The Acadiana Advocate 10-01-2026

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La., other states sue over abortion pills by mail

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Lafayette seeks input on Johnston Street makeover Issues include traffic, safety, drainage, business access

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill holds up abortion pills while speaking alongside Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, right, and Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, left, during a news conference at the Louisiana department of Justice on Wednesday.

Attorneys general seek to overturn ‘shield laws’ BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to toss out “shield laws” that blue states like New York and California have used to block criminal prosecutions of doctors who prescribe abortion pills by mail. They are also suing a slew of doctors and healthcare organizations that mail abortion pills across state lines, accus-

Passengers stop attack on plane Jet bound for Israel makes emergency landing in Saudi Arabia BY SAMY MAGDY, MELANIE LIDMAN, ISAAC SCHARF and JOSH FUNK Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel — A copilot stabbed a captain Wednesday on a flight to Israel before passengers burst into the cockpit and wrestled with the attacker as the plane descended sharply and passengers screamed, witnesses said. The jetliner was stabilized and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. It was not clear what motivated the attack, which led Israel to scramble warplanes amid concerns about a pos-

ä See PASSENGERS, page 4A

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ing the providers of illegally undercutting state laws restricting abortion. “Louisiana chooses life,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said at news conference Wednesday in Baton Rouge. “We will not allow activist states, activist providers, or distributors profiting from killing babies to threaten Louisiana’s sovereignty, violate Louisiana’s laws and endanger Louisiana women and Louisiana babies.” Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall joined Murrill to announce the lawsuits. “We’re a pro-life state,” Griffin said. “We choose life in Arkansas.” The pair of lawsuits is latest push by Murrill and other conservative attorneys general to enforce tougher

boundaries between states with differing abortion laws after the nationwide right to abortion was overturned with the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in 2022, which allowed each state to set its own regulations. Louisiana has banned the use of drugs like mifepristone and misoprostol for abortions and outlawed the procedure in almost all cases — and it has clashed with states like New York and California, where abortion remains broadly legal. Murrill has tried to prosecute doctors in both states who prescribed the pills via telehealth and mailed them to Louisiana, but the governors there have refused to extradite the defendants to

ä See ABORTION, page 5A

What frustrates you most about Johnston Street? Is it bumper-to-bumper traffic during rush hour? Difficulty getting in and out of businesses? Poor drainage? Or concerns about walking and bicycling along the busy corridor? Lafayette Consolidat- “The designs ed Government wants are not ready to hear from residents, to go. This business owners and meeting is others who use Johnston the start of Street and Louisiana Avthe public enue as it begins planning improvements to engagement an 8.5-mile stretch of the process.” corridor from Interstate RACHEL 10 to Ambassador Caffery Parkway. GOdEAUX, The road is known as Lafayette Johnston Street west of Consolidated the Evangeline Thruway Government and Louisiana Avenue chief east of the Thruway. administrative The planning and deofficer sign process is just getting started. LCG representatives Wednesday hosted the first of several stakeholder meetings with selected business and property owners and others with an interest in the corridor. “The designs are not ready to go,” Rachel Godeaux, chief administrative officer of LCG, said Wednesday. “This meeting is the start of the public engagement process.” The stakeholder committee includes representatives of Bike Lafayette, Holy Rosary Redevelopment, Twin’s Burgers, MacLaff, McDonald’s franchise owners and operators, One Acadiana and the Lafayette Economic Development Authority. LCG launched three online surveys

ä See MAKEOVER, page 5A

Funding plans change for Comeaux facility School Board withdraws $46M bond application

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

Plans for funding the construction of a new workforce academy at the site of the former Ovey Comeaux High School in Lafayette have changed, according to documents from the State Bond Commission. Last month, the Lafayette Parish School Board withdrew its application with the bond commission for the issuance of $46 million in sales tax revenue bonds that would have funded demolition of the former Comeaux High and construction STAFF FILE PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK of the new workforce academy. Comeaux High School closed this year with plans to repurpose Instead, Superintendent Francis Touchet said the school system the facility as a career center. would look at the possibility of us-

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ing available rainy day funds. Touchet said the district withdrew the application after taking another look at the most financially responsible way to fund the project. “With borrowing costs higher right now, it makes more sense for the district to use available rainy day funds and avoid taking on additional interest costs,” Touchet said. The district plans to revisit the bond issuance next year to secure the remaining funding needed to complete the Comeaux Career Center project, he said. The School Board preliminarily approved the bond issuance at its July 23 regular meeting before submitting an application to the bond commission. The bond was scheduled for final consideration at the commission’s Aug. 20 meeting but was formally withdrawn

ä See COMEAUX, page 4A

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Senate reaches energy projects deal

they pay their fair share He and Heinrich, the top energy Permitting bill would speed approvals ensure of the grid upgrades they require Democrat, have decried what they

BY MATTHEW DALY

Associated Press PHOTO PROVIdEd By EXPLORE.ORG

Bear 89, known as ‘Backpack’

Backpack declared winner of Fat Bear Week

After a week of fierce competition, Backpack emerged victorious as Fat Bear Week champion, the heftiest bear of Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve. The nonprofit running the longstanding contest announced the bear, known for his pacifist nature, was the winner Tuesday with more than 100,000 votes, giving him a close win over Bear 910 with just over 50% of the poll. The contest, which is in its 12th year, celebrates the resilience of the 2,200 brown bears that live in the preserve on the Alaska Peninsula, which extends from the state’s southwest corner toward the Aleutian Islands. Last year’s winner, Chunk — known officially as Bear 32 — clinched his victory at an estimated 1,200 pounds. He was handily defeated in the first round of ccompetition this year by Bucky, who went on to lose a faceoff against Backpack, known officially as Bear 89. The event this year featured 16 bears vying for the heavyweight title in a single-elimination, bracket-style tournament. All voting is done online at www. fatbearweek.org. Backpack is the son of former Fat Bear Week champion Holly, who introduced him to the Brooks River when he was a first-year cub in 2006. His name was inspired by his habit of climbing onto his mother’s back when they swam the river.

Somalia police: Pirates kill 5 crew of a tanker

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Pirates killed five crew members of a hijacked fuel tanker before security forces retook the vessel off Somalia, authorities in the country’s semiautonomous Puntland region said. The MT Honour 25 was seized in April with 17 crew members aboard, one of a growing number of piracy incidents in Puntland. The tanker was carrying 18,500 barrels of oil. Sixteen suspected pirates were detained following the operation on Tuesday, and at least 11 others escaped and remain at large, authorities said. The victims include three Pakistanis, one Myanmar national and one Indian, the Puntland Maritime Police Force said Tuesday. Four others, including three Pakistanis and one Indian, were injured. The tanker was secured and placed under the protection of Puntland authorities, according to a statement by the Puntland Maritime Police Force. The pirates are believed to have kept the crew supplied with food during the hijacking. Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of five crew members during the operation to recover the hijacked vessel.”

Officials: No survivors in Zimbabwe crash HARARE, Zimbabwe — A helicopter with six people on board crashed in a rural part of Zimbabwe on Wednesday and it appears there were no survivors, officials said. Among the victims was a prominent businessman and his wife, state media reported. The businessman, Wicknell Chivayo, was a close ally of Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The helicopter crashed in the Marondera district, southeast of the capital, Harare, police said. Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana posted on X that four passengers, including a high-profile businessman, were on board along with two crew members. “Current information indicates that there were no survivors in this crash,” Mangwana posted. Mangwana and police did not immediately identify those on board, and police said they would provide more details later.

12 Senators from both parties said Wednesday they have reached a bipartisan deal on legislation aimed at speeding up permitting reviews for new energy and infrastructure projects that now face yearslong delays as lawmakers seek to meet growing demand for electricity and other forms of energy. The bill, proponents argue, would cut down the arduous timeline for getting big energy projects off the ground at a time when demand is rising because of mushrooming data centers for AI. The bill would ensure data centers are forced to pay for the increased electricity they use and would mark a significant change to a landmark environmental law that critics say slows down the process of building energy products. Republican Sen. Shelley Moore

Capito of West Virginia, chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, called the bill “a major step toward making it faster and more efficient and easier to build infrastructure projects” of all types while maintaining important environmental protections. “The American people sent us here to do big things. This is a big thing. It’s monumental and it’s legacy-setting,” Capito said at a news conference at the Capitol where she was joined by Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Democratic Sens. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. The four senators lead the chamber's energy and environment panels. Heinrich said the bill “will mean more energy on the grid, more good-paying jobs, and lower electricity costs for families and businesses. And as data centers drive demand for more power, it will

— not leave that bill to American families." A vote on the bill won’t happen until after the midterm elections — reflecting the fraught political reality as elections loom that could change partisan control of both chambers. But the bill represents a rare instance of bipartisanship over the country’s energy policy as lawmakers from both parties agree on the need to build new energy projects of all types. Lee, who chairs the energy committee, said he is confident the bill will be approved in a lame-duck session in November, noting its bipartisan support and encouragement from business and environmental groups. Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the environment panel, also was hopeful but said Democrats were still seeking clarity on how the bill will prevent President Donald Trump's administration from blocking wind and solar projects.

call Trump's “reckless and vindictive assault on wind energy” that includes repeated actions to block large-scale wind projects under construction off the East Coast. The administration suspended five offshore wind projects in December, citing unspecified national security concerns. The projects later moved forward after federal judges intervened. A federal judge also struck down Trump’s executive order blocking wind energy projects early in his second term. Brad Campbell, president of the Conservation Law Foundation, an environmental advocacy group, panned the deal, saying it “appears to adopt a fossil fuel industry wishlist.” He said the bill could roll back clean water and endangered species protections, limit judicial review and curtail the power of the Environmental Protection Agency and states to consider impacts of energy projects.

Human rights groups ask U.N. for help to end new ICE efforts Location of thousands of detainees hidden

BY RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By SEBASTIEN KITSA MUSAyI

People walk past a banner with a photo of Marie-Célestin Karondwa, a local official who was beaten to death after publicly defending the government’s response to Ebola, in Butembo, Congo, on Wednesday.

Politician killed for defending Ebola efforts Mistrust in Congo government complicates response to spread

BY SEBASTIEN KITSA MUSAYI and EVE BRENNAN Associated Press

BUTEMBO, Congo — Mourners gathered Wednesday to bury a Congolese politician who was beaten to death after publicly defending the government’s response to Ebola, a killing that highlights the mistrust health workers say is hampering efforts to slow the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history. Marie-Célestin Karondwa, a local official with Congo’s ruling Union for Democracy and Social Progress party, was attacked Sunday at his home in Butembo, an Ebola hotspot in the eastern North Kivu province, after defending the government’s response efforts during a radio program, the party said. “They beat him up and then set the house alight,” Sagesse Kavira, Karondwa’s granddaughter, told The Associated Press at his funeral on Wednesday. He later died from his injuries at a local hospital. The killing follows a series of attacks on health workers and other responders as the Central African nation battles its

17th and deadliest Ebola outbreak, which has so far recorded over 8,000 cases including nearly 4,000 deaths. Authorities this month launched a village-centered approach to fight the Ebola outbreak. But those efforts continue to face resistance from some residents who dismiss Ebola as a hoax amid a widespread distrust in the country’s government for various reasons, ranging from how it’s managed past Ebola outbreaks to chronic corruption. Responders say skepticism about the disease has complicated efforts to work with residents, including in remote communities and emerging hot spots that already face shortages of medical supplies and healthcare workers. The mistrust is particularly difficult to overcome in eastern Congo’s rebel-controlled territories, where decades of conflict with rebels as well as human rights abuses have left many residents wary of outsiders and state authorities. The local politician killed in Butembo had been using the radio show to call on the public to obey response measures, particularly social distancing and handwashing, Jean-Baptiste Katsongo Lwatswa, first federal vice-president of UDPS in Butembo, told the AP. “That is believed to have provoked the anger of certain young people,” he said.

Afghanistan’s defense ministry claims forces killed 41 insurgents

Officials say dozens captured The defense ministry said the fighters had crossed into Afghanistan “with the crossing from Pakistan support” of Pakistan. BY ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan’s defense ministry says its forces have killed more than 40 fighters it described as insurgents who crossed into the country from neighboring Pakistan, and captured dozens more over three days amid repeated clashes along the tense border. The insurgents included members of the Islamic State group, the ministry said in a statement issued late Tuesday night. It said it had killed 41 and captured another 62 in the Kamdesh district of the northeastern province of Nuristan from Sunday to Tuesday.

There was no immediate comment from Pakistan, but its Ministry of Information has rejected similar claims in the past. Both sides have made claims in recent weeks of killing fighters on the other side. The claims could not be independently confirmed. Tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been spiraling, with cross-border fighting and Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan adding to longstanding disputes over militant activity along the border. The United Nations Mission in Afghanistan said last week it had documented over 1,100 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan from cross-border violence so far this year.

Human rights advocates asked a United Nations panel to intervene Wednesday to help end a new U.S. government practice of withholding from families and lawyers the whereabouts of thousands of detainees facing deportation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed the names of detainees with final removal orders from its Online Detainee Locator System on Sept. 15 in an apparent effort to speed up their deportations. The change, which ICE did not announce and has not explained, applies to more than 16,000 of the nearly 69,000 detainees who are in ICE custody. The move has interfered with detainees' ability to challenge looming depor-

tations by impeding access to their lawyers while devastating families who lost track of their loved ones, immigration lawyers say. A coalition of more than 30 groups who advocate for noncitizens in the U.S. petitioned the U.N.’s Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances to declare the policy a violation of international law and to push for its end. “A system with no transparency is a system with no accountability, and that should terrify all of us,” said Sarah Decker, an attorney at the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, one of the petition's signatories. “Disappearing people into a network of remote detention sites, hiding their whereabouts, and cutting off their access to outside help is the definition of an enforced disappearance." Separately, on Wednesday, more than 45 House Democrats led by Reps. Luz Rivas and Veronica Escobar urged ICE to restore the names to the locator.

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New Orleans lawyer gets hearing for federal judge President nominated Peter M. Mansfield to a district seat BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON — New Orleans lawyer Peter M. Mansfield on Wednesday answered questions from the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which is vetting his nomination to the federal trial court in New Orleans. Mansfield, a Jesuit High alum, is the chief of the civil division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office based in New Orleans, where he has worked in various capacities for the past 23 years. Whether Mansfield wins final confirmation is up in the air as the 119th Congress is entering its final days and there are other nominees to consider. “It’s going to be tough to get all these people in the

four weeks they’ll have left when they return in November,” professor Carl Tobias, of the University of Richmond School of Law, who closely watches federal judicial nominations. The Senate panel heard Mansfield‘s testimony as leadership contemplated leaving Capitol Hill for a month to allow incumbents to campaign for the Nov. 3 congressional midterm elections. When the Senate returns, they have scheduled roughly 20 days in November and December to finish up their work before the 120th Congress is sworn in. Before Mansfield can sit as a U.S. district judge, the Senate committee will need to hold another hearing and take a vote recommending

the full Senate confirm him. His confirmation will have to clear procedural votes, and then he will need a majority of the senators to approve. “I don’t know if they’ll have the time,” Tobias said. And that’s presuming that Republicans will maintain the majority in the upper chamber. In the past, when one party supplanted the other in the majority, confirmations tend to take a backseat and sometimes don’t happen at all. The Democratic minority on the committee and in the full Senate have voted against many of President Donald Trump’s nominees that they consider too partisan. Democrats are particularly concerned about how none of Trump’s nominees

are willing to flat-out say that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election and received the most votes. Instead, all the nominees, regardless of the office they seek, have taken to repeating the same line about Biden having been certified as the winner. At Wednesday’s hearing, the Democratic senators seemed fed up with hearing that same answer. “They acted like they knew they were going to get through on a party-line vote,” Tobias said of Mansfield and the two other judicial nominees, who repeated the same answer. Trump repeatedly has claimed the 2020 election was stolen from him. Dozens of lawsuits and investigations failed to uncover evidence of widespread election fraud. Mansfield said he agrees

with the answer that previous nominees repeat. “I don’t have anything more to add,” he said. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, of Connecticut, responded: “If you can’t say this fact because you are so intimidated by the aura of fear created by the White House about this truth, I don’t know how you can serve with integrity on the bench.” Mansfield also said that running the civil litigation department for a U.S. attorney “by necessity and definition is to be a generalist.” Criminal cases follow a prescribed process that requires federal prosecutors to pursue a defendant when certain factors are present. But the government can be either plaintiff and defendant in civil actions. Like a judge, a civil litigator needs

to identify the disputed issues, applicable law and apply that to the facts of the situation. Mansfield would replace Judge Lance M. Africk, who took senior status on the U.S. Eastern District of Louisiana bench. He attended Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio. He was one of the first graduates, in 2003, when the newly created Ave Maria School of Law, a conservative Catholic institution, was located in Michigan. The school is now located in Naples, Florida. Mansfield and his wife, a social worker, have five children — the eldest daughter was a drum major for LSU’s Golden Band from Tigerland. Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate. com.

Senate committee advances Nicole Saphier for surgeon general

the Senate Finance Com- and Human Services under Wyden, D-Ore., said Klomp President’s third nominee moves forward on a 12-11 vote ofmittee last week on a 15 to the leadership of Health “tried to create the impres-

12 vote. He was questioned Secretary Robert F. Ken- sion that he will be the adult said Sanders, I-Vt. At her Chris Klomp, who was during the same hearing as nedy Jr. as well as about his in the room on vaccines. Yet, confirmation hearing, Saphi- nominated to serve as depu- Saphier about his duties as- vaccine stance. as we sit here today, the vacAssociated Press In protesting Klomp’s cine chaos that we’ve come er said the universal birth ty secretary of the Depart- sociated with the role as the WASHINGTON — Dr. Nicole dose of hepatitis B was safe ment of Health and Human current chief counselor of nomination at the Senate Fi- to expect from Robert KenServices, was advanced out the Department of Health nance Committee, Sen. Ron nedy’s HHS continues.” Saphier, President Donald and effective. Trump’s third nominee for surgeon general, moved a step closer to confirmation after a Senate committee voted to advance her nomination on Wednesday. Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News Channel contributor, was advanced out of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on a Saphier 12 to 11 vote to serve as surgeon general after she was grilled at her confirmation hearing earlier this month about her stance on childhood vaccines. She expressed support for vaccines and told lawmakers she didn’t believe they cause autism. The Trump administration has sought to revisit claims about a link between vaccines and autism, although widespread scientific consensus and decades of studies have firmly concluded there is none. Timothy Westlake, who was nominated to serve as assistant secretary for mental health and substance use at the Department of Health and Human Services was also advanced out of committee on the same en bloc vote. It was not immediately clear when the officials would face a full Senate vote for their confirmation but they are expected to be approved. During her confirmation hearing, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, pressed Saphier to declare whether she believed there was a link between vaccines and autism. Saphier responded that she does “not believe childhood vaccines cause autism,” adding that “the MMR vaccine is our greatest tool for combating measles,” in response to a question by Cassidy over whether parents should give children that shot. MMR stands for measles, mumps and rubella, and the president recently called for the shots to be spaced out, against the guidance of medical groups. The surgeon general position carries limited policymaking power but serves as a loud megaphone as the nation’s top communicator to Americans on public health issues. Cassidy, who led the inquiry into Saphier’s views on vaccines, ultimately voted in support of her nomination. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the ranking member of the Senate HELP committee, said ahead of Saphier’s vote that he would vote down her nomination because in part *To receive a full refund, shoes must be returned with the Saphier “has questioned the original receipt within 10 days from date of purchase. need for the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, when the data science has been clear.” Selection varies by size and store. Call 1-800-345-5273 to find a Dillard’s store near you. “We need a surgeon general who will tell the truth about vaccines, not someone who misleads the public,”

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PASSENGERS Continued from page 1A

sible hijacking. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saudi Arabia arrested the copilot, who was not identified. The shaken passengers from the FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed Wednesday evening in Israel on another flight, as onlookers cheered. “We’re going to die,” passenger Naama Bershadski recalled thinking as she closed her eyes and prayed for a good ending. Aviation experts were surprised that the plane did not crash after a descent so extreme that most of the rudder was ripped off the tail. A video shared by Netanyahu’s office showed passenger Yaniv Hayoun, who grappled with the attacker, wearing a bloodied shirt and hugging the prime minister, who told him: “I look at you and I see a lion. I see a great hero.” After a passenger saw one pilot stab the other and called out for help, Yaniv said, he and others pushed their way into the cockpit, where he saw the copilot apparently trying to destroy the controls, Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported. “The door apparently wasn’t locked, and we managed to open it somehow,” Hayoun told journalists. “What made it difficult for us was the (other) pilot himself. He had been stabbed and was on the other side of the door.” As people wrestled with the attacker, Yaniv said he grabbed the controls and pulled them the way he had seen on television. Then other crew members took over. FlyDubai said the aircraft was

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By ARIEL SCHALIT

Passengers who experienced an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on a Flydubai flight arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday. secured by on-duty crew “who diverted and landed the aircraft safely.” Another passenger in the scrum, Tzvika Manes, told Channel 12 it took many minutes to subdue the attacker. A third responder, dentist Shota Musayev, told journalists the passengers realized they had just seconds to take control of the plane before a “critical event.” They also feared another attacker might be on the plane, so “we spread a few more people inside the plane so that if something happened, we would be able to simply take control.” Musayev then attended to the wounded captain: “He was just praying the whole time and was in contact with me, and I was afraid we would really lose him.” Netanyahu identified the Indian captain as Smit Machchhar and noted his “extraordinary bravery.”

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said Machchhar was in stable condition. “Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster,” Netanyahu said on X. “He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.” When the struggle was over, video footage on social media reviewed by The Associated Press showed two men on the plane’s floor, bloodied and wounded. The captain and first officer were injured, according to a statement by Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, where the plane landed at 9:45 a.m., an hour after making a distress call. Among the passengers who in-

tervened were members of the Israeli security forces and air marshals, according to a person familiar with a probe by Saudi Arabia and regional partners. The person was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Netanyahu had warned in recent days of unspecified, heightened security threats. The country is a week away from the anniversary of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which has triggered a series of wars, and is weeks away from an election. In the chaos about two and a half hours after leaving Dubai, the flight descended from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in about a minute, before making an erratic circle close to the Jordanian border and landing in Tabuk about an hour later, according to Flightradar24, which identified the aircraft as a Boeing 737 Max 8. “Suddenly the aircraft started to fall down, like, a massive turbulence, like a massive G-force, for 20 or 30 seconds,” passenger Almog Italie said. Former United Airlines pilot and aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said he was surprised that the plane was able to land safely after most of the rudder was ripped off the tail during the extreme descent. “That was a serious descent and strong aerodynamic forces on that rudder for that to happen. I’m just amazed the aircraft didn’t come apart,” Arroyo said. Another aviation safety expert, Jeff Guzzetti, said that given the rate of descent, it may not have been possible for the plane to level out if it had fallen below 10,000 feet. “It is remarkable they were able to pull out of that dive. What saved

them is there was enough altitude left for them to recover,” said Guzzetti, who used to investigate crashes for the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S. A person who heard the flight’s communications with air traffic control described the plane being turned away by Saudi Arabia and Jordan before eventually landing in Tabuk, while passengers screamed in the background. The person said the pilot’s voice was trembling as he called “mayday” and said a hijacking was taking place and ambulances would be needed. But Saudi Arabia initially denied clearance to land and directed him to Jordan. The plane was told to wait for clearance from the Jordanian military and then turned away. The pilot then returned to Saudi Arabia and said he had to land in Tabuk. The air traffic control operators gave no reason for the earlier refusals. The person who heard the communications spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had released little information as of late Wednesday. FlyDubai, the lower-cost sister carrier of Emirates airlines, said its flights to and from Israel would be suspended while an investigation takes place. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he spoke with his counterpart in the UAE and they agreed to work together “against extremist elements seeking to harm security and undermine stability in the region.” The general Civil Aviation Authority of the UAE said it was investigating a security incident.

COMEAUX

The disclaimer is from an audit completed on March Continued from page 1A 31 by Kolder, Slaven & Company. In its report, the firm said by the applicant, according it was unable to obtain “sufto State Bond Commission ficient appropriate evidence Director Lela Folse. to provide a basis for an auThe decision to use rainy dit opinion” because of conday funds — and how cerns about the reliability much will be taken from of accounting records and the fund — still must be financial reporting provided approved by the School by management. Board. The board’s next meeting is scheduled Oct. Plans remain on track 8 at the school system’s Despite the change in fidistrict office at 202 Rue nancing, the district still Iberville. The agenda had plans to move forward with not been released as of the project. Wednesday. The School Board is scheduled to consider approving Audit concerns raised a construction manager at In their initial analysis of risk for the project at its the board’s bond request, Oct. 8 meeting. The selecbond commission staff of- tion process for a lead confered “no recommendation” struction firm began over on the application at the the summer. Aug. 20 meeting. The CMAR Selection ReStaff cited a 2025 audit of view Committee identified the Lafayette Parish school three proposals to present to system, noting that although the board: JB Mouton, Lemthe district met all legal and oine and Rudick Construccoverage requirements for tion Group. taking on the debt, the auThe Ovey Comeaux Workditor’s report contained a force Innovation Academy disclaimer of opinion on the is scheduled to open at the system’s 2024-25 financial beginning of the 2028-29 statements. school year. “Although the applicant The campus is expected to meets all legal and coverage house the career center, E.J. requirements for incurring Sam Accelerated Academy the debt, due to the auditor’s and other programs focused report expressing a dis- on workforce training opclaimer of opinion on the fis- portunities for students. cal year 2024-2025 financial statements, staff offers no Email Joanna Brown recommendation,” the staff at joanna.brown@ report said. theadvocate.com.

Trump touts $54B gas project in Alaska BY THOMAS BEAUMONT, DARLENE SUPERVILLE and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said South Korea plans to invest about $54 billion in a natural gas project in Alaska, an announcement he made in the Oval Office on Wednesday flanked by a Republican senator who has found himself in a tough reelection race in the state. It was the second time in three days that the president elevated Senate candidates in states where Trump won comfortably each time he has run for president — but where Republicans are now in surprisingly competitive races just weeks ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. On Monday, Trump made a similar-styled announcement about a massive steel plant in Iowa.

On Wednesday, Trump repeatedly praised Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, a two-term senator and longtime advocate for the Alaska natural gas project who is facing a competitive challenge from Democrat Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman. “He’s got my ear, and he’s had my ear for a long time on Alaska,” Trump said of Sullivan, adding that “all these energy projects are all mine, and I got ’em done working with Dan Sullivan.” It was not immediately clear how quickly South Korea’s government would advance funding for the project, which comes from pledges made as part of a 2025 trade deal with South Korea, which included promises of $350 billion in U.S. investments in exchange for lower U.S. tariffs on South Korean cars, auto parts and other products.

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Public Notices

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --Burns & McDonnell on behalf of Cloud Connec‐ tor, LLC is requesting au‐ thorization to construct a natural gas pipeline be‐ tween an interconnect station near Melville, Louisiana in St. Landry Parish, and Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC and Plaquemines Ex‐ pansion, LLC Terminals in Plaquemines Parish. The U.S. Army Corps of Engi‐ neers (CEMVN) will be accepting public com‐ ments on the project until October 8, 2026. To further review and/or provide comments, addi‐ tional information and plans related to the pro‐ posal may be obtained at the following website: www.mvn.usace.army. mil/missions/regulatory/ public-notices (see Ref#: MVN-2026-00308-BV). If you have any questions or would like additional information, please con‐ tact Courtland Vice with CEMVN, Regulatory Divi‐ sion at (504) 862-1349 or at courtland.l.vice@ usace.army.mil. A certifi‐ cation that the proposed activity will not violate applicable water quality standards will be re‐ quired from the LDEQ be‐ fore a Department of the Army permit could be is‐ sued. 201953 Sept. 28-Oct. 8, 11t $1,405.06

PUBLIC NOTICE --The Lafayette Parish Board of Election Super‐ visors will officially meet on Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. in the Pelican Room, on the second floor of the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court’s Office, to draw commissioners who will serve in the Election, to be held on Tuesday, No‐ vember 3, 2026. The pub‐ lic is invited. By: Louis J. Perret, Clerk of Court and President of the Board of Election Supervisors. 199869 Oct. 1 1t $6.34

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

SHERIFF'S SALE CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC Versus No. 20253490 FELICIA SCHEX‐ NAYDER A/K/A FELICIA SCHEXNAYDER BOWMAN A/K/A FELICIA S. BOW‐ MAN A/K/A FELICIA BOW‐ MAN 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA

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Public Notices Sheriff Sales

Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of FI FA issued in the here‐ inabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***OCTO‐ BER 7, 2026*** ,the fol‐ lowing described prop‐ erty, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL IM‐ PROVEMENTS THEREON AND THEREUNTO BE‐ LONGING, SITUATED IN LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, BEING KNOWN AND DESIG‐ NATED AS LOT THIRTYFOUR (34) OF FLANDERS GARDENS SUBDIVISION, SAID PROPERTY HAVING A FRONTAGE OF 102.64 FEET, MORE OR LESS, ON IRISH BEND DRIVE, WITH THE FURTHER DIMEN‐ SIONS, BOUNDARIES, SHAPE, FORM, LOCATION AND CONFIGURATION AS SHOWN ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY OF SAID SUBDIVISION DATED AUGUST 17, 1979, PRE‐ PARED BY CAFFERY, PATE & REAUX ENGINEERS, AT‐ TACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 78-20824, OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 101 IRISH BEND DRIVE, YOUNGSVILLE, LA 70592 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: SEPTEMBER 3, 2026 & OCTOBER 1, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $34.54 SHERIFF'S SALE LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVIC‐ ING, LLC Versus No. 20246939 JESSICA GARY 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***OCTO‐ BER 7, 2026*** ,the fol‐ lowing described prop‐ erty, to wit: LOT NUMBER 21, COUN‐ TRY LAKES SUBDIVISION, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, AS SHOWN ON PLAT ENTITLED “FINAL PLAT OF COUNTRY LAKES SUBDIVISION LO‐ CATED IN SECTION 19, T10S, R3E, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA” PRE‐ PARED BY PAUL L. MIERS ENGINEERING, LLC, DATED OCTOBER 14, 2008, RECORDED MAY 17, 2010, AT FILE NO. 2010-17975, RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL THE BUILDINGS AND IM‐ PROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALL OF THE RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVILEGES, SERVITUDES, APPURTE‐ NANCES AND ADVAN‐ TAGES THEREUNTO BE‐ LONGING OR IN ANYWISE APPERTAINING. MUNICI‐ PAL ADDRESS: 314 LAKE‐ FRONT DRIVE, RAYNE, LA 70578 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: SEPTEMBER 3, 2026 & OCTOBER 1, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $32.83 SHERIFF'S SALE LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVIC‐ ING, LLC Versus No. 20256890 EFRAIN ALEJAN‐ DRO GARCIA 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***OCTO‐ BER 7, 2026*** ,the fol‐ lowing described prop‐ erty, to wit: LOT 56, FAIRGROUNDS NORTH SUBDIVISION PHASE II, LOCATED IN SECTION 35, T8S, R4E, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, AS SHOWN ON A PLAT ENTITLED “FINAL PLAT OF FAIR‐ GROUNDS NORTH PHASES II” DATED JUNE

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Public Notices Sheriff Sales

26, 2015, PREPARED BY PAUL L. MIERS ENGINEER‐ ING, LLC, RECORDED JULY 27, 2015, AT FILE NO. 201528787, RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. WHICH HAS THE AD‐ DRESS OF 107 SADDLE CREST DRIVE, LAFAYETTE, LA 70507 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: SEPTEMBER 3, 2026 & OCTOBER 1, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $31.11

SHERIFF'S SALE PENNYMAC LOAN SER‐ VICES, LLC Versus No. 20247307 STEVEN AN‐ THONY PAUL A/K/A STEVEN A. PAUL A/K/A STEVEN PAUL AND THE UNOPENED SUCCESSION OF AND UNKNOWN HEIRS OF ROXANNE MALVEAUX PAUL A/K/A ROXANNE MALVEAUX PAUL A/K/A ROXANNE M. PAUL A/K/A ROXANNE PAUL 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of AMENDED SEIZURE AND SALE issued in the here‐ inabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***OCTO‐ BER 7, 2026*** ,the fol‐ lowing described prop‐ erty, to wit: LOT 8, FAIRGROUNDS NORTH, PHASE III “A SIN‐ GLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT” LOCATED IN THE SECTION 35, T8S, R4E CITY OF CARENCRO, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, PREPARED BY PAUL L. MIERS L..S, PAUL L MIERS ENGINEERING, LLC, REGISTER NO. 4813, DATED OCTOBER 7, 2019. SAID PLAT RECORDED ON 10/24/2019 AT FILE NUM‐ BER: 2019-00036022, OF THE CLERK OF COURT’S OFFICE FOR LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. MU‐ NICIPAL ADDRESS: 407 SADDLE CREST DRIVE, LAFAYETTE, LA 70507 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED

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Public Notices Sheriff Sales

FUNDS PUBLISH ON: SEPTEMBER 3, 2026 & OCTOBER 1, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $33.04 SHERIFF'S SALE PENNYMAC LOAN SER‐ VICES, LLC Versus No. 20264698 MORIE BIJOU 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***OCTO‐ BER 7, 2026*** ,the fol‐ lowing described prop‐ erty, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ INGS AND IMPROVE‐ MENTS THEREON AND THEREUNTO BELONGING, SITUATED IN SECTION 32, TOWNSHIP 9 SOUTH, RANGE 4 EAST, CITY AND PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, BEING KNOWN AND DESIG‐ NATED AS PARCEL B ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY DATED DECEM‐ BER 3, 1990, PREPARED BY CRAIG P. SPIKES, AT‐ TACHED TO ACT RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 90-038768 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT’S OFFICE. SAID PARCEL HAVING A FRONTAGE OF 75.0 FEET ON OLE COLONY ROAD BY A DEPTH BETWEEN EQUAL AND PARALLEL LINES OF 130.0 FEET, BOUNDED NORTHERLY BY PROPERTY OF JOHN HARRY HEBERT OR AS‐ SIGNS, EASTERLY BY PROPERTY OF RICHARD L. HEBERT OR ASSIGNS, SOUTHERLY BY OLE COLONY ROAD, AND WESTERLY BY PROPERTY OF MICHAEL J. HEBERT OR ASSIGNS, ALL AS MORE PARTICULARLY SHOWN ON THE AFORE‐ MENTIONED PLAT OF SURVEY (“PROPERTY”). MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 222 OLE COLONY ROAD, LAFAYETTE, LA 70506 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: SEPTEMBER

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

3, 2026 & OCTOBER 1, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $36.47

SHERIFF'S SALE SELENE FINANCE LP Ver‐ sus No. 20252652 TERRILL S SCOTT 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***OCTO‐ BER 7, 2026*** ,the fol‐ lowing described prop‐ erty, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF GROUND, TOGETHER WITH ALL IMPROVE‐ MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ VANTAGES THEREUNTO BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT NINETYFIVE (95), LEGEND CREEK, A SUBDIVISION OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, AS PER THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY COMEAUX ENGINEERING CONSULTING ATTACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 200625730 AND MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE, AND HAVING SUCH DI‐ MENSIONS, BOUNDARIES AND MEASUREMENTS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SUR‐ VEY; SUBJECT TO RE‐ STRICTIONS, SERVITUDES, RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND OUTSTANDING MINERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AF‐ FECTING THE PROPERTY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 103 ENCHANTMENT AVENUE, YOUNGSVILLE, LA 70592 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: SEPTEMBER 3, 2026 & OCTOBER 1, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $34.54

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, October 1, 2026 ● 5A

lll

ABORTION

Continued from page 1A Louisiana, citing so-called shield laws that protect abortion access in their states. In a statement, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul defended the shield laws. “No one should have to fear being punished for seeking or providing reproductive care,” she said. “As anti-abortion extremists in other states try to reach across our borders and threaten patients and providers, New York will stand up for them.” Shield laws protect the freedom to access reproductive healthcare, Hochul said. The complaint filed with the U.S. Supreme Court against New York, California and Massachusetts argues shield laws in those states violate the Constitution because they hamstring red states’ ability to enforce their own abortion restrictions. The three blue states are “actively seeking ways to nullify the sovereign rights of pro-life states to regulate abortion within their own borders,” Murrill said. A spokesperson for California Gov. Gavin Newsom blasted Louisiana’s effort. “California will never be complicit in the war on women. We lead with our values and will continue to protect reproductive rights,” the spokesperson said. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

ers in five states and Washington, D.C., of operating websites that advertise drugs like mifepristone and misoprostol to people who live in states where abortion is illegal Suing providers and then mailing them the pills. “By abridging Plaintiff States’ The other lawsuit accuses 30 organizations and healthcare provid- traditional authority to regulate

MAKEOVER

Continued from page 1A Tuesday to gather input from the broader community. One is aimed at residents and people who use Johnston Street and Louisiana Avenue. Another is for business owners. The third is an interactive map where participants can identify specific locations where they experience problems or see opportunities for improvement. The community survey asks what challenges people experience most often on the corridor and what they believe should be the top priorities for improvements. The business survey asks how often and where large delivery trucks visit businesses and what improvements could have the biggest impact on their operations. The surveys can be found at https://www.lafayettela. gov/project-pages/johnstonlouisiana-corridor/. LCG will also host a community open house at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Downtown Convention Center, 124 S. Buchanan St., to update residents on the plans.

What could change?

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin speaks during Wednesday’s news conference.

preparing it for expected growth, Mayor-President Monique Boulet said. The project is divided into seven segments based on the characteristics of the businesses and surrounding neighborhoods along the corridor: n I-10 to Mudd Avenue n Mudd Avenue to the railroad tracks near Evangeline Thruway and downtown n Railroad tracks near downtown to East Lewis Street at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (including downtown) n East Lewis Street at UL to Cajundome Boulevard n Cajundome Boulevard to Doucet Road near the Grand Theater n Doucet Road to Camellia Boulevard n Camellia Boulevard to Ambassador Caffery Parkway. The project will be built in phases, probably over 10 years. The first phase is expected to focus on segment 3, which runs from the railroad tracks near downtown to East Lewis Street at UL. Segment 6, from Doucet Road to Camellia Boulevard, also could be built around the same time because of available funding, Godeaux said. LCG has secured more than $50 million, Godeaux said. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2028.

The Johnston Street-Louisiana Avenue Corridor project will examine mobility, drainage, utilities, safety, Businesses want in businesses and investment, Stephen Landry, owner of neighborhoods, walking and South College Shopping Cenbicycling, with the goal of ter on Johnston Street at Colimproving the corridor and lege Road, said he supports

the practice of medicine, this interstate scheme places the lives and health of women, girls, and unborn babies in Plaintiff States at risk,” the complaint states. “The organizations and individuals behind this scheme are free to disagree with Plaintiff States’ policy

the project but urged city officials to consider what construction could mean for businesses along the corridor. “I’m all for the project,” Landry said at Wednesday’s stakeholder meeting. But with construction potentially occurring in phases over years, Landry urged Boulet to consider sales or property tax breaks for businesses affected by the work. That concern could become an important part of the conversation as LCG moves from planning to design and eventually construction. For now, officials are asking residents and businesses to help identify the problems they want the project to solve before designs are finalized. Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.com.

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decisions — but they are not free to disregard them.” Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama are asking a federal court in Louisiana’s Western District to declare the abortion pill shipments illegal, order the prescribers to halt them and award damages.

Murrill has also been battling in court to overturn a federal government policy that allows pills to be mailed across state lines for abortions. A three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals heard arguments in that case earlier this month.

Lafayette MayorPresident Monique Boulet addresses the stakeholders committee that’s participating in plans to improve Johnston StreetLouisiana Avenue on Wednesday. STAFF PHOTO By CLAIRE TAyLOR

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6A l Thursday, October 1, 2026 l theadvocate.com l The Acadiana Advocate

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An afternoon thunderstorm

A heavy t-storm in the p.m.

Showers and a heavier t-storm

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Beaumont 90/77 Port Arthur 89/79

Baton Rouge 92/73

Lake Charles 90/74

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Houma 88/75

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OCT 3

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Austin Boston dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami Nashville

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

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HIGH

11:05a 5:15a 3:42a 1:19a 12:49a 12:04a 1:57a

7:01 a.m. 6:53 p.m. 10:29 p.m. 12:24 p.m. NEW

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OCT 10

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85 76 81 36 86 94 90 85 94

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79 81 78 36 87 96 73 90 84

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REAdING 52 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

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91°/70° 86°/66° 91°/68° 97° in 1928 45° in 1967

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 87/77

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

0s

Hattiesburg 91/72

Alexandria 93/73

Lafayette 90/74

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TEMPERATURE Jackson 92/72

Many 93/72

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Lafayette through 5 p.m. Wednesday

Longview 91/74

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82° 69°

Monroe 94/74

Shreveport 94/74

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Well, after today, the weather really takes a turn for the worse, but today expect a partly cloudy, very warm, more humid and breezy day. Temperatures this afternoon will rise to the upper 80s to low 90s. Winds are southerly at 5 to 15 mph, so dew points and humidity are on the rise. Some scattered showers and storms are possible today, so grab the umbrella before you leave the house. Tomorrow, we’re under a marginal risk of excessive rainfall, which could lead to flash flooding. That threat increases this weekend.

0.00” 2.37” 5.02” 46.16” 48.70”

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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 Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday

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

3:44a 9:59a 4:50a 11:06a 5:54a 12:09p 6:53a 12:39a 7:47a 1:33a 8:35a 2:22a 9:18a 3:06a

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87 89 88 96 70 91 72 89 88

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77 76 61 75 49 70 51 71 76

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

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

WED. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

11.30 19.30 20.90 7.90 5.20 3.28 3.40

+0.40 +1.87 +1.20 +0.70 +0.60 +0.01 -0.01

40

25.96

-1.04

19

-1.74

+0.02

18 29 8

-1.31 9.73 2.45

-0.01 -0.01 +0.34

13 15

1.36 0.58

-0.02 none

47 34 29 20 12 6

7.24 4.64 4.04 3.47 3.10 2.79

+0.47 +0.26 +0.47 +0.08 +0.30 -0.24

data as of 7 a.m. Wednesday

Forecasts and graphics, except for damon’s Outlook, provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2026

Administration considers Hegseth announces new drone command, scaling back border project cuts to 20% of generals Plans in Texas’ Big Bend National Park have drawn bipartisan opposition

BY KONSTANTIN TOROPIN, BEN FINLEY and MEG KINNARD Associated Press

BY REBECCA SANTANA Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is considering reducing the scope of a planned border project through Big Bend National Park in Texas, a contentious undertaking that has drawn bipartisan opposition over concerns it will irrevocably mar the remote, majestic area. The announcement on plans for the national park, made in two court filings late Tuesday, gave no details on what the government may do. In August, the Republican administration initiated a pause on construction-related activity in the park as it engaged in outreach efforts to opponents of the project. The pause ends Wednesday. Customs and Border Protection is “actively considering adjustments” to the work “that would reduce its scope and avoid or minimize potential impacts, based on input received from the National Park Service and other stakeholders,” the government said in the court filing. The agency said it will make a final decision the first week in October and will take “several weeks” after that announcement before any “ground-disturbing work” starts. After intense opposition from environmentalists and local residents and business owners, CBP backed off plans this year to build a 30-foot-tall bollard wall through the park. But its intention to move forward with other measures such as a new road, lights, vehicle barriers and technology did not quell local resistance. After bulldozers were spotted in August clearing land in Big Bend, CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott announced a pause on all activity there and it was later expanded to the area upstream of the park. The agency has said it was only

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By REBECCA SANTANA

Big Bend National Park, Texas, is seen on Sept. 19. After intense opposition from environmentalists and local residents and business owners, Customs and Border Protection backed off plans this year to build a 30-foot-tall bollard wall through the park. carrying out design and planning work, not full-scale construction activities. Opponents of the border project called on the administration Wednesday to continue the pause while coming up with a new plan. Bob Krumenaker, head of Keep Big Bend Wild and a former NPS superintendent at the park, said in a statement that the Border Patrol already works with the park service and local sheriffs to operate an “effective surveillance system” in Big Bend that includes ground sensors and patrols. The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks said building in the park would be “mutilating an extraordinary landscape.” The project is part of a $46 billion plan by the administration to line the U.S.-Mexico border with steel bollard walls, vehicle barriers and surveillance technology to deter migrants and smugglers. The government has also paused work on a 61-mile piece of land stretching north of the national park along the Rio Grande River, most of which is owned by private landowners. In that area, the government plans to build a 30-foot-tall steel bollard wall designed to prevent people on foot from crossing, roads and various types of surveillance technology where appropriate, according to the court filing.

CBP has started building the wall in a West Texas part of the broader Big Bend region, but has run into intense opposition there, including from landowners challenging the project in court. Also in the court filing Tuesday, the government suggested it was facing resistance in getting permission from landowners to survey and build on their property and would be referring some cases to the Department of Justice to pursue condemnation. The government also detailed efforts it had made to meet with people potentially affected by Big Bend projects and shared with them incidents of cartel-related violence that concerned the Border Patrol. The administration has been pushing forward with the border wall projects that have long been a key part of President Donald Trump's vision for border security. The agency said it is building 12 miles of wall per week. But lining up against the work are private landowners, Native American tribes, environmental groups and others who question the necessity and cost of the project at a time when illegal immigration has fallen dramatically. Opponents also have accused the government of damaging Native American sites and sensitive ecology locations in its rush to finish construction.

QUANTICO, Va. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced some major changes to the U.S. military on Wednesday in what he called his “State of the Force” address, including establishing a new drone command and cutting 20% of the nation’s generals and admirals. The Pentagon also will launch an effort to study the future of warfare that will be led in part by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Hegseth said. The Defense Department will create an Office of Religious Affairs and plans to build a new base for the first time in 40 years, he added. Hegseth made the announcements to junior officers and enlisted leaders at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia — the second year in a row that he has given such an address. But this time, the U.S. military is seven months into a war with Iran with no clear end in sight, has captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and killed more than 200 people in strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in Latin America, among other actions worldwide. The speech is not a usual fixture among Pentagon leaders. While Hegseth’s predecessors have regularly addressed troops and top officers, they have traditionally done so in small or private settings. The Pentagon chief, however, again led with how he has drastically retooled the U.S. military by targeting what he calls “woke” culture — through a rollback of diversity programs, a review of ground combat units with female troops and a new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” among male personnel — as well as attacks on the media for the coverage of the military. The Pentagon chief announced the intention to create a new four-star command to oversee the rollout of autonomous and robotic capabilities in what he called “the fastest peacetime shift in modern military

history.” He acknowledged that “the pace of war is changing faster than the process to support it.” Iran commonly uses cheap drones, including those that have killed U.S. troops during the seven-month war. Hegseth pointed to Ukraine's pioneering use of drones to combat Russian forces — something American forces have learned from firsthand. “Ukraine’s lesson is not that one type of drone wins wars, but rather the need for a purpose-built system that maximizes the ability to adapt,” Hegseth said. However, a U.S. Army unit based in Europe that specialized in drone warfare was ordered recently to end its efforts and return to being a traditional infantry battalion. A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers subsequently asked the Army to explain the order, given that the world’s battlefields are rapidly evolving and military tactics increasingly rely on uncrewed systems to fight. The plans for a drone command come as the U.S. is in a stalemate with Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy shipping corridor. The war has forced American forces in the region to expend hundreds of expensive missile interceptors to defend against Iran’s missile and drone attacks, which have still managed to kill and wound U.S. troops. Hegseth repeated claims that the U.S. military has destroyed Iran's navy, air force and defense systems as well as many of its leaders and its industrial base. But Tehran has continued intermittently to launch drone and missile attacks against at U.S. or allied bases, while maintaining its ability to strike commercial and military ships in the Strait of Hormuz. During his speech, Hegseth touted the Trump administration’s major investments in the defense industry and push for contractors to speed up their work to expand the nation’s weapons arsenals. But experts say U.S. military contractors will need at least three years to replenish stockpiles of weapons systems.

METRO

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

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T h u r s d ay, O c T O b e r 1, 2026

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Two LSU fraternities face hazing accusations Complaints allege waterboarding, milk-chugging

BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Bags of 4 Sisters rice, which were part of a rice donation from three area rice mills and the Louisiana Rice Growers Association, Louisiana Rice Council and USA Rice, are seen on display at the Campus Cupboard on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus on Wednesday.

La. rice mills help UL students in need 2,500 pounds of rice donated to Campus Cupboard

Staff report Three Louisiana rice mills donated about 2,500 pounds of rice to the Campus Cupboard at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette on Tuesday. Rice from Falcon Rice Mill and Supreme Rice Mill, both of Crowley, and 4 Sisters Rice Mill in Mer Rouge made the donation, which was left from the Ragin Cajun Rice Festival held last month. The rice also came from the Louisiana Rice Growers Association, Louisiana Rice Council and USA Rice. It was enough to provide about 12,500 servings of rice for students in need. Fred Zaunbrecher, rice grower from Rayne and current chair of the USA Rice Farmers Board, was on hand to make the donation along with Kane Webb, director of field services for USA Rice, and his daughter Molly, a grad student at UL. The Ragin Cajun Rice Festival featured rice dishes made by Rusty Noel and the UL Food Services chefs for students, who also got a bag of Louisiana rice to take home, as part of National Rice Month, Webb said.

The complaints that led LSU to place two fraternities on interim suspensions earlier this month alleged that one organization “waterboarded” pledges, while another forced them to chug gallons of chocolate milk, according to LSU documents. The hazing investigations involve the Delta Kappa Epsilon, or DKE, and Phi Gamma Delta, or FIJI, chapters. The LSU Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability sent letters to the chapters on Sept. 17 informing them of the interim suspensions. LSU recently held a hearing on the interim suspensions and upheld them, which means the fraternities will stay shut down until the final outcome of the university accountability process. Separately, seven DKE students and two FIJI students have been issued misdemeanor summons for hazing, LSU spokesperson Meg Casper Sunstrom said. In the allegations against DKE, the complainant said they became suspicious of hazing when a pledge mentioned having to stay “long hours” in the house. The pledge told them later, “they had me doing wall sits and were actively waterboarding me in the process,” according to the report. The student also mentioned a game of Twister that resulted in another pledge breaking their collarbone because of “harsh requirements” in the game, according to the complainant. The student also said pledges were in a basement with blindfolds over their eyes but didn’t go into details about what happened. The complainant said they would attempt to have

ä See FRATERNITIES, page 4B

Kim Billeaudeau, director of Career Services, from left, Kane Webb, director of field services for USA Rice; his daughter Molly Webb; Fred Zaunbrecher, chair of the USA Rice Farmers Board; Sarah Cannon, district marketing specialist for Sodexo; and Andy Benoit, vice president for student success, are pictured with a rice donation from three area rice mills and the Louisiana Rice Growers Association, Louisiana Rice Council and USA Rice Wednesday at the Campus Cupboard on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus.

Lafayette men get prison time for theft

Ring targeted tractors, excavators, forklifts BY DEAN BOUDREAUX Staff writer

Part of Camellia Boulevard to close for 5K, fun run BY DEAN BOUDREAUX

Staff writer

Lafayette police will close part of Camellia Boulevard on Saturday morning for the Maddie’s Footprints 5K & Fun Run. Officers will close Camellia between Silverstone Road and Eastland Road at 7:45 a.m. Saturday, according to a news release from Lafayette Police Department. The release said the road would reopen about 10 a.m. Sgt. Matthew Benoit said part of it could open earlier and other parts could stay closed longer. “Police will reopen the road in phases as the race winds down,” Benoit said. “The northbound lane, for example, will reopen before the southbound lane.” Drivers can still enter Camellia from Johnston Street but must turn at Eastland Drive. Drivers can reach

ä See 5K, page 4B

Charlene Richard relics returned Items were sent to Rome for canonization cause

back, including portions of Richard’s hair and bones, in Mason jars. The diocese said they were in Rome as part of her cause for canonization. Barbra De Jean, the diocesan archivist, and BY DEAN BOUDREAUX Stephanie Simon, associate archivist, formally Staff writer received the relics at the chancery. They are Relics of Charlene Marie Richard, whose now in the diocese’s Office of Archives. The diocese said the relics were secured in sainthood cause is under review at the Vatican, have returned to the Diocese of Lafayette after protective containers for the trip. It said they a stay in Rome, the diocese said in a Facebook will be preserved and placed in a reliquary, a post. ä See RELICS, page 4B The Rev. Seth Lemaire brought the relics

The Rev. Seth Lemaire holds a picture of the ‘Little Cajun Saint’ with Barbra de Jean, diocesan archivist, and Stephanie Sime, associate archivist, upon the return of relics from Rome. PROVIdEd PHOTO By THE dIOCESE OF LAFAyETTE

Two Lafayette men were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a four-state conspiracy that stole more than $250,000 worth of heavy equipment and vehicles and altered identification numbers to conceal the thefts, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana. Dennis Lloyd Sizemore, 55, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, while Robert Gregory Brazell, 41, was sentenced to 33 months. Chief U.S. District Judge Shelly D. Dick also ordered each man to serve three years of supervised release. Sizemore was ordered to pay $92,500 in restitution and Brazell was ordered to pay $95,000. Sizemore and Brazell were the last of four defendants to be sentenced in the case. According to federal prosecutors, the group operated across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas from October 2021 to March 2022. They stole tractors, excavators, forklifts and a pickup truck, then altered the vehicles’ identification numbers and used or sold them. The conspiracy involved a chop shop, fraudulent paperwork, false business fronts and stolen identities, prosecutors said. The investigation began with a shoplifting case at Juban Crossing Shopping Center in February 2022. Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives traced a stolen pickup

ä See THEFT, page 4B

2B ● Thursday, October 1, 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

For use of coveted state apartment, transparency not too much to ask Whether people using a public asset are properly doing so shouldn’t be a complicated question. Yet when the Louisiana Legislative Auditor requested information on who had stayed at a French Quarter apartment controlled by Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser’s office, the list provided was full of redactions. That does not exactly inspire confidence. Behind the dust-up is actually a long-running disagreement between the legislative auditor and Nungesser, who oversees the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, which includes the Louisiana State Museums. The legislative auditor points out that the “Irby” apartment in one of the famed Pontalba buildings on Jackson Square is specifically designated for the state museum system’s use. Yet for several years now, the agency has accused Nungesser of allowing guest stays that may not comply with state law. The recent audit found that the museums “did not maintain sufficient documentation as evidence that any of the stays provided a tangible, direct benefit to (Louisiana State Museums).” Nungesser counters that the apartment can used for purposes connected to his role promoting tourism in Louisiana. As for the redactions, Louisiana State Museums director Rebecca Mackie cited “security and guest privacy,” but said that the agency always disclosed the purpose of the visits. It would be up to either a court or the Legislature to settle the legal argument, but regardless, the secrecy the lieutenant governor’s office claims is concerning. After she first wrote about the legislative auditor report that detailed the redactions, reporter Meghan Friedmann obtained an unredacted guest log. Among those listed as having used the apartment are U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, Lafayette Mayor Monique Boulet and Lee Mallett, chair of the LSU Board of Supervisors. Carter’s office said that the apartment was used for professional development and that nobody involved in the event stayed overnight. Boulet used it twice while attending meetings in the city. Mallett has stayed overnight, arguing that everything LSU does touches tourism. As for the out-of-state politicians, the log says that their stays benefited the state by building awareness. Some of those stays may well count as appropriate use of public accommodations, even if they seem to stretch the definition of tourism-related. Still, it’s worth noting that these historic apartments have long served as coveted perks for powerful people. Just two years ago, the New Orleans City Council accused then-Mayor LaToya Cantrell of improper use of a city-owned residence in the second building and essentially evicted her. We know of no such drama here, but it’s fair to ask why the secrecy. Nungesser refusing to share basic information with a government agency that is focused on compliance with the law suggests he thinks his office is above it, and that — best-case scenario — he believes generosity trumps accountability. We don’t see why the two can’t go hand in hand.

Recycling is more than a ‘feel-good program’

Teamwork needed to fix aging Southern infrastructure The newspaper’s continued coverage of the power outages at Southern University is important, and I am grateful that the paper continues to bring attention to an issue that directly affects students, faculty and the broader Baton Rouge community. As a Baton Rouge native and proud graduate of Southern University Law Center, I have a firsthand understanding of what Southern means to its students, to this city and to Louisiana. Southern has educated generations of leaders and created pathways to opportunity for countless families. Its students deserve a campus and infrastructure capable of fully supporting that mission. The repeated outages at Southern underscore a larger challenge. Reliable electricity, air conditioning, internet access and functioning facilities are not luxuries. They are basic conditions students need to learn, study and succeed. Southern’s work toward a long-term solution is encouraging, but addressing aging infrastructure requires more than temporary fixes. It requires sustained

investments. State leaders and other partners should work alongside the university to provide the additional funding necessary to modernize electrical systems, update aging facilities and address infrastructure needs before they become emergencies. Investing in Southern’s infrastructure is ultimately an investment in its students and in Louisiana’s future. The state and other public partners share the responsibility for ensuring the university has the resources necessary to maintain and modernize its physical infrastructure. Addressing aging electrical systems and other campus needs will require long-term planning, accountability and continued public investment. I appreciate the newspaper for continuing to bring attention to this issue. That coverage helps ensure Southern’s infrastructure needs, and the students affected by them, remain part of the public conversation.

In regard to a letter by John Kennedy published Sept. 9, my feathers became increasingly ruffled as I read on, but what really killed it for me was the fact that Kennedy called recycling a “feel-good program.” Seriously? I haven’t been recycling for the last 40 years only because it “felt good.” Even back then what scientists were saying about the warming of the Earth certainly did not feel good. Recycling conserves energy, reduces pollution, protects natural resources and keeps waste out of landfills where it can contaminate soil and groundwater. Preventing the plethora of plastic in our oceans is essential to the survival of its inhabitants. The benefits sound abstract until one sees the numbers: Recycling a single ton of paper saves 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water and enough energy to power a home for six months. Scale that across an entire country and the impact is enormous. Back in 1989, I purchased a trash can for recycling at the office where I worked. I recycled at home, and I would have my little daughters help separate the materials in our backyard. We would pile the bags into the car and bring them to BFI on David Drive in Metairie. Both of my girls are grown women and still recycle. Perhaps my recycling is merely a drop in the bucket, but at least I’m concerned enough to put forth the effort. I am still recycling, even though curbside recycling was sadly abandoned by the Jefferson Parish Council since only 30% of my fellow parishioners were recycling. How discouraging! To Kennedy and all of you who think recycling isn’t crucial to our survival and that of our descendants, I am sorry to be emotional about dropping this “feel-good program.”

TRAMELLE HOWARD, J.D. state director, EdTrust Louisiana Baton Rouge

And the $6 beers were hard to find The $6 “Dome Foam” beers are bull. I went to the Saints-Raiders game on Sunday. I counted approximately eight places to buy a $6 beer in the whole Superdome. The closest one to me in section 626 was 12 sections over and up an escalator into the nosebleed section of 638, approximately at the 30-yard line on the Girod Street side. The $6 beers are not well advertised. I had to ask at an information

booth after searching for a while. There were taps for five different beers. They were all out 10 minutes before kick-off. I don’t think there was ever beer in those taps. I’m curious to hear from people who actually drank a $6 Dome Foam beer. Were they real or was it all foam?

MIKE BASS Lafayette

SpaceX deal is focused on corporations, not citizens

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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At present, environmentally dangerous projects have been green-lit in some Louisiana parishes, and several are being proposed in other parishes. Billion-dollar corporations use their financial influence on politicians and push their public relation spin in the media. This newspaper has reported that secret back-room meetings were held with legislators to seal the SpaceX deal. As a result, the SpaceX corporation was able to avoid transparency and was even given future immunities on some lawsuits. Incredibly, the SpaceX project will

allow the spread of rocket fuel exhaust over our marshes. Those chemicals will be absorbed by fish, shrimp, crabs, wildlife and citizens. It is no wonder that corporations and polluters look to our state’s politicians for “anything goes” allowances. I urge all Louisiana citizens to vote against any politicians who focus on the needs of corporate billionaires (and trillionaires, in the case of Elon Musk). Think of the dire repercussions to the health of present and future generations.

SUSAN LEVIN Metairie

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The Acadiana Advocate l theadvocate.com l Thursday, October 1, 2026 l 3B

COMMENTARY Sen. Kennedy is wrong about dealing with ‘spending porn’ Amidst famously hokey aphorisms, Republican U.S. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana sometimes sprinkles in sage advice. On one topic in his Sept. 27 interview on CBS’ Face the Nation, however, Kennedy went the wrong way down a constitutional blind alley. In a governmental system in which the Quin president’s power already Hillyer largely exceeds what the nation’s founders wisely intended, Kennedy would have Congress cede even more of its authority to the imperial presidency. News anchor Margaret Brennan asked Kennedy about the White House announcing two days earlier that Trump would cancel $810 million in funds already allocated by laws formally passed and signed by the president. Donald Trump claims authority to do it via a method called a “pocket rescission,” whereby he proposes canceling the spending too late in the fiscal year for Congress to weigh in. Ordinarily, a president can propose that Congress rescind — meaning claw back — the money, but unless Congress agrees to do so within 45 days, the spending remains obligated for its original purpose. The pocket rescission is an attempted end-run around Congress’ primacy in this process. The question here isn’t whether the spending is wise. The question is who has the power to decide. In our constitutional republic, that question is much more important, long-term, than the money or causes immediately in dispute. In this case, Trump’s rescissions block money intended for immigration services, health research and assistance to businesses owned by minorities, among other purposes. Kennedy told Brennan that “Congress didn’t approve this stuff,” because Congress appropriates money only in “broad categories” that often “the bureaucracy wastes. Spending porn is what I call it.” Some of us share Kennedy’s assessment of the below-zero value of the programs at issue. The “immigration services,” for instance, include programs run by leftist nongovernmental organizations whose goal is to frustrate immigration enforcement and push far-out causes such as (using actual examples cited by the White House) “legal aid for illegal aliens” and a “‘restorative learning community’ which will ‘empower the next generations of revolutionary scholars.’”

ASSOCIATEd PRESS FILE PHOT0 By JOSE LUIS MAGANA

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., listens to Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh during a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in July. Kennedy is right: In a sane governmental world, not a single dime of tax money would go toward teaching revolutionary ideas to this nation’s newcomers, whether legal or illegal. The problem with Kennedy’s position, though, is that the bureaucracy is acting within the parameters Congress, by law, gave it. Trump isn’t claiming the bureaucracy has acted unlawfully by making such grants; he is saying he doesn’t approve of the grants. That’s a huge difference. By the Trump-Kennedy precedent, a future President Gavin Newsom or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could unilaterally rescind money already obligated by law for, say, military munitions or education grants for teaching phonics. Again, this would be money already allocated according to law passed by Congress and signed by a president, yet one person, the new president, could act as a dictator by overriding the law all by himself. The Constitution’s famed “checks and balances” would be even further degraded than they already are. In this case, the degradation wouldn’t occur in some gray area of constitutional interpretation, but in contradiction of an incontrovertible, bright-line constitutional principle. That principle is that Congress, not the president, owns the “power of the purse.” The General Accountability Office — the independent, nonpartisan federal agency that audits how public monies are spent — is emphatic: “Are pocket rescissions legal? No. A

pocket rescission is illegal. ...This would cede Congress’s power of the purse by allowing a president to, in effect, change the law by shortening the period of availability for fixed-period funds. The Impoundment Control Act (ICA) does not provide that authority. If Congress wanted a president to have that authority, it would need to change the law.” That’s as definitive a statement as you’ll ever see. Republican Susan Collins of Maine, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, flat-out described Trump’s rescissions as “illegal actions.” They were an “unlawful cancellation of appropriations that were approved on a bipartisan basis and signed into law.” Later in his CBS interview, Kennedy offered an aside, or rather an admission, which expresses the proper way to stop what he calls spending porn. “Congress ought to get up off its icecold, lazy butt and cut it itself.” Exactly. If Kennedy wants to introduce a bill or an amendment blocking revolutionary education for illegal immigrants, or stopping what he calls “circumcisions in Zambia and electric buses in Rwanda,” he’ll merit massive support. Go for it, Senator. That’s your job. But don’t support an unconstitutional power for Trump, especially one you wouldn’t want a President Kamala Harris to exploit. Email Quin Hillyer at quin.hillyer@ theadvocate.com.

Ohio Senate race is tight — less than a percent NEW WATERFORD, Ohio — See how they run. Sherrod Brown is running like an old man in a hurry. That’s the phrase Lord Randolph Churchill employed to characterize the 76-year-old William Gladstone, the 19th-century British prime minister whose reputation as David backer of “the masses Shribman aagainst the classes” precisely matches Brown’s political profile. At 73 years old, Brown may be aged by the standard applied to the classical liberal reformer known as the “G.O.M.” (for Grand Old Man), but he’s a stripling compared to Sens. Charles Grassley (93), Bernie Sanders (85), and Mitch McConnell (84.) In truth, Brown is trim and ready for battle, less like Gladstone and more like the young lad Jon Ossoff (39), the Georgia Democratic senator running for reelection in Georgia and, maybe, for president in 2028. And so when Brown ambled into Jan Douglass’ big red barn to fire up six dozen Ohio voters determined to restore him to Desk 88 on the Senate floor — the very escritoire once occupied by such liberals as Herbert Lehman and Robert F. Kennedy of New York and George McGovern of South Dakota — there was a sense that he was less interested in retribution (for his 2024 loss to Republican Bernie Moreno) than in restoration (to his perch as a principal pugilist against Donald Trump). This corner of Ohio in a way is a microcosm of the character of a state often regarded as a bellwether, deliver-

ing its electoral votes to the winner in 26 of the last 29 presidential elections. Five miles away is the town of Columbiana (population 6,795), where in 1868 was born Harvey Firestone, founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, which, along with the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, became one of the mainstays of the state’s economy. In the field sit acres of soybeans a few weeks from harvest, a symbol of Ohio’s agricultural heritage and the power of its farm vote. These days, the Paradise Acres farm practices “regenerative” agriculture — city folks need to know there really is such a thing, with a focus on rebuilding soil health and fostering diversity — all of which you might regard as metaphors for what Brown is attempting. He’s running against Jon Husted, a veteran Ohio lawmaker and lieutenant governor appointed to the Senate seat that became vacant when JD Vance became vice president. Husted knows what he’s up against — not only the regenerative Brown and his claims that the Republican has helped “the richest people get richer and [to] screw the middle class and people who are struggling,” but also a rebellion against high energy prices and impatience over the Iran war. That’s why last Friday, Husted swiftly adjusted his campaign playbook. “We’ve got to bring the war to a close,” he said. The next day he aired a campaign ad during the Ohio StateIllinois football game — now that’s a television broadcast sure to get the attention of Buckeye voters — carrying the legend “Focused on Affordability.”

The voters sure are. For its part, the Brown campaign has many of the same themes as Democrats across the country. Trump has nationalized the midterms — presidents do this at their peril, given the record of poor midterm performances by the party holding the White House — and so the Democrats have responded in kind. With interest for 30-year mortgages soaring above 7% and with voters reminded about high gasoline prices every time they drive past a service station sign, Democrats seem to be on the offensive. That’s the natural profile when their rivals are on the defensive about a president whose approval ratings are as weak as Trump. Then there is the issue of data centers, which have provided a backlash that has hurt candidates like Husted, a onetime advocate for tech infrastructure. Then this summer, sensing the public mood, he introduced legislation on Capitol Hill to assure that taxpayers won’t be burdened by costs associated with new data centers. “Jon Husted was the point man for data centers,” Brown said here, arguing that these facilities “come in, they gobble up our land and pollute our water, and electrical costs go up.” That riff is part of a populism that Democrats across the country are mobilizing in their battle with MAGAstyle populism. It’s getting its greatest test here in Ohio, where the two candidates are separated by three-tenths of a percentage point. Email David Shribman at dshribman@post-gazette.com.

Not even Trump could sell Trump TV I’ve worked at CNN — and Donald Trump, you’re no Ted Turner. The president of the United States, after banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, launched his own 24/7 low-grade television channel. The inelegantly named “Trump TV: The Essentials Station” (a YouTube livestream) is a flop. So much for branding. By that Wednesday, the channel had lost nearly 95% of its viewership. Nothing to see there, apparently. The Daily Beast reported that viewers numbered just 427 at one point. Kathleen On Thursday morning, a federal Parker judge ordered Trump to temporarily restore White House credentials for dozens of journalists, saying the removal of their press badges was probably done without adequate due process. Even so, several reporters said they were not allowed to enter the White House grounds. Since then, they have been able to reenter. This unnecessary blowup, some might say “distraction,” seems to be further evidence that Trump is erratic, angry and out of control. He’s like a comic book antihero seemingly defined by his hatred of the very media that made him famous. (At least the Joker smiled.) Trump still holds the country and the world hostage to his impulses and baser instincts. Has he finally gone too far with the ban and some other decisions? So it seems, as some Republican candidates are breaking with him on Iran, and fewer Americans approve of him. In a twist of fortune, his media ban backfired. Several other outlets, including ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC, joined the banned news organizations in solidarity and suspended pooled television coverage of White House events. That Monday, some outlets and wire services temporarily stopped publishing new images of presidential events in a show of support. These are surely symbolically satisfying gestures, especially to journalists who cover him. But it’s unclear if — or how long — they matter, at least to Trump. The president once had a mutually beneficial relationship with the media, which helped him secure the presidency the first time around by giving him extraordinary access and what amounted to free advertising. As Trump becomes more frustrated with his falling approval ratings and widespread ridicule, I suspect he wouldn’t mind overseeing a state-controlled media in the way Russian President Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping do. He has often expressed admiration for authoritarian leaders who maintain power in part through repression of free speech. Maybe the past few days were an experiment to see what he could get away with. The president’s likely view is: So what if the media won’t cover me anymore? He has learned the art of direct communication with his public through social media and his own ironically named Truth Social. As a candidate, he successfully exploited the public’s lack of trust in journalists and magnified it through his constant condemnation of all unfavorable press coverage as “fake news.” Though Trump isn’t the first president to battle the press, he has taken matters further in identifying the institution as an enemy that threatens national security. I was privileged to cover both a Republican and a Democratic president — George W. Bush and Barack Obama — not as part of a press pool but as a Post opinion writer with decent access to the White House. Neither Bush nor Obama was treated gently by reporters, especially Bush, yet both spoke passionately about how crucial a free and unencumbered press is to democracy. So-called patriots attack the media as though they’re part of some valiant countercultural march toward freedom when servitude is what a state-controlled media promises. Do these patriots really want only government-approved news? This rather misses the point of holding the powerful accountable to protect the public, doesn’t it? It’s sometimes difficult to discern who needs whom more — the politician or the reporter? It’s a give-and-take romance of sorts among adversaries. There’s no story without an interesting, consequential subject. Without the media, that same subject is either invisible to mainstream audiences or merely self-published. Trump got a taste of the latter when the networks declined to provide their usual pooled coverage of his anticipated reveal of a new helipad on the White House grounds. In the everyday push-and-pull between president and press, mutual respect was once the norm. The arrangement depended on basic decency on both sides and a shared understanding of their symbiotic roles serving the public. Trump’s failure to uphold that understanding has brought us to this unfortunate standoff. It does no one good, especially the American people, for such hostility to be condoned or allowed. Ted Turner, though he started the 24/7 news coverage madness, understood this — and preached it. Kathleen Parker is on X at @kathleenparker.

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3 Baton Rouge massage parlor owners arrested Spas were raided in June 2025

BY BLAKE LESCHBER Staff writer

After years of inspections and investigations, three massage parlor owners were arrested Tuesday in connection with allegedly promoting prostitution and other illegal massage therapy practices at two spas in Baton Rouge. Guangdong Bai, 66; Yue Ying Jiang, 65; and Wenming Zou, 62, were arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Tuesday with counts of promoting prostitution, pandering and engaging in the practice of massage therapy without a license. Both the Oriental Relax Spa, owned by Bai and Jiang, and AllNatural Spa, owned by Zou, were raided by authorities in June 2025 alongside seven other massage parlors. Ten Chinese women were arrested at the time and detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Oriental Relax Spa In December 2024, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation regarding human trafficking and prostitution at Oriental Relax Spa — a massage parlor that was located at 12240 Coursey Blvd. — owned by Bai, Jiang and Junjie Zhang, who was arrested in May, according to arrest documents. The spa’s massage establish-

ment license was revoked permanently in 2025. In November 2024, the Louisiana Board of Massage Therapy issued a cease-and-desist letter to Bai for producing illicit advertisements that promoted prostitution. He was issued a second order in January 2025 after the business stayed open. On July 11, 2018, an inspector with the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office conducted an inspection at Oriental Relax Spa after complaints of criminal activity. There, they found multiple beds and sofas, a functioning kitchen, laundry room and bathroom, according to the arrest affidavit. The business was ordered to cease and desist residential occupancy, as inspectors believed employees were living in the business. An inspector with the massage board reported in January 2020 that they found advertising violations at Oriental Relax Spa. The massage board found the establishment on multiple illicit websites that are dedicated to sexually-oriented businesses and require businesses to create an account to advertise, according to arrest documents. The Sheriff’s Office found advertisements dated from December 2017 to May 2025 that displayed women posing in “seductive ways” and used erotic wording while advertising sexual innuendoes. These advertisements were posted to 20 websites that were known for promoting prostitution, deputies said. In January 2025, Bai was issued

an order of summary suspension in which he was ordered to cease and desist from practicing massage therapy and referring to himself as a licensed massage therapist. At the time, he was registered as a licensed massage therapist and owner of the Oriental Relax Spa locations in Baton Rouge, Hammond and Gonzales. A month later, the massage board held an administrative hearing where they found Oriental Relax Spa in violation of several Louisiana statutes related to offering to engage a client in sexual activity, advertising sexually oriented massages and violating rules of the massage board. The spa’s license was immediately revoked, and they were required to cease and desist operations. From February to May 2025, the Sheriff’s Office received multiple complaints that the business was still open and discovered that Bai, Jiang and Zhang were still performing massages and conducting business. An adjacent business owner reported seeing two women entering the back door of the location wearing revealing clothing and high heels while conducting business after dark and on the weekends, according to the Sheriff’s Office. A lieutenant reported seeing a male exit the front door of the spa while “buttoning his shirt sleeves and adjusting the belt on his pants.” Bai and Jiang were both arrested Tuesday. Jiang was arrested on a count each of pandering, promoting prostitution and engaging in

New Orleans housing authority sitting on 250 vacant lots

overgrown lots. It also comes that was damaged by Hurricane HANO working to sell over amid an acute shortage of state Katrina and later demolished. HANO will begin by seeking city resources for affordable or redevelop sites and housing development and a slow affordable housing builders to

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer

New Orleans’ public housing authority plans to sell or redevelop 250 vacant lots within three years — many of which have been empty for decades at significant cost to the authority. Under a plan presented to the Housing Authority of New Orleans’ board on Tuesday, HANO will work to sell some properties to affordable housing developers and others to market-rate buyers. The agency also plans to seek state and federal financing to develop several multiacre lots in its portfolio for multifamily or commercial use. The ambitious effort comes as Mayor Helena Moreno has identified reducing neighborhood blight as a priority and as residents have expressed ongoing frustration

housing market — both of which could be obstacles to HANO’s plans. “The city is not getting taxes. No one is living there,” said HANO Executive Director Marjorianna Willman in an interview Tuesday. “The only thing that’s happening is that we are spending resources to keep the grass cut and keep people from trespassing on the properties.” HANO spends more than $400,000 per year just to keep the grass cut on its vacant land, she said. HANO hopes to off-load or redevelop all of the properties within the next two to three years. HANO owns vacant lots across the city but the majority — more than 80%— are located in the 9th Ward and New Orleans East. Some were purchased vacant and never developed; others were formerly occupied by scattered site housing

purchase or develop 20 smaller lots early next year, said Willman. HANO will then present a comprehensive plan for the properties to the board at a later date. Nearly 140 of HANO’s vacant properties are one-off lots that could be developed for singlefamily housing, according to an analysis HANO commissioned from Manning Architects. Eleven properties are much larger, like the sprawling multiacre site where the Desire Housing Project once stood in the 9th Ward. Those will require state and federal financing to redevelop, according to the firm. Another 100 properties cannot be developed for housing because of the lot shape or location. Those include properties located within the Agriculture Street Superfund Site, a subdivision built atop a former landfill.

the practice of massage therapy without a license while Bai was arrested on three counts of pandering, two counts of engaging in the practice of massage therapy without a license and one count of promoting prostitution.

All-Natural Spa In December 2024, the Sheriff’s Office began an investigation regarding human trafficking and prostitution at All-Natural Spa at 804 O’Neal Lane after receiving multiple complaints. The establishment was previously investigated in 2021 and 2022 for prostitution, along with other illegal massage businesses, and several arrests were made for prostitution, money laundering, promoting prostitution and pandering, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Wenming Zou took ownership of the spa in March 2021. In March 2022, the massage board issued an order of summary suspension for the licensed therapist at the time, Yanqun Rao, involving the prostitution arrests. The location was ordered to immediately cease and desist from providing massage therapy services. However, deputies found that the spa continued to stay open while Zou was in ownership, according to arrest documents. During the investigation, deputies found several online advertisements with erotic images and wording, dated from August 2019 to May 2025, according to arrest documents. These advertisements were posted to websites that depu-

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of an infant, has held the race annually for at least 10 years,” Benoit Continued from page 1B said. “Attendance has ranged from 150 to 200 people the past couple of years.” The release urged drivers to plan River Ranch from the back side using Steiner Road. From the opposite ahead, allow extra travel time and side, drivers can take West Martial follow posted signs and directions from officers and staff. Avenue to Arabella Boulevard. “Maddie’s Footprints, a nonprofit that supports families coping with Email Dean Boudreau: dean. miscarriage, stillbirth or the loss boudreaux@theadvocate.com.

Charlene Richard’s hair and bones are seen in protective containers to ensure safe transport of the relics from Rome.

Two accused of not delivering meals to seniors Staff writer

Two East Baton Rouge Parish Council on Aging employees were fired for allegedly failing to deliver more than 100 meals to seniors and leaving the food in agency vehicles over the weekend. The two employees failed to deliver their assigned meal boxes to homebound seniors on Friday, the agency said in a news release. The meals remained in agency vehicles over the weekend and spoiled, then the employees disposed of the meal boxes at the

FRATERNITIES Continued from page 1B

the student submit his own report of the incidents. FIJI’s suspension stems from a single incident reported on Sept. 10, according to the Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability letter. In the report, the complainant alleged that FIJI forced pledges to chug gallons of chocolate milk, making many students vomit. The complainant also raised animal care concerns about FIJI allegedly requiring pledges to bring squirrels to a meeting. Sunstrom referenced the university’s previous statement on the incidents.

Mid-City Redevelopment Alliance warehouse in an attempt to cover up the incident, officials said. One of the two now-fired employees, James Clay, 31 of Baker, was arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Monday on a felony theft count. According to the jail database, he has since been released. The employees reportedly did not deliver 17 Meals on Wheels boxes. Each box contains a week’s worth of meals and has an approximate value of $56. Each box includes seven frozen home-cooked

meals, a half-gallon of milk every other week, seven slices of bread, fresh fruit and snacks. Meals on Wheels is a federally created program designed to meet the nutritional needs of seniors, according to the COA. “These allegations describe a profound breach of the trust place in us by our seniors, by their families and by the public,” said Tasha Clark-Amar, CEO of the agency. “The individuals were terminated immediately.” The agency said that all affected seniors will receive replacement meals.

“Our goal is that every chapter on campus is successful by taking advantage of the resources LSU makes available to all Greek organizations,” the statement said. “When hazing is reported, LSU must take it very seriously and immediately implement our conduct process, which is what has occurred with these two fraternities.” The national headquarters of DKE said the organization will “take appropriate action based on the facts established through these processes.” “Delta Kappa Epsilon International Fraternity is aware of the allegations involving the Zeta Zeta Chapter at Louisiana State University and takes them seriously,” Executive Director Turner Spears said in a statement. “We

are currently in the fact-finding phase and are partnered with LSU in the investigative process.” The LSU chapters of the organizations, as well as the national headquarters of FIJI, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The LSU Code of Student Conduct defines hazing as a condition for initiation to or continued membership in a group “regardless of consent” that endangers physical health or safety, causes severe emotional distress, involves alcohol or drug consumption or the consumption of substances “to excess,” among other criteria. Under Louisiana law, committing an act of hazing not causing death can result in six months imprisonment or a $1,000 fine.

ing convicted in the conspiracy and on firearm charges. King was sentenced to 48 months after being convicted of conspiracy to transport a stolen vehicle, altering a vehicle identification number and possessing 15 or more unauthorized access devices. She also was ordered to pay $127,000 in restitution, according to a February news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The latest sentencing brings the case against all four defendants to a close.

to co-defendants Christopher Don Byerley and Adrienne Marie King. Inside the truck, detectives found an unregistered firearm silencer and a 9 mm pistol. Documents, emails, text messages and photos found during the investigation led authorities to uncover the broader conspiracy, according to prosecutors. Byerley was sentenced to 115 Email Dean Boudreaux: dean. months in federal prison after be- boudreaux@theadvocate.com.

BATON ROUGE

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD

ties say are known for promoting prostitution. Detectives said it is common practice for people who own these establishments to force women who perform illicit massages at the business to live at the location and move between locations. Detectives also said the owners of these businesses are known to launder money and hide the proceeds in multiple locations to evade law enforcement. While executing a search warrant in June 2025, deputies found money wrapped in paper towels in a suitcase and a room that looked to be set up as a bedroom. They also found handwritten common phrases in English and Mandarin on the back of a violation notice issued by the city parish. After the search, the city parish issued multiple violation notices for people living in the establishment, not displaying a license, blocking windows and not properly installing electrical equipment. The Louisiana State Fire Marshal Baton Rouge Fire Department issued a cease and desist, stating there were several safety violations, including obstructing exits, not having a sprinkler system and operating without a license. Zou was arrested Tuesday on two counts of engaging in the practice of massage therapy without a license, three counts of pandering and one count of promoting prostitution. She was previously arrested at least two times for prostitution in Lake Charles and Richardson, Texas.

PROVIdEd PHOTO By THE dIOCESE OF LAFAyETTE FACEBOOK

RELICS

If the church determines she lived the Christian values to a heroic deContinued from page 1B gree, she may be declared Venerable, according to the diocese. That is the next major step toward beativessel the church uses to safeguard fication and eventual canonization. and honor the relics of holy men and The diocese called the return women. of relics “a particularly meaningRichard, known in Acadiana as ful homecoming” for Catholics in the “Little Cajun Saint,” was born Acadiana who have prayed for her in 1947 and grew up in the town of cause. It asked people to keep prayRichard. She was diagnosed with ing for the cause. leukemia in 1959 at age 12. The diocese said she offered her Email Dean Boudreaux: dean. suffering and prayers for others in boudreaux@theadvocate.com. her final days. It said devotion to her has spread well beyond Acadiana and that many people have reportLOTTERY ed favors received after praying for her intercession. TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 2026 Bishop Douglas Deshotel opened PICK 3: 5-4-6 Richard’s cause in 2020 and gave PICK 4: 1-0-7-8 her the title Servant of God, accordPICK 5: 1-2-0-8-8 ing to the diocese. It said the diocesan investigation is complete, and MEGA MILLIONS: the cause has entered the Roman 10-15-16-27-64 phase. In that phase, the Vatican’s MEGA BALL: 23 Dicastery for the Causes of Saints studies evidence about her life and Unofficial notification, keep your tickets. virtues.

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Mourning LSU’s lost legends In past two months, school has lost some of its greatest athletic figures

It’s been a tough few months for LSU. No, not the lawsuits and Southeastern Conference rattling sabers about throwing the school out of the league. We’re talking about real life and death stuff. The LSU athletic staff put up composite black and white photos in Tiger Stadium’s press box this season memorializing late former baseball coach and athletic director Skip Bertman, who Scott died Aug. 14, along with Rabalais former football coach and player Jerry Stovall, who died Aug. 31. This past week, they added former basketball great Bob Pettit to the montage. Pettit, who died Sept. 24, was honored with a moment of silence before the LSU-Texas A&M game kicked off. They are not just three significant figures in LSU sports history, but three giants. It gets me a little more at my age, I suppose, because the older I get the more I think of how short life is. For every voice from our youth that’s stilled, it’s a reminder that mortality’s clock ticks for all of us. I often think back to Richard Burton’s line from “The Longest Day,” when his RAF pilot character talks to another pilot about a friend being shot down just before D-Day. “The thing that’s always worried me about being one of the few,” Burton said, “is the way we keep on getting … fewer.” How true that is. Bertman’s influence on LSU athletics has been well documented, though couldn’t be

ä See RABALAIS, page 3C STAFF PHOTO By BRETT dUKE

Saints tight end Noah Fant scores a touchdown in front of Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes during the second half of a game on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.

Tight ends an integral element to Saints’ fast start on offense BY LUKE JOHNSON

Staff writer

For the first 71 offensive plays, the New Orleans Saints tight ends were a driving force against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Starter Juwan Johnson caught eight passes for 53 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Noah Fant, who joined the team as a free agent this offseason, turned his four catches into 33 yards and two more touchdowns. But play No. 72 was the one that lingered. With a little more than a minute remaining and the Saints 60 yards away from a potential game-tying touchdown, Johnson caught a pass in the right flat and lost control of the football when Raiders linebacker Nakobe Dean fought through Johnson’s stiff-arm to force a fumble. Las Vegas recovered the ball and kneeled out the remainder of the clock. It was the last of four consecutive turnovers by the

Saints and a bitter finish to an otherwise excellent performance from Johnson in particular. “I wouldn’t change anything about how I’m playing, but I definitely would change the way I was holding that football,” Johnson said Monday. “I was a little bit careless. Moving forward, just being intentional about securing the ball, falling in love with it, as (receivers coach Keith Washington) would say.” Johnson is hopeful to use the lost fumble as an opportunity to be more “intentional about securing the football.” “It’s not one of those things where I’m like, ‘I don’t know what to do.’ You know exactly what to do,” he said. “… Don’t change the way I play. Just keep playing aggressive.” Through three games, the Saints tight ends mostly have contributed in a positive way. Johnson and Fant have combined to catch six of quarterback Tyler Shough’s eight touchdown passes,

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STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Flowers rest at the base of LSU legend Bob Pettit’s statue outside of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Sunday. Pettit died on Sept. 24.

UL wide receiver Strother Tigers offense thrives puts bad break behind him with first-down chunks BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

Once the spring season ended, it was pretty clear redshirt sophomore Landon Strother had established himself as one of UL’s most reliable wide receivers. Then came the bad break, as in the former St. Thomas More standout suffered a broken collarbone during ä Arkansas August camp. “It was a little challengState at UL 7 P.M. SATURdAy, ing,” said Strother, whose Cajuns (3-1) open Sun Belt ESPN+ play at 7 p.m. Saturday for homecoming against Arkansas State. “It had to be surgically repaired. The trainers and the doctors were a big help getting it fixed. “It’s just tough when something like that takes you away from the sport that you love. It’s hard mentally, but feel like I’ve been pretty upbeat about it. I didn’t get too down.” The other thing Strother didn’t do was check out while waiting to return to action. “I was looking for ways to still help the

BY KOKI RILEY

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

When the LSU offense couldn’t move the ball against Ole Miss in Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford, Mississippi, Brian Kelly knew what the problem was. LSU was facing a host of issues in the first half. Kelly’s former team couldn’t run the ball against Pete Golding’s defense. Quarterback Sam Leavitt wasn’t getting the ball out of his hands quickly. The offensive line was consistently getting beat. But in Kelly’s eyes, the biggest issue LSU and Kiffin faced was none of those things. It was their inability to generate positive plays on first down. “First down is so important for Lane’s offense,” Kelly said in an interview with SiriusXM College Sports Radio. “If first down is not successful, they lose their tempo. It becomes a little bit more difficult. And I thought Pete understood that clearly, and being physical up front.” It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that first-down production is important for an offense. But for Kiffin’s attack, a good

first-down result matters more because it lets his offense go no-huddle and play with tempo, allowing Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. to dictate the game on their terms. “At the end of the day, that’s probably the biggest piece there,” Kelly said. “Offensively at LSU, they couldn’t get in that rhythm.” LSU eventually started playing better on first down as the game wore on, scoring two of its three touchdowns on first down and averaging 5.4 yards per play in those situations by the end of the game, slightly outpacing Ole Miss (5.2 yards). The Tigers’ first-down success in the second half nearly won them the game as they roared back from a 24-7 deficit to tie the score in the fourth quarter. Although LSU eventually lost 32-24, its continued firstdown success the next week against Texas A&M helped earn the Tigers a blowout win over the Aggies.

Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By BRAd KEMP

Cajuns wide receiver Landon Strother runs with the ball after a catch in the first half against Marshall on ä See UL, page 3C Saturday.

ä See LSU, page 3C

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MLB ROUNDUP

Bohm’s homer keeps Phillies alive Rally forces Game 3 against the Braves

Veteran guard Kevin Zeitler is heading home to try to boost the slumping Green Bay Packers offense, which suffered one more setback with the news that wide receiver Jayden Reed will miss the rest of the season. Zeitler is the latest experienced guard to sign with Green Bay as the Packers attempt to strengthen their biggest area of weakness. The Packers also signed Laken Tomlinson to their 53-man roster and added Mekhi Becton. Also Wednesday, the Packers announced Reed would undergo season-ending surgery. He injured his neck in the first quarter against the New York Jets on Sept. 20. Right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele and Reed were carted off the field on consecutive plays, and neither will play again this season.

Panthers put both of their starting cornerbacks on IR

BY CHARLES ODUM AP sportswriter

ATLANTA — Bryce Harper’s misplay in right field put Philadelphia in a hole. His homer an inning later put the Phillies in position for a comeback win that extended their postseason. Alec Bohm put Philadelphia ahead with a two-out homer in the 10th inning, and the Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 on Wednesday to force a decisive third game in their NL Wild Card Series. The Phillies rallied with backto-back homers from Kyle Schwarber and Harper in the eighth after trailing 3-1 in the seventh. Harper’s homer made up for a crucial fielding mistake an inning earlier. “I wasn’t not trying to hit a homer, I can tell you that,” Harper said with a smile. Andrew Painter (1-0), a starter in the regular season, saved the Phillies’ beleaguered bullpen with three scoreless innings to close things out. Painter stranded two runners in the 10th when he struck out Dominic Smith with a successful ABS challenge. Playing under traditional extra-inning rules that don’t include automatic runners at second base like in the regular season, Bohm delivered his third career postseason home run, a 357-foot shot to right field off right-hander Didier Fuentes (0-1). For Bohm, who has faced criticism during a rocky season in which he hit .249 and is facing free agency, the homer may have extended his time with the Phillies. “I’ve been trying not to think about that,” Bohm said. “I really don’t want the season to end.” The Phillies will try to continue their postseason dominance over the Braves in Thursday’s Game 3. Philadelphia beat Atlanta in the 1993 NLCS and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS. In the seventh, Drake Baldwin’s double glanced off Harper’s glove in right field, driving in Sean Murphy to give Atlanta a 2-1 lead. Harper, who resumed playing the outfield late this season for the first time since 2022, got a poor jump and was leaping for the ball near the warning track. He was not charged with an error. Matt Olson added a sacrifice fly. “I didn’t think he hit it very hard,” Harper said. “I thought it was going to be a pop fly just right at me and then it kind of kept traveling. Obviously a ball I should have caught. ... And obviously I was hearing it pretty good from Braves and Phillies fans in the dugout, so got to show up in that situation. “But how quickly can I turn

Packers add to O-line, lose WR Reed for season

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTOS By BRyNN ANdERSON

Philadelphia Phillies infielder Alec Bohm hits a single against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning during Game 2 of a National League Wild Card Series on Wednesday in Atlanta. the page and just get past that moment, knowing that I’m still coming up to the plate to hit and knowing that in the postseason, it doesn’t matter what you did the at-bat before, the inning before. It’s what you do in that moment.” The Phillies pulled even with eighth-inning home runs by Schwarber and Harper off Dylan Lee, the winning pitcher in the Braves’ 5-3 opening win on Tuesday. Schwarber’s drive carried 447 feet and Harper followed with a 418-foot shot. “Some big home runs late by some really good hitters,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “That’s what got us.” Tyler Mahle allowed one run on six hits in seven innings for Atlanta. Cristopher Sánchez allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings for Philadelphia while throwing a career-high 116 pitches. Painter gave up a one-out single to Mauricio Dubón in the 10th, then struck out Austin Riley before giving up a bloop single to Michael Harris II. Painter’s 0-2 fastball to Smith was called inside by plate umpire Adam Beck, but Painter and catcher J.T. Realmuto immediately called for a robo-ump challenge. ABS confirmed the ball clipped the strike zone, the first time a postseason game has ended with a strike-zone appeal. Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. walked, stole second and then stole third with Edmundo Sosa not covering the bag before scoring on Olson’s single in the first. Sánchez didn’t allow another hit until Sean Murphy doubled to center field with one out in the fifth. Mahle kept pace, though he didn’t have a perfect inning until the fifth, when he struck out

The Carolina Panthers placed starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson on injured reserve ahead of Sunday night’s game against the Detroit Lions. Both players are expected to miss roughly eight weeks, Panthers coach Dave Canales said. Horn injured his quadriceps during a 21-18 loss to the Cleveland Browns last weekend while Jackson left with a groin injury. Jackson underwent surgery on Tuesday; Horn will not need surgery. The injuries are particularly concerning given this week’s opponent. The Lions, led by quarterback Jared Goff, rank eighth in the league in passing and third in scoring through three weeks. The good news for the Panthers is they have a bye in Week 5, which would allow the secondary some time to regroup.

Titans QB Ward: Better play will silence critics

Atlanta Braves pitcher dylan Lee throws against the Philadelphia Phillies during Game 2 of a National League Wild Card Series on Wednesday in Atlanta. Schwarber and Harper. Sánchez issued an intentional walk to Acuña with two outs before Baldwin’s grounder to second base ended the inning. Sosa left the game after reaching on an infield single to open the ninth. He appeared to aggravate a leg injury and was replaced by pinch-runner Derek Hill. Phillies manager Don Mattingly said the injury did not appear to be serious. WHITE SOX 7, ASTROS 3: In Houston, the Chicago White Sox used a big first inning and a three-run homer from Chase Meidroth to propel them to a win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday to sweep their AL Wild Card Series. It’s the first time Chicago has won a playoff series since beating Houston in the World Series in 2005. Under the direction of second-year skipper Will Ven-

able and with a letter of support from Pope Leo, the White Sox advanced to face AL Central champion Cleveland in the AL Division Series beginning Saturday in Cleveland. The White Sox, who lost 100 games in each of the last three seasons, are the only team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth. Chicago pounced on the Astros for four runs in the first inning a day after scoring three in the first two innings of a 6-3 win. Houston ace Hunter Brown was lifted after getting just two outs and wasn’t helped by a sloppy defense which committed two first-inning errors. He was 6-0 with a 2.39 ERA in six career starts against the White Sox before Wednesday’s debacle.

Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward said Wednesday that performing on the field will cut out all the social media criticism being thrown at his family in the wake of an 0-3 start. “My family knows the position I’m in,” Ward said. “They’re in this position as well with me.” Criticism grew louder after a 12-7 loss to the New York Giants last week when Ward was intercepted in the end zone, ending the Titans’ chance to eke out their first win. After the game, his sister, Chantel, wrote on social media that seeking out a player’s family to “personally attack them” over a game “is something completely different” from being frustrated with a player or criticizing a play.

Djokovic takes China Open match for 1st win since July

Novak Djokovic maintained his flawless record at the China Open despite needing a medical timeout during his first-round match on Wednesday. The sixth-seeded Djokovic beat Nuno Borges 6-3, 7-6 (2) for his first victory since July 7 in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. The 39-year-old extended his record to 30-0 at the Beijing tournament, which he has won six times, the last in 2015. It was Djokovic’s first match since a first-round loss at the U.S. Open on Aug. 31. He was treated on court at 3-2 down in the second set, but he didn’t appear to be hindered by the undisclosed issue as he saw out his next two service matches to love and played his best tennis after the medical timeout.

MLB attendance rises for 4th straight year Suns forward Brooks faces The Associated Press NEW YORK — Major League Baseball attendance rose for the fourth straight year to 71.75 million, reaching its highest total since 2017, with a boost from the Tampa Bay Rays’ return to Tropicana Field. Teams averaged 29,589 for 2,425 dates, a 0.4% increase from the average of 29,471 last year, when attendance totaled 71.4 million. MLB attendance has risen in four straight seasons for the first time since 2004-07. Thirteen teams had increases and 17 dropped. Tampa Bay had the biggest increase, up 628,255 to 1,414,975

as the Rays won the AL East for the first time since 2021. The Rays spent 2025 at Steinbrenner Field, the New York Yankees’ spring training ballpark, while damage to their stadium from Hurricane Milton was repaired. Steinbrenner Field’s capacity for the Rays was 10,046, and they drew up to 28,055 this year at the Trop. Five clubs topped 3 million, down from six last year and matching 2024. There were eight in 2023. The two-time World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers led the sport with a team-record 4,034,219, an average of 49,805. The Chicago White Sox, who earned an AL wild card this

year by finishing with an 84-78 record following three straight 100-loss seasons, rose 540,687 to 1,986,425. Toronto, coming off an AL pennant in 2025, increased 488,943 to 3,338,878, and Seattle, which came within one win of reaching its first World Series in 2025, rose 345,745 to 2,883,798. The New York Mets, who entered the season with the sport’s highest payroll, had the biggest decline, a 472,450 drop to 2,712,120. The Mets had a 12game losing streak in April and finished last in the NL East for the first time since 2003. Houston fell 255,759 to 2,472,118 despite winning the AL West title — with an 81-81

record that was the poorest for a first-place team. Kansas City dropped 221,703 to 1,527,098 and Arizona, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Colorado and Philadelphia all experienced decreases of 100,000 to 200,000. The Athletics, based for a second season at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California, before a planned move to a new Las Vegas ballpark in 2028, drew a major league-low attendance of 799,240 and average of 9,867. They played six games at Las Vegas Ballpark, another minor league stadium, and averaged 9,983 in West Sacramento and 8,451 in Las Vegas. Miami dropped from 28th to 29th in attendance at 1,231,018.

DUI charge in March arrest

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks has been charged with driving under the influence related to his arrest in March by police in Scottsdale, Arizona. Online court records show that Brooks has a court date on Oct. 28 for the the Class 1 misdemeanor charge. Brooks was arrested during a traffic stop on March 6 at roughly 1 a.m. After an investigation, he was taken to jail. He was released after the booking process around 3:30 a.m. The 30-year-old was out with a fractured left hand at the time. He averaged a career-high 20.2 points per game last season and signed a $73 million, three-year extension during the offseason that will keep him with the team through 2030.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, October 1, 2026 ● 3C

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Beau Chene excelling despite heavy heart Gators mourning two-way starter Solis, 17

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

Beau Chene is 4-0 for the first time since 2016, but it still has been a trying season. On Sept. 19, a day after Beau Chene defeated Port Barre 56-14, Santiago Solis — a two-way starter along the offensive and defensive lines — was involved in a fourwheeler crash. “It was Sunday morning when we found out about the accident,” coach Buck Harris said. “You never want to get one of those texts early morning on something like that. You hear some of the details and you just don’t want to believe it.” Although he didn’t know who was involved in the crash at the time, Gators quarterback Braydon Marks found out about it when a family member reached out to check on him Saturday night. “Saturday, I knew that the accident happened, but we didn’t know who it was,” Marks said. “Sunday, I was at home watching football and enjoying my weekend before school started up again Monday, and I found out it was him. It really was just a big shock.” Five days after the crash on Sept.

24, Solis, 17, died. “When we found out Santiago had passed away, we were at school and coach Buck came to notify all of the players,” Marks said. “He told us we were going to the hospital for the honor walk. We all had to get permission, but it was a crazy, crazy day.” The news hit Gators linebacker Isaiah Cisneros hard. “It was devastating,” he said. “Santiago was a great player. He played both sides of the ball. But he was a great person in general. You could go around him, and he’d feel like your best friend. When we found out, everyone just broke down. It was truly devastating.” Solis’ presence is missing in the locker room as much as on the field. A season that had been filled with hope and optimism suddenly had become about something bigger than football. Prior to its Week 4 homecoming game against Helix Mentorship Academy, a 53-36 win for Beau Chene, the team honored Solis with helmet decals of his initials and No. 56 jersey number along with a moment of silence before kickoff. “Santiago is one of those people who can walk into a room of a

PHOTO By BEAU CHENE HIGH SCHOOL MEdIA dEPARTMENT

Beau Chene junior Santiago Solis, who started on both the Gators’ offensive and defensive lines, died Sept. 24 less than a week after being injured in a four-wheeler accident. bunch of people having a horrible day and he’d put a smile on all of their faces,” Marks said. “He was always positive and willing to do anything for anybody. He was just a great teammate and great friend. It’s a huge loss for us.” The Gators officially had gone 4-34 over the past four years be-

fore opening with four consecutive wins this season. In 2017, the Gators lost their opener and then went on to win four in a row. In 2021, Beau Chene started 3-0 before splitting its next two games. “I’m really pumped because this doesn’t happen very often at Beau Chene,” Cisneros said. “This is big.

This is a lot for us.” “It has been a huge turnaround for us,” Marks said. Although many around the Acadiana area may be surprised by the Gators’ success, Harris and his team are not. They began talking about an undefeated start to the season being a possibility during the summer. “To go 5-0 to start the year was the preseason mini-goal,” said Harris, whose Gators will look to accomplish that feat at 7 p.m. Friday when they travel to play East Beauregard in their final game before beginning district play. “We thought it was doable. The guys put in the work during the summer and in fall camp, and that’s what made it more possible. So, we aren’t surprised because that was the expectation that we set for ourselves.” Doing so without Solis was not part of the equation. “We’re going to bring his jersey everywhere we go,” Cisneros said. “We’re going to pray, pray and pray for him so that he can hear our prayers and be with us on that field.” “Since last week, the team got together and said, ‘This season is dedicated to Santiago,’ ” Marks said. “It’s not about us. It’s not about anybody else. It’s all about him.”

LSU

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT dUKE

Saints tight end Juwan Johnson runs with the ball as Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Hezekiah Masses defends on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C and Johnson ranks among the NFL leaders in receptions (15, fourth), receiving yards (173, sixth) and receiving touchdowns (three, tied first) among tight ends. “Red zone, those two guys and Tyler did a really good job of executing the game plan down there and having those opportunities,” Moore said of the four touchdowns caught by Johnson and Fant against the Raiders. “It’s good execution. A couple of those were contested catches.” Johnson is coming off a career year in which he set personal bests in receptions (77) and receiving yards (889). Through

UL

Continued from page 1C team,” Strother said. “I tried to help the younger guys as much as I could. I took more of a leadership role and tried to be more vocal with all of the guys. “I felt like it was hard, but it was a learning process for me in my leadership role.” Making the entire process even more difficult is redshirt junior wide receiver Shelton Sampson was already injured, so it was an even bigger issue for the Cajuns’ passing game. Strother and Sampson stayed connected during their trials. “We 100% tried to encourage one another,” Strother said. “I think during camp, what we would do was, we would sit together with the play sheet and go through each play, watching these guys. Like I said, both of us being kind of the leaders of this group, we would call guys aside and tell them what we saw. Both of us were still being very locked in mentally to the game.” With the two starting receivers missing extended time, multiple inexperienced players have had

three games, he’s on track to top those numbers. He and Shough briefly were teammates at the University of Oregon and have gotten closer since Shough arrived in New Orleans in 2025. Their connection has paid dividends on the football field, with Johnson hauling in 78.9% of his targets. Johnson also has been a weapon for New Orleans once the ball is in his hands, with 102 of his 173 receiving yards coming after the catch, according to Next Gen Stats. He is clearly the primary receiving threat among the tight ends, but the Saints also have leaned more heavily on the position group as a whole through three weeks. New Orleans has had two or three tight ends on the field for 59 of its 222 offensive snaps this sea-

son (26.6%), according to Sumer Sports. Fant has been a big part of that, playing 47% of the offensive snaps through three weeks. Fant has proven to be a friendly target for Shough. His first touchdown against Las Vegas came near the end of the first half when he used his big frame to box out the defender on a goal-line slant. Then he showed his catch-and-run ability in the third quarter when he caught a pass in the flat and turned upfield for a 16-yard score. The Saints tried to sign Fant in 2025 before he ultimately landed with Cincinnati. “We pushed each other this whole offseason, the whole time he’s been here,” Johnson said of Fant. “It’s why I told him to come here last year, but we’re glad he’s here now. We’re glad he’s doing the things we expect him to do.”

to step up. Strother is especially proud of the progress true freshman Kristion Brooks has made. “I’m most impressed with his work ethic,” Strother said of Brooks. “I feel like me and him have bonded a lot. I’ve been able to kind of take him under my wing. I respect his hustle and his grind. When he first got here during the summer, we were catching jugs every day, no matter what day it was. “I was teaching him a lot of things I knew as I was more experienced in college ball. And I’m super proud of how he’s stepped up on our team. No matter what age you are, you can make plays for this team.” It’s not in Strother’s DNA to just sit around and wait to be healthy again. “I feel like I’m not someone that can just sit back and go through the motions of practice and all this preparation,” Strother said. “I take my preparation very seriously. I do a lot of extra work. I do a lot of film study. And I think all of that hard work just leads up, leading up to the game, all that hard work leading up to the game makes the game-day routine where you can just go out and have fun.” In Strother’s first game back against UAB, the first offensive play

went right to him to get him going. “Yeah, I caught a little crosser and I got hit right on my shoulder,” Strother said with a laugh. “I didn’t feel any pain, so I knew I was good. It felt good to get back in action.” Through two games, Strother is already the second-leading receiver with eight catches for 73 yards behind redshirt freshman Russell Babineaux (12-116, 1 TD). “I feel like we’re starting to click a little bit more,” Strother said. “We started out kind of a little bit slow during camp. We weren’t fully clicking in the pass game, but I feel like each week just working with the quarterbacks and getting everything more precise, better execution. We’re going to see tremendous growth each week.” Strother is also encouraged by the progress of quarterback Lunch Winfield. “He has definitely improved since last year,” Strother said. “I think that just goes to show his work ethic. From last season to now, his biggest thing was just getting more accurate — getting with us, getting the timing down. “As receivers, we need to be in the right spot at the right time. He has definitely improved in the pass game a lot, and it’s going continue to get better and better as we go.”

better defenses on their schedule, such as Alabama, Texas and TenContinued from page 1C nessee? How will Leavitt fare in those matchups? When will star tight end Trey’Dez Green return LSU averaged 8.1 yards per to the offense and boost the passplay on first down last weekend. catching group? LSU won’t answer Kiffin and Weis’ at“To win 35-6 those questions this tack generated 251 week when the Tigers yards on first down and have really host McNeese State, while completing dominating but they hit the road 10 of 14 passes for numbers, 500 twice over the three 154 yards. The Tiyards to 197, weeks after McNeese gers also had seven like I said in the and also host an explofirst-down plays turn into new first first game, when sive Mississippi State team two weeks from downs. those things “To win 35-6 and happen, that’s a Saturday. LSU’s first-down perhave really dominating numbers, lot of people doing formance will dictate things right.” whether Kiffin’s team 500 yards to 197,” can survive a difficult Kiffin said, “like I said in the first LANE KIFFIN, LSU coach final seven games of the year. game, when those “We’ve got seven conthings happen, that’s a lot of people doing things ference games to go, four more road conference games,” Kiffin right.” The Tigers’ first-down success said. “Probably five of the seven over their last six quarters may are ranked (teams).” end unless they clean up certain parts of their attack. Can the of- Email Koki Riley at fensive line hold up against the koki.riley@theadvocate.com.

RABALAIS

Rein in an airplane crash. Rein, by the way, came to LSU from Continued from page 1C North Carolina State, where he was succeeded as head coach by Monte Kiffin — who is current overstated. He dug LSU’s proud LSU coach Lane Kiffin’s father baseball tradition out of the dirt — from 1980-82. Stovall coached the Tigers from 1980-83. of the old Alex Box Stadium, For many modern-day LSU which gave way to the current sports fans, Pettit’s exploits “Box” that has Bertman’s name might be shrouded in the mists on the field. His Tigers won five of time. They shouldn’t be. He College World Series titles in 10 led the Tigers to their first Final years from 1991-2000, setting Four appearance in 1953 as an the stage for LSU to win three All-American before going on to more since. a stellar NBA career. He was the What gets somewhat overleague’s first-ever MVP in 1956 looked is Bertman’s impact as with the St. Louis Hawks and athletic director, a double play led them to the 1958 NBA title. (pardon the baseball pun) that makes him hands down the most He was also league MVP in 1959 influential figure in LSU athletics and was four-time All-Star Game history. Not only did he lead LSU MVP, a distinction matched by to great success from 2001-08 but only Kobe Bryant. When the NBA named its 50th he also insisted on bringing back anniversary team in 1996, Pettit the tradition of LSU playing inwas on it, along with fellow LSU state schools in football. Naismith Memorial Basketball At the time, LSU was playHall of Famers Pete Maravich ing only Tulane, but Bertman and Shaquille O’Neal. Pettit was wanted to keep the guaranteed money LSU was paying noncon- the first former Tiger enshrined in 1971. ference opponents in Louisiana. Monday, we lost another name The tradition started with a from LSU’s past in former men’s game against UL in 2002, the gymnastics coach Armando first non-Tulane school from Vega. Most folks don’t remember Louisiana the Tigers faced LSU had a men’s gymnastics since a game in 1949 against team other than when its alumni Southeastern Louisiana. Like it are honored at sold-out women’s or not, that influence continues meets. But Vega led a strong prowith Saturday’s game in Tiger gram before LSU dropped it in Stadium against McNeese State 1984, producing eight conference (6:45 p.m., SEC Network). Stovall was a brilliantly skilled titles and two NCAA men’s runner-up finishes in 1975 and 1976. athlete. Playing for LSU in the days of two-way football, he was Vega, who competed at Penn State, also represented the U.S. a standout as a halfback, defenin the 1956 and 1964 Olympics. sive back, punter and kick reFinally, I wanted to give a tip turner. He probably should have of the baseball cap to former won the 1962 Heisman Trophy Southern baseball coach Roger over Oregon State quarterback Terry Baker, but there was senti- Cador, who died June 30. Cador played for Southern and coached ment at the time that his chancthe Jaguars for more than 30 es were hurt by the fact that he was playing so close on the heels years, leading them to 14 SWAC titles and 11 NCAA Tournament of LSU’s 1959 Heisman winner appearances. Billy Cannon. Stovall went on to A number of those were in an exemplary NFL career, earning three Pro Bowl nods and one NCAA regionals at LSU, with his Jaguars playing (and occasionAll-Pro selection with the thenally beating) the Tigers every St. Louis Cardinals. year. I like to think he and Skip Stovall also answered the call are somewhere talking baseball when LSU needed him. He took strategy and watching the major over as football coach in 1980 league playoffs right now. after the shocking death of Bo

4C ● Thursday, October 1, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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THE VARSITY ZONE

Eunice’s 4-0 start not as surprising as it may seem Bobcats among several teams having early breakthroughs One of the major themes of the season in Acadiana area high school football is the surprising starts from teams that don’t often grab the headlines. Time will tell how successful these teams will be, but they might as well enjoy it while it’s happening. A year ago, the North Vermilion Patriots were 0-10. Now they’re 4-0. Beau Chene was 1-9 last season and now stands 4-0. Last season, Eunice was 4-6. The Bobcats have already matched that four-win total this season. Delcambre is 4-0 and JS Clark is off to a 3-1 start in its infancy as an LHSAA program. Good for all of those programs. If asked to choose which success story is the least surprising out of that group, Eunice coach Andre Vige said it’s his Bobcats. The Bobcats have a history of success in football, but that tradition slipped to a combined 6-15 record over the past two years. “I kind of figured we’d be pretty good this year,” Vige said. “We were 4-6 last year, but we lost three games by two points or less and we lost one where we were tied in the last minute. So if we were 8-2 and only lost like eight seniors, a lot of people would have been talking about us, but when you were 4-6, you’re able to kind of sneak up on people.” The Bobcats attacked the offseason with a purpose, Vige said.

Kevin Foote “We had a chip on our shoulder,” he said. “We have a good tradition of winning here, but we haven’t ended up at the standard. So yes, we had something to prove this year.” So far, it’s mostly been realized with a balanced rushing attack — led by Malik Thomas (67 carries for 480 yards, nine TDs), Devontre Williams (40-411, four TDs) and Tyler Collins (43-253, two TDs). “We kind of moved some people around to get our three best backs on the field and it’s really worked out for us,” Vige said. Eunice is playing two quarterbacks — Isaiah Joseph and Beau Brown. “We’ve got a little rotation there and they’re getting better every week,” Vige said. The next big step was learning how to win close games after faltering in so many last season. That happened with a Week 2 win against Jennings. “We had a tough one with Jennings and we found a way to win,” Vige said of a 15-12 victory. “I think that was kind of a turning point that they started to believe in themselves.” Friday’s home game against Church Point (3-1) figures to be Eunice’s toughest test so far.

Thursday schedule changes When the week began, there were only two games on the area Thursday schedule. With heavy

rain predicted for the weekend, that has grown to at least five pending late schedule changes. The Thursday slate is led by arguably the premier matchup in the area this week with Cecilia (3-1) traveling to face Notre Dame (4-0). The other four are Acadiana (31) moving its homecoming game against New Iberia to Thursday; Carencro (1-3) going to undefeated Westgate; Elton (3-1) at JS Clark (3-1); and Loreauville (2-2) at Abbeville (2-2).

Best matchups North Vermilion’s 4-0 start figures to get tested Friday when the Patriots travel to meet Erath. The Bobcats are off to a modest 2-2 start but they’re throwing the ball at a high clip behind the arm of Landen DeRouen, who has multiple trusted weapons. Meanwhile, Lafayette High didn’t have enough offense to win at Barbe in a 52-35 loss last week. This week, the Lions face a more physical challenge with a short road trip to St. Thomas More (3-1), fresh off a road win over Acadiana. Probably the biggest showdown on the Week 5 schedule is Lafayette Renaissance (2-2) hosting undefeated Lake Charles College Prep. It’s a rugged challenge for the Tigers, but keep in mind Lafayette Renaissance has already played state powers Karr and John Curtis. Lastly, the sneaky good game of the week could take place in Abbeville in a battle of 2-2 teams between the Wildcats and Loreauville. Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.

PREP REPORT Football All games at 7 p.m.

Thursday’s games Cecilia (3-1) at Notre Dame (4-0) New Iberia (1-3) at Acadiana (3-1) Carencro (1-3) at Westgate (4-0) Loreauville (2-2) at Abbeville (2-2) Elton (3-1) at JS Clark (3-1)

Friday’s games

Lafayette (3-1) at St. Thomas More (3-1) Southside (2-2) at Sam Houston (1-3) Northside (0-4) at St. Martinville (2-2) University Lab (2-2) at Teurlings (0-4) Lafayette Christian (3-1) at Opelousas (3-1) Lake Charles Prep (4-0) at Lafayette Renaissance (2-2) Centerville (2-2) at Ascension Episcopal (2-2) North Vermilion (4-0) at Erath (2-2) Mamou (2-2) at Rayne (1-3) Acadiana Renaissance (1-3) at Breaux Bridge (0-4) Beau Chene (4-0) at East Beauregard (2-2) Church Point (3-1) at Eunice (4-0) Ville Platte (0-4) at Crowley (1-3) Iota (1-3) at Northwest (2-2) St. Louis (1-3) at Kaplan (3-1) Catholic-PC (3-1) at Catholic-NI (2-2) Oakdale (1-3) at Delcambre (4-0) St. Edmund (2-2) at North Central (3-1) Opelousas Catholic (1-3) at Westminster (1-3) Jeanerette (1-2) at Hanson (2-2) Westminster-Lafayette (4-0) at Vermilion Catholic (0-4)

Volleyball Tuesday’s results Lafayette High def. Rayne 3-0 Lafayette Renaissance def. Westgate 3-0 St. Thomas More def. Carencro 3-0 Cecilia def. David Thibodaux 3-0 Beau Chene def. Acadiana Renaissance 3-2 North Vermilion def. Breaux Bridge 3-0 Acadiana def. St. Edmund 3-0 Catholic-NI def. Lafayette Christian 3-2 New Iberia def. Church Point 3-2 LaGrange def. St. Martinville 3-2

Opelousas def. Northwest 3-1 Barbe def. Northside Christian 3-0 Highland Baptist def. Loreauville 3-1 ESA def. Ascension Catholic 3-2 Acadiana Christian def. Franklin 3-0 Carencro def. LaGrange 3-1 Leesville def. Eunice 3-0 North Vermilion def. Delcambre 3-0 Notre Dame def. Delcambre 3-0 Beau Chene def. Opelousas Catholic 3-0 Westgate def. Northside Christian 3-0 Highland Baptist vs. Westgate 3-0 Acadiana Renaissance def. Ascension Episcopal, 3-1 CATHOLIC-NEW IBERIA DEF. LAFAYETTE CHRISTIAN 3-2 (25-22, 25-18, 23-25, 20-25, 15-13) CHNI: Amelia Trappey 18 kills, 5 aces, 20 digs, 2 assists; Mackenzie Batiste 15 kills, 20 assists, 15 digs; Charlotte Shea 10 kills, 6 digs, 1 assist; Renee Frederick 21 assists, 3 kills, 15 digs, 3 aces; Addisyn DeRouen 21 digs, 1 ace. Record: CHNI 13-1. NORTH VERMILION DEF. DELCAMBRE 3-0 (2514, 25-10, 25-18) NVHS: Ashante Rose 11 kills, 3 digs; Kaitlyn Hargrave 7 kills, 1 dig; Annalise Marix 8 Assists, 1 Aces 1 kill; Ellie Martin 2 kills, 4 Aces, 1 dig; Londyn LeBlanc 2 blocks, 2 kills; Gabby Caruso 7 assists; Chloe LeBlanc 4 kills; Charli Knickerbocker 1 ace; Kyla Landry 6 digs, 2 assists, 2 Aces. Record: North Vermilion 8-3. LAFAYETTE DEF. RAYNE 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-23) LAF: Alex Beairsto 10 kills, 5 aces, 8 digs; Ella Larpenteur 7 kills, 16 assists, 13 digs; Adeline Bobo 6 kills, 4 digs; Chloe Vice 6 kills, 4 solo blocks; Brae’ona Smith 16 digs.

Thursday’s matches Acadiana at Centerville, Sulphur at Southside, Episcopal of Acadiana at St. Martinville, North Central at Northwest, Sacred Heart at Opelousas Catholic, Northside at Jennings, Carencro at Acadiana Renaissance, Teurlings at Beau Chene, Lafayette Renaissance at Cecilia, David Thibodaux at Westgate, Sam Houston at St. Thomas More.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRAd KEMP

Notre dame running back Braxton Meche stiff-arms Teurlings Catholic defender Carson LeBlanc on Sept. 18 at Teurlings. The unbeaten Pios host 3-1 Cecilia on Thursday night.

SCOREBOARD Holes-in-one Andy Barker Course: University Club Hole, yardage: No. 16, 99 yards Club selection: approach wedge Witnesses: Karl Watlington, Brad Bourg, Bryan Lindsay, Kevin Reed

Drew Cavell

Course: University Club Hole, yardage: No. 5, 145 yards Club selection: 9-iron Witnesses: Bill Firnberg, Mark Pankey

Odds Thursday

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

Sunday

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

Monday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at NEW ORL. 2½ 2½ (47½) Atlanta

College football

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

Friday

UNDERDOG WKU N. Texas

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Liberty 6½ 7½ (50½) at DELAWARE at VA. TECH 5½ 3½ (55½) Pittsburgh Penn State 7 2½ (45½) at N’WESTERN

Saturday

20½ 20½ (51½) 48½ 52½ (61½) 5½ 6½ (47½) 23½ 24½ (56½) 1½ 2½ (45½) 4½ 4½ (49½) 3½ 4½ (60½) 8½ 7 (55½)

Utah State McNeese Ark. State at RUTGERS Fresno State Baylor at S.D. ST. Cincinnati

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Alabama 3 5½ (60½) at MISS. ST. Syracuse 7½ 6½ (50½) at UCONN at AIR FORCE 1½ 3 (46½) Navy Notre Dame 23½ 21 (47½) at N. CARO. at SMU 20½ 21 (55½) B. College at KANSAS 21½ 18½ (49½) M. Tennessee at IOWA ST. 1½ 3½ (53½) West Virginia at HOUSTON 11½ 12½ (51½) UCF Michigan 8½ 5½ (43½) at MINN. at WAKE FOR. 11½ 12½ (53½) Stanford at WISCONSIN 9½ 10 (43½) Mich. State at GEORGIA 23½ 24½ (51½) Vanderbilt W. Michigan 16½ 13½ (46½) at BUFFALO Toledo 13½ 19½ (52½) at BALL ST. at UNLV 1½ 2½ (53½) Cal Ohio State 14 14½ (45½) at IOWA at GEORGIA ST. 1½ 2½ (51½) Old Dominion at N.D. ST. 21 18½ (45½) Wyoming Memphis 22½ 20½ (53½) at CHARLOTTE Virginia 1½ 2½ (51½) at FLA. ST. at MIAMI (OH) 15½ 13½ (43½) Bowl. Green at TENNESSEE 7½ 7 (54½) Auburn at C. MICH. 5½ 6½ (47½) Akron Louisville 7½ 3½ (58½) at NC ST. at UMASS 2½ 6½ (49½) E. Michigan Ohio 3½ 3½ (50½) at KENT ST. Florida 2½ 4½ (57½) at MISSOURI at UAB 30½ 30½ (50½) Samford at J. MADISON 14½ 18½ (56½) Marshall at NEBRASKA 11½ 14½ (52½) Maryland UTEP at NEW MEXICO 21½ 22½ (48½) at S. CAROLINA 7 2½ (53½) Kentucky Purdue at ILLINOIS 9½ 9½ (62½) at FAU 40½ 44½ (61½) Texas Sou. 5½ 6½ (62½) at COLO. ST. Oregon State at TEXAS A&M 15½ 14 (50½) Arkansas Ga. Southern 1½ 2½ (54½) at C. CARO. UTSA 10½ 11½ (56½) at RICE BYU 5½ 6½ (47½) at TCU at S. ALABAMA 15½ 14 (57½) UL-Monroe at USC 10 9½ (58½) Washington Army 3½ 2½ (47½) at LA. TECH at S, FLORIDA 6½ 6½ (48½) Temple Texas Tech 15½ 12½ (50½) at COLORADO Miami (Fla.) 7 16½ (48½) at CLEMSON

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.

College football

Monday’s game

Thursday’s games

Pro basketball

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

North Texas (2-2) at Tulsa (3-1), 8 p.m. W. Kentucky (1-3) at New Mexico St. (1-3), 7 p.m.

Friday’s games

NFL

Thursday

at BOISE ST. at LSU at UL Indiana at WASH. ST. at ARIZONA ST. Texas State at ARIZONA

WNBA playoff glance (x-if necessary)

First round

Liberty (3-1) at Delaware (2-2), 6 p.m. Pittsburgh (4-0) at Virginia Tech (4-0), 6 p.m. Penn St. (3-1) at Northwestern (2-1), 7 p.m. Montana St. (5-0) at Idaho (0-4), 9:30 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 (2-3), 6 p.m. UL-Monroe (0-4) at South Alabama (2-2), 6 p.m. Northwestern St. (0-5) at Lamar (3-1), 6 p.m. Nicholls (2-3) at Houston Christian (2-3), 6 p.m. Army (2-1) at Louisiana Tech (1-2), 6:30 p.m. McNeese St. (2-3) at LSU (3-1), 6:45 p.m. Arkansas St. (2-2) at UL (3-1), 7 p.m. Idle: Southeastern Louisiana, Tulane

Pro football

(Best-of-3)

New York 2, Minnesota 0

Sunday: New York 91, Minnesota 75 Tuesday: New York 87, Minnesota 71

Golden State 1, Dallas 0

Sunday: Golden State 104, Dallas 80 Wednesday: Golden State at Dallas, n x-Friday, October 2: Dallas at Golden State, TBA

Las Vegas 1, Indiana 1

Sunday: Las Vegas 102, Indiana 85 Tuesday: Indiana 99, Las Vegas 89 Thursday: Indiana at Las Vegas, 8 p.m.

Atlanta 1, Washington 0

Sunday: Atlanta 92, Washington 77 Wednesday: Atlanta at Washington, n x-Friday: Washington at Atlanta, TBA

NFL glance

Major League Baseball

AFC

Wild-card series

East

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

W 3 1 1 0

L 0 2 2 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct 1.000 .333 .333 .000

PF PA 101 78 64 61 36 51 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 2 2 2

L 1 1 1 1

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .667 .667 .667 .667

PF PA 53 60 92 78 54 71 80 63

W 3 3 2 0

L 0 0 1 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct 1.000 1.000 .667 .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 0 0 0 0

Pct 1.000 .667 .667 .333

PF PA 71 41 93 95 89 53 56 91

W 3 2 1 1

L 0 1 2 2

T 0 0 0 0

Pct 1.000 .667 .333 .333

PF PA 98 50 75 50 61 63 63 81

NFC East

Philadelphia N.Y. Giants Dallas Washington South Carolina New Orleans Atlanta Tampa Bay North Minnesota Detroit Chicago Green Bay West San Francisco Seattle L.A. Rams Arizona

Thursday’s game

Pittsburgh at Cleveland, 7:15 p.m.

Sunday’s games

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

(Best-of-3)

American League

CHICAGO WHITE SOX 2, HOUSTON 0 Tuesday: Chicago 6, Houston 3 Wednesday: Chicago 7, Houston 3 NEW YORK 1, BOSTON 0 Tuesday: New York 9, Boston 0 Wednesday: Boston (Gray 18-5) at New York (Fried 5-5), n x-Thursday: Boston (Suarez 8-5) at New York (Cole 10-9), 7 p.m.

National League

ATLANTA 1, PHILADELPHIA 1 Tuesday: Atlanta 5, Philadelphia 3 Wednesday: Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 3, 10 innings Thursday: Philadelphia at Atlanta, 1 p.m. SAN DIEGO 1, CHICAGO CUBS 0 Tuesday: San Diego 8, Chicago 0 Wednesday: Chicago (Gausman 9-12) at San Diego (Pivetta 3-2), n x-Thursday: Chicago at San Diego, 9 p.m.

Wednesday’s summaries Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 3

Philadelphia Atlanta ab r hbi ab r hbi Turner ss 5 1 1 0 Acuña rf 3 1 00 Schwrbr dh 5 1 1 1 Baldwin dh 5 0 21 Harper rf-1b 5 1 2 2 Albies 2b 4 0 10 Bohm 1b-3b 4 1 2 1 Olson 1b 4 0 12 Stott 2b 5 0 1 0 Dubón lf-ss 5 0 20 Marsh lf 3 0 1 0 Riley 3b 4 0 10 De La Crz lf 2 0 1 0 Harris cf 5 0 10 Sosa 3b 4 0 1 0 Murphy c 3 1 10 Hill pr-rf 1 0 0 0 Smith ph 1 0 00 Crawford cf 4 0 1 0 Kim ss 1 1 00 Realmuto c 4 0 1 0 Ystrzemski lf 1 0 0 0 Totals 42 412 4 Totals 36 3 9 3 Philadelphia 100 000 020 1 — 4 Atlanta 100 000 200 0 — 3 DP — Philadelphia 2, Atlanta 0. LOB — Philadelphia 9, Atlanta 11. 2B — Turner (1), Murphy (1), Baldwin (1). HR — Schwarber (1), Harper (1), Bohm (1). SB — Acuña 2 (0). SF — Olson (1). S — Kim (1). IP H R ER BB SO Philadelphia 3 5 6 Sánchez 62⁄3 6 3 1 ⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 McFarlane Painter W,1-0 3 3 0 0 1 3 Atlanta Mahle 7 6 1 1 1 6 2 ⁄3 2 2 2 0 1 Lee BS,0-0 Iglesias 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 Fuentes L,0-0 11⁄3 3 1 Iglesias pitched to 3 batters in the 9th. ABS Challenge — Mahle (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Mahle (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Sánchez (Ball-Overturned to Strike);

Sánchez (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Murphy (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Sánchez (Ball-Confirmed); Riley (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Acuña (Strike-Confirmed); Olson (Strike-Confirmed); Painter (Ball-Overturned to Strike). Pitch timer violations — Sánchez (pitcher). Umpires — Home, Adam Beck; First, Mark Ripperger; Second, Jordan Baker; Third, Nestor Ceja; Right, Dan Merzel; Left, Charlie Ramos. T — 3:03. A — 37,150 (41,149).

Late Tuesday summaries N.Y. Yankees 9, Boston 0 Boston

New York ab r hbi ab r hbi Anthony dh 2 0 0 0 Gldschdt 1b 3 1 00 Monstrio dh 2 0 0 0 Rice dh 5 2 46 Rutschman c4 0 1 0 Ramos rf 3 0 00 Contreras 1b4 0 0 0 García ph 1 0 00 Abreu rf 3 0 1 0 Grisham cf 1 0 00 Rafaela cf 3 0 0 0 Bellinger lf 4 0 10 Sogard 2b 3 0 0 0 Lombard ss 4 2 30 Duran lf 2 0 0 0 Rosario 3b 1 0 00 Story ss 3 0 1 0 McMahon 3b 1 1 0 0 Durbin 3b 3 0 0 0 Volpe 2b 3 0 10 S.Jones cf-rf 3 2 10 Wells c 3 1 22 Totals 29 0 3 0 Totals 32 912 8 Boston 000 000 000 — 0 New York 010 010 25x — 9 DP — Boston 2, New York 1. LOB — Boston 3, New York 6. 2B — Story (1), Rice (1). HR — Rice 2 (2). SF — Wells (1). S — Volpe (1). IP H R ER BB SO Boston 1 1 4 Tolle L,0-1 4 2⁄3 5 1 1 Miller ⁄3 2 1 1 0 0 Weissert 1 0 0 0 0 0 Gamboa 0 3 2 2 1 0 Olds 1 1⁄3 1 3 3 2 0 2 Bello ⁄3 1 2 2 1 0 New York 1 Schlittler W,1-0 6 ⁄3 2 0 0 1 10 Blackburn H,1 1 2⁄3 1 0 0 0 0 Schreiber 1 0 0 0 0 1 Gamboa pitched to 4 batters in the 7th. ABS Challenge — Abreu (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Tolle (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Olds (Ball-Confirmed). Umpires — Home, Nate Tomlinson; First, Scott Barry; Second, John Libka; Third, Mark Wegner; Right, Emil Jimenez; Left, John Tumpane. T — 3:01. A — 48,437 (47,309).

San Diego 8, Chicago Cubs 0 Chicago

San Diego ab r hbi ab r hbi Crw-Arm. cf 3 0 0 0 Tatis rf 3 3 21 Bregman dh 4 0 0 0 S.Taylor lf 2 0 00 Busch 1b 3 0 0 0 Harris ph-lf 2 0 10 Suzuki rf 3 0 1 0 Bowen lf 0 0 00 Happ lf 3 0 0 0 Machado 3b 3 2 2 2 Hoerner 2b 4 0 2 0 France 1b 4 1 20 Ramirez 3b 4 0 0 0 Merrill cf 4 0 22 Kelly c 3 0 0 0 Hays dh 4 0 00 Conforto ph 1 0 0 0 Bogaerts ss 4 1 21 Swanson ss 3 0 0 0 Crnnwrth 2b 4 0 1 0 Campusano c 4 1 1 0 Totals 31 0 3 0 Totals 34 813 6 Chicago 000 000 000 — 0 San Diego 201 130 10x — 8 E — Kelly (1), Bogaerts (1). DP — Chicago 2, San Diego 0. LOB — Chicago 8, San Diego 4. 2B — Machado (1). HR — Tatis (1), Machado (1), Bogaerts (1). SB — Crow-Armstrong (1). IP H R ER BB SO Chicago Boyd L,0-1 4 5 4 4 1 4 2 Assad ⁄3 2 3 2 1 1 Rolison 1 1 0 0 0 2 Civale 1 3 1 1 0 0 Webb 11⁄3 2 0 0 0 0 San Diego King W,1-0 7 1 0 0 3 8 Matsui 1 0 0 0 0 1 Musgrove 1 2 0 0 1 2 Rolison pitched to 2 batters in the 6th, Civale pitched to 4 batters in the 7th. ABS Challenge — Boyd (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Hays (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Civale (Ball-Confirmed); Machado (StrikeConfirmed); Busch (Strike-Confirmed). Umpires — Home, Ramon De Jesus; First, Erich Bacchus; Second, Chad Fairchild; Third, Bill Miller; Right, Clint Vondrak; Left, Rob Drake. T — 2:40. A — 47,084 (40,222).

Pro hockey NHL glance Tuesday’s games Florida 1, Carolina 0, OT Montreal 3, Toronto 2 Boston 3, N.Y. Rangers 0 Vancouver 6, Edmonton 5, OT Vegas 5, Chicago 2

Wednesday’s games N.Y. Islanders at Toronto, 6:30 p.m. Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 6:30 p.m. Los Angeles at Colorado, 9 p.m.

Thursday’s games Buffalo at Columbus, 6 p.m. Philadelphia at New Jersey, 6 p.m. Tampa Bay at N.Y. Rangers, 6 p.m. Minnesota at Nashville, 7 p.m. Seattle at Calgary, 8 p.m. Chicago at Utah, 8:30 p.m. Edmonton at Vancouver, 9 p.m. Florida at San Jose, 9 p.m.

Transactions BASEBALL

Major League Baseball American League BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Agreed to terms with RHP Jackson Rees on a minor league contract.

BASKETBALL

NBA NEW YORK KNICKS — Signed G Jaden Akins to a two-way contract.

FOOTBALL

NFL BALTIMORE RAVENS — Signed S K’Von Wallace from the practice squad to the active roster. Signed C Andre James and G Kyle Hergel to the practice squad. BUFFALO BILLS — Re-signed DL Phidarian Mathis to the practice squad. CAROLINA PANTHERS — Placed CB Jaycee Horn and CB Michael Jackson on injured reserve. DALLAS COWBOYS — Signed DT Elijah Garcia from the practice squad to the active roster. Placed S Jalen Thompson and DT Jonathan Bullard on injured reserve. Signed DB Alex Austin, DB Tyrek Funderburk and DB Juanyeh Thomas to the practice squad. DETROIT LIONS — Signed LB Amen Ogbongbemiga from the practice squad to the active roster. Signed WR Lawrence Keys to the practice squad. HOUSTON TEXANS — Placed DL Mario Edwards on injured reserve. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS — Signed RB Owen Wright to the practice squad. MIAMI DOLPHINS — Re-signed DL Keith Cooper Jr. to the practice squad. MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Signed P Johnny Hekker, RB Audric Estime, RB Devin Neal, OLB Keshawn Banks and G Josh Priebe to the practice squad. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS — Signed LB Jimmy Ciarlo to the practice squad. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS — Placed WR Jalen McMillan on injured reserve.

HOCKEY

NHL ANAHEIM DUCKS — Reassigned C Roger McQueen and C Cruz Lucius to San Diego (AHL). Recalled D Noah Warren, D Ian Mitchell and D Tristan Luneau from San Diego. Placed D Drew Helleson on injured reserve. Moved RW Troy Terry from the non-roster list to long-term injured reserve. CAROLINA HURRICANES — Placed G Cayden Primeau on waivers. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS — Reinstated C Blake Lizotte from injured reserve. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS — Moved C Max Domi from the non-roster list to long-term injured reserve. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS — Signed C William Karlsson to a two-year contract.

LIVING

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

|

T h u r s d ay, O c T O b e r 1, 2026

5cN

CULINARY CENTER, CHEF’S CLASS SERVE UP INSPIRATION

No strict recipe for seasonal fruit crostini

I

recently toured Nunez Community College’s Culinary Research Center in Chalmette, which has a vast selection of cookbooks, menus, restaurant relics and cooking ephemera. The culinary arts students at Nunez are fortunate to have a research center on-site for their studies. The center is Liz Faul also a great resource for food writers far and wide who can use this treasure trove of cooking history for research or to inspire new thoughts on the history of cooking. As I walked through the center and saw the vast amount of cookbooks, I was struck by how important home cooking is to our cultural history. I picked up a little cookbook that was published by the General Electric Company in the 1920s called “The Electric Refrigerator Recipe and Menus” to help “the modern American homemaker.” This little historical document was just one of the many rare relics that reveal foundational texts to our modern culinary history. I also learned that the culinary arts program offers public cooking classes with local chefs. The day I was there, I was delighted that chef Andrea Apuzzo — of the acclaimed Andrea’s Restaurant in Metairie — was also there. After 37 years, Apuzzo closed his restaurant in 2022, but his recipes can still be

BY STEF FERRARI Voracious

You don’t need a recipe to make this seasonal fruit crostini with ricotta and honey. Instead, you need to trust your instincts. Choose any seasonal fruit to pair with fresh ricotta, quality honey and optional crunchy bits or herbs. Some of my favorite fruits for the crostini include cherries, figs, pears and peaches. To make it, toast baguette slices brushed with olive oil and then spread them with ricotta. Then adopt a flexible formula for topping it with fruit, drizzling with honey, and adding any extras like nuts or herbs. Like so many preparations in this cookbook, “Stuzzichini,” and in Italian food in general, it’s almost impossible to call this a recipe. Instead, it’s an act of trust: You must trust that whatever fruit you choose will pair perfectly with fresh ricotta, good-quality honey, and your choice of crunchy bits and/or herbs and/or spices, as long as it’s done with intention and care. You must trust nature, and your intuition. Some of my favorite seasonal fruits to use include rotund red cherries, juicy figs, buttery pears and tart peaches, but keep an eye out at the market and an open mind, and I have faith the formula will always deliver. I use the following as a good starting point per slice: 1 to 2 tablespoons ricotta, 2 teaspoons honey, ¼ cup fruit.

VORACIOUS/ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By dEEPI AHLUWALIA

Crostini di Frutta di Stagione, Ricotta, & Miele (Crostini with Seasonal Fruit, Ricotta and Honey) Recipe is excerpted from “Stuzzichini” by Stef Ferrari. Baguette, sliced on a bias Extra-virgin olive oil Whole-milk ricotta Seasonal fruit (cherries, pears, peaches, apples, figs, oranges) cleaned and pitted, cut to your preference Honey Nuts, fresh-cracked black pepper, fresh herbs, grated citrus zest, prosciutto (optional) 1. Brush the baguette slices with oil and toast on a sheet pan in a 375 F oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely. 2. Spread the ricotta evenly across the slices. Arrange the fruit on each slice and drizzle with honey. Add any optional toppings and serve.

ä See INSPIRATION, page 6C

Red Snapper Palermitana (Palermo style fish) Serves 4. This recipe is adapted from a recipe presented by Chef Andreas Apuzzo at a cooking demonstration at Nunez Community College’s Culinary Arts Program on Sept. 10. BREADED FISH: 4 red snapper filets (or substitute puppy drum, tilapia, cod filets) Salt and pepper to taste 2 eggs 1 tablespoon water ½ cup flour 1 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs 4 ounces olive oil PALERMITANA SAUCE: 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ white onion, finely diced 1-2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

6 ounces dry white wine 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce A few dashes of Tabasco, to taste ½ cup fresh lemon juice 1 ounce anchovy filets 3 ounces capers 1 can baby artichoke packed in water, drained 2 cups white mushrooms, sliced 6 ounces of butter 1 small bunch of Italian parsley, finely chopped

1. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 2. Line up three shallow bowls on the counter. In one bowl, add the eggs and water and whisk together to make an egg wash for the fish filets. Then add the flour to the second bowl. And finally, add the breadcrumbs to the third bowl. 3. To prepare the fish: Begin by dredging each fish filet with a very light coating of flour. Then place the lightly floured fish filet in the eggwash so that the final coating of the breadcrumbs will stick to the filets. 4. In a heavy cast-iron pan

over medium-high heat, add the olive oil until hot, then gently place the breaded fish filets in the hot oil. Saute the fish until golden brown, being careful not to overcook the fish. Once both sides of the fish are golden brown, place them on a cookie sheet to warm in the oven for 5 minutes. 5. Prepare the Palermitana Sauce: Carefully clean the oil from the pan and start the sauce with a clean pan. Put the pan over mediumhigh heat and add the olive oil. Once the pan is heated, add the onions and saute. Add the garlic, but be careful not to let it brown. Add

the wine, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and lemon juice. Stir the flavors together. Add the chopped anchovies and capers and stir. Then add the baby artichokes, sliced mushrooms. Let simmer. 6. Finish the sauce: Turn the heat to low, then whisk in the butter until smooth and stir it into the sauce. Add the chopped parsley. Turn off the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. CHEF’S NOTE: The anchovies melt into the sauce, adding savory depth and a salty taste, so limit the addition of extra salt.

Double-fried chicken brings flavor and crispiness SesameCumin Chicken, RECIPE 6C

VORACIOUS/ AP PHOTO By BETTy LIU

BY BETTY LIU Voracious

I have a chapter on “frying” in my latest cookbook, “The Chinese Way.” For deep-frying, use a thermometer to ensure the oil is between 350 F and 375 F. A double-fry method is often used, especially for chicken, shrimp and fish steaks. The first fry seals in juices, while the second

enhances crispiness. This recipe for Sesame-Cumin Chicken includes a marinade with scallions, garlic and wine. The chicken is coated with a mixture of sesame seeds, potato starch and cumin, then fried twice for a crispy finish. I suggests serving the dish with a lemon mayonnaise. Deep-fry (zhà), a well-known

ä See CHICKEN, page 6C

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Exercising can lift a bad mood

PHOTO By LIZ FAUL

Mise en place for Red Snapper Palermitana

eventually decide to do Dear Heloise: Can exercise more vigorous exercise. — lift our moods and help with stress? — Irene K., in Hills- Heloise boro, Oregon Handy gifts Irene, yes, exercise can improve Dear Heloise: My our moods and husband and I were reduce stress by approved for the improving sleep, readoption of the cutlieving muscle tenest little boy. He’s 2 Hints from years old and just sion, and affecting Heloise as darling as can be. brain chemicals. My sister decided Exercise is actually very simple, and you don’t to throw a shower for me, and all the people we knew have to go to a gym. A brisk walk anywhere from came. It was a total sur20-30 minutes a day can prise to me, but I was so help chase away depreslucky to receive so many wonderful things for my sion, especially if you can new son. find a walking partner. Among these gifts was Look for someone who a first-aid kit. At first, I can motivate you to keep thought it was a little odd, going! Or if you’d rather but believe me, it came in walk alone, try using handy when he fell down headphones with music. and got a tiny cut on his You’ll also feel better and knee. With a healthy, enbecome more toned if you

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes 1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. On a cutting board, cut each small golden potato into four pieces, then transfer the cut potatoes into a large bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes. Add the salt, pepper and freshly

Recipe is by Liz Faul. 1 pound golden potatoes (cut into quarters) 1-2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt I teaspoon freshly grated pepper 1-2 tablespoons fresh rosemary finely chopped

chopped rosemary to the oily potatoes. Toss the potatoes well so that they are coated with oil and herbs. 3. Spread the potatoes evenly on the prepared baking sheet and place them in the oven to bake until they are golden brown, or about 25-35 minutes.

Lemony Steamed Baby Broccoli Makes 4 servings. Recipe is by Liz Faul. 1 pound fresh baby broccoli florets 4 ounces of water 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lemon (zest and juiced) 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper

INSPIRATION Continued from page 5C

found in his cookbook, “La Cucina di Andrea’s New Orleans: Recipes from one of America’s best Northern Italian Restaurants.” In the words of prolific New Orleans restaurant critic Tom Fitzmorris, who wrote the introduction to this cookbook, New Orleanians “took to Andrea’s like crawfish to soft mud.” Apuzzo demonstrated how to cook his dish called Red Snapper Palermitana, or red snapper Palermostyle. He also shared health tips like avoiding oversalting your food and a fun tip on how to add lemon juice to the pan with white mushrooms to “keep the mushrooms light.” Apuzzo talked about his love of cooking as the room filled with the aroma

1. In a pot with a secure cover, turn the heat to medium-high, add the water and the broccoli florets. Cover the pot, and allow the broccoli to steam until they are tender but still crisp. Remove the broccoli florets from the

pan with a slotted spoon. 2. Place the broccoli into a bowl. Drizzle the broccoli with olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Finish with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the broccoli in the lemon juice and olive oil, and serve.

kiss, Mama Mia!” Finally, Apuzzo told the culinary students, “cooking is my passion … and when you cook, you have to share.” As an avid home cook that loves to share meals with family, friends and neighbors, I understand that sharing food is a major motivation in deciding to cook a nice meal. I left this cooking demonstration hungry and eager to cook Red Snapper Palermitana. I drove directly to the seafood market and bought fresh red drum filets. To PHOTO By LIZ FAUL avoid overcooking the tender fish filets, I lightly Chef Andreas Apuzzo coated the filets with flour, demonstrates how to cook then soaked the fish filets his dish called ‘Red Snapper in an egg wash and coated Palermitana,’ or red snapper the fish with breadcrumbs. If you can’t find fresh fish, Palermo-style. this dish would work well with chicken cutlets, too. of onions browning in the I served this breaded fish pan. When the chef tasted dish with rosemary roasted his cooking creation, he potatoes and a side of lemsaid with his Italian accent and hand gesture, “Chef’s ony steamed broccoli.

Sesame-Cumin Chicken Serves 4. Recipe is excerpted from “The Chinese Way” by Betty Liu. marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. 3. An hour before cooking, remove the chicken from the fridge and bring to room temperature. 4, Meanwhile, make the breading: Crush the sesame seeds with the sugar with a mortar and pestle, or pulse in a food processor, until a coarse powder forms. Mix the sesame seed mixture with the potato starch and cumin in a shallow bowl. Set aside. 5. Make the cumin salt: Stir together and set aside. 6. Make the lemon mayo, if using: Combine the mayo, lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. 7. Fry the chicken: Heat 2 inches neutral oil to 335 F in a large, deep, heavy pot. Set 1. Marinate the chicken: a wire cooling rack inside Cut the chicken into 1½- to a baking sheet, and line a 2-inch chunks. large plate with a few lay2. Combine the scallions, ers of paper towels. Prepare garlic, ginger, salt, white another one for after frying. pepper, Shaoxing wine, sesa8. Working in batches, reme oil and soy sauce in a me- move chicken from maridium bowl. Add the chicken nade, letting any liquid drip and toss to coat. Cover and off each piece, and place the

2 scallions, roughly chopped 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed 2 teaspoons grated ginger 1 teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 1½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs ¼ cup white sesame seeds 2 tablespoons sugar ¾ cup potato starch 1 teaspoon ground cumin CUMIN SALT: ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ½ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika LEMON MAYONNAISE: ¼ cup Kewpie mayonnaise Juice of 1 lemon 1 garlic clove, minced Neutral oil, for frying

CHICKEN

Continued from page 5C technique where the food is fried in a pool of hot oil, which both cooks it and

creates a crispy exterior, is used throughout the “frying” chapter in my cookbook “The Chinese Way.” When deep-frying, I use a thermometer, aiming for 350 F to 375 F. Another way to gauge the temperature is

chicken in breading mix. Flip to coat thoroughly in the breading, then set on first prepared wire rack. 9. When oil reaches 335 F, gently coat the chicken with more breading mixture, then carefully slip it into the hot oil. Fry for 90 seconds or until the chicken is pale golden and slightly puffy, then transfer to the second wire rack using a slotted spoon. 10. Repeat the breading and frying process with the remaining chicken, allowing the oil to reach 335 F between batches and using a slotted spoon to remove any loose breading from the oil. 11. Once the initial frying is complete, increase the oil temperature to 350 F. Fry each batch again for 3 to 5 minutes, gently turning occasionally, until the chicken is evenly golden brown and has an internal temperature of at least 165 F. 12. Place the fried chicken on the paper towel-lined plate to drain, then sprinkle with the cumin salt. 13. Serve with the lemon mayonnaise, if desired. to stick a wooden chopstick in the oil, and if tiny bubbles float rapidly up around it the heat is adequate. The coating here is seasoned with cumin and gets the texture from crushed sesame seeds.

ergetic little boy, I have a feeling that this is going to be a very useful item. It’s also given me an idea for gift giving for people who have bought a new home, are doing home renovations, just got married, and more! — Paula J., in Lansing, Michigan Paula, so many times, people have told me about a gift they got for some occasion that seemed odd or even comical, and they had no idea that they’d end up using it over and over again. So, I wanted to ask my readers: What’s the strangest gift you’ve ever received, the ugliest gift, or one that was well-meant but made you say, “Why me?” — Heloise Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

TODAY IN HISTORY By The Associated Press Today is Thursday, Oct. 1, the 274th day of 2026. There are 91 days left in the year. Today in history: On Oct. 1, 2017, in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, a gunman opened fire from a room at the high-rise Mandalay Bay casino hotel in Las Vegas on a crowd of 22,000 fans at a country music concert below, causing 60 deaths and more than 850 injuries. Also on this date: In 1890, Yosemite National Park was established by the U.S. Congress. In 1903, the first modern baseball World Series began, with the National League’s Pittsburgh Pirates defeating the American League’s Boston Americans in Game 1; Boston would ultimately win the series 5-3. In 1908, Henry Ford introduced his mass-produced Model T automobile

to the market. Between 1908 and 1927, Ford would build more than 15 million Model T cars. In 1910, the offices of the Los Angeles Times were destroyed by a dynamite explosion and fire, killing 21 employees; union activist J.B. McNamara eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison for the bombing. In 1949, Mao Zedong, leader of the communist People’s Liberation Army, proclaimed the People’s Republic of China during a ceremony in Beijing. In 1957, the motto “In God We Trust” began appearing on U.S. paper currency. In 1962, federal marshals escorted James Meredith as he enrolled as the first Black student at the University of Mississippi; Meredith’s presence sparked rioting that left two people dead. In 1964, the Free Speech Movement began at the University of California, Berke-

ley, as students surrounded a police car containing an arrested campus activist for more than 30 hours. In 1971, Walt Disney World opened near Orlando, Florida. In 1975, Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in the “Thrilla in Manila,” the last of their three boxing bouts for the heavyweight championship. In 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum, a scientist-turnedpolitician, was sworn in as the first female president of Mexico. Today’s birthdays: Actorsinger Julie Andrews is 91. Film director Jean-Jacques Annaud is 83. Baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew is 81. Actor Randy Quaid is 76. Singer Youssou N’Dour is 67. Actor Esai Morales is 64. Retired MLB All-Star Mark McGwire is 63. Actor Zach Galifianakis is 57. Actor Sarah Drew is 46. Actor-comedian Beck Bennett is 42. Actor Jurnee Smollett is 40.

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OF SELLING? A home evaluation is a great place to start

addresslafayettela.com DRE#01901536 This website is a marketing and information program that sends all inquiries to state-licensed real estate professionals.

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FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

zodIAC LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Add structure to your routine, press forward and complete your mission. It's what you finish that matters as well as how you present and promote the accomplishments that will drive you forward. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Pick up the pace. What you achieve will make an impression on others. Refuse to let bickering disrupt your plans and your ability to take care of business. Use your compassion when dealing with loved ones. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Sort through what you want to keep and discard what's left. Free up valuable space that can be put to better use. Set goals, and let your willpower carry you forward. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Proceed with caution. Communication will leave you with mixed emotions and a lack of understanding. Get what you want in writing to avoid any misinformation that would leave you in a vulnerable position. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Finding your comfort zone will bring you peace and help you gain the confidence to push forward with the activities, people and vocations that free your spirit and soothe your soul. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Go over legal and financial matters carefully. Talk to an expert to avoid penalties or costly mistakes. Take time to relax and consider your options. It's better to be safe than sorry.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Choose your words wisely to spare yourself grief. It's important to take into consideration how your decisions will affect others. Partnerships will be strained if you use pressure tactics. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Take a little "me" time to figure out what you want or can do without hassle. Having a stubborn attitude or taking on more than you can handle will backfire. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Incorporate something fresh into your routine. You'll have a positive experience at a place you frequent or with a fitness group that encourages you to be and do your best. CANCER (June 21-July 22) Neglecting your needs will not help you get things done. Improve yourself, help others and focus on getting along instead of letting criticism take over. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Be open to learning. If you apply discipline and incorporate what you learn and master into your work, you'll boost your earning power. Don't let domestic problems erupt. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Pay attention to information you receive, and when in doubt, ask questions. Being wellinformed will help you save time, and practice will help you avoid mistakes and additional expense. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

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

TODAy'S CLUE: T EQUALS A

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

8C ● Thursday, October 1, 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

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, October 1, 2026 ● 9C

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B.C.

Bridge BY PHILLIP ALDER Donald Sadoway, a Professor of Materials Chemistry at MIT, said, “In a battery, I strive to maximize electrical potential. When mentoring, I strive to maximize human potential.” This week we have been looking at deals in which declarer has been trying to maximize his chance of success. Here is another. How should South plan the play in seven hearts after West leads the diamond king? North’s two-no-trump response was the Jacoby Forcing Raise: at least fourcard heart support and game-going values. When South found three aces opposite, he bid seven hearts, thinking that it would be at worst on a black-suit finesse. In the red suits, South has five hearts, one diamond and one diamond ruff in his hand. So it seems as though South must ruff his spade losers in the dummy, then find the club queen. But there is another possibility. If he can take four spades and two clubs, that will also result in 13 tricks. In a vacuum, the percentage play in clubs is to cash the king, then to finesse through West. In the real world, it is better to lead the jack from hand, hoping that West either covers with the queen or thinks about it. Or, if he plays low smoothly, to rise with dummy’s ace

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

and finesse through East on the way back. However, although that will work against many players, the best way to combine all of the chances is to cash the ace and king in the side suit with the greater number of cards — here, clubs. If the queen drops, fine; if not, declarer finesses in the other suit. © 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 — tEnsoR: TEN-ser: A muscle that stretches a part.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 23 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 27 or more words in TENSOR? YEstERDAY’s WoRD — REJoIcED redo reed rejoice rice ride rode eider erode jeer iced cede

cero cider code coder coed coir cord core credo creed cried

decor deer deice deicer dice dicer dire doer

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1

Remember this. It will save us all a lot of trouble. G.E. Dean

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

DOW 50,906.05 -443.87 -0.86%

NASDAQ 26,861.06 63.52 0.24%

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

U.S. gasoline supplies hit 12-year low U.S. gasoline supplies fell to the lowest level in 12 years, flashing a warning sign for higher pump prices as a global refining crisis pushes up fuel bills. Stockpiles of gasoline dropped to 204 million barrels last week, according to U.S. Department of Energy data released Wednesday. That’s the lowest since November 2014. In the Midwest, where a Chicagoarea refinery outage sharply tightened supplies, stockpiles are at all-time lows. The facility has since come back online. Gasoline concerns have recently taken a backseat to the public discussion around diesel, which has emerged as a flashpoint in a global energy crisis. In the U.S., diesel prices near all-time-highs and seasonally low supplies are prompting discussion over an export ban or other measures to lower costs. But gasoline is the No. 1 U.S. road fuel and remains top of mind for consumers. Since mid-August, U.S. drivers have paid the highest average prices on record seasonally every day. As of Tuesday, pump prices stood at $4.43 a gallon, according to the American Automobile Association. That poses a considerable risk for President Donald Trump’s Republican party with just 34 days before Americans go to the polls. Especially since, historically speaking, gasoline stockpiles often reach their yearly lows in early November.

S&P 500 7,651.54 -19.30 -0.25%

EURO 1.1330 -0.0013 -0.11%

CRUDE OIL 90.42 1.04 1.16%

GOLD 4,155.60 7.90 0.19%

6-MO T-BILLS 4.34 -0.03 -0.69%

30-YR T-BONDS 5.63 0.06 1.06%

Inflation cools slightly in August Consumers increase their spending

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

WASHINGTON — Inflation slowed a bit last month as Americans ramped up their spending, though prices are still elevated and a challenge for many voters that will head to the polls for midterm elections in just over a month. Consumer prices rose 3.4% in August compared with a year earlier, the Commerce Department said Wednesday, below the 3.7% econo-

mist expectations. On a monthly basis, prices climbed 0.3%, up from 0.1% in July, a sign prices that are still running hot. Excluding the volatile energy and food categories, inflation also came in lower than expected, rising 3% in August from a year ago. And from July to August, core prices rose just 0.2%, up from 0.1% the previous month. Many economists feared core prices would rise more quickly month-tomonth. U.S. markets bounced higher immediately on the new inflation reading, with investors betting that an expected interest-rate hike from

the U.S. Federal Reserve might be delayed. Even so, inflation remains above the Federal Reserve's 2% target and the monthly increase in August suggests it isn't moving back toward the target anytime soon. The Fed lifted its key short-term interest rate two weeks ago for the first time in three years to combat inflation and most economists expect it will do so at least once more this year, possibly as soon as late next month. “Inflation’s trend is lower but still not close to their target and not improving, either,” Bill Adams, chief U.S. economist at Fifth Third Com-

mercial Bank, said in an email. Wednesday's report covered a key inflation gauge closely watched by the Fed, known as the personal consumption expenditures price index. It is similar to the higher-profile consumer price index, which was released earlier this month. High prices have cast a pall on the U.S. economy, even as growth is mostly solid and the unemployment rate is low. On Tuesday, the Conference Board's consumer confidence survey fell to its lowest level since 2014, a period that includes both the Great Recession and a global pandemic.

DoorDash partners with Macy’s, Anthropologie DoorDash is moving further into clothing delivery and expanding its return service. The San Francisco company said Wednesday it’s partnering with Macy’s, Anthropologie, The North Face, Vans and Timberland. The brands will offer their products on DoorDash’s U.S. website and its drivers will deliver them in as little as an hour. Macy’s has been using DoorDash for same-day delivery orders for several years, but this formalizes the partnership and lets Macy’s add its goods to DoorDash’s website. DoorDash drivers will also pick up and return items purchased through the app for a flat fee of $7.99. The company has been testing return service in a handful of U.S. markets and plans to roll out the service nationwide in November. DoorDash was founded as a restaurant delivery service in 2013 and added grocery delivery in 2020. It’s been expanding into areas to attract more customers to its site. DoorDash recently announced partnerships with Gap, Costco, Barnes & Noble and Kohl’s. DoorDash rival Uber Eats has also been adding retail deliveries. It announced a partnership with Foot Locker in July and expanded deliveries from Costco nationwide in September.

FTC is investigating OpenAI and Anthropic The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into OpenAI, Anthropic and other artificial intelligence companies over dangers their technology may pose to consumers, the agency said Wednesday. The AI giants and other tech companies in recent months have disclosed examples of their AI agents going beyond human instructions, finding their way onto the internet and hacking external websites. An FTC spokesperson confirmed the investigation but declined further comment. The investigation was first reported by the New York Post, which said it has been underway for months. Representatives for Anthropic and OpenAI did not immediately respond to messages for comment on Wednesday. Concerns around the dangers powerful AI models may pose to humanity have led some of the top AI developers to call for a slowdown.

ASSOCIATEd PRESS FILE PHOTO

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, right, and President donald Trump look over a document of cost figures during a visit to the Federal Reserve in 2025.

Fed watchdog finds no crimes in $2.4B renovation, only mismanagement BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER

AP economics writer

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve’s internal watchdog said Wednesday that the central bank has broadly mismanaged an expansive building renovation project but did not find any criminal violations, as alleged by Trump administration prosecutors. A variety of missteps by the Fed's Board of Governors and staff inflated the cost of the $2.4 billion renovation, the Fed’s inspector general said. The board did not secure a comprehensive cost estimate at the beginning of the project, nor did it nail down a maximum overall cost, a step that could have forced the building contractor to absorb the impact of inflation, the IG said in a 120-page report. Prices spiked after construction began in 2022. “Our review found that the Board has not effectively managed and executed its ... contract and repeatedly deviated from its costmanagement provisions,” the report said. The building project became a high-profile flashpoint in the Trump administration’s efforts to pressure the Fed into cutting its key interest rate. President Donald Trump even visited the construction site last July, when then-Chairman Jerome Powell corrected

Trump’s estimate of the project’s expected costs as the two stood in hard hats before TV cameras. Criticism of the project also mounted in Congress, leading Powell to request in July 2025 that the inspector general, Michael Horowitz, investigate the renovation. The building project then became the focus of a criminal investigation by Trump’s Justice Department, specifically into whether Powell had committed perjury during brief testimony about the renovation before a Senate committee. That investigation was dropped in April after a judge quashed subpoenas issued by Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Pirro said then she would await the outcome of the inspector general’s investigation before deciding whether to take any further action. “At no point during our evaluation did we find reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of federal criminal law had occurred requiring a referral to the U.S. Attorney General,” the IG’s report said. Tim Lauer, a spokesperson for Pirro's office, said the report is under review. Powell's term as chair ended in May, but he took the highly unusual step of remaining on the board as one of seven governors. His term as a governor lasts until January

2028. Powell said earlier this year he would remain on the board at least until he is convinced that Pirro's investigation is done. By keeping his seat, Powell has also prevented the Trump administration from filling another spot on the board. Trump on Wednesday afternoon seized on the report to renew his call for Powell to resign from the Fed. “He can’t manage a Building, and he certainly shouldn’t be allowed to manage his High Interest Rate Policy,” Trump wrote on his social media site, Truth Social. “And no, I do not want this Building named after President Donald J. Trump, ME!” Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee and a frequent critic of Powell's, said the report “confirmed that Trump lapdogs U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and Attorney General Todd Blanche have no basis to restart the President’s witch hunt against former Fed Chair Jerome Powell.” Current Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh, who took office last May, welcomed the IG’s findings in a letter and said the General Services Administration, a federal agency that oversees most government buildings, would take on a consulting role with the Fed to help oversee the project.

Judge OKs Paramount's settlement with states over buyout BY WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS

AP business writer

CHICAGO — A federal judge has now granted Paramount’s settlement agreement with 12 states that sued over the company’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, allowing the companies to soon close their $81 billion mega merger. In a Wednesday order, U.S. District Judge Araceli MartínezOlguín ruled that the proposed consent decree was a “fair, reasonable, and good faith approach to address the competitive harms” alleged by the states' lawsuit. Paramount previously called the antitrust challenge the last hurdle ahead of closing its Warner

merger, and signaled that it aims to close its Warner acquisition as soon as early October. Shortly after Martínez-Olguín's ruling on Wednesday afternoon, the company announced that Ynon Kreiz — current chief executive at toy giant Mattel — will join Paramount on Oct. 5 and serve as coCEO alongside David Ellison of the combined company. A Paramount-Warner marriage will bring together two of Hollywood’s last five legacy studios. HBO Max, a library full of titles including “Harry Potter” and cable networks such as CNN will also find themselves under the same roof with CBS, the likes of the “Top Gun” franchise and the

Paramount+ streaming service. Top prosecutors from 12 states — led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta — sued in July with an initial goal of blocking the merger altogether. They alleged a Paramount-Warner combo would “extinguish competition” and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly movie theatergoers and cable customers. Last week, the states agreed to settle these claims through new commitments from Paramount, including pledges to increase film production in the U.S. over the next five years, commit millions of dollars to a fund aimed at supporting workers displaced by the merger and establish new editorial

monitoring of CNN and CBS. When announcing the deal on Sept. 21, Bonta said the settlement was about “protecting people’s careers, the lives they’ve built here in California, the livelihoods their families rely on,” while maintaining it was not a vote of support for the merger. Many critics of the tie-up, however, quickly decried the deal as capitulating to corporate pressure and said the proposed terms were too weak. Martínez-Olguín didn't greenlight the terms right away — maintaining at a hearing on Thursday that the court isn’t merely a “rubber stamp” on a settlement of this kind and that she, like many others, still had questions.