcia said. Pennies are still in circulation, and the formal end to their production doesn’t mean consumers or stores can’t use them. The Mint said it made 3.2 billion pennies in 2024. The bill outlines new procedures for stores as pennies are phased out, and it allows them to round transactions up or down to the nearest 5 cents. Retailers had pushed for the bill to eliminate the threat of lawsuits as penny circulation has dwindled. “Businesses across the country have faced cascading impacts from the lack of pennies in circulation, operating under constant uncertainty about how to handle cash transactions when exact change is unavailable,” a coalition of retailer groups wrote to House leaders in a letter earlier this year. The bill would also allow the government to use an inner layer of zinc when producing the nickel, which could increase in circulation as the penny is phased out. The 5-cent coin is currently made from both nickel and copper, which is more expensive than zinc.

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Preston

Tour bus operator

“The future’s happening here in Richland Parish.” Kaycie

Coﬀee shop owner

Lindsay

Food truck owner

$1.6 billion for Louisiana businesses. Catering for 40 people used to be a good week. Now they hit 400. And that’s just the tacos. From coﬀee shops to bus tours, Meta’s Richland Parish investment is already paying oﬀ for businesses across Louisiana.

The future is for everyone. meta.com/BuildingLouisiana

4A ● Wednesday, September 30, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Iran’s currency hits a record Suspects released in low as war erodes economy suspected bomb plot British counterterror police confirm no explosives found

Conflict sends rial value plummeting

BY AAMER MADHANI and FARNOUSH AMIRI

BY SYLVIA HUI and ALASTAIR GRANT

Associated Press

Iran’s currency fell to a new record low on Tuesday, with traders in Tehran exchanging more than 2.5 million rials to the U.S. dollar in a stark reﬂection of how the war in the Middle East has steadily eroded the Iranian economy. The latest decline came just 27 days after the rial hit its previous record low of 2.2 million to the dollar on Sept. 2. The currency has repeatedly reached new lows since the war began in February. The Iranian economy has been under duress for years in the face of international sanctions. But a U.S. naval blockade on Iranian oil and new sanctions imposed since the start of the war have sent it into free fall. Meanwhile, Iran’s top diplomat said indirect negotiations with the United States aimed at reopening the critical Strait of Hormuz have become “more serious,” while the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ chief spokesman Gen. Hossein Mohebbi on Tuesday called on Americans to take to the streets and protest the conﬂict.

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By VAHId SALEMI

Motorbikes drive past Iranian missiles and banners showing portraits of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, center, and the late armed forces commanders and nuclear scientists who were killed in Israeli and U.S. strikes displayed in a military exhibition commemorating the 1980-88 Iraq-Iran war at Baharestan Square in Tehran on Monday. Qataris will convey it to us and a decision will be made in Tehran on that basis.” Officials, including from the U.S., have confirmed to The Associated Press that mediators are working with Iran and the U.S. on trying to broker a deal to end the fighting and open the strait. The mediation efforts continue even after U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week spurned an Iranian proposal to reopen the strait in seven days 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. Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz were underscored by a report Tuesday that a cargo vessel was struck by an “unknown projectile” while moving through the strait on Monday. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said it had received a delayed report from a third party. The strike caused a fire on board that was extinguished, UKMTO said, and all crew members were reported safe, UKMTO said. The vessel, which wasn’t identified, continued on its way, the report said. There was no immediate claim of

Diplomat raises prospect of talks Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Iranian media late on Monday that the “current focus is solely on the Strait of Hormuz,” the chokepoint of the war. Araghchi made the comments shortly before departing New York — where he attended last week’s gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly — and after meeting with Pakistani and Qatari mediators. Araghchi said the Qatari intermediaries were expected to soon engage with the U.S. side. “They are set to raise the matter with the American side once more, after which the ﬁnal U.S. response will be conveyed to us,” Araghchi said. “If there is a response, the

responsibility for the attack.

Iran sends U.S. public a message The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps on Tuesday made an appeal to everyday Americans to push their government to end the U.S. war against Iran, a provocative message that comes just weeks before critical midterm elections in the United States. Mohebbi, the Guard spokesman, read a letter during a news conference in Iran’s capital, Tehran, appealing to Americans to pressure their government and claiming that the only way for the war to end is for Washington to admit defeat and leave the Mideast. Mohebbi’s remarks come as Trump’s Republican Party faces fierce headwinds as it looks to maintain control of Congress. But polling shows the war has darkened the American electorate’s mood ahead of the Nov. 3 election in which elevated gasoline prices, a byproduct of the conﬂict, loom large. Mohebbi also accused the U.S. of using Iran’s nuclear program as a ruse to “plunder Iran’s wealth” and to turn the country “back into a colony.”

LONDON — A surprise decision by the U.K.’s counterterrorism police to release five suspects on bail during an investigation into a suspected bomb plot at a U.S.operated air force base in England has deepened questions and uncertainty about the incident. Police confirmed Tuesday that no explosives were found in three vans linked to the suspects, and said the decision to grant bail was grounded in “experience and strategy.” U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday he was surprised that the five young British men who were arrested Sunday on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offenses near the RAF Fairford base were freed a day later. “I wouldn’t have done that,” Trump said. The base has been used by American bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East, including this year’s war with Iran. Counterterror detectives have said they were investigating “multiple lines of inquiry,” including whether the suspects had a link to Iran. Iran has denied involvement. The head of U.K. Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, stressed that the suspects — all British nationals in their 20s — face stringent conditions and “absolutely remain under investigation.” “Now I understand why this development was surprising to some, but I would like to reiterate that this is an investigative decision, and one which is grounded in experience and strategy,” he said. Taylor said people’s concerns about the incident were being “heightened by the international commentary that we are seeing.” In an interview with Fox News,

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the case “clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor,” but did not name a speciﬁc country or give more details. “I know a lot of people are disturbed by the news that some of these people have been released on bail, as some of the people are being investigated,” he added.

Police found no explosives A police cordon remained in place around three vans found close to the Fairford base on Tuesday, as armed police and counterterrorism ofﬁcers continued to examine the scene. A local farmer said she called police after seeing the vans blocking a road near the air base as she drove home in the early hours of Sunday. She said she came across a group of men, some with their faces covered, nearby, and that the men ran away when they saw her vehicle. Earlier, army bomb-disposal experts used a robot to examine the vans. Taylor said “a quantity of petrol was recovered” from the vans, but no explosives.

Possible Iran role Taylor, the counterterror police chief, said lines of inquiry include whether the suspected offenses were committed by “proxies or individuals, either knowingly or unknowingly, working on behalf of a foreign state.” Investigators haven’t concluded whether the incident was statebacked or what the motive was, but authorities have strongly hinted that Iran is possibly involved. They are also investigating a possible link to Russia or nonstate militant groups. RAF Fairford has also been the focus of protests by anti-war campaigners. Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said the U.K. “shouldn’t be cowed by saber rattling from Iran,” adding that “the Iranian regime is one that wishes harm to our country, our allies, and the freedom and democracy that we enjoy.” The Iranian embassy denied the country’s involvement in the suspected plot.

Watchdog: Trump can’t cancel more N.Y. governor pushes for Cornell investigation than $800M in approved spending Hochul calls for probe into handling of rape allegation

The woman reported the incident to Cornell’s campus police department, but the local district attorney’s ofﬁce opted not to prosecute anyone at the time. It reopened the criminal investigation Monday as public outrage built. Hochul said she supported Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten’s decision to reopen his investigation, but said bigger questions remain about Cornell’s reporting, response, and prevention systems, as well as its campus culture. The governor called for an outside law ﬁrm to be hired to independently investigate the university’s response. “The allegations in this case are nothing short of horrifying,” Hochul said. “For any student to come forward after an experience like this takes extraordinary courage. No student should ever be left wondering whether the institutions meant to protect them will listen and act.”

BY KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday called for an investigation into Cornell University’s response to a 2024 gang rape allegation in which a woman says she was sexually assaulted by seven students after being plied with alcohol and drugs. The woman ﬁled a lawsuit this month saying she was sexually assaulted at the Chi Phi fraternity house on Cornell’s campus in October 2024. Her suit says the assault occurred after she was pressured into snorting ketamine, smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol, to the point where she was incapable of consenting to sex.

BY KEVIN FREKING Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is not permitted to withhold beyond the end of the ﬁscal year ending Wednesday more than $800 million in spending approved by Congress. That’s according to a review from the Government Accountability Ofﬁce that was sent to federal lawmakers and Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday. The president announced his intention on Friday night to impound more than $800 million from 11 appropriations accounts, using a rare and contested power to axe funding for immigrant services and diversity-focused initiatives. But the GAO said federal law provides that funds proposed for rescission must be made available at a certain point unless Congress completes action on a bill that goes along with the president’s request. “Any withholding of appropriated

funds beyond their date of expiration, regardless of size, subverts both the constitutional process for enacting federal law and Congress’s constitutional power of the purse,” wrote the GAO’s general counsel. Under the Impoundment Control Act, the administration can withhold funds for 45 days as Congress considers the issue. Lawmakers can pass a bill that includes all or part of the president’s request, but if Congress has not acted on the request within that 45 day-window, the president must release the funds. But Trump made congressional action all but impossible by announcing the cuts with just five days left in the federal ﬁscal year and with the House out of session through the November election. The GAO, an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress, says the maneuver known as a “pocket rescission” is illegal. A year ago, Trump issued a pocket rescission for the first

time in nearly 50 years by blocking $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to block those rescissions, saying that Trump’s authority over foreign affairs weighed heavily in its decision. This year, Trump is targeting domestic spending. Most of the cuts sought by Trump are focused on Health and Human Services programs that serve refugees and unaccompanied minors accused of being in the country illegally. The administration says the funds are no longer necessary because illegal border crossings have diminished considerably. Also targeted for cuts were a Department of Education program for migrant students, a Department of Justice ofﬁce focused on reducing racial tensions, a business development initiative for minority entrepreneurs and housing counseling services from the Housing and Urban Development Department.

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SENATE

Continued from page 1A proﬁt from the sale of their “name, image and likeness” and collect a portion of the revenues their games create; limits athletes’ ability to transfer between schools; and exempts universities from antitrust laws that are the avenues for lawsuits that have changed the traditional way of college sports, in which the student-athletes aren’t paid but bring in billions of dollars. Though the legislation is in their court now, the lower chamber isn’t scheduled to return to Capitol Hill until Nov. 9 — after voters in the congressional midterms have selected a new Congress. When the House does return, representatives face this bill plus a full plate of work and only 20 days to do it. If the House doesn’t pass the bill and put it on Trump’s desk to sign into law, the new 120th Congress, which convenes in January, will have to start all over again. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, is off campaigning in hopes of keeping the Republican majority necessary for him to stay head of the chamber. Before leaving on his cross-country trek, Johnson said passing the legislation is going to require persuading a handful of House Republicans.

ADS

Continued from page 1A stepped up Tuesday to assist Edmonds by portraying Miguez in a 30-second ad as an untrustworthy conservative.

Miguez ad ruffles feathers Political insiders said Club for Growth’s assault on Edmonds might invite more attacks on Miguez. That’s because the group slammed Edmonds for supporting two measures backed by Gov. Jeff Landry and the legislative leadership. Club for Growth gave these Republican leaders an additional reason to be angry because Miguez joined Edmonds in voting for the two measures. One bill reduced taxes overall by decreasing income taxes while raising the sales tax. The Club for Growth ad said Edmonds raised the sales tax, without mentioning the income tax reduction. Club for Growth also said Edmonds voted to give “sweetheart tax deals for woke Big Tech companies” — a reference to legislation in 2024 that authorized Landry to give big tax breaks to Meta for its $50 billion data center now under construction in Richland Parish. Landry, legislative leaders and business leaders have all championed this bill. “For him to allow a thirdparty group to attack Sen. Edmonds for votes they both took just showed why we have tried so hard to keep D.C. politics out of the race,” state Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, said in an interview Tuesday. “A lot of people who were not engaged in the race just yet have become more motivated that the local guy wins the race, that being Rick Edmonds.” Henry, who is supporting Edmonds, predicted that other outside groups would begin attacking Miguez. “They seem to be more engaged in making Rick Edmonds successful,” he said. “For Blake to run against someone in an area he doesn’t live is disheartening for everyone involved.” Miguez lives in Erath in Vermilion Parish and represents a district south of Lafayette that is outside of the 6th Congressional District.

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By MARIAM ZUHAIB

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, d-Wash., left, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, led the push for the Protect College Sports Act. The margins in the 435-seat House are so narrow that the bill is lost if all Democrats vote no and two Republicans bolt, depending on how many representatives show up. The legislation has wide support, including from the SEC, Big 10 and other major athletic conferences, as well as coaches and President Donald Trump. Former LSU football coach Nick Saban, who also coached at Alabama, testified before Congress over the summer that college sports need national rules, rather than allowing each state make its own.

He has bought a house in Baton Rouge. He tries to counter attacks on his residency by noting that Edmonds is a pastor in McComb, Miss. Edmonds lives in south Baton Rouge, and his Senate district overlaps with the boundaries of the 6th Congressional District. Political operatives who are close with Landry — who has had a testy relationship with Miguez — didn’t respond when asked whether the governor is now raising money to help elect Edmonds. Landry intervened last month to ensure that the Louisiana Republican Party endorsed both Miguez and Edmonds.

New ad hits Miguez In the ad that began airing Tuesday, Louisiana First Victory Fund hit Miguez for not living in the congressional district. Louisiana First Victory Fund also attacked Miguez by saying that “the people bankrolling” him — Club for Growth — “want to end our flood insurance.” Club for Growth, which says it favors “pro-growth” and “limited government,” wants to end the federal government’s National Flood Insurance Program and replace it with private insurance. As with other so-called “dark money” groups, Louisiana First Victory Fund does not have to disclose its donors. The ad also highlighted a 19-year-old Iberia Parish Sheriff Department’s report in which Miguez’s then-girlfriend accused him of rape at home after an argument at a bar. The report said she fled their apartment in New Iberia, hid from Miguez, called 911 but ended up not pressing charges. As The Advocate | The Times-Picayune reported in March, Miguez denied the allegation, and the mother and brother of the accuser told the newspaper that she had battled a drug problem and that they seriously doubted her allegation against Miguez. Lionel Rainey, who is the political operative behind the anti-Miguez Louisiana First Victory Fund, said he believes the accuser and added about the ad, “These are real issues that voters in the district care about.” Miguez’ campaign hit back

“Without that legal certainty, every rule becomes another lawsuit, every standard becomes another risk, and the system keeps drifting toward a professional model,” Saban said. But the bill also has signiﬁcant opposition, including the NAACP, the AFL-CIO and the Congressional Black Caucus, which argue that student-athletes don’t have rights to collective bargaining under the bill and are receiving about 20% of the revenues they help create, whereas professional athletes receive about half the revenues. Since July 2025, some House Republicans also have tried to

at its attackers. “When swampy politicians don’t want to defend their records, they resort to personal attacks and distractions,” Chris Pack, a campaign spokesperson, said in a statement. “Blake Miguez is focused on the issues Louisiana families actually care about, like lowering costs, cutting taxes and delivering conservative results. Mississippi Pastor Rick Edmonds and his allies should think long and hard about whether they really want to make baseless personal attacks the focus of this campaign. We’re perfectly happy to keep this race focused on the candidates’ records and the issues that matter to Louisiana voters. Whether it stays that way is up to Rick.” Besides Miguez and Edmonds, four other Republicans are running to represent the 6th Congressional District. Monique Appeaning is a former high-level aide to Baton Rouge Mayor Sid Edwards who also worked as a government analyst. She lives in St. George. Larry Davis III is a member of the Livingston Parish Republican Parish Executive Committee who lives in Denham Springs. Michael Mebruer, a traveling medical laboratory technician, lives in St. Francisville. Stephen Wagley, who owns Delta College, which trains students to work in medical ﬁelds, lives in Baton Rouge. He has begun broadcasting TV ads where he calls himself “a conservative outsider.” Three Democrats are running. Chauna Banks, who served 12 years on the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council, is a staffer for the East Baton Rouge Parish school system. Pat Forbes, who spent 20

persuade enough of their GOP colleagues, so far unsuccessfully, to back the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements Act. SCORE gives the universities more sayso than the Protect College Sports Act but otherwise is similar. A final vote in the Senate was slowed Monday night by last-minute negotiations. Republicans and Democrats each had four amendments they wanted attached to the instrument. Kennedy wanted an amendment to cap ticket price increases at 4% annually. Kennedy argued on the Senate ﬂoor that, if Congress is providing special protections to college athletics, it should also provide protections to the fans who make college sports possible. “Everybody makes money from college sports: the universities, the coaches and the athletes. But who makes all of that possible? The fans,” Kennedy said. “My amendment would have done something for the people who pay for the tickets and make games possible by ensuring they don’t get hit with unlimited ticket-price increases.” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, opposed Kennedy’s proposed change in wording, arguing that it amounted to setting price controls on college sporting events. “All this bill does is ﬁx prices,”

years in high-level state government positions for three governors, lives in Baton Rouge. Lindsay Garcia, a former social studies teacher in

Kennedy responded. Cassidy also voted against Kennedy’s amendment. “I’m a conservative. I don’t think the federal government should be intervening in a private market that way,” Cassidy said. The amendment came 18 votes shy of the 60 needed to be added to the bill. The legislation, if enacted into law, would exempt college sports from antitrust laws, which would allow the universities to coordinate between themselves when negotiating, say, television rights. But the antitrust exemption also protects universities and their athletic departments, as well as the NCAA governing body, from most litigation. The Protect College Sports Act roughly doubles the $21.5 million revenue sharing cap and allows the schools an additional $27 million to keep its athletes from moving to another institution; sets up an enforceable system for studentathletes to make money from the use of their name, image, and likeness; and limits agent fees. Athletes would be allowed to transfer once without having to sit out, and guarantees would allow them to use their scholarships to return to school and complete their degrees. Coaches would not be allowed to change programs during the season.

New Orleans who obtained Baton Rouge. The top two finishers in a law degree from Southern University last year, lives in the Nov. 3 jungle primary, regardless of party, will adWalker. Rufus Craig, a lawyer, is a vance to the runoff in DeLibertarian candidate from cember.

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use it for certain parts of an assignment while understanding its limitations. Some even embrace the technology and require students to use it. And there are faculty who ban AI while otherwise keeping their course the same, computers and all — a stance that has caused frustration from students. “Since we have our own devices, then there’s no way for them to know,” sophomore Noah Prestidge said. “People are still going to use it.” LSU does not have an institutional policy on AI in the classroom but says that “using AI tools without permission or in an improper way” violates the Code of Student Conduct. Generally, the university recommends professors set their own guidelines based on the subject area. “Faculty need to learn from their students,” said Emily Elliott, who was appointed as the inaugural Provost’s Fellow for Artiﬁcial Intelligence in April. “Students need to learn from their faculty. And we need to be talking to each other in each given course: What are the expectations for the learning? Where are the ways these tools can help you? Where are the ways that maybe they can hurt you?” A survey conducted by the Faculty Senate GenAI Committee in the spring found that 80% of students use generative AI tools, whether daily, weekly, monthly or rarely. About one in ﬁve reported never using it. Mike Holt, head of research and instruction services at LSU Libraries and a member of the committee, cautioned against extrapolating from the survey due

BAR

Continued from page 1A judge later upheld the council’s decision. For more than a decade before 2018, new bars and nightclubs were effectively prohibited downtown under a moratorium. The system was later changed to allow new nightlife businesses while

“I felt that if students had a how differently it can be applied better understanding of how depending on the course. “I think that a blanket policy these large language models do injustice to both the work and operate and how to would teacher and the student,” student use them as more of a guide body President Ben Barousse and a teacher, then they could said. set themselves up for success What the university is doing better in the future.”

A student’s experience with AI varies widely depending on their major and the department they take the most courses in. Environmental science professor Linda Bui said she tries to be transparent about her application of the technology — such as making her syllabus more readable — in exchange for students being transparent with her. For classes where it is allowed in some con-

texts, like her Applied Ecology course, she expects them to disclose how they used the tools. She also instructs them on how to form prompts and where AI can lead them astray, she said. “The students really responded to that,” Bui said. “I’m trying to model what I think is the ethical use of AI while I also teach them.” Many of her classes make it difﬁcult for students to abuse AI, she said. With an experiment-based assignment, students write up their observations and speak in class about their ﬁndings. If they use AI to correct their grammar or organize their thoughts, she is “not mad about that,” she said. She continues to evolve in her thinking about AI and the best way to implement it in the classroom, she said. In a course evaluation, one student wrote she was “too permissible” with the technology. “They felt like the other students overrelied on that, and I paid attention to that,” Bui said. “AI is changing quickly. I’m really thinking about it a lot. I think about it probably every single time I’m starting to think about teaching.” Many students said they did not expect or want the university to create a general institutional policy on AI because of the rapid pace at which it is developing and

LSU’s most recent effort toward training students on the technology came this semester with the launch of a free AI fundamentals course. The course, AI Literacy Essentials, is available to all students, faculty, staff and the public through LSU Online and covers ethical use, academic integrity, how to verify information and practical skills. Lomastro, who has advocated for the university to get more involved in preparing students for AI in their workplaces, said it is a major step in making students more AI literate. Students often fall back on tools like ChatGPT or Gemini as a “crutch” without awareness of their weaknesses, he said. “I felt that if students had a better understanding of how these large language models work and operate and how to use them as more of a guide and a teacher, then they could set themselves up for success better in the future,” Lomastro said. Prestidge said more education on the tools would be helpful. A sophomore, he avoided using it last year out of fear of being penalized or being given false information by the large language model, or LLM. He experimented with it in the summer, he said, and now regularly uses it to help him study before exams. His grades have improved — straight As so far, he said. He said students who depend on LLMs to write papers for them or otherwise utilize them unethically

giving city ofﬁcials a way to evaluate them individually and consider factors such as their impact on police, surrounding businesses and residents. Blanchard now says the system has strayed from that original purpose. He pointed to a recent video of a Jefferson Street brawl that he said was viewed more than 500,000 times on social media. Police broke up the ﬁght but made no arrests or

issued citations, he said. Blanchard also points to a downtown cigar lounge as an example of what he considers a loophole in the system. The business received a “BYOB” permit that allowed customers to bring alcohol to the establishment while its conditional-use permit application was pending, according to the Downtown Development Authority. Blanchard says that allowed the business to operate as a bar before completing the city’s

normal permitting process. “The intent (of the conditional-use permit process) was to strike the right balance of daytime and nighttime uses so as to reduce the load on police and clean up in the morning,” Blanchard wrote. “The social media videos of brawls are evidence of a growing imbalance. That’s killing our perception of downtown.” The Downtown Development Authority also wants to change the city’s open-container rules

The Wild West

As the class period ended, the students retrieved their phones from their bags, checking the notiﬁcations they missed. When he ﬁrst started teaching short writing, Weerts allowed the students to type their responses on their phones. But he found they looked more “disconnected” with their devices out, he said. “It’s creepy, how much the affect changes instantly and the whole atmosphere of the room,” Weerts said. “It makes me sad.” He called AI and its implications a “tidal wave” that will transform the students’ lives. The analog hour he carves out for them three times a week is his way of showing them how to get their bearings in that upending, he said. “I think to prepare for the future, we actually have to go into the past in one sense, and that is to sharpen the tools that we do have,” Weerts said. “I believe that leaning on those tools, our own minds, what they can think about, analyze and create, is going to be the best preparation for the future.” Email Haley Miller at haley. miller@theadvocate.com.

downtown, prohibiting go-cups after 9 p.m. instead of the current midnight cutoff. The BYOB loophole has facilitated what Blanchard referred to as tailgate parties throughout downtown on Wednesday and Saturday nights in private and public parking lots and the Vermilion Street parking garage. “People come en masse with ice chests and with cups and just party in these spaces,” he said.

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most likely do so because they run out of time for the assignment and feel pressured. But for students who apply an LLM as a study aid, he said, it functions more as a “thinking buddy.” “It can know where you fall short,” Prestidge said. “It can keep a memory of that. I can go there and I can ask for a test, ‘What things am I most slacking on right now?’ And it’ll tell me, ‘You’re using this equation wrong, or you drop these coefﬁcients, or you’re forgetting this part of the chapter from the textbook.’ It just helps so much more to know the way you think.”

Continued from page 1A

to a low response rate. “As much as I would like to, I can’t go out and survey every single student at LSU,” Holt said. “But I think there is a lot of skepticism amongst this age cohort of AI.” Students have expressed concerns over the environmental impact of data centers, the potential for inaccuracies or “hallucinations,” and the possible disciplinary actions against them if an assignment gets marked as AI by a ﬂagging tool. Still, many said they see it as an inevitable part of their working future and believe the university has a responsibility to teach them how to use it effectively and ethically. Several students said AI has made their education feel more valuable, forcing them to decide how to use the tools appropriately and when to learn without their aid. “It’s deﬁnitely made me more mindful and also appreciative of education in general,” said senior Aaron Lomastro, vice president of the Student Alliance for AI Regulation. “Before that, school was just something that you had to do. You had to do your homework. I didn’t have the option to go put it into ChatGPT. But now students are able to do that. It’s not just something we can ignore, but it’s also something that we can’t just call evil.”

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TODAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

A stray afternoon thunderstorm

Humid; an afternoon t-storm

A heavy t-storm in the p.m.

Showers and a heavier t-storm

A shower and t-storm; humid

Heavy afternoon thunderstorms

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

92° 73°

LOW

HIGH

90° 73°

LOW

87° 74°

83° 69°

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

Beaumont 90/78 Port Arthur 89/79

Hattiesburg 94/71

Alexandria 95/71

Lafayette 92/73

Baton Rouge 93/73

Lake Charles 91/75

10s

20s

30s

Houma 89/75

40s

50s

YESTERDAY

60s

70s

80s

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

90s 100s 110s

LAST

OCT 3

City

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

Austin Boston dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami Nashville

PRECIPITATION

91°/70° 86°/67° 91°/65° 95° in 1953 42° in 1896

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 91/77

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

LOW

81° 68°

TEMPERATURE Jackson 94/70

Many 95/71

LOW

Lafayette through 5 p.m. Tuesday

Longview 95/74

-0s

85° 73°

Monroe 97/71

Shreveport 96/73

-10s

LOW

Today looks like another partly cloudy, hot and breezy day. Temperatures this afternoon will rise to the low to mid-90s. The dew point temperatures are slightly higher today, which means humidity may be more noticeable and heat index temps could rise to the mid- to upper 90s. Winds today will be southeast at 10 with gusts to 20 mph and there is a slight chance of rain today, higher tomorrow and there’s a marginal risk on Saturday with a slight risk of excessive rainfall that could lead to flash flooding on Sunday.

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

HIGH

10:17a 4:37a 3:56a 5:39a ----1:03a

7:01 a.m. 6:55 p.m. 9:32 p.m. 11:15 a.m. NEW

FIRST

OCT 10

94 68 93 42 85 93 87 85 92

TODAY Lo

78 60 76 30 77 70 66 78 64

FULL

OCT 18

t pc t c sh s pc t pc

OCT 25

90 79 79 38 87 94 90 86 94

THU. Lo

74 66 71 25 76 72 70 79 70

t pc t c sh s pc t pc

FT.

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10:23p 2:19p 11:10a 2:58a 11:18a 9:49a 12:20p

0.00” 2.37” 4.87” 46.16” 48.55”

FT.

HIGH

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MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

SOURCE: LOUISIANA dEQ ANd AIRNOW.GOV

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

Today Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday

City

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

2:39a 8:53a 3:44a 9:59a 4:50a 11:06a 5:54a 12:09p 6:53a 12:39a 7:47a 1:33a 8:35a 2:22a

TODAY Lo

91 88 79 85 76 88 90 78 87

77 73 65 70 63 61 74 65 75

3:08p 9:23p 4:15p 10:30p 5:21p 11:37p 6:25p ---7:23p 1:08p 8:14p 2:01p 9:00p 2:48p

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Safety. Style. Stress-Free Installation. CALL NOW 1.833.472.5859

TODAY

MOdERATE

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

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

TUE. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

10.90 17.50 19.70 7.20 4.60 3.27 3.30

+1.38 +1.26 +0.70 +0.20 +0.20 -0.14 +0.23

27.00

-0.19

-1.76

-0.02

18 29 8

-1.30 9.74 2.11

none -0.01 +0.20

13 15

1.38 0.58

none none

47 34 29 20 12 6

6.77 4.38 3.57 3.39 2.80 3.03

-0.03 -0.10 +0.05 -0.13 +0.10 -0.06

data as of 7 a.m. Tuesday

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W e d n e s d ay, s e p t e m b e r 30, 2026

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Lafayette Xpressway gains urgency

Rapid construction pushed ahead of SpaceX, other development BY CLAIRE TAYLOR

Staff writer

Elon Musk’s plans to build a rocket launching complex in Vermilion Parish makes construction of the Lafayette Metropolitan Xpressway more urgent, several people said at the Expressway Commission’s meeting Tuesday. The Lafayette Metropolitan Expressway Commission met Tuesday for the first time in months

as it moves toward a new phase in the process of deciding where and how the western section of a loop around Lafayette Parish will be built. In May, state legislation enabling the expressway commission was amended to give the commission the authority to build roads in Vermilion and Iberia parishes. SpaceX representatives in August announced plans to build a

$100 billion SpaceX spaceport near Pecan Island in a rural coastal area of Vermilion Parish, which neighbors Lafayette Parish. The massive SpaceX project is expected to include around 10 launch pads at full build-out. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with launch of the ﬁrst Starship targeted for 2029. In the five weeks since the SpaceX announcement, ofﬁcials have been scrambling to an-

ticipate the changes the project might bring, including additional traffic, raising questions about how to transport heavy equipment to an area currently served by two-lane roads and bridges. The Xpressway may be the answer. The 36-mile long, 5,000-footwide Xpressway corridor previously selected would stretch from Interstate 49 around Carencro, south to the Maurice area in Ver-

milion Parish, then east, taking in a small part of Iberia and St. Martin parishes, according to a map on the website. The most likely way to fund the Xpressway is through a publicprivate partnership between the expressway commission and a private company, probably a toll road company, that would pay to design, build and maintain the four-lane roadway, said Patrick Owens, project manager with Jacobs Engineering.

ä See XPRESSWAY, page 4B

Official touts benefits of data centers

Regulator says firms failing at relaying message as Tulane panelists tackle AI BY SAM KARLIN Staff writer

A top Louisiana utility regulator said Tuesday that tech companies are “failing” to communicate why the ongoing boom of artificial intelligence data centers is positive for Americans, as Meta and other tech companies continue to build massive facilities in the state to power their AI products. Public Service Commissioner JP Coussan, R-Lafayette, made the comments during a panel on data centers and affordability as part of the Tulane Future of Energy Forum. The panel also included an Entergy executive and academics, Coussan who discussed ways to ensure residents don’t foot the bill for the unprecedented build-out of electric infrastructure. “They have absolutely failed on their communications,” Coussan said of data center developers. “They’re playing catch up, and I think they’re doing a decent job of playing catch up.” Coussan added that nondisclosure agreements, which Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration and other elected officials have widely embraced to lure data centers and other companies to the state, have “struck a chord” with voters. But he defended their use as a necessity, saying Louisiana has historically struggled to create lasting economic development. And he complained that media outlets highlight “the one person in a community that’s negatively impacted by economic development.” Coussan, one of five elected members to the PSC that regulates utilities, has not signed an NDA. The executive secretary of the PSC has. The panel was among several during the three-day event to touch on the boom of data centers, which recent national polls have shown as unpopular among voters of both parties. Data centers have turned into a political liability for some candidates running in the upcoming midterms as voters sour on the AI-driven build-out and as affordability concerns mount. They have also generated a windfall for some investors and fund managers, a panel of whom said Monday that they expect the momentum to last, even if it weakens some in the coming years.

ä See DATA, page 4B

PHOTOS By LEE BALL

King Sucrose George Lacour, left, and Queen Sugar Cadence Robertson lead the Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival Royalty Parade on Sunday in New Iberia.

HOW SWEET IT IS

ABOVE: A dancer performs a routine during the parade. RIGHT: People line a balcony to watch the procession.

Slate of activities on tap State Police cite intimidation, for UL’s homecoming perjury as possible crimes Week’s theme is ‘This Is How We Roll’

BY KRISTIN ASKELSON

Staff writer

Homecoming Week is underway at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, with events and activities continuing through Saturday’s football game against Arkansas State. This year’s Homecoming theme is “This Is How We Roll.” The week is being coordinated by the UL Alumni Association and University Program Center, with events for students, alumni, faculty, staff and the community. The week began Sunday with Paint Your Pride, during which student organizations decorated Student Union windows with displays of school spirit.

On Monday, students, faculty, staff and alumni gathered at the Student Union Porch for the Homecoming Kickoff. The Homecoming Fashion Show followed Monday night at Blackham Coliseum, where students modeled fashions they designed and created. On Tuesday, businesses are participating in the ﬁrst day of the two-day Paint the Town Red contest, decorating their businesses in vermilion and white. On Wednesday, schools will take part in Paint the Town Red from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., competing for bragging rights with displays of Ragin’ Cajun pride. Cajuns Got Talent and Yell Like Hell will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Blackham Coliseum.

ä See HOMECOMING, page 4B

Probe of Murrill indictment ongoing

BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

Louisiana State Police have outlined a host of possible crimes surrounding the July indictment of Attorney General Liz Murrill, including some of the same offenses an Orleans Parish grand jury accused her of perpetrating against top city ofﬁcials. Perjury, jury tampering, obstruction of jusMurrill tice and unlawful disclosure of grand jury proceedings are among the “possible violations” spelled out in an Aug. 12 request to the Louisiana Supreme Court

for a special prosecutor. Also listed were public intimidation and malfeasance in office — the charges Murrill briefly faced in Orleans Parish before a different special prosecutor, former criminal court judge Laurie White, dropped the case under pressure. Murrill was accused of crimes for letters she sent to Mayor Helena Moreno, District Attorney Jason Williams and five City Council members. She wrote that they risked their jobs for defying the Legislature’s choice to fill a unified court clerk post in New Orleans. Gov. Jeff Landry ordered a State Police investigation soon after the grand jury returned the indictment on July 2, while pledging to pardon Murrill if she were ever convicted on the 16 felony charges.

ä See INDICTMENT, page 4B

2B ● Wednesday, September 30, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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

OUR VIEWS

Protecting air quality requires vigilance and speed We’ve taken the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to task in the past, urging stricter enforcement of rules on air and water quality. We know the agency has faced challenges, including staffing and budget cuts that have affected its ability to its job. Still, a recent report on the slow enforcement of air quality rules in an area of southwest Louisiana that is home to many petrochemical companies raises significant concerns. The analysis by the Environmental Integrity Project and Micah 6:8 Mission, an environmental nonprofit based in Sulphur, showed that between January 2021 and August 2026, DEQ penalties for air quality violations came more than five years after the earliest cited violation in three out of five cases. We know that in Lake Charles and surrounding communities, air quality has long been a pressing concern. Residents regularly report rotten egg smells and irritants that can make it hard to breathe. The DEQ said that this analysis was too limited in scope to reflect the true range of its enforcement actions. Officials note that they have taken steps in recent years to bring violators in compliance more quickly. Jerry Lang, the department’s top enforcement official, pointed out that it had issued 3,456 enforcement actions statewide, including 975 actions for air quality over a fiveyear period. This analysis looked at 28 formal enforcement actions and 50 informal actions at 23 sites in the Lake Charles area during the period. Lang also said that the Lake Charles facilities involve some of the most complex operations that DEQ is involved in regulating. Those are fair points, but we would argue that the state should take a look at where it can improve rather than dismiss the findings. Lang noted that after a 2021 report by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, the agency instituted formal enforcement timeframes and other measures. That is the way we hope the state would respond. Some of the examples cited in this new report should raise alarm bells. It pointed out that despite the Phillips 66 oil refinery in Lake Charles listing hundreds of air pollution exceedances from 2020 to 2023 in required quarterly reports, it took until 2025 for the state to file a compliance order to force corrections. It took until March 2025 for the state to notify Indorama Ventures Olefins in Westlake about potential penalties for alleged violations which occurred from 2016 to 2019. The delay may weaken a legal case going forward. There are real-world consequences too of this administrative delay. The longer polluters are allowed to operate unimpeded, the longer communities are exposed to health risks. And it sends a message to other companies that want to operate in this state that Louisiana isn’t serious about protecting its citizens. As we look to welcome new industries across our state, we must do better.

After novelty wears off, reconsider noisy drones By now most people in Baton Rouge are aware that Amazon offers two-hour delivery by drone and that people living within 71/2 miles of the distribution center are experiencing a lot of noise (“Amazon manager hears noise concerns about Baton Rouge drone delivery service,” Sept. 9). In one walk around a city block, we experienced 18 of them. They ﬂy low, just clearing the treetops. They sound like loud airplanes. It is like living under an overpass. There are studies in progress of the impact on wildlife. FAA says nothing can be done; Amazon listens politely on their customer service line. And they plan on increasing ﬂights to 1,000 per day! We understand the novelty of seeing a drone and having it land in your yard with your goods. I am asking

Term limits overdue for members of Congress We need to insist on term limits for our U.S. congressmen and women. We also need to insist on a mandatory retirement age. We have many senators and representatives who have overstayed their welcome in our Capitol. We actually had one representative who was there for 59 years. What? If a senator or representative can’t accomplish their goals in two to three terms, they need to give someone else a chance. On average they work in the Capitol 165 to 179 days a year and are afforded a $79 per diem for meals and incidentals. They have an annual salary of $174,000 with leaders earning slightly more. Fifty percent of them are millionaires. We need fresh blood and vibrant young people, especially as all the new technology is evolving. It is way past time to institute these changes. What are we waiting for? I’m just a concerned citizen.

that once you have experienced this kind of delivery the ﬁrst time, you reconsider how urgently you needed it. Why not just use ground delivery? Amazon trucks are super quiet, have no exhaust and deliver in one day. If your delivery is lifesaving medicine or equipment, then use the drones. If not, can’t you wait one day or even make a trip to a store yourself? With decreasing usage of the drone service, perhaps Amazon would not expand the services. Do we want 2,000 ﬂights a day? Each trip out must have a trip back in. Where are the quiet, peaceful neighborhoods? Please reconsider how urgently you really need that 3or 4-pound object.

MARCIA LECOMPTE Baton Rouge

SHARON S. WOODS Lafayette

Love must win, or we all will lose My father told me some people are always ready to go to extremes. I understand that seeing the world in terms of black and white must be comforting. To never doubt your world view must make so many choices easy. Most of us see shades of gray, always changing. New information, new view. It seems so important to me, even though often quite disturbing, discomforting and difﬁcult.

Extreme views can be the source of so much pain, suffering, injustice and death. Right now, anyone with eyes open is witness to exactly that and who knows how much more inhumanity. If you are motivated more by human potential to love vs. our obvious fear-motivated choices, ﬁnd your voice and make a difference. Love must win, or we all lose.

Time to stop fake news at the White House President Trump asserts: ““Fake News should not be allowed in the White House!!!” If he is correct, then he should be barred from speaking or communicating in any way.

J. KEVIN CURLEY Slidell

STEPHEN KUPPERMAN New Orleans

Vote for freedom and all the benefits that it brings

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.

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Have you ever listened to Toby Keith sing “American Soldier” or hear the bells ring while he sang to soldiers? In this background, young men and women are in wars fighting. Their faces had different skin tones, appearances and gender. Many would never come home. And the soldiers know they might never come home, but love of their country and freedom for their children is why they fight. Yet today, we see strange flags waving in our streets, young college kids protesting against America. Others burn the American flag, tearing down the

statues of the founders of America. We the people stand for nothing if we keep electing people who, with a stroke of the pen, sign our freedom away. We welcome socialists to get in ofﬁce and spit on those brave young soldiers’ graves by our vote. A great many of us sit in our lounge chairs at the end of a working day and kiss our loved ones. Then we bury our heads in the sand. Do not think they will leave our religion and faith alone. We see homeless people on the streets and wonder why. We did this by our vote; we assigned them to close

the mines, stop the pipeline and send our jobs overseas by our vote. No, America is not perfect. My understanding is that the party in power has a plan for America’s young — a plan to bring jobs back, build energy reserves and return education to the states to increase knowledge. Invite companies back for more jobs and to build homes in which rear our children. Read, think and pray while you can; stand up for the soldiers and innovators.

JACQUELYN C. WHITE St. Francisville

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, September 30, 2026 ● 3B

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COMMENTARY Court can start fixing bad law That one of America’s worst laws was passed with good intentions does not diminish the suffering it has caused. Beyond broken hearts and bodies, the Indian Child Welfare Act has, as identity politics invariably do, stained American law by sacrificing individual rights to a group’s interests. George The stain is not indelible. Will The Supreme Court can begin expunging it by deciding to hear a case that highlights the ICWA’s incompatibility with the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection of the laws. The case comes from a Minnesota court that deemed the foster parents of Indian twins to be unfit, for an astonishing reason. Congress passed the ICWA in 1978, eight years after historian Dee Brown’s book “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” quickened interest in the nation’s often horrific history regarding Native American tribes. Mistreatment often included compulsory assimilation of Indian children into the nation’s majority society. As an advocate of compulsory assimilation infamously said, “Kill the Indian” in order to “save the man.” In 1978, Congress tried to make amends by being respectful of tribal identities. It made a mess. For more than a year, Nathan and Kellie Reyelts demonstrated their respectfulness — learning the language of the twins’ tribe, and tribal customs — as foster parents for Indian fraternal twins who, because of severe prenatal drug exposure, need serious ongoing care at the Mayo Clinic. But a state court has decreed that the Reyeltses’ questioning of the ICWA’s constitutionality is “indicative” of a negative “attitude toward the

importance of the children’s tribal identity.” This decree was made when the Reyeltses objected to the twins’ being taken from them, at the behest of the Red Lake tribe, to a reservation 350 miles from the Reyeltses and the Mayo Clinic. The decree involved ignoring stringent constitutional rules against policies involving race- and national-origin-based classiﬁcations. The ICWA has repeatedly been implemented not to serve “the best interest of the child” — the national standard regarding non-Indian children — but to serve tribal interests determined solely by the tribes. Hence a 6-year-old girl was taken from her adoptive family — the only family she had ever known — because a great-great-great-great-grandparent was Choctaw. A California court has said that “children are not dogwood trees, to be uprooted, replanted, then replanted again.” But they often are so treated in obeisance to the ICWA’s race-based binary of “Indian” and “non-Indian” children. The former, subject to tribal jurisdictions less protective than states’ laws, are often more abused, and for longer. In custody cases, tribes talk about a child’s “cultural identity,” but biology is determinative. Different tribes have different criteria concerning eligibility for membership. But no criteria require consideration of cultural, social, political or linguistic connections to a tribe. Given the primacy of race in the ICWA’s adoption restrictions, children deemed “Indian” must be adopted by “Indian families,” regardless of tribe. America’s foundational premise is that each individual’s natural rights merit protection from other individuals, and governments. The ICWA’s premise is that

this tenet is unsuitable for Native Americans. They should be subsumed into a collectivity, not treated as individuals, lest their cultural identity be diluted. The idea is that individualism is somehow unsuitable for Native Americans, so tribalism, semi-enforced by the U.S. government, is suitable. Timothy Sandefur of the Goldwater Institute, which is representing the Reyeltses, understands the pedigree of such thinking: the myth of the Noble Savage. Indians are too savage for modernity, and too noble to care. Federal law can legitimately help tribes preserve their identities — within constitutional limits. Not by, for example, forbidding tribal members to marry outside the tribe. But the ICWA has been implemented to prevent parents from agreeing to have their children adopted by non-Indians. This support for tribal identities ignores the rights of American citizens, which all Indians have been since passage of the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act. The ICWA has subjected Indian children to less stringent legal standards than those that protect non-Indian children from neglect and abuse. In 2015 and 2022, this column detailed sickening examples of Indian children fatally abused by Indian adults: These children’s sufferings could not be stopped by state ofﬁcials, whose authority was superseded by the ICWA. In 1943, when American citizens of Japanese descent had ample reason to fear their government, the Supreme Court said: “Distinctions between citizens solely because of their ancestry are by their very nature odious to a free people.” Hence, the ICWA is too. Email George Will at georgewill@ washpost.com.

Moving toward post-Trump politics From the clutter of midterm election poll results, it’s possible sometimes to see new patterns of political support emerging. The overall pattern, as it stands, makes some sense. As in the 2006 and 2018 offyear cycles, the Republican president’s job approval had sagged to well below 50%. Polls at this point in Michael the year showed Democrats Barone competitive in states and districts that the president had carried by solid margins two years before. Democrats ended up gaining 30 House seats in 2006 and 41 in 2018, ousting Republican speakers and, in both elections, installing Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). A similar result is expected this time, with Democrats needing to gain only three seats to win control, though Pelosi is retiring from Congress at age 86. Such gains are not necessarily inevitable. Census redistricting ended up favoring Republicans. As Republican pollster Patrick Rufﬁni has pointed out, the summer polling understated Republicans’ fall polling and November percentages in Senate races in 2014, 2018 and 2022. But he spots no similar move in polls conducted up through mid-September. What I ﬁnd striking is a sharp divergence in Senate polling between what have turned out to be seriously contested races in the North and in the South. According to RealClearPolitics, in the South, Democrats have big leads in North Carolina (+8) and Georgia (+7). They narrowly lead in Texas (+2) and are only slightly behind in South Carolina (-3). In each state, they’re polling far ahead of Trump 2024 benchmarks in North Carolina (Trump +3), Georgia (Trump +2), Texas (Trump +14) and South Carolina (Trump +18). Overall, these Trump +9 Southern states are averaging +3 Democratic in Senate races — a big +12 Democratic swing. The picture is different in four states up on the Canadian border. Democrats have only narrow edges in RealClearPolitics averages in Maine (+2), New Hampshire (+5), Michigan (+3) and Minnesota (+4). These numbers are in line with 2024 benchmarks in Maine (Harris +7), New Hampshire (Harris +3), Michigan (Trump +1) and Minnesota (Harris +4). Overall, these four states that averaged Harris +3 are now averaging Democrats +3. No swing at all. What accounts for the difference? One answer that quickly occurs is candidate selection. Trump effectively chose the Republican nominees in the Southern races. He prompted the retirement of the occasionally anti-Trump incumbent Sen. Thom

margins but won the primary by only 48.4% to 47.6%. Running further behind Harris is Minnesota’s Peggy Flanagan, winner of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party nomination, who, as lieutenant governor, has been attacked for failure to prevent the hundreds of millions of dollars of Medicaid fraud by Somali immigrants. Local and personal factors help explain Democrats’ apparent difficulty in nailing down Senate wins in northern New England. In New Hampshire, John Sununu, son and brother of governors, won the same Senate seat in 2002 and lost it in 2008. The centrist record of his brother Chris Sununu, governor from 2017 to 2025, has made him surprisingly competitive in a high-education, Trump-averse state, which national Democrats have ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By MATT SLOCUM deprived of its first-in-the-nation presidential primary. President donald Trump pumps his fist on In Maine, Republican Susan Collins, the first tee box prior to the Presidents Cup after 30 years in the Senate, chairs the golf tournament Sunday. Appropriations Committee and has a moderate record, which helped her win reelection in 2020 by 51% to 42% after Tillis (R-N.C.) and replaced him with the Democrat Sara Gideon outspent her twounknown Michael Whatley to run against a reputedly centrist two-term Democratic to-one and led in every public poll. This year, Democrats nominated Gragovernor. ham Platner, Marine veteran and oysterHe issued a late endorsement of scandal-prone state Attorney General Ken man, though he turned out to have a Nazi Paxton in the Texas Republican runoff tattoo, and his only oyster customer was rather than incumbent Sen. John Cornyn his mother’s restaurant. Forced out by (R-Texas) and evidently never considered allegations of sexual harassment, he was the young Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), replaced in September by logger Troy who ran third in the primary. Jackson, whose working-class credentials After the sudden death of incumbent seemed stronger but who had finished South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham in only third, with 21%, in the June primary July, Trump encouraged his inexperifor governor. All of which looks like the beginning — enced sister Darline Graham Nordone the birthing pains, you might say — of a to run for the remainder of his term and post-Donald Trump politics. The Repubendorsed her to run in November for a full term. lican polling firm Echelon Insights has And while contesting the 2020 result in been asking respondents whether they Georgia, Trump discouraged Republican are “Trump-first” or “party-first” Repubturnout in the two January 2021 runoffs, licans. In February 2025, a month after which enabled Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) Trump’s second inauguration and two and Rafael Warnock (D-Ga.) to win 51% months before his “liberation day” tariffs, to 49%. Warnock won a full term against Trump-first Republicans outnumbered Trump-endorsed Herschel Walker by the party-firsters by a record 63% to 33%. same margin in 2022, and Ossoff seems That was bound to decline at some headed for a bigger win this year. That point, and it has. This September, partygives the two Democrats 20 years in the first Republicans, at 56%, significantly Senate from a state that didn’t elect a outnumbered Trump-first Republicans at Democratic senator between 2000 and 34%. 2021. Poll numbers have Democrats favored to Meanwhile, up by the Canadian border, win majorities in the House of Representaleft-wing and anti-Israel Democratic tives and, by narrower margins, the Senactivists and primary voters have given ate. But disparate regional trends suggest their party’s Senate nominations to canthe Republicans may be getting a head start at what my Washington Examiner didates who, so far at least, are running colleague Byron York calls “moving into behind former Vice President Kamala the post-Trump future.” Harris’s percentages in their states. Running closest to Harris is DemoMichael Barone is on X, cratic Michigan Senate nominee Abdul @MichaelBarone. El-Sayed, who led primary polls by wide

The perfect description for U.N. protest The perfect metaphor to characterize the UN General Assembly delegates who walked out before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke is this: “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” You can’t make people understand the truth if they choose to ignore it. The problem with the Middle East is that both Cal have their own Thomas sides “truth,” which is contradictory because the only alternative to truth is falsehood. Prime Minister Netanyahu, as he has done in previous UN appearances, laid out the truth which dozens of delegates didn’t want to hear. “Moral Cowards,” Netanyahu called them as he invited others who fit his description to follow them out the door. Netanyahu then proceeded to detail what he sees as objectively true. About denying Iran the ability to create a nuclear weapon, Netanyahu said it was “the easiest decision” he has ever made. If he and the U.S. had not done so, he said, “we’d all be dead.” Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian, ludicrously told Bret Baier of Fox News that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon and never intended to. Netanyahu continued: “In defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall! In fact, I want you to know that many of their leaders even thank us privately for taking out Iran’s nukes. It’s hard to imagine more mind-blowing hypocrisy, but that’s exactly what it is.” Hypocrisy appears to be the main diet for many at the UN. It is good to repeat the history of Israel which, the prime minister noted, extends back to the days of Moses as well as contradict the lies about the country practicing colonialism. In denying Israel is practicing colonialism, he singled out Great Britain and France which were once colonial empires and are now among Israel’s critics. Netanyahu then got to the heart of the lies perpetrated against the only democracy in the region. Speaking of what Israel looked like before the 1967 war, he said “…at the time, on this tiny patch of Earth, no West Bank, no Gaza, no Golan Heights, just the very survival of this one and only Jewish state, because this is what this conflict is about. It’s not about territories; it’s about a Jewish state at any boundaries. And yet, at the time, we were threatened with annihilation by three Arab armies that were about to invade us.” Those Arab armies may no longer be attacking or planning to attack Israel, but some of their religious and political twins are. They have gone by different names – the PLO, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Hamas, Hezbollah – but all have the same goal: the elimination of Israel and death to the Jews and America. They have said so and have never revoked their charters which openly speak of that goal. Those anti-Israel “free Palestine” demonstrators with their nicely printed T-shirts and signs outside the UN were as deliberately blind as the delegates who walked out. No “journalist” I saw asked who those people were, if they were paid, and who gave them the T-shirts and signs. They also didn’t ask if they have jobs (other than demonstrating), or any other relevant question. There was much more in Netanyahu’s speech that deserves reading or watching if you missed it. Countering propaganda is sometimes difficult, but Netanyahu does it better than almost anyone else. It is among many reasons he deserves another term in next month’s Israeli elections. To add to the metaphor which began this column, there is this about people who plug their ears and cover their eyes to ignore information that counters the lies they choose to believe. It’s “the blind leading the blind.” Should anyone need clarification, it describes a scenario where an unqualified, ignorant, or clueless person tries to guide others who are equally ill-informed. Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@ tribpub.com.

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lll

Restraining order against Sulphur mayor dismissed

Tuesday’s hearing was closed to the 14th Judicial District, granted stantial step forward in court to his attorney. Jacob Stutes, wife cording The mayor’s wife, Teresa a temporary restraining order. today, including dismissing the the public. Fuerst said the closed-door naRandy Fuerst, one of the attor- protective order and working tofiled for divorce earlier mutually request move Stutes, this month while also ﬁling an ap- neys representing Jacob Stutes, ward a more normal and peaceful ture of the proceeding was to pro-

BY MEGAN WYATT

plication for a restraining order, in which she alleged that he had choked and strangled her, shoved An emergency protective or- her, threatened her with bodily der against Sulphur Mayor Jacob harm and thrown objects at her. Stutes has been dismissed, ac- Judge Cynthia Clay Guillory, of

Staff writer

said the protective order was dismissed Tuesday by 14th Judicial District Judge Bill Cutrera at the mutual request of both parties. “Despite speculation over the last week, the family took a sub-

co-parenting plan,” Fuerst wrote in an email to The Advocate | The Times-Picayune. “The parties are working amicably to resolve these matters for the best interests of their family.”

a golf tourna- Blackham Coliseum and HOMECOMING tournament, XPRESSWAY ment and several alumni travel north on Cajundome

Continued from page 1B

The combined talent show and pep rally will give students a chance to showcase their skills while building excitement for Saturday’s game. The university also will honor Dr. Mary Claire Haver as its Outstanding Alumna, the highest award the university bestows on its graduates. Additional events surrounding the award are planned Wednesday. Homecoming activities continue Thursday and Friday with alumni events, including college and alumni chapter receptions, a tennis

INDICTMENT Continued from page 1B

Republican state leaders threatened payback, and the city officials targeted in those letters urged White to drop the case. “In order to proceed with its investigation, Louisiana State Police needs access to a conflict-free prosecutor to assist with issuance of subpoenas, obtaining search warrants, and other exercises of the prosecutorial role — such as requests to impanel a special grand jury,” wrote Jasson Hessick, an assistant secretary for the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections. Hessick filed the request for a special prosecutor, reasoning that both the district attorney and attorney general were conflicted. He did not name a preferred choice for the role. The high court went on to tap northshore District Attorney Collin Sims for the job, under an order signed by Justice Cade Cole dated Aug. 17. Sims, who was reelected

Boulevard to Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium before continuing around the stadium to the alumni tailgate at Tony Robichaux Park. The Alumni Tailgate and Parade Watch Party also begins at 3 p.m. at Tony Robichaux Park. The Ragin’ Cajuns will face the Arkansas State Red Wolves at 7 p.m. Saturday at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium, capping the weeklong celebration. Two members of the 2026 Homecoming Court also will be crowned king and queen during halftime.

gatherings. The week will culminate Saturday with a full slate of events leading up to the Homecoming football game. The Christiana Smith African American Alumni Chapter will host its annual Sweet Sounds of Sharing recognition program at 10 a.m. at the Bayou Bijou Theater, followed by a reception in the Student Union Ballroom. This year’s honorees are George Jenkins, Shyra Moran, Shanea MorrisonNelson, Mechelle Roberthon, Chasah West, Nakisha Whittington-Williams, DeWayne Bowie and the KOK Wings & Things team. The Homecoming Parade will begin at 3 p.m. at

Email Kristin Askelson at kaskelson@theadvocate. com.

this year without opposition, issued a statement last week saying his goal regarding the grand jury will be to “confirm or dispel any concerns that it may have been misused.” The grand jury that indicted Murrill was said to have launched its investigation on its own initiative under a little used state law. Williams’ office recused itself before District Judge Leon Roche appointed White to oversee it. Murrill has since suggested inappropriate political influence on the grand jury from Williams, Moreno or others. Landry has insisted he won’t meet with Moreno until their suspicions are cleared up. The request by State Police said the agency has a “reasonable belief” that crimes “may have occurred” around the grand jury proceedings. It says the belief is based on “publicly available materials — including pleadings, court minutes, witness statements, press conferences, and statements by other various stakeholders.” Meanwhile, lawyers for Murrill have filed lawsuits

over public records against Williams and White, while pressing the city as well for communication about the grand jury’s work. One Supreme Court justice balked at the appointment of Sims, arguing that the court has meddled enough already in the matter, ﬁrst by issuing a swift stay of Murrill’s indictment before she was booked. Louisiana Supreme Court Justice John Michael Guidry argued that the court’s actions violated the separation of powers in the Constitution. “All of this gives the appearance of this court facilitating and micromanaging — from its inception — a matter which this court will have the final say on anything that results from any grand jury proceedings handled by this prosecutor and this judge,” he wrote. Cole’s order says the court planned to appoint retired Judge Robert Chaisson, who served on the state appeals court in Gretna until 2023, to preside over the inquiry. The court initially appointed Chaisson over Murrill’s criminal case.

Continued from page 1B A Tier 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision was issued in December of 2022 for the expressway corridor, which is wider than the road will be. The next step will include deﬁning up to three possible routes within the chosen corridor that will be advanced to Tier 2 for evaluation. Over the next 10 months or so, Owens said, a trafﬁc study will be conducted on the corridor area to try to identify how much traffic over the next 30 years would probably use the roadway, including estimated SpaceX demand. Those working on the project also will be conducting a revenue analysis and analyzing the best way to fund the project. It has been in development for decades, expressway commission Chair Elaine Abell said. It did not restart its work with

tect the family, including their minor child. John Fourcade, the attorney representing Teresa Stutes, did not immediately return a phone message Tuesday afternoon.

the SpaceX announcement, but the spaceport along with business developments in Iberia and other nearby parishes will put added pressure on roadways, making the need for the expressway more urgent. Chad Hanks, a sugar cane farmer and chair of the Lafayette Economic Development Authority, was one of several concerned residents at the meeting Tuesday who suggested the commission consider moving the corridor west, which would bring it closer to Vermilion Parish and SpaceX. Going outside the approved corridor creates difﬁculties like causing considerable delays to the project. It would affect the Record of Decision and push to project back to square one, Raymond Reaux, an engineer consulting with the expressway commission on the expressway, said. “We would lose time and progress,” he said. Hanks agreed the project has to move forward quickly

because of the explosion of development to the south of Lafayette, much of it from the SpaceX project, that will be larger than anybody has anticipated. “We can’t waste time,” Hanks said. The Xpressway is a different project from the Interstate 49 Lafayette Connector, which would be a roughly east-west six-lane partially elevated freeway that would run from the current terminus of I-49 at Interstate 10 in Lafayette to around Lafayette Regional Airport.

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DATA

Continued from page 1B Panelist Joshua Hodge, executive director of the MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, on Tuesday pointed to his organization’s research that found electricity rates increased in counties with new data center entrants from 2010 to 2024, with higher increases for investor-owned utilities and in areas with deregulated markets. Hodge said regulators and utilities can stem these increases by forcing data centers to deploy more flexibility, like spreading their demand over time and across data centers in different states, as well as by enhancing the grid with more efﬁcient technologies. “The private sector and civil society has, thus far, done not nearly enough on how to reduce costs associated with data centers,” Hodge said during the panel. “I can’t overemphasize how important it is to reduce those costs before we decide how to allocate those costs. Right now, we’re just kind of working on how we’re allocating those costs.” Coussan and Entergy executive Larry Hand said they’re confident that the deals struck between Entergy and Meta for its Hyperion data center in Richland Parish will be a net beneﬁt to customers in the long run. They pointed to provisions in the deal requiring Meta to put up billions to cover the costs of a huge build-out of new power plants.

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Hand said Entergy may frastructure — have risen *Ages may vary by state. Guaranteed for one of these life insurance policies. Benefi Benefits ts reduced fifirst rst two years. Insurance Policy L770 (ID: L770ID; OK: L770OK; TN: L770TN). explore ways to introduce dramatically over the past 6236-0625 flexibility once Meta is up five years. and running, but said the idea was not on the table when Meta came to the state. Pets “We took the approach of making sure there was enough new generation that they’re paying for to support their load,” Hand said. “It’s not reasonable for a utility to say, ‘We want you to pay for all your generaCATS NEWS 24/7 ON tion, Meta, but we want you RAGAMUFFIN & RAGDOLL KITTENS www.CatsByFrancy.com/kittens to be interruptible.’ You $1500up! Reg. Shots & Guaranty 337-230-3150 can’t have it both ways.” Private equity execuPublic Notices Legal Notices Legal Notices Legal Notices Legal Notices Legal Notices tives said Monday that tech companies have broadened their horizons for where to y y p y stitutional and statutory build data centers, seeking millage to represent a currently being levied to sions of a resolution the purpose of the main‐ authority, and the offi‐ Legal Notices 0.15 mills increase (due pay the general obliga‐ adopted by the Lafayette taining, operating and cers appointed to hold cheap land and affordable to reappraisal) over the tion bonds of the Parish? Parish Council (the "Gov‐ improving the Lafayette the said election, as pro‐ 2.06 mills tax authorized erning Authority"), act‐ Parish Courthouse Com‐ vided in this Notice of and quick access to power. to be levied through the PROPOSITION NO. 2 OF 5 ing as the governing au‐ plex, said millage to rep‐ Special Election, or such year 2027 pursuant to an (LIBRARY) thority of the Parish of resent a 0.17 mills in‐ substitutes therefor as That dynamic has brought election held on Novem‐ (MILLAGE CONTINUA‐ Lafayette, State of crease (due to reap‐ may be selected and PUBLIC NOTICE ber 18, 2017? TION) Louisiana (the "Parish"), praisal) over the 2.34 “hyperscale” data centers designated in accor‐ --on August 4, 2026, NO‐ mills tax authorized to be with La. R.S. to places like Richland Par- Burns & McDonnell on TICE IS HEREBY GIVEN Shall the Parish of PROPOSITION NO. 4 OF 5 levied through the year dance 18:1287, will make due re‐ (JUVENILE DETENTION) Lafayette, State of that a special election 2027 pursuant to an elec‐ turns thereof to said of Cloud Connec‐ ish, which have historically behalf (MILLAGE CONTINUA‐ Louisiana (the "Parish"), will be held within the tion held on November Governing Authority, and tor, LLC is requesting au‐ TION) continue to levy a special Parish on SATURDAY, DE‐ 18, 2017? NOTICE IS HEREBY FUR‐ to construct a not attracted major invest- thorization tax of 3.12 mills on all CEMBER 12, 2026, and THER GIVEN that the Gov‐ natural gas pipeline be‐ Shall the Parish of property subject to taxa‐ that at the said election The said special election erning Authority will tween an interconnect ments. Lafayette, State of tion in the Parish (an es‐ there will be submitted shall be held at each and meet at its regular meet‐ station near Melville, Louisiana (the "Parish"), timated $9,050,000 rea‐ to all registered voters in every polling place in the ing place, the Council Au‐ in St. Landry The build-out is also caus- Louisiana continue to levy a 1.25 sonably expected at this the Parish qualified and Parish, which polls will ditorium, 705 West Uni‐ Parish, and Venture mills tax on all property time to be collected from entitled to vote at the open at seven o'clock versity Avenue, Global Plaquemines LNG, ing a reckoning surround- LLC subject to taxation in the the levy of the tax for an said election under the (7:00) a.m. and close at Lafayette, Louisiana, on and Plaquemines Ex‐ Parish (an estimated entire year), for a period Constitution and Laws of eight o'clock (8:00) p.m., TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, LLC Terminals in ing electric rates, which pansion, $3,620,000 reasonably ex‐ of 10 years, beginning the State of Louisiana in accordance with the 2027, at 4:30 P.M., and Plaquemines Parish. The pected at this time to be with the year 2027 and the Constitution of provisions of La. R.S. shall then and there in President Donald Trump U.S. Army Corps of Engi‐ and collected from the levy of ending with the year the United States, the fol‐ 18:541. open and public session neers (CEMVN) will be the tax for an entire 2036, for the purpose of propositions, toproceed to examine and and Landry have sought to accepting public com‐ lowing year), for a period of 10 the maintenance and wit: The polling places for the canvass the returns and ments on the project years, beginning with the support of the public li‐ precincts in the Parish address by issuing “rate- until October 8, 2026. To declare the result of the year 2029 and ending brary of Lafayette Parish PROPOSITION NO. 1 OF 5 are hereby designated as said special election. All further review and/or payer protection” orders. provide comments, addi‐ (BOND) with the year 2038, for and its branches, said the polling places at registered voters of the the purpose of acquiring, millage to represent a which to hold the said Parish are entitled to tional information and Meta has said it’s following plans related to the pro‐ Shall the Parish of 0.21 mills increase (due improving, operating and election, and the Com‐ vote at said special elec‐ maintaining the juvenile to reappraisal) over the Lafayette, State of missioners-in-Charge tion and voting machines may be obtained at the pledge and is paying for posal detention and juvenile 2.91 mills tax authorized Louisiana (the "Parish"), and Commissioners, re‐ will be used. the following website: rehabilitation facilities in to be levied through the incur debt and issue not spectively, shall be those www.mvn.usace.army. its own costs. the Parish, said millage year 2026 pursuant to an exceeding $77,000,000 of persons designated ac‐ /s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz mil/missions/regulatory/ to represent a 0.08 mills election held on Novem‐ general obligation bonds, cording to law. JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ, public-notices (see Ref#: The PSC is ultimately re- MVN-2026-00308-BV). increase (due to reap‐ ber 8, 2016? in one or more series, to LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE If praisal) over the 1.17 run not exceeding 30 The estimated cost of COUNCIL have any questions sponsible for which costs you mills tax authorized to be PROPOSITION NO. 3 OF 5 years from the date this election as deter‐ or would like additional levied through the year (MINIMUM SECURITY DE‐ thereof, to bear interest mined by the Secretary Publication dates: Sep‐ please con‐ are passed along to resi- information, 2028 pursuant to an elec‐ TENTION & CORREC‐ at rates not exceeding of State based upon the tember 23, September 30, tact Courtland Vice with tion held on April 28, TIONAL FACILITY) 7% per annum, and to be provisions of Chapter 8-A October 7 and October 14 Regulatory Divi‐ dents. A PSC consultant CEMVN, 2018? (MILLAGE CONTINUA‐ payable from ad valorem of Title 18 and actual sion at (504) 862-1349 or TION) taxes to be levied and costs of similar elections 196681-sep 23-30-oct 7courtland.l.vice@ found that a proposed En- at PROPOSITION NO. 5 OF 5 collected in the manner is $111,500. 14-4t usace.army.mil. A certifi‐ $283.52 tergy acquisition of a power cation that the proposed provided by Article VI, Shall the Parish of (COURTHOUSE & JAIL COMPLEX) Lafayette, State of Section 33 of the Notice is further given activity will not violate CONTINUA‐ that a portion of the plant in Texas would effec- applicable water quality Louisiana Constitution of Louisiana (the "Parish"), (MILLAGE TION) continue to levy a 2.21 1974, as amended, and monies collected from standards will be re‐ tively mean residential cus- quired from the LDEQ be‐ other constitutional and mills tax on all property the taxes described in Shall the Parish of subject to taxation in the statutory authority, for the Propositions shall be a Department of the tomers subsidizing Meta’s fore Lafayette, State of Parish (an estimated the purposes of con‐ remitted to certain state Army permit could be is‐ Louisiana (the "Parish"), $6,410,000 reasonably ex‐ structing, acquiring and and statewide retirement sued. data center; that plan was continue to levy a 2.51 pected at this time to be improving public infra‐ systems in the manner mills tax on all property collected from the levy of structure, including pub‐ required by law. 201953 Sept. 28-Oct. 8, 11t put on hold. subject to taxation in the the tax for an entire lic roads, highways and $1,405.06 Parish (an estimated year), for a period of 10 bridges, and related The said special election Hand added that infla$7,280,000 reasonably ex‐ years, beginning with the drainage to address will be held in accor‐ PUBLIC NOTICE pected at this time to be year 2028 and ending commuter congestion in dance with the applica‐ tion is also causing electric --collected from the levy of with the year 2037, for the Parish, title to which ble provisions of Chapter the tax for an entire the purpose of the main‐ shall be in the public, 5, Chapter 6-A and Chap‐ costs to rise, noting the cost SUBSCRIBE NOTICE OF SPECIAL year), for a period of 10 taining, operating and with no estimated in‐ ter 6-B of Title 18 of the ELECTION years, beginning with the improving the minimum crease in the millage rate Louisiana Revised of limestone and copper — TODAY year 2028 and ending security detention and to be levied in the first Statutes of 1950, as to the provi‐ with the year 2037, for correctional facility, said year above the 1.85 mills amended, and other con‐ key inputs for electric in- Pursuant i f l i f h i h ill l b i l i d

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F A L C O N S A T S A I N T S • 7: 1 5 P. M . M O N d A y • E S P N

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Kevin Foote TIME OUT

Three areas Cajuns can improve on in SBC play UL has played four games, and Sun Belt Conference play begins with homecoming against Arkansas State at 7 p.m. Saturday. There’s a handful of issues to explore in attempting to answer how much progress the Cajuns have made during their 3-1 start. ä Arkansas start with State at UL theLet’s passing game, 7 P.M. SATURdAy, the No. 1 preESPN+ season concern. It’s been an up-and-down process through the first quarter of the season. The most encouraging performance was when the unit was the most depleted with injuries against the best opponent at No. 14 Southern California in Los Angeles. Other than that, the Cajuns have searched for answers. The biggest question is when will Shelton Sampson be available? He’s been cleared to play, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to make an impact. Sampson went through pregame drills at Charlotte but wasn’t in full uniform during the game. After suffering a bruised knee in late July and then a sprained ankle in the season opener, it’s been a frustrating process for Sampson. At what point is it worth risking long-term damage for a potential short-term benefit? There was a four-game stretch last season when Sampson hauled in 19 receptions for 379 yards and five touchdowns. He looked like a legitimate No. 1 target. He looked too tentative during pregame warmups Saturday to be that level of playmaker. So we’ll stayed tuned on that issue. Even without him, quarterback Lunch Winfield is completing 73% of his passes. True freshman Kristion Brooks has become a legitimate option and others have filled in nicely. If tight end Caden Jensen and Sampson can achieve their preseason promise, the passing game could still be a strength. That brings us to the current No. 1 concern — the offensive line. Pass protection has been an issue the last two games. UL coach Michael Desormeaux discussed the calculated gamble his coaching staff is making with offensive line options. Currently, the Cajuns are playing eight linemen. That number could increase with true freshmen Jai’Vale Mays-Hudson and Michael Bowens on the verge of getting a look. “I don’t think hope is a good plan,” Desormeaux said. “In the long run, I think it’s going to benefit us. In the long run, I know it’ll benefit them because we’ve got a really talented young group of O-linemen. You wish there wasn’t quite as much of a gap between

ä See FOOTE, page 3C

STAFF PHOTO By BRAd KEMP

UL running back Anthony Reagan breaks free for a big gain against UAB on Sept. 20 at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. Reagan has provided the Cajuns with a strong fourth option at running back.

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT dUKE

Saints linebacker Pete Werner brings down Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers on Sunday in New Orleans. Bowers had 10 receptions for 116 yards and one touchdown in the Raders’ 35-28 win.

Saints had few answers for Raiders star tight end Bowers ANALYSIS

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Three weeks into the season, the New Orleans Saints have faced three transcendent skill position players, and they’ve gotten burned twice. Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 156 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a Week 1 loss by the Saints. Against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, the Saints limited Derrick Henry to a relatively modest 68 yards rushing and a

touchdown. New Orleans’ latest task was Brock Bowers, the superb Raiders tight end. Bowers won decisively. He hauled in 10 of 13 targets for 116 yards and a touchdown against New Orleans, but it wasn’t just the counting stats. Las Vegas targeted Bowers seven times on third down, and he hauled in ﬁve of those targets — all for ﬁrst downs.

Bowers missed the first two games of the season, which added a layer of difficulty for the Saints when coming up with a defensive game plan. The Raiders offense almost certainly was going to flow through Bowers, but the Saints had little to go on when it came to preparing for what he was going to look like in the Klint Kubiak offense. “He’s a really good player. Klint did a really good job of moving him around,”

ä See SAINTS, page 3C

Congress must get bill past goal line elections. Texas Sen. Ted Attempt to stabilize term Cruz, one of the co-authors of bipartisan bill, said Speaker college sports not the of the House Mike Johnson has indications the House in the clear just yet given will take a vote on the PCSA

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU linebacker davhon Keys gets set to run through a tackling drill on Aug. 8 during an LSU practice.

With LB Weeks out, Keys ready to produce BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Davhon Keys has been in this position before. When star linebacker Whit Weeks went down with an ankle injury that cost him much of his junior season last year, Keys stepped in his place as the LSU season began to fall apart. He played so much that he finished with 88 tackles, tied for the fourth-most in the Southeastern Conference. Keys finds himself in a similar position this season after another injury to Weeks, who suffered a right leg injury Saturday during LSU’s 35-6 win over Texas A&M that will sideline him for an extended period. “The first thing is, you’re devastated for him because you never

ä McNeese State at LSU. 6:45 P.M. SATURdAy, SECN

like to see anyone get hurt,” Keys said Tuesday. “But then you’ve got to ﬂip that mindset. You’ve got to go in to play for him.” It was the latest chapter in what already has become an injuryplagued campaign for LSU. The Tigers already were dealing with injuries to star tight end Trey’Dez Green, starting safety Dashawn Spears and others before Weeks’ injury. “Look at the points per game when (Weeks) played versus when he didn’t last year,” LSU coach Lane Kifﬁn said. “It’s not just because of the player that he is; it’s

ä See LSU, page 3C

Sanity in college athletics is halfway to being restored — or at least brought back into discussion. In a political version of Monday night football, the U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly, 77-23, to pass the Protect College Sports Act Scott (PCSA). As curRabalais rently written, the bill would give the NCAA an antitrust exemption (Hooray! Fewer lawsuits!), limit athletes to a single transfer without penalty (having to sit out a year like the old days on the second one) and, quite importantly, bring stricter regulation to the player revenue-sharing cap. All this sounds great, and it is. But saying that the PCSA will become law at this point is like saying a team will score a touchdown because the offense reached the 50-yard line. Maybe they eventually punch it in, but there is a long, long way to go. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives, and herein lies the ﬁrst snag. Or snags. For starters, there’s the legislative clock. The House is not scheduled to reconvene until Nov. 9, after the Nov. 3 mid-

before the midterms. Johnson, who is from Louisiana, has not given such assurances publicly. If House leadership changes to Democratic hands early next year, will its members support the PCSA or even consider it? Remember the SCORE Act? That never got off the legislative runway. In our highly divided political world, the fact that the Senate gave such an overall bipartisan endorsement to the bill is a good sign for its support. But that’s 100 senators. There are 435 representatives, a much more contentious and fractionalized group. There could be a vote after the midterm elections and before this Congressional term is up, but reps who may be retiring or who have been voted out make it even harder to predict the PCSA’s passage. This much is certain: College athletics needs legislative guardrails. Schools have shown they are completely unable to govern themselves. They even set up something called the College Sports Commission to enforce rules the schools agreed to regarding NIL payments. There was a cap on revenue sharing for this athletic year of $21.5 million. Schools blew past that ﬁgure like Sha’Carri Richardson speeding to the ﬁnish line. All

ä See RABALAIS, page 3C

2C ● Wednesday, September 30, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV

WOMEN’S AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL 4 a.m. (Th.) Hawthorn at Carlton FS2 COLLEGE GOLF 4 p.m. NB3 Collegiate: Match Play Golf WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL 6 p.m. Vanderbilt at LSU SECN HORSE RACING Noon America’s day at the Races FS2

MLB PLAYOFFS Philadelphia at Atlanta Chi. White Sox at Houston Boston at N.y. yankees Chi. Cubs at San diego NHL 6:30 p.m. Pittsburgh at Philadelphia 9 p.m. Los Angeles at Colorado MEN’S SOCCER 6 p.m. Cavalry FC at Ottawa 1 p.m. 4 p.m. 7 p.m. 9 p.m.

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

NBC NBCSN NBC NBCSN TNT TNT FS2

6:30 p.m. Indy Eleven at Rhode Island CBSSN WOMEN’S SOCCER 11:45 a.m. Barcelona at Roma CBSSN 2 p.m. Bayern Munich at Benfica CBSSN TENNIS 9 p.m. Beijing-ATP/WTA & Tokyo-ATP Tennis 5 a.m. (Th.) Beijing-ATP/WTA & Tokyo-ATP Tennis WNBA PLAYOFFS ESPN 6 p.m. Atlanta at Washington 8 p.m. Golden State at dallas ESPN

Healthy Pelicans sweating ‘details’ New coach Mosley striving to instill a new mindset

Giants cut WR Beckham after no catches in return

Odell Beckham Jr.’s return to the New York Giants, with the fanfavorite receiver making the team at age 33 after being out of football for more than a year, lasted just three games with no catches. The Giants released Beckham on Tuesday and signed return specialist Braxton Berrios to the active roster from the practice squad. Beckham was thrown at just once during his brief cameo back with the team that drafted him in the ﬁrst round in 2014. Jameis Winston threw one deep pass intended for Beckham during the first quarter. Fans later chanted “OBJ! OBJ!” to no avail, as Beckham was on the ﬁeld for only six plays of the ugly 12-7 win and 20 of 191 (10.5%) this season.

BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

Instead of knocking on wood, Jamahl Mosley simply knocked on the side of his head. Moments later, Trey Murphy did something similar, bending down and tapping the wooden floor of the New Orleans Pelicans’ practice facility. Tuesday was the first day of training camp, and both Murphy and Mosley “knocked on wood” because the team was fully healthy as it starts preparing for the season. No injuries to start camp is new territory for the Pelicans, but a healthy roster wasn’t the only thing new. This was the first practice under new head coach Mosley, hired in May to turn things around in New Orleans. The words hanging on the walls were new, too. Relentless. Mental toughness. Resilient. Together. Dominate. Physicality. That’s the mindset Mosley is trying to instill in the team he inherited. It took just one practice for players to get an understanding of how their new coach operates. “One thing I’ve noticed about Mosley is that he’s really, really into the details,” Murphy said. “If we are not doing a drill right, he’s going to make sure we do it over and do it right. That’s something you can really appreciate. If you keep the rope tight, then whenever you’re ready to pull (the rope), it’s ready.” Mosley, who spent the previous five seasons as head coach of the Orlando Magic, liked what he saw in his new team on the first day. “I love the energy in the building, the intensity,” Mosley said.

Ex-Auburn staff member accused of sharing secrets

STAFF PHOTO By dAVId GRUNFELd

New Orleans Pelicans coach Jamahl Mosley talks with the media during media day on Monday at the Smoothie King Center. “The work ethic was there. It’s what we talked about from the beginning. Starting with the foundation of our defense and them moving into our offense and the structure of it.” That intensity will continue. Tuesday was the ﬁrst of 17 practices before the Oct. 21 season opener. The ﬁrst of some two-aday sessions is Wednesday. Zion Williamson, entering his eighth NBA season, is pleased with what he’s seen from Mosley thus far. Williamson was the last one to leave the court Tuesday, staying afterward to work on his 3-point shot. “I have to make a minimum of 50, and then I can get out of here,” Williamson said. He and his teammates are buying into what Mosley is selling. “I love basketball, and I love X’s and O’s and seeing how different

people see the game,” Williamson said. “When he was in Orlando, he had a great defensive team. We want to bring that same thing, but with our own ﬂair to it.” This time a year ago, Murphy and Herb Jones were both rehabbing shoulder injuries. Dejounte Murray was still working his way back from a torn Achilles. Derik Queen was nursing a wrist injury. That wasn’t the case Tuesday with every player suited up. “It’s huge,” Mosley said. “Getting on the same page right away without anybody walking in with anything happening right now. Knock on wood that everybody stays healthy as we are getting everybody on the same page and preaching the same message and communicating the right way.” One of those messages was written on the T-shirts that Mosley and some of his players wore

during practice. On the front, it read: “In Nola, culture means business.” On the back, it read: “We stand on business.” “What it means is this city represents grit, hard work, toughness, determination,” Mosley said. “No matter where you’re from in this city. We’ve talked about representing it the right way and those guys have to feel it and know it every time they step in the building.” Tuesday was the ﬁrst step. “It was a great ﬁrst day of practice,” Williamson said. “We are pretty much setting our identity of what we want to look for on defense and what we want to look for on offense. But today was more of a defensive day. It was a good day at work.” Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

MLB POSTSEASON

Riley homers to rally Braves past Phillies BY CHARLES ODUM Associated Press

ATLANTA — Austin Riley hit a three-run homer off All-Star closer Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning and the Atlanta Braves rallied past the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 on Tuesday in the opener of a best-of-three National League Wild Card Series. Duran (0-1), who allowed just two homers in 61 regular-season games, gave up a single to Michael Harris before hitting Ozzie Albies with a pitch. Riley drove the go-ahead blast over the wall in right-center ﬁeld. Harris had three hits. The Braves can clinch the series on Wednesday and end the Phillies’ history of postseason success in the NL East rivalry. Philadelphia beat Atlanta in the 1993 NLCS and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS. Riley’s go-ahead homer was especially satisfying after he hit only .219 with 19 homers in a frustrating regular season. “Especially knowing how my season was not the way I wanted it, that’s why the postseason is a clean slate,” Riley said, adding he was “trying to do something good” for his teammates. Braves ace Chris Sale said Riley never let his struggles affect his approach to the game during the regular season. “You couldn’t tell if he was the leading MVP candidate or if he was struggling,” Sale said. “I really mean that. He’s the same guy. He kept doing the work and had a great moment.” Sale dueled early against Phillies left-hander Jesus Luzardo, who was sharp after missing time down the stretch with left shoulder inﬂammation. Luzardo was

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By MIKE STEWART

Braves third baseman Austin Riley hits a three-run home run off Phillies pitcher Jhoan duran in the eighth inning on Tuesday in Atlanta. expected to make an abbreviated start, but he pitched one-run ball over ﬁve innings with 77 pitches. “In my mind, if we got 75 pitches from him today, we would be in a pretty good spot,” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said of Luzardo. “... He kind of gave us more than we thought, honestly.” Atlanta pounced when Philadelphia went to the bullpen — a common theme for the Phillies as they slumped into the postseason. Their relievers had a 5.79 ERA in September, worst in the majors. Albies hit a tiebreaking triple off Alex McFarlane in the sixth for a 2-1 lead. Center fielder Derek Hill had an opportunity to make a leaping catch of Albies’ drive at the wall, but he appeared to jump too high. The ball hit Hill’s

wrist below his glove. J.T. Realmuto put Philadelphia ahead 3-2 with a two-run triple in the seventh inning — right ﬁelder Ronald Acuña bobbled the ball near the wall, but he wasn’t charged with an error. Mattingly handed the ball over to Duran in the seventh, perhaps hoping the 28-year-old had three innings in him to close things out. Duran made just one multi-inning appearance this season. Sale gave up three runs as he faded in the seventh in his effort to deliver as the ace of Atlanta’s depleted rotation. Sale hit Bryan De La Cruz with a pitch with one out in the seventh before giving up a single to Bryson Stott. Right-hander Didier Fuentes then gave up Realmuto’s two-run triple to the right-field

corner. Alec Bohm hit a high fastball from Sale for a run-scoring double over Harris in center in the first inning. Sale didn’t give up another hit until Edmundo Sosa doubled with two outs in the fifth. Luzardo gave up three hits with six strikeouts. He pitched longer than many expected after throwing a scoreless eighth inning in Sunday’s 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays that clinched the wildcard berth. Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth for the save after Dylan Lee (1-0) threw a scoreless eighth. WHITE SOX 6, ASTROS 3: In Houston, Colson Montgomery hit a solo homer and Sam Antonacci drove in two runs to lead the Chicago White Sox over the Houston Astros in Game 1 of an AL Wild Card Series game. The White Sox, in the postseason for the first time since 2021, made a remarkable turnaround this year to become the only team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth. They had lost 100 games three straight seasons, including 121 defeats in 2024, setting the record for most losses since 1899. The White Sox got a letter of support from Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native, prior to the game and got to work immediately to show off for the pontiff. They led 3-0 after two innings and held on for their first playoff win since Oct. 10, 2021, in the ALDS against Houston. Houston’s rookie opener AJ Blubaugh gave up two walks, and an error by Christian Walker left runners on first and third with one out in the first. The White Sox took an early lead on a sacrifice fly by Munetaka Murakami.

A former Auburn staff member has been arrested on charges of stealing trade secrets from the football program and sending them to competitors, according to court records. David Rudolph Jenrath, 24, turned himself in to authorities Monday and was charged with two felonies: theft of trade secrets and computer tampering. A news release issued Tuesday by the Auburn Police Department said a “business reported that sensitive information was stolen from the business and distributed to their competitors. The business reported that one of their competitors received the information and turned it over to them.” It’s unclear which schools received the stolen information. A complaint alleges that the incident occurred on July 19.

Knicks still considering visit to the White House

The New York Knicks are still deciding whether they will become the ﬁrst NBA champions to visit the White House under President Donald Trump, coach Mike Brown said Tuesday. The president traditionally has invited the reigning champions, but that has not been the case under Trump. No team went during his ﬁrst term or after he was elected again in 2024. But Trump and Knicks owner James Dolan are close. They sat together when Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, and Dolan indicated after the Knicks won the championship that an offer would be accepted. “No, it’s still something that our guys, or the organization, is internally discussing and, you know, whatever we decide to do, we’ll all do together,” Brown said.

Court grants Florida guard Aberdeen a fifth season

Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen has been granted a temporary injunction that will allow him to play this upcoming season. Circuit court judge George Wright granted the injunction during a Tuesday hearing in Alachua County. Gators coach Todd Golden and several players attended the proceedings. Aberdeen’s attorney, Jesse Panuccio, filed a lawsuit against the NCAA earlier this month. His motion noted that more than 30 courts across the country have ruled that the NCAA’s “arbitrary decision” against athletes who began college in 2022-23 and completed four seasons of eligibility is “unlawful.” The NCAA’s move to a five-year, age-based eligibility model has led to a series of court fights nationally.

Ex-NBA player Smith faces family violence charges Two-time NBA champion J.R. Smith has been arrested in Texas on family violence charges. He is being held on suspicion of family violence assault causing bodily injury, with no bond currently set, according to the Hunt County Jail’s booking records. The charge is usually a misdemeanor for first-time offenders. Royse City police officers stopped Smith on Interstate 30 on Monday afternoon after receiving an automatic license plate alert about an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Smith played for five teams during his 16-year NBA career. He was a member of the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers that won the 2016 NBA championship.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, September 30, 2026 ● 3C

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SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU linebacker davhon Keys leads the way as the Tigers gang-tackle Texas A&M running back Carsyn Baker in the backfield during the third quarter on Saturday in Tiger Stadium.

LSU

Continued from page 1C the mentality and what he brings around him and how he is.” Understating Weeks’ impact is foolish, but Keys is a very capable backup. Besides being a tackling machine last season, he recorded 15 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, and played at least 10 snaps in each of the ﬁrst three games prior to Weeks’ injury. He had five tackles and a quarterback pressure against Texas A&M. When the Aggies went for it on fourth-and-1 with more than eight minutes left to play in the third quarter, Keys made a tackle that forced a turnover on downs. “Davhon played really well last week, which was obviously great to see,” Kifﬁn said. “Really talked to him about, before he went in, this is a really big opportunity. You’ve got to play really physical.” Keys can’t be the only linebacker who steps up. Tylen Singleton, who played

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C you need to know is Arkansas spent between $22 million and $25 million on its football roster alone and is near the bottom of the Southeastern Conference in terms of that sort of spending. “A lot of schools, it appears, made a lot of NIL guarantees coming out of the football transfer portal and basketball transfer portal that they’re not allowed to do under the rules,” College Sports Commission CEO Bryan Seely said in May at the SEC spring meeting. “And now, there is increasing pressure on them to get those NIL deals clear. A lot of those NIL deals will not get cleared because they don’t comply with the

“Davhon played really well last week, which was obviously great to see. Really talked to him about, before he went in, this is a really big opportunity. You’ve got to play really physical.” LANE KIFFIN, LSU coach 10 snaps on Saturday; Weeks’ brother Zach; and Keylan Moses will need to play bigger roles as Keys becomes a starter. Kiffin liked what he saw from Singleton, a speedy former four-star recruit, on Saturday. Keys firmly believes that Singleton, Zach Weeks and Moses have improved since last season. “They’ve been doing a great job. Even since January, they’ve been improving,” Keys said. “And getting to see them get in (the game), seeing Tylen make that big tackle for loss, seeing Zach get in (and) get his hands dirty, I love seeing it.” Charles Ross was also in line for a bigger role, but he tore his ACL while playing on the kickoff coverage team Saturday. Ross was LSU’s fourth linebacker on the depth chart, Kiffin said.

“That’s really hard to lose two of your top four or ﬁve guys in one game,” Kifﬁn said. “So there’s not a lot of numbers there. You eventually run out.” Kiffin’s concerns about linebacker depth are somewhat warranted. Building a deep roster in his first season in Baton Rouge was never fully feasible, so injuries were probably going to hurt LSU more than other teams vying for College Football Playoff spots. But LSU’s linebacker depth was seen as a strength heading into the year. The Tigers entered the season with Weeks and TJ Dottery — a two-year starter at Ole Miss before transferring to LSU — as starters, while Keys started for much of last season and Singleton played more than 100 snaps on defense. Zach Weeks, as a freshman,

rules. What do we do?” You look to Congress to give guidance. To make rules. To meddle, if you want to put a cynical spin on things. It’s a fair bet the PCSA won’t make it, but something must. You need to look no further than LSU athletics, which is reportedly operating at a multimillion-dollar deﬁcit because of the rampant spending its leaders think the school must do to stay competitive.

their march down Victory Hill before Saturday’s game, this game is pretty much in the bag. The talent gap between the teams is that big. After a disturbing recent spate of injuries to key players, the question for LSU coach Lane Kifﬁn is whether he should consider resting some starters against McNeese. That starts with quarterback Sam Leavitt, who played brilliantly in this past Saturday’s 35-6 rout of Texas A&M despite an injured hamstring. As you’d expect, Kifﬁn didn’t tip his hand at his Monday news conference, other than to say: “We’ll be extremely cautious this week all around.” The main question surrounds Leavitt. After McNeese, LSU has three testy but winnable SEC games in October against

Kiffin’s decision ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) gives LSU a 99% chance to defeat McNeese State on Saturday in Tiger Stadium (6:45 p.m., SEC Network). No offense to the Cowboys (2-3), but that basically means unless a sinkhole swallows the No. 11-ranked Tigers (3-1) on

FOOTE

Continued from page 1C

the older guys that are ready and some of the younger guys. “But that’s the nature of it. In the long run, I think it’ll be a good thing.” While that process plays out, the coaching staff hopes to close that gap as conference play opens. Another area that needs an upgrade over the next month is

the running game. In August, a three-man backﬁeld turned into a four-man rotation. As a result, the second-leading rusher behind Winﬁeld is Darrell Smith with 141 yards on 28 carries. The four backs possess different skills, so it could work as is, but it’s got to get more productive to become a mainstay in the offense. “There are some of them that are really dynamic and you’re excited about,” Desormeaux said. “They might not be where you can trust them in every situation

played more than 40 snaps a year ago. Another injury, particularly to Dottery or Keys, could be problematic. But defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s background is in coaching linebackers. He was the linebackers coach at LSU in his first stint with the program in 2021 before returning to Baton Rouge to resume that role and become the defensive coordinator in 2024. Baker is no longer the linebackers coach. That responsibility now lies with Lane’s brother, Chris Kiffin. But if there was one position on defense he’d make sure to button up, it would be linebacker. Baker has made sure to stock that room with plenty of talent. “Coach Baker always puts us in the right spot,” Keys said. “And as long as you trust your coach and trust what you’re supposed to do, you’re going to make plays.” Email Koki Riley at koki. riley@theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate. com/lsunewsletter

Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “First action with him out there on the field, and they created a lot of opportunities that were advantageous, as far as playing him in different spots.” Though he’s listed as a tight end, Bowers does much more than that. He lined up all over the field against the Saints, spending most of his time lined up as the outside receiver in the formation or in the slot. Here’s how it shook out: n Outside receiver: 11 routes — six catches on nine targets for 81 yards n Tight end: Eight routes — two catches on two targets for 16 yards n Slot: 12 routes — two catches on two targets for 19 yards and a touchdown n Wing: One route — no targets Most of Bowers’ damage came when he was lined up outside. The Raiders’ very first offensive snap featured Bowers in this alignment. Though Saints defensive back Quincy Riley was shading Bowers’ outside shoulder, he was giving Bowers a nearly 10-yard cushion. Bowers started the game with an easy 8-yard gain on a quick out. It was a sign of things to come. The Raiders threw Bowers the ball on three of his first four routes. Kirk Cousins found him over the middle of the field for a gain of 18 after Kaden Elliss got sucked in by a play-action fake, another play where Bowers was lined up outside. New Orleans tried to switch when Bowers lined up outside and motioned into a stack, with Jonas Sanker communicating that he had Bowers in coverage. Bowers beat him easily with a slant for a gain of 19. The Saints tried putting their best cover corner, Kool-Aid McKinstry, on Bowers with press coverage on a third-and-4 play. Bowers ran a stutter-go, and while McKinstry stayed plastered to him, a good back-shoulder throw beat the coverage as Bowers picked up 20. When the Raiders really needed it, they schemed up ways to get Bowers open. He lined up in the slot for a third-and-goal from the 4-yard line late in the fourth quarter, and Las Vegas dialed up a rub concept. Sanker tried going over the rub route but couldn’t recover in time, and Bowers hauled in a touchdown that put Las Vegas up by eight points in the closing minutes. McKinstry was the only player to find a degree of success against Bowers, especially in the red zone.

He made a great play to break up a third-and-5 pass to Bowers near the goal line, then locked up Bowers on consecutive plays from the Saints’ 7-yard line late in the ﬁrst half, including a forced throwaway. “We had our opportunities; we just weren’t able to get it done,” Moore said. “He’s a really good player; he’s going to be a good player in this league for a long time. We’re going to play some hard downs against those types of guys, and he just won more often than not.” It’s not going to get easier for the Saints next week against Atlanta.

Next up If the title of best running back in the NFL doesn’t go to Gibbs or Henry, it belongs to Bijan Robinson of the Falcons. Robinson is coming off one of the best games of his career, torching the Green Bay Packers for 194 yards combined and a pair of rushing touchdowns. Robinson is a home-run hitter, ripping off 55- and 31-yard runs against Green Bay, but he is also one of the league’s most efﬁcient runners. His 60.6% success rate ranks fourth in the NFL among qualiﬁed players. New Orleans has done a decent job in the past against Robinson as a runner. In six career games against the Saints, Robinson has averaged 61 yards rushing per game. But he is an extremely capable pass catcher, and New Orleans is certainly aware of that. Robinson has caught 22 passes for 256 yards and a pair of scores against the Saints in his career.

Rough finish Left tackle Asim Richards has big shoes to ﬁll in replacing the injured Kelvin Banks. He held up fairly well through three quarters Sunday, but there were three notable negatives in the fourth quarter that had big consequences. Raiders edge rusher Malcolm Koonce beat Richards with speed to get to Tyler Shough for a controversial strip-sack, then beat him with power on Shough’s interception, pushing Richards back into Shough as he was releasing the ball. But Koonce also got Richards in the run game, ragdolling him with a violent shed on a key third-and-1 play with three minutes remaining to drop Alvin Kamara for no gain. There were plenty of dirty hands in the fourth quarter, but New Orleans needs better play out of Richards if it is still going to be in the hunt when Banks returns. Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

Kentucky, Mississippi State and Auburn. Backup quarterback Landen Clark ran for two touchdowns against A&M (though he was 0-of-5 passing with a couple of drops) but should be capable enough to lead the Tigers past the Cowboys. I think Kifﬁn should start with resting Leavitt and receiver Winston Watkins (he left the A&M game after a blow to the head that could have been a concussion) and go from there. This is a week for just getting by, getting reserves some experience, getting a win and getting on to the next game. There are bigger, more difﬁcult tasks ahead. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/ lsunewsletter

or depending on what the game brings. I think they’ve all shown they’ve got bright spots and we’ll continue to do that. “It would be great if one of them kind of pulled away where it turns into, well, this is easy, he’s the one, but it’s kind of not happened, and that’s OK.” Special teams is the other area that could determine if UL is a Sun Belt contender. The ﬁrst few punts in Saturday’s 34-7 road win weren’t good enough. The last few were, but

STAFF PHOTO By dAVId GRUNFELd

Raiders tight end Brock Bowers makes a 4-yard touchdown reception as Saints safety Jonas Sanker defends in the fourth quarter Sunday in the Caesars Superdome.

the lulls must cease. Desormeaux suggested two weeks ago the return game needs to be dynamic. Brent Gordon’s 37-yard punt return in Charlotte was a shining moment, but the production has to become more plentiful. Is the defense as good as it looks so far? It’ll be hard to match the current numbers, but being consistently close should be good enough. “Our defense has really kept us in games and really set the tone

and helped get the offense and did a lot of things for us offensively,” Desormeaux said. “That’s what our defense is doing right now. That’s what we need them to continue to do. “We’re going to push our defense to go out there and go try to play the standard that they’ve set.” The coaching staff is hoping the offense and special teams can progress to the point the defense doesn’t have to be historically good to return to the Sun Belt championship game.

4C ● Wednesday, September 30, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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North Vermilion enjoying undefeated start “We were really worrying af- three scores. in a Vermilion Parish rivalry “Listen, Erath is going to be a Patriots are 4-0 after 2)game “Quarterback was a question big test for our defense and our on Friday. “Hard work is ter losing Tremaine, but Lane has off.” been lights out,” Moy said. “He mark entering the season,” Moy secondary,” Moy said. “DeRouen winless 2025 season paying With linebacker Lane Bernard took over as defensive play-caller, said. “Jaxsen has gotten his com- not only can throw, he can also do

BY MIKE COPPAGE Contributing writer

If given enough time, coach Roderick Moy has proven the ability to build a winner anywhere. In his second year at North Vermilion the Patriots are 4-0 after enduring a winless 2025 campaign. Moy arrived from Abbeville, where he led the program to its first quarterfinal appearance in 20 years and ﬁrst district title since 1997. “Everybody is excited from the top to the bottom,” said Moy, whose Patriots travel to Erath (2-

leading the way, the Patriots relied on their defense to set the tone early in the season. “Complementary football, to be honest,” Moy said of the pivotal factor behind the team’s fast start. “The offense started slowly, and the defense took care of us.” Bernard’s play Moy helped offset the loss of another star linebacker, Tremaine Cormier, who suffered a torn Achilles in a 28-7 win over St. Martin’s Episcopal in Week 1.

and we haven’t missed a beat.” Moy takes pride in having offenses that run the ball well, and he has two backs on pace for 1,000yard seasons in Avery Stutes and Gage Wise. The duo has combined for 821 yards and nine touchdowns with an average of 9.22 yards per carry. “They feed off each other, and with what Jaxsen (Frederick) has been doing at quarterback, you can’t focus on one thing,” Moy said. Last week, Frederick completed 9 of 10 passes for 206 yards and four touchdowns in a 52-8 win over Delhi. Jackson Semien had three receptions for 134 yards and

pletion percentage up to 60%. He’s showing he belongs up there with the big names in the area.” Erath features a big-name quarterback in Landen DeRouen, who returned to action last Friday after missing Week 3 while participating (and winning MVP) in a baseball event in Minnesota. “This is a game we have circled on our calendar,” Moy said. “Erath beat us by 40 last year. They’ll be the best team we’ve faced so far.” Erath lost a 56-49 shootout to undefeated Class 5A Walker in Week 2. Without DeRouen the next week, the Bobcats dropped a 38-3 decision to Lafayette High.

it with his legs. It’s going to be a challenge.” DeRouen, a Northeast Texas Community College baseball commitment, completed 9 of 10 passes for 167 yards and a score and rushed for 71 yards on six carries in last week’s 50-26 win over Acadiana Renaissance. Moy has won big at every stop, including Gueydan, where he compiled a winning record at a program that struggles with numbers every year. With its next win this season, North Vermilion will have equaled its win total over the past three years combined.

SCOREBOARD High schools

Pro basketball

Area volleyball schedule

WNBA playoff glance

Wednesday’s matches

(x-if necessary)

Odds

(Best-of-3) New York 1, Minnesota 0 Sept. 27: New York 91, Minnesota 75 Tuesday: Minnesota at New York, n x-Thursday: New York at Minnesota, TBA Golden State 1, Dallas 0 Sept. 27: Golden State 104, Dallas 80 Wednesday: Golden State at Dallas, 8 p.m. x-Friday: Dallas at Golden State, TBA Las Vegas 1, Indiana 0 Sept. 27: Las Vegas 102, Indiana 85 Tuesday: Las Vegas at Indiana, n x-Thursday: Indiana at Las Vegas, TBA Atlanta 1, Washington 0 Sept. 27: Atlanta 92, Washington 77 Wednesday: Atlanta at Washington, 6 p.m. x-Friday: Washington at Atlanta, TBA

Acadiana Christian at Lafayette, Lafayette Christian at Rayne, Notre Dame at Vinton, Abbeville at Crowley, Eunice at Sacred Heart, Northside at Cecilia, Westgate at North Vermilion, Catholic-NI at Ascension Episcopal, North Central at Opelousas, Vermilion Catholic at Loreauville, Westminster at Teurlings, Westminster-Lafayette at Iota.

NFL Thursday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Pittsburgh 3 2½ (38½) at CLEVELND

Sunday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Indianapolis 1½ 3½ (47½) at WASH. at CINCINNATI 2½ 2½ (51½) Jacksonville at BUFFALO 3 6½ (48½) New England LA Rams 2½ 3 (43½) at PHILA. Green Bay 1½ 4 (39½)at TAMPA BAY Arizona 7 1½ (44½) at NY GIANTS at BALTIMORE 8½ 11½ (43½) Tennessee at CHICAGO 8½ 3 (42½) NY Jets at HOUSTON 2½ 2½ (48½) Dallas at MINNESOTA 7½ 10½ (38½) Miami at SAN FRAN 2½ 2½ (47½) Denver at SEATTLE 3 7 (43½) LA Chargers Kansas City 5½ 4½ (48½) at LAS VEGAS Detroit 3 3½ (50½) at CAROLINA

Monday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U at N. ORLEANS 2½ 2½ (48½)

UNDERDOG Atlanta

College football Thursday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U at N. MEX. ST. 1½ 2½ (57½) at TULSA 3½ 1½ (57½)

Friday

UNDERDOG W.Kentucky North Texas

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at VA TECH 5½ 3½ (55½) Pittsburgh Liberty 6½ 7 (50½) at DELAWARE Penn State 7 2½ (46½) at N’WESTRN

Saturday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Notre Dame 23½ 21 (47½) at N.CAROLN at SMU 20½ 21 (55½) Boston Coll at KANSAS 21½ 18½ (49½) Middle Tenn. Syracuse 7½ 6½ (50½) at UCONN at HOUSTON 11½ 12½ (51½) UCF at IOWA STATE1½ 3½ (52½) West Virginia at AIR FORCE 1½ 3½ (45½) Navy Michigan 8½ 5½ (43½) at MINN. at WAKE FRST11½ 12½ (53½) Stanford Alabama 3 5½ (60½) at MISS. ST at WISCONSIN 9½ 10 (43½) Michigan St at GEORGIA 23½ 24½ (50½) Vanderbilt W.Michigan 16½ 13½ (46½) at BUFFALO Toledo 13½ 19½ (52½) at BALL ST at C.MICHIGN 5½ 6½ (47½) Akron at UMASS 2½ 6½ (48½) E.Michigan at TENNESSEE 7½ 7 (54½) Auburn at MIAMI (OH)15½ 13½ (43½) Bowling Grn Memphis 22½ 20½ (52½) at CHARLOTT Virginia 1½ 2½ (51½)at FLORIDA ST Ohio State 14 14 (45½) at IOWA at GEORGIA ST 1½ 2½ (52½) Old Dominion Louisville 7½ 3½ (58½) at NC STATE Ohio 3½ 3 (50½) at KENT ST Florida 2½ 5 (57½) at MISSOURI at UNLV 1½ 2½ (53½) Cal at NDSU 21 18½ (45½) Wyoming at JAMES MAD.14½ 18½ (56½) Marshall at NEBRASKA 11½ 14½ (52½) Maryland at N. MEXICO 21½ 22½ (48½) UTEP at S.CAROLINA 7 2½ (53½) Kentucky at ILLINOIS 9½ 10 (61½) Purdue Oregon State 5½ 6½ (61½) at COLO. ST at TEXAS A&M15½ 14 (50½) Arkansas at S. ALABAM 15½ 14 (57½) UL Monroe UTSA 10½ 11½ (55½) at RICE BYU 5½ 6½ (47½) at TCU Ga. Southern 1½ 2½ (53½) at C.CAROLIN at BOISE ST 20½ 20½ (51½) Utah State Texas Tech 15½ 13 (50½) at COLORADO Army 3½ 2½ (46½) at LA. TECH at USC 10 9½ (58½) Washington at S. FLORIDA 6½ 6½ (48½) Temple Miami (FL) 7 16½ (47½) at CLEMSON at UL 5½ 6½ (47½) Arkansas St Indiana 23½ 24½ (56½) at RUTGERS at WASH. ST 1½ 2½ (45½) Fresno State at ARIZONA ST4½ 4½ (49½) Baylor Texas State 3½ 4½ (59½)at S. DIEGO ST at ARIZONA 8½ 7 (55½) Cincinnati

MLB

Baltimore Cleveland Cincinnati West

First Round

Kansas City Las Vegas Denver L.A. Chargers

American League FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG at HOUSTON OFF Chi. White Sox at N.Y YANKEES -142 Boston National League FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG Philadelphia -118 at ATLANTA at SAN DIEGO OFF Chicago Cubs

East

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

Baseball

Minnesota Detroit Chicago Green Bay West

MLB postseason glance x-if necessary

WILD CARD SERIES (Best-of-3)

San Francisco Seattle L.A. Rams Arizona

American League

Chicago White Sox 1, Houston 0 Tuesday: Chicago 6, Houston 3 Wednesday: Chicago at Houston (Brown 6-4), 4:10 p.m. (Peacock/NBCSN) x-Thursday: Chicago at Houston, 4 p.m. (Peacock/NBCSN) New York vs. Boston Tuesday: Boston at New York, n Wednesday: Boston (Gray 18-5) at New York (Fried 5-5), 7:15 p.m. (NBC/Peacock) x-Thursday: Boston (Suarez 8-5) at New York (Cole 10-9), 7 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)

Monday’s game

LINE -104 OFF

NHL Wednesday

FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG at PHILADELPHIA -142 Pittsburgh at TORONTO -122 N.Y Islanders at COLORADO -187 Los Angeles

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LINE +117 -101 +151

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

W 2 2 1 1

L 1 1 2 2

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .667 .667 .333 .333

PF PA 55 69 46 55 88 82 75 92

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

W 3 2 2 1

L 0 1 1 2

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

PF PA 71 41 93 95 89 53 56 91

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

Monday, Oct. 5

Atlanta at New Orleans, 7:15 p.m.

Late Monday

Chicago 27, Philadelphia 7

American League

Cleveland vs. Chicago or Houston Saturday: Chicago-Houston winner at Cleveland, TBD (TBS/HBO Max) Monday: Chicago-Houston winner at Cleveland, TBD (TBS/HBO Max) Oct. 7: Cleveland at Houston-Chicago winner, TBD (TBS/HBO Max) x-Oct. 8: Cleveland at Houston-Chicago winner, TBD (TBS/HBO Max) x-Oct. 10: Chicago-Houston winner at Cleveland, TBD (TBS/HBO Max) Tampa Bay vs. Boston or New York Saturday: Boston-New York winner at Tampa Bay, TBD (TBS/HBO Max) Monday: Boston-New York winner at Tampa Bay, TBD (TBS/HBO Max) Oct. 7: Tampa Bay at Boston-New York winner, TBD (TBS/HBO Max) x-Oct. 8: Tampa Bay at Boston-New York winner, TBD (TBS/HBO Max) x-Oct. 10: Boston-New York winner at Tampa Bay, TBD (TBS/HBO Max)

National League

Los Angeles vs. Atlanta or Philadelphia Saturday: Atlanta-Philadelphia winner at Los Angeles, TBD (FOX/FS1) Sunday: Atlanta-Philadelphia winner at Los Angeles, TBD (FOX/FS1) Oct. 6: Los Angeles at Atlanta-Philadelphia winner, TBD (FOX/FS1) x-Oct. 7: Los Angeles at Atlanta-Philadelphia winner, TBD (FOX/FS1) x-Oct. 9: Atlanta-Philadelphia winner at Los Angeles, TBD (FOX/FS1) Milwaukee vs. San Diego or Chicago Saturday: San Diego-Chicago winner at Milwaukee, TBD (FOX/FS1) Sunday: San Diego-Chicago winner at Milwaukee, TBD (FOX/FS1) Oct. 6: Milwaukee at San Diego-Chicago winner, TBD (FOX/FS1) x-Oct. 7: Milwaukee at San Diego-Chicago winner, TBD (FOX/FS1) x-Friday, Oct. 9: San Diego-Chicago winner at Milwaukee, TBD (FOX/FS1)

Pro football

DOWNLOAD

W 3 3 2 0

Indianapolis vs. Washington at London, 8:30 a.m. Arizona at N.Y. Giants, noon Dallas at Houston, noon Green Bay at Tampa Bay, noon Jacksonville at Cincinnati, noon L.A. Rams at Philadelphia, noon N.Y. Jets at Chicago, noon New England at Buffalo, noon Tennessee at Baltimore, noon Miami at Minnesota, 3:05 p.m. Denver at San Francisco, 3:25 p.m. Kansas City at Las Vegas, 3:25 p.m. L.A. Chargers at Seattle, 3:25 p.m. Detroit at Carolina, 7:20 p.m.

(Best-of-5)

Pittsburgh

78 71 63

Sunday’s games

DIVISION SERIES

Jacksonville Indianapolis Tennessee Houston North

92 54 80

Pittsburgh at Cleveland, 7:15 p.m.

Atlanta 1, Philadelphia 0 Tuesday: Atlanta 5, Philadelphia 3 Wednesday: Philadelphia (Sánchez 18-7) at Atlanta (Mahle 7-10), 1:15 p.m. (NBC/ Peacock) x-Thursday: Philadelphia at Atlanta, 1 p.m. (NBC/Peacock) San Diego vs. Chicago Cubs Tuesday: Chicago at San Diego, n Wednesday: Chicago at San Diego, 9:10 p.m. (Peacock/NBCSN) x-Thursday: Chicago at San Diego, 9 p.m. (Peacock/NBCSN)

Buffalo N.Y. Jets New England Miami South

.667 .667 .667

Thursday’s game

Philadelphia 0 7 0 0 — 7 Chicago 7 3 10 7 — 27 First Quarter Chi—Burden 8 pass from Keenum (Santos kick), 8:47. Second Quarter Chi—FG Santos 29, 1:52. Phi—Hurts 1 run (J.Elliott kick), :00. Third Quarter Chi—FG Santos 48, 10:17. Chi—Raymond 41 pass from Keenum (Santos kick), 5:47. Fourth Quarter Chi—Keenum 1 run (Santos kick), 7:19. A—59,588. Phi Chi First downs 14 24 Total Net Yards 248 375 Rushes-yards 19-107 35-128 Passing 141 247 Punt Returns 1-8 2-15 Kickoff Returns 3-70 1-32 Interceptions Ret. 0-0 2-0 Comp-Att-Int 16-26-2 24-34-0 Sacked-Yards Lost 2-12 0-0 Punts 4-41.75 2-52.5 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-0 Penalties-Yards 10-61 5-45 Time of Possession 23:07 36:53 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING—Philadelphia, Barkley 15-82, Hurts 4-25. Chicago, Swift 20-84, Monangai 10-31, Burden 1-7, Keenum 4-6. PASSING—Philadelphia, Hurts 16-25-1-153, Dalton 0-1-1-0. Chicago, Keenum 24-34-0-247. RECEIVING—Philadelphia, D.Smith 6-65, Lemon 3-29, Wicks 2-32, Shipley 1-11, Ertz 1-9, Bigsby 1-5, Mundt 1-4, Barkley 1-(minus 2). Chicago, Burden 7-61, Raymond 6-90, Loveland 4-31, Odunze 3-44, Swift 2-4, Roush 1-16, Z.Thomas 1-1. MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

College football

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

FAR WEST

W 3 1 1 0

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

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

W 2

L 1

T 0

Pct .667

PF PA 53 60

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.

Saturday’s games EAST

Sporting Kansas City at Seattle, 8:30 p.m.

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. Samford (1-3) at UAB (2-2), 2:30 p.m. Louisville (2-2) at NC State (2-2), 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. Kentucky (3-1) at South Carolina (2-2), 3:15 p.m. Texas Southern (1-3) at FAU (3-1), 5 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.

Vancouver at Chicago, 7:30 p.m.

SOUTH

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. Toledo (3-1) at Ball St. (1-3), 1 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. Purdue (1-3) at Illinois (2-2), 3:15 p.m.

SOUTHWEST

Boston College (2-2) at SMU (3-1), 11 a.m. UCF (3-1) at Houston (3-1), 11 a.m. UTSA (3-1) at Rice (1-3), 6 p.m. Arkansas (2-2) at Texas A&M (2-2), 6 p.m. BYU (3-0) at TCU (2-2), 6 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. 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. Fresno St. (3-1) at Washington St. (1-3), 8:30 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’s game FAR WEST

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

State schedule

Saturday’s games

Alcorn St. (3-2) at Grambling (2-2), 2 p.m. Ark.-Pine Bluff (2-2) at Southern U. (2-3), 6 p.m. UL-Monroe (0-4) at South Alabama (2-2), 6 p.m. Nicholls (2-3) at Houston Christian (2-3), 6 p.m. Northwestern St. (0-5) at Lamar (3-1), 6 p.m. Army (2-1) at Louisiana Tech (1-2), 6:30 p.m. McNeese (2-3) at LSU (3-1), 6:45 p.m. Arkansas St. (2-2) at UL (3-1), 7 p.m.

Soccer

DOWNLOAD

Oct. 6

Oct. 10

CF Montréal at Toronto FC, noon New York City FC at Chicago, 1:30 p.m. Cincinnati at Atlanta, 6:30 p.m. FC Dallas at Charlotte FC, 6:30 p.m. D.C. United at Miami, 6:30 p.m. Seattle at New England, 6:30 p.m. San Diego FC at New York, 6:30 p.m. Columbus at Orlando City, 6:30 p.m. Real Salt Lake at Philadelphia, 6:30 p.m. Nashville at Austin FC, 7:30 p.m. Portland at Sporting Kansas City, 7:30 p.m. Houston at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. San Jose at Colorado, 8:30 p.m. Vancouver at Los Angeles FC, 9:30 p.m.

Tennis ATP World Tour Chengdu Open Results Tuesday At Chengdu Center Chengdu, China Purse: $1,210,115 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Men’s Singles Championship Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (2), Spain, def. Hubert Hurkacz (5), Poland, 6-4, 7-6 (7). Men’s Doubles Championship Luke Johnson, Britain, and Jan Zielinski, Poland, def. Andre Goransson, Sweden, and Robert Galloway (4), United States, 7-6 (7), 7-5.

ATP Hangzhou Open Results

Tuesday At Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Tennis Centre Hangzhou, China Purse: $1,039,090 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Men’s Doubles Championship Francisco Cabral, Portugal, and James Tracy (3), United States, def. David Pel and Sander Arends, Netherlands, 7-5, 6-4.

Transactions Baseball Major League Baseball

American League BOSTON RED SOX — Reinstated LHP Garrett Crochet from the 60-day IL. Transferred RHP Justin Slaten from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL. KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Reinstated RHP Craig Kimbrel from the bereavement list. NEW YORK YANKEES — Reinstated DH Giancarlo Stanton from the 60-day IL. Reinstated CF Trent Grisham from the 10-day IL. Designated RHP Alexander Cornielle for assignment. TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Reinstated 2B Luis Urías from the 10-day IL. National League ATLANTA BRAVES — Selected the contracts of 1B Rowdy Tellez and SS Luke Williams from Gwinnett (IL). Designated RHP Ricky Vanasco for assignment. SAN DIEGO PADRES — Reinstated RHP Joe Musgrove from the 60-day IL. Placed C Rodolfo Durán on the 60-day IL. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Reinstated RF Jung Hoo Lee from the 10-day IL and LHP Reiver Sanmartin from the 15-day IL. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — Reinstated RHP Hunter Dobbins from the 15-day IL.

Football

MLS glance Eastern Conference

W 18 14 12 12 12 11 10 9 8 8 6 8 6 7 6

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

National Football League L T Pts GF 3 6 60 55 9 4 46 45 5 10 46 64 8 7 43 47 8 6 42 46 10 6 39 54 13 4 34 48 11 6 33 34 10 9 33 41 9 9 33 55 8 12 30 34 14 5 29 39 10 11 29 39 14 6 27 32 15 6 24 34

GA 21 36 50 38 38 44 64 48 36 64 42 43 51 45 54

W L T Pts GF GA Vancouver 15 6 5 50 59 26 FC Dallas 13 6 8 47 50 42 San Jose 13 8 6 45 49 39 Houston 13 9 5 44 34 32 St Louis City 12 6 8 44 45 36 Los Angeles FC 11 9 8 41 43 30 Colorado 11 13 3 36 38 38 LA Galaxy 9 10 9 36 37 44 Seattle 9 9 8 35 33 34 Portland 9 13 5 32 48 51 Real Salt Lake 9 13 5 32 40 44 San Diego FC 8 11 8 32 47 47 Austin FC 7 10 10 31 35 47 Minnesota United 7 12 8 29 40 49 Sporting Kansas City 6 17 3 21 31 63 NOTE: Three points for victory, one point for tie.

Wednesday’s game

Syracuse (1-2) at UConn (2-2), 11 a.m. E. Michigan (2-3) at UMass (4-0), 2:30 p.m.

DOWNLOAD

Indiana (4-0) at Rutgers (1-3), 7 p.m.

Western Conference

National schedule Thursday’s games SOUTHWEST

AMERICAN CONFERENCE LINE OFF +118

0 0 0

Chicago 27, Philadelphia 7

National League

East

1 1 1

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

NFL glance

Wednesday

2 2 2

St. Louis City at New York, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday’s game

BALTIMORE RAVENS — Waived LB Carl Jones Jr. Released WR Shedrick Jackson from the practice squad. CAROLINA PANTHERS — Signed G Torricelli Simpkins III from the practice squad to the active roster. Waived LB Maema Njongmeta. CINCINNATI BENGALS — Signed TE Tanner Hudson from the practice squad and WR Mitchell Tinsley from Houston’s practice squad to the active roster. Placed CB Jalen Davis on injured reserve. Waived WR Ke’Shawn Williams. Signed S Isaiah Nwokobia and S Beau Brade to the practice squad. GREEN BAY PACKERS — Released RB Damon Bankston and G Cordell Volson from the practice squad. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Signed CB Elijah Culp to the practice squad. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS — Placed WR Jack Bech on injured reserve. Signed WR Cody White. Waived WR Justin Shorter. Signed WR Phillip Dorsett to the practice squad. LOS ANGELES RAMS — Waived S Tanner Ingle. MIAMI DOLPHINS — Signed LB Shaka Heyward from Cincinnati’s practice squad to the active roster. Signed G James Ester to the practice squad. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — Placed OL Greg Van Roten on injured reserve. Released LB Riley Wilson from the practice squad. NEW YORK JETS — Signed K Jason Sanders from the practice squad to the active roster. Waived K Blake Grupe and CB Jordan Clark. Signed OL Nick Dawkins and OL Jimmy Morrissey to the practice squad. TENNESSEE TITANS — Signed G Garrett Dellinger and RB Michael Carter from the practice squad to the active roster. Placed G Fernando Carmona and G Jackson Slater on injured reserve.

ONE great state FOUR great apps

LIVING

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

W e d n e s d ay, s e p t e m b e r 30, 2026

5Cn

THE BEST THINGS WE ATE THIS WEEK STAFF REPORT

Give your taste buds something new to savor Combination plate n Mezcal Mexican Restaurant,

3546 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Lafayette

When someone says, “Hey, let’s go out for Mexican,” Mezcal Mexican Restaurant is one of my favorite places to stop. They always have great flavors, one of the best 2-for-1 margarita deals, and it’s hard to resist ordering all of my favorites on one plate — taco, enchilada and chile relleno. Many Mexican restaurants in the area offer a version of a combo deal that lets you mix and match according to what you’re in the mood for, and an enchilada is always at the top of my list. The enchilada at Mezcal is perfect, with tender meat, a great texture that holds together really well and a smoky, richly flavored sauce blanketing the whole thing. I also thought that the chile relleno was a standout at this place, with the fresh, spicy flavor of the pepper standing out against the sauce and cheese. Next time you’re looking for a place to bring the family for Mexican, Mezcal would be a great choice. — Joanna Brown, staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By JOANNA BROWN

A combination plate dinner from Mezcal Mexican Restaurant in Lafayette

Custom bowl

n Okki Tokki, 549 Main St., Baton

Rouge

After wanting to try Okki Tokki for the past year, I ﬁnally visited the Korean-inspired spot during a stroll downtown during lunchtime. The local business has two locations in Baton Rouge where customers customize their own bowl, choosing a base, protein, toppings and sauce. I chose garlic fried rice, Korean fried chicken bites, cucumbers, cabbage, roasted corn, pickled daikon, scallions, cilantro, sesame seeds and OT sauce. It took one bite for me to think, “I can’t believe I waited a year to try this.” The Korean fried chicken was delicious and crispy, and the OT sauce was creamy with

STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Antoni’s Italian Cafe originally opened in 1996 in Lafayette.

TAKING CARE Antoni’s has been a Lafayette favorite for 30 years. Here’s how owners plan to keep it that way. BY JA’KORI MADISON

Staff writer

olly Cure wasn’t looking to buy a restaurant when Bruce Cart approached her one night while she was bartending at Antoni’s Italian Cafe. She had been working at the Lafayette restaurant for about a year and a half when Cart, who owned Antoni’s with his wife, Linda, asked whether she might someday consider buying it. Five years later, Cure and her husband, Eli, were the owners. Located in Lafayette’s Oil Center, the neighborhood restaurant’s popularity predates its current owners, Holly and Eli Cure, who took over Antoni’s in 2013. The restaurant opened in 1996 under Bruce and Linda Cart. Holly began working at Antoni’s in 2008, spending years behind the bar and getting to know the restaurant’s customers before eventually becoming an owner. Eli brought his own restaurant knowledge, including experience with front-of-house roles like bartending and management. The two met through the restaurant industry and eventually began talking about going into business together. “We always thought we would be a good team,” Holly said. “We started toying around with busi-

Eli and Holly Cure, owners of Antoni’s Italian Cafe, bought the restaurant after the previous owners Bruce and Linda Cart had asked if they would take over. ness plans and what we could do on our own around 2010.” At the same time, the Carts were considering who might eventually take over Antoni’s. Even after more than a decade of owning the restaurant, Holly says the Cures still maintain a close relationship with the Carts. “Every year Ms. Linda takes me out for my birthday,” Holly said. “They’re like my second parents.” The Carts still occasionally visit

Antoni’s as customers. The Cures have added their own dishes, a new gathering space and their own touch of Southern hospitality, while keeping the heart of Antoni’s recognizable. “We wouldn’t just want to go changing everything,” Holly said, explaining that they’ve tried to preserve what longtime guests love about Antoni’s even as they make

ä See ANTONI’S, page 6C

“We want your family’s house being in our dining room. We want you to feel like you’re at home, but also have that elevated experience.” HOLLy CURE, Antoni’s Italian Cafe co-owner

ä See BEST, page 6C

NBC’s ‘Line of Fire’ is what happens when you combine TV genres Hope davis, center, stars in the NBC drama ‘Line of Fire.’

PROVIdEd PHOTO By SCOTT GRIES/ NBC

BY MARK KENNEDY

AP entertainment writer

NEW YORK — If you like crime procedurals, TV creator Joshua Safran suggests you catch the new NBC show “Line of Fire.” If you’re more of a soap opera person, Safran urges you watch the new NBC show “Line of Fire.” The hybrid series features a family of law enforcement ofﬁcers — one an FBI agent, one a U.S. marshal, two in the Secret Service and one in the Department of Jus-

tice — whose work and home life overlap dramatically. It sounds like what you get when “Quantico” is mixed with “Gossip Girl” and that’s not too far from what Safran has concocted. He worked on both those series and has channeled them into a heady network mix. Plus, he’s added a little French farce. “You’re going to watch a case unfold every week by very capable people who are in an area or areas of law enforcement that you may have seen before, but you’re

also going to go home with them and see how they take that work home with them, how it impacts their family life, how it impacts their relationships,” he says.

Who stars, how does it work? “Line of Fire,” debuting Monday, stars Peter Krause and Hope Davis as the on-again, off-again couple at the heart of the highachieving, slightly dysfunctional Hollingsworth family.

ä See ‘FIRE’, page 6C

6C ● Wednesday, September 30, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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TODAY IN HISTORY Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland, British Prime MinToday is Wednesday, Sept. ister Neville Chamberlain 30, the 273rd day of 2026. proclaimed, “I believe it is There are 92 days left in the peace for our time.” year. In 1947, the World Series Today in history: was broadcast on television On Sept. 30, 1949, the Ber- for the first time, as the New York Yankees defeatlin Airlift came to an end after delivering more than ed the Brooklyn Dodgers 2.3 million tons of cargo to 5-3 in Game 1; the Yankees blockaded residents of West would go on to win the SeBerlin over 15 months. ries four games to three. Also on this date: In 1954, the first nuclearIn 1777, the Continental powered submarine, the Congress — forced to flee USS Nautilus, was commisby advancing British forces sioned by the U.S. Navy. — moved to York, PennsylIn 1955, actor James Dean vania, after briefly meeting was killed at age 24 in a in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. two-car collision near CholIn 1791, Mozart’s opera ame, California. “The Magic Flute” preIn 1972, Pittsburgh Pirates star Roberto Clemiered in Vienna, Austria. In 1935, President Frank- mente connected for his 3,000th and final hit, a lin D. Roosevelt dedicated double against Jon Matlack the Boulder Dam (now the of the New York Mets at Hoover Dam) on the ColoThree Rivers Stadium. rado River at the ArizonaIn 2022, Russian PresiNevada border. In 1938, addressing the dent Vladimir Putin signed public after co-signing the treaties to illegally annex Munich Agreement, which more occupied Ukrainian allowed Nazi annexation of territory in a sharp escalaBy The Associated Press

tion of his seven-month invasion. Today’s birthdays: Actor Angie Dickinson is 95. Singer Johnny Mathis is 91. Actor Len Cariou is 87. Singer Marilyn McCoo is 83. Actor Barry Williams is 72. Singer Patrice Rushen is 72. Actor Fran Drescher is 69. Country musician Marty Stuart is 68. Actor Crystal Bernard is 65. Actor Eric Stoltz is 65. Rapper-producer Marley Marl is 64. Country musician Eddie Montgomery (Montgomery Gentry) is 63. Rock singer Trey Anastasio (Phish) is 62. Actor Monica Bellucci is 62. Actor Tony Hale is 56. Actor Jenna Elfman is 55. Actor Marion Cotillard is 51. Tennis Hall of Famer Martina Hingis is 46. Olympic gold medal gymnast Dominique Moceanu is 45. Actor Lacey Chabert is 44. Actor Kieran Culkin is 44. Singer-rapper T-Pain is 42. Racing driver Max Verstappen is 29. Actor-dancer Maddie Ziegler is 24.

Speak clearly to older folks know when you might need Dear Heloise: As people to help or speak to someage, their speech starts to slur. Consonants soften; one who’s hard of hearing voices become monotone. or completely deaf. In fact, The guttural parts about 15% of the of sound lessen. American populaSpeaking clearly tion has a hearing to compensate for problem of some the loss of these vokind. — Heloise cal characteristics Banana juice is very helpful to older folks with tin- Hints from Dear Heloise: I call Heloise this concoction “banitus and ordinary hearing loss. (This nana juice.” I take was explained to me by an ﬁve or six banana peels, acoustical engineer.) — Andy slice them crosswise, and G., in Youngstown, New York place them in a quart jar. I add water to the top and let Being hard of hearing it sit for a few days. When I water my houseplants Dear Heloise: I very much with this, they grow like related to the reader who mad! All my plants love bawrote about enunciation. I often get people who know nana juice. — Patti W., via email that I’m partially deaf and Downsizing with ease feel like they have to talk really loud, and I often tell Dear Heloise: Andrea, in them it’s not necessary. Tucson, Arizona, asked Although I can’t read lips, about downsizing. As a they don’t have to talk so widow who was in the loud. same predicament, I recThere’s somebody I’d ommend giving family and like to make this request friends an opportunity to to currently, but I think choose items with a deadthis particular person just line. Knowing the size of has a loud voice. I think I’ll my next residence gave tell them that I apprecime insight into how much I could keep. Also, you ate them talking loudly should make a list of donabecause they know that I’m hearing impaired, but tions for tax purposes. it’s not necessary. Will they Because I had some get offended? Who knows! antiques and vintage col— M.R.E., in Omaha, Nebraska lectibles, I hired someone M.R.E., thanks for writwho deals with estate sales ing in! More and more peo- to conduct a sale of what I hadn’t already donated ple need assistance with and to oversee day-after hearing problems as our population ages. You never pickups. It entitled them

to a percentage of the proceeds. I moved prior to the sale, and whatever wasn’t sold at the sale was donated. They also cleaned up afterward, so the house was practically ready to put on the market. I just wish that it hadn’t taken me 10 years to get a good plan together! — Becky B., in Oregon

Shopping sound-off Dear Heloise: Recently, I decided to go shopping at a large store. It was on a rainy day, and I had gone through my sock drawer and thrown away some threadbare socks. So, off I went! But I noticed that these days, there are less helpers in stores to ask questions like, “Where are the womens’ socks?” — Faith G., via email Faith, this a problem everywhere due to places being understaffed. People get angry when they ﬁnd something they want to purchase, and no one’s there to ring up the sale. Or they have questions, but no one can answer them. I suggest asking to see a store manager and letting them know what’s bothering you. You’re a paying customer, and someone should take the time to wait on you. — Heloise Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

STAFF PHOTO By MAddIE SCOTT

Bowl from Okki Tokki

BEST

are served over Boursinwhipped potatoes and sauContinued from page 5C teed broccolini. The dish is topped with a Cabernet demi glace that gives the short ribs a rich, savory fina little spice. The veggies were fresh with a nice ish that balances the smoky, crunch. greasy flavors of the meat. It’s a great spot for a fillIt’s a meal that, theoretiing, refreshing meal. cally, could leave for left— Maddie Scott, overs. That is, unless you’re hungry enough to savor features reporter STAFF PHOTO every last bite at the restauBy LAUREN CHERAMIE rant. Don’t forget to save room for Cecelia’s incredn Cecelia Creole Bistro, 421 N. Short ribs from Cecelia ible cornbread — either 3rd St., Baton Rouge Creole Bistro in Baton Rouge for an appetizer or dessert. Your choice. If there’s a short ribs dish — Lauren Cheramie, on the menu at a restaurant, that I’m ordering it. you can bet your money At Cecelia, the short ribs deputy features editor

Short ribs

‘FIRE’

Continued from page 5C The fundamentals are not dissimilar to CBS’s long-running series “Blue Bloods,” about a multi-generational family of New York City cops and their assistant district attorney sister. But while the fictional Reagan family would do seemingly anything for one another, one of the Hollingsworth family’s three children describes them as “a family full of people who will stop at nothing to protect literal strangers but are unable to stop hurting each other.” An early scene in the pilot episodes shows mom demanding that her daughter introduce the family to her new boyfriend — while both women stand over a fresh crime scene with two corpses. “I think it’s really hard these days to set boundaries, even when we do set aside time,” says Safran. “If you’re out with your partner, or you’re out with friends, the conversation really often tends to center around work because we’ve lost the art of going out and seeing where the night takes you or where the day takes you.” Each week will have its own case — pulling in two or more family members — while there are also longterm arcs, like questions around an old assassination attempt on the president and which killer is leav-

ing little origami cranes at crime scenes. By the end of the ﬁrst show, a deadly conspiracy is revealed that will echo throughout the series. Unfortunately for them, this family is destined to be in each other’s faces. “It’s a family business,” says the mom to one of her sons during a tense moment. “If you didn’t want to join it, you could have gone to art school.”

‘An invaluable resource’ After his beloved ﬁre captain Bobby Nash was killed last year in a shocking twist on ABC’s “9-1-1,” Krause was lured back to the small screen by Safran’s scripts. The “Parenthood,” “Sports Night” and “Six Feet Under” alum says he wasn’t thinking about doing another network show but, as his credits suggest, he enjoys being part of a TV family. This time, there was a lot of family intrigue. “The fun of it for me is the concealment, that within their jobs they have to conceal things from each other and sometimes they don’t,” says Krause. “Sometimes they’ll cross a line to share information with each other, which is fun.” The cast also includes Kat Cunning, Tommy O’Brien and Taylor Bloom as the three Hollingsworth children. Guest stars include Sam Waterston, Campbell Scott and Chris Chalk. Safran says that while he was writing the family dynamic, he was inspired by the song “Stay” by Samantha

Barks, with the lyric “Don’t come too close and don’t go too far.” One of the show’s champions is someone who spent a lot of time under Secret Service protection — Jenna Bush Hager, co-host of “Today” and daughter of former President George W. Bush. Hager is an executive producer. “She’s really been an invaluable resource. She’s talked to the writers, she’s come to set,” says Safran. “She’s just so positive and her energy is so infectious and great.” Hager helped Safran pick what became “Line of Fire” from a number of ideas he was kicking around. He says he’s always been interested in procedurals but forever wondered about the characters’ nonwork life. “You don’t see their home lives and I really wanted to explore that. When you watch the ‘Chicago’ shows or the ‘Law & Order’ universe, at least for me, I’m digging for pieces and clues about the characters behind their job,” he says. Safran also gets to explore ways the work-life divide can get messed up, like how the Hollingsworth’s mother is someone who is suspicious of everyone — good for tracking down fugitives — but that isn’t very helpful when meeting her kids’ new friends. “It goes both ways,” he says. “We bring home to work, but we bring work to home in the worst ways, too.”

STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Customers wait to be served in the main dining area at Antoni’s Italian Cafe.

ANTONI’S

Continued from page 5C it their own. Minor changes the Cures have made come directly from customers. The couple added ingredients such as ground beef and jalapeños to pizzas and introduced weekend specials that gave them room to experiment with dishes outside the traditional menu. Those specials eventually included dishes like lobster and soft-shell crab. Other dishes began as specials before becoming part of Antoni’s regular offerings, including meatloaf and shrimp soup. Chicken Parmesan, which was not on the menu when the Cures took over, has since become the restaurant’s top-selling dish. When the Cures took over, Antoni’s did not have a children’s menu. Holly created one, drawing from her own childhood memories of coloring at restaurants. The menu features a map of Italy with illustrations for children to color. “Generally speaking, we have a demographic of older clientele, but they’re bringing their kids and their grandkids here,” Holly said. “Those kids are building experiences here that ingrain us in a positive way in their memory, and then they want to expose their children to that and their children’s children eventually.” The Blue Room has become another addition under the Cures. The space originally opened in 2018 and primarily served as a waiting area, but the couple gradually transformed it into an overﬂow dining and lounge area with live music. Today, the Blue Room

Makaia Courville serves customers Loki and Lucy Osborne at Antoni’s. provides additional seating, a place for customers to wait for tables and a lounge-like space where guests can have a cocktail, eat and listen to live music. It is generally walk-in only unless reserved for a private event. Performances are typically scheduled on Friday and Saturday nights. Eli, who sometimes plays his saxophone on live music nights, handles the bookings. The restaurant itself is difﬁcult to put in one box. White tablecloths and attentive service give it an elevated feel, but customers can arrive in casual clothes, bring their children or stop in after tennis. The Cures’ partnership is another part of the restaurant’s continued growth. Holly focuses heavily on the dining room, guest relationships, bookkeeping and the business side of the restaurant. Eli is the problem-solver, handling maintenance issues and stepping into the kitchen when needed. “The caring is what makes us different,” Holly said. “It’s just that Southern hospitality, that you genu-

inely care about the person that’s sitting at your table, and we love that our staff also provides that.” That care can mean remembering a regular’s name, knowing how they like a particular dish prepared or remembering which sauce they prefer. Holly said the goal is for staff to make recommendations the way a family member would. Ultimately, Holly said she and her husband want guests to feel welcomed and comfortable when they walk through the doors, as if they are being invited into someone’s home. “We want your family’s house being in our dining room,” she said. “We want you to feel like you’re at home, but also have that elevated experience.” Email Ja’kori Madison at jakori.madison@ theadvocate.com.

THEADVOCATE.COM/SUBSCRIBE

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, September 30, 2026 ● 7C

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FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

zodIAC LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Don't let anger take over when your energy will bring higher returns if you focus on professional and domestic adjustments that ease stress through additional security and stability. scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) The less you share, the easier it will be to get things done. Put your energy into physical achievements that set you apart from anyone who wants to compete with you. sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Having an open mind and plenty of energy will drive you forward. A passionate attitude as well as support from friends, family and associates will give you the courage to let your actions carry your plans through to completion. cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Precision is necessary in every aspect of your life. Offer only what's possible. Choose to use both intellect and physical skills to ensure you give your very best to whatever you pursue. AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Spending an emotional moment with someone special will help you recognize how you can cut your overhead and bring in more cash. Let go of the past and embrace new beginnings. PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Rethink your strategy before you make a move. Make sure you have your paperwork up to date and your finances in order before dealing with institutions or agencies. ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Trust your instincts, and put your ego and temper

aside. You'll gain the most if you channel your energy into self-improvement, fitness and helping others. Focus on meaningful relationships. tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Align yourself with positive people and situations. Staying on top of what's happening and what's possible will help ward off any negativity that tries to trickle into your orbit. GEMInI (May 21-June 20) You'll shine as you outmaneuver whoever wants to engage in a battle of wits. When someone lets anger take over, you know you've won and can move on to more challenging encounters. cAncER (June 21-July 22) Focus inward. Structure your day around selfimprovement, activities that push you to look and feel your best, and spending time with someone who likes you the way you are. LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Put a lid on your emotions until you have the facts. An overactive imagination needs creative direction to benefit you. Keep your thoughts to yourself. Bide your time. VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Express your thoughts carefully, with detail, and be willing to consider what others want and need to meet you in the middle. Getting along is the path to better days ahead. 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

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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: R EQuALs L

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

8C ● Wednesday, September 30, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, September 30, 2026 ● 9C

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B.C.

Bridge By PHILLIP ALDER Shoshana Zuboff, who recently retired from her post as the Charles Edward Wilson Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, said, “Activities that seem to represent choices are often inert reproductions of accepted practice.” There are bridge deals that appear to fit a mold, but with careful analysis, one can see that they are not an inert reproduction of accepted practice. In today’s deal, South is in two notrump. How should he plan the play after West leads the heart queen and East signals with his nine? South starts with six top tricks: two spades, one heart and three diamonds. There are two routes to eight tricks: four spades, one heart and three diamonds; or two spades, one heart and five diamonds. Getting four spade tricks seems to require the finesse to work — a 50 percent chance; while collecting five diamond winners is a 54 percent shot. So it seems right to play on diamonds. Here, though, when the diamonds break badly, South does not have a hand entry to take the spade finesse. He will cash the spade ace and king to drop the queen, but that only provides three tricks in the suit, not four. The right line, after winning with the heart ace, is to lead the spade jack to encourage West to cover if he has the

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

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queen. But after he plays low, declarer wins with dummy’s king and cashes the spade ace. When the queen drops, South leads a spade to his nine, then takes dummy’s three top diamonds and spade 10 for his contract. If the spade queen does not appear, declarer needs diamonds to run. © 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 — REJoIcED: rih-JOYST: Felt great delight.

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Average mark 28 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 30 or more words in REJOICED? yEstERDAy’s WoRD — AFIELD aide ailed fade fail felid field file flea fled

idea ideal idle lade laid lead leaf life dale

deaf deal dial diel

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” Psalms 107:20

Amen! God is faithful. Stand on God’s Word. G.E. Dean

10C ● Wednesday, September 30, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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

DOW 51,349.92 -131.59 -0.26%

NASDAQ 26,797.54 -22.84 -0.09%

BRIEFS

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Job openings slip to 7.1M in August

WASHINGTON — U.S. employers posted fewer job openings in August, but the American labor market remains resilient in the face of higher energy costs caused by the fighting with Iran. U.S. job openings slid to 7.08 million from a revised 7.34 million in July, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. Openings came in below the 7.2 million that forecasters had expected and were the lowest since they hit 6.9 million in March. The department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey also showed that layoffs fell and the number of people quitting their jobs — a sign of confidence in their prospects — retreated slightly in August. The JOLTS report’s measure of gross hiring — before subtracting people who quit or lost their jobs — ticked up modestly in August but remains at low levels. The U.S. job market is sturdy, though unspectacular, despite an energy shock from the Iran war. Hiring has rebounded from a miserable 2025. Employers — businesses, nonprofits and government agencies — have added an average 80,000 jobs a month so far this year. That is an improvement on the 9,700-a-month average last year when high interest rates and uncertainty about President Donald Trump’s trade policies discouraged businesses from hiring.

S&P 500 7,670.84 -12.85 -0.17%

EURO 1.1340 -0.0029 -0.25%

CRUDE OIL 89.38 -3.22 -3.48%

GOLD 4,147.70 11.30 0.27%

6-MO T-BILLS 4.37 -0.05 -1.13%

Economy conﬁdence at lowest since 2014 BY MATT OTT

AP business writer WASHINGTON — Americans’ confidence in the economy sank to the lowest level in more than a decade this month as prices remain elevated and wages stagnate amid the ongoing Iran war. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index tumbled 6.7 points to 81.9 in September, down from 88.6 in August. That’s the lowest reading in the board’s survey since April 2014 and below the lowest level reached during the pandemic. Respondents’ views of their present situation fell by 7.9 points to 109.3. Their short-term outlook also slid, falling 5.9 points to 63.6. Americans remain flustered by the economy after five years of el-

evated inflation, potentially posing a risk to President Donald Trump and Republicans in the midterm elections, which are a little more than a month away. Write-in responses to the board’s survey, collected from Sept. 1-23, were mostly pessimistic this month, with frequent references to the high cost of gas, goods and services. “The Consumer Confidence Index deteriorated notably in September, following two prior months of softening,” said Dana Peterson, the Conference Board’s chief economist, adding that consumers’ views of current business conditions became negative for the first time since September 2024. Trump has continued to blame high prices on his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, yet inflation

has risen since Trump’s inauguration last year. Earlier this month, the government reported that consumer inflation accelerated last month and gas prices spiked as fighting in the Middle East dragged on. The consumer price index rose 3.4% last month compared with a year ago, the Labor Department said Friday, just like July. But inflation quickened month to month as costs jumped 0.4% from July, quadrupling the 0.1% registered in the previous month. The Federal Reserve two weeks ago raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time since 2023 in an effort to quell stubbornly high inflation, and the central bank signaled another rate hike could occur later this year. The quarter-point increase lifted

ASSOCIATEd PRESS FILE PHOTO

The Oura ring is a wearable sleep tracking device.

Smart ring maker Oura puts off IPO NEW YORK — Smart ring maker Oura Inc. says it is postponing a planned initial public offering due to market “uncertainty.” In a Tuesday news release, Oura said it’s delaying the IPO “despite strong demand.” The IPO market had a solid start to the year but tailed off in the third quarter, according to research firm Renaissance Capital. Concerns about a possible slowdown in spending on artiﬁcial intelligence, the Federal Reserve’s resumption of rate hikes and a surge in bond yields — making borrowing more expensive — all played a factor, Renaissance said. Oura customers use the ring to monitor their health, including sleep patterns and ﬁtness activity. The company gets the bulk of its revenue from ring sales, with the rest coming from subscriptions.

the Fed’s key rate to about 3.9% and, over time, could result in higher borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. Gasoline prices — which currently average $4.46 for a gallon of regular — are not all that is rising. Prices for appliances, car repairs, and wireless phone services also jumped in August. The most recent measure of the Federal Reserve’s preferred inﬂation gauge — the personal consumption expenditures price index — was up 3.7% in June from a year earlier. That was down from May’s 4.1% year-over-year increase but up from 2.8% before the Iran war began on Feb. 28. It was 2.5% when Trump was inaugurated in January 2025. The government issues its August PCE data Wednesday.

High airfares could stick around even if jet fuel prices fall BY RIO YAMAT

AP airlines and travel writer

Walmart: Personal info not used to set prices NEW YORK — Walmart is aiming to assuage customers’ fears about its new pricing technology as it rolls out digital price labels at its stores. In a statement posted on the company’s website, Walmart Inc.’s CEO John Furner vowed that the Bentonville, Arkansasbased retailer isn’t using personal information like income, shopping history or a customer’s willingness to pay to set prices, and it won’t be doing so in the future either. “We don’t set different prices based on who you are or the time of day, and we won’t,” Furner wrote Friday. “Whether you’re buying groceries or electronics on a hot afternoon or in a sudden rush for an item, it’s never a reason to charge you more.” The pledge from Walmart comes as concerns are mounting from some shoppers, consumer advocates and lawmakers skeptical about the rollout of digital price labels by the discounter and other stores. Digital price labels are rapidly replacing paper shelf tags at U.S. supermarkets and let stores change prices instantly from a central computer instead of having workers swap out paper labels by hand.

30-YR T-BONDS 5.57 0.02 0.31%

THE CANAdIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO

Canadian whisky is on the shelves at a British Columbia Liquor store in Vancouver.

Ban on $1B of Canadian imports goes into effect BY PAUL WISEMAN

AP economics writer

WASHINGTON — U.S.-Canada relations, already tense, are likely to deteriorate further after the United States went ahead early Tuesday with a decision to ban nearly $1 billion worth of Canadian imports, including alcoholic beverages, dairy products and motorcycles. The ban amounts to barely a ripple in $880 billion worth of annual two-way trade between the two northern neighbors. But it marks another ratcheting up of President Donald Trump’s second-term trade war with America’s longtime ally and trading partner. The import ban “certainly won’t do anything to help the trade tensions between the United States and Canada,” said trade attorney Patrick Childress, a partner at Holland & Knight and a former U.S. trade ofﬁcial. The latest sparring began over the summer when Trump reached back to a Great Depression law to impose 50% tariffs on about $20 billion worth of Canadian imports, charging that Canada discriminates against U.S. dairy, auto and alcoholic beverage producers. Canada promptly counterpunched with tariffs of 15%, 25% or 50%, matching U.S. imports dollar for dollar. To punish Canada for retaliating against his tariffs, Trump decided to ban a list of Canadian products, effective 12:01 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday.

Modest impact likely The economic impact is likely to be minimal. Childress noted that the products on the banned list were already facing Trump’s tariffs. ”For a lot of these goods, the 50% was already acting as a de facto ban by making importation from Canada into the United States uneconomical, he said. Jacob Jensen, director of trade policy at the center-right American Action Forum think tank, calculates that the ban would cover $967 million worth of Canadian imports, based on 2025 numbers. Of that, 87% would be alcoholic beverages that the U.S. targeted because of some Canadian provinces responding to Trump’s provocations by banning U.S. booze from store

shelves. Also banned are some dairy products — including the milk byproduct whey. The two countries have long clashed over Canada’s attempts to protect its dairy industry from foreign competition by imposing hefty tariffs once dairy imports have exceeded a quota. The ban also covers motorcycles. Bombardier Recreational Products in Quebec conﬁrmed that its threewheel Can-Am Spyder and Canyon motorcycles “will be excluded from importation into the U.S.” But BRP said the impact likely won’t be felt until next year because it has completed most production and shipments for the current season. Independent spirit distillers and beer brewers are expected to bear the brunt of the ban more than some well-known Canadian brands that may have workarounds. For example, Crown Royal can ship its whisky in bulk for processing, bypassing the ban. And beer maker Labatt Brewing Co. has some bottling operations in the U.S., exempting some of its beer from the ban. Diageo, which owns Crown Royal, and Anheuser-Busch InBev, which owns Labatt, did not respond to requests for comments. A distillery just across the Detroit River in Canada has stopped shipping whiskey to Michigan due to the ongoing tariff war and Trump’s ban on Canadian alcohol. “It’s really unfortunate,” said Danielle Moldovan, director of marketing at the Wolfhead Distillery in Amherstburg, Ontario. “We are a border town. The Americans are great friends of ours, and they visit our distillery on a daily basis.” Moldovan is worried about the long-term impact on Wolfhead’s business. Buyers in Georgia were interested in importing the distillery’s Coffee Whisky. And its Michigan importer was considering its Vanilla Almond Biscotti and Banana Caramel Vodka. But “those products are going to be put on hold right now until we have further clariﬁcation about what’s going to happen, how long this ban’s going to last,” Moldovan said. “This marks yet another escalation in the trade war that may result in further retaliation on the Canadian side,” Jensen said. He expects Canadian exporters and

U.S. importers “impacted by these bans will be highly motivated” to demand that trade officials on both sides find some way to reach a “resolution of this whole ordeal.” The impasse imperils efforts to renew the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a North American trade pact Trump pressured America’s neighbors into accepting in his first term and which he once declared “the most modern, upto-date, and balanced trade agreement in the history of our country.” The deal allowed most goods to cross North American borders duty free. But since returning to the White House last year, Trump has announced a series of tariffs that have clouded the future of trade in the region.

Finding new trading partners Trump has directed most of his ire at Canada. He is openly seeking to pull Canadian manufacturing south. And he has inﬂamed public opinion in Canada by repeatedly suggesting that the country become America’s 51st state. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney came to power last year on a promise to stand up to Trump. In addition to retaliating against Trump’s tariffs — China is the only other country to do so, with very different results — Carney has sought to reduce Canada’s reliance on the United States, which last year accounted for more than 70% of Canadian exports. “There is now a price to be paid for access to the United States market,” Carney said earlier this month. The Canadian prime minister wants to double Canada’s nonU.S. trade over the next decade. Carney has embraced the prospect of Canada becoming the European Union’s first associate member. And he said last week that trade negotiations with India are making “good progress” and that the two countries are aiming to conclude talks by the G20 summit in midDecember. Carney also broke with the U.S. earlier this year, striking a deal with China to allow a limited number of Chinese electric vehicles into Canada at a sharply reduced tariff in exchange for China lowering tariffs on Canadian canola.

Travelers could be stuck paying high airfares even if oil and jet fuel prices fall, major U.S. airlines and industry analysts say. The price of jet fuel shot up after the Iran war began and retreated sharply in the spring before surging again as the summer went on. Such fluctuations make it harder for airlines to plan ahead and give them a reason to be cautious about lowering ticket prices, according to Brett House, an economist who teaches at Columbia Business School. Jet fuel has risen even faster than oil during the war, reflecting both higher crude prices and tight supplies of the refined fuel that is one of airlines’ largest operating expenses. Carriers cut some less profitable flights and raised fares and baggage fees, although major U.S. airlines said higher passenger revenue initially covered only part of their soaring fuel costs. Airfares haven’t moved in lockstep with fuel prices, however. The Argus U.S. Jet Fuel Index plunged from an early April peak of $4.88 a gallon to a wartime low of $2.70 in June, but average fares remained elevated. The average fare, not including optional fees for services such as checked bags and seat selection, rose from $405 in the past three months of 2025 to $428 in the first quarter of this year and to $436 in the April-June period, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Part of the disconnect between fuel prices and airfares comes down to timing, House said. Airlines typically decide several months in advance how many flights to operate and seats to offer, factoring in expected fuel costs and other expenses. They begin selling tickets even earlier. While prices for seats on the same flight can change repeatedly, airlines can’t charge more for seats already sold if fuel prices suddenly spike, he explained. “It’s not just the level of fuel costs that is a problem or a challenge for airlines,” House said. “It’s also the volatility.” There are few signs of relief so far for travelers as airlines adjust their schedules and prices for the remainder of the year. In August, U.S. airfares were 23% higher than a year earlier, according to the Labor Department. Jet fuel prices kept climbing this month, reaching $4.53 a gallon on Sept. 17, according to the Argus index. At $4.30 a gallon on Friday, the average price across the four U.S. markets the index tracks remained nearly twice the 2025 average. Travelers shopping for holiday flights already are encountering the highest airfares in a decade, travel-booking company Hopper said in a report published the same day.