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After Callais ruling, plaintiffs raise questions La.’s last Black-majority congressional district now targeted

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TANNER PEARSON

LSU running back Harlem Berry rushes against Kentucky in Saturday’s game in Lexington, Ky. Of all the wild Kentucky-LSU battles over the years, Saturday’s battle has to rank among the craziest. UK quarterback Kenny Minchey converted a two-point try in overtime to set off a huge celebration in Lexington, handing the Wildcats a 35-34 victory over Lane Kiffin’s Tigers. Both teams had multiple opportunities late to take charge of the game. While UK’s Adam Zouagui missed a pair of makeable field goals, LSU got nothing out of its final three possessions in regulation — including a fumble lost by quarterback Sam Leavitt in UK territory with 4:11 left. Leavitt got in the end zone to give LSU the lead in overtime, but a 1-yard TD run by CJ Baxter set up the clinching conversion by Minchey. Up next for LSU (4-2, 1-2) is an 11 a.m. home game against Mississippi State on Saturday. The Bulldogs, who feature a talented young quarterback in Kamario Taylor, will roll into Baton Rouge with the benefit of coming off a bye week at 4-1 and 2-1 in the SEC. ä SEE COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE TIGERS GAME. PAGE 1C

WASHINGTON – The winners of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that led Louisiana to eliminate one of its two majority-Black congressional districts — and spurred other Southern states to similarly redistrict some African American representatives out of Congress — now have their eyes on the state’s remaining seat held by a Black lawmaker. The parties to that case, Callais v. Louisiana, are scheduled to meet in a federal courtroom in Shreveport on Oct. 27. Once there, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill is expected to ask the three-judge panel now overseeing the case to officially end proceedings, according to legal filings. The rationale is that the 6th Congressional District, which was redrawn by the Louisiana LegMurrill islature May 29 following the Callais ruling, is no longer in violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling. But the Callais litigants are set to argue that the issue isn’t yet resolved. The same logic in the Supreme Court’s ruling that found Louisiana’s 6th District unconstitutional could very well apply to its 2nd Congressional District, they’ve argued in recent filings. They want to keep the case open so federal judges can weigh whether that majority-Black Carter district, currently held by U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, should also be changed. The case, should it be allowed to move forward, won’t impact the Nov. 3 midterm elections. But it could have significant implications for Louisiana’s congressional delegation,

ä See CALLAIS, page 12A

Louisiana officials want more churches to help with foster care They encourage collaboration with DCFS

a group of faith leaders who gathered last week to learn about Louisiana’s child welfare system. avoid reaching a crisis point and “Why are we waiting until someBY ALYSE PFEIL provide a safe place for foster chil- one makes a report to DCFS, or unStaff writer dren to live when that occurs. til a child has experienced abuse or “Why are we waiting for the neglect, or until a family reaches Louisiana ofﬁcials want churches and faith communities to get more crisis to happen?” Department the point to where we have to coninvolved in the state’s child welfare of Children and Family Services sider removing a child,” she said. system, help struggling families Secretary Rebecca Harris asked “We have to get better at ﬁnding

WEATHER HIGH 91 LOW 61 PAGE 8B

and helping families earlier.” On Wednesday, the child welfare agency hosted an event at Bethany Church in Baton Rouge aimed at church and faith leaders. It was designed to spark action from faith groups on child welfare issues and collaboration between DCFS and local churches. Harris said church communi-

ties play a key role in connecting families in need with those who can help. “Across faith traditions, there’s the fundamental belief that we have a responsibility to care for our neighbors,” she said. “That’s why I believe the partnership

ä See FOSTER CARE, page 11A

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Tiger kills man who entered its enclosure

LONDON — A man died Saturday after he entered the tiger enclosure at a wildlife park in northern England and was attacked by one of the animals, police said. Emergency medical personnel responded to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park near the city of Doncaster after the incident was reported at about 1:35 p.m., but the victim died at the scene, South Yorkshire Police said in a statement. The tiger was not injured and remained inside the enclosure during the incident, the force said. The wildlife park was evacuated after the attack and ofﬁcers remained at the scene Saturday night as they investigated. “We are working closely with the authorities to ascertain exactly what happened,” the wildlife park said in a statement posted on its website. Yorkshire Wildlife Park began operations in 2009, with its “Land of the Tigers” attraction opening in 2011. The attraction is a purposebuilt two-acre reserve for endangered Amur tigers, also known as Siberian tigers. The enclosure includes a 300-yard raised walkway that allows visitors to watch the big cats roam through woodlands and grasslands or playing in a waterfall pool, the park says on its website.

Mystery surrounds lab worker’s death in Russia

GENEVA — The World Health Organization said Saturday it still doesn’t know what caused the death of a young worker at a lab in Russia that focuses on plague and other illnesses. The U.N. health agency has cited initial, unconfirmed reports suggesting pneumonic plague, a severe disease less common than the better-known bubonic plague linked to the Black Death in the Middle Ages. Pneumonic plague spreads from person to person, causing a severe form of pneumonia, but recovery rates are high if it is detected and treated in time. WHO, in its first full Disease Outbreak News since the case emerged earlier this month, called for a continued investigation. Russian health officials, it said, had conducted more than 5,500 tests and found no evidence of any dangerous pathogenic microorganisms. “Additional clinical, epidemiological and laboratory information, including confirmation of the diagnosis in the deceased laboratory worker, is required to improve confidence in the assessment,” WHO said. WHO continued to refer to “a purported second case” that, in emailed explanations to The Associated Press, it previously attributed to two tabloid news outlets in Britain and Serbia that cited unspecified reports in Russia.

Anthropic’s AI submits false tip on murder case

NEW YORK — An Anthropic artificial intelligence model submitted a false tip to a Philadelphia police website about an unsolved homicide case, authorities and Anthropic said. It’s the latest example of AI models acting in unintended ways and manipulating government and other websites during tests. In a report Friday, Anthropic also disclosed a separate incident when its AI model submitted forms to an undisclosed government website instead of stopping before submission. The incident in Philadelphia occurred on July 18 when the AI model Claude Haiku 4.5 was tasked with generating and performing example tasks on randomly selected webpages, Anthropic said. Claude filled out a form on police site PhillyUnsolvedMurders. com indicating it might have information regarding an unsolved murder listed on the site. Philadelphia Police said in a statement they were unaware of the incident until Anthropic notified them on Wednesday. Then they found the submission in the website’s tip records and confirmed it was marked spam and never forwarded to police.

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Police: Man kills 8 in Pa. shooting Erie authorities say gunman took own life

BY JACQUELINE GANUN Associated Press/ Report for America

A man killed eight people including a pregnant woman, children and other relatives at his home in Erie, Pennsylvania, before taking his own life as well, authorities said Saturday. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said the 45-year-old man was related to seven of the victims in the previous day’s shooting, while the eighth was a friend of the pregnant woman. Video and audio evidence recovered by investigators included muffled gunshot sounds coming from inside the home just before two “distressed” women arrived and began pounding on the door shortly before

WJET PHOTO By MATT BARNUM

Police gather Friday outside the scene of a shooting in Erie, Pa. A man killed eight people at his home in Erie, Pennsylvania, before taking his own life, authorities say. 5 p.m. Friday, he said. The gunman then came out and shot them as they ran toward him, before returning inside. Police arrived to ﬁnd the two women dead outside. After deploying a drone and robot, they went inside and found the bodies of a

5-year-old boy; a 1-year-old girl on the first floor; two more women and two young men in a stairwell; and the shooter on the second ﬂoor. “Out of respect for the victims and the families, I will not discuss the details of what our ofﬁcers encountered inside that home,” the

chief said at a news conference. “But I want our community to understand the gravity of what happened and the profound impact this tragedy has had on those involved and on our community as a whole.” Lorah declined to discuss motive but said investiga-

tors would talk to other relatives and examine the cellphones of the women who were killed outside the home. “They knew something was going on at that house,” he said. “We have to figure out what that is.” Lorah said officers arrived within minutes of receiving an alert via ShotSpotter, a controversial gunshot detection system that relies on artificial intelligence and a network of microphones to identify gunshots. No additional shots were fired after that. “Sounds that may have been mistaken for gunfire came from flashbang devices — chemical munitions — used by SWAT officers,” he said. Gov. Josh Shapiro said he offered his administration’s “full support” to Erie Mayor Daria Devlin, who spoke directly to the victims’ families during the news conference.

Trump says Ukraine should get a new leader President blames Zelenskyy for diesel prices

BY MATTHEW DALY, SUSIE BLANN and ELISE MORTON Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Saturday it was time for Ukraine to get a new president, suggesting Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not done enough to end his country’s war with Russia and blaming him for high diesel prices in the U.S. “I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal because he could have made many deals and for some reason he never does,” Trump said. The president, who on Friday struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to buy diesel from Russia in an attempt to address high fuel prices ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, has been urging Zelenskyy for weeks to stop strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. He has also sought to blame record U.S. diesel prices on Ukraine rather than the U.S.-led war in Iran, which has elevated world energy prices. “He wants to make problems for the world. He wants to make problems for our farmers, our ranchers, with diesel fuel,” Trump said, before departing for Tennessee where he was set to rally Republican voters. Ukrainian and European

officials on Saturday reacted to Trump’s diesel deal with dismay, saying it will help pay for Russia’s war efforts. Diesel prices have skyrocketed due to a collision of events, including the difﬁculty of getting oil out of the Middle East since the start of the Iran war, which has raised the price of all oil products. An Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll conducted last month and published Oct. 1 found that Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of Iran, and blame him for higher prices. Trump also suggested that if he had been U.S. president in 2022, “that war would have never started. There was no reason that war with Ukraine and Russia started. It started due to incompetence.” Zelenskyy has “lost 30% of your country and you’ve had over a million people go between the two of them, over 2 million people killed. That’s a war that should have never started. And I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” Trump said. Independent estimates are that about 20% of Ukraine’s territory is under Russian control. British defense ofﬁcials recently estimated that about half a million Russian soldiers have been killed in the war; there are no reliable recent estimates about how many Ukrainians have died. Trump’s extraordinary intervention came after Russian strikes killed at least 20 people in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region,

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KATERyNA KLOCHKO

A relative speaks to a woman on a stretcher after responders pulled her and her husband from the rubble of a residential building destroyed Saturday by a Russian airstrike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Ukrainian officials said Saturday. Three children were among those killed when Russian aerial bombs hit residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said Saturday. At least 18 people were wounded. Russia and Ukraine are locked in a long-range aerial war while their armies remain largely deadlocked on the front line, more than 4½ years since Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Ukraine is struggling to counter escalating Russian bombardments that have killed more than 60 people over the past four days. “Today, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote Saturday on X. He said every additional billion dollars Russia earns

Woman discharged from hospital after surviving execution attempt By The Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Christa Pike, who survived Tennessee’s attempt to execute her by lethal injection, has been moved back to prison, her attorneys said Saturday. Pike, 50, was discharged from the hospital and is back at the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center, the women’s pris- Pike on where she was housed for 30 years, her attorneys said in a written statement. “She is grateful to the first responders and her medical team for their care in these extraordinary circumstances. She is continuing to receive medical care at the prison, and we will continue to track

her recovery,” the statement said. Pike had been hospitalized since surviving two doses of pentobarbital as the state attempted to execute her on Sept. 30 for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of classmate Colleen Slemmer. At one point she was on a ventilator and her attorneys did not expect her to survive. However, they said Pike woke up and began talking and walking with assistance. The Death Penalty Information Center says Pike is the ﬁrst person to survive after receiving lethal injection drugs during an execution. The Tennessee Department of Correction has

not said what went wrong in the execution. Medical and lethal injection experts have focused on whether a problem with the IV line caused the drug to pool in her tissue instead of entering her bloodstream. Pike’s attorneys wrote in a court ﬁling that “apparently at no point did any member of the execution team realize that the IV lines were not correctly placed.” The failed execution brought renewed scrutiny to how Tennessee carries out death sentences. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has since postponed the state’s only other scheduled execution this year and ordered a review of what went wrong. The state’s prison chief resigned in the wake of the failed execution.

from exports would help pay for weapons components, drone upgrades, missile production and the recruitment of mercenaries, and that Moscow would only be ready to stop when its ability to ﬁght diminished. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was coordinating steps to counter the extra revenue Russia will receive, and that he had spoken to French President Emmanuel Macron about shoring up air

defenses, warning of an increased risk of further missile strikes in the coming days. Trump announced Friday that Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by an additional 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons “immediately thereafter.” Russia will deliver an additional 3 million tons “within a short period of time” after that, he wrote. In Kyiv, people gathered at a memorial to fallen soldiers on Independence Square greeted the deal with a mix of anger and resignation. “Trump has once again shown his true face,” said Oleksandr Petrenko, 26. “He didn’t care about the situation, the shelling or the destruction of our homes. All he’s interested in is oil or the fuel prices and how much Americans have to pay.” For Oksana Yakunina, a ﬁnancial adviser from the central city of Kropyvnytskyi, the announcement “didn’t really come as a surprise.” “Trump has been working with Putin for a long time,” she said.

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Attack on airport kills 12, Saudi authorities say Officials say over 300 injured

BY SAMY MAGDY and CARA ANNA Associated Press

CAIRO — The latest attack on the international airport in Saudi Arabia’s capital of Riyadh killed 12 people and injured over 300 others, civil aviation authorities said early Sunday, with some in critical condition. A Saudi-led coalition blamed Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen. It was the deadliest attack in any Gulf Arab country since the start of the Iran war, whose fronts have expanded to include the recent surge in fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. A missile struck a King Khalid International Airport complex housing terminals 3 and 4 for domestic flights, a regional official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak to the media. The Saudi statement said the dead included four Saudi citizens as well as two Bangladeshi nationals, a Palestinian, a U.S. citizen, an Egyptian, a Jordanian, a Syrian and a Sudanese. It said the injured were being

treated at several hospitals. The attack — the latest of several in the past week on the airport — is expected to increase Saudi pressure on allies including the United States to provide military support for the kingdom, which has seemingly tried to avoid all-out war with the Houthis. Shortly after the attack on Saturday afternoon, President Donald Trump said he was evaluating whether the U.S. should join Saudi strikes against the rebels. “We may. We’re going to look at it,” he said. “We just found out about the recent attack. So we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly.” The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis blamed them for the attack, calling it a “fully-fledged war crime” and vowing a firm response. The airport has no military facilities. There was no immediate statement from the rebels, who earlier Saturday accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa International Airport in the Houthi-held Yemeni capital. The Houthis claimed attacks earlier in the week on King Khalid International Airport that killed three Saudis, including a pilot. The surge in attacks, including against other Saudi airports, military facilities and

oil infrastructure, has come in the week since a Saudi-led coalition launched a major military offensive against the Houthis. Saudi civil aviation authorities earlier Saturday said airport operations were suspended. The airport had a heavy police presence, with all entrances blocked, and lights around the complex were dimmed. Flights diverted elsewhere, the Flightradar24 tracker said. Countries including the United States, Britain, Germany, Australia and Canada warned citizens to avoid the airport. The attacks on Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, have rattled markets and the region. And yet the Saudi energy ministry hours after the latest one was still promoting a major international energy conference set to begin in Riyadh on Sunday. Until recently, the Houthis had been largely on the sidelines of the Iran war. Now the rebels are a way for Tehran to apply pressure on a key U.S. ally. The Saudis and the Houthis began fighting in 2015 when the kingdom entered Yemen’s civil war on behalf of the internationally recognized government. Relative calm after a 2022 ceaseﬁre ended in July

Puerto Vallarta boards up as Simon strengthens By The Associated Press

PROVIDED IMAGE FROM VIDEO VERIFIED By AP

Thick black smoke and flames rise Friday from a blaze at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. when the Houthis resumed attacks, saying the Saudis ﬁred on the Sanaa airport as a plane from Iran was trying to land. That revived anger over the Saudi-led blockade that has largely isolated Houthi-run areas. Now fighting has escalated, with the Saudi-led coalition providing air support for Yemeni government forces attempting to reverse recent Houthi gains along the Red Sea. Those gains gave the rebels better surveillance of shipping

on a corridor that is a crucial alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has been attacking ships. While the Houthis have said they are only targeting Saudi shipping as part of a blockade in retaliation for the one imposed on them, concerns about wider attacks persist. The Houthis previously attacked dozens of ships after the war in Gaza began, calling it solidarity with Palestinians. A U.S. bombing campaign sharply limited that.

U.K. government blocks Northern Ireland march By The Associated Press LONDON — The British government has blocked a contentious march from taking place in Northern Ireland after a two-week standoff between groups that support the region’s continued union with the United Kingdom and those who favor reuniﬁcation

with the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland Secretary of State Chris Bryant intervened Friday night to ban the procession along Garvaghy Road in Portadown, saying it wasn’t possible to ﬁnd a compromise between the union-supporting Orange Order and residents of the traditionally repub-

lican area through which it wanted to march. “I’ve decided that it’s not in the public interest for it to proceed, and I’ve therefore banned the procession,” Bryant said. The standoff grew out of the traditional marches held by unionist groups during the summer months to

celebrate their Protestant roots and historic ties to the U.K. The marches have long caused tensions with the largely Catholic republican community, which says they are intentionally provocative and fuel conﬂict. Tensions ﬂared again this year after a court ruling seemingly paved the way for

the Orange Order to march down Garvaghy Road for the ﬁrst time in almost 30 years. Garvaghy Road was a notorious ﬂash point between the republican and unionist communities in the years before the 1998 Good Friday Agreement largely ended the bloodshed in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles.

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico — Simon has strengthened into a powerful Category 4 hurricane as it barrels toward Mexico’s coast. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Saturday that Simon’s maximum sustained winds increased to 150 mph. A storm of that strength or greater is considered a major hurricane. The center said it expected Simon “to be near or just inland” of Mexico’s westcentral coast on Sunday. The hurricane could bring as much as 10 to 20 inches of rain over parts of southwestern Mexico, with some areas in the states of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco receiving up to 30 inches. “This rainfall will produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain,” the center warned in a bulletin that also urged residents to take immediate action to prepare as tropical-storm conditions were expected to arrive Saturday afternoon. Jalisco state suspended classes on Friday and Monday in 22 coastal municipalities and began evacuating dozens of people from at-risk areas. It also asked the tourism sector in Puerto Vallarta, a popular destination for U.S. tourists, to ensure that both workers and visitors were fully accommodated in shelters or safe zones by Friday afternoon. Convenience stores, hotels and other businesses in Puerto Vallarta were boarding up their windows Saturday morning, when few were walking the streets under overcast skies.

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Panama declares state of emergency after quakes BY ARIS MARIOTA and ALMA SOLÍS

Associated Press

LA VILLA DE LOS SANTOS, Panama — The government of Panama declared a state of emergency Saturday as the aftershocks of two powerful earthquakes that roiled the country shook communities for hours. Officials did not attribute any deaths to the quakes but reported damages in all 10 of Panama’s provinces and two Indigenous territories. The 7.7- and 6.6-magnitude earthquakes on Friday toppled buildings near the epicenter and prompted evacuations across the Central American country. Seismologists recorded more than 100 aftershocks, including ones measuring magnitude 5.8, 5.5 and 5.2. The earlier quake, also felt in neighboring Colombia, was centered about 6 miles southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba, in the central province of Herrera, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It struck at a depth of 6 miles. Presidential Minister Juan Carlos Orillac announced the emergency during a news conference in the capital, Panama City. He said homes, schools, healthcare facilities, roads and hotels were among the damaged facilities. Malitzie Rivera, deputy di-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ARIS MARIOTA

Autonomous University of Mexico. Ofﬁcials did not report any missing people on Saturday but said some communities remained cut off due to landslides and road damage. On Isla Caña, off the Pacific coast of Los Santos, approximately 300 people were evacuated because of rising sea levels and rough surf. Meanwhile, in the city of Penonomé, around 93 miles from the capital, a

shelter was housing 13 people, including ﬁve children. The earthquakes caused a partial collapse and cracks at the cathedral in the district’s main square, as well as damage to the governor’s ofﬁce building and the Dos Continentes hotel. In Panama City, one of the water treatment plants supplying the area operated at 20% capacity on Saturday, and tent facilities with cots were set up at six hospitals.

A vehicle lies crushed beneath a collapsed building on Friday after an earthquake struck Penonome, Panama. rector of the National Civil Protection System, told reporters the state had reports of 27 people with injuries, ranging from minor to moderate. Most of the damage was concentrated in the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera, Cocle and Los Santos. The Civil Protection agency tallied roughly 420 homes and about the same number of public schools damaged. It also reported that seven hotels, at least 13 churches and nine bridges were affected by the earthquakes. In La Villa de Los Santos, a colonial-era community about 40 miles northeast of the epicenter, homes and a historical Catholic church collapsed. People who spent the night on the streets were waiting for the government’s guidance on

what to do next. “We’ve been here since 1 p.m. yesterday; we haven’t moved,” Tony Jiménez, whose home partially collapsed, said while sitting with relatives under a tent. “It was a terrible thing. I can tell you with absolute certainty that in my 90 years, I had never experienced anything like it. It was intense — truly intense.” The collapsed Church of San Atanasio was declared a National Historic Heritage Site in 1938. Images of crumbling buildings and deep ﬁssures slicing through roads added to fears across a Latin American region battered by a series of devastating earthquakes in recent months. Two back-to-back 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes roiled Venezuela’s La Guaira

Ethiopia tells U.N. it is acting in self-defense against Eritrea BY KHALED KAZZIHA Associated Press

NAIROBI, Kenya — Ethiopia told the U.N. Security Council on Friday it is taking measures in self-defense against Eritrea, accusing its neighbor of sending troops across the border and occupying parts of northern Ethiopia. The declaration adds to fears of a wider conﬂict as government-allied forces report advances in Tigray, a region devastated by a previous war. AP footage on Saturday from Adigrat, about 15 miles from the border with Eritrea, showed Ethiopian military vehicles and troops entering the city as some residents celebrated in the streets. Residents of Tigray’s secondlargest city described hunger, closed banks and a lack of medical care. In a letter dated Friday, Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos invoked Ethiopia’s right to self-defense under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter. He did not specify what measures the country was taking. The letter, obtained by The Associated Press, accused

state in June, killing more than 6,500 people and leaving 17,000 homeless. In August, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia killed at least 289 people. The notably lower toll in nearby Panama may have been due to the country’s strict building codes, especially governing construction of skyscrapers in the capital, said Carlos Valdés, head of the Seismology Department at the National

PROVIDED PHOTO By FILMON EQUAR HAILU

Early lesson in inclusion inspires The Arc Caddo-Bossier CEO to a lifetime of service

Ethiopian federal police officers gather Thursday on a road in Mekelle, Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Eritrea of deploying infantry and mechanized units in recent weeks and supporting, ﬁnancing, arming and directing insurgent groups. It did not identify the occupied areas or provide evidence supporting its allegations. Ethiopia had repeatedly urged Eritrea to withdraw its forces, Gedion wrote. The AP could not independently verify the allegations. In its response to the U.N. Security Council, signed by Foreign Minister Osman Saleh, Eritrea rejected Ethiopia’s justification of selfdefense and accused it of seeking to forcibly acquire sovereign access to the Red Sea. It asked the council to

“forcefully condemn Ethiopia’s deplorable declaration of war against Eritrea” and take “deterrent measures.” Eritrea announced last week it was severing diplomatic ties after Ethiopia expelled 10 Eritrean diplomats and closed its embassy in Asmara. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reiterated Monday that Ethiopia must have access to the Red Sea. Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry said it remained committed to dialogue with its neighbors. The accusations deepen a rift between countries whose armies fought together against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front from 2020 to 2022.

By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com This article is brought to you by Louisiana Blue.

Some of the most impactful moments in Kristen Powers’ career have felt like they were meant to be. Long before she became CEO of The Arc Caddo-Bossier, Powers was a Shreveport teenager on the pep squad with a friend named Holly, who had Down Syndrome. Years later, when Powers accepted a position with Holy Angels – a residential training facility for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities – she discovered Holly’s parents were on the board. Holly had recently passed away. “One of my first experiences with inclusion was Holly being on the pep squad with me. It was so fun to have her around. When I went to work for Holy Angels, it felt like a full circle moment,” Powers said. “I felt very called to this work. I felt that God was tapping on my shoulder and telling me to work with this population.” Powers joined The Arc Caddo-Bossier in December 2020 to continue that work. She is a 2026 recipient of The Angel Award from the Louisiana Blue Foundation in recognition of her efforts to improve the quality of life and opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The organization will receive a $30,000 Louisiana Blue Foundation grant, and Powers will be one of nine Angel Award honorees recognized at an Oct. 19 gala in Baton Rouge. “We are always excited to be able to raise awareness and support for our mission and programs. I’m so happy to have this platform this year to share more about our mission,” she said. At the heart of The Arc’s work is person-centered care. Powers said technology helps staff members better identify each person’s individual goals and measure progress toward milestones. Sometimes success means completing high school or pursuing higher education. For others, it means ﬁnding employment, owning a vehicle or renting their own apartment. “All of our services help people live, work, learn and participate fully in their communities,” she said. “That looks different for everybody. We’ve seen so many successes when people came under our wing. We give them pride, support, hope and a vision for what their life can be like.” Those relationships often last decades. The Arc Caddo-Bossier has served the region for more than 72 years, supporting many people through virtually their entire lives. Powers said the organization

may begin working with infants and toddlers, sometimes even before an official diagnosis, and continue supporting them and their families through adulthood. “We don’t just help people for a few months. I interact with people every day who have had a good quality of life for 30 or 40 years because of their relationship with The Arc,” she said. “These are powerful relationships, and it really is all about community.” In order to expand that community, Powers said The Arc focuses heavily on integrating people with intellectual and developmental disabilities into local events. The hope is that they can make personal connections with individuals who are open to volunteering at The Arc. Opportunities to help include The Arc’s day program, equine-assisted therapy, reading to children and more. Those interested can apply online at www.thearccaddobossier. org/volunteer. Volunteers are especially crucial as The Arc, like many care providers, faces stafﬁng challenges. Powers said the organization has made employee recognition and retention a key priority, as well as recruiting direct support professionals. The manpower is needed, as more people are receiving diagnoses. “I certainly believe there are more people reaching out to us than ever before as more people see a diagnosis of an intellectual or developmental disability,” she said. “We’re also seeing more dual diagnoses, such as a behavioral health condition with a disability. We have specially trained staff who can work with those individuals.” As Powers looks to the future, she hopes that The Arc and other organizations can focus less on ﬁghts over funding and reimbursement, and more on advocating for the people who need them most. “Everybody we serve is such a neat person,” she said. “I love getting to know them and seeing the pride they take in their lives because of the support we are able to provide to them.” To learn more about The Arc Caddo-Bossier, visit www.thearccaddobossier.org/volunteer or follow their social media updates on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok @thearccb. The Louisiana Blue Foundation will livestream The Angel Award ceremony from the Foundation’s Facebook page starting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 19. Watch the ceremony to hear stories from Powers and other 2026 honorees.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ 7A

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Pope Leo XIV declares death penalty ‘inadmissible’ Comments come as U.S. plans to livestream execution

BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

ROME — Pope Leo XIV on Saturday declared capital punishment “inadmissible” as he marked the World Day Against the Death Penalty and his native United States announced plans to livestream an execution by firing squad. In a post on X, the American pope quoted the revised Catholic teaching on capital punishment ushered in by Pope Francis that the death penalty attacks the inherent dignity of a human being. “The common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment,” read the post under Leo’s official handle, @Pontifex. “Effective systems of detention have been developed that protect citizens while at the same time do not completely deprive those who are guilty of the possibility of redemption.” The post ended with the hashtag #NoDeathPenalty. The U.S. Defense Department announced Thursday that the firing squad execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, convicted of a 2009 shooting at the Fort Hood military base, will be livestreamed. Hasan, scheduled to be executed at Fort Hood on Dec. 3, was convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others. U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday he would be making a decision ultimately on whether

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GREGORIO BORGIA

Pope Leo XIV arrives to celebrate a Mass Thursday in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. the execution would be livestreamed. Leo didn’t refer speciﬁcally to the planned execution, or the botched lethal injection in Tennessee earlier that has revived debate over the death penalty in the United States. Saturday is World Day Against the Death Penalty, and it is common for the pope’s ofﬁcial social media accounts to post messages marking such commemorations. But Leo’s post came just hours after his top deputy, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, said explicitly that the planned U.S. public execution was “unacceptable.” Pope Francis in 2018 amended official Catholic teaching to declare capital punishment “inadmissible” in all circumstances. Previously, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the official compendium of church teaching, said the church didn’t exclude recourse to capital punishment “if this is the only possible

Abbas postpones Palestinian elections for another year BY SAM METZ

Associated Press RAMALLAH, West Bank — President Mahmoud Abbas postponed what would have been the first Palestinian elections in nearly 20 years, issuing a decree on Friday to further delay voting for the Palestinian Legislative Council almost another year. Rather than take place as scheduled next month, the decree pushes the elections back to Sept. 11, 2027, according to WAFA, the ofﬁcial Palestinian news agency. Presidential elections, which have not taken place for more than two decades, are scheduled for the same day. The postponement leaves entrenched Palestinian leaders unchallenged and threatens to further erode the Palestinian Authority’s credibility among ordinary Palestinians and donor countries who fund it. The internationally backed body is dominated by Abbas’ party, Fatah, and has administered semiau-

tonomous parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank since agreements reached in the 1990s. It has grown increasingly unpopular throughout Abbas’ presidency. Many Palestinians view it as corrupt and criticize its security cooperation with Israel. The decree came after a committee of top Palestinian ofﬁcials met Saturday morning to discuss postponing the vote. The Palestine Liberation Organization’s Executive Committee, which Abbas heads, said in a statement that conditions in east Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip were not conducive to holding elections, noting that Israel had not allowed election materials or international observers to enter Gaza. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on X said that Abbas’ “attempt to drag Israel into this, falsely claiming that Israel imposed obstacles to holding elections, is yet another ridiculous lie designed to evade responsibility and accountability.”

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way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.” Past popes had upheld that position, though St. John Paul II began urging an end

to the practice and stressed that guilty people were just as deserving of dignity as innocent ones. Like Francis before him, Leo has made visiting pris-

ons a key part of his papal travel in a bid to give a message of hope to inmates and underscore their inherent dignity, that God loves them and that there is always a chance for redemption. “If any of you fear being abandoned by everyone, know that God will never abandon you, and that the church will stand by your side,” Leo told inmates at the notorious Bata prison in Equatorial Guinea during his visit in April. Leo is to visit a prison in Buenos Aires during his upcoming tour through Latin America. Speaking speciﬁcally about the United States, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, said the planned livestreamed execution was “truly incomprehensible” and “unacceptable to turn death into a spectacle.” “The Church’s position is one of total opposition to the death penalty; it is incompat-

ible with human dignity and serves as no deterrent…,” Parolin said in comments carried by Vatican News. “It is truly incomprehensible that anyone would want to use this system today — I don’t know for what purpose. It is certainly unacceptable to turn death into a spectacle; even if the person is guilty, of course, there are other methods.” The head of the U.S. bishops conference, Archbishop Paul Coakley, expressed “shock” and “great sorrow” at the Pentagon’s plans. “In no way can Hasan’s actions be condoned but this decision is a barbaric promotion of a culture of death and must be reconsidered,” he said in a statement Friday. “The public execution even of one who has done grave harm will only further undermine the moral fabric of our nation and be a blight on the conscience of its people.”

8A ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Medicaid cuts strip coverage from refugees, immigrants BY MIKELLA SCHUETTLER and FATIMA HUSSEIN

cut from Medicaid rolls on Oct. 1. In Florida, estimates are closer to 177,000. Overall, more than 281,000 immigrants from nine states and the District of Columbia are estimated to lose Medicaid coverage, according to KFF. As more states implement various restrictions to coverage, 7.5 million people are expected to lose coverage by 2034, according to analysis by the Congressional Budget ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By GODOFREDO A. VÁSQUEZ Ofﬁce.

Associated Press

New restrictions have stripped Medicaid coverage from certain legal immigrants, including refugees and victims of human trafficking, as part of broader federal changes to the health insurance program that are expected to force millions off their coverage. The change effective Oct. 1 cut from Medicaid what is estimated to be hundreds of thousands of people who legally immigrated to the United States, many of whom work and pay taxes, in the latest Trump administration policy to target foreigners. The move is part of sweeping changes to Medicaid under President Donald Trump’s 2025 tax cut and policy law, with many set to take effect early next year. The Medicaid changes are projected to result in 7.5 million fewer people with health insurance, according to the Congressional Budget Office’s 2025 estimate. Advocates say that without Medicaid, people will not be able to afford private insurance and will either delay care or end up in emergency rooms, adding pressure to a strained health system. For immigrants, the cuts could be felt more acutely, compounding the effects of other administration efforts to restrict their access to public assistance as part of a broader immigration crackdown. “This is about telling every immigrant in the United States that they are not welcome here and that they should leave,” said Ben D’Avanzo, a senior strategist at the National Immigration Law Center, which has pursued litigation against the Republican administration over its immigration agenda. Refugees, asylum-seekers, victims of human trafficking and domestic violence are among those who have lost coverage. Green-card holders were not impacted. Lauren Bis, a White House spokesperson, said in a statement that “immigrants must be able to support themselves without taking from overburdened benefits programs paid for by hardworking American taxpayers.” D’Avanzo said many people who have lost coverage will

Pediatrician Irving Phillips examines a 16-month-old boy in June 2025 at a CommuniCARE+OLE clinic in Davis, Calif. likely only realize when they need medical care. But for some, the change has been felt immediately. In Tucson, Arizona, María Chacon has been caring for her son Jesus for almost five years since a car accident at 17 left him unable to breathe on his own. He requires a ventilator, a feeding tube and daily medication, and must be turned once every two hours to stop sores from forming. Chacon said he sometimes opens his eyes. The family is originally from Mexico and entered the U.S. on a T visa, offered to victims of human trafficking, in 2018. Chacon said Medicaid has helped cover almost $25,000 per month of care for her son, which includes a small stipend for her and her husband as compensation for being long-term caregivers. She said doctors have explained that even if they both worked 24 hours a day, they would not be able to cover the cost of his care. “Since that day I haven’t been able to sleep. We haven’t been able to eat or anything. We’re wondering what we’re going to do?” Chacon said. Jesus takes medication that Chacon estimates costs $7,000 a month. The supply runs out in mid-October. Without coverage, she does not know how her son is going to survive. Chacon found out just days before the cuts that she was losing care. She called the state’s Medicaid offices to appeal. Although she is in the process of obtaining a green card, Medicaid coverage would only kick in five years after she is approved. Steven Camarota, research director for the Center for Immigration Studies, a right-leaning think tank that

seeks less immigration, said the administration “is trying to nibble around the edges” with the Oct. 1 cuts, finding piecemeal ways to curb immigration into the U.S. Camarota believes the government should screen legal immigrants for income potential and education, reducing the number who might rely on public benefits once they cross the border. “You need immigrants who are unlikely to need welfare,” he said, or those with high educational attainment. The administration recently revived a federal rule that could deny green cards to immigrants who use public benefits that could include food stamps, Medicaid, housing vouchers and others. Chacon believes the cuts to Medicaid coverage are part of the administration’s clampdown on immigrants. She said her son is in no condition to travel. “I know that’s what he’s doing, but, as my son is, I couldn’t go to Mexico,” Chacon said. Medicaid, jointly funded by states and the federal government, has become a political focal point during Trump’s second term. The president has pushed to root out what he describes as fraud in the program. In July, the administration deferred over $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota, claiming there was suspected fraud; critics argued the move targeted Democratic-led states. As more people are cut from Medicaid, the federal government is predicted to reduce program spending by $911 billion, according to healthcare research nonprofit KFF. In Arizona, officials said 29,000 legal immigrants were

Without coverage, people will turn to emergency rooms for care. When people delay seeing a doctor, conditions can worsen and become even more expensive to treat. “At the end of the day, it does raise the cost for the states because once you get these people in for something that could have been prevented, they could not go to the doctor because they were uninsured; they most

likely will end up at a hospital in an emergency room,” said Carmen Feliciano, the vice president of policy and advocacy at UnidosUS, a Latino civil rights organization. UnidosUS partners with community organizations to help provide medical care, but Feliciano said they already are overwhelmed and would not be able to support the number of people who are going to lose medical coverage in the coming months.

Mary Bird Perkins takes comprehensive approach to high-risk breast cancer screening and prevention

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LOUISIANA STATE P PARKS By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com This article is brought to you by by Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.

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When women learn they face an elevated risk of developing breast cancer, it often causes uncertainty and anxiety. At Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, physicians are helping those women turn their concerns into personalized plans for screening, risk reduction and long-term health. The breast surgical oncology program at Mary Bird Perkins offers detailed evaluations that help patients understand their personal breast cancer risk. Information, including family history, genetic markers, and lifestyle factors, are entered into a risk calculator. A personalized screening plan is then created based on their scores. A patient is considered high risk if they have at least a 20 percent chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime. “I think the biggest thing we do differently is helping women become proactive to reduce her breast cancer risk,” said Dr. Mindy Williams Bowie, a fellowship-trained breast surgical oncologist at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “We take a holistic approach. We talk about their whole body and how they can live longer and have a better quality of life.” Dr. Bowie said she emphasizes risk reduction measures such as exercising four to five times per week, limiting alcohol consumption to no more than three glasses per week, avoiding all smoking and vaping, and eating a healthy diet. Not only can those steps reduce a woman’s breast cancer risk, but they can also help her avoid other health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. “We spend a lot of time educating patients,” Dr. Bowie said. “They feel like they are being proactive and not just waiting to develop cancer. They realize they can do things every day to reduce their risk. We help them channel their anxiety into something positive that can benefit their overall health.” Dr. Bowie said many women are surprised to learn they can be at high risk of breast cancer even if they have no family history or genetic mutations. “Seventy-five percent of women who develop breast cancer have little to no family history,” she said. “When we do genetic testing, 90 to 95 percent of women who get breast cancer are genetically negative.” In addition to education, the breast surgical oncology program provides an increased level of surveillance for highrisk patients. While women of average risk are encouraged

to have yearly mammograms beginning at age 40, those at a higher risk can benefit from more frequent mammograms, as well as additional imaging such as breast MRIs or ultrasounds. Dr. Bowie said most high-risk patients undergo some type of imaging every six months. “We watch them a little differently than we do the average woman,” Dr. Bowie said. “They receive imaging modalities that a woman of average risk would not necessarily receive. None of this takes the place of their yearly mammograms. This is in addition to those. This allows us to take a closer look at the woman’s breasts more often to detect any changes or abnormalities.” When breast cancer is diagnosed, Dr. Bowie said patients have more treatment options than ever. Mary Bird Perkins will soon open Louisiana’s first cryoablation program for the treatment of breast cancer, funded by the Echo Alliance in Baton Rouge. Cryoablation involves inserting a device within the breast that freezes the tumor and is then removed. Patients are able to return home the same day. The procedure has shown to be especially effectively in treating early-stage breast cancer in older patients. “This is one of the latest treatments for that population. We’re really proud to be able to offer it here at Mary Bird Perkins,” Dr. Bowie said. “It can be a good alternative for patients who may be very fearful of the operating room, or who are not a good candidate for surgery due to other co-morbidities.” When a breast cancer patient does need surgery, Mary Bird Perkins partners with local healthcare centers to perform necessary procedures. Dr. Bowie said surgeons use the latest techniques for cancer removal and breast reconstruction. “We feel it’s so important for women to look and feel like a woman,” she said. “If a woman undergoes a lumpectomy, we lift both breasts and make them symmetrical. If we have to remove an entire breast, we perform reconstruction using the patient’s own tissue or implants. All of those procedures have become much more advanced in the past 20 years.” By combining close surveillance with education, prevention and access to evolving treatment options, Mary Bird Perkins is committed to giving women an active role in protecting both their breast health and their overall well-being. Visit marybird.org/breast to learn more.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ 9A

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ELIMINATE BACK PAIN AND SCIATICA

without the scars and expense of back surgery...

If you are over 35 and suffer from the following... • Sciatica • Neck Pain • Disc Herniations • Lower Back Pain • Radiating Hip Pain • Numbness in the Legs and Feet

There may be hope! Now local doctors have what may be the most important treatment in helping these conditions! We are Dr. Scott LeBlanc and Dr. Dana LeBlanc, a husband and wife team, that own LeBlanc Spine Center. We have helped thousands of patients get out of pain with Spinal Decompression therapy treatments, and we love what we do. Disc issues are common, and patients suffering are usually given limited options of treatment. We run these big newspaper advertisements to let people in the community know there is another option of treatment for pain- without medication, injections, or surgery! NON-SURGICAL SPINAL DECOMPRESSION is a breakthrough, non-invasive treatment that has been proven to reverse disc herniations and relieve nerve pain in the neck and low back. During the procedure, a spinal disc is isolated and a series of distraction and relaxation phases occur at a very specific angle, targeting the source of pain. A vacuum can be created inside the disc and the negative pressure delivers nutrients, oxygen, and fluid from surrounding tissues, to assist with repair of the damaged disc. The treatment is not painful at all, and most patients read or even take a nap while on treatment! PROOF THIS TREATMENT WORKS There’s plenty of research to back up the claims of Spinal Decompression Therapy and its effectiveness. Here are just a few of the published scientific studies … • “Patients reported a mean 88.9% improvement in back pain and better function...No patient required any invasive therapies (e.g. epidural injections, surgery).” - American Academy of Pain Management

• “We thus submit that decompression therapy should be considered first, before the patient undergoes a surgical procedure which permanently alters the anatomy and function of the affected lumbar spine segment.” - Journal Of Neuroscience Research • “86% of the 219 patients who completed the therapy reported immediate resolution of symptoms.” - Orthopedic Technology Review • “Vertebral axial (spinal) decompression was successful in 71% of the 778 cases” - Journal of Neurological Research • “Good to excellent relief in 86% of patients with Herniated discs” - The American Journal of Pain Management • “Decompression Therapy reported a 76.5% with complete remission and 19.6% with partial remission of pain and disability” - Rio Grande Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery At LeBlanc Spine Center, we utilize advanced, FDA-cleared technology that is proven to effectively alleviate pain. It’s important to note that not every patient is a candidate for Spinal Decompression, which is why we prioritize a thorough individual assessment for each person who walks through our doors. Our high success rate in pain relief stems from our commitment to only taking on patients whom we confidently believe we can help.

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

For the next 7 days, we are offering a special “Decompression Evaluation” offer, at no cost to you! What does this offer include? Everything we normally do in our new patient evaluations: • An in-depth consultation about your health and wellbeing where we will listen...really listen...to the details of your case. • A complete neuromuscular examination • A full set of specialized X-rays (if clinically necessary) • A thorough analysis of your exam and X-ray findings You will sit with the doctor one on one to go over your x-rays, and you’ll get to see everything first hand. At LeBlanc Spine Center, we are honest with our patients and we give personalized attention and analysis to each case. We truly enjoy meeting with patients to answer their questions and to help find out if Spinal Decompression treatments could be the answer to their pain. There is no charge at all and you don’t need to buy anything. You have nothing to lose by taking us up on this special offer and you will get answers to what is causing your pain. If you have seen our ads in the past and have thought about calling, don’t hesitate. You don’t have to go on living in pain, missing out on activities and other part of life that you enjoy. Call us today!

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

1900 W Esplanade, Suite 101, Kenner LA SEE WHAT SOME OF OUR PATIENTS HAVE TO SAY …

I was suffering with lower back pain for years, and it was getting worse and worse. It was so painful that I could not function. I could not get out the bed without falling to the floor. I had tried orthopedic doctors, medication, scans, physical therapy- all to no avail. I came to LeBlanc Spine Center, and I started Spinal Decompression treatments in August… and I now feel 100% improved! I am now sleeping better, driving without pain, walking further – all of these activities I can now do, and I have energy that I only had when I was young. I am treated wonderfully by the staff at LeBlanc Spine Center. They are so polite and caring. Dr. Scott and Dr. Dana are unbelievably helpful. The treatment is not painful, and I enjoy the music while I am there too! If asked to recommend LeBlanc Spine Center, I would say that I am convinced that you will improve a big amount, if not 100%. Decompression therapy is the way to go! Ronnie Hebert (Civil Engineer) Hometown - Plaquemine, LA

I came to LeBlanc Spine Center because I had been suffering for about 2 years with pulling in my lower back down into my legs. I had tried physical therapy but was still suffering. After starting Spinal Decompression treatments, I am now 70% improved! I have less pain with walking and more mobility. I have less pain in the morning when waking up, and I can now lift, bend, do household chores and other daily activities with less pain. I am treated wonderfully by the staff and I do recommend LeBlanc Spine Center very often others. The doctors are honest and sincere. Randi Henriques (Social Worker) Hometown - New Orleans, LA

I came to LeBlanc Spine Center with pain in my left arm, shoulder, and neck, and I had two fingers on my left hand that were numb. I had been dealing with this for over 8 months and had tried shots, therapy, MRIs, and X-rays before, but nothing was really helping. Since coming here, I’ve improved about 90%. The staff is amazing - always knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful, and the service from the doctors and team has been great. What I love most is the pain reduction, because it’s allowed me to take better care of my dad and grandkids, cut the grass, do housework, and even fish again. I feel like I have more mobility and I’m more relaxed now that I can do more activities. Honestly, the only thing I don’t love is the drive - we need an office in Gonzales! They are amazing, though. Please give them a try before any surgeries. Kim Landry (Photographer) Hometown - St. Amant, LA

I had been suffering with pain from herniated discs in my lower back. I could not stand for longer than 5 minutes without pain. I had tried epidural steroid injections and physical therapy in the past, but was still suffering. I have always been active and my back pain was affecting my lifestyle greatly. I came to LeBlanc Spine Center and began Decompression treatment.....and I am now 100% improved! I can do everything I did before my pain started, and my favorite part about this treatment is the results! I can do all of my daily activities without any pain. The doctors and staff here have also treated me great. I have recommended LeBlanc Spine Center to many people.....and will continue to do so! Mark Evans (Former High School Coach and Insurance Agent) Hometown - Baton Rouge, LA

10A ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Hurricane Isaias pounds Florida Panhandle Many cities spared catastrophic damage

BY MARTHA SANCHEZ Staff writer

Hurricane Isaias struck the Florida Panhandle on Friday night, pounding a 200-mile stretch of the Gulf Coast with high winds and heavy rain that drowned beaches, downed power lines and transformed dozens of coastal towns into soggy fields of debris. It hit Destin, Florida, at its fiercest, forcing locals to retreat to homes and shelters by nightfall to escape winds that sounded like train whistles. The storm snapped trees, swelled waves and could leave hundreds of thousands without power for days as crews work to restore electricity. But even as they stood among branches and pieces of damaged buildings at dawn on Saturday, many residents across this usually idyllic region rejoiced that the damage was not worse. “It was an absolutely brutal storm,” Nic Allegretto, the mayor of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, said as he drove through the boardedup city. But “everyone’s feeling the same sense of relief that it wasn’t as bad as it felt like it was.” The hurricane, which began brewing deep in the Gulf earlier this week, made landfall at around 8:30 p.m. near Destin as a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph winds, a barrage of rain and at least several feet of rushing storm surge. Authorities said the storm killed at least four people. It was the Atlantic’s first hurricane this season, and the worst storm to strike the panhandle since Hurricane Michael battered Panama

Still, the storm’s power was evident across the Gulf Coast. Power lines were toppled as far east as Panama City, and the National Weather Service recorded wind speeds over 50 mph as far west as Mobile, Alabama. Low-lying areas near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, dealt with minor flooding, and gusting winds even caused a few brief power outages in parts of New Orleans. A fallen tree killed one woman in Escambia County, Florida, and county officials said another person died as result of an improperly vented generator. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said Saturday afternoon that Isaias killed two of her state’s residents. The hurricane scrambled forecasters’ predictions as it STAFF PHOTOS By DAVID GRUNFELD drifted east up until landfall, Roofing material hangs over the side of the Rest & Relax Inn in Pensacola on Saturday after which spared the Alabama Hurricane Isaias tore off part of the roof. Gulf Coast from the direct hit it had been bracing for Workers as recently as Thursday. Officials in the Alabama cities remove of Orange Beach and Gulf a large Shores reported minimal broken damage but asked residents tree limb in to avoid swimming because Pensacola, the risk of rip currents remained significant. Fla., on Authorities across the Saturday. Florida Panhandle were still assessing how much Isaias eroded beaches, but at least some spots appeared heavily affected. “The damage is done,” The Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore, wearing a rain jacket and helmet, said as he surveyed impacts overnight in Miramar Beach, Florida. “The dunes City eight years ago. larations for Florida and er outages and flash flood- are very, very ruptured.” “People realize it could’ve Alabama, and Florida Gov. ing. Local authorities asked been much, much worse,” Ron DeSantis said more residents to conserve water Hurricane moved fast said Walton County Sheriff than 16,000 linemen had con- and stay home while first reThe storm’s outermost Michael Adkinson, whose voyed into the region to responders cleared the streets winds and rains reached deputies were busy on store electricity to affected of trees and power lines. the Gulf Coast by Friday Saturday assessing dam- communities. The state had But even near the site of afternoon, soaking the few ages across Florida’s Scenic not received any requests landfall, officials expressed intrepid residents and teleHighway 30A. “We’re grate- for search and rescue as of some solace. vision reporters who re“It wasn’t a complete cata- mained on the roads. CondiSaturday morning. ful.” In the cities of Destin and strophic event,” said Nick tions grew worse after dark, Florida surveys damage Fort Walton, the storm sent Tomecek, a public infor- and by 8 p.m. forecasters President Donald Trump waves crashing over dunes mation officer in Okaloosa warned that water levels were rising. approved emergency dec- and led to widespread pow- County.

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But experts said the storm’s makeup ultimately carried several blessings. It weakened slightly just before landfall, after strengthening to a Category 3 storm over warm water earlier on Friday. It was also moving at a brisk 18 mph. “Had it been slower, the flooding impacts would’ve been a lot more expansive,” said Kevin Gilmore, a forecaster at the National Weather Service in Mobile. “It was good that it was moving at a quick pace.” Among the stories emerging by daylight on Saturday was the survival of a man who endured the storm in a boat off the coast of Dauphin Island, Alabama. The United Cajun Navy shared a video of the man ﬂashing them a thumbs up after the storm had subsided. Water levels began receding early Saturday, and Isaias rapidly weakened as it crossed Alabama and dumped rain across the southeastern United States. Preliminary reports suggest between 7 and 9 inches of rain fell near Destin, and hurricane-strength gusts likely reached well into south-central Alabama. Nearly 900,000 customers in Florida, Alabama and Georgia also awoke to no electricity. In Fort Walton Beach, which took a near-direct hit, many lost power before dark on Friday. Allegretto, the mayor, said the winds did not rest until after 10 p.m. By Saturday, he expressed a mix of determination, weariness and awe over the storm’s power. He is accustomed to hurricanes, and knows the path forward. But “man, after doing this a few times, it really starts to wear on you that this can happen at any time. … It’s just a part of life,” he said. Reporter Justin Mitchell and The Associated Press contributed.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ 11A

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A third school attack in less than a week shakes Poland Police detain suspect in Warsaw

BY CLAUDIA CIOBANU Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland — A woman wounded three people inside an educational institution in Poland’s capital, Warsaw, on Saturday, police say, in the third attack at a school in less than a week. Bloodstains were visible Saturday afternoon on a patch of grass near the entrance to the private postsecondary school in the Praga district of Warsaw. The school was open on Saturday and the victims were submitting papers at the school ofﬁce when they were attacked, police said. The attack came after police on Saturday said they detained 76 people across Poland and checked nearly 50,000 schools nationwide as part of efforts to prevent further violence following two school attacks earlier in the week. The suspect on Saturday

used a “dangerous object” to attack a 17-year-old girl and also wounded two other people, aged 17 and 24, Jakub Filipiak, a spokesman for Warsaw police, told The Associated Press. None of the wounds were life-threatening. The suspect was in custody. On Wednesday, a 19-yearold student at a vocational school in the Mazovian province in central Poland attacked fellow students, teachers and passersby with a sharp object, wounding nine people. He was arrested nearby. The following day, a 15-year-old killed a school custodian and wounded two others in a knife attack at his former school in the same province. The assaults, both carried out by Polish nationals, shocked a country where school violence is a new phenomenon. So far, the government said it had found no evidence that an internet challenge promoting school attacks was ongoing. There was no official conﬁrmation that the attacks were linked.

The attacks “happen one after the other and there is geographic proximity, so you are left wondering if they are not connected,” Kacper Rekawek, senior researcher at the International Center for Counterterrorism in The Hague, told the AP. “This is essentially a copycat scenario, something of a long trail of attackers going back to at least 2019, if not decades earlier,” he said, referring to Brenton Tarrant, the white supremacist who shot and killed 51 Muslims at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019. Rekawek said that one of the suspects in the latest attacks used the same imagery and aesthetics as Tarrant, which means the Polish incidents should be “placed within the conﬁnes of essentially terrorist behavior.” Rumors that the attacks were coordinated and that there would be more on “bloody Friday” had been shared Thursday night in parents’ online groups and by mainstream media. It led to 59 schools preemptively suspending classes on Friday

FOSTER CARE

Groups back initiative State officials and leaders of well-known Christian groups attended the event and threw their support behind the effort. “Churches across Louisiana can be sources of hope and support for our children and families,” said Gov. Jeff Landry. “We brag all the time, ‘Louisiana has more churches than any other state.’ Well, guess what? It’s time to make good on why we have so many churches.” Louisiana doesn’t have the highest number of churches in the country — but it does have one of the highest rates of religious participation. In 2020, Louisiana had the third-highest percentage of people who were part of a faith community, behind only Utah and Alabama, according to the U.S. Religious Census. That year in Louisiana, 63% of people were affiliated with a religious congregation, the data shows. And, according to the Pew Research Center’s 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study, Louisiana ranked as the third most religious state in the country after Mississippi and South Carolina. Jim Daly, president and CEO of Focus on the Family, a national Christian nonprofit and advocacy group, spoke at the DCFS event this week. “God’s in our corner at the point of conception,” Daly said. “He loves us. He created us. And I think in foster care, it’s up to us, the church, to be able to step up.” Daly said that, as a child, he spent time in the foster care system after his parents divorced and his mother died when he was 9 years old; he also said his father suffered from alcoholism and died when Daly was 12. Daly said he and his wife fostered about 15 children over the course of 10 years. Gene Mills, president of the Christian advocacy group Louisiana Family Forum, also spoke and recounted being cared for and raised by his uncle’s family after his father died when Mills was 9 months old. “That heart connection is the only thing that matters,” Mills said. “DCFS helps children who’ve experienced the rupture of family discover that they’re not forgotten,” Mills said. “Foster care warrants our prayer, our participation and our provision.”

boy from Warsaw who was found in possession of a knife with a concealed blade and 11 firecrackers, and a 16year old who came to school with a butterﬂy knife in his backpack, police said. Others had posted online photos of knives, threatened their peers or threatened school attacks, police said. Parents are now having to catch up fast on how to speak to their kids about school violence. Authorities say extra

security measures at schools will continue and crisis training will be organized. The liberal government also promised to renew efforts to pass a bill blocking harmful online content. “If that juvenile attacker had streamed the crime online today, we would have been unable to block that content because we have not been given that legal tool,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.

Louisiana Through Wild Eyes:

Continued from page 1A

between DCFS and the church has so much potential.” Currently in Louisiana, roughly 4,400 children are in foster care, and there is less than one home available for every child who is in need of foster care, Harris said. Harris said the department has staff members across that state who are available to travel to churches, discuss local needs in the area and explain how to get involved.

across Poland, the majority in Mazovian province. In other schools, principals sent messages announcing stepped-up security measures including extra staff at entrances and backpack checks. “There will be no compromise here. The safety of the youth is the most important thing,” Interior Minister Marcin Kierwi ski said. Those detained on Friday include a 14-year-old

A Dual Vision of Lens & Brush

Open through December 13, 2026

Boucherie & Balloon Festival to bring family fun and Cajun ﬂavors to Sorrento Oct. 16-18 By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com This article is brought to you by Shell and the Boucherie & Balloon Festival.

The Boucherie & Balloon Festival is expanding this year, but there will also be a renewed focus on the South Louisiana traditions that started it all. The annual festival returns to Sorrento on October 16-18 with hot air balloons, Cajun delicacies, live music and cooking competitions. This year, organizers are adding carnival rides, a 13th balloon and a Sunday car show while putting an increased spotlight on cracklins – the food that has been part of the festival since its beginning. Festival attendees will be able to sample different types of cracklins from participants in the cookoff competition, as well as from several local food vendors. “We’re getting back to our roots,” said Rey Prado, president of the Sorrento Lions Club. “This festival actually started as a cracklin cooking contest in the early 1980s. We’re excited to showcase them heavily this year and crown a world champion cracklin cook. Sorrento is the Boucherie Capital of the World, and we want to lean into that and show people what that means to us.” There will also be a separate jambalaya cooking competition for locals who want to put their version of the rice-and-meat Louisiana favorite up for judging. Meanwhile, attendees will also be able to listen and dance to live Cajun and swamp pop music, plus purchase locally-made goods and speak with several area artisans and craftspeople. Hot air balloons will remain a centerpiece of the weekend. Prado said there will be 13 balloons this year, the most ever. Visitors can get a close-up look at the balloons throughout the festival and

take brief tethered rides approximately 20 feet into the air for a bird’s eye view of the grounds. “What makes our festival unique is that there is so much to offer. We have an entire Cajun festival atmosphere. You can listen to swamp pop music while eating cracklins and jambalaya. That’s so unique to this part of the world,” Prado said. “We have people from one year old to 99 years old who come. We have some bands that the older crowd loves to dance to. With the addition of the carnival rides this year, there will be even more for the kids.” Prado said data collected last year indicated that more than half of festival attendees traveled more than 50 miles. Visitorsfrequently come from neighboring states such as Texas and Mississippi, and organizers regularly receive questions about accommodations and things to do in Ascension Parish. “Everyone

in the parish gets excited when it’s Boucherie time and we know there will be a lot of people coming in,” he said. “It boosts the entire economy. When people come here for the festival, they stay at our hotels, eat at other restaurants, go shopping and visit other attractions.” The festival is the primary fundraiser for the Sorrento Lions Club, with monies going to support the Louisiana Lions Eye Foundation and Louisiana Lions Camp. Those entities help provide eyeglasses and hearing aids to people in need, as well as send children with respiratory disorders, special needs, juvenile diabetes and childhood cancer to summer camps. “None of this would be possible without our generous sponsors. Shell has been one of our main sponsors for many years, and they have done so much for us,” Prado said. “They have kept us going during slower years when we weren’t even sure what the festival would look like. They have stood by us. They are tremendous and a great partner.” The Boucherie & Balloon Festival will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16; 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct.18. The festival is located at 9690 Airline Highway in Sorrento. To learn more, visit boucheriefestival.com or www.facebook. com/boucheriefest.

12A ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

CALLAIS

Continued from page 1A and underscores how the Callais ruling continues to reverberate through state and national politics. It has already drawn a sharp rebuke from Carter. “They will never stop in their quest for a return of Jim Crow,” said Carter, the Algiers Democrat whose district stretches through predominantly African American communities near the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. Murrill and her ofﬁce did not respond to requests for comment. Other lawyers involved in the case wouldn’t comment publicly, saying it was inappropriate so close to the hearing.

A major change In a blow to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the 6-3 Supreme Court majority in Callais ruled in April that state lawmakers could draw Congressional maps to arrange their populations who elect House members for purely partisan political purposes. But they could not do so on the basis of race. The controversial decision found that U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields’ 6th Congressional District unconstitutionally linked Black-majority precincts from Baton Rouge to Lafayette to Shreveport specifically to create a district that would favor an African American candidate. About 40 of the nation’s 140 election districts with a majority of minority voters were drawn because of the Voting Rights Act, which was enacted 60 years ago to ensure minority representation in Congress and to overcome a century of Southern laws and policies that kept African Americans from participating in political life. The Supreme Court ruling coincided with an effort by President Donald Trump to

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have Republican-dominated states redraw congressional maps midcycle to eke out a few more districts that a GOP candidate could win. Alabama and other states rushed to make the change based on the Callais decision. The Tennessee General Assembly, for instance, rid its nine-member delegation of its sole Democratic congressperson by splitting the single compact district representing Memphis, which is two-thirds Black, into three districts that link inner-city neighborhoods with rural communities and now favor White Republican candidates. The Louisiana Legislature took about a month to replace its 2024 map and enact a new map that spread some 6th District voters into other districts. When the district went from 53% African American to 25%, Fields announced he’d run for his old state Senate seat instead. Louisiana’s new map favors electing five White Republicans and one Black Democratic representative rather than sending four GOP members and two Democratic members. Louisiana’s population is onethird African American, but white majorities have never elected a Black candidate to Congress. The dozen self-identiﬁed “non-African-American voters” under the Callais litigation had contended they were harmed by having their voice minimized when state lawmakers in 2024 placed them in a district that purposely grouped Black voters to create a minority majority 6th Congressional District. The Supreme Court agreed, finding that the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment forbids applying laws that help or harm one race exclusively.

rymander harm Callais claimed has been rectified. Even the Callais lawyers argued, in their fee request, that “they now enjoy ‘complete success on all claims,’” Murrill recounted in her legal filing. She argued against the three-judge panel keeping the case open and expanding its scope to “one that warrants wasting untold judicial and party resources over the next year.” But lawyers for the litigants say that for the lead plaintiff, Bert Callais, the issue was never resolved. Louisiana’s new congressional map moved him from Fields’ 6th District to Carter’s 2nd. “It leaves Mr. Callais in a potentially racially gerrymandered district, even though Louisiana v. Callais promised him otherwise,” his filings stated. “A case is not moot if it resolves some of but not all of the injury.” His lawyers, Edward D. Greim, of Kansas City, and Paul Loy Hurd, of Monroe, argued in filings that the court needs to decide if Callais’ precinct in Brusly was reasonably switched from one district to another or whether it was part of a racially based reason like protecting the Black majority in the 2nd Congressional District. Brusly is a small, predominantly White town on U.S. 1, a couple miles south of Interstate 10 in West Baton Rouge Parish, which has a large Black community. “If indeed it constitutes a racial gerrymander under the Fourteenth Amendment, it is not a complete remedy for Mr. Callais and requires the imposition of a judicial remedy,” his lawyers argued in court filings. Additional specifics of their position will be detailed in filings due Dec. 15, the deadline for the parties to present their proposed road map for the rest of the proceedings, if the case is ‘Complete success?’ not dismissed as Murrill has With the 6th District now requested. The case is being decided redrawn, Murrill is set to argue that the racial ger- by a three-judge panel sit-

ting in Shreveport. The panelists are former 5th U.S. Circuit Court Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart, of Shreveport, who was nominated by President Bill Clinton; U.S. District Judge David C. Joseph and District Judge Robert R. Summerhays, both of whom sit in Lafayette and were nominated by President Donald Trump. As head of the New Orleans-based grassroots group Power Coalition, Ashley Shelton was one of the intervening parties in the lawsuits challenging Louisi-

ana districts drawn in a way that Black voters are split up and spread through white majority districts. She said that Republicans may be in for a surprise if the Callais litigants succeed. The 6th District maps, both the one that started the Callais case and the one drawn as a result, were drawn the way they were to protect the seats held by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson. Sixty percent of Louisi-

ana’s 2nd Congressional District’s registered voters are Black. If district lines are redrawn, many of those voters will end up in Scalise’s 1st Louisiana Congressional District, where now only 12% of the registered voters are Black. “The reality is that there are too many Black people in the state of Louisiana for it not to have unintended consequences,” Shelton said. Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate. com.

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An $8 billion jury verdict against Johnson & Johnson. A $2.25 billion jury verdict against Monsanto over the weed killer Roundup. An $860 million verdict after a deadly crane collapse. Arnold & Itkin built its national reputation by taking on powerful companies and winning some of the largest jury verdicts in American history. For Louisiana families, that reputation has a history close to home. Long before the firm became a national force, Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin were earning the trust of Louisiana families whose lives had been upended by catastrophic injuries. Both founding partners have family ties to the state. Many of their first significant cases came from Louisiana, where injured workers and grieving families needed lawyers willing to take their fight for justice all the way to a jury. When the partners founded Arnold & Itkin in 2004, they had no established name to rely on. They traveled through Louisiana, meeting other lawyers and asking for a chance to handle difficult cases. Their first case had been turned down by several firms, but through hard work and perseverance they secured $1.75 million for the family. “We started our firm because we didn’t like it when companies bullied people and we still don’t like it today,” Arnold said. Louisiana has seen the results of what happens when companies try to bully Arnold & Itkin’s clients. The firm secured a $411 million jury verdict for a worker injured at the Phillips 66 Lake

Charles refinery. A 20-pound metal bar struck him while he worked on scaffolding, leaving him paralyzed and severely limiting his ability to communicate. His case put the consequences of a catastrophic workplace injury before a jury: a lifetime of care, lost independence, and a family whose daily life would never be the same. Arnold & Itkin obtained a $117 million jury verdict for a young mother catastrophically injured when an Acadian Ambulance vehicle carrying her to the hospital crashed into a sugar cane truck. She was seven months pregnant. The collision left her with devastating spinal cord and brain injuries, changing the future of an entire family. The firm’s Louisiana work also includes representing people harmed in the Williams Olefins explosion in Geismar and industrial disasters in Baton Rouge and DeRidder. Offshore workers and their families have turned to Arnold & Itkin after some of the Gulf’s most devastating accidents, including the Deepwater Horizon explosion. That same commitment has carried into courtrooms across the country. In the Risperdal litigation, Arnold & Itkin won an $8 billion jury verdict against Johnson & Johnson for failing to warn an autistic boy’s family about the drug’s risk. In the Roundup litigation, the firm secured a $2.25 billion jury verdict for a man who developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Both verdicts remain notable examples of juries demanding accountability from major corporations. “What we’ve built is a law firm where we work on cases that really matter,” Itkin said. “They matter because what we do affects real families.” Arnold & Itkin maintains a Baton Rouge office and works closely with many Louisiana law firms. For Arnold and Itkin, the national reputation and the Louisiana relationships are part of the same story: families and fellow lawyers trust the firm with cases that could not afford to be lost. Its work remains rooted in honoring that trust, one family and one courtroom at a time.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ 13A

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14A n Sunday, October 11, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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EDUCATION A S K T H E E X P E RT S

Home-visit program for new parents expands State to receive nearly $14M in federal funding BY MARIE FAZIO

Q&A WITH SUSANNAH BOUDREAUX

OVERSEES STATE’S HOME VISITING PROGRAM

Staff writer

More young Louisiana families could soon get a helping hand as federal funding expands a program that sends experts into the homes of expecting and new parents to guide them through the early days of raising a child. Louisiana will receive nearly $14 million in federal funding to help boost the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program, which has been shown to have positive effects on mothers’ health and children’s development. That’s about $1 million more than the state received last year, in part because Louisiana pitched in $1 in state funding for every $3 in federal funding received, according to the Louisiana Department of Health, which runs the program. Providers visit the homes of expectant and new parents for the ﬁrst few years of a baby’s life and offer personalized advice and lessons on whatever the parents need, completely for free. Topics can include how to babyproof a home, breastfeeding and safe sleeping or the importance of reading and early language development. They also help parents access mental health support, food and housing assistance and other resources. Research has shown home visits can help reduce emergency room visits and Medicaid expenses, and boost children’s cognitive development. This year, Louisiana became the ﬁrst state in the South to require insurance companies to cover home visits, effective in January. The Times-Picayune spoke with Susannah Boudreaux, who runs the state’s home visiting program. She explained what happens during the visits and how they help families. This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity. How do the state’s home-visiting programs work? Our “Nurse-Family Partnership” model

vironment. Most of our visits, once a baby is born, incorporate some parent-child activities that really support continued learning, milestone achievement, language development. There are times where developmental screenings — like caregiver depression screenings — are implemented within a visit. The family is met where they’re at and what needs they identify at the time. How will the additional federal money help the program? Louisiana has a beautiful history of investing in home visits long before there was federal funding. They’ve been investing state dollars in home visits since 1999. We have a long history of realizing the importance of those early connections and supporting families before a question becomes a concern and before a concern becomes a full-blown crisis. With the additional funding, we’re certainly going to be STAFF FILE PHOTO able to strengthen our capacity and expand This year, Louisiana became the first state in the South to require insurance companies to our ability to reach families. cover home visits, effective in January. Do the visits help prepare children for school? Kindergarten readiness doesn’t start the year or two before the child goes to preis staffed by nurses and is targeted to ﬁrst- the (food assistance) clinic. Other families K, it really starts the moment that baby is born. When you’re able to foster and time mothers who can join the program ﬁnd out through word-of-mouth, if you’ve strengthen those early connections, be reup to 29 weeks into their pregnancy. It’s had a cousin or friend receive services. In a psychosocial model focused on healthy Louisiana, eligibility is income based, so sponsive to baby’s cues, all of those things pregnancies, healthy deliveries, healthy families who qualify for Medicaid or food lay the groundwork for being kindergarten mom-baby attachment and family develop- assistance programs can receive services. ready. Participation is voluntary and it’s no cost What other impact do home visits have? ment. for the family. If a family is interested, a We collect and report performance data Our other model is “Parents as Teachers,” which is also evidence-based, and has home visitor will go to their home and start on a variety of benchmarks. Those range from maternal and child health and wella wider eligibility criteria. Families can be developing an ongoing relationship for up being, family well-being, and there’s a big pregnant or they can be parenting children to two to three years. What typically happens during a home visit? emphasis on connection. aged 3 and under and they can receive serSometimes it’s a weekly visit, sometimes It goes back to: Long-term investment in vices for up to three years. We’re focusing it’s a couple times a month — it depends on early support is critical, it’s highly valued on health, healthy pregnancy if a parent the need of the family. and it’s giving a good foundation for our happens to be pregnant, child developSometimes there’s going to be education kiddos to be ready for kindergarten and ment, milestone achievement and preparaaround pregnancy and postpartum health, beyond. tion for kindergarten readiness. things to watch out for and to speak with How do parents get connected to the services? your provider about. Sometimes visits are Email Marie Fazio at marie.fazio@theadFamilies are typically referred through focused on infant feeding or safe sleep en- vocatec.com. their healthcare provider or sometimes

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ 15A

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Park service could remove over 500 trees at D.C. golf course BY MATTHEW DALY

risk altering the character of a place that has served Washingtonians of all income levels for more than a century. Turning the park into an upscale golf course will mean costlier fees and a likely loss of public space. “The National Park Service is ﬁnally implementing a 7-year-old plan to address tree overgrowth at East Potomac Golf Course,” the Interior Department said in a statement Saturday. The de-

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The National Park Service has begun a new round of tree-cutting at a historic golf course near the National Mall as the Trump administration proceeds with a plan to renovate the East Potomac Golf Links into a championship-level course. More than 500 trees “that do not contribute to the historic landscape will be removed” as part of the rehabilitation project, the National Park Service said in a court ﬁling Friday. “No healthy trees that are contributing features of the historical golf course” — including historic cherry trees — will be removed as part of the project, the park service said. A total of 169 trees will be removed starting Saturday, with another 90 trees slated for removal later, the agency

partment oversees the park service and other agencies that manage federal lands. The renovation work will include selective tree and vegetation work to restore the course, the Interior Department said, adding that the work is intended to “help restore the course’s historic character and reopen views toward landmarks, including the Washington Monument, National War College, Potomac River and Washington

Channel.” The park service “recognizes the importance of trees to the park and its visitors. This carefully planned work is part of our required stewardship of the park,” the statement said. The golf course will remain open to the public throughout the renovation effort, although individual holes may temporarily close while work is underway, the agency said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NATHAN HOWARD

A golfer pauses near recently cut down trees on Saturday as the National Park Service begins removing trees at East Potomac Golf Links in Washington. said. The tree removals come as President Donald Trump has moved to turn the course into a world-class golf venue — part of his grand vision for Washington, D.C., where he has torn down storied structures, remade or renamed

others and deployed the National Guard for more than a year. Some residents fear the planned changes to the golf course — where Trump has visited with a cabinet member, a well-known golf course architect and blueprints —

would adhere to “the correct position of opposing ‘Taiwan independence’ ” during his visit to Washington. Lai said China has exerted pressure in an attempt to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, and the island’s “resolve” is not just about its own survival in the face of “authoritarian expansion.” It’s also about whether the international community still believes that force cannot override rules, he said. Lai said Taiwan’s increased defense investment is intended to deter war, not provoke it. “We are strengthening our self-defense not to abandon dialogue, but to ensure that dialogue can take place on the basis of parity and dignity,” he said. China and Taiwan have been governed separately

since 1949, when a civil war brought the Communist Party to power in Beijing. Defeated Nationalist Party forces fled to Taiwan. The island has operated with its own government since then. China has pressed Washington to halt arms sales to Taiwan, most prominently during a May summit in Beijing between Trump and Xi. After that meeting, a record $14 billion U.S. arms package to the island stalled. In September, Xi asked the U.S. to handle the Taiwan issue “prudently.” Lai said Saturday that Taiwan welcomed dialogue between China and the U.S. to manage their competition and reduce the risk of conﬂict and war, but pointed out that maintaining peace requires a correct understanding of history.

y a D e m a G r ar Up fo e G s e i r o t c i Taiwan’s Lai says island will not give V t e e w S h t i w up its freedom in National Day speech BY JOHNSON LAI and KANIS LEUNG Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said Taiwan cherishes peace but will not give up its freedom, in a speech marking the island’s National Day on Saturday as tensions over Taiwan persist between the U.S. and China. Lai’s speech soon drew Beijing’s criticism, accusing him of disregarding facts and misleading the public. Taiwan has faced growing military and political pressure from China, which views the island democracy as a breakaway province to be retaken by force if necessary. In September, Chinese President Xi Jinping told his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump that he hoped the U.S.

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Louisiana farmers blend tradition and innovation to keep agriculture growing

SHADE. PRIVACY. COMFORT. AT THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON. St. Landry Parish rice farmer Jeffrey Sylvester has embraced research, advocacy and new methods to strengthen the industry.

Robert and Rachel Duncan of Rapides Parish maintain a herd of about 200 mama cows and frequently sell beef directly to customers.

By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com This article is brought to you by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. For generations, Louisiana farmers have helped feed thousands while supporting an industry deeply connected to the state’s economy and culture. Today, maintaining that legacy requires farmers to balance longstanding traditions with new technologies, changing market demands and rising costs. In honor of National Farmers Day on October 12, we take a closer look at the farmers behind some of Louisiana’s signature commodities and how they are navigating changes in agriculture while carrying on family traditions.

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Blending tradition, research and innovation in the rice fields Louisiana rice farmers harvested 3.5 billion pounds in 2024, and rice production contributes more than $308 million annually to the state economy. The grain is a staple in Louisiana kitchens and restaurants, forming the basis for favorites like jambalaya, etouffee and gumbo. Word of mouth and promotions have created more widespread demand. “Once they taste it, they want it, and then they want more of it. We got to make sure that we continue giving them that quality of rice,” said Jeffrey Sylvester, a St. Landry Parish rice farmer. Sylvester and his brothers have about 4,000 acres of rice fields. He embraces the hard work and long hours, as well as newer varieties, such as Cypress rice, that have emerged since the 1990s. Meanwhile, Sylvester embraces research into chemicals, fertilizers and diseases to protect crops, improve yields and avoid unnecessary expenses. As a vocal rice industry advocate, he encourages his fellow farmers to see how new methods can benefit them. “There’s an old saying – that guy who comes to the supper. He never brings any alcohol, he never cooks, he never cleans up. Let’s not be that guy,” Sylvester said. “Let’s everybody contribute and do what we’re supposed to do, and make it a better industry for us and our children and our grandchildren.” Connecting local beef with local consumers In Rapides Parish, Robert and Rachel Duncan are raising cattle – and the fifth generation of their families to live the agricultural life. The couple grows soybeans, produces hay and maintains a herd of about 200 mama cows. Beginning in 2017, they began selling beef directly to consumers to capture more value from their cattle instead of relying exclusively on traditional livestock markets. “We really enjoy being able to sell to the neighbors and keeping local meat in local people,” Robert said. “If somebody wants to come out here and look, we’ll be glad to show them how it’s raised and what we do to raise them and get them to that point.” Louisiana’s cattle industry dates to the 1700s. Today, Louisiana beef can be found in everything from burgers, tacos and chilis to steak dinners, brisket sandwiches and as the centerpiece in a homemade rice and gravy. The Duncans are proud to be part of that legacy. Sometimes, customers come to their door, allowing Rachel to show the Duncans’ three daughters the value of stewardship. “People come to the house all the time. ‘Hey, I need some ribeyes. I need five pounds of ground meat’,” she said. “I love that we can instill that importance into our

children so they can tell their friends, ‘We grow stuff like that. We produce the food that we eat.’” Relying on faith, family and adaptability in crawfish ponds Louisiana dominates U.S. crawfish production, typically accounting for an estimated 90 percent of the nation’s total each year. Springtime crawfish boils are a Louisiana staple, and the seafood is used in etouffees, bisques and mac-and-cheese. Crawfish cornbread, crawfish pies and crawfish omelets are also popular. For southwest Louisiana crawfish farmer Dylan Benoit, producing one of Louisiana’s most recognizable foods means continually adjusting to unavoidable circumstances. The 2016 flood was particularly difficult, and recovery took years. Today, Benoit balances production with rising expenses. He estimated the cost of producing crawfish has increased at least 30 percent over the past five years. “If you don’t believe in God, you will when you farm,” he said. While relying on his faith and family, Benoit approaches farming with adaptability. He continually evaluates his operation and is open to moving on from ponds that aren’t sufficiently productive. He has also invested in technology such as laser leveling, even though it comes with a price. “It’s just what you got to do to have that production where you need it,” Benoit said. “We take a lot of pride in what we do. I feed my family the same thing. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” Modern techniques preserve a sugarcane legacy Louisiana is the nation’s second-largest producer of sugarcane, with most fields in Vermilion, Iberia, Lafayette, Iberville, St. Mary and Assumption parishes. Each fall and winter, the cane is harvested and processed into sugar for baked goods, candies, syrups, glazes, marinades and more. Sugarcane has been part of the Sotile family for more than a century. But, development and limited farmland mean Frankie and Mallory Sotile must produce more efficiently with available land. “I’ve tried to modernize everything we’ve done out here,” said Frankie, who has introduced precision agriculture and updated practices. “My dad is still actively out here with us, and he’s a little bit more old school. It’s a little difficult to convince him, but whenever the productivity is there and your yields are showing good, it speaks for itself.” Some of Sotile’s most special moments are when he brings his two young sons on tractor rides with their grandfather and great-grandfather. Beyond making memories, he hopes they develop a love for the land and agriculture. “I just want them to be happy and learn the same lessons that I have. I think as long as they take away the values that this provides you, I’ll be pleased with that,” he said. “No matter what situation you’re in or challenge you face, being out here on the farm and knowing how to adapt – that’s invaluable.” With more than 107,000 members, the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation’s mission is to support today’s agricultural needs and create member opportunities through advocacy and education. Volunteer leaders serve at the parish, state and national levels, gathering input from Louisiana farmers and ranchers and attempting to influence legislation and regulation to support their work. Visit lafarmbureau.org/ tailgate to learn more.

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THE GULF COAST Shaggy’s opens new Crab House on Biloxi beach It includes indoor and outdoor dining

they’ll have blue crab, crawfish and Gulf shrimp, Covington said. “We put our heart and soul into this menu,” Gully said. It leads with 10 varieties of crab boils, ranging from $23.99 for a shrimp boil to $279.99 for The Full Royal Treatment, a sharable feast with all three kinds of crab legs, lobster tail, shrimp, sausage and all the fixings. The seafood boils are shaken with butter sauce, but some people want more for dipping, Gully said. For them, Shaggy’s offers a flight of sauces so they can dip all four varieties — twisted citrus, garlic butter, original Cajun or smoked honey chipotle.

BY MARY PEREZ The Sun Herald

Shaggy’s now is two restaurants on the beach in Biloxi, connected by a boardwalk, with water views and menus of both seafood and a cheeseburger so renowned there’s a boat named for it. Shaggy’s Crab House is located on the west side of the now sprawling dining and entertainment complex from 1763 to 1775 Beach Blvd. Co-owners Ron Ladner and Rimmer Covington Jr. bought the adjacent restaurant and created much more than a second place to dine along Biloxi’s boardwalk and Restaurant Row. On the left side is the original Shaggy’s Biloxi at Shaggy’s Beach, with open-air dining that makes the most of the waterfront views and breezes. Next door on the far right facing the water, the new Shaggy’s Crab House is an elevated experience that adds crab boils big enough to share and a menu of martinis, mimosas, margaritas and other tropical drinks that make the most of the setting accentuated by a row of palm trees on the beach. The restaurant has both outdoor tables and an air-conditioned dining room for those who want more chill than a breeze. In between, the elevated boardwalk, which parallels the city’s boardwalk along the beach, connects the two restaurants with a sweet shop, a gift shop and a stage in a shipping container. The idea, said Covington, president and CEO of Shaggy’s, was to create a place where people want to spend more than an hour eating, and instead linger for the day or evening experiencing the food, the beach and outdoor games, the entertainment and the legendary welcome from Shaggy’s staff. “It creates a destination,” he

jalapeno barbecue sauce. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are highlighted on the menu and many of the drinks are available as mocktails and refreshers, without alcohol. Creating a whole new drink menu gave them an opportunity to add ﬁne wines, Covington said, along with a Crab House version of the Bushwacker made with peanut butter cups. For an Instagrammable experience, the Category Five bloody mary will wow with a pound of crab legs, two lobster tails, skewered shrimp and other ingredients in a drink to share.

Creating an experience

The new Shaggy’s has lots of nooks and crannies and places to spread out, so larger music “This menu also features sevevents will spill out into the parkeral award-winning signature dishes that were created by ing lot, Covington said, while Shaggy’s,” Covington said. Among a solo artist playing native son those are lobster corn dogs, corn Jimmy Buffett songs or a small ribs and Poseidon’s Pearls that group can pop up on the stage give deviled eggs a flavorful twist that’s tucked inside a shipping with bacon jam, crispy shrimp container. and spicy mayo. The new Shaggy’s Sweet Tooth “We have a sneaky suspicion is nearby, with jars full of favorthat our Crab House wings are go- ite candies, fresh-made cookies and more than a dozen varieties ing to be a top seller here,” Gully of ice cream, including sugar-free said. They are tossed with the and gluten-free, for dips, shakes original Cajun butter, “So even if you don’t like seafood you can get and sundaes. Next door is a new gift shop for that same crab boil experience those who want to take home a with our chicken wings,” he said. logo T-shirt. “Our burger is always going to Shaggy’s is the kind of place be a Shaggy staple,” Gully said, where people feel comfortable in and they decided to dress them a little different at the Crab House, flip-flops or dressed up for date night, he said, where adults and with sweet bacon jam. “Then we have our surf and turf burger,” he kids can play with the sand games or wander along the boardwalk. said, “where we take the burger, An elevator makes it accessible and we top it with lobster meat and gives those who usually can’t and a lobster queso sauce.” go to the beach a front-row seat It’s $19.99, and he said, “To be for lunch or at sunset. able to serve a lobster dish for With the expansion, Shaggy’s under $20, that’s something we’re now has more than 120 employees very proud of.” The lobster roll at the Biloxi restaurants, where BLT is priced at $22.99. Covington said a focus on customThe Crab House menu also features she-crab soup, which is ers and a positive work environnot usually found in South Missis- ment and extensive benefits for the staff helps create a memosippi, salads, platters with Gulf shrimp and Mississippi catfish, rable experience whether at the along with seafood entrées and original Shaggy’s or the new island ribs glazed with pineapple- Shaggy’s Crab House.

Old and new on menu

SUN HERALD PHOTO By MARy PEREZ

With views of the sparkling water come colorful drinks, a Category Five bloody mary and a choices of new dishes and award-winning favorites at Shaggy’s Crab House in Biloxi, Miss. said.

Opportunity realized “Ron (Ladner) and I have been wanting to purchase this property next door for many years, and we just never had the right opportunity to do it,” Covington said. When the previous owners of Lucy’s restaurant and bar decided to sell, they could no longer wait, he said. “We needed to do something here that was going to be successful and stick,” he said, and that’s where the idea of a crab house and the boardwalk concept was born. They looked to see what was missing on the Mississippi Gulf Coast restaurant scene and decided it was crab. “For a long time, casinos created the crab tourism,” said Adam Gully, director of operations for Shaggy’s, which now has six locations: four on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, one in the Jackson area and one at Pensacola Beach, Florida. Fewer Coast casinos have buffets and crab legs, Gully said, and

one of every two calls they get at Shaggy’s is from someone asking, “Y’all got crab legs?” They do now, Covington said, and unlike at the casinos, they come with Gulf views and kids are allowed to enjoy the crab legs, too, while most of the casinos are for ages 21 and older.

The best seafood The crab and seafood for the new restaurant is sourced domestically and internationally, straight from the supplier. Matt Roberts, general manager of Shaggy’s Biloxi, found a company in Alaska that catches the crab and sends it to South Mississippi. Cold-water lobster tails come from Canada. The Gulf shrimp aren’t just local, they’re from Biloxi. Snow crab, king crab and Dungeness crab all are on the menu, and all three are combined in some of the crab boils, along with lobster tail, potatoes and other sides. Customers can choose their favorites to customize their seafood boil. When in season

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LOUISIANA POLITICS La. politicos angle for presidential run in 2028 WASHINGTON — Former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial joined the growing list of Louisiana politicos flirting with a presidential run in 2028. “I’m thinking about running too,” Morial, now head of the New York-based National Urban League, told the March On! Festival audience here at an Oct. 3 panel discussion. “Run, Marc, run,” said former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans, sharing the stage with Morial and her brother, former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who also has been talking publicly about maybe considering a run. (Mitch Landrieu’s Mark off-mic response Ballard was that Morial would be a formidable candidate.) Landrieu has been saying since April that he’ll decide in a few months after praying, conferring with family, and talking with friends, including Morial. “I’m going to do what I’m going to do. From my perspective, it’s probably going to be sometime after the midterms or the first of the year,” he told POLITICO on Sept. 23. The next morning, Oct. 4, U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, posited “Why not me?” on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “If a bunch of goobers run, and I think they’re goobers and one of the goobers might win, and I think I could do a better job, I would consider running,” Kennedy said. Landrieu, Kennedy, and Morial said they haven’t started setting up a team with national experience, or organizing a political action committee, or lining up funds. So, just how serious they are remains to be seen. But Kennedy and Landrieu are ticking off boxes on the serious candidate’s “to do” list. Both have written books and both are building up frequent flyer miles campaigning for partisans, ad-

Bill Cassidy sponsors open primaries bill

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, who lost Louisiana’s newly closed-party primary election in May, filed legislation last week requiring states to conduct open primaries for federal offices. Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, said about 45% of the American electorate is politically independent of the parties, regardless of their registration. “That’s a bigger chunk of Americans than either the Republican or the Democratic Party,” Cassidy Capitol said. “I firmly beBuzz lieve the political STAFF system should REPORTS serve the people. And it shouldn’t be designed so that the people serve the politician.” The legislation will have a tough go. The Senate is out of town and will return to Capitol Hill in mid-November with a full plate of work to accomplish in the few

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MANUEL BALCE CENETA

Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, standing right, and U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., seated, discuss text messages with former special counsel Jack Smith, as Smith testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill on Sept. 29. dressing political groups, and enticing media coverage around the country. Known for his country quips, the lawyer trained at elite universities is one of the Republicans’ most popular guest speakers. Kennedy was at a Michigan barn party Friday campaigning for embattled Senate candidate Mike Rogers. Landrieu has been helping Democratic aspirants and participating in issue discussions with voters. He co-hosted a six-part series called “Long Play” with political commentator Jennifer Palmieri about Southern politics. Zachary Taylor is the only person from Louisiana to become president and he’s really from Virginia. He was elected in 1848 while living in Baton Rouge in a house that was located near where the State Capitol now sits. Gov. Huey Long famously talked about challenging President Franklin D. Roosevelt before being shot to death on Sept. 8, 1935, in a back hall of the Louisiana Capitol. Gov. Buddy Roemer ran in 2011 for the 2012 presidential contest.

He eventually left the Republican Party and continued his candidacy as an independent before dropping out in 2012. Gov. Bobby Jindal spent his last couple of years as governor traveling around the country for speaking appearances in GOP campaigns and before conservative groups. His ofﬁcial campaign, begun in June 2015, never got much further than consuming deep-fried Twinkies at fairs in Iowa before dropping out ﬁve months later. Neither Jindal nor Roemer ever attracted enough attention to be included in candidate forums. Most presidential books, like the one Jindal wrote, are largely ignored. Kennedy and Landrieu, however, wrote bestsellers. Kennedy’s homespun “How to Test Negative for Stupid: And Why Washington Never Will” spent 15 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list after being published in October 2025. Landrieu’s scholarly “In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History,” published in March 2018, also

remaining weeks of the 119th Congress. Cassidy’s bill would require voters in federal elections to show photo identification at the polls and also limit gerrymandering by state legislatures, in which Cassidy election districts are configured to include a certain group of voters while limiting the influence of other voters. Since the 1970s, Louisiana has used a “majority vote primary,” also sometimes called a “jungle primary.” Candidates ran against each other regardless of party, and the two top vote-getters advanced to a runoff if no one candidate received 50% plus one of the votes. The state briefly switched to closed party primaries from 2008 to 2010 after several Republicans started making moves to challenge then-incumbent Sen. David Vitter, R-Metairie, who was involved in a prostitution scandal.

Vitter went on to win the primary and the general election. The Legislature then returned to open primaries. The Louisiana Legislature, at the urging of Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, changed Louisiana’s system back to closed primaries in 2024 to ensure that Republicans decide who the GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate was going to be. Cassidy, who had the secondhighest vote totals in Louisiana history in 2020, was pilloried by Louisiana Republicans and censured twice just a few months later because of local anger about his opposition to President Donald Trump. He was one of the few Republican senators who voted to convict Trump on impeachment charges stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol by MAGA supporters, which delayed the ofﬁcial congressional certiﬁcation that Joe Biden had won the presidential election. Trump called Cassidy, who chairs one of the Senate’s most important committees, the worst

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu sits next to activist Doratha ‘Dodie’ Smith-Simmons during the funeral for Jerome ‘Big Duck’ Smith in New Orleans on Sept. 12.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial gives the eulogy for the funeral of Norman C. Francis on March 3.

spent time on the bestseller lists. Years ago, Morial published a collection of his speeches and in 2020 wrote “The Gumbo Coalition: 10 Leadership Lessons That Help You Inspire, Unite and Achieve.”

senator on social media. The president backed U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Baton Rouge, over Cassidy, who was seeking a third term. Under the new closed primary system, Cassidy came in third on May 16 behind Letlow and State Treasurer John Fleming, R-Minden.

Kennedy takes aim at financial regulator U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, has sponsored a bill he says would require the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to more fully consider the costs to businesses and the economy of the regulations it implements. Created in 2010 under thenpresident Barack Obama as a response to the 2007 recession, the CFPB was the brainchild of nowSen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. It is responsible for enforcing laws and implementing regulations on banks. Republicans have long accused the agency of imposing costly bureaucracy, and its leadership has pursued a deregulatory agenda

Just to be clear: No candidate has announced their intentions. But the roster of “likely” contenders, according to national media and trade publications, shows all the possibles doing pretty much the same thing: write a book, weigh in on issues of the day, campaign for colleagues, and become better known. On the Republican side, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are the leading candidates. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also is making noise. The Democrats are waiting to learn the intentions of former Vice President Kamala Harris, which will have great inﬂuence on who else decides to run. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would not, if she does. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, also are mulling the possibilities. Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvoate.com.

during the Trump Administration. Democrats have accused the administration of undermining important consumer protections at the behest of big banks. Kennedy and Warren both sit on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, where they have sparred over financial regulation. Under Kennedy’s bill, the CFPB would be required to take several steps before issuing new regulations, including an assessment of all direct and indirect costs; identifying alternative regulations; and consulting with the Small Business Administration. “Washington bureaucrats shouldn’t be able to saddle hardworking Americans with costly regulations without showing that the benefits outweigh the costs,” Kennedy said in a news release. “The CFPB ought to put taxpayers and consumers first, and my bill would make sure the agency shows its homework before imposing another costly rule.” Kennedy is co-sponsoring the bill with Sen. Cynthia Loomis, RWyo.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ 19A

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In Texas’ Big Bend, landowners dig in over border wall Judge hits pause on construction BY REBECCA SANTANA Associated Press

RUIDOSA, Texas — Across the southern border, the Trump administration has been moving ahead with a $46 billion border wall project. But in Texas’ Big Bend region, the administration has run up against intense opposition from landowners. That resistance is complicating President Donald Trump’s signature infrastructure project in a fight that has become a test of just how far the administration will go to fulfill its vision of a fortified southern border. The federal government has sweeping authority to force the project through. But a judge has now paused construction across the region, giving a major boost to landowners who have sought to impede the wall by refusing to cooperate with government surveyors, protesting at county meetings and gearing up for court battles. “Landowner resistance has slowed this project to a crawl,” said David Keller, a landowner suing to stop the Big Bend border projects. The administration, he added, was “woefully unprepared for the hornet’s nest they stirred up.”

Building the wall Building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border has long been a key campaign promise for Trump. Republicans last year approved money for the project as part of an immigration enforcement package. The administration says that even with illegal immigration plummeting, the border project is needed to keep the numbers low. Customs and Border Protection says it’s building 12 miles of barrier a week. On Friday, the agency said it’s built over 260 miles of

border barriers under the second Trump administration: “CBP is on track and constructing border barrier faster than ever,” the agency said in a statement. In Big Bend, where construction began in September, the administration plans to spend $7.5 billion to fortify the border along a region stretching more than 500 miles. In August, the Border Patrol arrested 8,870 people along the southern border. In Big Bend, which makes up roughly one-quarter of the entire U.S.-Mexico border, it arrested roughly 160 people. “The American people have already seen the consequences of an unprotected border,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott after a lawsuit against the Big Bend project. “We cannot allow any region — including Big Bend — to be exploited again.”

Court battles The government must acquire authorization from landowners to survey and build. If they refuse, the government can take them to court to get it — with compensation. The process is called eminent domain and courts generally defer to the government in these cases. Dianna, 63, and Dan Burbach, 79, began receiving paperwork in July seeking permission to survey their property, along with a map showing where the project would run behind their house on property stretching to the Rio Grande. The couple arrived 25 years ago and raised four children there. Now retired, they worry construction could worsen flooding and leave 15 acres of their land behind the wall. “We’re going to let them take us to court, do eminent domain and we’ll ﬁght it that way,” Dianna said. CBP has reached agreements with dozens of Big Bend landowners but the ad-

Patrol checkpoints. Reaching Gary Grabowske’s land requires grinding along rocky mountain trails. From the top of a 450-foo cliff, the Rio Grande is visible far below. There is no electricity, running water or internet and, Grabowske argues, no plausible route for a vehicle entering from Mexico. “You can’t take a dirt bike to the bottom,” he said. “You can’t take a mule to the bottom. You’re scrambling down there, hand over fist.” Opponents also see this as a test of how far the federal government can go when landowners stand in the way of one of its priorities. “If we’re going to be run ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By REBECCA SANTANA over and have our land takGary Grabowske stands on his property looking out over the Rio Grande on Sept. 16 in en by our own government, what makes anybody else Terrell County, Texas. in this United States think ministration has also hired telling contractors they’re Local sheriffs opposed the that they’re exempt?” Allen eminent domain attorneys not welcome at local hotels project early, and bulldoz- asked. in Texas in anticipation of or restaurants. ing in Big Bend National In one county, residents Park prompted bipartisan Ranchers try to resist disputes, said a Justice Department official speaking unsuccessfully urged of- outrage. The Zuberbueler ranch Laura Allen, who voted for in Val Verde County was on condition of anonymity ficials not to lease airport under ground rules set by land to a barrier contractor, Trump twice, is now receiv- founded in 1898. Brothers the government. but in another county a pro- ing notices about a vehicle Bill and Patrick own and In a win for opponents, a posed agreement allowing barrier crossing the prop- lease thousands of acres of federal judge recently tem- another contractor to use a erty where her family raises the craggy land stretching porarily barred wall con- county road has so far not sheep and goats. She credits to the river where they raise Trump with shutting down goats and sheep. struction in the Big Bend been approved. Bill remembers receiving “If we had rolled over, the the border but questions the area. Plaintiffs argued the a letter back in February administration overstepped wall would be up,” Gutierrez spending on this project. “I didn’t vote for a wall,” giving him five days to reits authority to bypass regu- said. CBP said it continues seek- she said. “I wanted our spond to a request to access lations. It’s not immediately clear ing voluntary access agree- border secured. He accom- his property for construchow long the judge’s order ments while completing the plished that.” tion and raising the possibilwill slow the government, project’s design but will reTerrell County’s Repub- ity of the government using which late Thursday asked fer disputes to the Justice lican sheriff, Thad Cleve- eminent domain. He worries the judge to put aside her Department when neces- land, who spent 26 years in about how the construction decision while they appeal. sary. Landowners will be the Border Patrol, is among will affect his livestock, escompensated regardless of those speaking out against pecially their water supply. Opponents protest how access is obtained, the the project in Big Bend. He “There’s not a lot of grass said that in the region’s rug- out here, but every square Some opponents are press- agency said. ged terrain, drones and sur- foot is important to my boting local governments not to assist contractors. Charlie Bipartisan support veillance towers are more tom line,” said Bill. Angell, a tourism operaPatrick and Bill say they After a yearslong surge logical than a wall to secure feel the weight of their famtor whose property lies in in crossings at the southern the border. the project’s path, and his frontier, border security ily’s legacy and the sacripartner, Bibiana Gutier- and immigration were key Critics say land a deterrent fices previous generations rez, attend county meetings reasons Republicans voted In some areas, the river made to build the ranch up. for Trump and his approval is flanked on both sides by “Regardless of what hapthroughout the region. They and other land ratings on those issues are steep limestone cliffs, and pens, we have to say we and business owners have among his strongest. up and down the region tried,” said Patrick. But with illegal crossings people have to trek through staged protests, patrolled Associated Press writer areas where contractors are way down, even some Re- inhospitable desert terrain Alanna Durkin Richer conworking to look for possible publicans have questioned to get to the nearest paved tributed to this report from violations, and hung signs the Big Bend project. road or pass through Border Washington.

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Ciroc Miller measures olive oil while cooking alongside Kayleigh Martin, left, during culinary class at EBR CTEC Center on Sept. 30.

Fanning the flames Culinary program for high school students trains future chefs

BY OLIVIA TEES Staff writer

Baton Rouge students are learning how to navigate a commercial kitchen, chop and prepare food like pros, and craft multicourse fine dining menus under a parish program. Through the East Baton Rouge Parish Office of Workforce Development, under the watchful guidance of chef Ashley Woods, high school students now have the opportunity to complete a two-year culinary training program that prepares them for a job in a restaurant after graduation. The seven students in the class are separated into teams to make dishes they will present at the Louisiana ProStart Invitational in March. The competition tasks students with creating a three-course fine-dining meal and presenting it to judges. This year, Woods has students from different high schools: five juniors and two seniors. The course is designed as a three-hour class that the students will attend before leaving and completing the rest of their studies at their high school. Woods uses the nationally accredited ProStart program, which teaches students everything from the basics of cooking and prep work to plating fine meals and catering large events. The first year, students learn how to handle food, the steps to take to become a certified kitchen manager and build essential culinary and hospitality skills. In their second year, students build off the skills from the first year to advance their culinary craftsmanship and become eligible to compete in the regional competitions. The class is the only one in the Capital Region taught inside a com-

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer

From fresh eggs to tropical houseplants: A weekly farmers market with these vendors and much more is coming to

Candidates offer views on war, prices in debate Four congressional qualifiers participate

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

Three Democrats had the rare opportunity to shine during a televised debate Friday night featuring four candidates for a Baton Rouge-based congressional seat that was drawn to elect a Republican. Democrats Pat Forbes, Lindsay Garcia and Chauna Banks all criticized President Donald Trump’s conduct of the war against Iran and using the National Guard to supplement the police in cities such as Baton Rouge and New Orleans. “They are not trained to go in arresting people and running down folks,” Banks said. State Sen. Rick Edmonds, the lone Republican to participate in the debate, indicated that he supported the war in Iran and said he favored the use of the National Guard “in certain cases.” People, Edmonds said, “want to bring up

ä See VIEWS, page 2B

Chef Ashley Woods, left, helps A’yonna Williams plate lamb chops with asparagus and polenta during culinary class at EBR CTEC Center on September 30. mercial restaurant kitchen at the Career and Technical Education Center on Lobdell Boulevard. During the course, students practice daily the dishes they’ll present in the spring. Juniors Travis Carroll from Scotlandville Magnet and Skylar Beauchamp from Liberty Magnet are tasked with the appetizer: a Gulf shrimp tomato salad on a toasted crostini with a ricotta salata cheese crumble. Liberty High School students A’yonna Williams, Kayleigh Martin and Ciroc Millar are on entree duty: an Italian herb butter lamb chop with garlic Parmesan polenta, charred asparagus and a roasted red bell pepper sauce. For the finale, Sanaa Nettles and Raion Colbert have mastered a dessert of a lemon tart with blueberry glaze and a cane syrup-poached pear. Junior at Liberty High School A’yonna Williams said she wanted the menu this year to be Italian cuisine with a little bit of Cajun flair. Woods runs the kitchen like a real restaurant, requiring aprons on young chefs before the magic happens. As each chef works from start to finish on their meals, Woods

walks around to give bits of advice, wipe down a workstation or roll up the young cook’s sleeve. Woods, who has taught the program for the past six years, says it’s something that she is passionate about and is blessed to see the difference it makes for the students who complete it. For her, the biggest change in students is their maturity after completing the training. “The progression. I get some students who are very green when it comes to the kitchen. They don’t know how to do anything, and by the time I ﬁnish, they can make a meal and successfully plate it. They know how to put things together and do things their own way,” Woods said. Woods is a graduate of the Louisiana Culinary Institute and has worked in and around kitchens for most of her life. Most of the students came to the class for the same reason: to switch up their routine and continue their love of food. They came from families who loved to cook and instilled in them a respect for the kitchen. Nettles said her love of cooking came from her grandmother, who would make all sorts of delicious

ä See FLAMES, page 2B

St. George to begin weekly farmers market Event will be Saturdays beginning Oct. 24

the city of St. George. A St. George resident is starting a weekly farmers market on Saturdays, beginning Oct. 24 in the parking lot of The Artist’s Loft at 7126 Antioch Road. It will last from 8 a.m. to noon. Annie Jones has organized the new market with the help of her cousin, David, and said she is hoping it will become a regular event for the city.

“We’re planning on doing it weekly,” Jones said. “I’m hoping to have it all year.” Jones plans to have up to roughly 20 vendors at the market that sell fresh, locally sourced food. She said she already has “a wide variety” of vendors signed up who sell fruits, eggs and plants. “If you grow it, we want you there,” she said. Currently, the closest recur-

ring Saturday farmers market is the Red Stick Farmers Market in downtown Baton Rouge. Jones said she doesn’t want to take people from the downtown farmers market; they just want this option for those who don’t want to drive across the parish. Email Claire Grunewald at claire.grunewald@ theadvocate.com.

School Board candidates share ‘superpower’ 13 Baton Rouge hopefuls participate in forum BY CHARLES LUSSIER Staff writer

“What superpower will you bring to the School Board?” This offbeat question, posed in writing by an anonymous member of the audience, stood out during a forum held last week for candidates for the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board. It elicited revealing responses. “My superpower is building relationships,” explained Robert Signater Sr., a retired high school principal and football coach. “I’ve never met a stranger, and I can hold a conversation with anyone.” Tristan George, who is 27 and facing off against the 60-year-old Signater in a fourperson race for the vacant District 2 seat, emphasized the present-day knowledge he receives from his perch at East Feliciana High in Clinton. “My superpower is I’m a teacher and I know what the kids need today,” George said. “I’m in the classroom working with them. So I want to bring that perspective.” George was asked this same question a year ago for a “Twenty in their 20s” feature in 225 Magazine. He gave a lighter answer: “My smile and positivity. It’s about radiating energy that lifts others, helps them feel seen and inspires them to believe.” Nicole Fitzgerald also ﬁelded the “superpower” question. A former Spanish

ä See SCHOOL, page 2B

2B ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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FLAMES

VIEWS

meals in her kitchen growing up. Her favorite home-cooked meal is gumbo. Martin, who prepared the roasted red pepper sauce that went with the lamb chops, said the experience she is learning while in the kitchen is the most valuable part of the course. While not every student is set on pursuing a career in the culinary arts, Woods said they take away life skills that are vital to being a well-adjusted and independent person upon entering the real world. “I tell my students that even if I do not put you on the path to culinary school, I will give you the skills to be able to know how to go in the kitchen and feed yourself for the rest of your life. You will know how to go into a kitchen and be able to put a meal together and feed yourself and your family,” Woods said. Since Woods’ start as a teacher, four former students have attended culinary school. One is at the Louisiana Culinary Institute, one is at the Culinary Institute of America in Austin and two are enrolled in the Nicholls State four-year culinary program. She said knowing what they went on to accomplish is the most rewarding part of teaching the course. “I even have students who still text me pictures of meals that they make or a recipe that we’ve done in class, and they graduated two years ago, and they are still making the thing that I taught them how to make,” Woods said.

their children somewhere where they feel safe and secure. I am an A-plus vote with the Louisiana Sheriffs Association.” A fifth candidate, Republican state Sen. Blake Miguez, qualified for the debate but skipped the event. WBRZ-TV organized the hourlong debate at the Manship Theater in downtown Baton Rouge less than four weeks before the Nov. 3 jungle primary when 10 candidates for the 6th Congressional District seat will be on the ballot. The TV station invited only the top five candidates in a districtwide survey conducted by pollster John Couvillon. Those who didn’t make the cut were Republicans Michael Mebruer, Monique Appeaning, Stephen Wagley and Larry Davis III; and Rufus Craig, a Libertarian candidate. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in next month’s primary, the top two finishers — regardless of party — will advance to a runoff in December that will decide who replaces U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields. A Democrat, Fields chose not to run for reelection after the Republicancontrolled state Legislature redesigned the state’s congressional boundaries in May to favor a Republican in the 6th Congressional District. Forbes offered the most aggressive and specific stances throughout the debate, beginning with his opening statement. Referring to Edmonds and Miguez, he said, “they’ll say they are 100% for the president, and

teacher at Westdale Middle School and now development director for a nonprofit group in Baton Rouge, Fitzgerald is hoping to unseat incumbent Nathan Rust in a three-person race for District 6. Fitzgerald ended up one-upping her fellow educators. “Mi superpoder es mi capacidad para hablar español,” Fitzgerald said, quickly translating, “My superpower is my ability to speak Spanish.” The audience of 75 people applauded. “I’m so glad you translated yourself,” said a relieved Clay Young, serving as moderator. The sponsor of the forum was the Baton Rouge Alliance for Students Action, which is an affiliate of the Baton Rouge Alliance for Students, a prominent charter school friendly nonprofit. The event was held in a conference room at the downtown offices of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. It is one of several candidate forums being held around town in advance of the Nov. 3 elections. Thirteen of the 20 parish School Board candidates attended. Since it was founded in 2021, the Baton Rouge Alliance for Students has devoted itself to reshaping the East Baton Rouge Parish school system, particularly its nine-member elected board. Operating multiple affiliated organizations, it spent more than $900,000 in 2022 during that year’s board elections and has raised a similar amount for this fall’s races.

they are going to work to reduce prices and the cost of living. Those two things cannot be mutually true. You’re either going to vote against this war, vote against these tariffs, vote to reverse that tax bill that gave millionaires tax breaks or you’re going to work for the people.” Forbes noted that he spent the ﬁnal 20 years of his career overseeing disaster relief in Louisiana for Democratic and Republican governors. (John Bel Edwards, the former Democratic governor, has endorsed him.) “Nobody in this race has the experience that I have working across this district, working the political spectrum with anybody and everybody who would help, working across every level of government to make life for people in Louisiana safer and better than it was before,” Forbes said. Garcia touted her endorsement by the Louisiana Democratic

Party and described herself as a mom and former teacher who wants to restore the additional Medicaid subsidies instituted by the Biden administration for the working poor that Trump and the Republican-majority Congress eliminated as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill. “The power of the people is more powerful than the people in power,” Garcia said, a line she repeated twice. Banks noted that she served three terms on the Baton Rouge Metro Council, saying she worked tirelessly to keep the Baton Rouge Zoo at its current location and to help the community recover from the devastating ﬂood in 2016. Banks said she worked well with the Republicans who held a majority on the Metro Council, saying, “I have commonsense politics.” Edmonds, in his opening re- Email Tyler Bridges at marks, repeated six times that tbridges@theadvocate.com.

ence. “I’ve seen it all, and I know what it’s going to take, and I’m willing to step up and do the work,” Garretson declared. District 8 challenger Melissa “Dani” Altazin said being a mom of three school-age children has seasoned her for the post she is seeking. “We make a million decisions before we walk out the door, with children screaming that they can’t find a shoe or a sock, and we’re really overstressed,” Altazin said. “We do that before we even get into carpool time.” Her gender also confers special power on her, she said. “I’ll add to that that I’m a woman, and women get sit done,” Altazin said, purposefully saying “sit” instead of the more profane word normally used. District 8 incumbent Emily Soulé, who has served on the STAFF PHOTO By CHARLES LUSSIER board since March 2024, went in Tristan George, candidate for District 2, fields a question at a forum for East Baton Rouge School Board a different, more humble direccandidates held at the downtown Baton Rouge offices of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry tion: “My superpower is that I’m on Wednesday. willing to admit that I don’t know everything, and ask questions Kimberly Bainguel is a licensed and listen and learn.” Baton Rouge Alliance for Stu- 49-year-old physical therapist has dents Action previously inter- been active with the schools her mental health therapist making a viewed 15 of the 20 candidates. children have attended and the second bid to win the District 1 Email Charles Lussier at It endorsed nine, contributing district they are part of, Loui- seat after losing her 2022 race by clussier@theadvocate.com. between $3,000 and $6,000 to siana’s second largest. She has just 22 votes. Bainguel said she each. It is spending even more been a leading force behind the has a superior ability to make via another Alliance entity, Red district’s ongoing experiment sense of things, to “look at data LOTTERY Stick Leaders for Students, on with having older children start and then process that data and independent campaigns on the school later and younger stu- then be able to explain that data FRIDAY, OCT. 9, 2026 to people clearly.” candidate’s behalf. dents start school earlier. PICK 3: 2-9-9 Bainguel’s District 1 opponent Eight of the Alliance-endorsed “My superpower is that I love PICK 4: 5-8-3-6 Megan Garretson identified her candidates attended Wednesday’s people,” Amoroso proclaimed. PICK 5: 8-5-3-0-1 forum; only Michael Vincent, “I want to bring people togeth- superpower as “lived experirunning in District 7, was not er,” she continued, “find whatever ence,” starting with attending MEGA MILLIONS: present. it is we want to work on, bring all public schools growing up. Now 2-7-16-63-70 Hannah Amoroso, who is run- the stakeholders together, bring the owner of Young Scholars MEGA BALL: 8 ning in a three-candidate field all the people with all the ideas Academy, a childcare center in for District 7, highlighted what together and figure out a way to Baton Rouge, Garretson said Unofficial notification, she considers her special abil- make the right decisions for our she has amassed a varied menu keep your tickets. of relevant work and life experiity to help people get along. The kids.”

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STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Pat Forbes, from left, Chauna Banks, Rick Edmonds and Lindsay Rubia Garcia await questions during a televised debate for 6th Congressional District seat at Manship Theater on Friday.

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voters can count on him “to get things done,” based on his record of nearly 12 years in the state Legislature. Answering a question from Sylvia Weatherspoon, the WBRZ-TV anchor who served as moderator, Edmonds said his solution to reducing high grocery and fuel prices is to reduce “out-of-control spending.” But Edmonds never specified what programs he would cut. At several points, he advocated for more government spending when he called for more investment in early childhood education, for federal dollars to help build another bridge in Baton Rouge over the Mississippi River and for the federal government to assist people in ﬂood zones. After the debate, Mebruer released a statement in which he said of the five candidates: “It was ‘onion talk.’ Once you peel away the layers of virtue signaling and political pandering, there was nothing of substance there, no real plans for change or reform.” Edmonds, in his closing remarks, referred to the empty podium bearing Miguez’ name and said he wasn’t surprised by the candidate’s absence, saying Miguez missed 200 votes this year in the Senate. “I’m here today to tell you I’m not that guy,” Edmonds said. “I’m the guy who works hard. … In 12 years, I haven’t missed a day.” Miguez’ campaign didn’t respond to two requests beforehand on why he would miss the debate. Miguez posted photos and video on social media of him attending the Louisiana Gumbo Festival in Thibodaux on Friday night.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ 3B

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New Orleans leaders work to revive youth organization BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer

Robert Stanley’s friends all tell him: He’s got big shoes to fill. As a child, he spent summers and school nights at the knee of Jerome “Big Duck” Smith, learning how to look someone in the eye and demand change after injustice, how to sew Mardi Gras Indian suits and parade in a second-line. But Smith, sick with cancer, died in August at 87. Now, Stanley wants to take the organization that is a central part of Smith’s legacy — Tamborine and Fan — and restore it, so that future generations can learn the same lessons he did. “Our children are struggling, our children are screaming … ‘we need help,’ ” said Stanley, a retired school social worker who took over as Tamborine and Fan’s executive director after Smith’s death. Stanley and other Tamborine and Fan alumni began charting a bumpy road back toward Hunter’s Field, the organization’s longtime home base, in 2021, as Smith’s health began to wane. In 2025, the organization held its first summer camp in over five years. It obtained nonprofit status in August, and hopes to raise more money to support future offerings. And it wants the city to sign an agreement to guarantee its control over programming at Hunter’s Field. Things haven’t been easy. Financial troubles derailed camp this past summer, and other programs it runs have drawn low turnout from the surrounding area. Estimates show that the 7th Ward neighborhood is home to around a third of the number of children that there were a generation ago. Still, the organization’s leaders say that Smith’s death has lit a new fire to carry the freedom fighter’s dream forward. On Tuesday evening, at a Night Out Against Crime

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

The Roots of Music perform outside the Treme Center after the funeral for Jerome ‘Big Duck’ Smith in New Orleans on Sept. 12. event hosted by Tamborine and Fan, Gina Cannon Jones recalled following Smith through the city on summer camp ﬁeld trips as a 7-yearold — to City Hall and the French Market. Like many alumni, she sent her children to camp too, to give them “structure, guidance, a chance to know about where you live — where everything was created.” Now, she wishes that her three grandchildren, ages 1, 10 and 21, had the same opportunity. “The kids need this, they need Tamborine and Fan,” Jones said, looking toward her older grandchildren, both glued to their phones as Stanley spun ’70s funk records for a small group gathered outside. “Because there’s nothing but game controllers in their hands.”

Modeled off of the Mississippi Freedom Schools that were established during the Civil Rights Movement, Smith, Lombard and others taught children math and science, and about civil rights leaders they wouldn’t learn about in school, like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. “Learning about what those people did for us it elevated our minds to a sense of … we should ﬁght for our rights every day,” said Jeremy Stevenson, chief of the Monogram Hunters Mardi Gras Indian tribe. Hundreds of children each summer under Tamborine and Fan’s care learned to recite a creed warning of the harms of drug use. And they learned to hold nonviolent protests at City Hall, demanding resources for the 7th Ward and Treme neighborhoods — including ‘It elevated our minds’ the use of Hunter’s Field, a In 1968, after years of lead- rare green space after the ing sit-ins and Freedom Rides tree-lined Claiborne Avenue throughout the south, Smith neutral ground was replaced and fellow civil rights leader by the expressway. The small ﬁeld where ClaiRudy Lombard turned their attention to New Orleans’ borne curves toward the city’s center became home youth.

to baseball practice, band rehearsal, gospel concerts and the annual Super Sunday Mardi Gras Indian procession. Perhaps the most important lesson they learned at Hunter’s Field, Tamborine and Fan members recall, is their own worth. At a monthly celebration, every child whose birthday came that month would receive a cake with their name written in icing. “(Smith) was at my baptism. When my children graduated from high school, he was at each one of my children’s graduations,” said Stanley, known like many Tamborine and Fan members by his nickname, “2Scoops.” “Not just my children but those children, his children, her children,” said Stanley of “Big Duck,” who earned that nickname for the brood of young people collected around him. As federal funds tied to what former President Lyndon B. Johnson coined the “war on poverty” dried up, the camp and its afterschool

programs shrunk, former Tamborine and Fan teacher Raynard Sanders said. Then, Hurricane Katrina displaced thousands of people from the neighborhoods around Hunter’s Field. The city’s new charter school system sent kids off on buses to all corners of the city, dropping them back in the 7th Ward too late for robust afterschool activities. Programs continued through COVID-19, but at a fraction of their previous size. “The dynamic changed, people scattered,” said Saidah Smith, Jerome Smith’s daughter, at Hunter’s Field on Tuesday evening. Cheryl Roberts, whose mother, Eve Wilson, another Tamborine and Fan leader, died just weeks before Smith, agreed that reviving the organization “is going to take the village again.” “I’m not going to say ‘new beginnings,’ ” said Roberts. “Because the spirit lives here.”

ager at Hunter’s Field since 2021, and other Tamborine and Fan alumni have begun working to regather their village. In recent months, the organization has held events to honor Smith, fish fries to raise money, and training for food vendors under Claiborne Avenue on proper licensing. Alumni have made calls to former members across the country in hopes of soliciting donations. One of Stanley’s ﬁrst priorities is paying off $2,000 in past-due property taxes on a North Robertson Street property formerly home to Tamborine and Fan’s first headquarters. A lien on the property stymied the organization’s efforts to sign an agreement with the city guaranteeing control over programming at Hunter’s Field last year. A spokesperson for Mayor Helena Moreno did not provide comment about the lien or say how the administration might consider supporting the organization. Aquanius Freeman, vice president of the Tamborine and Fan board, which formed in 2024, said leaders hope to apply for city and state funding, and to visit neighborhoods throughout the city to gather participants for upcoming afterschool track and basketball programs. “It’s been desolate for so long … so when you don’t have that presence it’s hard to pull it back,” said Freeman, who coached track to just six girls this winter. Freeman, a teacher in New Orleans public schools, said he’s committed to making Tamborine and Fan “visible in the community” once again. “To let them know, ‘Hey, we’re here, we’re back home,’ ” said Freeman. “We want everyone to come back home.”

Email Sophie Kasakove at sophie.kasakove@ Stanley, a facilities man- theadvocate.com.

‘We’re back home’

Northshore’s Money Hill adding a grocery as community grows BY GRACE MAYER

Staff writer

Residents of Money Hill, a gated community about 11 miles north of historic Abita Springs, are getting their ﬁrst grocery — the latest addition to the growing development on the site of a former campground. The Hill Market, as the store will be called, will be about 4,200 square feet and stock locally sourced produce, artisanal goods, grab-and-go prepared food and other items. It will also have a cafe that serves breakfast and lunch. Currently in the final stages of construction, it will join a growing list of amenities at the 5,600-acre development, which has about 375 single-family homes, a golf course, country club, nature trails and health clinic. Money Hill President Mimi Goodyear Dossett said the market, like the St. Tammany Health System clinic that opened in July 2025, brings much-needed services to the area, where getting to the closest grocer or doctor can require traveling for miles. “If you drop a pin at the market, and draw a circle 5 miles in all directions, there are 22,000 people that live in that area,” Dossett said. “Really, they’re very underserved in terms of amenities like this.” The clinic and market are part of Dossett’s larger vision to build out the “Village,” a 15-acre tract set aside for commercial development near the entrance to Money Hill off La. 21. “We feel that these two businesses set the stage for other businesses to come along,” Dossett said. “We feel like we have the makings of a true village that will bring more and more resources to this area.”

Dossett’s vision for the market, which is scheduled to open for Thanksgiving, is to make it a “destination” for everyday and specialty products, like honey from Money Hill’s own apiary. It will also have a deli meat and seafood counter that will be overseen by Corey Meshell, who previously worked at Cochon on Tchoupitoulas Street. The market will also house a wide selection of wine, beer and spirits. Dossett is currently working on lining up local suppliers for the market, which will be open for breakfast and lunch and used to host special events. The architecture of the store harkens back to Money Hill’s early days in the 1900s, when the property housed a general store. Dossett hopes interest in the store will help attract more businesses to the area. The clinic is already expanding by opening a pharmacy, Dossett said. Recently, she chatted with a local insurance agency about possibly building and opening an ofﬁce within the village. “We’ve always hoped that as the area grew, we would be able to support more and more little businesses,” Dossett said. Money Hill has played an important role in reshaping the area over the past three decades, said Cheryl Tanner, a St. Tammany council member whose district includes the development. Back in the 1970s, Money Hill used to be a campground owned by the Goodyear family. Since 1996, Money Hill has gradually built up homes on the property, the golf course, and carved out conservation plans for some of the land. Around the same time, other subdivisions were cropping up nearby. Today,

driving north on La. 21, between Abita Springs and Bush, one passes Grande Hills Estates and Whippoorwill Grove, two residential subdivisions located across from Money Hill. Those two subdivisions also sit on land previously owned as part of Money Hill’s tung oil plantation and cattle farm, Dossett said. Altogether, the three subdivisions have close to 800 homes — residents who Dossett expects will likely frequent the new market. Golf tournaments and regular golfers who play on Money Hill’s course may also stop in. “It is a really residential area now,” Tanner said. “There’s beautiful country, beautiful homes, but there’s no commercial development.” Money Hill, in many ways, is an anomaly in St. Tammany. The parish has seen a number of subdivisions and apartment projects face pushback over the years, largely from locals who want to maintain a rural atmosphere that has historically deﬁned the parish. That’s despite an outsized demand for housing in the rapidly growing parish. Tanner said Dossett’s project is an example of how projects should be done in the parish — slowly and built out with additions that “fit” the community. She said she’s heard neighbors in the area express excitement about the grocery store. “When you live out in the country, these are the things you look for,” Tanner said. “If you need to pick up a few items, residents in the area have to go all the way into Bush or Covington. It ﬁlls the need so people don’t have to travel long distances for something they need that day.”

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4B ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

Obituaries

Butler, John Daigle

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at St. Mary's Chapel Cemetery, Convent.

Arbour Sr., Ernest Joseph 'Ernie'

Clary, Bonnie

Ernest Joseph Arbour, Sr., lovingly known as Ernie, passed away on October 1, 2026, at the age of 76. He was a native and resident of Baton Rouge, LA. Ernie was a graduate of Istrouma High School, Class of 1968. He went on to serve his country in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. In his working life, he was a longtime Plant Operator and Security Officer at Kaiser Aluminum. He was also the majority owner of Landmark Antique Plaza. Ernie found his greatest joy in the people he loved. He loved spending time with his family and had a special love for children. Watching them play always brought a smile to his face. He is survived by his soulmate, Annette Broussard Root. He also leaves behind his children, Ernie Arbour Jr. and his wife, Linda Jeans Arbour; Reneé Arbour Braud and her husband, Stan Braud Jr.; Todd Arbour; and stepdaughter Angela Tam. He is also survived by his sister, Sue Minner, and his brother, Paul Arbour. Ernie was a proud Papa to seven grandchildren: Ashley Slater (Brandon); Ryan Arbour (Dafney); Eric Arbour; Kailey Dolan; Allison Anderson (Dane); Riley Braud; and Bryton Arbour. He was also blessed with two great-grandchildren, Jaxtyn and Riggs. He was preceded in death by his father, Roy Thomas Arbour Sr.; his mother, Doris Hart Arbour; and his brothers, Tommy Arbour and Richard Arbour. Ernie will be remembered for his steady work ethic, his love for family, his kindness toward children, and the simple happiness he found in fishing, cooking, collecting, and time spent at False River. His life touched many, and he will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

Beasley, Larry E.

A life well lived. He was born on April 30, 1940, in Longview, Texas and left for glory on October 2, 2026. He is survived by his wife, Caroline Sequin Beasley; his children, Jeff Beasley & wife Carmen Beasley, Julie Durham & late husband John Durham, Jodi Harriman & husband Eric Harriman; grandchildren Courtney Zito (Greg), Asa Achee (Sarah), Daniel Harriman (Shelby), Bo Achee, Deanna Lee (Hayden), Abram Harriman; great-grandchildren, Elias Lee, Indiana Lee, Oliver Harriman, Cooper Zito, and Gabriel Achee. He was well loved by sisters, Dolores Manning, Nancy & Phillip Denicola; many family members, and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his sister, Peggy Beasley. In his younger years, he coached little league All Stars Baseball and proudly served four years in the United States Navy. He faithfully served the Lord as a Deacon and by being a Sunday school teacher at Faith Baptist Church. Pallbearers: Gregory Zito, Asa Achee, Daniel Harriman, Bo Achee, Abram Harriman, Hayden Lee. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, from 10AM to Noon at First Baptist Church, 4200 Main Street, Zachary, LA 70791. The service will begin at Noon. Interment to follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, 6213 Groom Rd, Baker, LA 70714.

Binning, James Kenneth

James Kenneth Binning passed away peacefully at home with his wife, Peggy, by his side. Services were held September 17th at Sacred Heart Mission in Livingston, LA. Burial will take place at a later date in Greensburg, LA. Church Funeral Services in charge of arrangements.

"Well done, good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:23 What God said to this beloved man as he entered Heaven peacefully on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. John was a man whose life was defined by his generous heart and unconditional love - for his family, God and community. He never passed up an opportunity to help where help was needed for family, friend or stranger. Those who knew him will remember the joy he found in the simplest of things, the wisdom he imparted so subtle that it wasn't realized until you needed it and his humor that was realized only if you listened! He treasured time and spent it wisely attending every sporting event, recital, grandparent's day, graduation, birthday parties for his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He built cherished memories for them with his beautiful wife, Susie, and continued after her passing, for 70 years. This city boy, born on Mother's Day, May 13, 1934, met a country girl from Baker, LA while lifeguarding and the story began. John graduated from Baton Rouge High and LSU then later opened his own public accounting firm in 1964. He was a member of St. Isidore Catholic Church where he was Trustee and a Eucharistic Minister. He loved hunting, fishing and birdwatching hence the frequent "vacations" to Grand Isle, Fourchon, Llano, TX or Mexico. He and Susie had four children - Jennifer (Bruce) Cucullu, Michelle (Jerry) Paige, Mary Sue (Henry) Goudeau and Tim (Jeanne) Butler. They had eight grandchildren Jake (Tracey) Paige, Luke (Amanda) Paige, Deede Paige, Aubrey (Mickey) DeJohn, Beau (Kaylea) Cucullu, Justin (Morgan) Butler, Kathleen (Vincent) Dovichi and Theresa Stages. There are also eight great-grandchildren - Kate and Grant Paige, Ava Paige, Enslea and Braxton Cucullu, Megan Paige, Adler DeJohn and Mason Butler. He was preceded in death by his bride, Kathleen "Susie" Ory, parents Morris and Theresa Butler and brother Morris, Jr. as well as numerous aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters-inlaw, cousins and nephews that he's catching up with now. His family thanks his caregivers and nurse, Tina, who loved and cared for him these past two years. Visitation will be at Central Funeral Home from 4-7PM on Monday, Oct 12th continuing at St. Isidore Catholic Church on Tuesday, Oct 13th from 9AM until funeral mass at 10:30AM. Burial at Greenoaks Cemetery on Florida Blvd. Pallbearers will be John's grandsons, great-grandsons and Carl Stages, Jr.

Chauvin, Henry Louis

Henry Louis Chauvin, 84, of Union, died Wednesday, October 7, 2026, in Baton Rouge. He was born May 25, 1942, in New Orleans to Charles Francis Chauvin and Cecile Tregre Chauvin. He was a retired lieutenant colonel and an architect. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Carol Leigh Wood Chauvin. Survivors include his brother, Frank Chauvin; his children, Spencer Chauvin (Chantel) of Union, Marc Chauvin (Mindy) of Kentwood, Ashley Chauvin of New Orleans, and Ryan Chauvin (Carmen) of Baton Rouge; six grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, and friends. Visitation is Wednesday, October 14, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Ourso Funeral Home, 134 Houmas Street, Donaldsonville, and Thursday, October 15, from 9:00 a.m. until the 11:30 a.m. Mass at Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church, 716 Mississippi Street, Donaldsonville. Burial will follow

Bonnie Louise Clary, beloved wife and mother went home 10/01/2026 at the age of 88. Bonnie was born November 2, 1937. She passed away peacefully, leaving a beautiful legacy of love, family, and cherished memories.

Davidson, Byron I.

Byron I Davidson died at home Sunday, October 4. He served in the Army 11th Cavalry Division before graduating from LSU, then served with the Louisiana Attorney General's Office until retirement. Byron is survived by his wife JoAnn, his son William, and daughter in law Brandon, as well as chosen family and friends. The family would like to thank Hospice of Baton Rouge for their excellent care of him in his final days. No services are planned. The family would prefer Byron be remembered with donations in his name to St. Vincent de Paul's Pharmacy.

Hebert III, Nolan John

Nolan John Hebert, III, affectionately known as "NoNo," was reunited with his dad and brother on October 5, 2026 at the age of 42. Nolan was born on January 19, 1984 to Diane Bourgoyne and the late Micheal J. Hebert Sr. in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Nolan was a loving father, partner, son, brother, uncle and friend to many. He was an electrician by trade, but worked in a variety of industries, bringing him into contact with people from all walks of life, allowing him to form special friendships and lasting relationships along the way. Visitation will be held at Wilbert Funeral Home, Plaquemine on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 from 9am until 12pm. Mass of a Christian burial at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Plaquemine at 1pm celebrated by Father Martin. Interment following at Grace Memorial Park, Plaquemine. He is survived by his loving children, Ryleigh Grace, Presley Claire and Chad Michael Hebert; the love of his life, Kayla Barker; mother and step father, Diane and Michael Bourgoyne; siblings, Crystal Blanchard (Shawn) and Michael J. Hebert Jr; sisters -in-law, Kristen Blanchard (Jake) and Sarah Hoover; mother in law, Debbie Barker; adored Nanny, Ginger Hebert Picard; stepsiblings, Christy Jones, Garrett Bourgoyne (Danielle) and Shane Bourgoyne and their children; nieces and nephews, Sydney Claire Blanchard, Kate Elizabeth, Will Baylor and Brooks Edward Blanchard; and treasured godchild, Sophia Rose Blanchard. Proceeded in death by his devoted father, Michael J. Hebert Sr.; brother, Chad Michael Hebert; paternal grandparents, Nolan John Hebert, Sr. and Pearl Hebert; maternal grandparents, Rose and Justilian Morales; and father-in-law, William "Bill" Barker, IV. Pallbearers will be Travis Wisdom, Clint Freeman, Matthew Bayhi, John John Barker, Robert Ourso, Jake Blanchard, Steven Stein, Johnny Blanchard and

Lane Lobue. Honorary pallbearers; Josh and Colby Hall and Matt Morales. A loving tribute to Nolan by his daughter Ryleigh: He had a tender heart and wasn't afraid to show it, often shedding a tear during a sad movie. He found joy in the little things—from his visits with family & friends, to haircuts with his beloved barber, Stephan, to searching the aisles of Marshalls for his next favorite find. He was a true sneaker lover, with a special place in his heart for Jordan 1s. At home, he could be found dancing, singing, indulging in endless baths, always with music playing in the background, took pride in making the perfect espresso on his prized machine and was a loyal member of the SSP. To know him was to know unconditional love. He had a way of making you feel safe simply by being near him. He was deeply loyal, empathetic, and kind, always showing up when it mattered and always finding a way to make you laugh. He had the patience to listen, the heart to understand, and the kind of good intentions that came from genuinely caring about others. He poured so much love into the people in his life, making them feel seen, protected, happy, and loved. His presence was a comfort, his laughter was contagious, and being loved by him was a gift we will carry with us forever. Nolan was genuine to his core, unapologetically himself, and carried a sincerity that never needed to be questioned. He embraced life with an infectious spirit and open heart and loved others wholeheartedly. He was everything a little girl could ever dream of finding in a best friend— and even more than she could ever hope for in a Daddy. Please share memories online at www.wilbertservices.com.

Hendrick, James Michael

Service at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at Resthaven Funeral Home. Visitation will begin at 1:30 p.m. Burial will follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory.

Henry, Shirley Randolph

James Michael Hendrick, born on December 17, 1984, passed away on Monday, October 5, 2026, at the age of 41. James was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After graduating from Parkview Baptist High School, James went on to become a contractor and developer. He always enjoyed hunting, fishing, spending time with his son, hanging with his niece and nephew, and had a love for the outdoors. James possessed a very special characteristic, no matter where he went, he had an effortless ability to lighten the mood. He viewed the world with a genuinely optimistic outlook on life and inspired people to not take life too seriously. Over the past couple of years, his faith grew closer to the Lord, bringing him a profound sense of peace. Above all else, James' greatest joy was his son, Oliver. His love for Oliver was unconditional, and he cherished every moment they spent together, passing down his deep love for the outdoors. Whether they were out hunting, waiting for a bite while fishing, or spending the day boating on the water, James was always happiest with God's creation all around him and his son by his side. James was also an incredibly proud and fun-loving uncle, who looked forward to every opportunity to hang out with his niece and nephew, creating memories they will always hold close. James is survived by his parents, Michael and Carolyn Hendrick; son, Oliver Hendrick; brother, Justin Hendrick; sister-inlaw, McCall Hendrick; niece, Reese Hendrick; nephew, Keller Hendrick; and uncles, Charles Hendrick and Bruce Hendrick. He is preceded in death by his grandmothers, Lucille "Lucy" Hendrick and Billy Jean Roberts; and grandfather, Earl Roberts. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral

Shirley Randolph Henry passed away on Sunday, October 4, 2026, in Baton Rouge, LA at age 85. Shirley is survived by Michael Henry (Mike), her loving husband of 62 years, daughter, Susan Christine Quick and husband Andrew, two granddaughters, Olivia and Alexandra Quick, brother Clyde Randolph and sister-in-law Lucille, sister-in-law Patty Randolph and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Albert and Grace Randolph, her brother Don Randolph, her sister Janet Bates and brother-in-law Ralph Bates. Shirley grew up in Glenmora, LA. She received an English degree from Northwestern State University and a Master's Degree in Library Science from Louisiana State University. She was a retired high school English teacher and librarian with over 40 years of service. She was a member of St. Theresa of Avila Catholic Church in Gonzales, LA. She was a devoted mother, wife and grandmother who encouraged her daughter and grandchildren to succeed in all of life's pursuits. Shirley was a generous, funny and caring person who laughed easily and shared her time and patience with her loved ones. As a final act of generosity, she donated her body for medical education and research. Shirley loved running, reading, playing with her cat CC, and drinking wine on the porch with Mike. She will be deeply missed by all those who

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ 5B

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knew her. A private celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Mayers, Peggy Joyce

and Remembrance on Thursday, October 15 at 11 AM. After the Remembrance, her remains will join Ed's at the Jacksonville (Florida) National Cemetery. A funeral service will be held from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM on 2026-1015 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 7190 US-17.

McGee, Frank Walsh

Peggy Joyce Childers Mayers, born November 15, 1941, in Lizard Creek outside Springfield, Livingston Parish, was the daughter of Freeman Childers and Estelle Wall Childers. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Southeastern Louisiana University and later completed a Master's in Education at Louisiana State University. Peggy married Lucien "LJ" Mayers of Gonzales, and together they shared a life rooted in family, education, and community. She retired from the Ascension Parish School System in 2000 after 36 years of dedicated service. She is survived by her son, Grant, and his wife Kristi; two grandsons, Chase and Logan; and three step granddaughters, Gabrielle, Destiny, and Jasmine. Peggy is also survived by her brothers, Gary and Rodney. Died October 5, 2026, at 3:24.

McCusker, Elizabeth Ann 'Betty'

Betty (Schneider) McCusker, beloved wife, daughter, sister, aunt, teacher and friend to all, died peacefully Saturday, October 3, 2026 at Croasdaile Village, in Durham, North Carolina. She was 89. She lived a wondrous and generous life. Elizabeth Ann (Schneider) McCusker was born March 16, 1937, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the second of 4 children of William Charles Schneider, a Standard Oil engineer from Monroe, LA, and Emily Elizabeth (Williamson) Schneider from Reserve, LA. Betty graduated with a degree in Education from Louisiana State University, and while there met Ed McCusker, the love of her life, who was studying journalism at LSU after serving with the Marines in the Korean War. They married in 1961. His work, first in journalism, then with the airlines and government, took them from their home in Louisiana throughout the country, including a long stint in Denver, CO. Wherever they went, Betty taught kindergarten through third grade, in Catholic and public schools, and she and Ed actively contributed to their local Catholic parishes. They found the best in the people and places, and provided a seat at the table for friends and family, wherever they lived. They retired in Fleming Island, Florida. Betty's gracious generosity and kindness kept shining after Ed's passing in 2015. As her health needs grew, she moved to Croasdaile Village in North Carolina in 2024. She maintained her cheerful resilient and generous approach to life throughout. The Croasdaile staff loved her immeasurably. Musicians visiting the community were always impressed that she sang all the words to all the songs. As she went to bed each day, she would tell whoever had helped in the process, in typical Betty fashion, "Thank you, and please let me know if you need anything." Betty is survived by her brother Bill Schneider (Port Allen, LA), and her first cousin Tim Schneider (Littleton, CO), as well as nephews Charlie Schneider (Port Allen, LA) and Michael Cotten (Durham, NC), and nieces Stephanie Fiscus (Addis, LA) and Lisa Duffy (Queechee, VT). She is pre-deceased by her brother John and her sister Barbara. Friends and family will gather at Betty's home parish, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, in Fleming Island, Florida, for a Funeral Mass and Celebration

Frank Walsh McGee, a devoted husband, loving father, proud grandfather, accomplished businessman, and true Southern gentleman, passed away on October 3, 2026 at the age of 79. Born August 19, 1947, Frank was the youngest of three children born to Herman Acker McGee Sr. and Ola Mae Walsh McGee. He was preceded in death by his parents. Frank graduated from Louisiana State University in 1969 with a degree in accounting and went on to enjoy a distinguished professional career. He began his career with Arthur Andersen before serving as Chief Financial Officer of Hotel Dieu Hospital in New Orleans. An entrepreneur at heart, he later established his own accounting firm, Frank W. McGee and Company. In the latter part of his career, he worked as a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA) for the Louisiana Department of Insurance. Throughout his life, Frank was known for his integrity, strong work ethic, and unwavering commitment to his word. When Frank said he would do something, it got done. He believed in doing things right, taking pride in one's work, and always finishing what you start. Frank also had a strong but quiet faith, which he leaned on during life's most difficult times. These were the values he instilled in his two sons, Ashton and Tyler. Through both his words and his example, he taught them the importance of honesty, responsibility, hard work, and gratitude. Frank believed that kindness and generosity should never go unacknowledged. He appreciated the tradition of a thoughtful handwritten letter, often writing personal notes to friends, family, and his sons. Frank was a Southern gentleman in every sense of the word. Impeccably dressed, stylish, and always polished, he had a particular fondness for seersucker suits, fine linen, and classic Southern charm. He carried himself with dignity and class, but behind that distinguished appearance was a man with a wonderful sense of humor, a contagious laugh, and an extraordinary ability to enjoy life. A gifted storyteller and gracious host, Frank loved entertaining family and friends. He was often found behind the bar in his home serving drinks, tending to the grill, sharing stories, and filling the room with laughter. His gatherings were memorable, his hospitality generous, and his personality larger than life. Frank was a master in the kitchen and a natural entertainer. Whether preparing a magnificent standing rib roast, his famous grillades and grits, or a traditional Louisiana redfish couvillion, he approached every meal with pride, lots of love, and impeccable presentation. And boy, did he love his Chardonnay! An avid outdoorsman and exceptional marksman, Frank loved hunting and was known for his remarkable accuracy. He was also a passionate LSU fan, proudly cheering on his beloved Tigers throughout his life. Frank also had a lifelong love of traveling by motorhome. Over the years, he enjoyed countless adventures on the open road, embracing the freedom of travel and the experiences that came with it. Motorhoming became one of his great passions, one he enthusiastically shared with friends and family. In fact, he introduced several close friends to the motorhome lifestyle, inspiring a love of travel that continues in their lives today. Above all, Frank cherished his wife of 54 years, Wanda Lou McGee. He delighted in taking her shopping, treating her to wonderful dinners, and making sure she was always beautifully dressed and cared for. His love for Wanda was expressed through countless

thoughtful gestures and a lifetime of devotion. She was truly the love of his life. To his grandchildren and great-granddaughter, he was affectionately known as "Papa Frank." He was deeply loved by his family, and his presence will be dearly missed. Frank is survived by his beloved wife, Wanda Lou McGee; his sons, Ashton Stuart McGee and Tyler Walsh McGee; his beloved daughter-in-law, Coco McGee; his grandchildren, Kincaid Andrew McGee and his wife Brie McGee, Holt McGee, and Summer McGee; and his greatgranddaughter, Madeline "Maddie" McGee. He is also survived by his sister, Nancy McGee, and his brother, Herman McGee Jr. Frank Walsh McGee lived a life marked by integrity, tradition, generosity, laughter, and an appreciation for the finer things in life. He leaves behind a legacy not only of professional accomplishment, but of character, cherished memories, and the countless lives he touched along the way. He was a man of his word, a gentleman of distinction, and truly one of a kind. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered. Visitation will be held at Greenoaks Funeral Home on Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 9:00 am until Memorial Services begin at 11:00 am.

McHale, Elizabeth Watkins 'Betsy'

Elizabeth "Betsy" Watkins McHale, 80, passed away on October 5, 2026, at North Oaks Hospital in Hammond, Louisiana, after a brief illness. A devoted nurse, mother, and grandmother, Betsy spent much of her life caring for others. Born on September 10, 1946, in Richmond, Virginia, Betsy was the only child of C. Gilliam and Mabel Watkins. She graduated from Madison College, now James Madison University, in 1968. She met Edward "Ed" McHale at a festival near Pittsburgh, and they married in 1971, making their first home in the Steel City. Ed's work as a newsman with the Associated Press eventually brought the family to Metairie, Louisiana, in 1979. Betsy and Ed shared 35 years of marriage until his passing in 2007. In Louisiana, Betsy found her calling in nursing. After graduating in 1987 from New Orleans' Charity Hospital School of Nursing, she devoted nearly two decades to pediatric nursing at Charity, caring for many of the city's children. Her dedication was never clearer than during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. As floodwaters surrounded the hospital, she remained with her patients for days and was among the last nurses evacuated, leaving by boat. At home, Betsy was happiest in the kitchen, cooking Southern and New Orleans dishes for family and friends, often from recipes clipped from the pages of The Times-Picayune. She loved to travel, especially to Ireland and throughout Europe. She was a faithful member of and volunteer at Grace Memorial Episcopal Church in Hammond. Her smile, however, was brightest when she was spending time with her four grandchildren. Betsy was preceded in death by her parents, Gilliam and Mabel Watkins; her loving husband, Ed McHale; and her son, Patrick Temple McHale. She is survived by her son, Martin McHale, and his wife, Melissa, of Midland, Texas; her daughter, India Menon, and her husband, Arvind, of Greenville, South Carolina; and her grandchildren, Lillian McHale, Patrick McHale, Ram Menon, and Alexa Menon. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Hammond. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Grace Memorial Episcopal Church, 100 West Church Street, Hammond, LA 70401; or to your local food bank. Arrangements through Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home. www.harrymckneely.com.

Rogge, Barbara Poey

Barbara Poey Rogge, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, joined her husband in heaven on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at the age of 94. Barbara was born to Charles and Gertrude (Soffing) Poey on August 22, 1932, in Edison, New Jersey. She was a true Jersey girl and loved playing all sports, especially basketball. Upon graduating high school in 1951, she joined the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Japan during the Korean Conflict, where she met the love of her life, Louis Rogge, who was also serving in the U.S. Air Force. They were soon married in Tokyo and celebrated 72 years of marriage in July. Their love and commitment to one another remained steadfast and inspiring to those around them, a tremendous example of what a marriage based on love, faith and commitment could be. After their time in the military, they decided to raise their family in Baton Rouge, and Barbara was a homemaker until all their children started school. She then worked for the East Baton Rouge Parish school system for 21 years. Barbara and Louis were avid LSU fans, and she loved camping, fishing at False River, bowling, playing horseshoes, working the St. Gerard church fairs, and spending time with family and friends. Left to cherish her memory are her children, Pamela Rogge, Louis C. Rogge, Jr. (Patty), Cindy Dupuy (Bryan), and Roxanne Maddie (Scott). Barbara was known as "Bana" to her grandchildren, Ryan Rogge (Rebecca), Jesse Bjorndahl (Nicole), Landon Rogge (Jane), Hannah Wayts (Kevin), Mason Maddie, and Kennan Rogge (Miriam); her great-grandchildren, Grayson & Hope Rogge, Emmett, Jane & Violet Bjorndahl, Josiah Rogge, Ryker & Addie

Wayts, and Alexandra & Theodora Rogge; brotherin-law, Roy Rogge; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, Louis C. Rogge, Sr.; and infant daughter, Sandra Kay, in 1965. A celebration of Barbara's life will be held on Friday, October 16, 2026, at Greenoaks Funeral Home, 9595 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA, with visitation from 8:30a.m. until the memorial service at 10am. Burial will immediately follow at Greenoaks Memorial Park. Special thanks to all the amazing caregivers and staff who cared for Barbara at the Louisiana War Veteran's Home in Jackson, Louisiana, for the past ten years.

Schexnayder, Karen Jones

Her greatest joy in life was spoiling her loved ones, from her husband to her dog.

Vollenweider, Dolores Sunseri 'Dee'

Dolores "Dee" Isabel Sunseri Vollenweider, 90, a New Orleans native and Baton Rouge resident, passed away peacefully on October 3, 2026. A gifted artist and devoted teacher, Dee shared her love of art and writing with students in EBR Parish schools for 28 years. She will be remembered for her warmth, humor, and compassion.

Karen Jones Schexnayder passed away at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge on Friday, October 9, 2026, at the age of 66. She was a native of Springfield, moving to Brusly around the age of 15 and attended Brusly High. She was a resident of Brusly and a retired from the Louisiana State Police as an administrative assistant. Per her wishes, Karen was cremated and a celebration of life will be held at a later. Karen is survived by the love of her life that she met at the age 15, Ricky Schexnayder; their two daughters, Cassie Schexnayder and Courtney Doiron; two grandchildren, Ava and Isaac Doiron; brother, Micheal Jones and wife Shannon; numerous nieces and nephews and great-nephews. Karen was preceded in death by her father, Lee Roy Jones; mother, Betty Fletcher Jones Geoghegan; step-father, Earl Geoghegan; siblings, Betty Rose Covington, Nancy Anderson, and Lee Jones Jr. Karen was a proud breast cancer survivor for 16 years but her proudest accomplishment was being a devoted wife, mother and grandmother.

N O R T H A M ER I CA’S

Dee is survived by her six children, Emmett Jr. (Toni), Mark, Marian (Dennis), Edward (Diane), Thomas, and Timothy (Sally); her brother, Frank Sunseri; and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph Sunseri and Isabellita Morales, and her sister, Marie Sunseri Giambelluca. The family will celebrate Dee's life privately at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge at svdpbr.net/donate.

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As the midterm elections approach, we’ve seen lots of activity around how we vote and who gets to vote on the local and national level. The U.S. Supreme Court swatted down President Donald Trump’s effort to put the U.S. Postal Service in charge of verifying mail-in ballots. We have seen a crackdown on voters who are noncitizens, including three arrests in Louisiana. Congress has debated the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE, Act, which would require voters to prove their citizenship. We’ve seen voter roll purges and rollbacks of absentee voting in states around the country. All this activity might suggest to some that there’s something wrong with our elections. There is not. Our elections are as free and fair as they have ever been. And those who claim otherwise are merely playing games in an effort to thwart the will of the people. They are betting that voters will be too confused, too frustrated or too scared to show up at the polls on Nov. 3. Let’s make sure they lose that bet. This week is the time to make sure you are registered to vote in the Nov. 3 election. Louisiana has several key offices up for grabs, including a U.S. Senate seat and six House seats. It also has 10 constitutional amendments on the ballot. The last day to register to vote in person or by mail for the Nov. 3 election has passed, but citizens can register online until Tuesday at the secretary of state’s voter portal, geauxvote.com. To register online, you must have a valid Louisiana driver’s license or Louisiana state ID. Those who already registered to vote should go to the portal to check their status. Recently, the secretary of state’s office said that due to “human error,” 67,000 active voters were moved to the inactive list. They learned this after an East Baton Rouge voter checked her status and alerted her local registrar that she was wrongly on the inactive list. Though the problem has been corrected, it is a good example of why voters need to stay vigilant. Voters on the inactive list are still eligible to vote. But inactive voters who don’t vote in two consecutive federal elections will be removed from the rolls. Eligible voters should also go online to make sure that their address on their voter registration matches the address on their ID. But again, if your address has changed, you are still eligible to vote. You will be instructed to sign an affidavit or give other proof of address. Even if your voter registration is questioned, remember that it does not prevent you from casting a ballot. Poll workers will provide voters whose registration is in question a provisional ballot that will be counted when the voter is ruled eligible. And when you show up at the polls, remember to thank those people who work to make sure elections run smoothly. Voters should use this time to educate themselves about the candidates and issues. This newspaper has done extensive reporting on the top races and what to watch. There’s also much information online from advocacy groups and nonprofits that follow politics and government. When a storm is in the Gulf, we don’t wait until the last minute to gather our supplies and fill our gas tanks. So when Nov. 3 finally arrives, don’t be caught unprepared. Consider this a reminder to start your vote prep now. Our democracy is depending on you.

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A little island of La. football in the far north NORTHFIELD, Minn. — When a sophomore School and began his coaching career at schools in the Crescent City in the kicker booted a last-second field goal 1990s. Oct. 3, giving St. Olaf College’s footBut like so many, Katrina sent him ball team its first win of the year, few packing, and he ended up outside the small world of Diviwith a relative in Minnesota, sion III football in Minnesota eventually coaching at several took notice. stops in and around the Twin But in a handful of houses Cities. around Louisiana, the win was For the past nine years, he’s celebrated. St. Olaf, which been at St. Olaf. But he’s kept has roughly 3,000 students, Faimon those Southern connections. boasts nine Louisiana players Roberts “I still have a lot of friends on its 2026 roster, including coaching in Louisiana,” Pulley five from Livingston Collegiate told me. Generally, he said, Academy in New Orleans. The local coaches alert him about a potenother schools represented are Warren Easton, Isidore Newman, George tial player. He watches their film and Washington Carver and East Ascensometimes pays them a visit. “I go sit in their living rooms and sion. tell them why they should come to St. Olaf plays in the Minnesota InSt. Olaf,” he said. “And usually, the tercollegiate Athletic Conference, process is, you got to have the grades. or MIAC. I follow that conference because my son plays at Carleton Col- We’re looking for student-athletes.” The MIAC is part of NCAA Divilege, also in Northfield and one of St. Olaf’s major rivals. There are not a lot sion III, in which schools do not ofof Louisiana players in the MIAC, so fer athletic scholarships. There’s no when I learned St. Olaf had so many, I NIL to speak of; revenue sharing is had to find out why. nonexistent. The games are, in most The answer, as it turns out, is St. cases, attended by only a few hundred Olaf running backs coach Eric Pulley. fans. There are no TV timeouts. Most Pulley is a New Orleans native who MIAC schools play home games at 1 graduated from O.P. Walker High p.m. because their fields don’t have

lights. The Louisiana players also have to be ready for the winter months, which are cold, dark and snowy. “We actually want them to visit in the winter because if they can handle the cold, everything else is a breeze,” Pulley said. For at least one of those Louisiana recruits, the decision to go to St. Olaf has paid off. Alton Risin Jr. is a thirdyear offensive lineman, the team’s starting left tackle. He grew up in New Orleans East, and said Pulley does a good job of making the Louisiana guys feel at home. Pulley’s wife does, too, by cooking New Orleansstyle meals once a week, Risin said. The school has been good to him athletically and academically. “It’s hard to fail at St. Olaf,” he said. “There’s so much help around here.” It’s all part of the package that Pulley brings into Louisiana living rooms. “The campus and the school sells itself,” he told me. “I really believe in what the school is doing. So that makes it easy for me to recruit there.” Email Faimon Roberts at froberts@ theadvocate.com

Major projects prompt outpouring of opinions readers are following these projects It’s no secret that Louisiana is in closely and know what questions need something of an economic developto be asked. ment golden age. Almost every week, While we haven’t kept a count of it seems a new major company anletters pro and con, I’d say we nounces it’s starting a big projhave more letters skeptical ect in one corner of our state or that these projects will bring another. The names by now are the benefits they promise familiar to all — Meta, SpaceX, than supportive of them. And Hyundai. What these compathat’s not surprising. People nies are planning promises to change our state forever if Arnessa are always more motivated to those plans come to fruition. Garrett write to us when they oppose something or want to see some They also will have a huge action taken. And I love it when impact on the communities readers write to us with questions we where they are located. And that has should be asking, but if you don’t find prompted many letters from readthe answer to your question in our ers wanting more answers from state reporting, that doesn’t mean we aren’t leaders and others about what it all digging. Sometimes, it just takes a will mean. Readers expect the paper’s reporting to take a deep dive into what while for stories to come together. So please keep reading. We know this is officials aren’t saying. In addition to an area of high interest, and there are concerns about the environmental imnew developments constantly. pact of these projects, you’ve written Our Opinion pages have also run to question the economic incentives guest columns on these projects, and in the state is offering and who’s making money off of these deals. It’s clear our the future, we will look for other ways

to give you a complete picture of every aspect of the plans. Economic development has the potential to impact more than jobs — it can also change how we view our state and our future in it. So we’ll be interested to see how communities feel as these projects proceed. Some are off to a quick start but will take years to reach their full potential. Every step of the way, we will give you the information you need. And if we don’t, you’ll let us know. Turning to our letters inbox for the week of Sept. 24-Oct. 1, we received 49 letters. Not surprisingly, the top topic of conversation was the upcoming midterm elections, which prompted six letters. Next we had ﬁve letters on one of those projects I was mentioning — the planned SpaceX spaceport in Vermilion Parish. Then there were two letters on the immigration crackdown and two on Israel’s war in Gaza. Email Arnessa Garrett at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 11, 2026 n 7B

COMMENTARY Flaws and all, we’ll miss Cassidy’s style

This surely isn’t the reaction politicians who send out press releases hope to inspire in journalists, but I have to admit that I found a recent email from U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy kind of … quaint. It wasn’t the subject matter that inspired this unexpected reaction. There’s nothing whimsical about the $1.35 billion that’s heading Louisiana’s way to support rural broadband, money that enabled Gov. Jeff Landry to break ground last Stephanie week on the largest BroadGrace band Equity, Access, and Deployment program project in the country. Cassidy’s press release noted something Landry’s most definitely didn’t — that the money to pay for it came from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the big Biden administration initiative that Cassidy crossed party lines to help negotiate and ultimately pass. That’s the quaint part: Cassidy still hopes Louisiana voters will give him the credit he’s due. It’s too late to save his political career. He’s already been a lame duck for nearly five months now, ever since he finished third in the GOP primary Republicans, led by Landry, designed to take him out. The Republican nominee on the ballot for his seat next month will be U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, a vocal proponent of rural broadband who nonetheless voted against the IIJA, but who had the backing of both the governor and President Donald Trump. Yet with the clock ticking down, Cassidy’s still trying to get in the last word, to write his final chapter. He still wants to remind Louisiana voters that when he had the chance, he delivered for them.

It’s actually the sort of thing his Democratic predecessor Mary Landrieu used to do. It’s what a lot of Louisiana members of Congress have done, back in the days when the state punched above its weight. Sure, you could say it’s punching above its weight now, with Mike Johnson serving as House speaker. But Johnson’s never even made a show of putting Louisiana’s interests above Trump’s. Nor, so far, has Letlow, whose campaign allowed the president to take out his revenge on Cassidy for having voted to convict him in his second impeachment. Letlow may have been talking about the infrastructure vote as well as impeachment when, in announcing her campaign, she argued that “we shouldn’t have to wonder how our senator will vote when the pressure’s on.” That’s one way of looking at the job. Another is to hope that “our senator” weighs the facts, consider the state’s needs and ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOSE LUIS MAGANA vote accordingly. All those voters who will soon have acU.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and cess to broadband in their homes and Pensions Committee speaks during a confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in September. workplaces should be glad that’s what Cassidy at least sometimes tried to do. Robert F. Kennedy and his merry band That’s also what makes him kind of a Putting out press releases isn’t all he’s relic in today’s polarized environment. doing. Cassidy is also using his last months of anti-vaxxers the leading but far from the only example — Cassidy deserves acFew politicians even bother anymore, and in ofﬁce to continue pushing a longtime when they do, voters often don’t connect priority, a bipartisan “Big Idea” to shore knowledgment for having done the work, the dots, pleading press releases notwithup Social Security, even if there’s little and for still trying to do it even after the chance he’ll get anywhere. Congress is state’s GOP voters told him he was no lonstanding. basically done until Election Day, and even ger wanted. For six years in the U.S. House and 12 if the Senate comes back after Nov. 3 to in the Senate, Cassidy has been one of Just think back to the infrastructure tackle unﬁnished business, that business those old-fashioned workhorses that have bill’s passage in 2021. Cassidy and a handwill likely focus on enshrining Republican become endangered in D.C. Even if their ful of fellow Republicans decided to put priorities before Democrats take control of aside the politics of giving Biden a big win, constituents don’t quite know it, I suspect the House and possibly the Senate. plenty will miss them when they’re gone. looked at what the bill could do for their For all the ways he’s fallen short — with constituents and used their votes to leverprotecting the nation from Department Email Stephanie Grace at sgrace@theadage some big wins, including the broadof Health and Human Services Secretary band money. vocate.com.

Darline Graham has nothing on her brother, Lindsey plans for “our wonderful Darline,” as he CAMDEN, S.C. — If one were to wander out recently called her. After a brief, highon a limb and predict that Sen. Darline octane courtship with the president, DarGraham, R, will not be elected the junior senator from South Carolina on Nov. 3, one line Graham realized with sudden clarity would not necessarily plummet to that she was the rightful heir to the the ground. throne and would run for the full For the first time in more than 20 six-year term. years of Republican dominance, it The question now is whether seems that the Senate seat vacated Trump still holds sufficient sway by the death of Lindsey Graham to guarantee a Graham victory. is a toss-up between his sister and necessarily. Not only has the Kathleen Not Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediapresident jacked up tariffs that are Parker causing pain on Main Street and trician and former congressional started a war with Iran that has candidate. spiked gas prices, he has divided his party Andrews likely would not have defeated Lindsey Graham, who, though increasingly and picked a terrible candidate to replace unpopular, benefited from South Carolina’s his wingman. Polls have shown Trump’s disapproval reflexive loyalty to the Republican status quo. Sen. Strom Thurmond, whom Lindsey rating in South Carolina hovering around 50%. Even the fellow whose house I reguGraham replaced in 2003, retired from office after serving more than 47 years in the larly drive past in Camden has replaced Senate. his usual fence poster — “Crude and Rude, Most people reckoned Graham would Still My Dude, Trump for President” — continue serving into his dotage before with a message of charity. I take this as a his unexpected death in July of an aortic sign. dissection. At just 71, he was practically a Most importantly, the candidates tell the whippersnapper by state standards. story. Darline Graham is a Trump pick When Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republifor reasons that did not include her politican, tapped Graham’s younger sister, Darcal agility or her mastery of the country’s top issues. In her first campaign ad, she line, to fill out her brother’s term, which checked the GOP litmus-test boxes, noting ends in January, her appointment was that she’s anti-abortion and opposes transwidely understood to be temporary, pending the midterm election. gender athletes participating in women’s But President Donald Trump had other or girls’ sports. On the geopolitical front

that her brother was instrumental in shaping, she pleaded ignorance during a primary debate. These aren’t character flaws, but they represent a serious deficit for a senator whose only apparent qualification for the job is that her brother once held it. Andrews, by contrast, has a clear agenda, political experience (she ran unsuccessfully against Rep. Nancy Mace in 2022), and has spent several years studying healthcare, Medicare, Medicaid and other affordability issues. Darline is no Lindsey, which, admittedly, some voters might consider an advantage. A longtime Republican Senate staffer recently described to me the late senator’s political prowess: He could bring people together from both sides of the aisle. He could change Trump’s mind to the opposite of what he had been thinking 10 minutes before. His compelling talent was humor. He’d walk into a room and crack a joke, and everybody would be laughing before the meeting got started. There’s no evidence that his sister shares that generally sunny disposition, sense of humor or his strategic deployment of both. One needn’t be a comedian to succeed in D.C., but a sense of humor is a sign of intelligence and its use is indicative of advanced people skills, all of which can win the day, as Lindsey Graham repeatedly proved.

A recent poll by InsiderAdvantage has Darline Graham up by just one point over Andrews. That survey was conducted around when Graham attacked former special counsel Jack Smith during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on his investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. She accused Smith of bullying her brother and weaponizing the legal system. Smith replied that Lindsey Graham, whom he called a “patriotic public servant,” was not a focus of the investigation but likely would have been a witness. Darline Graham cut him off and kept hammering: “You caused my brother and a lot of other senators a lot of stress,” she said, “and that makes me sick. You should be ashamed.” And somebody should be embarrassed. Staff coaching can only go so far. The senator’s adherence to an obvious script suggests that thinking on her feet isn’t a strong suit. She came across as testy and mean. Forecasters still favor Graham, but data tells only part of the story. If Graham fails in her bid, she can be forgiven for acting out of loyalty and love for her brother. If she prevails, South Carolina will get what it deserves — a scripted marionette for an unpopular, lame-duck president who, unlike Graham, will be gone in two years.

Some Louisiana voters suppress their own votes It bothers me how many people don’t And voting isn’t the only way a registered vote. What’s more bothersome is how many voter can avoid becoming inactive. registered voters don’t vote. If a registered voter doesn’t vote for 9.5 According to a recent U.S. Census Buyears, they aren’t purged if their address changes and they report it. Simply reau estimate, we’ve got about 3.56 put, as long as a voter has a touch million adults over the age of 18 with the secretary of state’s ofﬁce, in Louisiana. Only 2.9 million of in person or online, the purge clock them are registered to vote. What restarts. the other half million are thinking, That’s quite a bit of leeway, so as I don’t know. We usually hear verothers build in ways to limit voting, sions of “My vote doesn’t matter,” Will “I’m only one person,” and “They’re Sutton we have to do all we can to keep registered voters engaged. We can going to do what they want to do register as many voters as we can, anyway.” but it doesn’t matter if those registered to I won’t give up on our non-registered, vote don’t cast ballots. non-voting neighbors. As we head into our A recent look at the number of registered national midterm elections and important federal, state and local elections across the inactive Louisiana voters is disturbing. As of Oct. 1, we have almost 457,000 instate, I want to focus on people who are registered but don’t vote. active voters. I say almost because we’re Inactive voters aren’t purged. Inactive only seven people away from that number. voters can vote. Purged voters cannot. That’s more than the combined populations There are a number of anti-democracy, of Baton Rouge and Shreveport. That’s anti-voting movements we need to ﬁght. only 27,000 more than the entire Jefferson But one movement is on us: We have to get Parish population. It’s 23,000 fewer people registered voters to vote. than the combined populations of Lafayette Under the law, voters have about 10 and New Orleans. years, or two federal election cycles, beA 2024 law changed how the Louisiana secretary of state manages registered votfore they are purged.

ers. Without going into great detail, since then signiﬁcantly more registered voters have been moved to inactive voter status. I don’t have enough space and time to show you how disturbing these numbers are, so I’ve picked examples. Consider these inactive registered voters by parish, each rounded up or down, and a comparison to the number of inactive voters in 2024 before the state law changed a lot. n East Baton Rouge: 54,000, up from 32,000 n Orleans Parish: 45,000, up from 29,000 n Jefferson Parish: 39,000, up from 18,000 n Caddo Parish: 30,000, up from 28,000 n Lafayette Parish: 23,000, up from 15,000 n Ouachita Parish: 22,000, up from 12,000 n Bossier Parish: 12,000, up from 11,000 This is a huge spike in all but one of these parishes. These examples reﬂect what’s happened across the state. In 2024, we had about 319,000 inactive voters. Today we have 457,000. Surely that’s disappointing to organized political parties, community and other groups and volunteers who work hard to get people to register to vote. It’s more disap-

pointing to Democrats and people who think we should expand the number of voters. This inactive voter boom hit Black and Democratic voters more. The number of Black inactive voters is much higher than that of White voters. The number of Democratic inactive voters is much higher than that of Republican voters. No, that doesn’t seem right. I’m sure legislators who supported the changes that led to this spike thought they were doing what’s best for voter integrity. Sure. Wink wink. Only legislators with a different view about civic engagement and voter participation can change that. Meanwhile, things can change. We can stop voter suppression. Inactive voters can make a change and a difference by casting ballots when early voting starts Oct. 20, by requesting and returning mail ballots or by walking into a polling place on Nov. 3. Active, registered voters can make a change by seeing that the inactive voters we know vote. Email Will Sutton at wsutton@theadvocate. com.

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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8B ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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TODAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Sunny and very warm

Toasty conditions

A t-storm around in the p.m.

A stray afternoon shower; hot

Sunny and toasty conditions

Mostly sunny, a stray t-storm

HIGH

LOW

91° 61°

LOW

93° 66°

LOW

91° 66°

92° 64°

Port Arthur 87/73

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

Hattiesburg 91/60

Baton Rouge 91/61

Lake Charles 90/65

10s

20s

30s

Houma 88/59

40s

50s

YESTERDAY

60s

70s

80s

FIRST

OCT 18

LAST

OCT 25

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

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

8:27a 2:40a 3:52a 5:00a 10:22p 9:49p 11:30p

7:04 a.m. 6:38 p.m. 8:01 a.m. 7:01 p.m.

FULL

City

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

HIGH

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

90s 100s 110s

PRECIPITATION

86°/63° 83°/61° 85°/59° 95° in 1904 41° in 1908

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 88/65

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

LOW

89° 62°

TEMPERATURE

Alexandria 92/60

Lafayette 90/62

Beaumont 89/71

HIGH

92° 67°

Jackson 92/61 Many 92/58

LOW

Baton Rouge through 5 p.m. Saturday

Longview 91/63

-0s

HIGH

Monroe 95/62

Shreveport 92/62

-10s

LOW

The strong winds and wind gusts we experienced yesterday will be much lighter today. So for your Sunday, high pressure will take over our weather. Expect a mostly sunny and hot day with a light breeze. Temperatures this afternoon will rise to the upper 80s to low 90s. The air will remain mostly dry, which means humidity, like yesterday, will be very low. We’re not expecting any rain today; in fact, we should remain dry all week. If you’re headed to New Orleans to tailgate for the Saints game, you will love the weather.

72 93 62 75 77 90 81 92 72

TODAY Lo

60 71 55 60 62 70 56 71 62

NEW

NOV 1

c s r t pc s c s t

NOV 9

87 90 68 82 84 89 79 91 73

MON. Lo

62 76 53 56 68 76 47 76 57

s pc r pc pc s s t t

FT.

LOW

0.00” 0.00” 1.44” 46.38” 49.32”

FT.

HIGH

0.8 7:07p 0.3 1.8 11:47a 0.6 2.1 9:14a 0.5 1.5 1:09a 1.3 1.4 8:21a 0.4 1.9 6:33a 0.6 1.8 9:23a 0.5

FT.

MODERATE

READING 48 MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

LOW

FT.

--- ----- ----- ----- --6:30p 2.4 10:23p 1.9 9:20p 1.7 12:50p 0.3 --- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ---

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 12:28p 5:53a ---- 6:16p Monday 12:31a 6:43a 12:55p 7:07p Tuesday 1:24a 7:36a 1:48p 8:01p Wednesday 2:19a 8:31a 2:44p 8:57p Thursday 3:15a 9:27a 3:40p 9:53p Friday 4:10a 10:23a 4:35p 10:48p Saturday 5:04a 11:16a 5:29p 11:41p

City

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

TODAY Lo

72 92 73 63 66 87 87 68 62

60 79 56 57 59 70 69 53 41

r t r r r t s pc s

TODAY

GOOD

68 91 89 70 74 82 94 71 63

MON. Lo

56 76 62 58 58 66 72 53 43

sh t s pc sh t s pc s

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

SAT. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

8.00 22.63 25.63 12.26 8.66 8.00 6.97

+1.41 -0.64 -0.27 +0.16 +1.06 +1.39 +1.72

24.43

-1.03

-1.75

-0.07

18 29 8

-1.29 9.78 3.85

-0.01 -0.08 +0.45

13 15

2.47 0.65

-0.03 -0.10

47 34 29 20 12 6

10.16 7.03 5.57 5.22 3.90 3.48

-0.89 -0.60 -0.36 -0.27 -0.10 +0.51

data as of 7 a.m. Saturday

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SPORTS

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

S u n d ay, O c t O b e r 11, 2026

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Recurring problems plaguing Moore, M Saints Slow starts, always playing from behind head list

ä Vikings at Saints NOON SUNDAy, FOX

“This is essentially this season’s first quarter,” Johnson said ahead of the fifth game in a 17-game campaign. Staff writer Well, it’s no wonder then that the Saints In the New Orleans Saints’ locker room haven’t performed well. First quarters have this week, edge rusher Chase Young and been nothing but a nightmare for New Ortight end Juwan Johnson delivered a simi- leans (1-3) under Kellen Moore. The Saints coach isn’t on the hot seat. But lar message to try to put Monday’s blowout loss to the Atlanta Falcons into perspective. for the first time in his two-year tenure, Moore faces real fan frustration over how A talking point, of sorts. “It’s the first quarter,” Young said. “About the same problems repeat in loss after loss. to be in the second quarter. It’s a long sea- Losing to the Falcons in primetime on the 20th anniversary of the “Domecoming” was son.”

BY MATTHEW PARAS

KENTUCKy

bad enough. But the manner, an nd the pattern, of Monday’s beatdown was even more troubling. Yet again, the Saints came out flat. Yet again, they couldn’t run the ball. b Yet again, they fell behind in horrifi fic fashion. Moore acknowledged the Sa aints were unprepared, and that wasn n’t the only instance he made tha at claim. The Saints are a patient fran nchise, and 21 games are admiittedly too soon to draw strong

Saints coach Kellen Moore

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

ä See SAINTS, page 10C

LSU

TWO BAD RECORD: 4-2 UP NEXT: VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE, 11 A.M. SATURDAy, TBD

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TANNER PEARSON

Kentucky running back CJ Baxter reacts after a touchdown against LSU during the first half on Saturday at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. LSU lost 35-34 in overtime.

Kentucky catches LSU in regulation, wins with 2-point conversion in OT

LSU didn’t need miracle to beat UK, but it needs one after sloppy loss

BY JON BLAU

to LSU’s frustrating 35-34 overtime LEXINGTON, Ky. — From a football upset loss here Saturday night at karma perspective, it seems LSU is still paying for the ever-lasting thrill Kroger Field? Start and end with LSU mistakes. of the Bluegrass Miracle. Mistakes that the Tigers inFor the third time since that immortal Tigers’ victory in flicted on themselves. Mis2002, LSU came here and went takes that kept Kentucky home a loser. in front or in contention The first one, a 43-37 triplethroughout. overtime loss in 2007, somehow LSU lost the turnover batdidn’t derail LSU’s drive to that tle 2-0. LSU had seven penScott season’s national championship. Rabalais alties to Kentucky’s two. This one, however, may have The Tigers up a 77-yard run snuffed out the Tigers’ hopes of by CJ Baxter on Kentucky’s even reaching the College Football first play from scrimmage to set up Playoff with half the regular season his 3-yard touchdown jog by failing to go. to fill a basic defensive gap. And LSU Where to begin to unpack the ä See RABALAIS, page 7C moving van full of factors that led

Staff writer

LEXINGTON, Ky — As four quarters expired, there were bright, blue lights ﬂashing up the aisles of Kroger Field. The blue-shirted fans in Kentucky’s stadium were waving their white pompoms as the club music pulsated through the venue. This may not have been the hostile environment LSU faced three weeks earlier at Ole Miss, but it wasn’t exactly friendly. And the result was just as heartbreaking. After the Wildcats forced overtime with a ﬁeld goal make after two fourth-quarter misses, Kentucky downed No. 10 LSU (4-2, 1-2 SEC) with

a two-point conversion in a 35-34 overtime win. Kenny Minchey’s run made for the second week in a row the Wildcats won on a two-point play, following last week’s win at South Carolina. The defeat also extended a streak for the Tigers, who lost an eighth straight SEC road game. LSU’s last road win in conference play was Oct. 19, 2024, at Arkansas. “Like I told him before the game, a chance comes in the fourth quarter, you can’t let them hang around,” LSU coach Lane Kifﬁn said, thinking back to a Sam Leavitt fumble that short-circuited one fourth-quarter drive with a 27-24 lead.

ä See LSU, page 6C

2C ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV AUTO RACING 7 a.m. F1: Singapore Grand Prix APPLETV 2 p.m. NASCAR Cup Series USA WOMEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER 1 p.m. Texas Tech at TCU ESPNU WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL 11 a.m. Washington at Penn St. BTN noon North Carolina at Virginia ACCN noon Stanford at Louisville ESPN noon Texas A&M at Arkansas SECN 1 p.m. Southern Cal at Indiana BTN 2 p.m. Pittsburgh at SMU ABC 2 p.m. S.Carolina at Mississippi St. SECN

3 p.m. 4 p.m. 5 p.m.

Minnesota at Ohio St. BTN TCU at Arizona St. ESPN2 Illinois at Purdue BTN GOLF noon Korn Ferry Tour Championship GOLF 3 p.m. PGA Tour Champions GOLF HORSE RACING noon America’s Day at the Races FS1 MLB 7 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at Milwaukee FOX NBA PRESEASON 5:30 p.m. Orlando at Cleveland ESPN 8 p.m. Chicago at Denver ESPN NFL 8:30 a.m. Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville NFLN

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

noon Minnesota at New Orleans FOX 3 p.m. Denver at L.A. Chargers CBS 3:25 p.m. San Francisco at Seattle FOX 7:20 p.m. Baltimore at Atlanta NBC NHL 6 p.m. Carolina at Philadelphia NHLN MEN’S SOCCER 8 a.m. Bologna at Lecce CBSSN 8 a.m. Everton at Hull City NBCSN 8 a.m. Nottingham at Crystal Palace USA 10:30 a.m. Manchester City at Liverpool NBC 6 p.m. Atletico Ottawa at Pacific FC FS2 TENNIS 10 p.m. Wuhan-WTA TENNIS

Poole relishes ‘fresh start’ Pelicans guard clicking with new coaching staff

Staff writer

BEIJING — Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva will face home favorite Zheng Qinwen in the final of the China Open after both players won their respective semifinal matches Saturday. Zheng defeated Elise Mertens 7-5, 6-2 and delighted the home supporters by becoming the first Chinese finalist in the tournament, which dates back to 2004. The 24-year-old Zheng won eight of the last 10 games against Mertens to reach her second career WTA 1000 final. Earlier, the No. 5-ranked and French Open champion Andreeva, earned her 50th match win of the season by beating Nikola Bartunkova 6-2, 6-2. The 19-year-old Andreeva had defeated Bartunkova, a 20-yearold Czech player ranked No. 34, in the third round of the U.S. Open. STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Poole, right, reacts after getting past the Portland Trail Blazers defense for two points during a game at the Smoothie King Center on Dec. 11. Clippers. And it came with lows, like the turnover when he tried to lob a pass off the backboard against the Houston Rockets. His benching by interim coach James Borrego came two days later. Despite Poole’s roller-coaster season, his confidence never wavered. “I think if there is anything that I learned it’s that you really can only control what you can control,” Poole said. “A lot of the things and decisions were out of my control. So all I did was show up and do the work.” Jamahl Mosley, in his first season as the Pelicans coach, likes what he has seen from the guard entering his eighth NBA season. “Jordan Poole has been working his tail off defensively,” Mosley said. “He’s doing everything that we have asked him to do, both offensively and defensively. Being a playmaker. Being poised. Being aggressive to score, which he knows he’s capable of doing.” Poole likes what he’s seen from Mosley, too. He had two coaches in his first season in New Orleans (Willie Green and Borrego) and two different coaches in his two

seasons in Washington. “I think it’s really good that we’ve got a coach who has a direction, has his own identity, and has won and has been in the playoffs and knows what direction he wants this team to go in,” Poole said. “That’ such a big part to what the team does. I’ve had five coaches in four seasons, so that’s not the best recipe to go and start cooking in the kitchen with.” Poole has plenty to play for this season. He’s entering the final year of his contract that will pay him right at $34 million. His contract and his productivity last season caused his name to pop up in trade rumors all summer long, but Poole blocked that out. “There is too much power in what people say on the internet now,” Poole said. “I’m sure it was just a lot of noise, especially when you have internal dialogue and you’re talking to the front office, you’re talking to the players, you’re talking to the coaches, you’re talking to agents. All I can do is focus on what I do on the court. Focus on what I do in the locker room. Focus on the task at hand and be where my feet

are. Everything else will handle itself.” If Poole can shoot the way he did two seasons ago with the Wizards (51% from the floor and 37.8% on 3-pointers), it would be a plus for a Pelicans team that could use more shooting. They also could use help finishing games. Mosley believes Poole can help in that area, too. It’s why he called Poole into his office before a recent scrimmage and they watched film of end-ofgame scenarios. “He’s got a great IQ for the game,” Mosley said. “Studied the game. Loves the game. Loves to play the game.” Poole would love nothing more than to play the game he loves even more this season. “They want me to be me,” he said. “Play make. Bring my championship-level experience. Score the ball. Put my teammates in position to be successful. Obviously, defense is a huge identity for us this year. Just trying to be a leader, bring guys together. A fresh start with a new coaching staff.” Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

Valkyries face Dream for WNBA championship BY DOUG FEINBERG

ä Dream at Valkyries.

AP basketball writer

NEW YORK — Golden State Valkyries owner Joe Lacob proclaimed that his team would win a championship within its first five years when he bought the expansion franchise. The Valkyries are now one step away from achieving his mandate way ahead of schedule as it only took two years for Golden State to reach the WNBA Finals. They’ll face the Atlanta Dream in the bestof-seven series that begins Saturday, Oct. 17. “They had this vision from the start, to see it come to fruition in Year 2 is pretty amazing,” Valkyries forward Kiah Stokes said. “It’s pretty special. We’re looking forward to the finals.” The league will have a first-time champion. The Valkyries became the quickest WNBA expansion franchise to reach the finals since the league first began 30 years ago. That topped the Dream, who did it in their third year. Golden State has done an incredible job in building the franchise into one of the premiere ones in the league quickly. The secondseeded Valkyries led the league in attendance, which helped them achieve the best home record this season. They defeated the Las Ve-

The New Orleans Pelicans were missing one of their starters in Saturday’s practice. Dejounte Murray, who missed Thursday’s preseason loss to the Miami Heat with a toe contusion, continues to deal with the injury. “We are going to continue to be precautionary about it,” Pelicans coach Jamahl Mosley said Saturday. Mosley, when asked whether this is an injury Murray could play through if it was during the regular season, had this to say. “We’re just going to keep evaluating him and how he responds to the treatment we’re giving him,” Mosley said. “So right now, to try to gauge whether it is playing or not playing, we’re 10 days into training camp. So I’ll evaluate that once we start to get into regular-season games.”

Andreeva to face Zheng in China Open women’s final

BY ROD WALKER The Poole party in New Orleans never was the splash it was supposed to be in Year One. First, Jordan Poole dealt with a quadriceps injury in November that sidelined him for 18 games. Then he had a “DNP/coach’s decision” beside his name for a nine-game stretch that started in January. By the time the New Orleans Pelicans had closed the curtain on a dismal season, Poole had played in just 39 games. He started just eight of them, far less than what was expected when the Pelicans traded for him in the CJ McCollum trade. Poole averaged 13.4 points and 3.1 assists, a big drop-off from the season before when he averaged a career-high 20.5 points while playing for the Washington Wizards. The championship pedigree he was supposed to bring from his playing days with the Golden State Warriors didn’t rub off on the Pelicans, who missed the playoffs and failed to reach 30 wins for a second year in a row. Now the Pelicans have a new head coach who has given everyone on the roster a clean slate. And nobody should be more pleased with that than Poole. So far, he has made the most of it. He is averaging 11.5 points in the first two preseason games. That includes Thursday’s game against the Miami Heat when Poole’s 14 points led the team in scoring. He shot 4 for 5 from the ﬂoor, draining 3 of 4 3-pointers. “I feel good,” Poole said. “I feel like I’m showing what I need to show. I’m prepared. I’m ready. I always am.” Poole also had two assists and a rebound against Miami. He had a +4 plus/minus in the 13 minutes he played in the loss to the Heat. He was +17 in his 16 minutes Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Poole isn’t surprised by his early success. Last season came with some highs, like a 30-point game with seven 3-pointers on Halloween night against the Los Angeles

Pelicans guard Murray nursing toe contusion

2:30 P.M. SATURDAy, NBC.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By IAN MAULE

Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams, left, drives against Las Vegas Aces defender Kalani Brown, right, during Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals on Friday in Las Vegas. gas Aces in the semiﬁnals, sweeping them in three games with Friday’s overtime victory. They made a big move in free agency this offseason, signing Gabby Williams. She has been one of the best players in the league on both ends of the court. Williams raised her

game in the postseason, averaging 22.7 points from the 14.4 in the regular season. Golden State has been built around 3-point shooting, a solid set of reserves and defense. The Dream reached the Finals for the ﬁrst time since 2013 after taking out the New York Liberty

in three games as well. Now both teams will have a week off before the championship round begins. “We want to enjoy this moment. we’re very proud of getting there,” Atlanta guard Jordan said. “It took a lot of hard work. ... Proud of getting there, but knowing that the job is not done.” Atlanta reached the WNBA Finals in 2010, 2011 and 2013, but got swept each time. This is a different Atlanta roster with a bunch of stars including Angel Reese, Canada, Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray. Gray, the Dream’s leading scorer, injured her left hand in the semiﬁnals opener and missed the next two games. Having the time off before the Finals begin will be big for her. The Dream also added veteran DeWanna Bonner late in the season, which has proven to be a huge addition with her playoff experience. Offense may be hard to come by for both teams as they are two of the best defensive squads in the league. Golden State won all three of the regular-season meetings with the last coming on July 4.

Medvedev advances in first match at Shanghai Masters

SHANGHAI — Daniil Medvedev has won his first match since being disqualified at the China Open for hitting a spectator in the eye with a ball he hit into the stands. Medvedev beat Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a second-round match on Saturday at the Shanghai Masters, an ATP 1000 tennis event. Medvedev, who now holds a 10-2 career edge over Struff, had been disqualified during his semifinal Monday against Novak Djokovic for hitting the spectator with a ball the Russian player had hit into the stands at Beijing. It was the fifth-seeded Medvedev’s first match since the disqualification. He had a bye in the first round.

Portugal suspends Ronaldo after walkout from camp

LISBON, Portugal — The Portuguese Football Federation has suspended Cristiano Ronaldo for walking out on the team and initiated disciplinary proceedings. The case has been referred to its disciplinary investigation committee and its ﬁndings will remain conﬁdential until its conclusions are reached, the federation said in a statement Saturday. The 41-year-old Ronaldo left the Portugal camp during the international window in a dispute with new coach Jorge Jesus over his lack of playing time in the Nations League. In the three games Ronaldo was either an unused substitute or absent, Portugal won, and his replacement Gonçalo Ramos seized his chance by scoring three goals.

Dodgers will start Skubal in Game 1 vs. Brewers LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers will start Tarik Skubal against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, last year’s World Series MVP, will start Game 2 on Monday at American Family Field, manager Dave Roberts said Friday. Skubal also started Game 1 of the NL Division Series. The two-time Cy Young Award winner pitched six dominant innings, allowing one run and two hits, in a 5-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves. The left-hander struck out seven and walked two. Yamamoto started Game 3 of the NLDS and struck out 10 over seven innings. The right-hander allowed one run and four hits to go with one walk.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ 3C

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Larson looks to pad points lead at Charlotte BY STEVE REED AP sportswriter

CONCORD, N.C. — Kyle Larson didn’t win a race during the regular season. But the defending NASCAR Cup champion already has two postseason victories along with three other top-five finishes, vaulting him into a commanding lead as the “Chase” heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for Sunday’s Bank of America 400. Larson, who is looking for his third championship overall, leads regular-season champion Denny Hamlin by 40 points. But he knows he still has some work to do. Christopher Bell is lurking in third place only 55 points back heading to one of his favorite tracks, while Joey Logano (71 points behind), Ryan Blaney (80) and last week’s winner at Las Vegas Chase Briscoe (84) are all within 100 points of the lead with ﬁve of 10 playoff races remaining. As for his team’s uptick in production, Larson said his Hendrick Motorsports team has taken the things it learned from the regular season and applied them to the playoffs. He said the team is peaking at the right time. “It’s been amazing,” Larson said. “I deﬁnitely didn’t think we would start off the Chase like this. ... It was tough to stay motivated and I didn’t think we would get to this point back in the summer. But you can never count out Hendrick Motorsports.” The turnaround of the No. 5 team hasn’t surprised Logano one bit. “You’re talking about Kyle Larson and Hendrick Motorsports,” Logano said. “These guys have won championships before and

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By COLIN E. BRALEy

Kyle Larson celebrates in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series race on Sept. 27 in Kansas City, Kan. when you have a bit of a slump it’s not like they forgot how to do it. It’s just they are trying to catch back up, and now somebody (in their organization) has found something to make them go faster.” Rain washed out practice and qualifying on Saturday, which means Larson will start on the pole based off the metrics now used by NASCAR. Briscoe will start alongside Larson, followed by Tyler Reddick and Blaney on the second row. The metrics were not kind to Bell. He will start 17th despite being third in the playoff hunt. Bell was outspoken Saturday about the situation, saying that

while he doesn’t have any issues with the metrics used by NASCAR he does feel racing’s governing body should do everything it can to have qualifying — even it if means doing so on Sunday morning before the race. Charlotte is the fourth playoff race — and the ninth overall this season — in which weather wiped out qualifying. “I just think we should be practicing and we should be qualifying,” Bell said. “We’re the top level of auto racing in America and you’re not going to see the other forms of racing line the races up without qualifying. I just think weneed to qualify.” Hamlin is trying to put a disas-

trous 16th-place ﬁnish last week behind him and regroup at his home track. Hamlin spun out at Las Vegas and then had a misplay in which he pitted rather than staying out and trapping Larson a lap down. Once back on the lead lap, Larson was able to navigate his way up through the field to finish second, extending his series lead. Hamlin said on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast earlier this week that he and his team took their eyes off the ball for just a second — and it cost them. “Had I known that Larson was a lap down and he would have got his lap back by me pitting, I would have never turned down pit road,” Hamlin said. “I don’t care what the crew chief says. I would have never turned down pit road. I think if you had time to think about it and all the things, I think there’s no question that we do something different next time around.” Hamlin said he has completely disengaged from the public this week, something he frequently does following a tough race when he feels like he needs to regroup. Brad Keselowski said he’s still evaluating his options after his split with RFK Racing, hinting that the future looks bright for him. “There are more opportunities than you guys are aware of right now,” Keselowski said. “There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes chatter that doesn’t always make its way (to the media).” The 42-year-old Keselowski said he wants to race for at least three to ﬁve more years, but it needs to be the right situation. He has won 36 Cup Series races during his ca-

reer but only one since 2020. He thinks he can return to victory lane much like Mark Martin did late in his career if he ﬁnds the right ride. “I feel like in tier one equipment I can win a lot more races,” Keselowski said. “There’s an old Kevin Harvick saying ‘you can’t make a slow racecar go fast.’ That’s just how it is. I don’t think our cars (at RFK Racing) are awful, but we’re clearly not tier one.” Kasey Kahne, an 18-time Cup Series winner and one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers, will return to Truck Series racing full time for Spire Motorsports in 2027, it was announced earlier this week. Kahne has made only six career starts in the Truck Series, but won ﬁve of them. “Kasey is not only a legendary driver but is someone that Spire shares a long history with,” Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson said. “Having him in one of our trucks running for a championship means a lot to our organization and we fully trust that he has the same competitive nature and drive to win that he’s always had.” Drivers were still abuzz in Saturday’s media session over the burnout performed by 11-year-old Brexton Busch Friday night as part of a celebration of life ceremony for his late father, Kyle Busch. “I could not imagine, like literally could not imagine, being his age and driving a Cup car and doing a burnout at Charlotte Motor Speedway,” Bell said. “I know he enjoyed that and I hope he cherishes that for the rest of his life.” Larson called the younger Busch, an aspiring Cup driver, mature beyond his years.

SCOREBOARD Odds Sports Betting Line NFL Sunday

Monday, Oct. 12: Game 2: Los Angeles Dodgers at Milwaukee, 5 p.m. (Fox/FS1/Fox One/ Fox Deportes) Wednesday, Oct. 14: Game 3: Milwaukee at Los Angeles Dodgers, 8 p.m. (FS1/Fox One/ Fox Deportes) Thursday, Oct. 15: Game 4: Milwaukee at Los Angeles Dodgers, 9 p.m. (FS1/Fox One/Fox Deportes) x-Friday, Oct. 16: Game 5: Milwaukee at Los Angeles Dodgers, 9 p.m. (FS1/Fox One/Fox Deportes) x-Sunday, Oct. 18: Game 6: Los Angeles Dodgers at Milwaukee, 8 p.m. (FS1/Fox One/ Fox Deportes) x-Monday, Oct. 19: Game 7: Los Angeles Dodgers at Milwaukee, 8 p.m. (Fox/FS1/Fox One/Fox Deportes)

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at JAX 1½ 7½ (41½) Philadelphia at NE 8½ 3½ (45) Las Vegas at NY JETS 2½ 2½ (39½) Cleveland at WASH 2½ 3½ (41½) NY Giants Chicago 3 1½ (46½) at G. BAY Minnesota 1½ 2½ (41½) at N.O. Cincinnati 5½ 7 (43½) at MIAMI at PITTS 2½ 2½ (43½) Ind Houston 3½ 7 (38½) at TEN Denver 2½ 3½ (42½) atCHRGRS at SEATTLE 3½ 3 (46½) San Fran Detroit 8½ 5½ (54½) at ARIZONA at ATLANTA 4½ 3½ (43½) Baltimore

College football

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at LA RAMS 3 3½ (54½) Buffalo

Friday’s games EAST

Monday

MLB

SOUTH

Florida A&M 28, Alabama St. 27 Louisville 44, Florida St. 20

Sunday

National League FAVORITE LINE LA Dodgers OFF

NHL

Sunday

FAVORITE LINE at WASHIN -222 at N.Y RANGRS -256 Carolina -173

Columbia 41, Marist 28

UNDERDOG at MILWAUKEE

LINE OFF

UNDERDOG LINE Seattle +179 Vancouver +205 at PHILADELPHIA +142

Pro basketball WNBA Playoff Glance (x-if necessary) Finals (Best-of-5)

No. 2 Golden State vs. No. 4 Atlanta

Saturday, October 17: Atlanta at Golden State, 2:30 p.m. Monday, October 19: Atlanta at Golden State, 7 p.m. Thursday, October 22: Golden State at Atlanta, 7 p.m. Saturday, October 24: Golden State at Atlanta, 2:30 p.m. x-Monday, October 26: Atlanta at Golden State, TBA x-Thursday, October 29: Golden State at Atlanta, TBA x-Saturday, October 31: Atlanta at Golden State, TBA

Major League Baseball MLB Postseason Glance DIVISION SERIES

(Best-of-5) x-if necessary

American League

(TBS, TruTV, HBO Max)

Cleveland 3, Chicago White Sox 2

Saturday, Oct. 3: Chicago White Sox 3, Cleveland 0 Monday, Oct. 5: Chicago White Sox 4, Cleveland 3 Wednesday, Oct. 7: Cleveland 9, Chicago White Sox 3 Thursday, Oct. 8: Cleveland 9, Chicago White Sox 5 Saturday, Oct. 10: Cleveland 2,Chicago White Sox 0

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (Best-of-7)

American League

(TBS, TruTV, HBO Max)

Cleveland vs. Tampa Bay

Monday, Oct. 12: Game 1: Cleveland/Chicago White Sox winner at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max) Tuesday, Oct. 13: Game 2: Cleveland/Chicago White Sox winner at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max) Thursday, Oct. 15: Game 3: Tampa Bay at Cleveland/Chicago White Sox winner, 6 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max) Friday, Oct. 16: Game 4: Tampa Bay at Cleveland/Chicago White Sox winner, 6 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max) x-Saturday, Oct. 17: Game 5: Tampa Bay at Cleveland/Chicago White Sox winner, 8 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max) x-Monday, Oct. 19: Game 6: Cleveland/Chicago White Sox winner at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max) x-Tuesday, Oct. 20: Game 7: Cleveland/Chicago White Sox winner at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max)

National League (FOX, FS1)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Milwaukee

Sunday, Oct. 11: Game: 1 Los Angeles Dodgers at Milwaukee, 8 p.m. (Fox/Fox One/Fox Deportes)

FAR WEST

BYU 24, Iowa St. 10 Iowa 41, Washington 24 Utah St. 17, Washington St. 16 Wyoming 16, San Jose St. 13, OT

Saturday’s games EAST

Arizona 52, West Virginia 31 Army 20, Tulane 17 Brown 28, Bryant 13 CCSU 51, American International 14 Coastal Carolina 27, Marshall 21 Delaware St. 34, Franklin Pierce 0 Fordham 20, Richmond 14 Georgetown 21, Bucknell 14 Harvard 41, Cornell 29 LIU Brooklyn 17, Duquesne 14 Miami (Ohio) 20, UMass 19 Morgan St. 28, Robert Morris 27 Navy 34, Tulsa 26 North Carolina 21, Pittsburgh 17 Penn 24, Howard 20 Princeton 28, Wagner 13 Southern Cal 31, Penn St. 23 Stonehill 28, Sacred Heart 7 Stony Brook 31, Towson 24 UConn 34, Temple 20 Yale 28, Dartmouth 7

SOUTH

Alabama A&M 55, Bethune-Cookman 17 Alcorn St. 63, Arkansas Baptist Buffaloes 7 Charleston Southern 49, SC State 39 Chattanooga 19, Samford 3 E. Illinois 21, Gardner-Webb 7 E. Kentucky 30, West Georgia 20 ETSU 34, The Citadel 16 East Carolina 28, Rice 12 Georgia 20, Alabama 17 Georgia Tech 28, Duke 25 Grambling St. 45, Jackson St. 38 James Madison 27, Georgia Southern 24 Kentucky 35, LSU 34, OT Louisiana Tech 32, Louisiana-Lafayette 31 Memphis 38, UAB 13 Mercer 17, W. Carolina 14 Mississippi 52, Vanderbilt 17 NC A&T 30, New Hampshire 27, OT Norfolk St. 62, Va. Lynchburg 0 Old Dominion 10, Appalachian St. 3 Presbyterian 38, Davidson 21 South Carolina 38, Florida 19 Tarleton St. 40, Austin Peay 32 Tennessee Tech 20, Furman 15 UT Martin 42, Tennessee St. 28 UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros 13, SE Louisiana 3 Virginia 28, Syracuse 25 Wake Forest 38, NC State 14 William & Mary 17, NC Central 14 Wofford 16, Elon 0

MIDWEST

Air Force 28, N. Illinois 7 Bowling Green 38, Sacramento St. 10 Buffalo 23, Toledo 8 Butler 41, San Diego 10 Dayton 56, Morehead St. 28 E. Michigan 25, Akron 23 Houston 35, Kansas St. 16 Illinois 38, Michigan St. 37, OT Indiana 20, Nebraska 17 Missouri 27, Texas A&M 6 N. Iowa 24, North Dakota 17 Northwestern 45, Ball St. 14 Notre Dame 58, Stanford 7 Ohio 31, Cent. Michigan 14 Ohio St. 45, Maryland 16 Purdue 41, Minnesota 13 SE Missouri 38, Lindenwood (Mo.) 27 South Dakota 31, S. Illinois 10 St. Thomas (Minn.) 64, Stetson 21 Valparaiso 21, Drake 13 W. Michigan 38, Kent St. 7 Youngstown St. 57, Indiana St. 24

SOUTHWEST

Abilene Christian 20, Cent. Arkansas 14

Lamar 38, Incarnate Word 35 MVSU 38, Texas Southern 34 Nevada 30, UTEP 13 North Texas 50, Charlotte 10 Oklahoma 27, Texas 24 Oklahoma St. 42, UCF 28 Southern U. 28, Prairie View 14 Tennessee 24, Arkansas 17

Calgary at Anaheim, 8:45 p.m. Edmonton at Los Angeles, 9:30 p.m. Boston at San Jose, 10 p.m

Cal Poly 25, Idaho St. 24 California 25, Virginia Tech 20 E. Washington 31, N. Colorado 22 N. Arizona 49, Montana 44 Oregon St. 66, San Diego St. 14 Portland St. 30, Utah Tech 14 UCLA 17, Oregon 15 UNLV 13, N. Dakota St. 7 Utah 41, Kansas 24 Weber St. 38, Idaho 27

At National Tennis Center Beijing Purse: $9,415,725 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Results Saturday from China Open at National Tennis Center (seedings in parentheses):

Tennis WTA China Open Results Saturday

FAR WEST

Women’s Singles

Semiﬁnals Mirra Andreeva (4), Russia, def. Nikola Bartunkova (26), Czechia, 6-2, 6-2. Zheng Qinwen, China, def. Elise Mertens (13), Belgium, 7-5, 6-2.

Hockey

Women’s Doubles

NHL Glance EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division Ottawa Boston Tampa Bay Florida Toronto Buffalo Montreal Detroit

GP W L OT Pts GF 4 3 1 0 6 12 6 4 2 0 8 20 4 3 1 0 6 11 4 2 0 2 6 8 5 2 2 1 5 14 4 2 2 0 4 10 4 1 2 1 3 14 4 1 3 0 2 10

GA 9 13 9 8 15 15 19 14

N.Y. Rangers Carolina Washington Pittsburgh Columbus N.Y. Islanders New Jersey Philadelphia

GP W L OT Pts GF 6 4 2 0 8 17 5 3 1 1 7 18 4 3 1 0 6 14 5 2 2 1 5 20 3 2 1 0 4 10 4 2 2 0 4 13 3 1 2 0 2 6 6 0 4 2 2 7

GA 11 14 9 16 9 8 13 24

Metropolitan Division

WESTERN CONFERENCE Central Division

Winnipeg Colorado Utah Minnesota Nashville Dallas St. Louis Chicago

GP W L OT Pts GF 5 3 1 1 7 13 4 3 1 0 6 23 5 3 2 0 6 18 4 2 1 1 5 11 4 2 1 1 5 12 4 2 2 0 4 10 4 1 2 1 3 9 5 1 4 0 2 10

Paciﬁc Division

GA 15 11 14 8 11 6 13 21

GP W L OT Pts GF GA Vegas 5 4 1 0 8 21 13 Edmonton 4 3 0 1 7 22 16 Anaheim 4 3 1 0 6 14 11 San Jose 4 3 1 0 6 12 14 Seattle 5 3 2 0 6 21 14 Vancouver 5 2 3 0 4 21 25 Los Angeles 3 0 2 1 1 9 15 Calgary 4 0 4 0 0 6 23 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss. Top three teams in each division and two wild cards per conference advance to playoffs.

Friday’s Games

Seattle 6, Detroit 3 Washington 3, N.Y. Rangers 1 Columbus 3, Pittsburgh 2, SO Anaheim 5, Winnipeg 1

Saturday’s Games

Boston 5, Philadelphia 1 New Jersey 4, Vancouver 1 Edmonton 3, San Jose 1 Minnesota 4, Florida 1 Carolina 5, Chicago 2 Utah 4, Buffalo 1 St. Louis 5, Columbus 3 Toronto 6, Colorado 3 Pittsburgh 2, Dallas 1, SO Ottawa 3, Nashville 2, SO Tampa Bay 5, N.Y. Islanders 3 Montreal 1, Detroit 0, SO Los Angeles at Vegas, n

Sunday’s Games

Seattle at Washington, 4 p.m. Vancouver at N.Y. Rangers, 5 p.m. Carolina at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

Monday’s Games

Florida at Buffalo, noon Ottawa at New Jersey, 6 p.m. Vegas at Minnesota, 7 p.m. Tuesday’s Games New Jersey at Detroit, 5 p.m. Florida at Columbus, 5:15 p.m. Buffalo at Montreal, 5:30 p.m. Washington at Carolina, 5:45 p.m. Seattle at Philadelphia, 6 p.m. Tampa Bay at N.Y. Rangers, 6:15 p.m. St. Louis at Ottawa, 6:30 p.m. Vancouver at N.Y. Islanders, 6:45 p.m. Pittsburgh at Chicago, 7 p.m. Minnesota at Winnipeg, 7:15 p.m. Colorado at Dallas, 7:30 p.m. Vegas at Nashville, 7:45 p.m. Toronto at Utah, 8 p.m.

Semiﬁnals Zhang Shuai, China, and Katerina Siniakova (1), Czechia, def. Aldila Sutjiadi, Indonesia, and Erin Routliffe, New Zealand, 6-4, 6-2.

Auto racing NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America 400 Lineup After Saturday qualifying; race Sunday

At Charlotte Motor Speedway Concord, N.C. Lap length: 1.50 miles (Car number in parentheses) 1. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, .000 mph. 2. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, .000. 3. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, .000. 4. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, .000. 5. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, .000. 6. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, .000. 7. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, .000. 8. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, .000. 9. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, .000. 10. (97) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, .000. 11. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, .000. 12. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, .000. 13. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, .000. 14. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, .000. 15. (7) Daniel Suárez, Chevrolet, .000. 16. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, .000. 17. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, .000. 18. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, .000. 19. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, .000. 20. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, .000. 21. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota, .000. 22. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, .000. 23. (4) Noah Gragson, Ford, .000. 24. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford, .000. 25. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota, .000. 26. (33) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, .000. 27. (21) Josh Berry, Ford, .000. 28. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, .000. 29. (42) John H. Nemechek, Toyota, .000. 30. (41) Cole Custer, Chevrolet, .000. 31. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford, .000. 32. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Chevrolet, .000. 33. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, .000. 34. (38) Zane Smith, Ford, .000. 35. (51) Cody Ware, Chevrolet, .000. 36. (88) Connor Zilisch, Chevrolet, .000. 37. (67) Corey Heim, Toyota, .000. 38. (66) Gray Gaulding, Ford, .000. 39. (44) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, .000.

Golf Baycurrent Classic Saturday

At Yokohama Country Club Kanagawa, Japan Purse: $8 million Yardage: 7,322; Par: 71 Third Round Zachary Bauchou 69-64-67—200 Michael Brennan 68-67-65—200 Jacob Bridgeman 63-68-69—200 Stephan Jaeger 69-65-67—201 Keith Mitchell 66-65-70—201 Adam Scott 69-67-65—201 Jordan L. Smith 64-71-66—201 Justin Thomas 69-65-67—201 Mac Meissner 65-68-70—203 Ryan Gerard 68-69-66—203 65-68-70—203 Max Homa Brian Harman 69-68-67—204 Xander Schauffele 70-69-65—204 Sungjae Im 69-67-68—204 Michael Kim 68-68-68—204 70-69-66—205 Kevin Roy Ben Kohles 71-62-73—206 Min Woo Lee 67-67-72—206 Jordan Spieth 72-66-68—206 Christiaan Bezuidenhout 68-68-70—206 Kosuke Sunagawa 69-70-67—206 Doug Ghim 69-68-70—207 Ryo Hisatsune 67-71-69—207

-13 -13 -13 -12 -12 -12 -12 -12 -10 -10 -10 -9 -9 -9 -9 -8 -7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -6 -6

Beau Hossler Takumi Kanaya Patrick Rodgers Keegan Bradley Michael Thorbjornsen Ren Yonezawa Hideki Matsuyama John Parry Denny McCarthy Lee Hodges Billy Horschel Yusaku Hosono Andrew Putnam Kris Ventura R. Neergaard-Petersen Nicolas Echavarria Collin Morikawa Ricky Castillo Taylor Moore Jackson Suber Tomohiro Ishizaka Nick Taylor Matt Wallace Jinichiro Kozuma Tony Finau Johnny Keefer David Lipsky Keita Nakajima Davis Thompson Yoshinori Fujimoto Chandler Phillips Pierceson Coody Kevin Yu Taylor Pendrith Aguri Iwasaki Matthew McCarty Max Greyserman Maverick McNealy Sang-hee Lee Wyndham Clark Alex Smalley Kurt Kitayama Hiroshi Iwata

70-70-67—207 70-69-68—207 73-69-65—207 72-69-66—207 66-70-71—207 68-69-71—208 67-72-69—208 68-71-69—208 68-72-68—208 69-71-68—208 71-70-67—208 72-69-67—208 66-73-69—208 66-70-72—208 74-68-67—209 67-69-73—209 67-73-69—209 65-70-74—209 72-65-72—209 72-70-67—209 70-70-70—210 71-67-72—210 70-72-68—210 74-68-69—211 71-68-72—211 68-69-74—211 66-72-73—211 69-74-69—212 73-68-71—212 72-69-71—212 70-71-71—212 65-75-72—212 74-67-72—213 72-70-72—214 74-70-70—214 70-70-75—215 70-71-74—215 72-73-70—215 72-73-71—216 70-72-74—216 71-73-72—216 71-73-73—217 68-72-77—217

-6 -6 -6 -6 -6 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -3 -3 -3 -2 -2 -2 -2 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 E +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3 +4 +4

Transactions FOOTBALL

National Football League ARIZONA CARDINALS — Elevated DB Art Green from the practice squad. Placed G Isaiah Adams on injured reserve. ATLANTA FALCONS — Placed LB Yasir Abdullah on injured reserve. Signed S Jammie Robinson from the practice squad. Elevated LBs Drake Jackson and Bralen Trice from the practice squad. BALTIMORE RAVENS — Elevated T Chuma Edoga dn G Kyle Hergel from the practice squad. CHICAGO BEARS — Activated LB Noah Sewell from the physically unable to perform list. Reinstated LB Noah Sewell from the PUP list. CINCINNATI BENGALS — Elevated DB Russ Yeast from the practice squad. CLEVELAND BROWNS — Elevated DTs Sam Kamara and Chris Williams from the practice squad. DENVER BRONCOS — Elevated DBs Brent Austin and Sean Fresch from the practice squad. DETROIT LIONS — Elevated DB Jalen Mills from the practice squad. GREEN BAY PACKERS — Placed RB Chris Brooks on injured reserve. Signed RB Pierre Strong to their active roster. HOUSTON TEXANS — Waived QB Mark Gronowski and WR Bryce Oliver. Elevated DB Bryce Hall and LB Kenney Murray from the practice squad. Reinstated DT Kayden McDonald from injured reserve. Reinstated DB M.J. Stewart from the PUP list. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Elevated WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine from the practice squad. Placed DE Arden Key on injured reserve. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — Signed LB Jalen McLeod from the practice squad. Waived DB Christian Brawwell from injured reserve with an injuy settlemant. Waived LB Jack Kiser. Elevated DBs Kaevon Merriweather and Jabbar Muhammad from the practice squad. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS — Elevated RB Roman Hemby and WR Deven Thompkins from the practice squad. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS — Reinstated RB Scott Matlock and OL Branson Taylor from injured reserve. Placed OT Rashawn Slater, QB Trey Lance and OL Trevor Penning on injured reserve. Signed WR Theo Wease to the active roster. Elevated OL Daniel Brunskill and CB Isas Waxter from the practice squad. MIAMI DOLPHINS — Reinstated DT Kenneth Grant from injured reserve. Waived QB Brady Cook. Elevated DE Rodney McGraw and RB Carlos Washington from the practice squad. MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Reinstated C Michael Jurgens and TE Ben Yurosek from injured reserve. Elevated WRs Odell Beckham and Jeshaun Jones from the practice squad. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — Placed FB Reggie Gililam and WR Mack Hollins on injured reserve. Reinstated S Brenden Schooler from the non-football injury list. Signed CB Kindle Vildor to their active roster. Elevated LB K.J. Britt and DB Elliott Davison from the practice squad.

4C ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK

Oklahoma upsets No. 1 Texas Sooners use TDs on special teams, defense to score win

BY STEPHEN HAWKINS AP sportswriter

DALLAS — Tate Sandell kicked a 47yard field goal on the final play and Oklahoma overcame its continued offensive ineptitude with touchdowns on special teams and defense in a 27-24 win over No. 1 Texas in the Red River rivalry game on Saturday. The Sooners (3-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) beat a No. 1 team for the first time since a 38-17 win over Missouri in 2007. They had been 0-41 when facing a top-ranked Texas team. “It was really a classic game of two really good programs in an incredibly intense environment,” Sooners coach Brent Venables said. Arch Manning threw three touchdowns for the Longhorns (4-1, 1-1), but both of his interceptions were costly. Texas had two late chances, but Gianni Spetic was wide right on a 53-yard field goal attempt with 1:55 left. After the Sooners went threeand-out for the seventh time in the game, Manning’s last pass was intercepted by Courtland Guillory with 19 seconds left. “It’s obviously a level of disap-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SARA DIGGINS

Texas defensive back Graceson Littleton, left, and defensive back Jelani McDonald, right, reach out to tackle Oklahoma wide receiver Isaiah Sategna, center, during the Red River rivalry football game in Dallas on Saturday. pointment, there’s a level of anger and frustration because we know we have issues that need to be fixed and we’re working on those issues and trying to get them fixed,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “But they reared their ugly head today against a quality team.” The late pick had the Sooners at their 39 and, instead of settling for overtime, John Mateer completed passes of 13 and 20 yards to Isaiah Sategna on opposite sides of the field

and both were upheld on replay review. Oklahoma then ran a play to set up the kick by Sandell, who earlier had made a 53-yarder and missed another from the same distance. Dakoda Fields recovered a blocked punt in the end zone and Peyton Bowen returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown for the Sooners, who in their previous game two weeks earlier lost 41-13 at No. 2 Georgia.

“I want these guys to experience victory, certainly in this game, (it) was incredibly important,” Venables said. “People questioning the commitment and the coaches can’t coach and the players stink, it comes with the arena. But at the same time, sometimes that fuels you.” The pick-6 by Bowen came after Manning was scrambling away from pressure and throwing toward Cam Coleman, who had an earlier touchdown. But the ball instead

SEC ROUNDUP

By The Associated Press

AP PHOTO By NOAH LANTOR

South Carolina stuns No. 16 Florida on road 1-3) by completing 19 of 39 passes QB Sellers accounted for 189 yards, but he was intercepttwice and lost 18 yards on seven for five touchdowns, ed carries. ending an 8-game NO. 9 OLE MISS 52, VANDERBILT 17: In Nashville, Tennessee, Trinidad skid in SEC play Chambliss threw for 213 yards and

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — This was the kind of performance South Carolina expected from quarterback LaNorris Sellers all season. Seller accounted for five touchdowns, including four passing in his best performance in nearly two years, and the Gamecocks stunned No. 16 Florida 38-19 on Saturday to end an eight-game skid in Southeastern Conference play. Sellers’ most impressive play was a 3-yard run in the third quarter in which he tossed aside a defender and nearly scored. He plunged in on the next play, essentially sealing a longawaited victory for the Gamecocks (3-3, 1-3). South Carolina’s last win in league play came against Kentucky in September 2025. Beamer’s team blew four significant leads in its last five SEC games, but the Gamecocks closed this one out without any issues and won in Gainesville for the first time since 2014. The Gators (4-2, 2-2), who were double-digit favorites at home, lost a second consecutive game in lopsided fashion and surely will fall out of the AP Top 25. They were looking to rebound from a 45-17 shocker at thenNo. 25 Missouri. Instead, they got humiliated in the Swamp. NO. 14 MISSOURI 27, TEXAS A&M 6: In St. Louis, Jamal Roberts had 34 carries for a career-best 222 yards and two touchdowns, and Cayden Lee caught seven passes for 94 yards and a touchdown to help Missouri beat Texas. The Tigers (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference), who have won two straight, also got a pair of 50-plus yard field goals from Blake Craig while Austin Simmons completed 14 of 28 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. Marcel Reed led Texas A&M (3-3,

TOP 25 ROUNDUP

No. 7 Indiana keeps winning streak, survives Nebraska

South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers breaks a tackle during a game against Florida on Saturday in Gainesville, Fla.

By The Associated Press

went to the Oklahoma safety, whose return with 10:07 left put the Sooners up 24-17. Texas responded with a tying 75yard drive and Manning’s third TD pass, a 15-yarder to Jermaine Bishop with 6:32 left. Manning finished 19-of-31 passing for 260 yards. Mateer completed 18 of 26 passes for 155 yards. The Sooners had only 238 total yards, well below their average of 321 coming into the game that was last in the SEC. Texas didn’t have a first down on its first four drives, and it wasn’t until the first play after a short punt that Coleman made a leaping catch in the back of the end zone for a 41yard score for a 7-0 lead with 6:56 left in the first quarter. Danny Okoye had the blocked punt for the Sooners in the first minute of the second quarter, appearing to get his hands on the ball even before it got to the Texas punter’s foot. Fields fell on the ball in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. That was the Sooners’ first touchdown against Texas since Dillon Gabriel’s 3-yard pass to Nic Anderson with 15 seconds left in the 2023 game for a 34-30 victory. Their only offensive TD on Saturday was Lloyd Avant’s 2-yard run that tied the game 17-all only 12 seconds in the fourth quarter, on the first play after a defensive pass interference penalty in the end zone on third-and-goal from the 9.

three touchdowns and ran for another score as ninth-ranked Mississippi routed Vanderbilt on Saturday. The Rebels (4-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) notched their sixth straight win and 10th in 12 over Vanderbilt (3-3, 0-3). Chambliss put them ahead to stay with a 10-yard touchdown run as Ole Miss scored on four straight drives in the first half for a 42-3 halftime lead. The Rebels scored 24 points off four turnovers. Suntarine Perkins had one of three sacks for Ole Miss, and he returned a fumble 4 yards for a TD. NO. 15 TENNESSEE 24, ARKANSAS 17: In Fayetteville, Arkansas, George MacIntyre threw for 247 yards and a touchdown in his first career start, DeSean Bishop ran for 138 yards and No. 15 Tennessee rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Arkansas on Saturday. With the game tied at 17 with 4:07 left and Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) pinned inside its own 10 after an Arkansas punt, Bishop ran for 59 yards to help set up the go-ahead score. MacIntyre, a sophomore, took over for usual starter Faizon Brandon last week as the Volunteers’ usual starter dealt with a troubling shoulder injury and made the start against the Razorbacks (2-4, 0-3). NO. 2 GEORGIA 20, NO. 6 ALABAMA 17: In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Dwight Phillips ran for 120 yards, Bo Walker added 69 more and Georgia staked its claim to a No. 1 ranking with a victory at No. 6 Alabama on Saturday night. It was Georgia’s third win over Alabama in their last 11 meetings — and first in the regular season since 2007. The Crimson Tide (5-1, 3-1) hoped to get the ball back, but cornerback Dijon Lee drew a personal foul penalty that allowed the Bulldogs (6-0, 4-0) to run out the clock.

LINCOLN, Neb. — Josh Hoover surprised a Nebraska defense stacked to stop the run on a fourth-and-1, flipping the ball to a wide-open Nick Marsh for a 44yard touchdown to give No. 7 Indiana its first lead in a 20-17 victory over Nebraska on Saturday. The Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten Conference) were pushed to the limit by a Cornhuskers team looking for a program-turning victory under fourth-year coach Matt Rhule. Instead, the defending national champion Hoosiers won their 22nd straight game and Nebraska lost its 31st in a row against a Top 25 opponent. Nebraska (5-1, 2-1) looked to be on the verge of putting away the Hoosiers when quarterback Anthony Colandrea broke a 39-yard touchdown run for a 17-6 lead early in the fourth quarter. But Hoover connected with Marsh for a 75-yard catch-andrun TD on the first play of the ensuing possession, and then Indiana got a stop to set up its winning drive. On fourth down at the Nebraska 44, Indiana brought in an extra lineman in a tightly bunched formation. The Huskers crowded the line expecting a run. That allowed Marsh to get behind the secondary, catch Hoover’s floating pass and run into the end zone with no one around him. NO. 18 OKLAHOMA ST. 42, UCF 28: In Stillwater, Oklahoma, Drew Mestemaker threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns, Evan Jackson returned a fumble 28 yards for another score, and Oklahoma State pulled away from UCF in the second half for a win. Mestemaker added a rushing touchdown and 2-point conversion for Oklahoma State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12 Conference), which outscored the Knights 21-7 after halftime. Keyone Jenkins threw for 265 yards and four touchdowns and was driving the Knights (3-3, 1-2) toward a possible go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter. NORTH CAROLINA 21, NO. 25 PITTSBURGH 17: In Pittsburgh, Billy Edwards threw a 75-yard touchdown pass in the second half and North Carolina knocked off Pittsburgh. It was North Carolina’s (3-2, 1-1) first win against a ranked opponent since defeating No. 25 Miami in 2023 and the Tar Heels’ first ranked road win since taking down No. 9 Miami in 2020. Holden Geriner, a fifth-year senior, completed 27-of-44 passes for 219 yards with two interceptions for Pitt (5-1, 2-1).

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By REBECCA GRATZ

Indiana’s Charlie Becker, top, catches a pass over Nebraska’s Dwayne McDougle, bottom, during a game on Saturday in Lincoln, Neb. NO. 22 HOUSTON 35, KANSAS STATE 16: In Manhattan, Kansas, Conner Weigman and tight end Patrick Overmyer connected for four touchdown passes and No. 22 Houston beat Kansas State on Saturday. Weigman was 19 of 30 for 242 yards for Houston (5-1, 2-1 Big 12).While Avery Johnson was 16 of 30 for 182 yards and two touchdowns with an interception for Kansas State (3-2, 0-2). NO. 3 NOTRE DAME 58, STANFORD 7: In South Bend, Indiana, freshman Jonaz Walton scored on a 97-yard run — the third longest offensive play in Notre Dame Stadium history — and finished with 181 yards as the No. 3 Fighting Irish routed Stanford on Saturday. The only longer offensive plays at Notre Dame Stadium besides Walton’s 97-yard run belong to Josh Adams (2015 vs. Wake Forest) and Jeremiyah Love (2024 vs. Indiana). Each had 98-yard scoring runs. Notre Dame (6-0) extended its overall winning streak to 16 games — all by double-digits. NO. 5 OHIO STATE 45, MARYLAND 16: In Columbus, Ohio, Jeremiah Smith scored touchdowns on his ﬁrst two touches to enhance his

Heisman Trophy proﬁle and Julian Sayin had four TD passes as No. 5 Ohio State warmed up for a brutal stretch of games with a sometimes-messy win over Maryland on Saturday. Smith turned two short catches into dazzling scores, and Sayin connected with tight ends Nate Roberts and Mason Williams for TDs as the Buckeyes (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten) opened a 31-10 halftime lead despite some sloppy moments. The Terrapins (2-4, 0-3) lost their third straight game, but they capitalized on Ohio State mistakes to hang around. NO. 21 UCLA 17, NO. 13 OREGON 15: In Eugene, Oregon, Wayne Knight rushed for a touchdown and caught another score, and No. 21 UCLA overcame an injury to starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava to remain undefeated with a victory over No. 13 Oregon on Saturday. Knight ran for 103 yards on 22 carries and caught three passes for 12 yards, including a fourthquarter, 9-yard touchdown reception from backup Ty Dieffenbach for the Bruins (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten). The sloppy game featured 10 turnovers, including seven for the Ducks (3-2, 1-1).

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 11, 2026 n 5C

OUTDOORS CALENDAR

Last of summer’s redfish MONDAY

Ethan Emonet, left, and his Catholic High basketball team fishing buddy Cooper Parfait were on a chartered fishing trip with Ethan’s dad, Mark, and found the redfish biting in areas near the Mississippi River at the Port Eads Lighthouse south of Venice. After several days of east winds, then a push from the passage of a Category 3 hurricane into western Florida, marshes, bays and lakes east of the Mississippi River are holding much more water now than the areas did two weeks ago.

RED STICK FLY FISHERS PROGRAM: 7 p.m., Bluebonnet Regional Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd, Baton Rouge. Open to the public. Email Brian Roberts: roberts. brian84@gmail.com. Website: rsff.org

WEDNESDAY

GULF COUNCIL LAW ENFORCEMENT TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEETING: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Hilton Sandestin, Miramar Beach, Florida. BUGS & BEERS: 6:30 p.m., Skeeta Hawk Brewing, 455 N. Dorgenois St, New Orleans. Casual fly tying. Open to public. Email A.J. Rosenbohm: ajrosenbohm@gmail. com. Website: neworleansflyfishers.com DELTA WATERFOWL BATON ROUGE BANQUET: 5:30 p.m., L’Auberge Casino & Hotel. Live/silent auctions & raffles. Tables available. Website: deltawaterfowl.org/events

THURSDAY

PROVIDED PHOTO

Ducks dominate LWFC discussions

Commission member Lowrie proposes plan to limit the harvest of mallard and pintail hens next season BY JOE MACALUSO Contributing writer

The subject was ducks, and, if Duke Lowrie has anything to do with next year’s hunting season, the subject will be ducks — just not all ducks. Lowrie, one of seven members of the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, touched off a fuse he hopes will result in a reduction in the allowed daily take of mallard and pintail hens in the 2027-28 migratory waterfowl season. The Bossier City outdoorsman said he just wanted to make the other commission members and hunting public aware of his proposal. “When the (federal) breeding populations came out (in late August), it showed mallards down 26% and pintails down 48% … and hens are most important to populations,” Lowrie said during Tuesday’s commission meeting in Baton Rouge. The numbers he cited are based on long-term population numbers dating to the mid-1950s, historical data compiled by the U.S, Fish and Wildlife Service. “I want to talk about the potentiality of the hen harvest to next year,” Lowrie said. He said he talked with hunting clubs and some said the reduction makes sense while other clubs said harvest “doesn’t matter,” and continued regulations only serve to drive hunters away. “I don’t think that’s the case,” Lowrie said. “Hunters lost are already gone and are not coming back. We have to go forward and consider reducing hen harvest next season as a conservation measure. “Waterfowl hunters of Louisiana want us to do things to conserve, and, hopefully, this commission is talking about it now, to propose (a reduction in) taking hens next season and get other states to follow suit. “I talked to a Minnesota (waterfowl) biologist and he was excited Louisiana reduced the pintail hen (limit) to one (per day).”

More ducks That discussion came in the middle of Louisiana’s second special waterfowl hunting opportunity, a nine-day black-bellied whistling duck season, after the nine-day, mid-September teal season. Wildlife and Fisheries assistant secretary Tommy Tuma

“Waterfowl hunters of Louisiana want us to do things to conserve, and, hopefully, this commission is talking about it now, to propose (a reduction in) taking hens next season and get other states to follow suit.”

said early returns from the Oct. 3 opening weekend of this ﬁrst whistling duck season is mostly positives, and hunters need to know this initial effort is designed to collect data to support additional special seasons on a species that has proliferated in coastal Louisiana during the past 25 years. Tuma said hunters can expect changes and said he was not ready to discuss any new agency plans to present to federal waterfowl managers. He said one plus was a new whistling duck decoy was on the market. Then, commission member Jonathan Walker, an avid waterfowl hunter, said his trip to the breeding grounds with Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl staff left his excited about the next hunting seasons. “Everyone I met with is talking about this is the wettest season in years and it’s ﬁnally wet on the breeding grounds,” Walker said.

opening weekend of the dove season, along with responding to 13 boating (one fatality) incidents and 81 public assistance responses; n Cole Garrett, the agency’s general counsel, hit on key points in a notice of intent outlining changes to department-managed refuges and sanctuaries. This effort fulfills part of a response to an executive order demanding a review of rules and regulations older than 20 years. Garrett said the notice will repeal four items regarding no-longer-needed leases and permits; a regulation on minerals in a St. Tammany Parish area; elimination of a regulation on the Atchafalaya Delta area, which has been codified and no longer needs to appear in this specific section; and, updating or eliminating rules on places like Spanish Lake, Bundick Lake, Lake Martin and Lake Bistineau; n Agency biologist Michael Harden provided a demonstration of the new electronic trip ticket, which, by July, 2028, will eliminate all paper forms used by commercial fishing interests in filing catch and sale operations, and announced a delay, until the December meeting, is a notice to modify the trip ticket reporting regulations; n Set meeting dates for 2027: Jan. 5 (Tuesday), Feb. 4, March 2, April 1, May 6, June 3, July 8, Aug. 5, Sept. 2, Oct. 7, Nov. 4 and Dec. 2 with times and locations subject to change from the usual 9:30 a.m. at state Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters in Baton Rouge.

Other actions

Southeast parishes

n Wildlife and Fisheries secretary Tyler Bosworth announced Krystal Deakle the winner of the ﬁrst Larry Selders Memorial Lifetime License. The youngster was drawn from a youth-only lottery during National Hunting and Fishing Day celebrations, and serves to honor the former state senator, who, Bosworth said, promoted wildlife and ﬁsheries efforts to introduce the outdoors to young boys and girls; n In the Enforcement Division report, the commission was introduced to the 22 graduates of the agency’s 38th Cadet Academy; learned the new agents leave the department 10 agents short statewide; and, learned agents issued 1,214 citations, 141 of which were for hunting over bait on the

Last week’s east winds pushed water levels up in areas east of the Mississippi River in St. Bernard, Orleans and eastern Plaquemines parishes. All that was in advance of the Friday’s landfall of Hurricane Isaias in Florida. The storm pushed water levels even higher and high water is expected to linger well into this week. The silver lining here is veteran coastal anglers know when water levels fall there is a push of what they call “storm” minnows in and around runouts in the marshes, and hungry speckled trout, redﬁsh, drum and ﬂounder gather near those runouts to feed.

DUKE LOWRIE, LWFC commission member

NOTEBOOK

Email Joe Macalsuso at jmacaluso@theadvocate.com

GULF COUNCIL SHRIMP ADVISORY PANEL VIRTUAL MEETING: 8-11 a.m. (CDT). Update on 2024 Gulf shrimp ﬂeet effort estimates from 2024. Includes public comment period. Website: gulfcouncil.org CCA BATON ROUGE CHAPTER/S.T.A.R. BANQUET: 5:30 p.m., Live Oak at Cedar Lodge, Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge. Awards to winners of summer-long Statewide Tournament and Anglers Rodeo. Website: ccalouisiana.com ACADIANA FLY RODDERS PROGRAM: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Open to public. Email Darin Lee: at cbrsandcdc@ gmail.com. Website: acadianaﬂyrodders.org

SATURDAY

NSCA REGISTERED SPORTING CLAYS: Bridge View Gun Club, Port Allen.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

JUNIOR SOUTHWEST BASSMASTERS TOURNAMENT: Toledo Bend. Call Jim Breaux (225) 772-3026.

HUNTING SEASONS

BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS: Through Oct. 11, statewide, special permit required. DEER/PRIMITIVE FIREARMS: Through Oct. 16, State Deer Area 3, 7, 8 & 10. DOVES: South Zone: Oct. 17Nov. 29; North Zone: through Nov. 15. DEER/ARCHERY: Through Oct. 15, State Deer Areas 5, 6 & 9, bucks only; Oct. 16-Feb. 15, State Deer Areas 5, 6 & 9; through Jan. 31, State Deer Areas 1, 2, 4 either-sex take allowed; Through Jan. 15, State Deer Areas 3, 7, 8 & 10. DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Oct. 17-Nov. 29, State Deer Areas 3, 7, 8 & 10, still-hunt only. DEER/PRIMITIVE FIREARMS: Oct. 24-30, State Deer Areas 2 RABBITS/SQUIRRELS: Through Feb. 28, statewide, private lands only & selected wildlife management areas.

AROUND THE CORNER

OCT. 20—LAFAYETTE KAYAK FISHING CLUB MEETING: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Call (337) 232-5854. Website: www. lafayettekayakfishing.com OCT. 21—FLIES & FLIGHTS: 7-9 p.m, Rally Cap Brewing, 11212 Pennywood Avenue, Baton Rouge. Casual fly tying & quarterly gear swap. Open to public. Email Chris Williams: thefatfingeredflytyer@gmail.com OCT. 22—ACADIANA BUGS & BREWS: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Casual fly tying and local beers provided. Open to the public. Email Darin Lee: cbrsandcdc@gmail.com. Website: www.packpaddle. com OCT. 25—SOUTH LOUISIANA HIGHPOWER CLUB & F-CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS: 8:30 a.m., Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Range, St. Landry Road, Gonzales. Fee $15 members, $20 nonmembers, $5 juniors. $25 annual club (first match free). Call Mike Burke (337) 380-8120. Email: SouthLAHighPower@hotmail.com

OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Greater amberjack (through Oct. 14); gray triggerfish; flounder; lane, blackfin, queen & silk snappers & wenchmen among other snapper species; all groupers except closed for goliath & Nassau groupers in state/federal waters. CLOSED SEASONS: Private recreational, state & federal charters red snapper; commercial greater amberjack; bluefin tuna; gag, goliath & Nassau groupers in state/ federal waters.

LDWF UPDATES

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

NEWS

24/7 ON

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Fall inshore season open statewide; all outside waters open.

The

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6C ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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KENTUCKY 35, LSU 34 (OT)_

BOX SCORE Kentucky 35, No. 10 LSU 34, OT LSU 10 7 3 7 7 — 34 Kentucky 7 14 0 6 8 — 35 First Quarter LSU—FG Starzyk 24, 8:45. UK—Baxter 3 run (Zouagui kick), 8:10. LSU—Z.Grace 22 pass from Leavitt (Starzyk kick), 1:39. Second Quarter UK—Coffman 55 punt return (Zouagui kick), 13:06. LSU—Harris 10 pass from Leavitt (Starzyk kick), 6:11. UK—Minchey 1 run (Zouagui kick), :00. Third Quarter LSU—FG Starzyk 24, 2:13. Fourth Quarter UK—FG Zouagui 28, 11:54. LSU—Mothershed 41 pass from Harris (Starzyk kick), 9:42. UK—FG Zouagui 33, :12. First Overtime LSU—Leavitt 15 run (Starzyk kick), :00. UK—Baxter 1 run (Minchey run), :00. LSU UK First downs 26 19 Total Net Yards 410 401 Rushes-yards 36-94 32-155 Passing 316 246 Punt Returns 1-16 2-61 Kickoff Returns 0-0 1-20 Interceptions Ret. 0-0 1-9 Comp-Att-Int 26-35-1 23-36-0 Sacked-Yards Lost 3-22 1-6 Punts 3-43.0 3-40.333 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 0-0 Penalties-Yards 7-50 2-20 Time of Possession 32:30 27:30 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING—LSU, D.Jones 16-56, Leavitt 15-39, Berry 3-4, Clark 1-0, (Team) 1-(minus 5). Kentucky, Baxter 19-123, J.Barnes 3-14, Minchey 7-12, Patterson 2-6, Rodriguez 1-0. PASSING—LSU, Leavitt 25-34-1-275, Harris 1-1-0-41. Kentucky, Minchey 23-36-0-246. RECEIVING—LSU, D.Jones 7-84, Watkins 6-62, Harris 6-54, Mothershed 2-56, Berry 2-22, Z.Grace 1-22, T.Brown 1-11, Wilson 1-5. Kentucky, Rodriguez 6-25, Darby 4-79, D.Miller 4-54, Ferguson 3-43, N.Anderson 3-29, Patterson 1-7, J.Barnes 1-5, Boyer 1-4. MISSED FIELD GOALS—Kentucky, Zouagui 42, Zouagui 26.

NOTEBOOK

Kiffin: Kentucky’s TD at end of half bad call BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

LSU coach Lane Kiffin didn’t look pleased on Saturday after officials ruled that Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey scored a 1-yard touchdown as the second quarter clock expired. The score, a tush-push run up the middle, gave the Wildcats a 21-17 halftime lead. Kentucky went on to win 35-34 in overtime. It initially looked like the Tigers’ defense may have stopped Minchey short of the goal line. But a pair of Kentucky players kept pushing the senior starter through the pile, which allowed him to eventually climb into the end zone. Officials then reviewed the play and upheld the call they made on the field. LSU’s radio broadcast asked Kiffin what he thought of the call, and he suggested that Minchey should’ve been ruled short. But the Tigers’ first-year coach also said that his defense could have played a better first half. “We’ve got to tackle better,” he said, “and do a better job on the perimeter.” In the first half, LSU ran 17 more plays than Kentucky and possessed the ball for 10 more minutes. It also outgained the Wildcats by 65 yards. But a couple big plays allowed Kentucky to take the lead before halftime. Its first rush of the game went for 77 yards and set up a 3-yard score. Then its special teams unit chipped in a 55-yard punt return touchdown in the second quarter. “We’ve tackled really poorly on the perimeter and in the secondary,” Kiffin told the ABC broadcast, “and we’ve got to make a better push at the line of scrimmage. So, really disappointed for them to go down and get seven points like that at the end.”

‘Coach O’ returns

AP PHOTO By TANNER PEARSON

LSU wide receiver Jackson Harris scores a touchdown during the first half of a game against Kentucky on Saturday in Lexington, Ky.

Ed Orgeron accompanied the LSU football team to its game at Kentucky in his first road trip since a health scare took him away from the Tigers in August, a team spokesperson confirmed Saturday. Orgeron, the former LSU head coach who’s now working as a special assistant on Kiffin’s staff, did not travel with the Tigers for their first road trip of the year: a Sept. 19 loss to Ole Miss. He first started battling an unspecified health issue in mid-August, when Kiffin said he sent Orgeron home from a preseason practice because he “wasn’t feeling real well.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TANNER PEARSON

LSU coach Lane Kiffin looks on during the first half during Saturday’s game against Kentucky in Lexington, Ky. “It was a little bit scary,” Kiffin said on Sept. 14 after Orgeron missed LSU’s first two games. Orgeron, 65, was spotted on a recruiting trip in New Orleans on Oct. 2. He dropped in on a matchup between Edna Karr and Brother Martin as part of a push to get the nation’s No. 1 wide receiver, Crusaders’ senior Easton Royal, to flip his commitment from Texas to LSU. Officially, Orgeron is a special assistant to recruiting and defense. Before he stepped away from the team, he spent time coaching the Tigers’ defensive linemen in preseason camp. Kiffin said Sept. 14 that Orgeron had returned to the program and that he was spending most of his weekdays around LSU’s football operations building. He was not sure, however, when he’d return to the sideline. Orgeron watched LSU’s win over McNeese State last Saturday from a suite in Tiger Stadium, a team spokesperson said. He joined the Tigers on the field for warm-ups ahead of the matchup with the Wildcats, but he did not appear on the sideline during the game. “He means a lot to me,” Kiffin said. “We’ve just been through a lot. He probably shouldn’t have joked one day. He said, ‘Hey coach, you know I’m never going to the hospital. If I die, I’m dying

LSU

Road woes Before Saturday, it had been 720 days since LSU picked up a road win over an SEC opponent. The Tigers took on the Wildcats at Kroger Field after dropping each of the past seven league matchups they’ve played away from home. Their last SEC road win came against Arkansas on Oct. 19, 2024. LSU’s last road win, period, was its 2025 season opener against

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt scrambles in the pocket against Kentucky during the first half on Saturday in Lexington, Ky.

Continued from page 1C The Tigers also elected to punt on a fourth-and-1 on their own 43 with under two minutes left, and Kentucky went on a game-tying field goal drive. The final result was a brutal blow to the Tigers’ postseason hopes, likely forcing them to win out to make the College Football Playoff’s 12-team field. “One of the worst feelings ever,” said Leavitt, reflecting on his fumble and a third-quarter interception. “There’s really no other way to say it.” It wasn’t a great night for either side of the ball. The LSU defense, which was allowing just over 15 points per game on the season, surrendered 21 in the first half to Kentucky. The Wildcats’ first touchdown was the result of a busted run fit on the very first play of the game. LSU defensive tackle Stephiylan Green and linebacker Davhon Keys plugged the same gap, and Kentucky running back CJ Baxter hit the other for a 77-yard run. Baxter, a Texas transfer, covered the remaining 3 yards on the next play to give the Wildcats a 7-3 lead. The second of six first-half lead changes came as LSU followed a 14-play field goal drive with an 11-play, 75-yard sequence capped by a reverse flea-flicker from Leavitt to tight end Zach Grace for a 22-yard touchdown. LSU’s lone three-and-out of the half allowed Kentucky to regain the lead on a 55-yard punt return touchdown by Brock Coffman.

on the field out there.’ “That’s who he is. That’s how he is with everything, and sometimes that’s not always the best thing to follow.” Kiffin and Orgeron have known each other for more than 20 years. They each worked on coach Pete Carroll’s staff at Southern California from 2001-04, and Orgeron worked under Kiffin when he was the head coach at Tennessee in 2009 and USC from 201013. Orgeron took over the Trojans’ program as interim coach after Kiffin was fired. In May, Kiffin hired Orgeron to his LSU staff on a one-year, $100,000 contract. Orgeron was LSU’s head coach from 2016-21. In 2019, he led the Tigers to a 15-0 record and a national championship. The school fired him during the 2021 season and hired coach Brian Kelly to replace him.

AP PHOTO By TANNER PEARSON

“Got a player there to tackle him and doesn’t tackle him, and then it goes outside,” Kifﬁn said. “The long run, we just scooped out of the gap and the ball goes for long runs. So if you don’t do fundamentally sound stuff, you get exposed versus good teams.” Up until Kentucky’s final possession of the second quarter, it had run only nine offensive plays because of LSU’s offensive success and the Wildcats’ punt return touchdown. But Kentucky’s ﬁnal drive of the half would take 15 plays and travel 75 yards. The 15th play, on a fourth-andgoal at the 1 with just seconds remaining, was a sneak from Minchey, who appeared to have

his momentum stopped by LSU. But the whistle wasn’t blown, and Minchey kept pushing. Minchey crossed the line, and the Wildcats had a 21-17 advantage and the ball to start the third quarter. LSU’s rush defense, which was allowing just over 58 yards per game, permitted 131 yards on 8.7 yards per carry to that point. Conversely, the Tigers had 74 ground yards, on 3.2 yards per rush, in the first half, including seven carries for 31 yards from Leavitt, who appeared healed from his hamstring pull two weeks earlier against Texas A&M; he was also 14-of-18 passing for 162 yards in the half. “We did a really good job han-

Clemson. Kelly’s Tigers won that game 17-10, then dropped all four of the road contests that were left on their schedule. The skid carried into Kifﬁn’s tenure after LSU lost to Ole Miss on the road in Week 3. The Tigers now have three road games left on their schedule this season: against Auburn (Oct. 24), Tennessee (Nov. 21) and Arkansas (Nov. 28). Their home matchups are with Mississippi State (Oct. 17), Alabama (Nov. 7) and Texas (Nov. 14).

Series history LSU was seeking its first road victory over Kentucky since 2002 on Saturday. The two teams have met in Lexington, Kentucky, only twice since then, though. Once in 2007 and again in 2021. The 2007 matchup went to triple overtime, and when the Tigers lost 43-37 as the nation’s No. 1 team, Kentucky first-year-coach Will Stein was part of the crowd that rushed the field. He was 18 years old at the time. The 2021 meeting was the last road game Orgeron coached before he was fired. The 2002 game ended, famously, with the 74-yard Hail Mary touchdown now known as the Bluegrass Miracle. Staff writers Scott Rabalais and Jon Blau contributed to this report.

settled for a Scott Starzyk chipshot field goal to make it 21-20. It wasn’t a problem, however, because LSU halted a 65-yard Kentucky series. Safety Jhase Thomas tackled Kentucky’s Kenny Darby on a swing into the flat on thirdand-6, stopping him 3 yards short of the sticks. That kept it at 24-20 after a Kentucky field goal. That’s when the LSU offense pulled another trick out of its bag. Fresh off of a 16-yard reception on third-and-7, Jackson Harris took a toss behind the line of scrimmage from Leavitt and set up to throw himself. The wideout tossed a perfect 41yard pass to Roman Mothershed, the receiver-turned-tight end, and he crossed the goal line for a 27-24 lead. LSU was finally a frontrunner, and despite a Leavitt fumble that set up Kentucky with two straight field goal opportunities, the Wildcats missed consecutive kicks from 42 and 26 yards out to allow the Tigers to hold a lead. But the Wildcats would drive again. And despite two misses, Kentucky coach Will Stein trusted Adam Zouagui to kick a 33-yarder, which he made to knot things up with 12 seconds remaining. Leavitt scored on a 10-yard run in the first overtime, but Kentucky answered with a Baxter scoring run. Then Minchey took a draw into the end zone to seal it. “This goes on all of us. We had all kinds of chances to close the game out, win the game, and didn’t do it,” Kiffin said. “Let people hang around on the road, at night, in the SEC — that’s gonna happen.”

dling the environment after maybe the ﬁrst couple drives,” Leavitt said. “I went up to our line and I said, ‘The penalties are done with.’ After that, they were.” The back-and-forth offensive showcase would lose steam in the third quarter as Kentucky was held to a three-and-out, and Leavitt threw a pick, his eighth in six games. But LSU held on fourth-and-3 at its own 18, forcing a Minchey incompletion. There would be consecutive punts before Leavitt and the Tigers got going again, driving 11 plays for 73 yards. But, for the second time, LSU was stopped inside Email Jon Blau at jon.blau@ of the Kentucky 10-yard line and theadvocate.com

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ 7C

KENTUCKY 35, LSU 34 (OT) THREE AND OUT: SCOTT RABALAIS’ TOP THREE TAKEAWAyS FROM LSU’S LOSS TO KENTUCKy

LEAVITT BETTER, LINE PLAY NOT The most talked about hamstring in Baton Rouge, the one belonging to LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, looked to be in good health against Kentucky. He scrambled and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. dialed up several running plays for him. But Leavitt was pressured way too much, leading to an interception and a fumble, and the Tigers had too many negative plays. In fact, neither LSU line was able to win the trench battle, a key factor in the game.

MISTAKES, MISTAKES, MISTAKES LSU needed to play a clean game to win.The Tigers made plenty of big plays but were far from clean. Procedure penalties frequently put the offense behind the sticks; LSU overloaded the wrong gap defensively on a 77-yard run by CJ Baxter to set up his second-play touchdown run; and LSU surrendered a punt return touchdown to Brock Coffman.Then there was Leavitt’s interception, which didn’t lead to a UK score but ended a precious LSU possession.

WHERE DOES LSU GO FROM HERE? At 4-2 and 1-2 in SEC play, LSU’s hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff aren’t over but they are definitely hanging by a football lace. Most likely, the Tigers will have to run the table with four ranked teams — Mississippi State,Alabama,Texas and Tennessee — still on the schedule.Anything is possible, but considering the mistakes the Tigers committed that cost them so dearly against Kentucky, it seems a long shot.

LSU’s run-defense issues give UK edge BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

CJ Baxter was off to the races. All it took was one mistake. Davhon Keys went to his left instead of his right. He was trying to stuff Baxter, the Kentucky running back, at the line of scrimmage on the Wildcats’ first play of the night. But his aggressiveness backfired. The linebacker never reached Baxter, who veered the other way into a gaping hole left of the center. A double team kicked out the defensive tackle before the guard climbed up to safety Ty Benefield, eliminating him from making a tackle and allowing Baxter to run 77 yards down to LSU’s 3-yard line. Kentucky then scored a touchdown on its next play. A simple handoff to Baxter, who waltzed untouched into the end zone. The tone was set. Kentucky was ready to run the ball, and LSU had allowed the longest rush of the season. Heading into Saturday, the Tigers had only surrendered 58.4 yards per game on the ground. “On the long run,” LSU coach Lane Kiffin said, “we get scooped out of a gap, and the ball goes for a long run.” LSU’s defense tightened up and began stopping the run in the second half, but it wasn’t enough. Kentucky won 35-34 in overtime, as Wildcats quarterback Kenny Minchey led his team to a gametying field goal at the end of regulation before a touchdown and two-point conversion in overtime sealed the win. Baxter’s big run to start the game marked the beginning of LSU’s first-half run-game troubles. The Wildcats averaged over 8 yards per carry in the 30 minutes, with 131 of their 171 yards coming on the ground. Despite entering the night with one of the top run defenses in the country — Miami, Pittsburgh and Georgia were the only teams to allow fewer yards against the run heading into the weekend — Kentucky won at the point of attack, dictating the terms of the game early on. LSU’s defense allowed only 14 points, and the Tigers trailed at

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C allowed a 55-yard punt return touchdown to Brock Coffman early in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Tigers’ previously impressive ground game mostly spun its wheels, netting just 94 yards to 155 for Kentucky, putting most of the offensive load on Leavitt. He gave what has become a fairly textbook Leavitt performance, throwing for 275 yards and two touchdowns but also throwing an interception (he has at least one in all six games so far) and committing a fumble (with pressure directly in his face, it must be said) instead of just protecting the ball and taking a better part of valor sack. Then, perhaps the biggest mistake of all. As Kentucky coach Will Stein decided to go for two in

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TANNER PEARSON

Kentucky wide receiver Kenny Darby, center, is wrapped up by LSU safety Ty Benefield, right, and linebacker TJ Dottery, left, during overtime on Saturday in Lexington, Ky. halftime only because of a punt that was returned for a touchdown. But the Wildcats scored on two of their three drives despite Kentucky attempting just nine passes. The second half was a different story for LSU’s run defense. In the third quarter, LSU held Kentucky to 8 rushing yards on eight carries.

The defensive line left no room for Baxter to run before Keys, Benefield or linebacker TJ Dottery would ﬁnish off the play. Kentucky managed only 24 rushing yards on 17 attempts in the ﬁnal 30 minutes of regulation. LSU’s stiffened run defense in the second half helped the Tigers

retake the lead in the fourth quarter. It was the opposite of the ﬁrst half, when former LSU and current Kentucky offensive coordinator Joe Sloan’s familiarity with LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker gave the Wildcats an early advantage. That edge didn’t last for the

Email Koki Riley at koki.riley@ theadvocate.com.

overtime for the second straight week (it worked the previous game at South Carolina, also resulting in a 35-34 win), Blake Baker’s defense allowed itself to get spread out practically from sideline to sideline. That allowed UK quarterback Kenny Minchey to gallop like a quarter horse right up the middle untouched for the game-winning points. Even if LSU was lined up effectively, Minchey still might have scored. But the Tigers looked unprepared for the possibility. Converting the two-pointer to win two weeks in a row is pushing the odds of improbability to its theoretical limits. Stein should think about blowing off the ﬁlm study Sunday, going to nearby Keeneland race track and betting on the longest long shot he can ﬁnd. He is the coach who looks like some sort of wizard, getting

mighty under-appreciated Kentucky to 5-1 and 3-1 in the SEC while the college football cognoscenti revels in the pain suffered by $13 million man Lane Kiffin and his $50 million-ish roster. Should Kiffin have gone for two after scoring the first overtime touchdown, similar to what Pete Golding decided to do late in the fourth quarter of Ole Miss’ 32-24 win over LSU (4-2, 1-2 SEC)? Perhaps. But his defense had allowed Kentucky just two second-half field goals, albeit with two narrow misses that could have put the game in the win column for the Wildcats in regulation. That defense put LSU in position to win in regulation, and Kiffin decided to go against his gambling instincts when Stein trusted his. The Tigers led 27-24 with 1:46 left and had fourth-and-1 at their 43. Not an easy place from which to decide to go for it by

any means in any game. Kiffin chose to punt. Kentucky then drove from its 19 to tie the game 27-27 on a field goal by Adam Zouagui with 12 seconds left after he’d missed left and right in the fourth quarter. Before the punt, Stein had burned his final timeout. If Kiffin had decided to go for that 1 yard and LSU made it, the Tigers would have been able to run out the clock and avoid overtime. Ifs. They will haunt the Tigers all the way to next season after this one. If the officials had called Minchey down at the goal line at the end of the first half instead of allowing Kentucky to continue to tush-push him into the end zone. If Coffman’s foot had been ruled out of bounds on the punt return (it may have been but the replays proved inconclusive). If one of several reviewed plays had gone LSU’s way, it all

might have turned out differently for the Tigers. None of that happened. A game of inches turned out to be defeat by inches for LSU instead of one, decisive blow that would leave everyone saying there’s nothing the Tigers could have done. There was plenty LSU could have done to win this game. Now there is probably little if anything the Tigers can do to reach the CFP other than run the table with four games against ranked teams remaining. Two of those teams, No. 1 Texas and No. 6 Alabama, also lost Saturday. But neither loss was as damaging to their playoff hopes as the one that LSU suffered. The Tigers had luck on their side with the Bluegrass Miracle. They didn’t need a miracle this time, just good solid football play. Inch by inch Saturday night, that need slipped through the Tigers’ grasp.

whole night, but it was just enough for the Wildcats to pull off a signature win over LSU. “If you don’t do fundamentally sound stuff,” Kifﬁn said, “you get exposed against good teams.”

LSU SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

Sept. 5

Sept. 12

Sept. 19

Sept. 26

Oct. 3

Oct. 10

51-10 45-14 32-24

35-6

63-14 35-34

W W L W W L

OVERALL: 3-2 ACC: 2-1

OVERALL: 3-2 SUN BELT: 1-0

OVERALL: 4-1 SEC: 2-1

OVERALL: 3-3 SEC: 1-3

OVERALL: 2-4 SOUTHLAND: 1-2

OVERALL: 5-1 SEC: 3-1

Oct. 17

Oct. 24

Nov. 7

Nov. 14

Nov. 21

Nov. 28

Mississippi St. 11 a.m. TV: TBA

at Auburn 11 a.m. TV: TBA

Alabama TBA TV: TBA

Texas TBA TV: TBA

at Tennessee TBA TV: TBA

at Arkansas TBA TV: TBA

OVERALL: 4-1 SEC: 2-1

OVERALL: 3-2 SEC: 1-2

OVERALL: 5-1 SEC: 3-1

OVERALL: 4-1 SEC: 1-1

OVERALL: 5-1 SEC: 2-1

OVERALL: 2-4 SEC: 0-3

8C ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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SOUTHERN 28, PRAIRIE VIEW 14

THREE AND OUT: TOyLOy BROWN’S TAKEAWAyS FROM THE JAGUARS’ BIG WIN AT PRAIRIE VIEW

STATEMENT WIN Southern’s victory over Prairie View is massive because it’s the first one marked in the Southwestern Athletic Conference win column. It’s galvanizing for the team and fan base because it came against the reigning conference champions on the road. Coach Marshall Faulk’s players now have the evidence they needed to prove to fans and themselves that there’s enough talent to compete with every team left on the schedule. The Jaguars should celebrate this victory and remain just as focused going forward.

STEADY HOLLY What most will remember from this game is the four forced turnovers by the Southern defense. What can’t be lost is the blue-collar game running back Trey Holly put together. His 4.2 yards per carry doesn’t represent how well he played. He executed the game plan to methodically run down the clock with a fourthquarter lead. The former LSU tailback didn’t look tired as he played the vast majority of the game. He put together another game with more than 100 yards rushing, this time without an explosive run over 30 yards.

ANOTHER RECEIVING OPTION The wide receiver corps is slowly taking shape. The latest player to introduce himself is freshman Damien Henderson, who showed his talent as a deep threat. His only catches were a 69-yard touchdown and a 46yard touchdown. The speedster is a weapon who complements the team’s most athletic wideout, Daejawn Smith, and its best route runner, Miles Dixon, who led the team with three receptions for 30 yards. Wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson must be pleased to see the development of another pass catcher.

BREAKTHROUGH

PHOTOS By THOMAS B. SHEA

Southern quarterback Christian Johnson rushes past Prairie View defensive lineman Malik Gucake during the second half of Saturday’s game in Prairie View, Texas. Johnson threw two touchown passes in the Jaguars’ win.

Southern upends Prairie View for Faulk’s first FCS win BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas — Southern played the complete game it has been dreaming of this season. Coach Marshall Faulk watched his defense force four turnovers, his offense capitalize on multiple explosive plays and special teams improve enough for the Jaguars to beat Prairie View 28-14 on Saturday at Panther Stadium. Faulk earned the ﬁrst FCS win of his career against the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference champions. “I accept all wins,” Faulk said when asked how the win feels. “I’m smart enough to know I can’t determine how I’m going to win. I got to accept the win however we get it, and when you take your butt kickings the way I do, you got to take the wins however you get them, and this is a good one.” Star running back Trey Holly gave Southern (3-4, 1-2 SWAC) the go-ahead touchdown with seven minutes remaining in the game, putting the Jaguars up 21-14. The redshirt junior ripped off a 30-yard touchdown run thanks to some impressive blocking. He ﬁnished with 121 yards rushing and a touchdown on 29 attempts. Herman Brister sealed the win with pick-six returned 46 yards with 51 seconds remaining. That was the safety’s second interception of the day. “Whoever wins the turnover battle wins the game,” Brister, a redshirt junior, said. “So I think we did a good job of turning the ball over, being aggressive when the ball’s in the air and when they running the ball as well.” Starting quarterback Christian Johnson also had a solid performance after not playing in last week’s game because of disciplinary reasons. The Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College transfer avoided costly mistakes and, when available, delivered on deep passes. Two of his most explosive plays went to wide receiver Damien Henderson. Johnson uncorked a 69-yard TD pass to the freshman

Southern wide receiver Damien Henderson races to the end zone on a 69-yard touchdown reception as Prairie View defensive back Jalen O’Neal gives chase during the first half. in the ﬁrst quarter down the left sideline for a 7-0 lead. “We went with kind of a heavier personnel and also a run fake to get a one-on-one matchup,” said Johnson, who completed 9 of 22 passes for 207 yards, two touchdowns with no turnovers. “I trust and believe in (Henderson) to win, and that’s what he went and did.” The next explosive pass was even more impressive. Johnson stood tall in the pocket and whipped a deep pass toward the right sideline while taking a hit. Henderson caught the accurate 46-yard touchdown pass as the Panthers secondary had a busted coverage. That score tied the game at 14-14 with 1:33 remaining in the third quarter. Those two plays were Henderson’s only catches as he ﬁnished with 115 yards receiving.

Multiple Southern players returned Saturday who were out due to “conduct detrimental to the team” during last week’s blowout loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The most notable returns were Johnson, backup quarterback Ashton Strother and backup running back Mike Franklin. Southern didn’t get defensive end Ckelby Givens back as he missed a second straight game because of a head injury. But the defense was stout early, allowing only 27 yards in Prairie View’s ﬁrst three drives. Southern had Brister play more of his natural position of safety instead of linebacker. He had his first interception of the season with 5:40 left in the second quarter. While in pass coverage, the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder read the eyes

of Prairie View quarterback Tevin Carter, positioned himself well in front of the receiver and snagged a pass above his head. Brister led the team with six tackles at halftime and finished the game with 10. Prairie View had a second turnover that cost it a touchdown before halftime. On a goal-line rush up the middle, Kyon Harris fumbled before he fell in the end zone. Southern redshirt sophomore defensive back Ty Lee recovered the ball with 1:08 remaining in the first half, allowing his team to go into halftime tied 7-7. Lee had his own interception on the right sideline while playing man coverage with 4:12 left in the third quarter. That turnover led to Johnson’s second connection with Henderson with 14:39 left in the third quarter. Prairie View’s lone second-half touchdown was on a 51-yard drive. On third-and-15, Carter broke a couple of tackles during a 21-yard scramble. The drive ended with a 5-yard touchdown run by Chase Bingmon. The Southern special teams improved in kickoff and punt coverage while using some defensive starters for the first time. “We strategized and we played to our strengths,” Brister said about special teams. “We played to our strengths, and we executed on all three phases of the game.” The lowlight came when freshman kicker Chris McKenna executed a squib kick instead of a traditional high archer. Prairie View easily retrieved the football, starting its offense at the opposing 48-yard line. After being gifted stellar field position, Prairie View wide receiver Damien McDaniel caught a short pass, scampered across the field toward the left sideline and dodged defenders on his way for a 48-yard touchdown reception, giving Prairie View a 14-7 edge 21 seconds into the second half. Southern will enjoy an open date before playing its next game against Texas Southern at 2 p.m. Oct. 24 at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

Brister saw his pick-six coming

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas — Before Herman Brister had the signature game of his Southern career, he visualized the performance. The Southern linebacker, who bounced back and forth from linebacker to his traditional position of safety a Notebook throughout game, said he believed a big play was going to be made by him. The game-sealing interception return for a touchdown in his team’s 28-14 win was what he hoped for. “Feels great,” said Brister, who finished with 10 tackles, two interceptions and his ﬁrst career pick-six. “Coach (Marshall) Faulk last night said, ‘Envision what you want to do.’ And I had a dream about that, and you know, my dream came true. Can’t do nothing but thank God.” Faulk said he was thrilled to see one of his defensive stars shine bright in a win for Southern (3-4, 1-2 SWAC). “I’m so happy for Herm and we asked Herm to play in the box as a linebacker,” Faulk said. “We asked him to play in the box as a safety. We asked him to play on the back end as a safety. He’s so versatile, and it was like it’s been his time, you know, and the dam cracked today.” Brister had two interceptions against Prairie View quarterback Tevin Carter, who entered the contest having thrown one interception all season. The ﬁrst was a result of preparation, anticipation and skill. “I was in (man-to-man defense), and I kind of knew what route he was running, and I know he really doesn’t push the ball downfield,” Brister said. “So I knew I could play a little bit underneath the route, and Dline got a little pressure, and I did my job.”

Starting QB returns Christian Johnson showed why the best version of Southern comes when he’s on the ﬁeld. After being among a group of players who missed last week’s game for disciplinary reasons, Johnson played at a high enough level his team to get a win. “Super eager,” Johnson said when asked how excited he was to play again. “I don’t know how to explain how it feels to be away from it and away from your guys, but it definitely sucks. And I don’t plan on missing nothing else.” Johnson completed 9 of 22 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. While his 41% completion rate isn’t sterling and was lowered by some drops to open receivers, he didn’t let any mistakes distract him from the next play. “That’s part of the game,” Faulk said. “You’re only a liability if you continue to make those mistakes, and he has to learn from those mistakes and continue to get better. And what we saw today from the ﬁrst half to the second half was growth, and that’s all I want to see from him. I know he’s going to make mistakes. We all do, even me as a coach.”

Southern’s road success Southern not only handed Prairie View its second straight loss this season, but it spoiled the Panthers’ chance to end a different streak. The last time second-year coach Tremain Jackson’s team beat Southern at home was in 2008. Southern has won ﬁve consecutive road games in the matchup and also avenged its 24-3 loss to Prairie View last year at homecoming. Brister enjoyed the win against the reigning SWAC champions. “This (is) our stadium, this (is) Mumford West,” he said. “So you know we don’t lose.”

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ 9C

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WEEK 5

SUNDAy Vikings at Saints Noon, Fox

ON TV THIS WEEK

SUNDAy Broncos at Chargers 3:05 p.m., CBS

SUNDAy 49ers at Seahawks 3:25 p.m., Fox

SUNDAy Ravens at Falcons 7:20 p.m., NBC

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

STANDINGS, SCORES & SCHEDULE AFC East

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

NFC East

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

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NAM y. HUH

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai takes off during the second half against the New york Jets on Oct. 4 in Chicago. The Bears face NFC North rival Green Bay on Sunday.

TOP TOPICS FOR WEEK 5 BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bears build momentum vs. Pack After beating the Green Bay Packers for the NFC North title and knocking them out of the playoffs last season, the Chicago Bears have one more opportunity to show definitively that a new chapter has started in the NFL’s most-played rivalry. Chicago has won three of its past four meetings with the Packers, who had beaten the Bears 11 straight times from 2019-24. The Bears beat the Packers 22-16 in overtime last December after scoring 10 points in the final two minutes of regulation, then erased a 21-3 halftime deficit to beat them again 31-27 in the NFC wild-card playoffs.

Eagles undermanned vs. Jaguars The Philadelphia Eagles will be undermanned overseas. The Eagles (2-2) will be without star running back Saquon Barkley, receiver DeVonta Smith, pass rusher Jonathan Greenard and three starting offensive linemen when they make the trip across the pond to play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Six-time Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson abruptly retired Tuesday, then the team traded two-time Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens to Baltimore a day later. Center Drew Kendall was ruled out Friday with a knee injury. That’s a tough condition to be in to challenge the hot Jaguars (3-1).

Falcons aim to stop Ravens’ run game Ravens RB Derrick Henry vs. the Falcons run defense is the matchup to watch in this game. The Falcons lead the NFL in run defense, allowing only 48.3 yards per game. Henry ranks fourth in the league with 374 yards rushing and already has rushed for seven touchdowns, which is tied with Josh Allen for the NFL lead. The Ravens rank fourth in rushing with 153.5 yards per game. Henry opened the season by running for 144 yards and three scores in a 41-23 win at Indianapolis. Henry’s production will be especially important since the Ravens ruled out starting QB Lamar Jackson.

Steelers tackle Colts RB Taylor The Steelers run defense is taking direct aim at Colts RB Jonathan Taylor. Pittsburgh held the Indianapolis star to just 45 yards on 14 carries in last season’s win. The challenge could be more difficult this time around without second-year defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, who was placed on injured reserve. The Steelers struggled with tackling last week in Cleveland, though they’re hoping the short week was to blame. If the Colts control the line of scrimmage, it means they won’t have to put the ball in the hands of mistake-prone QB Daniel Jones, who turned it over five times in Pittsburgh last November.

Raiders, Patriots focus on red zone The Raiders vs. the Patriots could be settled in the red zone. Las Vegas has been susceptible to giving up big plays this season. Once inside the 20, opponents have feasted, scoring touchdowns on 10 of 13 (76.9%) of their trips. But the Patriots have struggled in the red zone through four games, scoring on just 4 of 9 (44.4%) of their opportunities. The Raiders also lead the NFL with nine takeaways, one more than four other teams. That total is tied for sixth in franchise history with the 1972 team for the most through four games.

GAME OF THE WEEK

Niners want to ﬂip script on Seattle BY JOSH DUBOW

AP pro football writer Games between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks are typically intense with the two rivals often competing for NFC West supremacy. The Seahawks came out on top last season, winning a Week 18 showdown for the division title and a blowout in the divisional round against the 49ers before winning the Super Bowl on San Francisco’s home ﬁeld with a raucous celebration in their rival’s locker room. The teams are now set to meet for the ﬁrst time in the 2026 season when San Francisco (4-0) visits

Seattle (3-1) on Sunday. “I think it’s unspoken,” 49ers safety Malik Mustapha said about the lingering feelings from how last season ended. “Everyone knows what it is. Everyone knows the mindset going into it. We don’t like them, and we have to go after it and get the job done.” San Francisco couldn’t do that late last season after injuries decimated their roster. The Niners fell 13-3 at home in the regular-season finale to lose the division and then 41-6 two weeks later on the road to end their season. The Niners will look very different with

George Kittle and Fred Warner healthy and playing at a high level after missing the playoff loss with injuries. Offseason acquisitions such as Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, Osa Odighizuwa and Dre Greenlaw also are providing big boosts. “I just feel like with us, we don’t totally get into that outer stuff very much,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said about looking for revenge. “Every game is so tough no matter who you play and you don’t really attach years before to certain games. I feel like we’re a new team, they’re a new team, and we’ll see how this series starts this year.”

The Seahawks want to repeat the formula that worked well at the end of last season when their dominating defense frustrated Brock Purdy and the 49ers. They allowed just three field goals, forced four turnovers, had ﬁve sacks and didn’t give up a single play from scrimmage that gained more than 20 yards. “We tackled well. We limited extra yardage. We rushed the quarterback with discipline and married the coverage,” Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said. “That’s what it takes to play good football in general. The guys played hard, played physical. Played well situationally.”

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

W 3 2 1 0

L 1 2 3 4

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AFC NFC Div 2-1-0 1-0-0 0-1-0 2-1-0 0-1-0 1-0-0 1-0-0 0-3-0 0-0-0 0-2-0 0-2-0 0-0-0

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AFC NFC Div 3-1-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 1-2-0 1-0-0 1-0-0 0-2-0 0-2-0 0-0-0 0-3-0 0-1-0 0-1-0

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

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AFC 2-0-0 2-0-0 0-1-0 1-0-0

NFC Div 2-0-0 2-0-0 1-1-0 1-0-0 2-1-0 0-1-0 0-3-0 0-2-0

WEEK 5

WEEK 6

Thursday’s game Tampa Bay 24, Dallas 16 Sunday’s games Philadelphia vs Jacksonville at London, GBR, 8:30 a.m. Chicago at Green Bay, noon Cincinnati at Miami, noon Cleveland at N.Y. Jets, noon Houston at Tennessee, noon Indianapolis at Pittsburgh, noon Las Vegas at New England, noon Minnesota at New Orleans, noon N.Y. Giants at Washington, noon Denver at L.A. Chargers, 3:05 p.m. Detroit at Arizona, 3:25 p.m. San Francisco at Seattle, 3:25 p.m. Baltimore at Atlanta, 7:20 p.m. Monday’s game Buffalo at L.A. Rams, 7:15 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 15 Seattle at Denver, 7:15 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18 Houston vs Jacksonville at London, GBR, 8:30 a.m. Baltimore at Cleveland, noon Carolina at Philadelphia, noon Chicago at Atlanta, noon N.Y. Jets at New England, noon New Orleans at N.Y. Giants, noon Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay, noon Tennessee at Indianapolis, noon Arizona at L.A. Rams, 3:05 p.m. Buffalo at Las Vegas, 3:25 p.m. L.A. Chargers at Kansas City, 3:25 p.m. Dallas at Green Bay, 7:20 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19 Washington at San Francisco, 7:15 p.m.

NFL BRIEFS

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ADAM HUNGER

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. pauses on the field prior to al game against the New york Giants on Oct. 4 in East Rutherford, N.J.

WR Harrison inactive as Cards seek trade

Packers running back Brooks placed on IR

Bills down WR Palmer, DT Oliver for Monday

Jets down 3 offensive starters against Browns

Arizona Cardinals receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will be inactive for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions as trade rumors swirl around the former No. 4 overall pick. The 24-year-old Harrison was widely considered a can’tmiss prospect when he was selected by the Cardinals in 2024 out of Ohio State, but the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder has mostly underwhelmed during his time in the desert. His production plummeted through the ﬁrst four games this season, with just ﬁve catches for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Buffalo Bills coach Joe Brady on Saturday ruled out starting defensive tackle Ed Oliver and receiver Joshua Palmer from playing at the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night. Brady revealed Palmer hurt his shoulder when getting “twisted up” in practice a day earlier. Oliver did not practice this week because of a knee injury. Oliver will miss his second game after sitting out Buffalo’s 41-31 win over Detroit in Week 2 because of a hip injury. Palmer has two touchdowns on three catches for 80 yards.

Green Bay running back Chris Brooks was placed on injured reserve Saturday due to an ankle issue, an assignment that means he must miss at least the Packers’ next four games. Brooks had started the Packers’ 17-14 victory at Tampa Bay last Sunday and rushed for 30 yards on four carries before his injury knocked him out of the game in the second quarter. Earlier in the week, the Packers signed running back Pierre Strong to their active roster from their practice squad.

The New York Jets ruled out running back Breece Hall, wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and left guard Dylan Parham on Friday for their game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Coach Aaron Glenn said he likes “where they’re trending” in their recovery from injuries, but they won’t be ready Sunday. Hall missed last week’s loss at Chicago with a quadriceps injury that occurred the week before at Detroit. It’ll also be the second game in a row that Parham will be sidelined. Mitchell will miss a third straight game.

10C ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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SAINTS GAMEDAY

ROSTERS SAINTS No. Player Pos Ht Wt Exp College 1 Kool-Aid McKinstry CB 5-11 199 3 Alabama 2 Spencer Rattler QB 6-0 211 3 South Carolina 4 Oscar Delp TE 6-4 245 0 Georgia 5 Kendre Miller RB 6-0 220 4 TCU 6 Tyler Shough QB 6-5 219 2 Louisville 7 Jonas Sanker SAF 6-1 211 2 Virginia 10 Daniel Carlson K 6-5 222 9 Auburn 11 Zach Wilson QB 6-2 214 6 ByU 12 Chris Olave WR 6-0 187 5 Ohio State 13 Cedric Tillman WR 6-3 215 5 Tennessee 14 Devaughn Vele WR 6-5 210 3 Utah 17 Ryan Wright P 6-3 245 5 Tulane 18 Bryce Lance WR 6-3 204 0 North Dakota St. 19 Barion Brown WR 5-11 177 0 LSU 20 Pete Werner LB 6-3 242 6 Ohio State 21 Justin Reid SAF 6-1 207 9 Stanford 22 Martin Emerson Jr. CB 6-2 201 5 Mississippi State 23 Julian Blackmon SAF 6-0 202 7 Utah 24 Ulysses Bentley IV RB 5-10 200 1 Ole Miss 28 Danny Stutsman LB 6-3 233 2 Oklahoma 29 Quincy Riley CB 5-11 195 2 Louisville 31 Jordan Howden DB 6-0 209 4 Minnesota 33 Anfernee Jennings DE 6-2 255 7 Alabama 36 Lorenzo Styles Jr. SAF 6-0 194 0 Ohio State 38 Jayden Price CB 5-11 185 1 North Dakota St. 41 Alvin Kamara RB 5-10 215 10 Tennessee 42 Mike Reid SAF 6-2 200 1 South Dakota 43 CJ Donaldson RB 6-1 230 0 Ohio State 44 Isaiah Stalbird LB 6-1 215 2 South Dakota St. 46 Cal Adomitis LS 6-2 238 5 Pittsburgh 50 Colby Wooden DL 6-4 273 4 Auburn 51 Cesar Ruiz OL 6-4 316 7 Michigan 52 Christen Miller DT 6-3 321 0 Georgia 53 Jaylan Ford LB 6-2 240 3 Texas 55 Kaden Elliss LB 6-2 238 8 Idaho 56 David Ojabo DE 6-4 255 5 Michigan 58 Chris Rumph II LB 6-2 244 6 Duke 65 Jeremiah Wright G 6-5 331 0 Auburn 66 William Sherman G 6-4 300 2 Colorado 72 Asim Richards OL 6-4 307 4 North Carolina 73 Easton Kilty T 6-6 307 1 Kansas State 74 Mason Murphy T 6-5 315 0 Auburn 75 Taliese Fuaga T 6-6 324 3 Oregon State 76 David Edwards G 6-6 308 8 Wisconsin 78 Erik McCoy OL 6-4 303 8 Texas A&M 82 Treyton Welch TE 6-4 240 1 Wyoming 83 Juwan Johnson TE 6-4 245 7 Oregon 87 Noah Fant TE 6-4 249 8 Iowa 91 Vernon Broughton DL 6-5 311 2 Texas 92 Davon Godchaux DL 6-3 330 10 LSU 93 Nathan Shepherd DL 6-4 315 9 Fort Hays State 94 Cameron Jordan DE 6-4 287 16 California 95 John Ridgeway III DL 6-5 321 5 Arkansas 96 Carl Granderson DE 6-5 261 8 Wyoming 97 Khristian Boyd DL 6-2 320 3 Northern Iowa 98 Tyree Wilson DE 6-5 263 4 Texas Tech 99 Chase young DE 6-5 265 7 Ohio State

FOUR THINGS TO WATCH CONTAIN VIKINGS OFFENSE The Vikings offense is far from potent. Despite their 4-0 record, they have two wins where the offense didn’t score a touchdown. So they are far from invincible, although Destrehan alum Justin Jefferson could return from his ankle injury. Jefferson has played just 19 snaps with QB Kyler Murray. Minnesota TE T.J. Hockenson caught 13 passes last week against Miami.Tight ends have given the Saints problems so far this season.

Sponsored by

KEEP SHOUGH CLEAN If the Saints have any chance of handing the Vikings their first loss, they will have to keep Tyler Shough upright. He has been sacked 12 times. Now he faces the team that leads the NFL in sacks (16). Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores loves to bring the heat, so the offensive line will be tested like never before.The Vikings’ pressure rate (47.4%) leads the NFL.Their blitz rate (67.9%) also is tops in the league.

GROUND ATTACK Sorry if you’ve heard this one before, but the Saints must get the ground game going.They rank 27th in rushing (88.5 yards per game). If the Saints can run effectively, it can keep them out of third-and-long situations.The Vikings feast on obvious passing downs.The Saints rushed for just 50 yards last week (2.6 yards per carry). That won’t get it done against the league’s stingiest defense. The Vikings are allowing just 12.8 points per game.

BOUNCING BACK The Saints have to put forth a better effort than they did in Monday’s loss to the Falcons. yeah, it’s just the fifth game, but this could be a season-defining one.Are the Saints really as bad as they looked six days ago? Or was that just a bad day at the office? How the Saints respond will provide some much-needed answers. Players admitted this week how embarrassing the Atlanta loss was.The effort, especially on defense, will have to be better.

Rod Walker

VIKINGS No. Player Pos Ht Wt Exp College 0 Ivan Pace Jr. LB 5-10 236 4 Cincinnati 1 Kyler Murray QB 5-10 207 8 Oklahoma 2 Isaiah Rodgers CB 5-10 180 6 UMass 3 Jordan Addison WR 5-11 179 4 USC 4 Myles Price WR 5-9 183 2 Indiana 5 Zemaiah Vaughn CB 6-3 180 1 Utah 7 Byron Murphy Jr. CB 5-11 190 8 Washington 8 Jakobe Thomas SAF 6-1 211 0 Miami (FL) 11 Carson Wentz QB 6-5 237 11 North Dakota St. 12 Max Brosmer QB 6-2 218 2 Minnesota 13 Tai Felton WR 6-1 186 2 Maryland 14 Jauan Jennings WR 6-3 212 6 Tennessee 15 Dallas Turner OLB 6-3 247 3 Alabama 16 Will Reichard K 6-1 190 3 Alabama 17 Kyle Van Noy OLB 6-3 255 13 ByU 18 Justin Jefferson WR 6-1 195 7 LSU 19 Brett Thorson P 6-1 237 0 Georgia 20 Charles Demmings CB 6-1 193 0 Stephen F.Austin 21 Demond Claiborne RB 5-10 188 0 Wake Forest 22 Harrison Smith SAF 6-2 211 14 Notre Dame 23 James Pierre CB 6-2 185 7 Florida Atlantic 24 Jay Ward SAF 6-1 190 4 LSU 26 Theo Jackson SAF 6-1 205 5 Tennessee 29 Jacob Thomas SAF 6-1 212 0 James Madison 31 DeeJay Dallas RB 5-10 225 7 Miami (FL) 32 Chaz Chambliss OLB 6-1 244 2 Georgia 33 Aaron Jones Sr. RB 5-10 208 10 UTEP 41 Jake Golday LB 6-4 240 0 Cincinnati 42 Andrew DePaola LS 6-1 227 12 Rutgers 43 Andrew Van Ginkel OLB 6-4 242 8 Wisconsin 44 Joshua Metellus SAF 5-11 208 7 Michigan 45 Max Bredeson FB 6-2 252 0 Michigan 50 Levi Drake Rodriguez DL 6-2 307 3 East Texas A&M 51 Blake Cashman LB 6-1 235 8 Minnesota 55 Eric Wilson LB 6-1 231 10 Cincinnati 60 Joe Huber G 6-5 310 2 Wisconsin 61 Jalen Redmond DL 6-3 305 3 Oklahoma 64 Blake Brandel C 6-6 315 6 Oregon State 65 Michael Jurgens C 6-5 311 3 Wake Forest 69 Trevor Keegan G 6-6 315 3 Michigan 71 Christian Darrisaw T 6-5 315 6 Virginia Tech 72 Ryan Van Demark T 6-7 307 4 UConn 75 Brian O’Neill T 6-7 310 9 Pittsburgh 76 Will Fries G 6-6 321 6 Penn State 78 Caleb Tiernan OT 6-7 323 0 Northwestern 85 Ben yurosek TE 6-4 251 2 Georgia 86 Gavin Bartholomew TE 6-5 249 2 Pittsburgh 87 T.J. Hockenson TE 6-5 248 8 Iowa 90 T. Ingram-Dawkins DL 6-5 290 2 Georgia 95 Caleb Banks DL 6-6 327 0 Florida 97 Domonique Orange DL 6-2 322 0 Iowa State 98 Bo Richter OLB 6-1 248 3 Air Force 99 Elijah Williams DL 6-3 298 2 Morgan State

INJURY REPORT SAINTS

OUT: LB Kaden Elliss (calf), EDGE Anfernee Jennings (knee), G Jeremiah Wright (concussion). QUESTIONABLE: S Julian Blackmon (shoulder), WR Barion Brown (thigh), LB Jaylan Ford (ankle),RBAlvin Kamara (back),S Lorenzo Styles (calf).

VIKINGS

OUT: T Christian Darrisaw (concussion), CB Chuck Demmings (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: WR Jordan Addison (hamstring), WR Justin Jefferson (ankle), C Michael Jurgens (elbow), T Brian O’Neill (knee), TE Ben yurosek (ankle).

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Saints coach Kellen Moore and quarterback Tyler Shough talk before a play against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday at the Caesars Superdome.

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C conclusions about Moore. But as he prepares for Sunday’s game against the 4-0 Minnesota Vikings, the success of his tenure may hinge on whether the 38-year-old can adapt and ﬁx the issues that have plagued the Saints under his leadership. “That’s what the NFL is,” Moore said. “Every season you have different challenges and different things you have to navigate. That’s the fun part of it. “You get to solve problems, and that’s what it’s all about.”

First-quarter mess To grasp how bad the Saints have been in the first quarter under Moore, consider this: Since 2025, New Orleans has been outscored by 118 points in the first 15 minutes. That’s double the minus-59 of the New York Jets, the next-worst team in that span. The margin between them equals the gap between the Jets and the 17thworst Los Angeles Chargers. Focusing on just 2026, the Saints are tied for last with a minus-25 first-quarter point differential. Teams change from season to season, but the slow starts predate Moore’s time in New Orleans — even dating back to his days as offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles. The problems appear to stem from the ineffectiveness of Moore’s opening scripts. Even in the year they won the Super Bowl, the 2024 Eagles scored only two opening-drive touchdowns in the regular season with Moore as the play-caller. The 2023 Chargers ranked around league average in that category, while the Cowboys never ranked above 15th during Moore’s four years there. In New Orleans, the opening-drive points drought has continued. The Saints have put up points on their first possession in only four of Moore’s 21 games, with two touchdowns and two field goals last season. “It is just disappointing,” Moore said. “We have tried a number of different things.” After 14 losses, Moore has been asked about slow starts in his post-game news conference for half of them. The Saints have held a first-quarter lead only once in Moore’s tenure, a 6-3 score in a game New Orleans still lost after melting down in the fourth quarter against the Las Ve-

gas Raiders two weeks ago. As Moore said, the Saints have tried different approaches to solve their first-quarter woes. Things got so dire last season that they opted to take the ball first after winning the coin toss, only for quarterback Spencer Rattler to throw a pick-six. In the offseason, Moore said the Saints conducted multiple studies — from analyzing the team’s daily schedule to the on-field plays — in an effort to find a solution. This week has prompted another swing. Practice times have stayed the same, but quarterback Tyler Shough noted the sessions now begin with a “compete period” so players “are kind of going right into it” after individual drills. “There’s no magic, ‘Hey, let’s do this during practice,’ ” Shough said. The defense isn’t immune from the first-quarter troubles, either. The unit has given up a league-high 19 touchdowns in the quarter since 2025, including 10 on the defense’s opening drive. Nine of those 10 were last year. But the first one this season was costly: Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson erupted for a 59-yard touchdown to start the rout Monday. “What you try to limit is too many mistakes each play,” Young said. “So there’s a difference if I make a mistake one play, but everybody else is on they job. Probably a 3-yard gain. But when you got a play where there might be five people, then that’s where you got your explosives.”

Double digits add up Here’s another startling fact about the Saints’ first two seasons under Moore: They’ve trailed in every game. Sometimes, the margin is minuscule and doesn’t affect the final result. The Saints were down 3-0, for instance, in a 29-6 win over the Jets last season. The Tennessee Titans are the only other team since the start of last season to have faced a deficit in every game, according to Stathead. More concerning for New Orleans is just how many games the black and gold has fallen behind by double digits in Moore’s two seasons. That’s 16 of 21. Four of Moore’s seven wins have seen the Saints erase those deficits. And when that happens, New Orleans deservedly gets credit for being a resilient team. Players and coaches will tout how they respond to adversity, and there has been something promising about watching Shough make an absurd number of throws in the clutch to rally the Saints. But that formula is unsustainable. The margin for victory becomes too thin, and

more often than not, the deficit becomes too large. “It’s obviously extremely tough,” Shough said. “In the NFL, you can’t live in that world where they know you are throwing it every single time. I don’t have a problem doing that, but it’s just tougher.” With the Saints falling behind the way they have, Moore’s options as a playcaller become limited. Shough ranks first with 180 passing attempts, more out of necessity than because Moore prefers passing. The quarterback is on pace for 765 attempts, which would top Tom Brady’s single-season record of 733 passes (2022). Part of the Saints’ struggles stems from their inability to run the ball. For the second straight year, New Orleans ranks bottom five in yards per carry. And while some advanced metrics like success rate (41.4%, ranking 15th) and run DVOA (efficiency, ranking 22nd) aren’t as bad, the Saints haven’t run the ball well to start the game and then abandon it once they fall behind. The resources spent to fix the problem haven’t panned out yet. Travis Etienne, signed to a four-year, $48 million contract, is on injured reserve, and New Orleans’ commitment to run more outside zone plays has resulted in 2.9 yards per carry, according to FTN Fantasy “To be transparent, and it’s obvious, we’ve struggled running,” Johnson said. “We’ve been pretty good in the offseason, just being dialed in on our keys and running the ball. It hasn’t shown.”

Problem solving Sitting in his office 14 months ago, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis wanted to make a point about how coaches can become different over time. The executive said any comparisons between his latest hire and his most famous one should keep in mind that Sean Payton was not the same coach at the beginning of his Saints tenure as he was at the end. Payton had “evolved” through his 15 years here, Loomis said. So then, how did he expect Moore to grow? “I don’t have any preconceived notions,” Loomis said. “I’m just going to go along and help him as much as we can. And look, here’s what I like about him: He’s openminded.” That open-mindedness may be the key to Moore ﬁnally ﬁnding a solution to the problems he has to solve. Though slow starts have been a theme throughout his

ä See SAINTS, page 11C

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ 11C

lll

VIKINGS at SAINTS

Noon Sunday, Caesars Superdome Line: Vikings by 2½ (Over/Under: 41½) TV: FOX | Radio: WDGL-FM, 98.1

six-day-a-week newsletter

OFFENSIVE LEADERS Saints

Vikings

PASSING

Player

Cmp-Att-Pct Yds TD Int

Tyler Shough

121-180-67.2

1203

RUSHING

Player

Att

Player

Rec Yards Avg TD

Player

30 25 19 16

128 74 53 72

4.3 3.0 2.8 4.5

0 2 1 1

Chris Olave Juwan Johnson Devaughn Vele Travis Etienne Alvin Kamara Noah Fant

35 21 21 11 11 8

45-71-63.4

Att

Aaron Jones Jordan Mason Kyler Murray Carson Wentz

491 232 226 51 47 66

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Saints coach Kellen Moore reacts after a play against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night in the Caesars Superdome. Moore and the Saints will try to rebound Sunday against the Vikings.

It’s time for Moore to throw caution to wind We’re going to learn a lot about the New Orleans Saints in the next few weeks. We’re also going to learn a lot about Kellen Moore. The Saints’ second-year coach is facing the biggest challenge of his nascent head coaching career. Back-to-back home losses to the Raiders and Falcons have shaken the confidence of the fan base and lit a charge under the veteran leaders on his second Saints team. A blowout loss to your archrival in a game you were favored to win at home will do that to you. It wasn’t so much that the Saints lost but how they lost that was bothersome. The Saints were outplayed, outcoached and outmuscled for four quarters. Even worse, they played timid and coached scared. No wonder Cam Jordan, Justin Reid and Tyler Shough aired their frustrations afterward. The performance was unacceptable in every way. Moore desperately needs to right the ship and restore confidence in his leadership and coaching acumen. And he needs to do it quickly or his second season could spiral away from him. After a disappointing 1-3 start, some Saints fans have criticized Moore, saying they’d like to see more fire and passion from him in the heat of battle. And I get it. Louisianans love big characters and passionate people. But that’s not Moore. In terms of coaching style and demeanor, he’s more Bill Walsh than Bill Parcells. Moore is never going to pull a “coulda, woulda, shoulda” meltdown like Jim Mora. And he’s not one to impulsively fire an assistant coach or bench a key starter the way Sean Payton sometimes did to send a message.

SAINTS

Continued from page 10C career, Moore has had a history of adapting in other areas. In fact, he first chuckled when asked to give an example of a time he solved an issue that initially gave him trouble. “I mean, there’s a lot,” Moore said. Every year, he said, Moore has to navigate what best suits his roster in terms of style of play. He has overseen offenses with Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, Rattler and Shough at quarterback — five vastly different kinds of passers. Within those differences, Moore has had to be flexible. “Sometimes, it’s patience in the run game,” Moore said. “Sometimes, it’s, ‘How do we find ways to create explosive passes?’ I’ve had challenges with that before. There’s always different avenues.” Moore’s track record of adapting can be seen at several spots.

Jeff Duncan Again, that’s not Moore. It would be out of character for him to throw a fit or lose it emotionally after a game. He doesn’t need to change who he is. But he does need to tweak how he operates and figure out how to fix his teams’ recurring problems: slow starts, an impotent running game and a defense that gets pushed around at the point of attack. While Moore’s second team has shown notable improvement in areas such as penalties, red-zone offense and big-play production, it is still undermined by the former issues (along with a roster that lacks blue-chip talent at some critical spots). It doesn’t help that three of the guys the Saints brought in to improve things on the field will be standing on the sideline next to Moore on Sunday against the Vikings. There’s little Moore can do to heal injuries to Jordyn Tyson, Travis Etienne and Kaden Elliss. What he can do, though, is go all in and start coaching with more aggression. Of the myriad things that happened Monday night, Moore’s conservative play calling and game management were contributing factors to the loss. The decisions to punt from the Atlanta 42 before halftime and to kick a field goal from the Falcons 8 in the third quarter lacked aggressiveness and sent the wrong message to his team. I get that he was trying to stop the bleeding, but those situations demanded aggressiveness.

After a 2-2 start in Philadelphia, Moore leaned fully into a runcentric offense around Saquon Barkley. Along the way, he reportedly compromised with Hurts on how much pre-snap motion to use in his offense — an area Hurts “did not always embrace,” according to ESPN. Last season, Moore adapted by implementing more undercenter looks as the season progressed. Running backs coach Joel Thomas said Moore and the coaching staff also “trimmed the fat” in the run game, leaning more into their strengths. Moore’s explosive pass rates generally improve as the year goes on, as long as his starting quarterback doesn’t get hurt. In 2019, Moore’s first year as a play-caller, the Cowboys went from 45 explosive passes in their first eight games to 58 in their last eight. Last year’s Saints also improved dramatically, though that was arguably more reflective of the team’s quarterback change. Still, the Saints

It might not be Moore’s nature to rely on his gut rather than his analytics, but sometimes the situation demands it. Throughout history, the best NFL coaches have been the ones who know when to balance Payton learned to embrace analytics over time, but he always said: “You can’t let analytics trump instincts.” Mike Tomlin said it best: “I don’t live in my fears, but I don’t live in a binder, either. You feel the pulse of your men.” As Moore continues to develop as a head coach, he’ll need to learn when and how to strike this delicate balance as a game manager. Trusting your gut is rarely a bad idea. New Orleans, after all, loves gamblers and games of chance. This town was founded by rogues and ragamuffins. Craps and poker were introduced to America here. This is where the first land-based casino outside of Las Vegas and Atlantic City was built and where the third-oldest horse racing track in America still operates. In a city of risk-takers, Moore could stand to take a few more. Fortune, we know, favors the bold. Moore showed he owns a bold streak when he eschewed the tie and went for the winning two-point conversion in the opener against Detroit. The Saints need to see more of that devil-may-care approach going forward. It’s only Week 5. There’s a lot of football left to be played. Moore doesn’t need to roll heads or throw a fit. But it wouldn’t hurt him to roll the dice more often, starting with Sunday’s game against the Vikings. Email Jeff Duncan at jduncan@theadvocate.com.

had only 19 explosive passes with Rattler and then 45 with Shough. This season, the Saints have shown improvements in other areas that were a problem in Moore’s first year. Their biggest growth has been in the red zone, where the Saints now rank fourth with an 80% touchdown rate after ranking last in 2025 at 44.4%. Their penalties are also down, and they are now the eighthleast penalized team. But the big problems still remain. What Moore can’t afford any longer is the Saints looking as unprepared as they did against the Falcons. He has acknowledged preparation as a factor for their loss twice in his tenure, also taking the blame after last year’s 44-13 disaster against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3. The third time won’t be the charm. “We have to find a way,” Moore said. Email Matthew Paras at matt.paras@theadvocate.com

Avg TD

297 59 42 5

4.1 3.9 4.2 0.6

1 1 0 0

RECEIVING 14.0 11.0 10.8 4.6 4.3 8.3

1 3 2 0 0 3

Rec Yards Avg TD

T.J. Hockenson Justin Jefferson Jordan Addison Aaron Jones DeeJay Dallas Josh Oliver

22 13 11 9 3 3

195 179 163 68 23 46

8.9 13.8 14.8 7.6 7.7 15.3

1 2 1 0 0 0

KICKING

XPM XPA FGM FGA

Daniel Carlson

Net

72 15 10 8

KICKING Player

433

RUSHING

RECEIVING Player

Cmp-Att-Pct Yds TD Int

Kyler Murray

Avg TD

Travis Etienne Alvin Kamara Kendre Miller Tyler Shough

Net

PASSING

Player

XPM XPA FGM FGA

Will Reichard

DEFENSIVE LEADERS TACKLES Player

Jonas Sanker Pete Werner Kaden Elliss Danny Stutsman Julian Blackmon Justin Reid Kool-Aid McKinstry Davon Godchaux Nathan Shepherd Carl Granderson Quincy Riley Chase Young Tyree Wilson Anfernee Jennings Colby Wooden Vernon Broughton Khristian Boyd Isaiah Stalbird Martin Emerson

TACKLES

Tot Solo Ast TFL Sk 26 25 24 22 21 19 17 12 12 11 10 8 8 7 7 6 6 6 5

17 14 11 9 11 14 11 4 3 5 6 5 4 3 2 1 3 4 4

9 11 13 13 10 5 6 8 9 6 4 3 4 4 5 5 3 2 1

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

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 1 0 3.5 1 0 0 0 1 0 0

INTERCEPTIONS Player

Julian Blackmon

2.0

Tot Solo Ast TFL Sk

Blake Cashman 33 Josh Metellus 25 Eric Wilson 24 Byron Murphy 18 Isaiah Rodgers 13 Dallas Turner 13 James Pierre 12 Jalen Redmond 12 Andrew Van Ginkel 11 Ivan Pace 11 Theo Jackson 9 Kyle Van Noy 9 Caleb Banks 8 Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins 7 Harrison Smith 7 Levi Drake Rodriguez 6 Jake Golday 6 Chaz Chambliss 5 Jacob Thomas 5

17 14 11 12 7 10 8 8 6 3 6 7 3 4 5 2 4 2 2

16 11 13 6 6 3 4 4 5 8 3 2 5 3 2 4 2 3 3

3 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 2 1 0 6 1 1 0 1 0 0 0

2.5 0.5 1.5 0 0 5.5 0 0 3 0.5 0 1.5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

INTERCEPTIONS Player

Tot Yds Avg TD PD 1

Player

Andrew Ginkel Isaiah Rodgers Byron Murphy James Pierre

Tot Yds Avg TD PD 1 1 1 1

0 0 -1 28

0.0 0.0 -0.5 28.0

0 0 0 0

1 3 3 3

TEAM STATS OFFENSE PER GAME Yards gained: 367.0

OFFENSE PER GAME Yards gained: 262.6

Plays: 69.8

Plays: 63.7

PASS 278.5

RUSH 88.5

PASS 45.0

RUSH 24.8

Turnovers: 2.00 INTERCEPTIONS 0.75

FUMBLES 1.25

PASS 156.0

RUSH 106.6

PASS 29.0

RUSH 34.7

Turnovers: 0.50 INTERCEPTIONS 0.50

FUMBLES 0.00

DEFENSE PER GAME Yards allowed: 360.3

DEFENSE PER GAME Yards allowed: 289.3

Turnovers forced: 0.75

Turnovers forced: 1.75

PASS 212.5

RUSH 147.8

INTERCEPTIONS 0.25

FUMBLES 0.50

SCORING PER GAME

SCORED ALLOWED

PASS 194.8

RUSH 94.5

INTERCEPTIONS 1.00

FUMBLES 0.75

SCORING PER GAME

SCORED ALLOWED

26.3

22.5

18.0

21.0

20.2

19.6

12.8

2026

2025

2026

2025

CONVERSION SUCCESS

Third down

50%

Fourth down

22.2%

50%

Fail

100%

34.4% 65.6%

77.8% Convert

Fourth down

Convert

Fail

Convert

Fail

Convert

STAFF PREDICTIONS ROD WALKER

JEFF DUNCAN

LUKE JOHNSON

MATTHEW PARAS

SAINTS 17, VIKINGS 14: This feels almost like a make-or-break game for the Saints.They desperately need to get off the mat after being knocked out by the rival Falcons on Monday night.The Vikings defense is nasty, but the offense is limited. Scoring against Minnesota won’t be easy, but maybe the Saints defense or special teams can help out. Saints find a way to bounce back from the Monday debacle. VIKINGS 16, SAINTS 13: I have had a hard time figuring out who this Saints team will be on a weekly basis. In the present, it’s hard to be optimistic about their chances against what has been the NFL’s best defense through four weeks. It feels like the Saints defense is set for a rebound performance, but I don’t trust the New Orleans offensive line against a creative Vikings pass rush.

SAINTS 20, VIKINGS 16: In the NFL, sometimes the most desperate team wins (see: Tampa Bay on Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys). In this game, that would be the Saints, who are reeling after back-to-back home losses. It’s still early in the season, but this feels like a gotta-haveit game for New Orleans. The defense will come through to make sure the Saints win this one. SAINTS 17, VIKINGS 13: The Saints lose the games they’re supposed to win and win the games they’re supposed to lose. If that pattern holds, then reluctantly give me the Saints. I believe Brandon Staley when he said Monday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons was “very uncharacteristic” for the defense. Now the unit faces a Vikings offense that has struggled badly. It needs to come through.

12C n Sunday, October 11, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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Area runners show out at Catholic meet BY JACKSON REYES

Staff writer

Parkview Baptist runner Lucy Cramer felt boxed in starting her 5,000-meter race alongside 218 other runners from around the state. She focused on what she could control and didn’t have to worry about the pack for long. The herd of runners all made way for Cramer, who pushed her way to the front and led nearly the entire race. Cramer finished first in the Pete Boudreaux ’59 Catholic High Invitational with a time of 17:25.6, nearly 31 seconds better than second place. Parkview also won the girls team title Saturday morning at Highland Road Park with a score of 68. St. Joseph’s Academy finished second with 82 points. On the boys side, Catholic won the team title with a score of 71. Jesuit placed second with 78 points.

Parkview showing potential

Cross country results Boys

Catholic senior William DeCuir runs in the boys 5,000-meter race on Saturday in the Catholic High Invitational at Highland Road Park.

a scoring team together,” Kate Lucy Cramer said having their Cramer said. “We know we are a full team helped motivate her. strong team; we just haven’t had “Number one thing going in was everybody together.” I was just excited to race for my team,” Cramer said. “We finally A busy two weeks had a scoring team. Took it smooth Lucy Cramer’s 3-mile time in the the ﬁrst bit, and then just tried to 5k was 16:50.1, marking the ﬁrst keep kicking and pushing as much sub-17-minute 3-mile run of her as I could as the race went on.” Saturday’s feat continued a busy high school career. Her mother knew her relentless training since season for Lucy Cramer, who middle school proved she could do announced her commitment to Vanderbilt on Sept. 23. She said it. “We were ready for a break- the decision has allowed her to through for her,” Kate Cramer said. sharpen her focus. “It’s really helped me to just re“I’ve wanted it as her mother more than her coach so bad for her.” lax,” she said. “It really takes all

that pressure away and allows me program too early in the season,” Mistretta said. “It caused us to peto run free and happy.” ter out towards the end. It’s a long Catholic’s focus season if you race a whole bunch. The Bears entered this year with Now we start fine-tuning.” Catholic’s top runner Saturday a new mindset, prioritizing distance work over speed. Saturday’s was Augustin Juneau. In his first run was the first run of the year for meet of the year, he placed secseveral Catholic runners. ond with a time of 14:54.9. He was “It was great to have the full happy to see his team win its own team out,” coach Corey Mistretta meet. said. “We’ve been holding guys “This is something we’ve been back and just training a lot.” working toward for so long as a The change looked to help his team,” he said. “The competition team avoid burnout and peak at today is so humbling. We’re glad the right time. that we could be the ones to come “Last year we put speed into the away with the title.”

Baptist, 15:45.6. 9. Liam Kelso, Vandebilt Catholic, 15:47.3. 10. Carson Dietz, Dutchtown, 15:48.1. 11. Trey Detillier, Central Lafourche, 15:52.2. 12. Maddox Tolbert, Lafayette, 15:52.5. 13. Wyatt Price, Notre Dame, 15:58.8. 14. Maximo Gennaro, Zachary, 15:59.4. 15. Phillip Watts, Central, 16:00.2.

Girls

Team scores: 1. Parkview Baptist, 64. 2. St. Joseph, 75. 3. St. Thomas More, 118. 4. Mount Carmel, 137. 5. Byrd, 181. 6. E.D. White, 237. 7. Dominican, 240. 8. Ruston, 253. 9. Academy of Sacred Heart, 293. 10. Episcopal, 297. Individuals: 1. Lucy Cramer, Parkview

Baptist, 17:25.6. 2. Hannah Schneider, St. Joseph, 17:56.9. 3. Grace Schneider, Dominican, 18:04.2. 4. Molly Cramer, Parkview Baptist, 18:11.0. 5. Emma Aldana Huelga, Benjamin Franklin, 18:14.0. 6. Brielle Burnham, Parkview Baptist, 18:15.0. 7. Mary Claire Leckert, McGehee, 18:32.4. 8. Neva Lambert, Episcopal, 18:34.3. 9. Emmy Banker, Byrd, 18:37.6. 10. Faith Marengo, Mandeville, 18:41.5. 11. Avery Burnham, Parkview Baptist, 18:42.6. 12. Cate Barbier, St. Joseph, 18:48.4. 13. Mia Cestia, St. Thomas More, 18:49.5. 14. Mary Quintana, Mount Carmel, 18:49.9. 15. Keira Melan, Dutchtown, 18:53.9.

Week 7 football schedule All games at 7 p.m. unless noted.

Thursday Belaire at Baker St. John vs. Thrive Academy at Olympia Stadium Tara at Plaquemine Loranger at Albany

Friday St. Amant at Denham Springs Varnado at Catholic-PC McKinley at St. Michael

Capitol at East Iberville Broadmoor at Scotlandville Catholic at Zachary Ascension Christian at White Castle Live Oak at East Ascension Brusly at Madison Prep Port Allen at West Feliciana Southern Lab at North Iberville Glen Oaks at Istrouma Kaplan at Parkview Baptist Collegiate Baton Rouge at University High Opelousas vs. Livonia at Pointe Coupee STEM Academy Liberty at Woodlawn

Dunham vs. Donaldsonville at Floyd Boutte Memorial Stadium Helix Mentorship Academy at East Feliciana Tioga at Dutchtown Prairieville at Walker St. James at Lutcher Port Allen at West Feliciana Episcopal at Slaughter Community Charter Northeast at Springﬁeld Ascension Catholic at St. Martin’s Episcopal Capitol at East Iberville Central Private at Kentwood

SELF-SCH TO

ULE ED

SCAN

Team scores: 1. Catholic High, 61. 2. Jesuit, 68. 3. Parkway, 175. 4. Dutchtown, 198. 5. Mandeville, 235. 6. Episcopal, 238. 7. Ruston, 240. 8. Zachary, 261. 9. Brother Martin, 262. 10. Holy Cross, 263. 10. Lafayette, 263. Individuals: 1. David Quintana, Jesuit, 14:50.3. 2. Augustin Juneau, Catholic High, 14:54.9. 3. Brennan Robin, 15:06.0. 4. Emerson Cullen, David Thibodaux, 15:20.1. 5. William DeCuir, Catholic High, 15:35.5. 6. Shrey Shah, Dutchtown, 15:42.3. 7. Collin Marquette, Jesuit, 15:45.3. 8. Andrew Watts, Parkview

STAFF PHOTOS By JACKSON REyES

Parkview Baptist senior Lucy Cramer runs in the girls 5,000-meter race in the Catholic High Invitational on Saturday at Highland Road Park. Cramer won the race by nearly 31 seconds.

AP P

The Catholic High meet marked the Eagles’ first meet with five runners, allowing them to have a team score. Parkview has featured three to four runners at its previous meets, and nearly ran only four on Saturday. Sophomore Quinn Saucier was sick earlier in the week but felt good enough to run in the meet. “She’s been battling,” coach Kate Cramer said. “We were like, we need that fifth and just come do what you can. She did more than she needed to do. We were so proud of her.” Along with Lucy’s first-place finish, her younger sister, Molly, finished fourth (18:11). Brielle Burnham placed sixth (18:15.0), and her sister, Avery Burnham, placed 11th (18:42.6). “Finally today, to be able to put

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FAITH: Loyola University president has audience with Pope Leo XIV 4D

LOUISIANA INSPIRED: Bonnabel theater teacher gives students a professional edge 5D

LIVING

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

S u n d ay, O c t O b e r 11, 2026

1dn

Jan Risher

The dinner party I threw for more than a year finally happened For more than a year, I threw a dinner party that didn’t happen. I threw it in the car on the way to pick out tile. I threw it while standing in what had been our living room, looking at blackened studs, left by the fire that took our home in August 2025. I threw it on the nights the contractor called with the kind of news nobody wants from a contractor. The menu changed. The guest list changed. The party never got canceled. I’ve never been one to focus on bracing for the worst. Musicals I watched as a kid taught me a different approach. I lean on a “spoonful of sugar” and “my favorite things” — and one of my favorite things is my home full of interesting people I adore and delicious food I’ve helped prepare. I love to host. I love the minutes before guests arrive. I love that moment the doorbell rings and the evening stops being a plan. The candles are lit, and ice is in the bucket. Somewhere in the middle of the demolition of our home, right about the time I realized the wooden floors were goners and that I am allergic to drywall dust, I came up with an idea. I would build shelves for a collection of interesting drinking glasses. Not a matched set. Not eight of anything. I wanted odd, quirky glasses — preferably with a story, or at least enough clues to make one up. My idea was that when people came to our house, the first order of business would be walking up to the shelves, surveying the glasses and choosing whichever one called their name. That glass would be theirs for the night. Focusing on those shelves likely saved on therapy bills. However, the plan had one flaw: I didn’t own a single interesting glass. Still, I designed shelves for a collection that didn’t exist, in a house that wasn’t finished, for parties I couldn’t yet throw. It helped keep me going.

ä See PARTY, page 8D

Nominate someone extraordinary for our 2026

INSPIRIT AWARDS

Know someone in Louisiana who is making a positive difference? We’re looking nominees for our 2026 Inspirit Awards — people of any age who do their best to make their local community a better place, whether in their work, at schools, in organizations or in neighborhoods. Nominate someone at nola.com/site/forms/the_ inspirit_award by Sunday, Nov. 1. Recipients will be announced in December. Be sure to include details and examples of how you think their efforts can inspire others. We’re eager to share their stories.

STAFF PHOTOS By PEARL SPURLOCK

Classic Vinyls Record Shop hosts jazz jams weekly on Wednesdays in Baton Rouge. The sessions are free and those attending are welcome to brings instruments to play on stage.

GET INTO THE SWING

BR record shop jazz jams feature ‘monster rotation’ of talent

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer

very Wednesday night, musicians crowd the 13-by-8-foot stage at Classic Vinyls Record Shop in Baton Rouge to play popular jazz songs like “It Could Happen to You” by Jimmy Van Heusen. Sometimes, the growls and dips of the music spill beyond the stage — like on Sept. 30, when three musicians played their instruments off to the right side of the stage during a jazz jam. The sounds of saxophones, pianos, drums and guitars permeate the 2,200-square-foot building between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. weekly at 11903 Coursey Blvd. The goal is for people to learn, network, appreciate jazz and build community. The sessions are free. Walking into the record shop for a jazz jam feels like walking into a secret club where everyone knows each other and outsiders are evi-

Doug Stone, associate professor of jazz studies at the LSU School of Music, plays the saxophone at a jazz jam Wednesday at Classic Vinyls Record Shop. dent. But it’s also the sort of club that’s itching and eager for new members — with a leader who might be the most enthusiastic of all. “Show up and be as you are. If you have an instrument, bring it,” said Classic Vinyls owner John Ruiz Jr. “It’s just incredible to have such a small place with no pretension to it. You can’t even move in here some nights, and it’s incredible. It’s just full of music.”

The sounds of jazz music are often heard in Louisiana clubs and restaurants, usually late at night, in dark rooms ﬁlled with slow-sipped whiskey cocktails, but rarely does live music escape from a record shop ﬁlled with children, professors and students on a weeknight. Ruiz, who sings and plays guitar, collaborates with LSU School of

ä See JAZZ JAMS, page 8D

Nonproﬁt farm to host ﬁve-course fundraiser dinner Agroforestry apprentices tour the Baton Roots Community Farm at BREC’s Howell Community Park on the first day of their apprenticeship. PROVIDED PHOTO FROM SK GROLL

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

Since 2012, the Walls Project has revitalized underused spaces, created public art and hosted volunteer cleanups in the capital region. As part of its fall fundraiser, the nonproﬁt will host a ticketed, farm-to-table experience under the night sky at the Baton Roots Community Farm, 5509 Winbourne Ave., on Oct. 10, and all

proceeds will go back into the community farm. This is the inaugural event, an idea sparked by the team’s realization of how enjoyable a farm-to-table dinner would be. Additionally, many locals don’t realize that the community farm is a program of the Walls Project. “It’s an opportunity for the community to not only try our produce but know that we’re

ä See FARM, page 8D

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COMMUNITY

PROVIDED PHOTO

Baton Rouge Magnet High Receiving a perfect score of 36 on the ACT during the 2025-26 testing year are, from left, front row, Abigail Qi, Mary Pham, Elizabeth Xu and Leo Schoegl; back row, Adhrit Maiti, Margaret Kantrow, Grace Shepherd and Jacob Smith.

Baton Rouge Magnet High students get perfect ACT score

year earn the perfect composite score, according to the ACT National Proﬁle. The outstanding scholars are: Margaret KanEight Baton Rouge Magnet High School trow, Class of 2027; Adhrit Maiti, Class of 2028; students received a perfect score of 36 on Mary Pham, Class of 2028; Abigail Qi, Class of 2027; Leo Schoegl, Class of 2027; Gracen Shepthe ACT during the 2025-26 testing year. Only about 3,000 (0.2%) of the 1.4 million herd, Class of 2028; Jacob Smith, Class of 2027; students who take the ACT nationwide each and Elizabeth Xu, Class of 2027.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Sherwood Forest Garden Club Members of the Sherwood Forest Garden Club gathered at the Independence Park Garden Center for their annual membership coffee on Sept. 9. Shown are, from left, Lois Orgeron, Elle Burton, Iris Brayden, Marian Kumse, Cindy Thibodeaux and Jackie Duplechin. Not pictured is Sylvia Kress.

Lakeshore Lions Club Members of the Lakeshore Lions Club held their annual tennis sponsor luncheon at the Marriott on Oct. 5. Gathered are, from left, Toni Hardy, Lions District Governor; J.F. Accardo, Lions Club; Virginia Gilpin, La. Lions Camp; and Gaylynne Mack, Lions Club. PROVIDED PHOTO

Dustin Gaspard to perform at UL Lafayette concert

PROVIDED PHOTO

Lagniappe Woman’s Club Members of the Lagniappe Woman’s Club met at Jasmine’s on the Bayou on Sept. 21. Members planned activities for the coming months and congratulated member Lana Merliss for the leadership certification she won at GFWC national convention last summer. Shown are, from left, Sylvia Schwarzenbach, Cathie Ryan, Montez Love, Debbie Harris, Pat Quartararo, Sally Ann Martin and Merliss.

The Friends of Music Acadiana and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette School of Music will present Dustin Dale Gaspard, who was featured on the television talent show, “The Voice,” at Boots, Bayous FYI BR and Blues 7:30 p.m. Oct. staff 16 at Angelle Hall on UL’s campus. Friends of Music reports Acadiana, a nonproﬁt organization, raises money for scholarships for music students at the university. Songwriter and musician Tanner Bingaman, along with The Angelle All-Stars, will perform. General admission tickets are $60 per person, available for purchase at friendsofmusicacadiana.org/eventstickets/. Tickets for the VIP reception are $100 per person and include the following: a meet-and-greet reception with Gaspard, Bingaman and The Angelle All-Stars including hors d’oeuvres, wine, champagne or water, reserved parking and reserved orchestra seating for the concert. The reception, scheduled for 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., will be held in the Blue Room in Angelle Hall, just a few steps from the concert venue in Gilfry-Ducrest Auditorium.

Local rabbi offers course on Judaism’s mystical tradition PROVIDED PHOTO

Baton Rouge Amateur Radio Club Members of the Baton Rouge Amateur Radio Club met Sept. 29 at the St. George Prevention District’s Training Center for a presentation given by Bill Buck. The presentation, titled ‘Tools and Strategies for Learning CW,’ centered around Buck’s passion for Continuous Wave, a shortened term for using Morse code. Shown are, from left, Charles Dietrich, Jerry Couatre, Matthew Mapes, Laura Mapes, Mike Blazek, Bill Buck, Joe Roppolo, David Ducote and Tom Harrell.

Chabad at LSU & Greater Baton Rouge is hosting a six-part course on key concepts from kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism, titled “Kabbalah and the Hidden Architecture of You.” Divided into six sessions, the course explores 40 kabbalistic ideas that help individuals understand themselves and the world around them. These topics include big ideas like what a soul is, human psychology, reincarnation, marriage and more. This course is designed to appeal to people at all levels of knowledge, includ-

ing those without any prior experience or background in Jewish learning. All Jewish Learning Institute courses are open to the public, and attendees need not be afﬁliated with a particular synagogue, temple or other house of worship. Registration is $109, with Zoom and inperson classes offered, available for purchase by calling 225-267-7048 or visiting ChabadBR.com/JLI. Contact Rabbi Peretz Kazen for questions at Rabbi@Chabadbr. com.

Elite introduces girls’ flag football league Elite Training Academy will host a Baton Rouge girls’ high school and middle school six-week flag football league for all experience levels. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, more than 102,000 girls participated in high school flag football during the 2025–26 school year, with nearly 4,000 schools offering the sport nationwide. Elite has partnered with the LSU Women’s Flag Football club team to help coach the clinic and serve as coaches for scrimmages later in the season. The league will include: n Six weeks of organized flag football n Skill development and competition n Teamwork, leadership and confidencebuilding n A fun, competitive environment focused on development As part of the grant through the Females in Flag program within NFL Flag, Elite will only have 50 spots for the clinic. League dates are Nov. 5, Nov. 12, Nov.19, Dec. 3, Dec. 10 and Dec. 17. Registration is $50. Practice will be from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 5414 Burbank Drive. Register at bondsports.co/activity/programs/FEMALE-youth-FOOTBALL/16742. If you have any questions about the league, reach out to Daniel@elitetrainingacademybr.com.

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TRAVEL San Antonio comes alive with Día de los Muertos Events are held throughout the city

tions are available to purchase at thesanantonioriverwalk.safﬁre. com/p/day-of-the-dead. Several restaurants located along the River Walk offer VIP seating as well.

BY CHERÉ COEN Contributing writer

In south Louisiana, we celebrate the days following Halloween with trips to the cemetery where we refresh and decorate tombs — sometimes with picnics on the granite — to honor those who have left us. Call La Toussaint, or All Saints’ Day, is the Catholic holy day of obligation that takes place on Nov. 1. Mexican traditions follow this celebration of life — even though it’s to honor the loved ones who have passed — with Día de los Muertos, a two-day celebration on Nov. 1 and 2 known as the Day of the Dead. Día de los Muertos has its roots in indigenous culture tracing back to Mesoamerican Aztecs and Mayans, among others, where they believed that loved ones didn’t die but enjoyed a continuation of existence in another realm and could reconnect with the living. Because of its ancient history, Día de los Muertos was inscribed to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008. Since European arrival in the 16th century, Mexican communities have incorporated Día de los Muertos with Catholic traditions, including the date. Here are a few terms to know before celebrating: La catrina is a female skeleton associated with Día de los Muertos, often wearing a hat or headpiece and dressed in a black or bright colors. The male counterpart is catrin, usually dressed in a suit. Marigolds are the chosen ﬂowers used to adorn many of the cemetery tombs, altars and homes. Their vibrant color and scent are used to lure the dead back from their burial sites to visit the living in their homes. Ofrendas are a type of altar placed in family homes or beside graves to honor departed loved

Muertos Fest at Hemisfair There’s so much to love at the Muertos Fest the weekend of Oct. 23-25, including live music, food, a fashion show by Goodwill San Antonio, a kick-off ceremony of local dancers and mariachi in the park. The highlight of this free fest is the more than 80 handmade community altars, all honoring loved ones from grandparents to pets. Some altars are simple, encouraging visitors to write notes to those who have passed, while others resemble small houses, complete with furniture and photos of ancestors. Be sure to get a photo with the largest catrin and catrina in the United States.

This year’s Day of the Dead River Parade on the San Antonio River Walk will be Oct. 23.

PHOTOS By CHERÉ COEN

— plus corn, fruit, chocolate and pan de muerto, a special bread marked with a cross. For those who want to experience Día de los Muertos in all its glory, a visit to San Antonio in late October is a must. Events are held throughout the city for weeks leading up to the ﬁrst two days of November.

Day of the Dead River Parade

La Catrina and her male counterpart Catrin at Muertos Fest in San Antonio.

An ofrendo, or altar with photos of loved ones, and marigolds is on display.

ones. They contain photos, candles, marigolds, tequila and food, among other items. They are usually set out on Oct. 31 and removed Nov. 2. Community altars created by families and organiza-

tions will ﬁll Muertos Fest in San Antonio’s Hemisfair. Some of the foods popular with Día de los Muertos celebrations include sugar cookies called calaveras in the shape of skulls

More than 100,000 people line up along the San Antonio River Walk for a vibrant boat parade of two dozen elaborately decorated ﬂoats adorned with altars, catrinas and costumed riders. This year’s parade will be Oct. 23, with each barge representing a different ﬁgure or tradition associated with Día de los Muertos. There will be music, entertainers and more. A free standing-room-only viewing area is available along the parade route from East Commerce Street through the end of the route. Otherwise, seated op-

The Pearl Historic District This weeklong celebration Oct. 27 to Nov. 3 will include live music and performances, familyfriendly activities and art installations created by local and visiting artists. A former brewing site, The Pearl consists of numerous restaurants, venues and shops over 22 acres. New this year are ﬁve local artists creating four-foot calaveras, each sharing a personal story through art. Guests can watch the artists paint live at Pearl this month, with the completed works on display from Oct. 23 through Nov. 5.

Market Square Old Mexico is celebrated every day of the year at the historic Market Square with its more than 100 locally owned businesses, along with La Margarita restaurant, which has been serving up Mexican favorites for decades. The Market offers a special Día de los Muertos event Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24-25. There will be a special — and colorful — procession each day.

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER By Christopher Elliott

Lufthansa downgraded seats on flight and refund is lost My wife and I recently purchased tickets from Miami to Prague through Lufthansa. We paid $3,274 for premium economy class, including specifically reserved seats. On our return trip from Prague to Miami, our flight was rebooked. For the long-haul segment from Zurich to Miami, the airline downgraded us to economy class. Lufthansa sent us an email stating that the Christopher downgrade was due to “operational reasons” Elliott and told us to contact its service center for a partial refund.We followed those instructions and filed a form. Lufthansa then forwarded our request to Swiss, which operated the flight. The response from Swiss was confusing. It claimed that because we landed safely in

Miami within three hours of our scheduled time, no compensation was due.We weren’t asking for delay compensation; we were asking for a refund for the seats we paid for but didn’t get. We tried everything to get a real answer. We used the Lufthansa live chat, but the agent ended the session while we were waiting. We even emailed executives at both Lufthansa and Swiss. No one responded. When we finally heard back from Swiss after filing another form, a representative claimed that we had already received an easy cash card at the Zurich airport as compensation.That never happened.A Swiss agent at the airport actually told us we couldn’t apply for compensation until the flight was over. The price difference between premium economy and regular economy is $165.We just want our money back for the service

we didn’t receive. Can you help us find our missing refund? — Mila Schoun, Pompano Beach, Fla. Swiss should have processed your refund the moment it moved you to a lower class of service. Under European Regulation EC 261/2004, passengers are entitled to a refund of a percentage of the ﬂight price if they’re downgraded. The airline also shouldn’t have told you that it had paid you without checking. Claiming a passenger received a cash card they never saw is a great way to end a conversation, but a terrible way to run a business. You did the right thing by keeping all your records. You contacted the right people and even

escalated the issue to executives, which is exactly what I recommend when the front-line agents fail. I publish the Swiss and Lufthansa executive contacts on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott. org. I contacted Swiss on your behalf and asked the airline to look into the missing cash card. Swiss Air conducted a careful review of your case and determined there had been a communication breakdown. “It has become clear that the original complaint was not properly understood, despite the relevant documentation having been provided by the passengers,” a Swiss representative told me. “We deeply regret that the passengers did not receive the

correct information from us and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, concern, and frustration this may have caused.” The airline conﬁrmed there was no record of a cash card being issued and that your compensation was indeed outstanding. Swiss Air contacted you and offered a refund of $165 for the downgrade, in accordance with EU regulations. It also sent a $200 travel voucher as a gesture of goodwill for the inadequate service. Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonproﬁt organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site.

225-400-8040 & 225-938-0748 info@weknowblinds.com customblindsbr.com

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FAITH

‘Clear about our mission’

Loyola’s Xavier Cole talks faith, education and meeting Pope Leo BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

When Xavier Cole became Loyola University’s 18th president in 2023, he knew the position would put him in front of some important people. What he might not have known is that it would soon have him meeting Pope Francis. Not long after that came another rare opportunity, also in Rome — this time meeting Francis’s successor, Pope Leo XIV. Cole and his wife, historian Susanne DeBerry Cole, recently joined a contingent of other presidents with the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities on a trip to Rome. The group met with numerous Vatican officials as well as the first American pope. “It was an unexpected honor. It was a blessing,” Cole said. The meeting with Leo was arranged by officials with Loyola University in Chicago, Pope Leo’s hometown. “They had closer connections than most,” Cole said of his Chicago counterparts. (In addition to Loyola New Orleans and Loyola Chicago, two other Jesuit universities in the U.S. are named for the order’s founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola: Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles and Loyola Maryland in Baltimore.) Sitting in his campus office — its walls lined with musical instruments, a turntable and stacks of record albums ranging from Chuck Mangione to James Taylor — Cole, a Biloxi native, recently talked about his role as the leader of a Jesuit university, the trip to Rome and even a bit about his passion for music. This interview has been edited for space and clarity. What did you say when you met Pope Leo? I said, Holy Father, it is certainly my honor and privilege to meet you. We are from Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana. We are aware that you have family roots in New Orleans (and) that you are absolutely welcome to New Orleans. Now, I don’t know if I have the authority to say that, but I said it anyway. But you’re absolutely welcome to Loyola University New Orleans, and I absolutely have the authority to say that. And he smiled and he said, “Thank you very much.” We were there in Rome at the hottest time of the year and probably the hottest time in many years. It was 100 degrees every

PROVIDED By LOyOLA UNIVERSITy/SIMONE RISOLUTI

Pope Leo XIV greets Loyola University President Xavier Cole and his wife, Susanne DeBerry Cole, at the Vatican in Rome.

United States. That, of course, is a big part of his makeup. But he’s also from Chicago. He’s also a White Sox fan. He went to school at Villanova. You mentioned that you had met Pope Francis as well? You know, we were able to ask (the pope) questions and he gave us answers that weren’t just yes and no. At the time, the issue du jour was what was happening in Israel and Palestine and what’s happening with Catholics on the ground supporting the efforts within Palestine, within Gaza. And I asked for advice on how we, as Catholic leaders, can intercede from and be involved from a Catholic frame that doesn’t choose a side. So we had this interesting STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE back and forth. And then afterward, he also asked if it would be Loyola University New Orleans President Xavier Cole became Loyola OK if we said the Lord’s Prayer University’s 18th president in 2023. together. It was transformational. Pope Francis was just a different perday. But we were certainly grateday. On this day, everyone was in son, and he had a different effect a suit, tie, their finest patent leath- ful that he made time for us. And er shoes. It was hot. And so by the what was notable in his remarks is on you, and it was visceral. Like, when I was saying the Lord’s time we got across the Vatican, up that he understood us, that he had Prayer with him, I cried. researched us, that he had been several flights of stairs, and into With Pope Leo, he had you briefed well on us. He mentioned the waiting room where we were thinking through the engagement. our Jesuit apostolic preferences. to meet him, we were a mess. And I received it differently, but He mentioned, in particular, the We had to wait a little bit, and certainly I said to my wife and one that talks about stewarding so we’re all glad that we needed I said to other people as we prothe youth to a hope-filled future. to wait. It gave you a little grace On campus, do you note among students cessed it, there’s nothing in my time to kind of get yourself toexcitement with an American pope? life that should have allowed me gether. Well, I think it wouldn’t be necto have this type of blessing. I’m Well, when you meet the Holy Father, you fortunate beyond any measure. don’t want to be just a pile of sweat, right? essarily just the students, but Tell me about running a Jesuit university (Smiling) Absolutely. I’m sure anyone that’s interested in the he would understand if anytopic. There feels like much more in 2026. We’re blessed because when of a connection. There is an acbody would. He’s also formally others could feel that they’re dressed. cessibility. There isn’t a hurdle of being pulled asunder, we actuHow long did he meet with the group? language. There’s not a hurdle of It was probably around 30 minculture, even though he spent a ally have guardrails that are large amount of time of his adultquite clear about our mission, utes. I think he had several other our values, our perspective, the groups after us that particular hood being formed outside of the

things that we should care about. So whether it’s the Jesuit Apostolic preferences, or whether it is Catholic social teaching, or whether it is the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, we have clear marching orders. And so when people try to pull us outside of those bounds, that’s when we say no. When I talk to young people and I’m in a large auditorium with their parents, and I tell them about this Ignatian Catholic mission, and our values, and what we believe, and why we believe it. That is very attractive to the parents and the students. But the thing that I ask the students is: do you know what your deeply held values are? Whether you’re Catholic or not, what are those bedrock things that you feel are unimpeachable? We will give you additional things that build around that … If you don’t have a philosophical frame about how to live your life, here’s one that you can use until you figure it out. Most don’t discard it once they understand it. How have you changed during your time as president? I’ve certainly grown, by having to love something, and people — something being the institution, and the people being our faculty staff, students, alumni — as much as I love my own family. I go to sleep thinking about Loyola, and all that it is, I wake up thinking about Loyola and all that it is. How’s the health of the university? We’re very blessed. We’re having our second strong first-year enrollment year in a row. Our law school is more selective, also having strong classes there fill up. It is not an accident that we are doing well as an institution. And Loyola is moving to Division II for sports. That’s an exciting thing for the university, two years in the making. It was very much contemplative. It was very much about not just what’s best for the university, but what’s best for the students that we serve, about their experience. You mentioned that you collect trombones. Do you also play? Yes, I’m a musician. There’s a euphonium in the corner. There’s a trombone behind that. I was an active musician for many, many years. Starting the job here, that takes quite a bit of my attention, and doesn’t really allow for me to play as much as I used to. But I am a very avid listener. What type of music do you like to play and listen to? Any kind … Well, big band jazz is my wheelhouse but I’ve also played classical and ensemble music in Wisconsin. I need to build in time to do the things, to have the type of balance that I say that everyone else should have that works for me. And that is to build in those things that you love.

Loyola is asking young people their thoughts on AI Grant delves into what it’s doing to creativity, spirituality

also noted some of the young people had a “sense of shame” due to perceptions about their levels of intelligence. “Young adults have an anxiety to be perfect,” Lamont said. “They said they go to ChatGPT because they worry about being judged” over what they don’t know. Researchers also detected a desire among students to learn how their faith and AI can peacefully coexist, Lamont said. To many people, AI promises a perfection that doesn’t mesh with the Christian tradition of failure and imperfection and grace, she added.

BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

As researchers with Loyola University in New Orleans pored over recent conversations they had with a group of young adults about artiﬁcial intelligence and spirituality, one thing became clear: AI worries them, said Tracey Lamont, director of the Loyola Institute for Ministry and an associate professor of religious studies. “They said, ‘We’re learning it now. And in some cases, we don’t want to,’” Lamont said. The growth of AI, she said, has increased anxiety over their digital future. And the young people raised numerous ethical questions. More than one asked: “If I use ChatGPT (artificial intelligence created by Open AI) is my friend losing their job?” AI is in the tip of everyone’s tongues and its use ever more prevalent on and off campuses. But Lamont said conversations about AI tend toward ethics and economics, not so much spirituality and faith. “That needs to change,” she said.

Faith and AI STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Tracey Lamont, director of the Loyola Institute of Ministry, is embarking on a study of AI and student spirituality.

and other young adults — Lamont said they ranged from 20 to early 30s in age — were part of a planning study undertaken by the Loyola Institute for Ministry with a $75,000 grant from the Lilly Endowment’s “Growing in Faith in the Age of Artiﬁcial Intelligence” initiative. The data from those conversations, Lamont said, is the foundation for an application the institute Having to be perfect submitted to Lilly for a second The conversations with students phase of study, with a grant of $2.5

million over ﬁve years. If granted (Lamont hopes to hear a decision this fall), the research results would allow Loyola to develop practices and programs that help students and faculty draw on their faith and the tenets of Catholic social teaching to better navigate the complex and ever-changing AI and tech landscape. “They’re very concerned what it’s doing to creativity and imagination,” Lamont said. She said Loyola’s researchers

AI has permeated modern life. Need to grocery shop? Let AI handle it. Automating a troublesome workﬂow? AI can help. But as AI’s imprint on modern life expands, so, too, does the debate about its ethical and economic impacts. In his first encyclical, “Magniﬁca Humanitas,” Pope Leo XIV cautioned people to guard against allowing technology and AI to replace the things that make us human. As more tasks and decisions yield to AI, Leo said, it still lacks human heart. Lamont agrees, noting a paragraph in the encyclical in which the pope talks about how life’s travails and failings — “we carry

within us lessons that leave their mark like scars” — are what make us human. Months before releasing his encyclical, Leo warned clergy to not allow AI to write their homilies. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has also discouraged leaders from allowing AI to write their sermons. And this week Leo told reporters that concerns about AI’s potential risks to humanity are not overblown, separating himself from President Donald Trump, who has called such fears “fake news.” “If someone were to ask me, ‘Am I in panic mode?’ No I’m not. I sleep at night,” Leo said in late September. “I do think that the concerns raised by many of the experts, specialists in AI should be taken seriously.” The research also comes as Loyola seeks to better understand the future role AI will play in education. In August, the university held an “AI Braintrust Summit” for leaders of technology, business, healthcare and professional services organizations. “Artiﬁcial intelligence is not simply a technological development. It raises important questions about how we teach, learn and remain centered on the human person,” Erin Foster, the university’s vice provost for teaching, research and learning said, according to a Loyola news release.

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LOUISIANA INSPIRED Theater teacher gives students a professional edge ‘This should be an opportunity for them to find themselves’

had such a small budget and was told that because the department had stopped putting on shows for years, the $5,000 budgeted each year for theater was reallocated to the football team. If Lanson wanted more, the BY ELYSE CARMOSINO principal told her, she would Staff writer have to find the money herself. She turned to grant writing. When Lindsey Lanson arrived When school lets out every sumfor her first day as director of Bonnabel Magnet High School’s mer, she painstakingly researchtheater department in 2009, she es different opportunities and walked into a dingy multipurcrafts personalized pitches for why her program deserves the pose classroom that housed the money. Lanson, who has applied school’s theater program. to over a hundred grants in the The room and adjoining 100last decade, said she’s accumuseat black box theater hadn’t been updated for decades. Ceillated nearly $300,000. In addition to purchasing set ing tiles were missing, and a building equipment, tools, microsmall leak dripped from a corner. The theater seats were so deSTAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE phones, props and paying for the rights to each show, the money flated, their cushions appeared to Lindsey Lanson is theater director and a teacher at Bonnabel Magnet has gone to buying professional have melted away. While taking High School. She has built the school’s theater program into a prestage lights, which cost at least her on a tour of the dilapidated professional one that can rival most colleges. a grand each, and sound mixing facilities, Lanson’s predecessor equipment, which also runs into told her not to worry about proImportant skills the thousands. taking notice. Lanson applied ducing shows with her students Her hard work has made the for and was recently announced because “you don’t get paid for as one of 50 finalists for a Voya that.” Lanson didn’t always want to be program accessible: In 17 years, None of it dampened her enthu- Unsung Heroes Grant. Voya, a fi- a teacher. The LSU graduate and Lanson has never had a student pay for theater fees, costumes or nancial services company, recog- former theater kid initially masiasm. “I was so excited,” she said. nizes teachers across the country jored in nursing until a professor their letterman jackets. “At the end of the day, this “Like, ‘Oh my gosh, I can transusing innovative teaching methurged her to switch majors after should be an opportunity for seeing her perform in a student ods to enhance learning. form this.’” them to find themselves,” Lanson production. Lanson will receive $2,000 Since then, Lanson has built said. “It shouldn’t be something After graduating, Lanson was Bonnabel’s theater program into for her program — which she they’re worried about whether working at a coffee shop when said she’ll use to purchase new a pre-professional one that can they can afford.” her parents sent her a job openstage manager headsets, as well rival most colleges, with stateas plywood and hand tools for of-the-art sound and lighting ing for a theater teacher at A lasting impact the set for this year’s play, “The equipment and a budget that alJefferson Parish’s largest high Imaginary Invalid.” She’s also in school, Bonnabel Magnet in Kenlows students to purchase highThe program, which serves the running for the $25,000 grand ner, which accepts more 2,000 quality set materials, props and about 50 students each year, is prize. costumes for their spring play students from across the district designed to build confidence and But her main objective is to each year. through an open enrollment pro- leadership skills by putting stushow her students at Bonnabel, To fund it all, Lanson, whom cess. dents in charge of every aspect where more than 80% qualify as Bonnabel recently named its For the first several years, of a show from start to finish. Its economically disadvantaged, that Lanson’s program scraped by on curriculum also includes conTeacher of the Year, spends her they deserve the same opportuni- a shoestring budget. She and her struction safety and set design, summers applying for hundreds of educational grants, emphasiz- ties as their private school peers. students held garage sales and where students create set dioraworked the concession stand at “Why wouldn’t a public school ing in her applications the admas for upcoming productions football games to raise money, be able to have a private school before building them. vanced technical and soft skills but it was never enough to put on program?” she said. “If I’m raisLearning how to problem-solve her students leave her program the high-quality shows Lanson is a big part of the process, Lanwith, including set construction, ing the funds and nobody’s worsound and light mixing and stage ried about footing the bill, I think envisioned. son said. She recalled one year Frustrated, she asked her prin- when the play her students were managing. we should be able to offer this to National organizations are our students.” putting on required a special cipal why the theater program

Mars platform

effect that would allow the audience to see a character on stage through a wall. Through trial and error, the students stretched a mesh fabric over a hole in the set wall that changes its level of transparency based on how it’s lit. When the stage lights were pointed directly at the fabric, the character would suddenly appear. “It was such a cool effect,” Lanson said. “You could even hear that the audience” was impressed. When it comes to technical training, the program relies on students learning to operate the same equipment they’d use on a professional set. “I don’t want lights from the 1970s,” Lanson said. “If a student is going to work on a film location, I want them to be able to say, ‘I’ve worked with that kind of lighting before.’” Lanson said one of her job’s highlights is seeing her quietest students come to life as they explore different aspects of show production and gain confidence. Abeiro Apolinar, a senior, considers himself one of those students. When his older sister urged him to join the program as a sophomore, Apolinar said he spent the first several classes huddled in the corner, worried about drawing attention to himself. But with the help of the welcoming community he found through Lanson’s program, the reserved underclassman slowly began to step out of his comfort zone and ultimately audition for the program’s 2026 ensemble spring show, “You Can’t Take It With You.” “I got more comfortable to the point where I only wanted to be here, nowhere else,” Apolinar said. Email Elyse Carmosino at ecarmosino@theadvocate.com.

“It’s just a great sense of pride to be part of the energy past and energy into the future. We have produced a billion barrels and we are not done yet.” Billy Lott Operation Supervisor

reaches historic 1-billion barrel milestone

Since 1996, the Shell-operated Mars platform has played a defining role in deep water energy production. Designed for waters nearly 3,000 feet deep, Mars was a bold step forward at the time and helped redefine what was possible offshore. Nearly 30 years later, continued investment, enduring engineering, and the commitment of generations of people have helped bring Mars to this landmark achievement. To be the first platform in the Gulf to reach one billion barrels is a momentous milestone, but for those who have been part of Mars, it has never been just about the number. The Mars community identifies as Martians, united by the enduring principle, “once a Martian, always a Martian.” This milestone carries the weight of long days offshore, shared challenges, and moments of problem-solving that happen when people rely on one another. It reflects years of dedication and quiet perseverance, and the deep sense of pride that comes from being part of something that continues to move forward.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry joined Shell GOA and Pipeline staff to commemorate one billion barrels produced from the Shell Mars asset via the Mars booster station in Port Fourchon. From L to R: Greg Mouras, Nick Stone, Ken Duplantis, Jeff Bergeron, Gov. Jeff Landry, Lynn Belanger, Shawn Danos, Wayland Neil, Colette Hirstius, Chris Nace, Kevin McMahon, Richard Krebs, Sean Guillory

shell.us/louisiana | #PoweringProgress

6D n Sunday, October 11, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

BETWEEN THE PAGES WITH MELISSA DAGGETT

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BOOKS

‘Love, Race, and Property’

Interracial love and law in antebellum New Orleans society showcased in new book BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

New Orleanian Melissa Daggett graduated from LSU with a bachelor’s degree in political science and two master’s degrees from LSU New Orleans, formerly the University of New Orleans, in education and history. Her ﬁrst book, “Spiritualism in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans: The Life and Times of Henry Louis Rey,” focused on the free people of color and spiritualism. Her new book, “Eugene and Eulalie: A Family Saga of Love, Race, and Property in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans,” published in April, chronicles the largely forgotten lives of Eulalie Mandeville, a free woman of color who owned a business, and her White partner, Eugene Macarty. They were both descendants of elite colonial families. Their interracial relationship began in the 1790s and endured for more than 50 years, resulting in ﬁve children. Daggett uses the Nicolas Théodore Macarty v. Eulalie Mandeville 1848 court case to examine how an interracial relationship continued despite Spanish and American laws in the antebellum era. Daggett will be speaking at the Fierce Women: Power, Resistance, and Reinvention panel from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 31 at the Louisiana Book Festival in downtown Baton Rouge. This interview was edited for length and clarity. What inspired you to research

and write about this couple? It started around 2017, soon after my ﬁrst book was published. Readers started asking me, “Well, what’s the next book going to be about?” I was asking myself the same question. I wanted to research a topic about New Orleans in the 19th century, since I already had that background. A friend advised me to write about Eulalie Mandeville. She gave me the name of a history professor, Connie Atkinson, at the University of New Orleans to pursue the topic. Atkinson said she had

been trying to persuade a historian to write a monograph (a scholarly work on one subject) about Mandeville, a subject in the shadows of historical obscurity. Atkinson supplied me with sources. As I got into the subject, I became more enthusiastic about it. What surprised you in your research journey? The most surprising thing I found early on was about where the original 1724 house was — the de Marigny de Mandeville house. At that time, they used double last names. I went to the Historic New Orleans

up the ladder of success through her entrepreneurial savvy. I admire that, and she persisted despite barriers not only of race but also of gender. At that time, women, in general, could not be successful in the business world. But she was very successful, and maybe in part because she was a free woman of color, so she wasn’t controlled by a White father or a White husband. So in some ways, that was a beneﬁt for her. Author Melissa Daggett How important was the court Collection, where they have case in your research? It was the most important a digital survey, and oddly primary source and what enough, it turned out that I started with. It was over the house was located in 300 pages, and it took a long the same space as the nowexisting Williams Research time to read through it. I read it three times because Center. there was a bit of informaI anticipated that the two families I talk about in the tion that I missed out on. It book, the Macartys and the was of paramount imporMandevilles, would sometance. Court cases are how we how intersect and parallearn about these people lel each other during the that have been under the colonial period. But I was still surprised when I found radar. We know about them as a class of people. We out very early in the 1730s know about free women of there were connections. color, but we don’t know The two Macarty brothers about the individuals. came over from France. We’re looking back in They were in the military, 1848 to these court cases, and they had connections with Antoine de Mandeville. and we’re seeing what was It’s always a small world in going on not only at the time of the case but stretchNew Orleans. What is it about Eulalie that deing further back until the fies some common myths about free 1790s. There was testimony women of color at that time? from different witnesses The most common myth was the plaçage myth. (Pla- that discussed how Eulalie became involved with Euçage is deﬁned historically as when a White man would gene Macarty. have a relationship with a The court cases help us mixed free woman of color look into people who have where she would be kept escaped the historical lens. in a house and provided We learn about her life on income.) There was some the plantation back in the truth to it, but Eulalie Man- 1790s. That was an unusual situation. Eulalie’s father deville managed to climb

was a White, elite man, but he still was involved with his daughter until his death — though not as involved as with his legitimate children — but there are records of letters he wrote to her. How did Eulalie’s relationship with her grandmother Françoise de Mandeville impact her life? I think her grandmother was a person that she modeled herself off of. Her grandmother, a businesswoman, ran the plantation once her husband passed away, and even before he passed away, because he was in France. She saw her grandmother being successful. Her grandmother didn’t need a man to help her out. Eulalie started her entrepreneurial enterprise while she was on that plantation. She started selling dry goods to the Isleños girls because they lived nearby. I had trouble understanding her grandmother because it seemed like she treated Eulalie like her family. But at the same time, the grandmother caught one of the enslaved men stealing some clothes, and she made sure he got 400 lashes. So, it’s a contradiction. How can “Eugene and Eulalie” help readers see Louisiana history or women in Louisiana in a different light? We want to see that women can be empowered by their intellectual abilities, and that they can overcome daunting legal, social or emotional barriers. That’s what Eulalie did back in the 19th century. We can still see that women can move forward, especially today where we have less barriers.

Fall reading season helps us make other worlds our own There’s always more to read than I can get to, which I once lamented and now see as a plus. In the fall, a time we’re supposed to reflect with gratitude on our abundance, it’s pleasing to see the to-be-read pile near my reading chair about to spill across the room like a Thanksgiving horn of plenty. A recent addition to that towering stack is “Partita,” Barbara Kingsolver’s new novel about a woman resigned to her life in farm country who’s shaken into an emotional odyssey by a phone call from her past. Among the many things I like about Kingsolver’s fiction are the opening sentences, which inevitably take readers by the collar and quickly bring them into the story. “Here’s my question: How does a person step in front of a train and leave everything right there?” reads the first line of “Partita.” Because the plot involves classical music, Kingsolver includes a suggested listening list as a complement to her novel. In that spirit, I played a recording of Chopin’s “Raindrop Prelude” the

Danny Heitman AT RANDOM

other afternoon while I dipped into “Partita.” Chopin’s compositions have a wistful quality that chimes with autumn’s introspective mood, and it was calming to sit with a book in a quiet room and think of another year putting itself to bed. The workings of the calendar rest at the center of “Forty Quartets,” a slender book of poems by Henry Sloss that’s been on my autumn reading list, too. I didn’t know about Sloss until writer Amanda Holmes mentioned him online, and I’m glad she did. Sloss is especially attentive to the way that time slips up on you, as in the ﬁrst lines of a quartet about coming home and ﬁnding fall at the doorstep: “A week away and oh! / Autumn is in full bloom; / Yellow leaves and brown spill / To earth,

show summer’s spell / Broken, as laden limb / By limb the trees let go.” One of the small consolations of those strange days of the pandemic several years ago is that, with more time at home, a random hour might open up and allow something new to enter our lives. One such discovery during my lockdown season was Melissa

Harrison, a nature writer and novelist who lives in England. I’d come across her quirky but affirming podcast, “The Stubborn Light of Things,” and that led me to her books, which cast a jeweler’s eye on the marvels of trees and fields, water and skies. This fall, I’m reading “The Given World,” Harrison’s new novel about an English community defined by an ancient river. The

premise has special appeal for those of us who live in Louisiana, which has so many river towns of its own. As I comb the pages, Harrison’s world will become my world, too. That’s the promise of reading this autumn — and every season of the year. Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com.

THIS WEEK’S BESTSELLERS FROM PUBLISHERS WEEKLY HARDCOVER FICTION

1. “Hollywood, Ending” (signed ed.) by John Green 2. “Sometimes I Scare Myself” by Jeneva Rose 3. “Hollow Bones” by Jodi Picoult 4. “The Calamity Club” by Kathryn Stockett 5. “Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel” by Lucy Foley 6. “Vince Flynn: Double Tap” by Don Bentley 7. “Hollywood, Ending” by John Green 8. “The Munich Affair” by Patterson/ Ellis 9. “The Sweetest Fiend” (deluxe ed.) by Raven Kennedy 10. “Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

1. “Swan Song” by Charles Spencer 2. “Protocols” by Andrew D. Huberman 3. “Happy Snacking, Don’t Die!” by Alexis Nikole Nelson 4. “Inside the Owner’s Box” by David M. Rubenstein 5. “Actually, Nevermind” by Taylor Tomlinson 6. “An Unexpected Life” by Gloria Steinem 7. “How We Could” by Alex Dorr 8. “The Art of Gravity Falls” by Hirsch/ Renzetti 9. “Saved by the Pack” by Lee Asher 10. “Meals You Can’t Mess Up” by Shay Spence

TRADE PAPERBACK

1. “Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi 2. “Verity” by Colleen Hoover 3. “Fallen Rook” by L.J. Shen 4. “Dungeon Crawler Carl” by Matt Dinniman 5. “Murdoku” by Manuel Garand 6. “Brain Damage” by Freida McFadden 7. “The Women” by Kristin Hannah 8. “The Killer Isn’t Alice” by Iris Starling 9. “Free Falling” by Lyla Sage 10. “Wild Dark Shore” by Charlotte McConaghy

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 11, 2026 n 7D

AT THE TABLE There’s more than one way to make a red sauce This no-frills one cooks low and slow

BY MICHAEL DIRESTO Contributing writer

Some years back, on a Saturday morning, I received a phone call at home from my friend and then-colleague Trey Godfrey. He wished to make dinner for his wife that evening. What’s more, he wanted to prepare pasta with a “red sauce” and wanted my advice. Sounds great, I said, a request right up my alley, as he knew. Knowing that Trey was not an experienced cook, I commended him on his initiative, bucked up his courage, and asked, ‘What kind of red sauce?” There was a short silence on the other end of the line, a sheepish chuckle, and then a selfdeprecating question: “You mean there’s more than one? Like, how many?” As my mind raced through all the different variations of red sauce that I typically make, I just fast-forwarded to the most basic — a classic, no-frills marinara. I walked him through it: three or four minced garlic cloves cooked on medium-low in a saucepan of extra virgin olive oil (with the caution not to burn the garlic). Then add a big can of crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes that you crush by hand in a bowl, preferably San Marzano-labeled tomatoes. I like to throw in a small bunch of fresh basil, still attached to the

stems. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes, remove the basil, and then maybe add some additional hand-torn leaves of basil right before serving. Other tips of the trade that I imparted: Add a tablespoon of sea salt to the pasta water, cook the pasta al dente, save a mug of the salty, starchy pasta water. And most importantly: never serve any dish of plain pasta with the sauce just ladled on top. Always mix the pasta into the sauce and use the pasta water not only to adjust the sauciness level but also to activate the starch to make the sauce cling to the noodles. Later, I was pleased to learn that Trey’s dish was a success, and that he served it with homemade meatballs prepared without any advice from little ole me. Bellissimo, Trey! Since then, I’ve had occasion to think about his “how many red sauces are there?” question each time I’m deciding which type of sauce to make, depending on the dish or what my taste buds feel like. Some simply use marinara as a starting base, like parma rosa, which mainly entails adding heavy whipping cream and freshly grated Parmesan during the last 10 minutes. Or a spicier fra diavolo sauce, by sautéing some diced onion and roasted red peppers (or crushed red pepper ﬂakes) before adding the garlic. For a very fresh-tasting alternative, I like to make a pomodoro sauce by swapping out the canned tomatoes with a pound or more of sliced cherry tomatoes, using a hand mixer at the end for an

almost creamy finish. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with something a bit more complex: a shrimp linguine that includes sautéing the shrimp shells with garlic and soffritto (the Italian “trinity” of chopped carrots, celery and onion), adding various herbs, tomato paste and deglazing with white wine to create what is, in essence, a savory shrimp stock. Sliced cherry tomatoes can make a return appearance here, along with the hand mixer, before adding your cooked shrimp back to the sauce. Speaking of soffritto, as summer has turned to fall, that’s when I tend to hark back to the red sauces that cook low and slow. For my first food column last November, I prepared my family’s Sunday Gravy recipe. I’ve often said that my vision of heaven is watching football on TV in my kitchen while making a meal that takes at least as long to cook as a football game, with a glass of good wine by one hand and a good book by the other. So on the first Saturday of October, I took a break from tailgating and made this Ragu alla Bolognese to serve in time for kickoff of the LSUMcNeese State game. It’s a standard recipe, except that I start with a pureed soffritto that I learned from Vincenzo Prosperi — chef, author and star of the online show “Vincenzo’s Plate” — which is both very informative and entertaining. Of course, please serve this red sauce, or any red sauce pasta dish, with good bread.

Ragu Bolognese with Pappardelle Serving size: 2 cups or 2 scoops from pasta spoon. Recipe is from the DiResto family, with soffritto inspired by Vincenzo Prosperi.

6 baby carrots 1 celery stalk, cut into 2-inch pieces 1/2 white onion, quartered 3 cloves peeled garlic (not a traditional ingredient, but up to you) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or more) 1 pound ground beef 1/2 pound ground pork 1 cup dry white or red wine (like pinot grigio or pinot noir) 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand in a bowl 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 cup whole milk 1 pound pappardelle or fettuccine pasta, plus 1 tablespoon sea salt 1 cup pasta water (use as needed) Hand-torn basil leaves and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (for serving) 1. For the soffritto, put carrots, celery, onion, garlic and olive oil in a food processor and puree using the pulse button until smooth. 2. Add a bit more olive oil to large saucepan, spoon in mixture and sauté over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. 3. In a separate large pan, add a bit of olive oil and brown the ground beef and pork, using wooden spatula to break down into tiny pieces. 4. Stir meat into saucepan with soffritto, add wine and simmer over medium heat until liquid reduces by twothirds. 5. Stir in the tomatoes, salt and pepper, bring to low boil, then reduce heat to low and

PHOTOS By MICHAEL AND RACHEL DIRESTO

Ragu Bolognese with Pappardelle simmer, uncovered, for at least 3 hours. (If sauce gets too dry, add a splash more of water or wine.) 6. After 3 hours, add the milk to the sauce and continue simmering while you make the pasta. 7. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add one tablespoon of salt. Cook pasta to al dente, reserving one cup of salty, starchy pasta water. 8. Drain pasta and add to saucepan, stir and incorporate pasta water as needed for desired sauciness. 9. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and torn basil garnish on top, along with good bread.

Cook the sauce low and slow for this Ragu Bolognese with Pappardelle.

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8D ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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JAZZ JAMS

Continued from page 1D Music associate professor of jazz studies Doug Stone to facilitate the jams. Stone, who acts as emcee for the evenings, participates in the sessions on his own, mostly for the benefit of his students. The two have been rocking and rolling for about a year now, hosting musicians like British folk-rock artist Richard Thompson, the Legacy Junior High School Band from Utah, Louisiana Music Hall of Fame inductee and country singer Kendall Shaffer, Baton Rouge’s Florida Street Blowhards and Basil Fung, lead guitarist for Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. But the record shop jazz jam could also include a high school band member, a DJ, a heavy metal band, a middle school student who knows three notes on a guitar or a hip-hop artist. In December, a band from Taipei, Taiwan, will perform as a part of their travels with the New Orleans Jazz Museum. The conglomeration of genres is intentional. Ruiz says, since he was young, being placed in a certain musical box “never sat well” with him, which is reflective of his own journey, first playing heavy metal music, then country and now both. “That’s how you learn. You blend it. It’s community. There’s a couple of metal bands, a couple of hip-hop artists, the jazz guys. I try to get them in here together as much as possible, because you learn from each other,” Ruiz said. “They even let me play with them, and I can’t play jazz to save my life.” The jazz jams themselves are just as improvised as the music itself. Anyone can hop on stage and play their instrument or sing. Many musicians show up to the record shop with their instruments in tow, waiting for the call from Stone, who says he feels a weight of responsibility to conduct the sessions well. He has to make sure that everyone has a fair chance to play and calls tunes that are skill-level-appropriate for the musicians who are on stage at the time. “It takes a certain level of work and poise on my part that I have to be prepared for,” he said. Stone noted that the no-consequence, laid-back style of the events allows his LSU students to interact and play with community members of varying ages and skill sets. “It’s so good for my students — and even the faculty members who come and play — to be understanding, caring, kind and have the respect for lessexperienced adult musicians, as well as young musicians,” Stone said. “Things are going to get off the rails with the music, and maybe the more experienced musicians are gonna have to make the adjustments to bring it back to where it needs to be.” Several LSU School of Music professors often perform, including percussion teacher Brett Dietz, bassist/composer John Madere, piano and jazz teacher Willis Delony and College of Music & Dramatic Arts dean Eric Lau. Ari Bandele, a senior at Baton Rouge High School who plays the drums, had just stepped off the stage on Sept. 30 and was looking at records. He attends the jazz jams at least once a month.

FARM

Continued from page 1D there,” said Dr. Ashlyn Harrison, executive director of the Walls Project. Enter, Boots on the Farm: an Elevated Farm-to-Table Experience. The community farm will transform into an outdoor dining space with 150 seats for a five-course meal. Chef Kaala Lawla, Aramark catering director at Southern University, will head the outdoor kitchen. The dishes will be prepared using locally grown food, a majority coming from the community farm. Courses include cane sugar cornbread; eggplant and smothered collard greens; shrimp, okra and radishes; baked chicken and ﬁsh; and sweet potato bread pudding. The evening will feature a cocktail hour at 4 p.m. with dinner to follow at 5 p.m. After dinner, patrons can enjoy live music, brought by DJ Love Yourself, artist Justin Rendell and a live band. The farm is located in a food desert so that community members with transportation barriers can walk over, Harrison said. Since breaking ground in 2019, the farm has given away free, locally grown produce. “In order for people to have access to fresh produce, they can walk to our farm,” Harrison said. “I want people to know we’re giving this produce away to the community, so come out and support us. We’re doing the good work.” Tickets cost $150 and are available for purchase online.

STAFF PHOTOS By PEARL SPURLOCK

Doug Stone, left, associate professor of jazz studies at the LSU School of Music, and John Ruiz Jr., owner of Classic Vinyls Record Shop, have been collaborating for over a year now putting on the weekly jazz jams.

Things change live. Someone could mess up, or you could mess up, and you can’t stop and rewind it. You’re never going to play a song the same way two times live.” ARI BANDELE, a senior at Baton Rouge High School who plays the drums, on the nature of live performance

phin Street” by Bronislaw Kaper and Roy Hargrove’s “Strasbourg / St. Denis.” Much like mainstream cover bands perform classics like Amy Winehouse’s version of “Valerie” by the Zutons, or Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September,” Stone says jazz music has its own slew of songs that those familiar with the genre know on the spot. Those songs include “Blue Bossa” by Kenny Dorham, “There Will Never Be Another You” by Harry Warren, “Doxy” by Sonny Rollins and “Bags’ Jens Blades plays the trombone during a Groove” by Milt Jackson. From the United States to Taiwan to recent jazz jam. Europe, most any young jazz musician would play and know these songs, Stone said. “This style of music is native to the United States of America and, of course, our state,” Stone said. “As Americans, I think it’s one of our great contributions to the world. There’s something that draws people into the sound and the aesthetic of jazz music. That sound and feeling of the music is very uniquely communal.” He hopes that the inherent communal aspect of jazz translates to support for Henri Hebert plays guitar at a jazz jam the sessions at Classic Vinyls. hosted by Classic Vinyls Record Shop. On Oct. 21, the record shop is hosting an “And All That Jazz” themed jam with Bandele says the jams provide a great Quiana Lynell, the LSU Jazz Band, the learning experience and that playing Knightshift Krewe and Shaffer. Ruiz is with a band is “totally different” from even on the hunt for a polka band, beplaying along to a recording. cause he says he’s starting to run out of “Things change live. Someone could ideas. mess up, or you could mess up, and you “You have a monster rotation of talent can’t stop and rewind it,” Bandele said. here,” Ruiz said, “and they are complete“You’re never going to play a song the ly willing and excited to get out of their same way two times live.” box and play with anybody that comes For those less familiar with jazz, Ban- through the door.” dele recommends listening to Miles Davis’ “So What,” John Coltrane’s “Mr. Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren. P.C.,” Davis’ version of “On Green Dol- cheramie@theadvocate.com.

PARTY

Continued from page 1D I started hunting for interesting glasses at garage and estate sales. A friend gave me a set of commemorative glasses from 1975 when The Advocate turned 50. Each glass featured a different notable front page. That set gave me a place to start. We are back in our house, even though it still isn’t completely finished. It is close. And really, is a house ever finished? Doesn’t everything remain in a constant state of “work in progress”? At any rate, my husband and I sleep in our home and everything we own sits under one roof for the first time in more than a year. After being in a rental home and a year of not knowing where half our things were, having them all together feels like luxury. Last Thursday night, I hosted my first real dinner party in our home. I took the whole day off work just to get ready for it. My husband and I worked on the menu for days. Because I had the day off, I took time to luxuriate in ordinary tasks like vacuuming and dusting. Then, I made the soup and took more time than necessary to decide on the dinnerware, napkins, candlesticks — all the little details I could conjure. For me, it was a glorious day, and I loved being able to do exactly what I did. Even though the collection is STAFF PHOTO By JAN RISHER still meager, 23 glasses now sit Aside from finds at estate sales, friends gave Jan Risher interesting on shelves built for many more. As our guests arrived, one by glasses to help start her collection.

one, they walked to the shelves, studied the options and chose. One friend picked the bright yellow 1960s vintage Louisiana tumbler. Another picked one of the Apollo 11 glasses shaped like a rocket. Then they poured margaritas, and the evening took off. There were several moments — simple ﬂashes of laughter, or watching people who didn’t know each other before open up and share themselves with a new friend — that almost made me tear up. I forgot to serve the homemade watermelon sorbet after the albondigas soup, so I served it just before dessert instead. I realized late into the evening that the water pitcher needed reﬁlling. But people didn’t seem to mind too much. The night was everything I had hoped it would be. We were sitting with friends in chairs that had been painstakingly restored. We were eating albondigas and my husband’s chiles rellenos. The evening was loud and ran late, but the whole night felt a little like a dream — a version of the one I’d been having for more than a year. This time, though, we were really there, sitting at our table. By the end of the evening, the candles had burned low, the napkins were askew, and the wine bottles were empty. After the guests left, I found the ragtag glasses scattered from the living room to the kitchen. I washed them by hand and set them back on the shelves, with plenty of room on either side. Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.

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TODAY IN HISTORY Today is Sunday, Oct. 11, the 284th day of 2026. There are 81 days left in the year. Today in history: On Oct. 11, 1991, Anita Hill accused Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee; Thomas denounced the proceedings as a “high-tech lynching” and was confirmed on Oct. 15 by a 52-48 vote. Also on this date: In 1776, the Battle of Valcour Island was fought on Lake Champlain off present-day New York State; British forces captured or destroyed most of an American fleet under the command of Benedict Arnold but were stalled in their attempts to seize control of the lake and Fort Ticonderoga. In 1906, the San Francisco Board of Education ordered the city’s Asian students to be assigned to their own, segregated school. (The order was later rescinded at the behest of President Theodore Roosevelt, who in exchange promised to curb Japanese immigration to the U.S.) In 1968, Apollo 7, the first crewed flight of the Apollo program, was launched with astronauts Walter Schirra Jr., Donn F. Eisele and R. Walter Cunningham aboard. In 1984, Challenger astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan became the first American woman to walk in space as she and fellow Mission Specialist David C. Leestma spent 3½ hours outside the shuttle. In 1986, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev opened two days of talks in Reykjavik, Iceland, concerning arms control and human rights. In 1987, the AIDS Memorial Quilt was first displayed during the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights on the National Mall. In 2002, former President Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize for decades of work to resolve international conflicts and advocate for human rights through The Carter Center and other means. In 2017, the Boy Scouts of America announced that it would admit girls into the Cub Scouts starting the following year and establish a new program for older girls based on the Boy Scout curriculum. In 2022, NASA announced that the Dart spacecraft had plowed into a small asteroid millions of miles away and succeeded in shifting its orbit. The space agency conducted the test two weeks earlier to see if in the future a killer rock could be nudged out of Earth’s way. In 2024, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization of survivors of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II, for its efforts to free the world of nuclear weapons. Today’s birthdays: Former U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry is 99. Actor Amitabh Bachchan is 84. Singer Daryl Hall (Hall and Oates) is 80. Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, of Washington state, is 76. Actor David Morse is 73. Football Hall of Famer Steve Young is 65. Actor Joan Cusack is 64. Actor Jane Krakowski is 58. Rapper MC Lyte is 56. Actor Emily Deschanel is 50. Actor Matt Bomer is 49. Four-time NBA All-Star Mike Conley Jr. is 39. Golfer Michelle Wie West is 37. Rapper Cardi B is 34. NFL Pro Bowl linebacker T.J. Watt is 32. NBA forward and Olympic gold medalist Keldon Johnson is 27.

The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 11, 2026 n 9D

Sorry, sudoku won’t cure my chronic illness Dear Miss Manners: According to my Even more obvious symptoms would doctor and a genetic test, I not require you to reveal your have early onset Parkinson’s health problems to anyone who disease. I am 38. I am having does not have a serious reason a lot of the memory issues and to be concerned about you. Idle brain fog that come with the curiosity should be discouraged disease, but not the noticeable with a curt “It’s not something I tremors in these early stages. want to discuss.” Judith What do I say to people who Dear Miss Manners: I have a tenuMartin ous relationship with my neighdon’t understand why I forget MISS words midsentence, or the corbors. How do I kindly tell them MANNERS I cannot stand the smell of their rect names for things, or even, used cat litter bags collecting in on the rare occasion, where I our hallway? am and what I’m doing? Gentle reader: Leave an enclosed garI’ve tried to explain it’s the illness, but my age and lack of tremor have bage can and/or air freshener out people doubting me. They say I just there. Or ask, “If you need help taking need to do more sudoku or crosswords the litter bags to the garbage, please to sharpen my mind. It’s very frustrat- let me know. Because sometimes it starts to smell out here.” ing! Since the relationship is already Gentle reader: Extremely, but this is a reason for the common advice against tenuous, Miss Manners thinks you do frankly discussing one’s personal med- not have much to lose. Dear Miss Manners: I once was invited ical history. Besides being undigniﬁed, to a meal a few months after a death such honesty does not save one from in my family. It was a potluck/bufthe rude and insensitive. You do not owe these people an exfet event. I was asked to bring small amounts of six or seven different planation. The world is full of absentminded and forgetful people, and Miss items, including nuts, seeds, dried fruit, etc. Manners advises letting them draw If I had purchased these items and their own conclusions.

brought the requested amounts, I would have had lots of those foods left over at home, and I personally don’t eat any of it. I hate to waste food. I asked the hostess if I could just bring one item instead, and bring a whole bag of it. I also offered to convey my regrets if that was not acceptable to her. She said to just bring myself. I had never experienced a specific and complicated request like that. Did I do something wrong? Gentle reader: You did not, as some amount of negotiation is often unavoidable in such events, which are, by their nature, informal. Your hostess was also gracious in offering to relieve you of the obligation when she realized you were finding it challenging to comply. Miss Manners finds herself curious whether you attended, what you did or did not bring, and how your family’s loss relates to any of it. She hopes you did not fear that you needed to garner sympathy before asking a question of Miss Manners — lest you become the main course. Send questions to Miss Manners at dearmissmanners@gmail.com.

Reducing all that clutter in a junk drawer Dear Heloise: My 12-year-old son came up with a clever hint, and it proved to be very easy and helpful to us (and maybe other people, too). He saved all the toilet paper rolls and painted them white. Hints from Then he wrapped chargHeloise ing cords around individual rolls and labeled each one. At one end, he made a clean cut so that he could press one end of the cord through, to keep the cord from unraveling. What used to be a kitchen junk drawer is now organized and ﬁlled with these charging cords. When we need to recharge something, we know where the cord is, and when we’re done, we return the charging cord to its roll in the drawer. This has saved us hours of frustration by organizing our cords! — Jennifer S., in Dover, Delaware

Stack and store Dear Heloise: I love your column. I also love to cook, prep ingredients and save leftovers for yet a new spin on another meal, which all require planning to

have the best nutrition with minimal waste or expense. Instead of using plastic wrap, and due to limited fridge space, I put my leftover or prepped ingredients in bowls and use a saucer or plate that’s similarly sized to place on top of the bowl. This way, I can stack them, save space in the fridge, and don’t tussle with single-use plastic ﬁlm (which is never easy to deal with). This method saves me a lot of money, and it’s easier and better for the environment. — Jean W., in Richmond,Virginia

Allergy care Dear Heloise: Regarding Janice, who wrote in about having allergies and being uncomfortable in hotel rooms, my opinion is that she must ﬁrst look to herself and her doctors. She can be prescribed medication so that she can be comfortable everywhere and not expect others to accommodate her. I and others had a similar problem when singing in the philharmonic. Some members were sensitive to cologne, hairspray, etc. Since we were performing at indoor and outdoor venues, hairspray and other cosmetics

couldn’t be entirely avoided. The consensus was that everyone would cut back on these products, but those who were affected needed to care of themselves for their own well-being. Thanks for all of your great tips over the years, and bless you! — AnnaMaria, via email AnnaMaria, I have to agree. Rather than depending on someone else to help me cope with an allergy, I’d ﬁrst see if there was some way I could protect myself from dander, pollen and other allergy-causing substances. But it’s always greatly appreciated when others show a little consideration for those of us who suffer from allergies. — Heloise

Tough packaging Dear Heloise: In regard to opening hearing-aid battery packaging, my audiologist showed me a trick: Make a cut on the side of each battery with scissors. Then you can bend the individual battery, and it should open up and pop out. Yes, it’s still a chore, but it’s the only way to deal with this arduous packaging. — Teresa M., in Atlanta,Texas Send a hint to heloise@heloise.com.

NHL’s hockey romance-themed audiobooks disappear online BY STEPHEN WHYNO

AP writer

NEW YORK — A series of audiobooks the NHL launched recently to connect with fans of the hockey romance genre was no longer available online last week. “Hot for Hockey” episodes about the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes, among other topics, were on Spotify when the season began. A Spotify search for the name of the series now leads to an error message. The NHL said the episodes were meant to be a limited-time offering. “This was one small way to give a playful nod to something that’s clearly going on in the cultural zeitgeist — among many different marketing activations,” the NHL said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday. “We were very proud to partner with real hockey authors, illustrators and voice actors in the space. As a start-of-the-season concept, these were matchup-specific posts de-

signed to run during our opening games in the ﬁrst week.” The league said marketing is now focused on the “Hockey Hits Different” campaign and other initiatives. Commissioner Gary Bettman last week in Philadelphia called the hockey romance genre a cultural phenomenon, with viewers of “Heated Rivalry” and “Off Campus” taking interest in the sport in large numbers over the past year. “Heated Rivalry” in particular was credited with introducing waves of new fans to hockey. “We have a number of marketing campaigns that we’re going to be using directed at various audiences,” Bettman said. “I will tell you the data was overwhelming in terms of new fans that we acquired last year who ﬁrst were introduced to hockey either through ‘Off Campus’ or ‘Heated Rivalry.’ And if new people want to come and be a part of game, we’re thrilled to have them.” The playoffs last year saw a

part of that growth, along with the Olympics in February — when the U.S. won both men’s and women’s gold — and the successful 4 Nations Face-Off in the winter of 2025. “To the extent people ﬁnd it interesting or are entertained or excited about and that acts as an impetus to them to take greater interest in the game, I think that’s great for the growth of the game,” Bettman said. Bettman said hockey romance is extraordinarily popular but also “not necessarily everybody’s taste.” “Not all of it is suitable for every audience or every age group,” Bettman said. “But for the people who are connected to it, they’re also CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO By NATHAN DENETTE connecting to hockey and I think that’s great.” ‘Hot for Hockey” episodes about the Florida Panthers and Carolina The “Hot for Hockey” camHurricanes, among other topics, were on Spotify last week. paign did not seem to garner positive interest. Instead, it has been surge in ratings, driven by women. that audience coming from 18-to- criticized, with “ The IX Sports ” At one point, TNT Sports reported 34-year-olds. PWHL senior writer Melissa Burfemale viewership was up 66% Bettman and other ofﬁcials said gess calling it a misstep from the and ESPN 106%, with plenty of the hockey romance genre was one beginning.

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10D n Sunday, October 11, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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HOLLYWOOD SOUTH La. actor lands roles in ‘Primetime,’ ‘Charlie Harper’ New Orleans actor Ja’Quan Monroe-Henderson woke up on Sept. 25 to find that two films he worked on last year in New Orleans had arrived in theaters on the same day — “Charlie Harper,” an indie romance, and “Primetime,” an A24 film starring Robert Pattinson as TV’s Chris Hansen. “Charlie Harper,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, gave Monroe-Henderson a chance at a meaty role, opposite one of the two leads, Nick Ja’Quan Monroe-Henderson Robinson, who attended elementary school in plays Charlie. Lafayette and graduated from “I remember the Baton Rouge Magnet High School. audition for that part very well, because I had a for each other. Leslie callback with the “Charlie and Harper are in love Cardé two directors of with each other over different that film, Tom Dean periods of time,” Monroe-Henand Mac Eldridge,” Monroederson said. “It’s a story which Henderson said. “It was a chemexplores whether love is enough to override life’s situations. It’s istry read with Nick Robinson, about how we as people tend to as I was auditioning for the part replay things throughout our of Brian, who is one of Charlie’s lives, and then have trouble difbest friends. Apparently, we clicked, because I got the part.” ferentiating whether our memoThe actor has had his fair share ries are true, or we’ve gotten creof auditions, some less convenative about the way things really happened.” tional than others. Last year’s Ja’Quan’s other film, shot just audition for Yorgos Lanthimos — the two-time nominee for Best months after “Charlie Harper,” is “Primetime,” the Lance OpDirector at the Oscars who was casting for “Kinds of Kindness” penheim-directed vehicle which — involved no script and no explores the TV phenomenon lines. The director wanted to see of NBC Dateline’s “To Catch a if Ja’Quan could dance. Predator.” He found himself vibing to Before that show was canceled Missy Elliot’s “Work It.” It must in 2008, there were charges of have been a hit, because Lanentrapment and creative editthimos was looking for a free ing to publicly humiliate those spirit, and apparently that came caught up in the stings intended through in his spontaneous danc- to reveal sexual predators. “When I first read the script, I ing. thought how amazing it was that In “Charlie Harper,” relationthis TV reporter was being imships are a central part of the plot. It details the lives of Charlie mortalized on film for this crazy and Harper, who are trying to show,” Monroe-Henderson said. build a life together. Harper is “At some point the whole scenarstriving to carve out a career io seems hilarious, which is sort as a chef, but Charlie is stuck. of a weird dichotomy, because at That’s just one of the challenges the heart of that show is such a as the couple struggles to prove serious topic.” to themselves that they’re meant Indeed, there were reports of

becoming a part of the critically acclaimed “Genius” series on the National Geographic Channel. As part of “Genius: MLK/X” about the relationship between Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, he played the pivotal role of John Lewis, the man at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement. In 2024, he was a part of the critically acclaimed Apple TV+ production of “Manhunt,” shot in Savannah, Georgia, and adapted from the award-winning book about the 12-day search for John Wilkes Booth, who killed President Abraham Lincoln less than a week after the end of the Civil War and the surrender at Appomattox, Virginia. It’s clear that Monroe-Henderson is moving up in the world of TV and cinema. And, his private life has taken a turn, in a prime example of life imitating art. “In the movie, ‘Charlie Harper,’ my character Brian gets married, and there’s a wedding party that’s filmed at The Capulet, a rooftop bar and restaurant in the Bywater area of New Orleans,” Monroe-Henderson said. “Around the time we were filming, I was actually thinking about getting married. When we did get married, our wedding party was in the same place as the wedPROVIDED PHOTOS By JA’QUAN MONROE-HENDERSON ding scene in the movie.” The couple moved to Los AnOn the set of ‘Charlie Harper,’ from left, are Kareemah Muhammad geles a few months ago, wanting (Jade), Mason Willis (PA), Ja’Quan Monroe-Henderson (Brian), Sebastian to try something different after Delascasas (David) and in front, lead Emilia Jones (Harper). both had spent their entire lives in Louisiana. His wife has famtelevision, as the dramatic arts laughter at the Venice Film Fesily in southern California, and just seemed to energize him. Ja’Quan’s mother had visited tival, where the film premiered the West Coast and often spoke — perhaps gallows humor. In the Before he earned a bachelor’s of fine arts from LSU New Orleans of the beautiful weather and the film, Monroe-Henderson plays (formerly UNO) in 2022, he was beaches. one of the cameramen tasked Now settling into the Los Feliz with filming those who are tested already a part of the entertainarea of Los Angeles near Griffith surreptitiously to see if they will ment world’s popular projects, Park, he’s still learning to naviunknowingly engage with adult beginning with “Fear the Walkactors playing teenagers in a ing Dead: Dead in the Water,” a gate the 20 separate 16-lane freefake house. prequel to the popular television ways, but is relishing the new For Monroe-Henderson, who series. adventure while he awaits the reattended elementary school in After graduation, big projects lease of his next project, Master Lafayette and graduated from would follow. “Master Gardener” P’s crime thriller, “Motion.” Baton Rouge Magnet High with Joel Edgerton, followed School, he says he always knew by “The Crossover,” a Disney+ Contact Leslie Cardé at leshis destiny would be film and original production, which led to liecardejournalist@gmail.com.

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Q&A: How a downtown N.O. office building increased its occupancy 3E

Louisiana will need to train workforce to meet big projects like Meta, SpaceX 7E

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

S U N D AY, O C T O B E R 11, 2026

1EN

The Saints organization has been preparing for its historic game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 25 in the Parisian suburbs with a yearlong campaign to cultivate a French fanbase. PROVIDED PHOTOS By NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Louisiana goes to

Paris

Saints executives see game in France as a chance to expand fanbase, while state business leaders forge overseas ties A fan shows off his football cards at the Moose Bar in Paris on March 26.

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Saints star quarterback Tyler Shough and offensive lineman Taliese Fuaga received cheers as they walked into the bar, high-fiving everyone in sight as they settled in to sign autographs. Saints banners hung from the ceiling and fleurde-lis symbols were everywhere. It could’ve been a scene in any New Orleans sports hangout. But this unpretentious spot, called The Moose, just happens to be located a short walk away from the famed Notre-Dame cathedral in downtown Paris. The players’ appearance in March was just one of the many ways the Saints organization has been preparing for its historic game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 25 in the Parisian suburbs. The game will be the NFL’s first in France, and the team’s debut in a country that shares its hometown’s affinity for food, drink and the fleur-de-lis — the symbol of France’s royal past that’s emblazoned on Saints helmets. Since the team officially applied for the rights from the NFL three years ago to market itself to French fans, it has taken on the challenge of cultivating an appreciation for the team and the sport in a country where plenty of people might not know the difference

IDEAS &

INNOVATION

ä See SAINTS, page 2E

French fans, left, welcome Saints players, including quarterback Tyler Shough and tackle Taliese Fuaga, above, at the Moose Bar.

Rising sulfur prices are squeezing U.S. manufacturers suffered and caused subse- cording to U.S. Geological Survey Element plays critical have quent crises along the complex data. Sulfur now costs more than chain. More than 16% of role in agriculture supply sulfur produced globally comes $1,000 per ton, according to farm-

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

Soaring sulfur prices have squeezed fertilizer manufacturers and many other industries as another fallout of the U.S. war with Iran. Sulfur, a bright yellow element with a distinct rotten egg smell, plays a critical role in agriculture as an essential element for plant development. As the war stalls the passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, sulfur exports

from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to farmdoc daily, a website operated by the University of Illinois that provides research and analysis for farmers. Sulfuric acid, a compound of sulfur, hydrogen and oxygen, extends the element’s usage in the production of fertilizer, rubber and mining. It’s the most widely used chemical in the world, rippling the effects of the price hikes with no alternative to take its place. About 90% of sulfur was consumed in the form of sulfuric acid last year, ac-

doc; a year ago it was priced at over $200 a ton. Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain said he’s expecting to see fewer acres of crops planted in the United States as a result of the pressures on the fertilizer industry. Farmers will begin prepping their land for the next harvest very soon and will have to make decisions about how much to plant, he said.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BILL FEIG

Sulfuric acid, a bright yellow a compound of sulfur, hydrogen and oxygen, ä See SULFUR, page 2E plays a critical role in agriculture.

2E n Sunday, October 11, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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Tips to keep companies from charging you more for almost everything Need a ride from the airport home? You better hope it’s not raining. During a recent trip, as I often do, I checked Uber and Lyft fares right after getting off plane. By the Michelle the time I walked to the Singletary rideshare pickup THE COLOR area, prices on both OF MONEy apps had skyrocketed. Rideshare platforms rely on machine learning models that preemptively raise rates in response to weather, crowds or sudden spikes in demand. High-tech markups aren’t limited to travel, of course. I recently wanted to treat my daughter — an overwhelmed public school elementary teacher — to an inperson game for her beloved Baltimore Ravens. After searching for decent lower-bowl seats that didn’t cost as much as a month’s worth of groceries for a family of four, I gave up. Ticket resale algorithms have driven prices so high that attending a sporting event has become unaffordable for many families. Last year, I ordered an electric three-compartment buffet warmer. I wanted a second one because I was hosting a large Christmas dinner, but a few weeks before the party, the online price rose by

53%. I decided to wait until after the new year to buy the additional unit. Instacart ended a technology program last year that used randomized testing for prices that resulted in some customers paying different amounts for the same grocery items ordered from the same store at the same time. Even when you try to cut back your spending, it’s a battle. Just try canceling a subscription. It makes your blood pressure rise. Signing up takes a single click, but trying to leave triggers an obstacle course of retention prompts. Or, you can’t even ﬁgure out how to cancel. Budgeting is becoming more complicated. When prices change by the minute based on algorithms tracking your location, shopping habits or desperation, stretching a dollar becomes a very frustrating exercise not to swear. As retailers increasingly adopt digital price tags, surveillance pricing and complex subscription traps, consumers need a “Shoppers’ Bill of Rights,” according to Groundwork Collaborative, a progressive economic policy and research organization. Groundwork Collaborative argues in a new report that laws written to safeguard consumers in an era of paper price tags and cash registers are failing in a modern economy dominated

by algorithmic dynamic pricing, artificial intelligence and digital tracking. “I think the rights and the protections that consumers have in the retail space have eroded considerably ... and I don’t think our consumer laws have kept up,” Groundwork’s president and chief executive, Lindsay Owens, said in an interview. When prices are constantly fluctuating, it makes it hard to comparison shop, she noted. “If you feel exhausted and embattled when you’re shopping, if you feel like these price tags aren’t random, you’re right,” she said. “They’re rigged and corporate America’s reinvention of the rip-off is taking a toll on shoppers. It’s emptying their wallets and it’s depleting them of another valuable resource: their time.” State leaders are starting to push back against predatory pricing. In April, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, signed landmark legislation making the state the first to ban food retailers and delivery services from using dynamic pricing or customer-surveillance data to inflate prices. “At a time when our people are being squeezed by the cost of everything, especially groceries, Maryland is not just pushing back, but pushing forward,” Moore said about the law. But without federal rules,

consumers will have different levels of protection depending on where they live. State-level efforts to protect consumers are not enough, Owens said. “I don’t think that shoppers should be subjected to gouging as soon as they cross state lines,” she said. “We do need federal standards. I think the 12 different rights outlined in the Shoppers’ Bill of Rights, taken together as a whole, would go a really long way to balancing the scales for shoppers in this country and would save us a lot of time and money.” While Groundwork’s proposal outlines a dozen protections, half target the most egregious hightech pricing tricks, from hidden checkout fees to subscription traps. Read the full report to check out all 12. Here’s a look at the first six. n Up-front pricing transparency. At the very first point of contact, businesses should display the full final cost, including all mandatory surcharges, service costs and fees. Shoppers shouldn’t be surprised by hidden add-ons at checkout. n Barring pricing based on your personal data. There should be a ban on businesses using information such as your web browsing history or location to set higher, individualized prices. n Limits on dynamic price spikes. Stores would be restricted from rapidly fluctuating the prices of

everyday goods in response to sudden surges in demand or environmental conditions when supply costs remain unchanged. n Hassle-free subscription cancellation. Ending a recurring subscription or membership must be just as simple and fast as signing up. Multistep retention traps would be prohibited. n Make it easier to fix stuff. Have you ever tried to fix something only to find there’s no replacement part? You suspect that’s by design. This point from the report is right on the money: “Companies restrict the parts, tools, software, and information needed to make repairs, pushing consumers toward expensive manufacturer-authorized service — or forcing them to replace perfectly fixable products altogether.” n That AI bot should work for you. You get a prompt while shopping online that says an AI tool can help you find what you’re looking for at a good price. But what if the AI personal shopping agent is really designed to get you to spend more? It should be clear if the bot is working in your best interest. Navigating prices right now is mystifying, and without stronger consumer protections, corporations will continue to find new ways to gouge everyday shoppers. Email michelle.singletary@washpost.com.

SAINTS

SULFUR

between a quarterback and a Quarter Pounder with cheese. The organization’s leaders hope Louisiana’s historic and cultural ties with France will help overcome unfamiliarity in a place where American football is still far less popular than mainstays soccer, cycling and tennis — and even judo and gymnastics. To make inroads in this new market without breaking the bank, the team is keeping its methods decidedly grassroots: creating flag football leagues, giving away swag at big sporting events, sponsoring watch parties, scheduling player visits, creating social media content and connecting with business leaders and public officials all while trying to land sponsors. Including the cost to play this month’s game, the team expects to spend less than $2 million on its overseas marketing efforts this year. Helping keep those expenses down, the Saints have been getting help from the NFL, which has prioritized global expansion as it strives to boost annual revenue past $25 billion this decade. The league has encouraged its 32 teams to experiment with ways to build their fan bases in nearly two dozen countries as it eyes potential profits from expanded TV broadcast rights, merchandise sales, new advertisers and more. It’s all a long-term play, according to Brett Gosper, the NFL’s head of Europe and Asia-Pacific, that the league is supporting through TV deals. “Everyone is contributing because everyone Gosper shares in the revenue over time,” Gosper said. “The strategy is to build audience engagement in priority markets, and success will be measured in the accumulation of fans and how we monetize that.” For the Saints, the goal is a little more personal. “New Orleans has always had a special connection to France,” said Gayle Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans. “We’re incredibly proud to celebrate that shared hisBenson tory while introducing the spirit of our community to new fans throughout Europe.”

This may lead to shifts in what gets planted: Corn and cotton require more fertilizer than other crops like soybeans and peanuts, Strain said. “The bottom line is that we’re going to have to make more of what we need here at home,” he said. Commodity prices have not risen concurrently with production cost increases, he said, which needs to happen by harvest. “Everyone is working together very hard,” Strain said. “But we’re dealing with a macroeconomic situation that’s going to take some shifts in overall world economics to ﬁx.”

Continued from page 1E

PROVIDED PHOTO By NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

The Saints hosted a flag football event in Paris with help from the Strauss Family Foundation earlier this year.

Last spring, the team hired its first full-time representative in Europe: Jan Woska, a former Czech diplomat who travels to France and other cities regularly from Prague to open doors and try to advance ideas hatched back at the Saints facility. Since staffing up, the team has increased its marketing efforts, Woska which have included giving away limited-edition Saints scarves and other swag at several pro basketball and soccer games, sending Shough and Fuaga to France, and inviting one of France’s biggest basketball stars, Nadir Hifi, to announce one of the Saints’ 2026 draft picks. The team also has participated in multiple “meet the team” media videoconferences, created content for its French-language Instagram account and collaborated with the hosts of a Saints-focused podcast. But Saints officials believe the team’s most impactful activity in France — the “tip of the spear,” in the words of Greg Bensel, a Saints and Pelicans senior vice president — has been creating flag football leagues, clinics and tournaments. They’ve joined other NFL teams in recognizing these programs as a cost-effective way to build momentum in new markets, especially as awareness of the sport has grown ahead of its 2028 Olympic debut. “We all know soccer’s the international game, but football is getting more attention,” said Austin Pasco, the Saints’ Building a fan base from scratch head of youth football development. “I When the NFL launched its Global think flag is the best way to grow that Markets Program in 2022 to encourage because anybody can play.” teams to claim the rights to promote themselves in designated countries, The power of a good party many organizations targeted Mexico A key part of Woska’s job is serving as and Brazil, home to the league’s biggest a liaison between France and Louisiana, fan bases outside the United States. with an eye toward identifying potenGermany and the United Kingdom tial corporate partners and sponsorwere also popular choices because of ships in France. Sometimes that means their familiarity with American foot- bridging cultural gaps, he said. “In August, for instance, not too many ball and their history of hosting games. The Saints chose the less NFL-satu- people work in France, which means I rated France, which is still considered had the delicate task of explaining to a promising market because of its popu- the team that we wouldn’t be making lation, gross domestic product, broad- any deals with French partners until cast TV options and viable stadium, ac- they got back from the beach,” he said. He’s also focused on connecting team cording to Gosper. The team’s recent outreach to the leaders with French executives at incountry dates back to March 2022, person events. When Benson and her entourage when Benson met with France’s ambassador to the U.S. in Washington, D.C., to were guests of honor at a gathering at discuss, among other things, efforts to the U.S. ambassador to France’s house in March, Woska said it “really opened restore the Notre-Dame. The Saints claimed NFL marketing doors to conversations with maybe 10 rights to France a year later and began new companies.” There will be plenty more get-togethmaking more connections overseas, boosted by Benson’s 2025 visit to Prince ers the week before the sold-out Paris Albert II’s palace in Monaco. game, when a massive delegation of

Louisiana business and political leaders descend on Paris and the team strives to meet the NFL’s standards for pregame hype. “The NFL and the host countries expect a week’s worth of activities,” Gosper said. “It all contributes to the perception of these games as mini Super Bowls.” Mindful of this, Bensel was in his ofﬁce at Saints headquarters a few weeks ago rearranging suites at the 80,000seat Stade de France the way a wedding planner moves guests around tables before the reception. “Juggling the invitations and seating charts is a challenge, but it’s a good problem to have,” Bensel said. French President Emmanuel Macron, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno and the executives of major companies — including SpaceX, Meta, Sodexo and Chanel — are among the invitees to various events, along with many members of Louisiana’s federal delegation. Several Louisiana companies are also getting in on the act, traveling to France for the game and sponsoring a business networking event co-produced by the Saints and Louisiana Economic Development. French companies, meanwhile, are sponsoring VIP experiences for clients surrounding the game. American Express is sponsoring the game itself through a deal with the NFL. Woska said all that activity will boost the Saints’ visibility in France, especially because of the game’s live broadcast on state-owned television. “The challenge for us will be to keep the momentum going in France when the game is over,” he said.

Flag football in St. Peter’s Square? Even as Saints executives prepare for the Paris game, they’re turning their attention to a new opportunity: building a fan base in Italy after the team joined the Cleveland Browns in claiming the marketing rights there earlier this year. In March, Benson and Bensel took their case all the way to the top when they met Pope Leo XIV in his private ofﬁce at the Vatican and discussed, among other things, the idea of launching a Saints-branded ﬂag football league that would play games in St. Peter’s Square. Bensel said the Pontifical North American College and the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See are fans of the idea, and although he didn’t “offer to referee,” the pope didn’t shoot it down. “He already has a custom Saints jersey,” said Woska. “So, I think we’re getting there.” Email Rich Collins at rich.collins@ theadvocate.com.

A threat to food security Louisiana and Texas are the largest producers of elemental sulfur in the United States, producing more than half of the U.S. supply. But the country imports 20% to 30% of sulfur used since demand outpaces domestic production. The United States gets the largest share of its imported sulfur from Canada and prices could be impacted by the Trump administration-imposed tariffs on the country. The element used to be mined — large deposits gave the Calcasieu Parish city of Sulphur its name — but now the element is recovered as a byproduct of oil refining and natural gas purification, intertwining the energy sector in the supply chain. Mosaic Co., a Tampa, Florida-based fertilizer company, announced in late August it would lay off more than 200 employees at its two St. James Parish facilities due to financial pressures from sulfur prices. The company has also reduced production in its Florida and Brazil facilities. Ron Yasurek, vice president of Mosaic’s North America phosphate operations, sent out a letter to leaders in the Gulf Coast energy sector last month to “sound the alarm” as sulfur supply and prices threaten food and fuel. “What hurts American phosphate, hurts the American farmer, costs American families, and threatens the very producers of our oil and gas,” Yasurek stated in the letter. Mosaic contributes $530 million annually to Louisiana suppliers, according to a letter from state Sen. Ed Price, D-Gonzales Democrat, and state Rep. Ken Brass, D-Vacherie, to Gov. Jeff Landry. The two penned the letter to request federal support for the domestic production

and use of sulfur. Members of Congress have penned letters to the White House stating that the high sulfur prices can threaten national food security. One potential solution suggested in the letter was using the Defense Production Act, which in part allows the president to authorize financial incentives for companies to increase domestic production of a product. “Losing domestic fertilizer production would increase our reliance on foreign sources for an essential agricultural input at a time when Republicans in Congress are working with your Administration to bolster domestic manufacturing and strengthen American supply chains,” the letter states. “Market forces alone cannot resolve this challenge quickly enough,” said U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, a Florida Republican who serves as vice chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. South Louisiana industry has already moved forward with projects to expand fertilizer production, including a $3.7 billion ammonia plant in Ascension Parish and a $450 million phosphorus fertilizer plant in Jefferson Parish, both intended to reduce reliance on fertilizer imports. “Their main issue is they’ve got to get the supply of sulfur too,” Strain said.

Mining impacts Prior to the war, sulfur prices were already climbing due to a high demand for the element, largely stemming from the copper mining industry, said Gene Shiels, director of investor relations for sulfuric acid producer Ecovyst. The company has plants in Baton Rouge and Waggaman, which formerly belonged to Jefferson Parish-based Cornerstone Chemical. Ecovyst acquired the company’s sulfuric acid assets last year in response to the increased demand of the product. Copper mining is a hot industry in the southwest United States, largely to supply industrial manufacturers. Sulfuric acid is used to break down rock and access the copper. Ecovyst has increased its sale price proportionate to sulfur price increases. Nobody likes a price increase, Shiels said, but there is no alternative chemical to sulfuric acid. For the mining industry, overall operational costs are so high that sulfur price increases don’t have as much of an impact, he said. “Nobody likes high prices, but it’s fortunate that the copper price is just kind of getting lost in the mix for the mining customers,” he said.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 11, 2026 n 3E

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

“I think New Orleans is steady. ... It’s stable. It’s not great. It’s not bad.”

How an office space manager increased occupancy BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

When Monroe investors Joseph Hakim and Eddie Hakim purchased the former Amoco building at 1340 Poydras St. in 2013, the 1970s-era high-rise was in bankruptcy and it was less than 50% occupied. The brothers put Joseph Hakim’s son-in-law Jeff Lahasky, then 27, in charge of managing the property and turning it around. Today, the building is more than 80% occupied and the Hakims’ North American Land Development has gone on to purchase two more skyscrapers on Poydras Street, giving them nearly 1.5 million square feet of downtown office space — with Lahasky at the helm. Lahasky is a New Iberia native and LSU graduate who broke into commercial real estate in New Orleans in 2010 after working in Atlanta for a couple of years after college. In the years since, Lahasky Investment Group has been involved in the acquisition, development and management of multifamily, office, retail and industrial properties throughout the Gulf South — including the three Poydras Street buildings he oversees for his wife’s family. In this week’s Talking Business, Lahasky discusses why the family got involved in New Orleans’ downtown office market and where he sees it heading. Interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q&A WITH JEFF LAHASKy PRESIDENT OF LAHASKy INVESTMENT GROUP knew I was on-site if they needed anything. Then, we made capital improvements because it was very dated. We didn’t spend a ton, but we made it appear a lot nicer. And we kept the rents low so we could market it as a Poydras Street address with affordable lease rates of around $14.50 a square foot. Then, a sprinkler broke and flooded the common areas, so we were able to update those, and we kept chipping away at it from there. By the end of 2024, we were at more than 80%. Fast forward to 2024 and the DXC building at 1615 Poydras was up for sale. This was still a world recoverPROVIDED PHOTO By JILL CHAZE ing from the pandemic. Why buy another office building? Jeff Lahasky is president of Lahasky Investment Group, My investment business which manages property for North American Land had continued to expand Development, his father-in-law, Joseph Hakim’s real estate and grow, Orleans Tower company. had continued to do well, and the Hakim family had Orleans that was in bankcapital that had accumuWhat interested y’all in 1340 Poydras St. in 2013? lated. ruptcy. I was doing real estate on They wanted to expand. He said they were inmy own, flipping houses, So, when someone reached terested if I would do it spec construction and out and asked us if we’d be with them and handle investing in multifamily, interested in 1615, we deeverything. So, we bought but I wanted to do bigger it. Not long after, we lost cided to make a play for it. projects and had told my McDermott, one of our star The model had worked father-in-law that I’d love to tenants. That put our occuacross the street. We partner with them. thought, if we could do it pancy at 46%. He and his brother had a once, we could do it twice. How did you turn it around? successful company (that Has it worked? The strategy from the makes baby products) and It has. When we initially beginning was to remarket were doing real estate on got it, there were two tenit with a new leasing team the side, mostly in Monroe. and a new name, Orleans ants who were dark, meanOne day, Joseph called Tower. I gave myself the ti- ing they were still paying and said someone had tle of “local asset manager,” rent but were not physipitched them on buying put an office in the building cally in the building. So, an office property in New and made sure the tenants when their leases were up,

they left and the revenue dropped. At the same time, we did a lease with the NOPD, which took 70,000 square feet. That turned out to be a really good deal for them and for us. And in the last four months, we’ve done a 9,000-square-foot deal with a federal contractor and two law ﬁrms, totaling 6,000 square feet. We’re also working on putting a new food vendor in. Occupancy is still not great — probably around 60%. But we’re continuing to chip away. Then earlier this year, y’all bought 400 Poydras St. Why? We knew that the debt on 400 had matured, and though we knew it would be a lot more expensive than the other two, it was 80% occupied in a great location, next to the Warehouse District. My thought was that it had very good leasing demand and it would remain high. It was tricky to put together but we came up with a deal everyone was happy with. We’ve lost some tenants but also gained new ones. And we’ve focused on shoring up the rent rolls. It’s doing well. So your leasing strategy for each of the three is different? Yes. We market Orleans Tower as a Class A building at B prices. We position DXC (1615) at the lower end of the Class A pricing but really push the egress — you can get in and out super fast and easy and

we have also have nearby garages; 400 Poydras is priced more in line with other high-end buildings like Place St. Charles and Energy Centre. What is your take on the health of the office market overall? I think New Orleans is steady. In some of the smaller markets where we have property, there is no demand. Dallas, where we also have properties, is the other end of the spectrum. Demand is very high. New Orleans is somewhere in between. It’s stable. It’s not great. It’s not bad. Hancock Whitney is a big tower that is going to have a lot of occupancy when Shell moves out next year — and its owner is in default on their debt. Might y’all buy it? I would think probably not. It has challenges. It’s got great tenants, but a building of that size really has high operating costs. I would love to see some sort of conversion there — maybe half becomes condos or a hotel. Maybe there is a data center play. What is next for North American Land Development and Lahasky Investment? We have three downtown buildings. That’s a pretty large concentration. You need to diversify. So, for our risk proﬁle, we’re not going to chase something. If there is a deal that comes to us and we think it is the right property, we might consider it but we are not actively trying to buy another ofﬁce building in New Orleans at this time. Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate.com.

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4E n Sunday, October 11, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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AROUND THE REGION

Shreveport staffing firm: AI already changing job market BY LIZ SWAINE Staff writer

In May, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas found that 66% of the businesses it surveyed were using artificial intelligence; 26% more than two years earlier. The Fed said that is good and bad, because AI increases worker productivity, but it may also reduce the demand for certain types of labor. Greg Procell, vice president and general manager of the local Manpower staffing office, said he is seeing the AI impact firsthand. “Where we used to have production line workers all over the place, now, it’s being done by machines,” said Procell. He said he believes the quick adoption of AI has been influenced by the difficulty in finding people to fill the jobs. Production line work is generally routine, repetitive and standardized, as well as jobs such as insurance claims processing, basic accounting and bookkeeping, medical billing and coding, civil land survey drafting and paralegal work. “Entry operators, anything to do with just pure worksheets, spreadsheets … those type of positions have decreased in our area quite a bit,” he said. Procell has been part of the Dallas Fed’s business outlook committee since 1995 and shares what he sees in the local job market every six weeks. One of the Fed findings is that recent college graduates in Texas have been unable to find jobs in their field of study and it has prompted current students to change their educational decisions. Procell said he has also been encouraging students to reconsider their educational plans. “We tell them they need to expand their field, because those type of jobs, almost guaranteed in three to five years, there’s not going to be a need for them. We try to coach them into going into broader things, for their own sake,” he said. According to Fed data, job post-

STAFF FILE PHOTO By LIZ SWAINE

An Amazon associate feeds packages onto a conveyor. The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas recently found that 66% of businesses are now using artificial intelligence, noting that AI increases worker productivity but also reduces the demand for certain types of labor like production line work. ings in “more exposed positions” fell by 8% in the ﬁrst quarter of 2025. The Fed’s May 2026 Business Outlook Survey reported a list of tasks and jobs that manufacturing and service sector businesses were replacing with AI. On the flip side, Procell said there are trades and skills that are in big demand and should continue to be. Recent college graduates are the most exposed to the shift in skills. “Because the types of jobs posted online typically require little prior work experience, a decline in

job postings is likely to disproportionately affect new labor market entrants,” concluded the Fed. There is also the issue of changing demographics. “As the baby boomers start to leave the workforce, which is a great deal of people, and the younger folks start to come in, the numbers just aren’t there (to ﬁll the jobs). So companies do have to modernize their techniques and what they do,” Procell said. That could encourage or speed the adoption of AI. He said businesses are also hav-

ing to deal with the reality that younger job seekers want more flexibility. He said the four-day workweek is becoming more common, even in the worldwide Manpower group. Shreveport’s Frymaster has also made a change to accommodate. The Line Avenue manufacturer, which makes deep fryers used by restaurant chains such as Taco Bell, Popeyes and Raising Cane’s, is pushing the start of their 5 a.m. shift to 6 a.m., said Director of Operations Kathryn Childs. That helps younger workers who were having

a hard time getting to work on time. “Our skilled workforce is still going to maintain the 5 a.m. start time though,” she said. Procell said some younger workers have also opted out of more traditional jobs completely and have found ways to make money on the internet. “Things are changing, the mindset, and we’re not going to change it. It’s going farther and farther in that direction,” he said. Email Liz Swaine at liz.swaine@ theadvocate.com.

LOOKING BEYOND:

Jones Walker on Representing Louisiana’s Construction Industry Leaders Pt. I

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ECONOMY

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 11, 2026 n 5E

Jewelers manage fallout as market booms for lab-grown diamond BY TIM GRANT

couples choosing lab-grown diamonds has increased 239%, according to The Knot. The shift to lab-grown diamonds Walk into Henne Jewelers in is also shown in the size of the Pittsburgh and you won’t see a rocks. single lab-grown diamond. One Pittsburgh bridal shop ownThey aren’t displayed in the showcases. They aren’t adverer, who asked not to be identified due to the risk of offending clitised. And owner John Henne won’t recommend them to cusents, said the size of some engagetomers. ment rings worn by young women But if you really want one, have become impossible to miss. Henne will sell it to you — be“I’ve noticed very large stones on very young ladies, and I woncause in recent years, he started keeping a stash of them in the der — how?” she said. back room. For many brides, there’s no Lab-grown diamonds have bereason to announce that the enorcome so popular in the past 10 mous diamond on her finger is years that even fine jewelers like lab-grown. The couple know. The Henne have little choice but to jeweler knows. And nobody else make them available — even if has to. they prefer not to sell them. However, not every couple sees “We have chosen to provide the it that way. service of selling lab-grown diaSome deliberately choose labgrown diamonds because they monds to customers who have dedon’t want to support the cided that’s what they want to do,” Henne said. “The working-class consumer, like the unethical and environmenIt’s a sign of how dramaticoncerns that have been Target and Walmart shoppers, they just tal associated with some natural cally the diamond business has changed in recent years. want the sparkle. They just want the rock diamond-mining operations, — whether it’s natural or lab-grown.” including a history of conThe popularity of labgrown diamonds has disflict, violence, exploitation PAUL BIEKER, owner of GeekJewelry.com of mine workers, dangerous rupted the economics of the working conditions and envinatural diamond industry And even that $400 price is a ronmental damage. For those couby hurting the demand for natural diamonds, pushing their pric- fraction of what lab-grown dia- ples, buying a lab-grown diamond es lower and forcing jewelers to monds cost just five years ago, is a deliberate choice that reflects adapt to lab-grown stones in order when they typically sold for their values. Paul Bieker, owner of GeekJewto survive. about half the price of a natural Unlike imitation stones such diamond. elry.com, estimates that labas cubic zirconia, lab-grown diaThe plunge in price has made grown jewelry now accounts for monds have the same chemical lab-grown diamonds even more of about half of his business. “The working-class consumer, and physical properties as natural a no-brainer for consumers who care about appearance and price. like the Target and Walmart shopdiamonds. The bridal industry has the pers, they just want the sparkle,” However, they are produced in high-tech laboratories instead of numbers to prove just how quick- Bieker said. “They just want the being mined from the Earth. ly those consumers are changing rock — whether it’s natural or labAnd nobody wants lab-grown di- the diamond market. The Knot’s grown.” And once shoppers understand amonds more than young couples 2026 Real Weddings Study of shopping for engagement rings, 10,474 U.S. couples married in how little they have to spend to 2025 found that 61% chose a lab- get that bling, Bieker said the sellers say. For a generation of brides and grown diamond for their engage- math becomes difficult to argue with — especially when the more grooms who want the biggest pos- ment ring. More than half — 52% — of cou- expensive product doesn’t look sible stones without spending a fortune, lab-grown diamonds of- ples chose a lab-grown diamond any different to the naked eye. Bieker’s argument for labfer an irresistible proposition — in 2024. Since 2020, the share of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)

they are virtually indistinguishable from natural stones and are sold at a fraction of the price. Ira Helfer, owner of David Helfer Jewelry in Pittsburgh, estimates that roughly 90% of the diamonds that he works with today as a manufacturer of custom jewelry are lab-grown. His family has been in the jewelry business for 90 years. “Last night, I delivered a ring where the stone was maybe $2,000,” Helfer said. “It was a fairly big stone. If it had been natural, it would have been maybe $40,000 or $50,000.” In short, the economics of the diamond business have been turned upside down. While a 1-carat natural diamond can cost anywhere from $4,000 to $7,000, depending on its quality, a comparable lab-grown diamond can cost roughly $400.

TNS PHOTO By JESSICA GRIFFIN/THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

At Philadelphia’s L. Priori Jewelry, a pear-shaped lab diamond, left, and an oval-shaped natural diamond, right, are on display. With the emergency of significantly cheaper lab-grown diamonds, the economics of the diamond business have been turned upside down. grown gets even more pointed when he talks about what happens after a diamond leaves the jewelry store. “Imagine spending $5,000 on a natural diamond,” he said. “You’re very proud of yourself. But things don’t work out. You’re sad. You decide to sell the ring. They’re going to offer you $2,000, if you’re lucky.” That’s a $3,000 loss. “In the same scenario, if you spent $1,500 on a lab-grown, you can sell it on eBay or wherever, for $400 and at least get a couple of bucks back,” Bieker said. “Or, you can throw it in the freaking river — you’re still up.” Henne belongs to the camp that believes the economic value of lab-grown diamonds will eventually fall to zero. “We’ve been in business 139 years, and we’ve had the privilege of seeing people bring in their grandmother’s diamond, and they get to reuse it and put that in

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their engagement ring and carry all the sentimental value and the heritage of their family along,” Henne said. “Whereas 50 years from now, people aren’t going to be resetting a lab-grown diamond of their grandmother, because it will have absolutely no value.” Henne isn’t suggesting people should think of diamonds the way they think of stocks or mutual funds. Its value is something harder to put on a balance sheet. “It’s something of value that you get to enjoy,” he said. “The value goes beyond monetary. It’s sentimental. It’s heritage.” He offered a comparison that is personal to him. “I’m wearing my father’s watch,” Henne said. “Today, I have a nice watch collection. But someone asked me recently, ‘What’s your favorite watch?’ There’s no question. It’s my dad’s watch. That’s my favorite because of the sentimental value and the legacy.”

6E ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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PEOPLE IN BUSINESS Staff report

senior roles with Ochsner Economic Development AlHealth and St. Thomas Com- liance. South Louisiana businesses munity Health Center, has Shane LaCombe has been and nonprofit groups recent- become chief financial ofhired as vice president, ly announced the following ficer. commercial promotions, new hires and banker at JD resignations. Chris Eldredge has been proBank. moted to vice president of Baton Rouge LaCombe, Medicare strategy and opwho previOpen Health Care Clinic erations for Louisiana Blue. announced Eldredge, a 10-year veterously worked the hiring of an of the health insurer, was as senior two senior previously its director of enlending ofexecutives. terprise strategic portfolio LaCombe ficer for Jennifer Levy, management. Plaquemine who worked Bank, will be based at JD as Open Jacob Cheatwood has been Bank’s Baton Rouge branch. H e a l t h ’ s hired as the project mannursing diKyle Mason was made a partager for AsLevy rector becension Eco- ner with EisnerAmper. Mason leads the firm’s fore overnomic Deseeing spev e l o p m e n t legal industry group, was Corporation. previously a principal at cialty clinics Cheatwood Postlethwaite & Netterville, at Woman’s previously which was acquired by EisHospital, worked as nerAmper in 2023. has become vice presichief operat- Cheatwood Jallans ing officer. dent of mar- New Orleans Jeremy Jal- keting and communications Parker Smith has rejoined the lans, who has previously held for the Southwest Louisiana firm Stone Pigman Walther

Fool’s Take: General Mills for dividend income

General Mills (NYSE: GIS) is home to Annie’s, Betty Crocker, Cheerios, Gold Medal, Green Giant, Larabar, Nature Valley, Old El Paso, Progresso and Wheaties — among many other brands. Motley It’s also a dividendFool paying stock, with a huge recent dividend yield of 7.7%. Like its peers, General Mills is facing declining sales and profits. Consumers are stretched thin, and packaged food companies are having difficulty passing along rising costs to them. Consumers are also shifting their preferences toward healthier and not-processed items. But General Mills has a strong brand portfolio with an emphasis on breakfast meals and snacks, so it should be better positioned than other packaged food companies. And the stock seems dirt cheap, with a recent forward-looking price-to-earnings ratio of 10, well below its five-year average of 15. General Mills’ net sales in-

Wi t t m a n n , where he began his legal career a decade ago. More recently, he was general Wild Smith counsel and chief technology officer for Consolidated Management Resources and founded his own company, CoreServe Legal, to advise businesses on issues of artificial intelligence, technology and intellectual property. Countiss Brett Long has been hired as chief financial officer of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Long Long, who previously served as the CFO of Jesuit High School, succeeds Dirk Wild, who was

Here’s an example (with a little math involved, though it’s only averaging and division): Consider Coca-Cola’s numbers for 2025. Its net income for the year, found on its income statement, was $13.1 billion. Its total assets, found on the balance sheet, were $104.8 billion at the end of 2025 and $100.5 billion at the end of 2024. Average those two and you’ll get $102.7 billion. Divide $13.1 billion by $102.7 billion, and you’ll get 0.128, or 12.8%. That’s Coca-Cola’s ROA for 2025, and it means that the company was generating nearly $0.13 in profits from each dollar of its assets in 2025. The math isn’t hard, but you probably don’t even have to do As you become a more expeit because you can find ROAs rienced investor, you may want calculated for you at sites that ofto learn about measures that can help you evaluate companies. A fer financial data for companies, fine example is return on assets. such as Finance.Yahoo.com and A company’s ROA shows how Morningstar.com. Once you have a efficiently it’s using its assets to company’s ROA, you can compare generate profits. The figure is it to those of competitors and to its calculated by dividing net income own past numbers to see whether for a certain period (often the last it’s using its assets more or less quarter or year) by the average productively. total assets over that period. Then Note that ROAs will differ by the result is multiplied by 100 and industry, too. Capital-intensive expressed as a percentage. In gen- businesses such as railroads, maneral, the higher the ROA, the better. ufacturers and utilities have lower creased 1% to $4.6 billion in its fiscal 2026 fourth quarter (which ended May 31). Its adjusted earnings per share, boosted by stock buybacks, surged 27% to $0.95. To win more sales, General Mills plans to create new products catering to health-conscious shoppers. It also intends to slash costs by $750 million in fiscal 2027 and a total of $3 billion by fiscal 2030. General Mills could take years to return to meaningful growth, but it’s offering generous dividend income while you wait.

Fool’s School: Return on assets, explained

Y’all see Jan Risher’s new story?

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promoted to secretary of administration for the archdiocese. Christopher Countiss, who previously worked as accounting director, has been appointed director of the archdiocese’s risk management and insurance ofﬁce.

James Wiltenmuth was promoted to partner at EisnerAmper. Wiltenmuth previously worked as an associate diHancock Whitney an- rector at the full-service acnounced the appointment of counting and advisory ﬁrm 19 members to its Commu- Postlethwaite & Netterville, nity Development Advisory which was acquired by EisCouncil, seven of whom are nerAmper in 2023. based in Louisiana. They include: Mayra Pineda, Do you have personnel president and CEO of the changes to share or other Louisiana Hispanic Cham- ideas for our business ber of Commerce; Calvin coverage? Drop us a line at Mackie, CEO and founder of biztips@theadvocate.com.

numbers, often in the 2% to 10% range, while asset-light businesses such as software companies, consultancies and franchisers tend to have higher ROAs, sometimes topping 10%. Like many measures, a company’s ROA alone is not enough to base an investment decision on. Always assess a range of numbers, such as cash and debt levels, proﬁt margins and growth rates.

Ask the Fool: Board duties What does a board of directors do? — K.W., Zachary The job of a public company’s board of directors (which is elected by shareholders) is to oversee the company’s leadership and long-term strategy. Board members may be company insiders or outsiders, and they are typically charged with making decisions in the best interest of the company and its shareholders. The kinds of things a board may do include authorizing dividends and share buybacks; approving the company’s capital allocation (how it ﬁnances its operations to maximize proﬁts); recruiting,

guiding and setting compensation for top executives; and planning for leadership succession. I see that bond yields are rising.What does that mean? — J.B.,Albuquerque, New Mexico Yields (return on investment) for government and other types of bonds can rise due to interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. They can also rise when many investors sell bonds, perhaps due to concerns about high levels of inﬂation and government debt. Both the war with Iran and America’s hefty debt — which recently hit a record high of $40 trillion — are contributing to shrinking consumer conﬁdence, and that can lead investors to demand higher yields from bonds. Yields had already been rising when the Fed hiked interest rates by 0.25 of a percentage point in mid-September, and another boost is widely expected before the end of the year. A key takeaway here is that rising yields and interest rates will help those who are saving money — while making it more costly for people and companies to borrow money. It can also hurt the stock market and other investments when bonds become more attractive due to higher yields.

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STEMNOLA; David Francis, executive director of Verite News; Heather Blanchard, president and CEO of United Way of Acadiana; Helena Cunningham, CEO and founder of National Housing Consulting Services; Judy Reese Morse, president and CEO of the Urban League of Louisiana; and Nicole Barnes, executive director of Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 11, 2026 n 7E

BY THE NUMBERS

Is Louisiana training workers for jobs of the future? BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

Louisiana employment projections 2024-2034 Every large region, except New Orleans, is expected to add jobs

Louisiana’s job growth is at its healthiest in years, with the state projected to add nearly 60,000 new jobs across all but one of its eight regions between now and 2034, according to new research from Louisiana Works. What’s more, programs to train the workforce of the future are broadly aligned with the sectors expected to grow in the coming years, the agency found. Louisiana Works, formerly known as the Louisiana Workforce Commission, evaluated which industries are expected to create new jobs, what those jobs will be and where they will be located over the 10 years ending in 2034. Then, the agency compared the number of degrees and certificates issued during the prior decade with the number of jobs expected to be created over the next one. Jake Polansky, executive director of workforce intelligence for Louisiana Works, said programs in some fields are nearly training enough skilled workers to meet the number of projected openings. “What was good news, when we looked at the data, is that the number of credentials awarded has scaled up and accelerated significantly in recent years,” Polansky said last month at a labor market briefing. But some skilled trades training programs are still falling short, with about 10 times as many projected carpenter jobs as credentialed ones. And it remains to be seen if the state can train enough skilled workers to fill the jobs expected to be created

20,928

11,354

9,362

6,953 -2,253

Baton Rouge

Lake Charles

Shreveport

Lafayette

Source: Louisiana Works, Office of Research and Statistics

New Orleans Staff graphic

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

A video presentation gives the audience a view of the SpaceX ‘Starbase Louisiana’ facility by planned megaprojects age population that peaked planned near Pecan Island. With the announcement of major projects, the state is now such as the SpaceX space- in 2015. tasked with training skilled workers to fill the jobs expected to be created. port and new data centers in north Louisiana. “We are going to have a lot of open jobs,” Polansky said. “We’re talking 10,000-20,000 total openings for some of these top jobs over the next decade.”

Growth in most areas Overall, the findings are good news for most of the state. The Baton Rouge region is projected to lead the way, adding nearly 21,000 new jobs in the coming years, accounting for more than a third of all job growth in the state. The forecast anticipates more than 11,300 new jobs in the Lake Charles region and more than 9,300 in greater Shreveport-Bossier. The greater New Orleans region, on the other hand, is projected to lose more than 2,000 jobs in the coming years — the only one of the eight regions in the state where a net loss is forecast. Polansky said a key factor responsible for New Orleans’ plight is a working-

“It’s tough to have a region with growing jobs if your population is not growing,” Polansky said. Polansky said it is important to note that while the job projections do account for signiﬁcant construction jobs associated with the Meta Hyperion data center in Richland Parish, they do not fully incorporate the effects of the $250 billion in projects announced since Gov. Jeff Landry took ofﬁce in 2024.

Industry by industry To come up with the estimates of future job growth, LA Works’ Office of Research and Statistics first built out industrywide projections. It found the top ﬁve fastest-growing sectors will be: healthcare and social assistance, in need of 19,027 workers; accommodation and food services (11,387); professional, scientiﬁc and technical services (10,927); construction (9,235) and manufacturing (7,760).

Then, researchers used those totals to work out how many of those jobs will fall into each occupation — how many of the new healthcare industry jobs will be doctors, how many will be nurses, and how many will be accountants or other occupations. Statewide, about twice as many home healthcare jobs will be created as the next fastest-growing occupation, construction laborers, according to the projections, which mirror national trends. State researchers also wanted to ﬁgure out whether Louisiana’s training programs were aligned with the job openings of the future. To determine how the demand for skilled workers aligned with the credentials awarded in recent years, they compared the last decade of data from the Louisiana Board of Regents system that tracks degrees and credentials across pub-

lic higher education institutions. “I was pleasantly surprised,” Polansky said. “It was really reassuring to see that when you look at a lot of those top credential-awarding programs, it’s pretty aligned with a lot of the top jobs that we see.” Some credential programs for skilled trades have revved up to meet demand since the pandemic. Over the past ﬁve years, the number of electrician credentials rose by 82% and the number of HVAC technician credentials by 87% compared to the ﬁve years prior. But some trades have not scaled up fast enough. Nearly 10,000 new carpenter jobs are projected to open up through 2034, but there have been about 100 or fewer new carpentry credentials issued annually for the past decade, according to Polansky. There are also some questions that the graduation numbers can’t answer —

including how many of the newly credentialed workers have decamped for another state. “There’s no clear-cut answer to know how many nursing students graduated from a nursing program in Baton Rouge and how many stayed within the Baton Rouge region, versus going to Lafayette or Shreveport or Houston or Dallas or another region altogether,” Polansky said. Nevertheless, some of the most recent statewide job numbers are also the most encouraging. Only three states had a higher job growth rate during the second quarter of this year, with Louisiana’s driven by increases in the construction, manufacturing, professional services, healthcare and hospitality sectors. Email Jonah Meadows at jonah.meadows@theadvocate.com.

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Public Notices Sex Offenders

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

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t i r Esp ançais Fr Louisiana places to enjoy French culture and cuisine Mississippi's coastal fun + historic attractions throughout the state October-December Louisiana event guide Tips for holiday travel RV rentals vs. hotels: ﬁnding the right accommodations

Can’t travel to see the Saints in Paris? Here’s how to ﬁnd

Sunday, October 25, 2026

Stade de France, Paris

SAINTS IN PARIS

A TASTE OF FRANCE

across Louisiana By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

or the ﬁrst time in nearly 20 years, travelers are able to ride daily trains along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Amtrak Mardi Gras Service operates twice daily in each direction, with morning and evening departures from New Orleans and Mobile. Along the way, the trains stop in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula. French inﬂuence has shaped Louisiana for centuries, leaving its mark on the state’s language, architecture, food and traditions. Louisiana French and Creole remain part of the state’s living cultural heritage, and many organizations continue efforts to promote French language and culture. So, if you can’t make it to see the Saints take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Stade de France on October 25, these Louisiana destinations offer the chance to experience that connection close to home.

Explore New Orleans’ French Quarter

Start with one of Louisiana’s most recognizable destinations. A walk through the French Quarter offers a chance to experience centuries of history through architecture, courtyards, restaurants and public spaces. Make Jackson Square part of the itinerary, then visit The Historic New Orleans Collection on Royal Street for a deeper look at the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South.

Spend a day in St. Martinville

Sometimes called “Le Petit Paris,” St. Martinville offers several stops within a small area for visitors interested in Louisiana’s Francophone heritage. At Acadian Memorial and Museum, exhibits tell the story of Acadian exiles who settled in Louisiana, with French and English interpretation available. Nearby, visitors can see the Evangeline Oak and St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church, whose history is closely tied to the Acadian community.

Discover Creole history along River Road

At Laura Plantation: Louisiana's Créole Heritage Site in Vacherie, guided tours explore the history of a Creole sugar plantation through architecture, family stories and the documented experiences of enslaved people. French-language tours are also offered at select times, adding another dimension for visitors interested in Louisiana’s linguistic heritage.

Connect with Louisiana’s French-speaking community

French in Louisiana isn’t simply a piece of the past. The language remains part of communities across the state, and CODOFIL promotes opportunities to use it through French Tables, festivals, education and other cultural programs. Louisiana currently has 36 French immersion schools serving more than 5,500 students, according to CODOFIL.

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Planning a holiday trip? These tips can reduce stress and make the journey easier

y a d i l Ho p Tips Tri

oliday travel can bring excitement, but crowded airports, busy highways and packed schedules can also make it challenging. Whether you’re ﬂying across the country, driving a few hours to visit relatives or planning a long holiday getaway, preparation can make the journey easier. Building ﬂexibility into an itinerary, packing strategically and planning for delays can help you spend less time worrying about logistics and more time enjoying the holidays.

Give yourself more time Travelers heading to an airport should allow extra time for traffic, parking, security and getting to the gate. Those driving should consider where they may encounter congestion and avoid scheduling arrival times so tightly that a minor delay disrupts the day. When possible, flexibility can make a major difference. Traveling a day or two outside the busiest periods or choosing an earlier flight may provide additional options.

Book early, but compare the full cost Holiday demand can put pressure on flights, hotels and rental cars, particularly around popular travel dates. Making reservations early can give you more choices in departure times, accommodations and seating. Price, however, is only one factor to consider. A cheaper flight with a long layover or inconvenient departure time may not be the best value. When comparing options, consider baggage fees, airport parking, transportation and other expenses that can raise the total cost. Hotel guests should look for parking or resort fees, while people booking short-term rentals should check cleaning and service charges before making a final decision.

Pack with delays in mind Packing light can simplify holiday travel, particularly for airline passengers who want to avoid checking luggage. But, keep essential items like medication, identification, travel documents, chargers and money close at hand. Airline travelers may also want to pack a change of clothes and basic toiletries in their carry-on. Families traveling with children can benefit from having snacks, entertainment and extra clothes readily available. Prepare the car before a road trip Before leaving, check tires, fluids, lights and windshield wipers, particularly if the trip includes long distances or colder climates. Keep a phone charger, water and basic emergency supplies in the vehicle. Travelers

heading into areas where winter weather is possible should monitor conditions along the entire route. It can also help to identify fuel stops, restaurants and rest areas in advance, especially in unfamiliar or rural areas. Watch the weather Check forecasts several days before departure and continue monitoring conditions as the trip approaches. Airline passengers should watch for notifications from their carrier, while drivers may need to adjust departure times or routes. If severe weather threatens, changing plans earlier may provide more alternatives than waiting until there are cancellations or dangerous road conditions. Make a backup plan Before leaving, know your alternatives. Airline passengers can familiarize themselves with later flights or connecting options, while drivers can identify alternate routes and possible overnight stops. Keep reservation information and important phone numbers easy to access, and make sure phones and devices are charged. Most importantly, leave some breathing room in the itinerary. Holiday travel often comes with unexpected variables, and a little extra flexibility can make a delay easier to manage.

From cozy cottages to luxury homes, Reed Real Estate offers

y t r e p o r P t h g i the R

for every Gulf Coast getaway

or more than 30 years, Reed Real Estate has welcomed vacationers to Alabama’s Gulf Coast with the goal of helping families make lifelong beach memories with relatives of all ages, and even their four-legged companions. Reed Real Estate’s connection to Fort Morgan dates to 1972, when Frank and Lynn Reed built their home on the peninsula. Frank helped neighbors rebuild after Hurricane Frederic in 1979, and that work grew into the business, which opened in 1988. The company remains a multigenerational family operation led by broker Jill Manning. Fort Morgan’s old-fashioned coastal atmosphere and relaxed, pet-friendly vibe make it easy to plan a vacation. Because Gulf Shores is a short drive away, guests can mix quiet beach days with restaurants, shopping and entertainment. Several Reed rentals are Gulf-front homes, ranging from cozy retreats to multi-bedroom properties for larger parties. Travelers can choose homes featuring private pools or hot tubs, elevated

decks, en suite bathrooms and full kitchens. Homes with elevators or ramps are available, as are budget-friendly options. Dozens of Reed properties are pet-friendly. For quieter water views, Reed manages bayfront or lagoon-view properties with access to ﬁshing, kayaking and birdwatching. The company has expanded its upscale offerings through its acquisition of Fort Morgan Property Management, now operating as Fort Morgan Properties by Reed Real Estate. Visit www.gulfrentals.com to learn more.

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i pp i ss i ss i M From coastal fun to historic sites, there’ss something for everyone in there

rom the beaches of the coast to the literary landmarks of Oxford, Mississippi offers destinations for history buffs, music fans, families and travelers looking for a fall getaway. Here are a few places to add to your itinerary.

Enjoy the Gulf Coast

Warm temperatures mean that beach season continues well into the fall. Coastal Mississippi combines miles of shoreline with seafood, museums, outdoor recreation and entertainment. In Gulfport, Mississippi Aquarium showcases more than 200 animal species, making it a great stop for families. Head east to Biloxi to visit the historic Biloxi Lighthouse or learn about the region’s shrimping, ﬁshing, boatbuilding and maritime traditions at the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum. Visitors can also spend a night or two at one of the many casino resorts, which offer gaming, restaurants, pools, live music, spa treatments and resort amenities.

Spend a literary weekend in Oxford

The home of Ole Miss is known for football crowds (and an animosity toward a certain LSU head football coach), but the north Mississippi city offers plenty beyond game day. Literature lovers can tour Rowan Oak, the former home of Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner, before heading downtown to browse Square Books. Oxford’s historic Courthouse Square is surrounded by restaurants, shops and entertainment, making the walkable downtown an easy place to spend a fall afternoon. September through November is among the city’s most popular seasons for visitors.

Step into history in Natchez

Perched above the Mississippi River, Natchez offers historic architecture, cultural attractions and scenic views. Fall is particularly ﬁtting for a visit: the city’s 2026 Fall Pilgrimage runs through Oct. 17, with opportunities to tour historic properties. One of the city’s most distinctive landmarks is Longwood, an octagonal mansion famous for its unﬁnished interior. Travelers can dig deeper into the city’s complex past through Natchez National Historical Park, which interprets stories involving slavery, the cotton economy and the lives of free and enslaved people.

Follow the music to the Mississippi Delta

Mississippi’s inﬂuence on American music is difficult to overstate, and the Delta is the place to explore that legacy. In Cleveland, GRAMMY Museum Mississippi uses interactive exhibits to highlight Mississippi musicians and the state’s contributions to popular music. Travelers can continue to explore blues history in communities such as Clarksdale and Indianola, as well as the Mississippi Blues Trail, one of several heritage trails connecting important people and places across the state.

Explore Civil War history in Vicksburg

Farther north along the Mississippi River, Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the landscape associated with the pivotal 1863 Vicksburg Campaign and Siege of Vicksburg. Visitors can explore monuments, historic earthworks and the Vicksburg National Cemetery. The park is also home to the U.S.S. Cairo Museum, where visitors can see the remains of a Civil War ironclad gunboat and artifacts recovered with it.

Discover the birthplace of Elvis in Tupelo

At the Elvis Presley Birthplace, visitors can tour the two-room house where Elvis was born and explore exhibits about his childhood and early musical inﬂuences. Tupelo is also headquarters for the Natchez Trace Parkway. The scenic 444-mile route runs through Mississippi and into Tennessee, providing plenty of opportunities to pair history and culture with a fall drive.

e v a S F e t a D e th

Your guide to Louisiana’s fall and holiday events rom food festivals and live music to holiday lights and centuries-old traditions, Louisiana’s calendar is packed with reasons to hit the road this fall. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or looking for a quick day trip, communities across the state will celebrate the season nearly every weekend. Here are some special events to add to your calendar.

Oct. 15–18 | Crowley

INTERNATIONAL RICE FESTIVAL

One of Louisiana’s longstanding agricultural celebrations returns to downtown Crowley with parades, music, food and events celebrating the rice industry. Oct. 16–18 | LaPlace

ANDOUILLE FESTIVAL

Celebrate St. John the Baptist Parish’s famous smoked sausage with food, music and entertainment.

Oct. 16–18 | New Orleans

NOLA FUNK FEST

This music festival celebrates Louisiana’s contributions to funk and its broader musical history. Oct. 22–Nov. 1| Baton Rouge

GREATER BATON ROUGE STATE FAIR

The annual fair brings carnival rides, games, food and entertainment to the Capital Region. Oct. 23–25 | Larose

FRENCH FOOD FESTIVAL

Head down the bayou for Cajun specialties, live entertainment and a celebration of the food traditions of Louisiana’s coastal communities.

Oct. 23–25 | Houma

ROUGAROU FEST

Louisiana folklore gets a Halloween twist at this free festival celebrating the legendary Rougarou with costumes, culture, music and family-friendly fun.

Oct. 24–25 | St. Francisville

YELLOW LEAF ART FESTIVAL

Artists and musicians gather in historic St. Francisville for an outdoor celebration of art and creativity.

Oct. 31 | Baton Rouge

LOUISIANA BOOK FESTIVAL

The 22nd annual literary festival takes over downtown Baton Rouge with authors, presentations, performances and activities for readers of all ages. This year’s One Book, One Festival selection is Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire. Oct. 31 | Grand Coteau

SWEET DOUGH PIE FESTIVAL

Celebrate one of Acadiana’s traditional desserts with sweet dough pies, food, arts and crafts and cultural activities. Oct. 31–Nov. 1 |Slidell

NOLA ZYDECO FEST

Heritage Park becomes a celebration of Louisiana Creole culture with zydeco music, dancing, Louisiana food, cultural experiences and family activities.

Nov. 6–8 | Colfax

LOUISIANA PECAN FESTIVAL

The 58th festival celebrates one of Louisiana’s agricultural staples with a parade, live music, contests, carnival activities and more.

Nov. 6–8 | Florien

SABINE FREE STATE FESTIVAL

This western Louisiana festival draws inspirati with reenactments, historical demonstrations, a parade, live music and Western-themed activities.

Nov. 6–8 | Covington

OZONE SONGWRITER FESTIVAL

More than 100 musicians are expected to bring original music to downtown Covington, with performances at the Covington Trailhead and venues around the historic district. Nov. 12–15 | Port Barre

Dec. 3–5 | Alexandria

ALEXWINTERFÊTE

Downtown Alexandria welcomes the holidays with three days of festivities during one of Central Louisiana’s signature seasonal events. Dec. 11–13 | Lutcher

FESTIVAL OF THE BONFIRES

Experience one of the River Parishes’ most distinctive holiday traditions with food, live entertainment, crafts, carnival rides, ﬁreworks and ceremonial bonﬁre lightings.

PORT BARRE CRACKLIN FESTIVAL

The Cajun favorite gets its own celebration in St. Landry Parish during this four-day festival. Nov. 14–15 | Covington

COVINGTON THREE RIVERS ART FESTIVAL

About 200 juried artists transform Columbia Street into an outdoor gallery featuring painting, photography, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, woodworking and other art forms.

Nov. 21–Jan. 6| Natchitoches

NATCHITOCHES FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

Louisiana’s oldest city marks the 100th season of its famous Christmas celebration in 2026. More than 300,000 lights and 100-plus set pieces illuminate the historic district, with ﬁreworks, music and special events scheduled throughout the season. Nov. 27–Jan. 1 | New Orleans

CELEBRATION IN THE OAKS

New Orleans City Park becomes a holiday light destination for its annual Celebration in the Oaks, a tradition dating to the 1980s.

Dec. 1–23 | Lafayette

NOEL ACADIEN AU VILLAGE

Acadian Village transforms for the holidays during this Acadiana tradition, giving visitors a chance to combine Christmas festivities with a glimpse of the region’s Cajun heritage. Dec. 1–30 | Baton Rouge

LOUISIANA LIGHTS

The Burden Museum & Gardens hosts a walk-through holiday light experience throughout December.

Dec. 24 | River Parishes

CHRISTMAS EVE BONFIRES ON THE LEVEE

The season culminates when bonﬁres along the Mississippi River levees are lit at 7 p.m., continuing the regional tradition associated with lighting the way for Papa Noël. Dec. 31 | Baton Rouge

RED STICK REVELRY

Downtown Baton Rouge closes out 2026 with its New Year’s Eve celebration and the midnight lowering of the illuminated Red Stick.

Finding the right accommodations can shape your travel experience

hoosing a destination may be the fun part of planning a vacation, but deciding where to stay can have a big influence on the experience. Hotels, short-term rentals and recreational vehicles each offer different advantages, and the best fit often depends on the length of the trip, number of travelers, desired amenities and how much flexibility a group wants.

Hotels offer convenience and built-in services

Hotels remain an easy choice for travelers who value convenience. Depending on the property, guests may have access to housekeeping, front-desk assistance, pools, fitness centers, restaurants, complimentary breakfast and other services. Hotels can be especially convenient for shorter trips, couples or solo travelers who expect to spend much of their time sightseeing. Locations near downtown districts, attractions or airports can also reduce transportation time. The tradeoff is space. A standard hotel room may feel cramped for families or groups, and eating every meal at restaurants can add to travel costs. Parking, resort fees and other charges may affect the final price, making it important to compare the full cost rather than the advertised nightly rate. Short-term rentals provide more room to spread out For families and larger groups, short-term rentals can offer shared space paired with privacy. A house or condominium may include multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, a kitchen, laundry facilities and living areas where everyone can gather. Kitchens can be particularly useful for families with young children, travelers with dietary needs or groups hoping to prepare some meals themselves. Rentals can also provide a more residential experience, whether that means staying in a neighborhood, booking a beachfront home or finding a secluded mountain cabin. However, travelers should read listings and policies carefully. Cleaning and service fees can raise the total cost, while cancellation policies, check-in procedures and house rules vary by property. Unlike hotels, rentals may not have staff immediately available when something goes wrong.

RVs put ﬂexibility at the center of the trip

RV travel can make it easier to visit several destinations without repeatedly packing and unpacking. Campgrounds may also place travelers close to beaches, state and national parks and other outdoor attractions. Having a kitchen, sleeping space and personal belongings along for the ride can provide a sense of home throughout a longer journey. But RV travel requires additional planning. Travelers need to account for campground reservations, fuel, hookups, parking and vehicle size. Those renting an RV for the first time should also become comfortable operating the vehicle and handling campsite setup. Cost is another consideration, since mileage charges and rental costs can add up. It’s all about finding the right fit Ultimately, no single type of accommodation works best for every vacation. Before booking, travelers should consider not only the nightly price but also space, location, transportation, meals, fees and convenience. The right choice best matches how travelers actually plan to spend their vacation.

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7 STUPID ESTATE PLANNING MISTAKES TO AVOID IN 2026 If you have ever wanted to eliminate worry because you don’t have a program in place to protect your estate and family, without a slew of untimely legal and tax problems, then this will be one of the most important workshops you ever attend. I am going to show you how to bulletproof what you have today, and what you leave your kids tomorrow. You’ll be able to take advantage of my estate planning legal strategies without you or your loved ones having to deal with Succession Courts, long estate settlement delays, Medicaid liens, nursing home poverty, and death tax. But before I do that, let me tell you a story of how we helped Mary.

MARY’S STORY “As a couple with an only child, we thought a Will was all we needed. WRONG! My husband died, and I had to go through Probate - a nightmare, and very costly. It also took over 9 months. I didn’t want our child to go through that, so I gave her an ad to a Poche’ Law Firm workshop, and she and her husband were impressed. They had Laura set up a particular kind of Trust that took care of their estate planning, but what about me? I decided to go to a workshop, and made my appointment. Laura answered all of my questions, and even got my financial advisor in on a conference call. I could not have been more pleased and relieved that my estate plan is now in order. Kudos to Laura and her professional staff. I highly recommend her for all estate planning needs.” Mary, Baton Rouge, LA

IMPORTANT GUIDELINES FOR OUR WORKSHOPS:

Workshops are open to FIRST-TIME ATTENDEES ONLY and are geared towards people who want or need your legal estate plan in place quickly. Please have your personal calendar handy at the workshop so you can choose to start your plan NOW! If married, both spouses must attend a workshop to ensure that all decision-makers are involved in your family’s coordinated plan. All people who attend will receive a FREE copy of the updated 2nd edition of Laura Poche’s Book, “Estate Planning Advice by a Woman for Louisiana Women: A Guide for Both Men and Women About Wills, Trusts, Probate, Powers of Attorney, Medicaid, Living Wills and Taxes.”

CALL 225-224-8099 TO REGISTER! POCHE ESTATE PLANNING LAW FIRM 4960 Bluebonnet Blvd., Suite C, Baton Rouge, LA 70809

DISCOVERy | INNOVATION | LIVING WELL

HEALTH

LOUISIANA

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

S U N D AY, O c t O b e r 11, 2026

The Pink Zombie PAGE 3

Molly Kimball 1N

Flu season is coming. Are you ready?

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Artist Mike Weary and breast cancer survivor Pam Malara smile together with their collaboration for Woman’s Hospital’s annual BUST Breast Cancer fashion fundraiser event in Baton Rouge.

HEADED FOR THE

CATWALK

Woman’s Hospital pairs artists and breast cancer survivors for fashion show BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Every October, the Foundation for Woman’s in Baton Rouge builds a fashion runway. What started as a smaller fashion show for women in 2013 has turned into Woman’s Hospital’s biggest fundraiser of the year, called BUST Breast Cancer. About 10 years ago, the event decided to bring in new models for the show: breast cancer survivors. Between 15 and 20 former patients are selected each year and paired with local Baton Rouge artists, who get them ready to take the catwalk in decorated bras and bedazzled bustiers. This year’s looks were unveiled at BUST Breast Cancer on Oct. 1. Pam Malara, a 63-year-old model in this year’s show, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. She was 39. “For some reason it was really on my mind,” she said. “Just weighing heavily on me.” Malara, who lives in St. Francisville, found a lump in her breast after a friend encouraged her to do a self-exam at home. She thought it was a mosquito bite. Malara had a lumpectomy at Woman’s Hospital shortly after, to determine if it was cancerous. Her husband Joe was waiting next to her hospital bed with pink balloons and a stuffed animal. She knew. She had cancer.

This is a column in a series from Dr. Olivia Ragusa, a primary care physician at Baton Rouge General, sharing insight on a variety of health topics for patients of all ages, including prevention, wellness tips and everyday strategies to help individuals and families stay healthy. It may still feel like summer temperatures, but flu season is already here. Getting a flu shot may be at the Dr. Olivia not top of your Ragusa busy to-do DOCTOR list, but it reSAyS ally is one of the simplest things you can do to protect yourself and the people around you. For most people, September and October are ideal times to get vaccinated. It takes about two weeks for your body to build protection, so getting your shot before flu starts circulating widely gives you a head start. But if you haven’t gotten vaccinated by the end of October, it’s not too late. Flu vaccines can still provide protection later in the season, which can continue into the spring. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that nearly everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine every year, with some exceptions based on age, health history or other medical considerations. That includes healthy adults and children, pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions who may be at higher risk for complications from the flu. For adults 65 and older, certain higher-dose or adjuvanted vaccines are recommended.

Why does this matter?

Artist Mike Weary created armor for breast cancer survivor Pam Malara. “I saw it on his face,” she said. Malara had four rounds of chemotherapy over six months. She lost her hair, but wore the most fabulous wigs, said Joe. The pair, avid travelers and daily runners for over 30 years, did not stop their lives because of her diagnosis. They ran together throughout her therapies and continued their travels — from Switzer-

land to Costa Rica. “She is tough as nails,” he said. “She’s running with no hair and shocking all these poor little old men in the neighborhood going out in their boxers to pick up the morning paper.” Ten years later, they hosted a party to

ä See FASHION, page 2X

Flu isn’t just a bad cold. Many people recover well from the flu, but it can lead to pneumonia, hospitalization and, in some cases, death. Vaccination also helps reduce the chance of spreading flu to people who are more vulnerable to serious illness. One concern we’re seeing is that fewer people are getting vaccinated. CDC data show that last year about 44% of Americans received the flu vaccine, down from 52% in 2021. The pandemic plays a large part in this shift. But, we do know that when fewer people are

ä See FLU, page 3X

ochsner.org/EndCancerBR

2X ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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HEALTH MAKER La. doctor gives advice on getting good sleep Contributing writer

Q&A WITH DR. PRACHI SINGH

Louisianans need more sleep. The National Sleep Foundation’s 2025 Sleep in America Poll found 6 out of every 10 adults aren’t getting enough. In Louisiana, sleep numbers rank as some of the lowest in the country. A United Health Foundation report found that 40% of adults were getting less than seven hours of sleep each night, on average. Dr. Prachi Singh, director of the Sleep and Cardiometabolic Health Labora- Singh tory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, digs into sleep health and Louisiana’s ranking. The following interview has been edited for length and clarity. What are you seeing right now in terms of Louisiana’s sleep landscape? Well, it continues to be bleak, like it is for the rest of the country. You’re probably already aware, we are among the worst when it comes to our kids and high schoolers, and the adults are not far behind. And what do you see as the reasons for this ranking? It’s hard to pinpoint on any one thing because the trends are the same throughout the country. It’s not as if Louisiana is not following the trend. So we have this problem through-

out, Louisiana happens to be more. There could be plenty of reasons why this is happening. One of the issues could be the kind of work we have. Most of the people in Louisiana don’t work the standard 9-to-5 hours. You are talking about healthcare, transportation, or warehousing, or even manufacturing, and all those plants that we have here, which have a shift work schedule. So all these things kind of contribute among adults. What are the negative consequences that come with these poor sleep levels? When it comes to kids, it impacts their academic performance. They are more likely to indulge in unsafe behaviors such as drinking, smoking or illicit drugs. If you’re talking about teenagers — high-schoolers — they are probably going to have more car accidents because they are not sleeping well. Importantly, sleep is known to impact emotional reactivity — that is, how you regulate both positive or negative emotions. This happens with everyone, but it is more robust in children and adolescents, and this potentially then leads to bad behavior in school. That’s just the starting point, and it also im-

BY RACHEL MIPRO

pacts our health. This is not just one self-contained area right? We have a really poor sleep ranking, but then we also have a lot of other really poor health rankings in the state. So do you see this area of sleep kind of impacting other areas of health as well? Most definitely. Poor sleep can lead to obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and a whole lot of things that go along with it. We have done some studies where we looked at what happens when you overeat. So the goal of that whole study was to see how it impacts glucose metabolism if someone were to overeat and increase their body weight by, say, 5%. So you’re talking about like five kilograms of weight gain or mostly fat gain. And we were looking at what happens to the insulin sensitivity, and what we found was that if you had good sleep, you were sleeping seven hours or more, your body is able to adjust and it does not impact your glucose metabolism. But on the other hand, if you had poor sleep, what happens is that your insulin sensitivity really decreases. It might decrease by about 20%. In another study, we found when you have good sleep or competitive sleep, what happened was exercising reduced your cardiovascular risk. It improved your lipid profile. It

GETTy IMAGES PHOTO

The National Sleep Foundation’s 2025 Sleep in America Poll found 6 out of every 10 adults aren’t getting enough. got your glucose levels to be better. It reduced your blood pressure and all the good things that go with physical activity. But if someone participated in similar amounts of physical activity, but did not have good sleep, they got no cardiovascular beneﬁts at all. What should people be doing to start good sleep habits? The ﬁrst thing and the most important thing people can do is to be consistent with their bedtimes. Like, if you go to bed at 10 p.m., try and go to bed at 10 p.m. every day, irrespective of it being a weekday or a weekend. Being consistent is very important. Same thing with naps. Naps are good.

If you need it, take it, but don’t go for more than 30 minutes of nap time. If you do more than 30 minutes, it’s very likely going to impact your nighttime sleep, which is again going to become a problem. Consistency is key. Build a ritual around bedtime, which helps signal your brain and your body that it’s time to sleep. Are there any other trends that stick out to you, or any other areas that you find really interesting and want to highlight? Well, there are a lot of things going on out there, especially when it comes to supplements. I know a lot of people, even in the medical ﬁeld, vouch for them, but honestly, they are not being

tried and tested. When you go out there and get yourself a melatonin gummy, there is no guarantee that if it said it’s 5 mg, that it is actually 5 mg because these are all very unregulated. So you’ll have to be very careful about it. I’m not going to dismiss these supplements completely, but realize that they are for a short term. You cannot use that melatonin over the years to sleep. That’s not the way it’s supposed to be. These are very unreliable substances, and a lot of them don’t have any science behind them. If you try it out, don’t let it be a habit, and remember, they can be harmful too.

HEALTH NOTES

Acadian Companies honors 19 veteran employees BY MARGARET DeLANEY

Staff writer

Acadian Companies, an employee-owned group that specializes in emergency medical services, healthcare, safety and security, welcomed the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs last month to its Lafayette headquarters to honor 19 veteran employees: The 19 Acadian employees recognized during the ceremony were: n Jeremy Angelle — Air National Guard n Eric Bell — U.S. Army n Desiree Benoit — U.S. Army n Thomas Bongarzone — U.S. Navy n George Braneff — U.S. Air Force n Leslie Gravouilla — Army Na-

FASHION

Continued from page 1X celebrate her decade of being cancer-free. “Pink everywhere,” Malara said. “I mean, we kept finding pink feathers for years in the house and yard.” That September, however, Malara’s cancer came back. But the new mammogram machines at Woman’s Hospital found the cancer cells at the earliest stage, stage 0. “The said that they don’t know that they could have caught it any sooner,” she said. Before her first diagnosis, Malara was building her own business as a financial consultant. Everything was focused. The pair never had children, so they focused on their careers and seeing the world together. “Joe would say, ‘Pam, you got to stop and smell the roses.’ And I would say, ‘The roses are always going to be there,’ ” she said. The day she got home from her first diagnosis, she fell asleep for the night on the couch. As she watched the sunrise the next morning, her first thought was “God, please don’t cut my roses.” Malara said. She vowed that she would fight the cancer. “I tell people don’t put

tional Guard n Deirdre Green — U.S. Army n Jude Hebert — Army National Guard n Karen Heilman — U.S. Navy n Allen Jones — U.S. Air Force n Chelsie Kreamer — Army National Guard n Brandy Lane-Gage — U.S. Army n Tashia Levier — U.S. Army n Tiffany Lovell — Army National Guard n Javen Noel — Army National Guard n Daniel Ordeneaux — U.S. Marine Corps n Leland Roussell Jr. — Army National Guard n Dewey Thevis — U.S. Army n Tyler Tucker — U.S. Marine Corps.

your head under the sand … Take charge and take control,” she said. “You got to stand up. You got to ﬁght. You got to face the enemy. And you’ve got to ﬁgure out a path forward so that you can go live your life.” After it returned in 2012, she had a double mastectomy. She’s been cancer-free since. Two years ago, she applied to be a model for the BUST Breast Cancer fashion show. This year, she was selected. Models can either choose their own local designer, or they can be matched with one from a random drawing at a meet-and-greet organizers put on in April. Malara decided to “trust the process,” she said. “I pulled (first), and it said Mike Weary … I thought he looks very kind. This might be OK.”

When Pam met Mike Mike Weary has been an artist since he declared himself one at 25, after switching from a pharmacy major at Xavier University to a fashion merchandising major at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to ﬁnally graduating in art. “I was nervous at ﬁrst because I haven’t really done clothes in a while,” he said. Weary, artist-in-residence and artist liaison for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, is often known as

Breast cancer survivors honored at Audubon

LCMC Health will host “Pampered in Pink,” an evening of pampering, local shopping and live entertainment on Oct. 15 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for breast cancer survivors at the Audubon Tea Room inside the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. “Throughout the evening, guests will hear powerful patient stories and learn more about breast cancer screening, advances in treatment, survivorship, and the resources available to support patients and their families at every stage of the journey,” LCMC Health said in a statement. Single tickets are $50, and reserved tables of 10 are $750. Tick-

ets can be purchased online at LCMC Health.

Tulane researcher looks at E. coli vaccine Jacob Bitoun, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at Tulane School of Medicine, has received funding from the National Institutes of Health to study biofilms formed by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, or ETEC, a type of E. coli. There is no licensed vaccine against ETEC. Bitoun and his research team are looking to pinpoint whether there is a speciﬁc biofilm, or protective community that forms around bacteria, unique to this strain of E. coli. Then, they can determine if there

are antigens, or counteracting molecules, that can be used to create a vaccine. “If biofilm-associated antigens are shared by many strains, they could provide vaccine targets that are less variable,” Bitoun said in a story from Tulane. A vaccine built around those shared targets could teach the immune system to recognize and block a wider range of ETEC strains, addressing one of the biggest challenges in developing an effective vaccine. Health Notes is an occasional listing of health happenings around Louisiana. Have something you’d like to share? Contact us at margaret. delaney@theadvocate.com.

Joe Malara talks about his wife, Pam Malara, and her experience as a breast cancer survivor. “the man who paints upside down.” His latest pieces, hung right-side-up at the Louisiana Art and Science Museum, represent the last ﬁve years in his life. Those years included the birth of a daughter. Weary’s first question to Malara was how she wanted to feel walking down the runway. She said she wanted to feel powerful. She chose her song for the runway ahead of meeting Weary: Pat Benatar’s “Invincible.” “Pam was able to spell it out pretty well,” he said. “You go for the feeling ﬁrst. I want (Pam) to feel powerful. I don’t want her to blend in with everything else. I don’t want it to just be awesome.” With only 30 seconds spent walking up and down the runway, Weary wanted to

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Artist Mike Weary and breast cancer survivor Pam Malara smile together recently at Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge in front of the armor-like ensemble Weary designed and created for Malara to wear for Woman’s Hospital’s 2026 BUST Breast Cancer fashion show. make an instant impression. He settled on creating armor for Malara. Inspired by the Greek goddess of the hunt, Artemis, he outﬁtted her suit with painted copper and oxidized signs, rusted iron grommets and a patinaed copper crescent to frame her face as she walked down the runway. It needed to be light and breathable, but also “look like she could run through a wall,” Weary said. A shield sleeve and kneehigh boots completed the

ensemble. He also gave her a sword to carry, representing her victory. “You could just see the joy,” Joe Malara said. “I could see the total look of the light on her face when he put that on her.” In Weary’s own circle of friends and family, he’s seen over a dozen loose their battle with cancer. “I had to make sure I was doing this the right way,” he said. “To make sure the people who are survivors are touched by it.”

What started as a meeting of feeling and expression, has turned into a lifelong friendship between the two. “Her energy is contagious,” Weary said. “Life is moving forward and ﬁghting and keeping going. The sun rose the next day when you took that nap. (Pam) talked about her roses. That’s the next day moving forward, telling her to keep going.” Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ 3X

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Eat Fit Live Fit

Molly Kimball RD, CSSD

B R O U G H T TO YO U BY

The Pink Zombie: all treats, no tricks

pooky season is here, and this year, it’s showing up in pink. The Pink Zombie is equal parts playful and refreshing, with tart lime, a splash of pineapple, botanical zero-proof gin and plenty of bubbles. But the real magic trick is dragon fruit powder. Also known as pitaya, the tropical fruit has a mild ﬂavor often compared to kiwi and pear, while its brilliant pink-red hue gives this zeroproof cocktail a naturally vivid color that brings a little Halloween spirit to every glass. Shaken, poured over ice and topped with sparkling water and raspberries, it’s bright, ﬁzzy and just a little theatrical. Consider it proof that your Halloween drink doesn’t need booze – or a bubbling cauldron – to bring a little spirit to the party.

Pink Zombie Makes 1 serving

2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon pineapple juice 1 tablespoon Eat Fit Simple Syrup (recipe follows) 1 ounce zero-proof gin 4 dashes Angostura bitters 1 teaspoon dragon fruit powder 4 ounces sparkling water 3 raspberries, for garnish Ice

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Reduce to medium-high heat and add sweetener. Stir to dissolve and continue to heat for 10 minutes. Pour into a heat-safe glass container and refrigerate to chill. You can store the unused portion in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. Assemble the Pink Zombie Combine lime juice, pineapple juice, Eat Fit Simple Syrup, zeroproof gin, bitters and dragon fruit powder in a shaker tin. Add ice and shake vigorously. Fill a hurricane glass with ice. Double-strain the mixture into the glass and top with sparkling water. Garnish with raspberries or another red fruit of your choice.

Nutrition per serving: 45 calories, 0 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 10 mg sodium, 8 grams net carbs, 2 grams ﬁber, 5 grams sugar (0 grams added sugar), 1 gram protein. Gluten-free. Vegan. Low-carb.

Eat Fit Simple Syrup

Makes approximately 1 cup 1 cup water ½ cup Swerve granular or 1½ cups granular allulose

Find this recipe and more in “CRAFT: The Eat Fit Guide to Zero Proof Cocktails,” available for purchase at local retailers or online at EatFitCookbook.com. Be sure to use promo code ADVOCATE at checkout for 10% off.

Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD,is a registered dietitian with Ochsner Health and founder of Ochsner’s Eat Fit nonproﬁt initiative. For more wellness content, tune in to Molly’s podcast, FUELED Wellness + Nutrition, and follow @MollykimballRD and @EatFitOchsner on social media. Email nutrition@ochsner.org to connect with Molly or schedule a consult with her team.

BY THE NUMBERS

American adult obesity

LA.’S ADULT OBESITy RATE DROPPED IN 2025, CDC SAyS

Louisiana jumped in the rankings for adult obesity rates, from the fourth-highest rate in the nation in 2023 to 19th-highest in 2025, according to newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state’s obesity rate was 39.2% in 2024. In 2023, it was 39.9%, or about 2 out of every 5 people. In 2013, the rate was 33.1%.Twenty years earlier, in the 1990s, the obesity rate was between 15% and 19%. In 2025, the CDC reports 35.6% of Louisiana adults are obese. Although the CDC does not provide reasons for the state’s decrease in obesity in 2025, some studies suggest the influx of weight loss drugs as a catalyst for its decline. Louisiana spent $1.167 billion on weight-loss drugs in 2023, the 16th-highest in America. “Moving Louisiana from third-highest in adult obesity to 19th is real progress, and it shows what can happen when we make better health outcomes a priority,” said state Sen. Patrick McMath, in a statement from the Louisiana Department of Health. When separated by region, the Midwest (35.5% obesity rates) and the South (34.8%) have the

highest prevalence of adult obesity, followed by the West (30.7%) and the Northeast (29.6%). The CDC’s 2025 adult obesity prevalence results include 47 states. California, Mississippi and Nevada had insufficient data to be included in the rankings. The District of Columbia is the only territory with obesity rates below 25%. These states had the lowest prevalence of obesity in 2025: n Colorado with 25.7%; n Hawaii with 26.4%; n Massachusetts and New Jersey with 27%; n New york with 28.5%; n Vermont with 29.1%; n Utah with 29.8%; n Florida with 30%; n Montana with 30.3%; n Connecticut with 30.4%. These states had the highest prevalence of obesity in 2025: n Alabama with 39.7%; n North Dakota with 39.1%; n Kentucky with 38.8%; n Oklahoma with 38.1%; n Tennessee with 37.9%;

The proportion of adults with obesity in each state in 2025, according to body mass index: Less than 29%

29% to 32%

32.1% to 35%

More than 38%

Insufficient data

WA S H . WASH. MON T. MONT.

V T. VT.

N.D. N.D.

N.H. N.H.

MINN. MINN.

ORE . ORE. I DA H O IDAHO

N E B. NEB. U TAH UTAH

C O L O. COLO.

CALIF. CALIF.

A RI Z . ARIZ.

N.Y. N.Y.

MICH. MICH.

NE V. NEV.

K A N. KAN.

OK L A . OKLA.

N.M. N.M.

I O WA IOWA

PA . PA. IL L . ILL.

M O. MO.

IND. IND.

OHIO OHIO W.V. W.V.

VA . VA.

K Y. KY.

R .I. R.I. CONN. C ONN. N . J. N.J. DE L . DEL. MD. MD.

N.C. N.C.

T ENN. TENN. A RK . ARK.

S.C. S.C. MIS S. ALA. MISS. AL A .

TE X AS TEXAS

ME . ME. M A S S. MASS.

W IS. WIS.

S.D. S.D.

W Y O. WYO.

GA. GA.

L A. LA.

A L A SK A ALASKA

FL A. FLA.

Louisiana: 35.6%

H AWA I I HAWAII

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Staff graphic

n Indiana with 37.5%; n West Virginia with 37.4%; n Kansas with 37.3%; n Iowa with 36.9%; n Arkansas with 36.7%. The data come from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an ongoing statebased, telephone interview survey conducted by

FLU

CDC and state health departments, using selfreported weight and height to calculate body mass index, or BMI. Obesity is defined as having a BMI of 30 or higher, which is calculated based on height and weight.While BMI is an imperfect measure and has been long criticized, it is still widely used to estimate body fat.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Continued from page 1X vaccinated, there are more opportunities for flu to spread through families, schools, workplaces and the broader community. There’s also a new option to know about this year. In August, the FDA approved the country’s first mRNA flu vaccine for people ages 50 and older. Like the traditional seasonal flu vaccines, it’s a trivalent vaccine, which means it targets three influenza strains. But the mRNA vaccine trains your immune system to recognize the flu differently. So as we head into another flu season, make vaccination part of your fall routine. Talk with your healthcare provider about which flu vaccine is appropriate for you, and don’t wait until flu is already making the rounds to get protected.

35.1% to 38%

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MARK J. TERRILL

Getting a flu shot may not be at the top of your busy to-do list, but it really is one of the simplest things you can do to protect yourself and the people around you, says Dr. Olivia Ragusa.

The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and re-examining tried and true methods on ways to live well. Health editions will also profile people who are advancing health for the state of Louisiana. Do you have a health story? We want to hear from you. Email margaret.delaney@theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

4X ■ Sunday, October 11, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Early Detection Saves Lives Breast health starts with knowing your risk and staying up to date on screenings.

A breast cancer diagnosis can be life-changing, but early detection can make all the difference. Regular screenings can help identify breast cancer before symptoms appear, when treatment may be more effective and outcomes may be improved. Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center is committed to helping women understand their risk, stay informed and access screening services close to home. Michelle A. Breast Cancer Patient

Know the Facts

Understanding Breast Cancer Risk

1 in 8

You may be at increased risk if you have: A personal history of breast cancer A family history of breast or ovarian cancer Certain inherited genetic mutations

women will face a breast cancer diagnosis during their lifetime.*

Dense breast tissue

Breast Cancer Awareness Month serves as an important reminder that screening saves lives. Understanding your personal risk and staying current on recommended screenings are among the most important steps you can take for your health.

Talk with your primary care physician about your individual risk factors and whether additional screening may be appropriate.

Why Regular Mammograms Matter

Beyond Mammograms: Breast Health Tips for Every Woman

A mammogram is a low-dose X-ray that can detect breast cancer early, often before it can be felt or causes symptoms. Regular mammograms can:

Make breast health a priority:

Detect cancer at earlier stages

Increase treatment options

Reduce the need for more aggressive treatments

Improve outcomes through earlier intervention

Women at average risk should discuss annual screening mammograms beginning at age 40 with their physician.

Schedule regular screenings Know your family’s cancer history Maintain a healthy lifestyle Speak with your doctor about changes in your breasts Ask if genetic risk assessment may be right for you Keep annual wellness visits on your calendar

Comprehensive Breast Care Close to Home Ochsner Health and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are partnered to bring advanced cancer care close to home. Through Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center, patients across Louisiana and Mississippi have access to the expertise and innovation of two leading cancer organizations, including advanced treatments, clinical trials, innovative therapies and multidisciplinary care.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

1 When should I start screening?

4 Should I consider genetic testing?

2 How often should I get a mammogram?

5 What additional screenings might be appropriate for me?

3 Am I at increased risk for breast cancer?

Learn more or schedule an appointment at ochsner.org/EndCancerBR

Preventive screenings save lives. Talk to your physician about scheduling your mammogram today.

SUNDAY, OctOber 11, 2026

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr.

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

ROSEBUDS / by Supr Dee

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE / by Stephan Pastis

wonderword

scrabble grams

word game

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

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

For more information on tournaments and clubs, email NASPA – North American SCRABBLE Players Association: info@scrabbleplayers.org. Visit our website: www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com. Hasbro and its logo SCRABBLE associated logo, the design of the distinctive SCRABBLE brand game card, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United States and Canada. ©2026 Hasbro. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

cryptoquote AxyDLBAAxR iS LONgFELLOW One letter stands for another. in this sample, A is used for the three L’s, x for the two O’s, etc. Single letters, apostrophes, the length and formation of the words are all hints. Each day the code letters are different.

AnsWers to ALL PuZZLes Are on inside BAcK PAGe

todAY's Word — BLAtHer: BLUJ-en: A short, heavy, thick-ended club. Average mark 41 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 51 or more words in BLATHER?

Sudoku

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

instructions: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

hidato directions: Complete the grid so that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

AnsWers to ALL PuZZLes Are on inside BAcK PAGe

Los angeLes Times sunday Crossword puzzLe — Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis “reCipe For disasTer” By danny ebbig-Hausen aCross 1 Glances in a pool hall 7 Longtime Miami Heat star, familiarly 12 Some desktop clutter 18 Sprouts up 19 Italian sausage seasoning 20 Cure-all 21 Arrive à la Cinderella? 23 Saturated with 24 Focus of an outdoor museum in Las Vegas 25 People of the Sioux Nation 26 Lb. and oz. 27 Muscle property 28 Moody genre 30 Studio sign 32 Internet pioneer acquired by the tech conglomerate Bending Spoons in 2026 33 Chef who plans to retire with the perfect tan? 42 Signed up 43 R&B legend Redding 44 Spring bloom 45 Dove call 46 Up to the task 47 Purple shade 48 Festival that bestows a Grand Prix 49 Inspiring start? 50 Dental advice from Lea & Perrins? 54 Paint finish 56 Drain 57 Cry over spilled milk 58 __ of the pack 61 Sunflower bit 62 Distress call 63 Nourished 64 Piece of coal

66 Mount Ka’ala’s island 69 Some unofficial sequels, informally 72 19-Across flavor 74 Paramount channel 77 Dug a little too deep 79 Dinner guest who refuses to use chopsticks and probably won’t show up? 82 Half a zygote 83 Short program 86 Wind instrument? 87 “That could work for me” 88 Quote from Homer 89 Noir’s counterpart in roulette 90 Bring on board 91 Political position 93 Mini-mart on the edge of the Gobi Desert? 97 Cold-water fish 98 Cold-water fish 99 Mex. neighbor 100 Concerning 102 Had a snack 103 Web designer 107 “The X-Files” topic 111 “I’m the one who screwed up” 113 Spring roll or summer sausage? 116 Pine, for one 117 Set right? 118 Dancer partner 119 Term of endearment 120 Balance sheet item 121 Real __ down 1 Subway unit 2 “East of Eden” brother based on Abel 3 Really get to

4 Norwegian banking hub 5 National repair chain that began as a muffler shop 6 Govt.-issued ID 7 “Here’s the __ ... “ 8 A’ja Wilson’s org. 9 Chemical substances with similar structures 10 FDR part 11 90° bend 12 Furry feet 13 “SNL” alum Gasteyer 14 Service provider? 15 Navigate by sound 16 Bridle strap 17 Levelheaded 19 Boating hazard 20 Membership platform for content creators 22 Mickey or Minnie 26 Expanded, as a search area 29 Coffee, in slang 31 Llama kin 32 Chasm 33 Hooded snake 34 Slather with grease 35 Singles 36 Talks up 37 Like poison ivy 38 “It’s all untrue!” 39 Opposite of SSW 40 “Holy guacamole!” 41 On and on and on 42 Ring exchange 47 Kate Middleton’s sister 48 Prompted from the wings 51 Garden tool 52 Threat in some fairy tales 53 Smart __ 55 Nile 33-Down

59 Top-tier 60 Work quickly 62 Shade 63 Italian automaker 65 “Give __ break!” 66 One-sided columns 67 Jargon 68 Like premium gasoline 70 Contest between Giants and Titans, e.g. 71 Take to the cleaners

goren Bridge

72 Pulitzer Prize, for one 73 Number in the NATO alphabet 74 Stand-up performer 75 Stabilizing piece 76 Largest of the Inner Hebrides 78 Challenged 80 Rotten to the core 81 World Cup org.

wuzzLes

84 Taro dish 85 Full-groan person? 90 Places for pots fresh from the oven 91 Photo __ 92 Mexican dish with fried tortillas 94 Suite sharer 95 “Full House” twins 96 Mongolian dwelling

100 Basics 101 Sign in a construction zone 102 Iowa college town 104 “So that’s how it is” 105 Terse caution 106 Sinus doc 108 Lickety-split 109 Worker welfare org. 110 “Ignore that suggested edit”

112 Baby newt 113 One-named “Chandelier” singer 114 Laudatory poem 115 Before, in classic 114-Downs

super Quiz

Careless

Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

West led the queen of hearts, partner’s suit, and East took his ace. East shifted to the two of clubs, his partner’s suit, and dummy won with the ace. Declarer led a spade to his king and West’s ace. West cashed the king of clubs as East discarded a heart. South ruffed the next club, drew trumps, and claimed. The defense could have done better. How would you assign the blame? East could have defeated the contract by returning a heart at trick two. West would ruff and lead the king of clubs, and the defense would have to get two more tricks. East might also have ruffed the king of clubs and led a heart for West to ruff. Still, we think West should get the lion’s share of the blame. East could not know for sure that West had a singleton heart. West might have had the missing heart. Also, East could not have known that West had seven clubs. Why couldn’t West have six clubs and be planning to give East a ruff on the next round of the suit? West knew all these things. West should have led

SUBJECT: WHAT IS IT?

7. Escarole

Is it food, clothing, a bird, a mammal, furniture, a tree, a river or what? (Example: Borborygmus. Answer: A noise (made in the intestines).)

Answer________ 8. Borzoi Answer________ 9. Ginkgo Answer________ 10. Tern Answer________

FRESHMAN LEVEL 1. Pinafore

PH.D. LEVEL

Answer________

11. Baikal

2. K2

Answer________

12. Portmanteau

a low club rather than the king. That would have made it easy for East to ruff and return a heart. West put too much pressure on his partner when there was no reason for it.

3. Espadrilles

Answer________

13. Petrichor

4. Gobi

Answer________

14. Irtysh

5. Beluga

Answer________

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny. 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2026 Tribune Content Agency

Answer________

15. Busby Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL 6. Bugatti Answer________

ANSWERS TO ALL PUZZLES ARE ON NEXT PAGE

zodiaC LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Lending a helping hand will lead to greater awareness, purpose and ways you can contribute. The people you encounter and the dedication you show will make a difference. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Don’t apply pressure when a kind gesture or word will suffice. Sit back and be attentive and curious about what’s happening. Choose to be the quiet crusader with a big heart. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Take control, and start projects that encourage a better lifestyle. Don’t

let frustration and anger set in if someone doesn’t agree with you. It’s OK to do things your way. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Focus on what’s possible. Offer suggestions, but don’t own mistakes that don’t belong to you. Use your intelligence and physical attributes to carry out the duties that belong to you. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Keep tabs on your money, overhead and subscriptions. Choose to downsize where possible, and implement more time and cash to what brings you joy. Distance yourself from controversy.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Set yourself up for success. Put a budget and a plan in place, and do what you do best. Stop wasting time on what others choose to do, and focus on satisfying your needs. ARIES (March 21-April 19) Trust your instincts and follow your heart. Plan to do something adventurous, healthy or romantic. Refuse to let what others say or do cause emotional discord. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Arguments will not solve issues. Solutions that are well thought out and accommodate all concerned who

are willing to compromise will help you reach your objective. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Enhancing your skills will pay off. Attend an event that offers insight into something you might enjoy doing for a living. Don’t shy away from influencing others. CANCER (June 21-July 22) Use your energy to shine, not to annoy someone looking for an argument. Distance yourself from people you have trouble getting along with, and gravitate toward those who inspire you to be active. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Keep your thoughts and opinions to your-

self. Don’t start something you can’t finish. Your efforts are best reserved for personal pampering and learning how to manage your time and money better. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Tune in to the conversation. Stay aware of situations and how others perceive what’s happening and the outcome that follows. Avoid protests and risky situations. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

dustin / by Steve Kelley & Jeff Parker

Answers to puzzles super quiz 1. Clothing. 2. Mountain. 3. Shoes. 4. Desert. 5. Mammal (whale). 6. Car (automobile manufacturer). 7. Food. 8. Dog. 9. Tree. 10. Bird. 11. Lake. 12. A type of word (blended from two words). 13. An odor. 14. River. 15. Hat.

SCORING: 24 to 30 points — congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points — honors graduate; 13 to 17 points — you’re plenty smart, but no grind; 5 to 12 points — you really should hit the books harder; 1 point to 4 points — enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0 points — who reads the questions to you?

Cryptoquote Answer Saturday's Cryptoquote: Women grow radical with age. One day an army of gray-haired women may quietly take over the earth. — Gloria Steinem

word GAme Answer bale bare bate bath bathe bather bear beat belt berth beta blah blare blat blear bleat brat

breath late later lath lathe lather abet able abler alert alter table tale tare teal tear hale

halt halter hare hate hater heal hear heart heat herb herbal earl earth rale rate real rehab

sudoKu Answer jumble Answer

Crossword Answers

jeFF mACnelly’s shoe / by Gary Brookins & Susie MacNelly

sCrAbble Answers

FoXtrot / by Bill Amend

wuzzles Answers

Ken Ken Answers

hidAto Answers